by Ginna Moran
“Is there any way you can help me get her out of here so she can go home? It’s what she wants.” I glance at each of them in an attempt to read their thoughts.
Aspen slides his arms around me again. “And what about you? She doesn’t seem like she wants you to stay.”
“It’s not her decision,” I say, straightening my shoulders. It’s not anyone’s decision. None of the options before worked for me, including being Culver’s personal donor. But this? I never thought I’d fall into a coven that doesn’t see me as anything but who I am in front of them.
Hudson leans over and kisses me. “We’ll see what we can do for her.”
I bob my head. “Thanks. It’ll help when I break the news to her.”
Berkeley tightens his jaw. “About us?”
“Yeah,” I say. “And how I want to stay.”
If only I didn’t think she’d blow up.
Or accuse me of being a traitor.
And maybe I am.
Maybe I always was.
Chapter 18
Betrayal
COOL LIPS CARESS MY SHOULDER, drawing me from my thoughts. I couldn’t sleep for the life of me, even though I’m exhausted. After an hour of tossing and turning, I gave up on trying because Aspen wasn’t going to fall asleep until I did, so I faked it until his breathing evened out.
“You didn’t sleep,” he murmurs, sliding his arm over my waist to curl completely against me. “Is something wrong with the bed? The pillows? My room in general?”
I smirk to myself as he goes through the list of things that would prevent me from sleeping apart from the obvious. “Everything is perfect.” I pull his arm up to hug it against my chest. “Including your arms. I’m just wound up. Feel like someone gave me an energy boost for my mind but forgot my body.”
“Do you think some more of my blood will help?” He shifts up a bit and sinks his fangs into his arm without waiting for my response.
My stomach growls louder than a room of angry vampires. Aspen chuckles and gets me to lift my head so that he can get his bleeding arm under me to continue spooning me. I don’t say anything before I draw my tongue over his blood before it spills. His breathing quickens, his free hand digging into my hip. The fact that we lie in his bed, doing an act he finds intimate, doesn’t get lost on me. I’ve never had a start to the day such as this one, and I savor every second of it.
“You’re so beautiful,” Aspen whispers against my neck, kissing my tingling skin.
He shifts against me until his raging morning wood rests between my legs. I hum in my throat, rolling my hips against him. Something about how turned on he is ignites my own lust, and I release his arm to roll over to face him. His lips crash into mine, desperate yet soft, and he slips his tongue into my mouth to kiss me with enough passion that I can’t resist pulling him onto me.
I trail my fingers up his chest and to the tight muscles of his back, just mapping out his body as I familiarize myself with him. He presses his erection between my legs, rubbing it against me through our clothes, and I moan and kiss him again.
“Is this okay?” he asks, kissing my throat.
I nod my consent and arch up a bit to let him tug my shirt off me. He pauses to drink in the sight of my breasts, his eyes flashing silver with a desire that leaves my body buzzing. Running his finger across my throat, he pulls my hair out of the way and shimmies down a bit to glide his tongue over the curve of my boob until he takes my nipple into his mouth and sucks it just hard enough to drag an embarrassingly loud moan from my mouth.
“Your skin tastes as good as your blood,” he murmurs, before showing my other breast his attention.
I can’t stop myself from grinding against him, my body craving more. I don’t know if it’s because he accepted who I am, something I never expected, or because he let me put my own claim on him, but something shifts between Aspen and me, awakened by our deep-seated natures that both want each other.
“Can I taste more of you?” He tilts his head up to look at me, his handsome features sharp with desire.
I comb my fingers through his blond hair and nod, expecting him to pull himself up higher to kiss my throat, but he moves lower to lick down the length of my stomach. A dozen thoughts swirl through my mind as I realize he doesn’t want to bite me, his fangs never extending. He brushes his lips along my hips, memorizing my body with his mouth.
