Devour

by Andrea Heltsley

  Cody smiles and leans over to kiss me. My eyes close at the feel of his lips on mine and I’m Momentarily distracted.

  “Come on guys, get a room,” Henry jokes.

  We pull away from each other and he wraps his arm around my bare shoulders. I feel a shiver that has nothing to do with the temperature. I don’t want to be rude, but I want to steal some more kisses before the night is over.

  “It was great to meet you guys. If you don’t mind, I’m going to steal my mate away.”

  Cody grins and waves goodbye as I tug him towards the balcony.

  The minute the air hits my skin I feel a chill. Then Cody wraps his muscular arms around me and I feel nothing but warmth. He will be my sunshine when dark days come. I just hope we are fully bonded by then. It could save my life.

  I reach up and run my fingers through his blonde hair and he sighs in contentment. I look into those hazel eyes and find them trained on me with a strange intensity.

  “Hey, you,” I say.

  “Hey, yourself,” he whispers before pulling me up on my tip toes to kiss him. The kiss is gentle and soft. He lets his lips brush against mine just enough to excite me. I wrap my arms around him and pull him closer still. I deepen the kiss, exploring the recesses of his mouth.

  He pushes me backwards until I come up against the wall away from the doors and windows again. Nobody can see us here and it’s exhilarating. I let a small moan escape my lips as he brings his mouth back to mine.

  We kiss for what seems like forever before he finally pulls himself away from me. His fangs have descended and I know we are playing a dangerous game right now, before we have truly mated. I look up at him and his hazel eyes are burning a halo of swirling amber with flecks of golden brown. I can feel their intensity. I know mine are glowing too and I am absorbed in his. They’re so amazing.

  I can’t help all these feelings that have swept over me. Suddenly, I feel the need to bare my soul to him. I choose to be vulnerable for once. I bite the bullet and hope I don’t scare him off. “Cody, I have something to tell you.”

  “You don’t have to say it if you don’t want to, Callie. I can feel it through our bond.”

  “I want to. Cody, I love you.”

  “You have no idea how happy that makes me, because I love you, too, Callie.”

  Then his mouth covers mine in a passionate kiss that all but drives me completely wild.

  When we finally manage to make it back inside, my parents find us. I would’ve been embarrassed if they had caught us making out on the balcony, so I’m glad they didn’t find us until we’re inside.

  “Dear, we’re ready to leave now. The ball is winding down and it’s been a long night. Why don’t you say your goodbyes and meet us at the base of the stairs in five minutes,” Mom says.

  I smile and nod before they walk away, leaving us alone. I’m thankful that they are giving me this time.

  “It looks like I have to let you go for the night. While I’m not thrilled, I’m hoping we won’t be apart long. Would you like to spend the evening with me tomorrow at my house?”

  “I would love that Cody. Pick me up at nine?”

  “I wouldn’t miss it. I love you. I’ll miss you tonight.”

  “I love you too. I already can’t wait to see you tomorrow,” I say as I pull myself up to him for one last chaste kiss.

  Just telling Cody I love him sparks excitement in me. I can’t believe I love Cody. I had no idea the turn of events that would happen when this night first started. I’m certainly glad I opened myself up to take the ball seriously. He turns out to be the great catch I pegged him for, just for me instead.

  I pull away from him reluctantly and make my way to the stairs where my parents are patiently waiting. I can’t look back for fear of running back in his arms. My self-control around him is almost nonexistent.

  “Are you ready to go?” Dad asks me.

  “Yup, let’s go before I change my mind. Then you’ll never be able to separate me and Cody.”

  Mom and Dad chuckle and I follow them around the stairs and out the massive front door. Our car has already been fetched and the driver is standing outside of it with the door open.

  I slip in, and my Mom follows. My Dad gets in last and the driver shuts the door. Everyone is quiet until the car starts up and is moving.

  “I’m so glad you found your true mate tonight honey. We are so proud of you,” Mom says.

  I beam at the praise. Just earlier this evening I was a disappointment and immature. I proved them wrong and surprised myself in the process.

  “I feel like the luckiest girl in the world. I can’t imagine loving anyone else. Cody is it for me. That’s why we started the mating process. We didn’t want to wait, we knew already. We accidentally exchanged blood and found out just what it felt like to be true mates.”

