I strip, peeling the stiff clothing off my body, tossing them into a heap on the floor. Once I'm bare, I examine myself again. My ribs are a little less noticeable, and the flat of my stomach bulges slightly from my recent meal. Even my cheeks seem to have filled out, ever so slightly. Finding this store has been both a blessing, and a curse. If not for it, I would never have found the food, or Aldeon...
I bite my lower lip, allowing my mind to wander. What would he think of the slight curves of my hips? It's been so long since I've been touched...
No. Just because he's a man doesn't mean I have to be with him. He's only filling a void, chasing away my loneliness for the time being. Nothing more.
This mate thing? I won't agree to it. He can either accept my dismissal or eat me, I don't really care anymore.
I pull on my clean clothing and leave the room, only to find Aldeon waiting for me on the other side of the door.
"Oh wow, you've changed." I look over his newly fashioned form. A tight-fitting black sweater and gray sweatpants that hug his thighs. I skim over the bulge between his legs, feeling my cheeks heat once again.
“As have you.” He bites his lower lip, inspecting me from head to toe with his hungry eyes.
I swallow thickly and pick up my bag, slinging it over my shoulders.
"We've got shit to do. Are you ready?"
His fangs peek from beneath his lip as he smiles. "Always."
Aldeon
The sun is quickly dipping behind the tree line as dusk approaches, dimming the light inside the store.
"There are still a few things I want to look for before it gets dark." Kora’s eyes wander over all of the human things, and I wonder if she misses her home as much as I do. "We need blankets, candles, and more medicine."
I nod my head in agreement with her words. My mind is distracted.
The thoughts are so hard to keep away. I want to know how she really feels about me, no matter how difficult it may be to process. I've never dealt with someone as stubborn and difficult.
She begins to buzz her way between shelves, and I do my best to focus on the task at hand. Kora needs supplies so that she will survive. That is what should take top priority, not my conscience. I can see all of the items that rest upon the metal platforms, even though Kora has to turn on her handheld light.
"Look, Kora." I point to a box fire ablaze on the colored packaging.
Kora gasps. "Aldeon, do you know what this is?" She pulls the box into her hands and its weight causes her arms to sag. Her eyes crinkle at the edges, and I memorize her features as she drops the box and claws its top open.
"Is it a fire maker? A lighter?" She rips at the packaging with her nails. I crouch beside her, flicking the plastic away with a finger stroke so she doesn't continue to struggle.
"Yes. Yes, it is." She laughs, stroking the metal device.
"I'll carry it. We still have more human things to find."
Kora nods her head, and I gather the precious fire kit in my arms. This tool makes her happy, so I am careful as I grip it between my fingers.
As we continue to scavenge, Kora coos and gawks over more things. Her bag fills quickly, and soon, it is too dark for her search to be productive.
"Maybe we should sleep here tonight, you know? It's dark and I really don't want to go out there right now." Her finger darts to the glass doorway, where outside the crescent moon hangs high in the sky.
"I agree. I don't want you outside while darkness clings to the earth."
Her eyes roll. "Yep, so let's get comfy. There's a bathroom this way. It's safer than out in the open."
As we pass by one of the lanes covered in the faint scent of humans, I smell something strange. Sweet, like nectar that's just been drained from a tree. Just there, under one of the half-sized counters. I crouch low, sweeping the sweetness into my hands.
"Kora?"
She turns, letting out an exasperated huff. "What is it, Al-"
I hold the red package out to her, squeezing the beads that are loose inside. Kora bounds back to my side and snatches it into her hands.
"Do you know what this is?" Her smile lights my soul on fire.
"It's sweet." I wrinkle my nose. The aroma reminds me of the tinctures my mother used to make when I was a child. The taste sticks to my tongue, a distant memory.
"It's a pack of Skittles! Oh my God. I can't believe this." She rips the package open, spilling beads of every color into her palm. "Here, take one." She offers me her hand, and I pluck one with caution, my finger pinching the yellow bead.
