Eternal Love: (The Cursed Series, Book 4)

by Kara Leigh Miller

  “I’m so glad you’re here tonight.” He stalked toward me and took my face into his hands.

  “Me too,” I whispered a second before his lips crushed down over mine.

  Fireworks exploded in my brain, and everything around me disappeared, leaving me totally wrapped up in Trent. I flung my arms around his neck, and he used the force of our kiss to back me up until my legs hit the edge of the bed. I eased down onto the mattress, and Trent mirrored my movements until he was poised above me.

  “What if they hear us?” I whispered and pointed toward the door to indicate Whitney and Luke.

  “Soon enough, I’m sure they’ll be busy doing exactly what we’re planning to do,” he said with a heated smile. “They won’t hear us.”

  I nodded and licked my lips. Trent kissed me again, this time harder and longer, and I had to force myself to pull away and take a breath. My heart pounded harder with each inhale, and my chest heaved with each exhale.

  He took the opportunity to tease my neck, and I groaned. This time, though, he didn’t avoid the mark—he went straight for it, and tremors wracked my body.

  Earlier, I’d known with absolute certainty that I was ready to have sex with him, and I had that same feeling now, too. Only now, it was twice as strong, tugging and twisting inside of me, propelling me to go further, demanding that I solidify what we had. And I couldn’t ignore it.

  “Stop,” I said, shoving against his chest.

  Trent moved to sit beside me. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

  “Nothing.” I shook my head. “I just need a minute.” I glanced around, still fighting to catch my breath.

  Then I scurried off the bed and rummaged around in my bag for the thin, cotton robe I’d packed. I’d learned quickly that it was prudent to have something I could easily slip on when I needed to leave his room for any reason.

  “I’ll be right back,” I said.

  I raced to the bathroom, did my business, washed my hands and face, changed into the robe, and then rushed back to Trent’s room. Even being away from him for that short amount of time was too long.

  When I returned, he was sitting on the bed, back against the headboard. He’d slipped on a robe, too—a fluffy blue one that made his eyes pop. His hair was disheveled, as if he’d spent the last few minutes running his hands through it.

  Slowly, I approached and straddled his lap. His eyes widened with surprise. I tugged on my robe, and it fell open, exposing my body to him. My chest rose and fell hard with unsteady breaths.

  “I want you to claim me,” I whispered.

  “Is that so?” he asked, his voice raw and dangerous.

  I nodded. There was no reason for him not to. When we’d been making my human bucket list, I’d told him I wanted him to do this, and now there was nothing standing in our way. Why prolong the inevitable?

  Trent sat up, bringing his body flush to mine, and I sucked in a sharp breath. Anticipation shot through me. He trailed his fingertip down my neck, tracing my vein.

  Was he really going to do it—was he going to bite me? It wasn’t lost on me that he was paying attention to the side of my neck that Jax had bitten, not that I was complaining. Even though it was Jax’s teeth that had made that mark, the bond it created now belonged to Trent.

  He dragged his finger up my throat, and I suppressed a shudder. “You’re positive this is what you want?” he asked.

  “Yes,” I whispered. Insecurity flared inside of me. “You do, too, don’t you?”

  “I’ve been wanting to do this since the moment I realized you were my soulmate,” he said, his tone fierce.

  “Then do it,” I said.

  “This is eternal. You know that, right? If I do this, there’s no going back. For either of us,” he said.

  “If you do this?” I asked. “Why wouldn’t you do this?”

  He chuckled.

  “I give you permission,” I said, my tone soft but my words forceful.

  “Thank God.” He nipped at my bottom lip, teasing me for several long, agonizing moments before finally kissing me.

  I reached between our bodies, yanking on the tie holding his robe closed and was rewarded with bare flesh. I wanted this experience with him; it was a visceral need I couldn’t begin to explain.

