Those devious eyes slant in my direction, and I watch the change happen right in front of me. Those sweet eyes land on me, and I’m on her in the next instant, my lips finding hers.

“Ah, come on! You just said he couldn’t have you,” Damien gripes, still benched.

Without the spray of salt to signal the change, Damien has missed the shift from monster to woman, not recognizing the difference.

Violet smiles against my lips, as though she’s happy to have me kissing her. Or maybe Hyde is back.

Just this once, I don’t care which, since I need them both in order to get claimed.

Vance makes a sound that assures me he’s just enjoyed her very thoroughly. Again.

Violet’s kiss gets more aggressive, and she makes a sweet, whimpering sound that I swallow, proving all the more it is her. Her nails press into the back of my neck, and her kiss turns almost violent, until she suddenly breaks it, her body shuddering against me.

The wolf makes enough telling movements and sounds to assure me he’s also followed suit on the pleasure train that left the station without me.

“Guess it’s my turn,” I tell them, smirking like I’m winning at last, while dragging her away from both of them.

She makes a surprised sound, seconds before her back hits the bed. Coming down on top of her, I push inside her before she has the chance to change her mind.

For every fucking inch I sink deeper, I cling to her that much more.

Her arms go around my neck, and I pull her as close as possible. She’s hot and cold, her body’s temperature changing too rapidly against Damien’s power warring with her own.

I groan, because it’s already getting to me, and the feel of her seems far more intense now that she’s truly mine.

“Put in a good word for me, mmkay, Vampyre?” Damien asks from somewhere in the room.

I don’t bother looking back, as he mutters a curse, reeling with jealousy.

Like a selfish prat, I keep her all to myself, enjoying every second of how it feels to be inside her.

When I break the kiss, she turns her head, exposing her throat, as though she knew exactly what I needed. The second my fangs sink into her delicate flesh, something hot, familiar, and damning hits me with such erotic force that I have no choice but to…end things prematurely.

I can’t even enjoy the pleasure coursing through me, because I can feel Violet’s body tense. When I glance up, she’s keeping her lips pressed together and staring at the ceiling, being far too obvious.

“He really is the fastest of us all,” Damien quips, as my monster tries to surge to the surface. “Told you that wasn’t a good thing, Vampyre.”

“Damien, you didn’t just do what I think you did, did you?” Vance asks on what I’m sure is supposed to sound like an exasperated breath, but I hear the amusement hiding in the silversmith’s tone.

“I’m merely a spectator, Van Helsing. If you’re suggesting I made the vampire pop the cork a bit early because I’m devilishly preventing him from being claimed unless I get claimed, then you’re entirely out of line. I’d never do that over and over to prevent them from leaving me out,” the deviant states in a damn near laughable manner.

Violet clears her throat rather awkwardly, wrapping her legs around my waist, as she finally meets my gaze.

“Your eyes are black. Don’t get worked up right now, especially while…you know…you’re still attached to me. This is not a big deal. We’ve got all night,” she says in what she must think is a reassuring tone.

I’m going to murder that motherfucker.

I’m going to rip his head off and shove it in that room with Idun.

Then I’m going to flay the skin from his body and shove it in the oven. Maybe it’ll appeal to those weird kids who are obsessed with breadcrumbs, and they can take over from there.

“His eyes are starting to turn red,” Violet says in a worried tone, as I slowly cut my dimming gaze to the Morpheous in the room.

Damien bloody smirks.

I move before my mind even registers what I’m doing, and it all fades out.

Chapter 58

DAMIEN

The fucking vampire charges straight at me, eyes fully red, and I suck in a sharp breath of surprise. He really did just lose his bloody monster on me!

Vance spins, wearing nothing but a sheet around his waist, and narrowly makes it in time to punch Arion to the ground, which fortunately comes before the psychotic vampire manages to take my head off.

“You fucking dumbass,” Emit mumbles, glancing at me like I’m the dumbass in question.

“He just unleashed his monster on me, and you’re calling me the dumbass. Vance, you better take him down. I’ve not fed enough for a fight with him,” I quickly tell the Van Helsing, who is still being a sheet warrior.

He tackles Arion to the ground, and they wrestle, as the vampire snaps and tries to claw at him.

“Fucking teenage boys,” I hear Violet muttering, as she shuffles from the bed.

The chains slam the ground around her, causing everyone else to look her way. Even Arion’s eyes immediately dim back to black. She quickly drags a blanket off the chair to cover herself, and glares at all of us.

“You know, on the outside, a sexy, naked vampire wrestling with a sexy Van Helsing who is only wearing a sheet, this would seem like a hot show to watch,” Violet states very tightly, giving us all an angry look I find very attractive.

Arion’s lips curve in a grin, but she pointedly ignores him.

She lifts her arm, and the chain clangs, as she gives us a reminder she’s still bound. Between the black chain and the red blanket she’s wearing, I’m a desperate man. And I’m the only one with power over her.

Surely no one can fault me for fighting dirty.

“Stop smiling,” Violet says, pointing a finger at me. “You’ve been toying with me all night like it’s your new mission to flex your muscle as often as possible. Do you really think my monster is going to claim you?”

My smile falls very quickly.

Am I actually in trouble?

She’s not just playing?

Vance pushes off from Arion, and the vampire blurs to his feet. He drops a pillow in his lap, as he takes a seat. Emit, of course, lets it all hang out.

I’m still in my trousers, since Violet’s not let me do much of anything.

“When a girl gets chained up in her room by her four really hot, mostly naked, dangerous, bad-boy boyfriends on her latest impromptu wedding day, and three of them are demanding to be claimed by her, she expects a lot really hot sex, some really endearing romantic memories, and maybe some candlelight.”

She tries to wrap the blanket around her better, securing it, as the chains rattle with her every movement.

Arion is grinning once more. I don’t think he realizes she’s actually pissed.

“This is supposed to be a celebration, and instead, it’s a competition to get claimed. Which, by the way, is apparently way more intimate to me than all of you,” she rants, getting very passionate now, as she narrows her eyes.

I do love this woman.

“Instead, a Morpheous is being a douche, a vampire is turning monster, a Van Helsing is having to play moderator, and a wolf is observing and patiently waiting on all of you to piss me off so he can catch me when I’m vulnerable,” she states very confidently. “How is this supposed to be sexy?”