Kora places three into her palm and slaps them into her mouth. Her head hangs back as she chews, eyes fluttering as a moan leaves her throat.
Suddenly, my human pants feel much too tight. I ignore it and place the bead into my mouth, rolling it over my tongue. I swallow it whole, grimacing. It is the most disgusting thing I have ever tasted, even worse than the medicines from my childhood.
"And you humans enjoy these beads?"
Kora places three more of them into her mouth, chewing with haste. "Dude, Skittles are the shit. How did you find these?"
I tap my nose. "I followed their scent."
Her eyes widen. "If we found another store, do you think you could find more?"
My fangs scrape against my lower lip as I smile. "I would find you an endless amount of sweet beads, my dear Kora."
Kora bites her lower lip, a grin fighting its way to her face. "Fine, then I guess we can be friends."
Oh, we will be much more than that. I’ll win her heart, even if I have to find every single bead on this planet.
Kora wraps the red package up and stuffs it into the side of her backpack. "Alright, let’s go make our bed." Her cheeks redden. "I mean my bed. You can sleep on the floor or something."
"Isn't that where you will be sleeping?"
Kora snickers and slaps me on the arm, her punch weak. I mock injury to appease her.
"I'll be sleeping on a nice cozy blanket. Do you even sleep?"
I shrug. I do not, but I will lie beside her sleeping body all night if she allows me. That way I can be close enough to touch her if she asks.
Kora
I roll out my blanket on the tile floor, beside an empty stall. Aldeon's watchful gaze follows me as I busy myself. He's standing beside the door, as motionless as a statue.
I pull a candle out of my bag and flick my lighter, catching the wick ablaze. The warm amber glow turns the white walls orange.
Aldeon's been quiet since he found me the candy. I don't even have to look over my shoulder to know he’s watching me. It's kinda creepy, but now that I know what he wants... well, it makes sense.
I'm his mate, whatever the hell that means.
I kneel down on my blanket and pull the precious candy free from the side pocket of my backpack. I don't think Aldeon realizes how much these Skittles mean to me. I didn't tell him, but they were Cece's favorite.
I plop a red piece into my mouth.
If she could see me now, consorting with the enemy, what would she say? I imagine she'd go bat shit crazy, swinging fists and cursing up a storm.
I chuckle to myself, and Aldeon crosses the room. "What are you thinking about?"
Should I admit that I'm thinking about my sister tearing him a new one? Or do I tell him about her laugh, or the way her dimples showed whenever she smiled?
Tears well in my eyes. I don't want to keep feeling this emptiness. I don't want to miss her anymore. Aldeon sits down beside me, his thighs touching mine.
"Did you have any family before you came here?" I ask, turning to face him.
The sorrow that flashes over his face only lasts a moment. "I did."
"You know, I had a sister. She was always better than I was at everything. Sports, chorus, boys." A manic laugh slips from my lips, and I fight tears as they struggle to shed. "I miss her a lot."
Aldeon's places his arm over my shoulder, pulling me in close.
"I miss her, and myself. I miss the old me so mu
ch, the me that was going to school to be a veterinarian, who danced in the rain, and drank smoothies every morning. I miss laughing, and singing, and fucking talking to anyone other than myself." My chest heaves, and I squeeze my eyes shut. My lungs are too tight. My head is too heavy. My heart aches too damn much.
"Shhh, Kora. It's okay." Aldeon hugs me tight, rubbing his hands in circles over my back.
"But it isn't fucking okay. You could never understand this kind of... loss. I've lost everything." I open my eyes, seeing through my blurred vision.
Aldeon has everything. He's strong, invincible. He'll never die, or agonize over surviving another day. He's a shark, and I'm just a goldfish.
"You're wrong." Aldeon presses his lips together, and he squints. "I've lost a sister. Parents. My whole world is gone, replaced with this one."
My breathing evens, my tears momentarily halted. "What?"
"I've grieved more than you can imagine, but all I can see is you. You've taken this pain inside of me and replaced it with wonder. Kora, you've survived all of this." He gestures to the candlelit room around us. "And yet, here you are, in my arms. I can't keep looking back, and neither should you."