  Slowly, Trent pushed the robe off my shoulders and down my arms, his touch firm and self-assured, until it was nothing more than a heap of fabric pooled around my waist. This time, I couldn’t suppress the shudder that shook my body. I held onto him tighter as he peppered my neck and collarbone with tiny, fiery kisses.

  His mouth continued to move lower. “Your heart’s racing. Scared?” he asked, gazing up at me from under his dark lashes.

  “No.” But the word came out strangled, and he smirked as if he didn’t believe me. “Okay, maybe a little,” I said.

  Fingers tangled in his hair, I kissed the top of his head, and then guided his mouth back to mine. He obliged, kissing me long and deep before once again moving to my neck.

  The anticipation made it difficult to breathe, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could just sit here while he teased me. Lust and desire whipped around in my belly. He was going to kill me with how slow he was going, how he seemed to be savoring every second.

  “Trent,” I half whined, half moaned.

  A low growl rumbled from his chest and reverberated through me. My heart beat against my ribs like a caged animal demanding to be set free. He wrapped one arm around my back, yanking me tight against his hard body, and he cradled the back of my neck with his free hand.

  And then, with a deliberate purposefulness, he tilted my head.

  “I love you,” he whispered, his breath warm against my neck as he spoke the words I’d never tire of hearing. “For eternity.”

  My eyes fluttered closed. “I love y—”

  My words were cut off by the sharp pinch of his fangs piercing my skin—in exactly the same spot Jax had bitten me—and I cried out. I fully expected him to stop, because he always did when I gave even the slightest indication that he was hurting me. But he didn’t stop.

  He drank from me, each pull deeper and more satisfying than the last as he completely removed all traces of Jax’s mark and replaced it with his own. The reality of what was happening swirled around in my head.

  He did it. He’s claiming me.

  The shock quickly wore off, though, and desire slammed into me, soaking into every nerve, igniting a lust so thick and raw I was seconds away from exploding. Still, Trent didn’t stop. He continued to drink from me, not because he had to, but because he wanted to. Because I wanted him to. Because he was claiming me, taking full possession of my body and soul.

  Everything about this was vastly different than when Jax had bitten me. With him, it was so hard and desperate and dirty and wrong. It had been a matter of pure survival, but with Trent…

  It was soft, despite the sting of his bite, and loving. There was nothing torrid or wrong about this. The emotions passing between us were just as intense as the physical reactions, maybe more so.

  I wasn’t just riding the euphoric high of his bite; I was awash in him, in the way he held me, grounding me in the moment. In the undying love that poured from him, the unspoken promise that he was mine and that I was his. That our love was eternal.

  The feelings coursing through me were overwhelming my senses, making it impossible to focus on anything but him. Was this what it would feel like when I changed and had heightened emotions?

  He lifted me off his lap just enough for him to be able to shift his body, and then he was inside of me. I gasped and clutched his shoulders, the intrusion both unexpected and welcomed.

  He moaned. Then, just as fast as he’d bitten me, he stopped, and it felt like my body had been suddenly released from a confined space, like I could finally move without restraint.

  Trent kept his face buried against my neck, both of us breathing hard as he moved beneath me, guiding my body in sync with his. Everything inside of me hummed and buzz
ed, and pressure built deep in my belly.

  His mouth came down on mine hard, demanding submission, and I gave it to him. I’d always give it to him. The metallic taste of my blood lingered faintly on his lips, which only served to raise the eroticism of the moment.

  He moved with precision, knowing when to go hard and fast and when to go slow and easy. He anticipated every move I made, matching each one with a confidence and skill that could only be learned by paying attention to every little detail.

  It dawned on me then that he knew my body better than I did, that he knew exactly what I needed and wanted—sometimes before I even knew what I wanted or needed—and that made me love him even more.

  “Chloe.” He groaned my name as if it were his personal prayer, as if saying it would anchor him to me.

  My mind spun, and my body trembled as I unraveled in his arms, gasping and clinging to him. I never wanted this feeling to end.

  FEATHERLIGHT KISSES SPREAD ACROSS the back of my shoulders, and I groaned, burrowing deeper into the pillows. I didn’t want to move.