His fingers curl around the hem of the boxers he gave me to wear, and I inhale a sharp breath at the torturously slow pace he eases them off me. His eyes flick to mine to watch my reaction, and I suck my bottom lip into my mouth and arch my back to let him undress me completely.
I rub my legs together, nerves tingling through me at the way his eyes rove over me as I lie bare before him. I’ve never been so exposed in front of anyone, but he makes me feel so hot and sexy, desired.
He smiles at me, guiding my body until I bend my knees and ease my legs open. I lean back and close my eyes, panting hard in anticipation for what’s about to happen. He lies down between my legs, his broad shoulders pressing into my thighs and ass cheeks as he eases my body up a bit. His lips start slow, trailing across my inner thigh, his kiss just a whisper against my heated skin.
My muscles tense the second he kisses between my legs, a burst of sensations yanking a gasp from my mouth. Aspen moans deep in his throat at my reaction and tightens his fingers to my hips to hold me in place.
I grip the blankets as a wave of pleasure crashes through me. Aspen starts slow, just tracing his tongue over my clit while familiarizing himself with my body. Pressure builds between my legs, his mouth working over me in a way that I lose myself to my desire. Every sensation he creates with his tongue and lips grows more intense until I’m gasping and moaning, squirming to grab onto anything I can hold on to.
My body tingles and buzzes, my toes curling. It takes everything in me to stop from screaming out in pleasure as he takes me to my point of release.
I lose control of my rebel mouth, my body tensing, my muscles pulsing. I trap Aspen with my thighs and arch my back until he slows down and laces his fingers through mine, watching me catch my breath.
“That was better than I imagined. Incredible. I find everything about you intoxicating, Fiona.” Aspen eases up and hugs me, kissing my neck.
I meet his gaze, still feeling his hardness press against me. I know he doesn’t expect more from me, but I want to take care of him as well. My body still hums, my desire playing and mingling with his.
“Will you let me find out what you like?” I ask, chewing my lip in a teasing smile.
He raises his eyebrows, his eyes flashing silver with his lust. He nods and eases off of me to lie on his back. I trail my gaze over his bare chest and down the hard planes of his abs. I rub my fingers over his boxers, feeling his hard-on through the thin cotton fabric. He sucks in a shuddering breath as he tenses and relaxes his muscles.
“Fiona...” I love the way he says my name, a small breath of desire surrounding the whisper of his voice.
Hooking my fingers to the hem of his boxers, I tug them down until his incredibly intimidating erection frees for me to see. I can’t stop myself from staring at him a moment, my mind just needing to take in the sight of him. He helps me undress him completely, and I kneel next to him, my heart racing at the fact that we’re both completely naked.
“Don’t feel like you have to do anything,” he murmurs, twisting the strands of my dark purple hair between his fingers.
Heat blooms across my cheeks. “I don’t feel like I have to do anything. I want to. I just...your body is amazing.”
He grins at my words. “I love that you think so. Because I find every part of you lickable. Kissable. So sexy and beautiful. Leaving this room might be the hardest thing I’ve ever faced in my existence.”
“I hope so,” I tease, lacing my fingers around his boner. He flexes it with his moan, keeping his eyes trained on me like he wants to imprint this moment in his mind to hold onto forever.
&n
bsp; “I can guarantee it.”
He releases a soft moan with his comment, reaching out to touch my shoulder as I draw my tongue up the length of his shaft, just testing and tasting his body. His sweet skin tantalizes me, and I get more comfortable and curl my legs under me to suck him as far as I can into my mouth.
And damn does he like it. My nerves over my lack of experience disappear, and I listen to him to see what he likes and what makes him moan louder. His hand shifts from my shoulder, and he sits up, massaging his hand over my back. He continues lower, digging his fingers into my ass cheek as I pick up speed, sucking him in and out.
My body hums with the exploration of his hand, his finger gently rubbing between my legs until he slips it inside me, wanting to continue to pleasure me while I pleasure him. I stop for a moment to enjoy the sensation of good pressure.
“Aspen,” I say, kissing his tip.