"Then what should I do?" Please, tell me. I've been stumbling along blind, and I don't know if what I'm doing is right, or wrong, or ass backwards. I'm in too deep, and I desperately need someone to pull me out.
His finger skirts across my forehead, and I lean into his embrace. He feels good. Strong. Safe. "Let me take care of you. You don't have to be alone anymore."
I look up into the black depths of his gaze. He's right. I don't have to be alone anymore. I don't want to be alone anymore. It doesn't matter if he's one of them, or if he has fangs and drinks blood. He's real. I can touch him, feel the warmth of his skin. He's saved me, warmed me by the fire, killed his own kind for me.
And I want this. I lean my head forward.
"Kora," Aldeon's whisper is warm on my cheek, and I silence him with the brush of my lips.
Fire cascades down my throat, igniting something deep within. His mouth opens under mine, and he tastes fresh and salty, like peppermint melded with the sea. Finally, everything aching inside melts away.
Aldeon is all there is. His hair tickles my cheek as he presses me against him. When I pull away to catch my breath, he touches his forehead to mine, and I know I can never go back. His hands skirt down my arms, leaving goosebumps in their wake.
"Kora-"
"No, don't ruin this." I push my lips back to his, this time demanding. I want to feel him again. I want to feel anything other than my shitty normal self. Aldeon's mouth parts, and his fangs glide against my tongue. Yes. This is what I want.
I straddle him, feeling hardness through his sweatpants. I grind my hips against him, relishing the waves of pleasure that tingle up my body. Yes.
Aldeon growls, and his hands move to my waist, rocking me against him harder. I open my eyes, watching his hungry features. His eyes are lidded as breath whooshes from his mouth, and his fingers tighten around my hips.
Yes. His hands move up arms all the way to my neck, and he grips my hair. Wetness pools from me onto the hard outline of his cock, bringing me to the edge. I want... I want-
"No, Kora." Aldeon tugs my head backwards, away from his face. He slides out from underneath me and sets me down onto the blanket, leaving empty and cold.
"What's wrong?" My voice whines, but I don't care. Am I not enough?
"There's nothing wrong, it's just... We should wait. I don't think you're ready." His brows furrow, framing heavy eyes.
"No, I'm ready." Heat radiates from between my thighs.
Aldeon rubs his hand across his face "No, my beloved, I don't think you are. Let's pace ourselves. You have to be ready before we complete the bond."
"Complete the bond?" Oh. My eyes widen. Oh.
I slip underneath my blanket. I think I've done enough damage for one day. I rest my head on my backpack. "Good night, Aldeon."
Aldeon moves in a blur. One moment, he’s pacing the room, and the next, he's kneeling over me. "Good night, my mate." His lips brush against my forehead, and then he's gone, blowing the candle out with his haste.
Fuck. My core aches, longing for something to fill it. No, not just something. Aldeon. The fucker has wiggled his way into my heart, and there's no way to exorcise him.
He's stolen my soul, once and for all. I brush my finger over my lips, the lips that touched his just moments ago. One weight has been lifted from my shoulders, but another’s been stacked neatly in its place. If I want to keep Aldeon, I'm going to have to bond with him.
And I really, really want to keep him.
Aldeon
Soft sounds seep from Kora’s body as she sleeps. I sit across the room, watching her, thinking about what will come next.
Her blood, most certainly. Even when she pressed her body against mine and grinded on my hard length, I couldn't stop thinking about the single drop that would bind us forever.
And tonight, with her pain so fresh, I couldn't tie that knot. I want the sacred ritual to be special, and I want her to want me because she cares, not because she hurts.
But still, my cock aches to be buried deep inside the warmth of her core. My teeth ache with the desire to bite her, to claim her as mine. But I must persevere. For her sake, I must be stronger than the urges that fuel me.