  Trent’s soft chuckle broke through the foggy haze of my sleep. I had no idea what time it was, but I prayed it wasn’t morning already. Right after he’d claimed me, I’d fallen asleep, exhausted but happier and more peaceful than I’d ever been.

  I rolled onto my back and was greeted with Trent’s smiling face. My breath hitched, and I instinctively moved closer to him, my body practically begging for him.

  He moved my hair away from my neck. “Are you all right?” His fingers grazed over his bite mark.

  “Mm-hmm.”

  Warmth spread through me, and I was awash with the memories of the day. Hiking. Having sex for the first time ever. Visiting Ivy so she could break the bond with Jax and transfer it to Trent. Him finally claiming me. And then falling asleep in his arms.

  “I’ve never felt better.” I stretched my arms over my head and then hooked them around his neck, drawing him closer. “Are you okay?”

  His gaze lingered on my neck. “I have to admit, I like how this looks on you.” He once again ran his fingers over the bite mark, a satisfied smile on his face.

  I stared up at his handsome face, studying him. His eyes were brighter than normal, and his complexion seemed to be a little redder than normal, too.

  “Are you sure you’re okay? You look different,” I said.

  “Remember what I said about drinking from someone like you? How it’s like eating the richest dessert in the world?”

  I nodded. He’d explained that the same day he told me how a person became a vampire. We’d been in a rather intimate embrace on his couch. For a moment, I’d actually been afraid he might bite me. And now, it was all I could think about.

  “It’s like having a really intense sugar high,” he said. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

  Now that I thought about it, I felt different, too, but in a totally good way. I imagined this must be what it felt like to be buzzed, or high. I was incredibly happy, unable to stop smiling, and everything felt lighter—my limbs, my breaths, my heart, my problems.

  “So, that’s it, then? I’m officially your soulmate?” I asked.

  “Yup.” He once again ran his fingers over the bite mark. “You’re mine now.”

  “And you’re mine,” I said, my voice laced with possessiveness.

  “I’ve always been yours, Chloe,” he whispered.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT:

  A Tentative Friendship

  WHEN I WOKE UP MONDAY MORNING to get ready for school, excitement fueled my movements. The bite mark on my neck was still there, but it now belonged to Trent, and that filled me with an immense amount of happiness. Though, now that we were bonded and he’d claimed me, being away from him was physically painful. I’d barely slept last night.

  “What’s your problem this morning?” Abby asked as we drove to school.

  “Just tired,” I said, but my inability to sit still belied my words.

  We were silent for the remainder of the drive, and as soon as we were at school, we parted ways. I headed for my locker. Relief settled over me when I saw Trent waiting for me. My body warmed at the sight of him, and I was propelled forward by the force of our bond.

  “Hey,” he said with a breathtaking smile as he reached for me.

  I stepped into his embrace, and the feel of his arms around me calmed the anxiety I’d had while away from him. “I missed you,” I said, staring up into his eyes.

  He groaned and captured my lips in a searing kiss. “Missed you more,” he whispered.

  I laughed. “You really need to stop making this a competition.”

  I turned toward my locker, opened it, and rummaged around inside, even though I couldn’t focus on what I was looking for. All I wanted to do was be with Trent. Maybe I should ask him if he wanted to skip school today. I doubted he’d say no, but… I really didn’t need to get in trouble with Aunt Beth and Uncle Dean.

  Trent stood behind me and gently pulled my hair from my neck. His warm breath puffed across the bite mark, and I sighed. I loved that I had a permanent reminder of what we’d shared, of how personal and perfect it had been.

  “You still doing okay?” he whispered, and then brushed his lips across the bite mark.

  “Yes.” My voice cracked, and I leaned back against his chest.

  Trent smoothed my hair over my shoulder and turned me so I was facing him. “I love you,” he said.

  I rested my forehead on his chest, and he wrapped his arms around me, kissing the top of my head. The emotions swirling through me were intense and overbearing, making it impossible to form words.