“Is this good?”
I don’t think anyone has asked me that before, definitely not the blood sources back home. “Mmmhmm,” I respond, working him over with my mouth again.
Silence falls between us with only our panting and moaning to fill the air. I focus on Aspen and every good emotion and sensation he arouses in me. He’s all I want to think about in this moment despite the soft muffle of voices sounding through the air. No one comes to the door, giving us privacy.
Aspen’s breathing turns harder, his muscles tightening and relaxing. He digs his fingers into my shoulder. “Fiona, I’m going to cum.”
I don’t stop what I’m doing and continue to pleasure him until he arches his hips and orgasms, the intensely sweet taste of him surprising me.
Pulling back, I wipe my mouth with my discarded shirt and blush crazy hard at the way he looks at me, his fangs showing off with his brilliant smile.
“I don’t think we’re going to class today,” he murmurs, combing my hair from my face before opening his arms for me to slide into. “I don’t want to be away from you for even a minute.”
“I won’t be far,” I say, tracing a circle on his chest. “Plus, I can hear Rylie. She’s getting restless.”
He chuckles. “I think that’s Hudson.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, trying not to groan. “They could hear us, huh?” Of course they can.
“Don’t worry. They’re masters of selective hearing and pretend privacy.” A smirk plays on his lips, and I’m sure that while his brothers might be that, they might not be able to control themselves in regards to me yet.
I shake my head with a smile. “I’ll give you all a bit of time to practice. I understand how hard this might be.”
“So, so hard,” Hudson says, his voice sounding through the door. “Mostly me hard for you.”
Aspen throws a pillow at the door, and the force of it sends feathers flying through the room. I crack up, not as embarrassed as I thought I’d be, and grab the sheet to pull around me. I let it fall open in the back, giving Aspen a bit of a view. He shifts up in bed to watch me head to the door. I smile over my shoulder before opening his door a crack to see Hudson only a foot away, waiting for me to come.
He sweeps his gaze over me with the best smile. “Have you come to offer me a peek?”
I roll my eyes and flick him. “Maybe if you find me a clean uniform and get my necessities from your bathroom, so I can get ready.”
Narrowing his eyes, he says, “Asking me to dress you wasn’t the greeting I was hoping for.”
I stick my tongue out at him and turn my back to give him the same view I gave Aspen. “It’ll just have to do.”
Hudson play-growls at me and disappears.
Aspen tips his head back and laughs. “You forgot to close the door, brother.”
“He knows,” Berkeley says from behind me.
I swivel and see him and Torrance grinning at me in the doorway. I wag my finger at the two of them and disappear into the bathroom. I half expect Aspen to ask to join me, but he gives me some privacy, probably needing a moment to get himself together.
When I exit the bathroom in my towel, I find a crisp uniform with the tie already tied in place with it only needing to be tightened. A matching pair of cotton and lace undergarments lay on top of the clothes, and I stare at Hudson’s choice of the boy-shorts cut of the panties. The bra is also a perfect fit, accentuating my cleavage though no one could glimpse it through my button-up shirt.
I stop at the door and listen to the soft voices coming in from the living room. I hadn’t expected to find myself alone.
“Fiona? You dressed?” Aspen asks me, probably hearing my failure to eavesdrop.
“Yeah. I’m coming out now.”
I take a deep breath and exit the room to find the four of them sitting together on the couch. Only Aspen isn’t dressed, wearing just his boxers. They all notice me checking him out, and I bare my bottom teeth.
“The shower is all yours,” I tell Aspen, hugging him from behind.
He spins to face me and lifts me off my feet to kiss me. Dangling me in front of him, he says, “Someone grab her before I take her back to my room. I think I’m addicted to her.”
I swing my body and catch him with my legs. “One more kiss.”
He releases a sexy noise and kisses me. “I have to go. Right now.”
“I hope it’s hard.”
He sets me down and groans. “Torture.”