I stand and look over my shoulder at my bundled mate before exiting the small room. The door closes behind me with a soft click, and I hold my breath, listening to be sure she hasn't awoken. Nothing sounds on the other side, though, and my thoughts quickly return to the ache in my cock.
My length is swollen and sore. I need a release so I can dispel these thoughts of mating until the time is right. I push my human pants down to my ankles and place my palm against the door, keeping it shut, just in case.
As I stroke myself, I think of her. Kora’s hips sliding over my length, the friction that nearly made me spill my seed. Her breathy moans as she ate the sweet beads earlier today. Her lips on mine and her tongue dancing between my fangs.
My lips part, and my breath quickens. Her hand over mine as she pumps my cock. Her wet cunt swallowing my length completely. A husky moan escapes my lips as my seed wets my hand, dripping onto the floor. The pound of my heart is so deafening that it overtakes all other noise.
I place my ear against the door, listening for disturbance on the other side. I don't want my mate to catch me in this deplorable act. After moments of silence, my heart returns to its normal pace, and I slide my pants back up.
There are scraps of fabric on the floor of this huge open room, and I grab one into my hands and wipe the floor clean.
Once all traces of my activities have vanished, I return to my mate. She shifted in her sleep and now faces the wall. I slip under the covers beside her, pulling her to my chest. Her hair tickles my nose, and I pet it with one hand, flattening it against her head.
My nose nuzzles her neck, and I inhale deeply. Her aroma is rich and decadent. Calling me in, beckoning me for a single taste. I kiss the back of her neck and rest my head on her bag. Tomorrow, I will find her another pillow. She deserves nothing but the best.
A memory of my parents, happily cooing at each other in our cozy hut, comes to mind. I understand their bond now. Kora is a treasure. I want to share every bit of myself with her, even the vulnerable.
She moves in her sleep, slapping her hand against my arm. I smile as she wiggles, settling in once more. This time, her head lands on my chest.
I tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ears, and she puckers her lips. My fingertips glide over her cheek. She is so soft, so fragile. So easily harmed.
I rub my palm over her arms, soothing myself with her touch. If she were to perish, I would find the jejune Brone and force him to remove my head for me. I will meet her in death, and our souls will take their journey together.
She will be fine. Safe in my arms forever. And soon, she’ll share her blood with me. We wi
ll be bound by body and spirit.
I wonder how Kora will feel when she finds out that our souls long to entangle, and that to do so, I must break our promise.
I rub her cheek gently once more and kiss her forehead. Those are thoughts for another time. For now, she must rest.
Kora
Hmf, something hard and warm rumbles underneath my ear. Thump, thump, thump, thump, like a stampede. My eyes flutter open, but it's still dark.
"Aldeon?"
"Yes?"
I jump at the sound of his voice, so close that it tickles my ear. I slept on his chest. I slept on the chest of the vampire I grinded all over last night.
I sit up as my hand flies to my face, rubbing the drool from my chin. I push my mussed hair out of my eyes.
"I thought vampires didn't sleep." I pull the blanket over my shoulders. I blink a few times, watching as Aldeon gathers his hair in his hands and throws it over his shoulder. Butterflies beat against my stomach.
"We don't." His smile brightens the darkness, and I turn to conceal my heated cheeks.
"Let's get a candle lit so we can pack up. I want to grab a few more things before we get going." I lift my hands high into the air, stretching from side to side.
Aldeon is already up and zooming around the room. He lights the candle, pulls my bag to the side of the room, and begins to roll my blanket as soon as I stand.
I place my hands on my hips and watch. Aldeon has everything packed and ready to go in a matter of seconds. He even shoulders my bag, seemingly taking the weight right off my shoulders.
My heart swells as I watch him work. Things have shifted. Instead of fearing him, like any sane woman would do... I want to jump him and finish what I started last night.
You have to be ready before we complete the bond. His words haunt me, reminding me what is at stake if I give in to his charm. But fuck, I don’t know if being bonded to him would be so bad.
Blood at Dusk: A Dark Vampire Paranormal Romance Novel (The SoulBlood Series Book 1) Page 8