  The bond I’d had with Jax was strong, but it was never this strong. Maybe letting Trent claim me had somehow increased the intensity of the bond. I had no idea, but I knew that if I wasn’t careful, all of this would consume me.

  Trent eased back and lifted my chin. His eyes were a darker shade of blue, like the sky before a storm rolled in. He leaned down and kissed me softly. “Are you okay?” he asked, his tone filled with concern.

  I nodded. “Yeah, I just didn’t sleep well last night.”

  He raised a brow. “Nightmares again?”

  “No. I just… it was hard being away from you,” I said with a sigh. “The bond, being claimed… it’s been a lot. In a totally good way, but still. It’s going to take some time to adjust.”

  “Oh,” he said, realization dawning on him. Then he frowned. “Maybe we should have waited to—”

  “No,” I said forcefully. “We shouldn’t have waited for anything.”

  We’d already waited too long as it was, and now that I was free from the eternal bond with Jax, I didn’t want to wait for anything ever again. Because the longer we waited, the more things that could go wrong.

  “Okay,” he said with an arrogant smile.

  The bell rang, and my stomach sank. I had first period with Jax, and I was not looking forward to that. Did he know the bond had been broken? Was he able to somehow feel it? I knew he’d be upset—he’d told me that he was afraid I’d abandon him completely—but to have to face him now? I really should’ve tried talking to him this weekend.

  And I seriously needed to talk to Mr. Gordon about getting a new partner, though I had no good reason for wanting one. At least, no reason I could give him. And he wasn’t exactly the type of teacher who would make accommodations simply because I was suddenly uncomfortable with my partner.

  “I’ll see you after class.” Trent kissed my temple and then disappeared into the crowd of students rushing toward their classrooms.

  Each step was heavy with dread as I trudged into Mr. Gordon’s room. No surprise that I was one of the last students to arrive. Jax was in his seat, head down. I swallowed hard and made my way to my desk. The moment I sat, I could feel Jax’s gaze on me, and I shifted uncomfortably.

  “Happy Monday, folks.” Mr. Gordon closed the door. “And welcome to another week of pretending to be adults.”

  A few laughs ripple
d through the room.

  Mr. Gordon grabbed a plastic mixing bowl off his desk and held it in front of him. “No matter how old you are, life will throw you curveballs. When you least expect it, something will happen, something that can alter your life for better or worse.”

  Tell me about it.

  “It’s how you handle these situations that define you. So, today, life is going to knock you down.” He stood at the first desk in the front row. “In here”—he held up the bowl—“are slips of paper with various situations You’ll pick one at random and then, working with your partner, figure out how to handle the situation. Pick one but don’t read it until after everyone has chosen and you’re with your partner.”

  I groaned and rested my head on the desk. Of course, today I’d have to work one-on-one with Jax. This was the dumbest class ever.

  Eventually, Mr. Gordon stopped at my desk. “Miss Madison?”

  Lifting my head, I smiled as sweetly as I could and reached into the bowl. I clutched the piece of paper tightly in my hand. I wanted to wad it up and throw it at Mr. Gordon’s head.

  “All right, pair up and get to work,” Mr. Gordon said when he reached the front of the room.

  My stomach knotted, and nervous butterflies decided to have a rave in my chest. Blowing out a breath, I slowly turned around in my chair and faced Jax. He met my gaze, his inquisitive and a little hesitant. I was positive mine was bordering between freaked out and interested.

  “Are you going to read it?” Jax asked, nodding at my closed fist.

  “Oh. Right.” I opened my hand and smoothed out the piece of paper on his desk so we could both read it.

  An unexpected car accident leaves you in the hospital and unable to work.

  All the air rushed from my lungs, and I blinked against the sudden tears. This was a joke, right? Like, Mr. Gordon knew my past and was messing with me because he didn’t like me? Or maybe Isach decided to go back on his word and was screwing with me again.