An annoyed breath before a slew of swear words comes through the door of Rylie’s room. I cringe, realizing she’s been so quiet because she was listening and not sleeping. I turn to the King brothers with wide eyes. I don’t even know how to handle this.
“She’s going to try to murder us all,” I whisper, wringing my hands together.
Torrance focuses on her closed door. “Probably just us.”
“Not if she thinks I’m a traitor to humanity. Don’t you know anything about Blood Rebels?” I hate to even think about the possibility, but I’d be naïve if I didn’t take how she was raised into account. I’ve seen families turn on each other over such things. If you don’t fully believe in the resistance, you’re an enemy, plain and simple.
“But she’s your friend,” Hudson argues, draping his arm over my shoulder. He obviously doesn’t know much, which is exactly what Blood Rebels want. Soldiers will even take their own lives to assure vampires can’t use them against their people.
I pout. “I ruined her life.” The answer is far simpler an explanation. I’m not sure I’m ready to give much away about my colony. While I didn’t agree with their plans for my future, I still care about many of the people—even Ms. Maggie and Elder Newberry, the more dominant people in my life apart from Rylie.
Berkeley links his fingers on the back of his head. “We’ll fix it. You can tell her that right now. We only have a little bit of time to head to class and would prefer to settle things before we do. We don’t have permission to follow her like we do you.”
I bob my head. “Okay, but give me a few minutes alone with her first.”
“No,” Torrance says, surprising me.
Hudson tightens his arm around me. “He means no fucking way. Absolutely not. She stabbed me. We’re not giving her the chance to do the same to you.”
“Brothers, she needs to do this. If we go, Rylie will assume we’re forcing her,” Berkeley says, keeping his voice even. “Blood Rebels trust no one who chooses to stay around vampires, and Rylie saw us all together.”
Both Torrance and Hudson growl.
“I’m with Berkeley,” Aspen says, cracking his door open to peek out in only a towel. He smirks at my gaze devouring him. “If Fiona can handle Culver, she sure as hell can handle her friend. Rylie might even surprise you.”
“Or make us kill her,” Hudson mutters.
Torrance elbows him. “Not the time to joke.”
Hudson flashes his fangs. “Who says I am?”
His scowl softens with one look at my face, but he doesn’t apologize. I can’t exactly blame him for his comment. I’d be pretty pissed off if someo
ne literally stabbed me in the back. No one says anything as we stare at each other, waiting to see who breaks first.
I do, and say, “Please try not to do something that’ll get you kicked out of this place before our next day together.”
“What do I get for being good?” he asks, looking at me expectantly.
I tap my finger to my chin. “What do you want?”
“To take your virginity.” His teasing smile says he knows I’ll say no but that he won’t pass up the opportunity to make me blush.
I deadpan and place my hands on my hips, my face hotter than the gates of hell. “Hudson, really?”
He leans over and kisses my heated cheek. “You asked, love. I promise romance and biting and everything you want to make sure it’s the perfect cherry poppin’ experience for you.”
“I don’t think there is a cherry to pop,” Berkeley says oh so matter-of-factly.
Fuck. Me. I’m dead, dead, dead. They are ridiculously just...nonchalant...about sex and my body. “Are you kidding me? You guys need to stop right now. Do I even want to know why you think that?”
“Uh-oh,” Hudson says, glancing at Berkeley and then to me. “Brace yourself, Fiona. Your question just triggered Berkeley’s health keeper mode, and our playful little game of who can make you blush more might turn into the unsexiest learning experience of your life.”
Oh, boy. I glance at Berkeley. Hudson is totally right. I can see him already thinking about how to start a conversation I seriously don’t want to have with all of them. It’s not like I haven’t been informed about intercourse. Elder Newberry back in Mount Light Haven assured I was informed and ready to fulfill my supposed duty to pass on my dhampir mutation.
I giggle and pat Berkeley’s cheek. “Later, okay? I could do without Hudson’s commentary, and I’m a better learner if I get hands-on experience instead of a lecture.”