  “Exchanging blood is a dangerous process among vampires that are not true mates. You got extremely lucky. Things could have gone horribly wrong and you would be lusting after someone whom you wouldn’t necessarily want to mate with a week from now,” Mom says with concern.

  “It all turned out okay Mom. There’s no sense in worrying about it now. I love him. We are already mating and next Saturday he’ll be mine. It’s surreal.”

  “When are you seeing him again? Remember, you must have a chaperone at all times until the mating is complete,” she replies.

  “He’s picking me up at nine tomorrow evening and we are spending time at his house. There will be plenty of people there.”

  “Good. Listen, Callie, I hate to bring this up with such good news but we need to talk about Chase.”

  “Daddy, please don’t ruin my fairytale night. Can’t this wait just until tomorrow?”

  “I’m sorry, but this needs to be said. We will try to wipe his mind again tomorrow. If that doesn’t work, then we’re going to have to go to the council. We aren’t allowed to change a human unless it’s council sanctioned. If this happens, we’ll give you as much time as possible. Maybe the mating ceremony will be finished and you’ll be mostly safe from repercussions. Your life will be tied to Cody’s and they won’t ruin his life by killing you.”

  “I understand. I really hope this gets fixed tomorrow and we have nothing to worry about. I want Cody. I don’t want to lose him.”

  Tears begin to build up at that thought. I love him. I can’t live without him. The bond is already stronger than it would have been if we weren’t true mates. I know he can sense my distress because I can feel his confusion.

  I cut off all thoughts of Chase now that the conversation is over and straighten up. I have to get a grip. I can’t project this kind of despair on Cody. It’s not fair.

  I’m thrilled when we pull up to the house and I’m able to get out. Just before I hit the stairs to go up to my room, my parents stop me.

  “Goodnight, Callie. It was a wonderful night. Get some sleep so you can have fun with Cody tomorrow. Then you can start packing. You’ll be moving in a week. That isn’t a lot of time to get your affairs in order,” Mom tells me with a kind smile.

  “Goodnight Mom and Dad. I love you both,” I say before bounding up the stairs and shutting my bedroom door.

  I just stand there, on the other side of the door, my eyes closed. I’m absorbing all the things that have happened since I woke up. My life has been turned upside down and I’m trying to get my brain to catch up with my heart.

  A smile creeps up as I think about Cody and the way I felt when his eyes burned into mine with passion. Heaven help me, he’s going to be the death of me. This week is going to be torture. I can’t wait until the mating. I want him in ways I’ve never felt before.

  I hear a sound and my eyes pop open. I search the room for the source of the noise, but don’t have to look far. Chase has stepped inside my balcony door and is leaning against the wall. Doom fills me like a bucket of ice water has just been splashed on me.

  “Chase, what are you doing here?”

  “I’m staring a
t you in that beautiful dress. Wow. How was the ball? You look absolutely radiant. I wish I could have been with you.”

  I shift uncomfortably. I know he feels more than friendship, but now that I have Cody, it makes me ill to even think of another man. I could never ruin the good thing I have with him, especially for a human.

  “Something happened tonight. I can see it in your eyes. Don’t tell me you did it. I wanted the chance to show you how good we could be together.”

  “I found my true mate, not just any mate. He’s my soul mate. It’s not something I can control. I’m sorry, Chase. I wish there was something else I could say.”

  “I see. I guess that changes everything then. I’ll stay here tonight, but I’m going home in the morning. There really isn’t a need for me to stick around. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone the dark secret about your bloody obsession.”

  “Chase, I’m sorry...” I start before he steps around me. He pulls the door open and leaves me alone with my thoughts.

  As soon as I hear his footsteps retreat, I crumple to the floor and the tears begin to flow. I can’t stop them. I hurt Chase and I never wanted to do that. I don’t feel the same way he does. It doesn’t matter, because the whole thing just makes me feel awful.

  If only I hadn’t found Chase last night. Then everything would be perfect. I could live my life without fear of the council or a death sentence. I didn’t even get the chance to tell him he isn’t actually allowed to leave. He will be locked in by morning and kept here until we are able to take care of my mishap.

  I am pulled out of my pity party by my cell phone ringing on my nightstand. I hurry over to it and don’t recognize the number.

  “Hello?”

  “Callie, it’s me. Are you alright? What’s wrong? I can feel your unhappiness from here,” Cody says.

  Cody. Oops. I didn’t mean to cause him pain too. That’s the last thing I want to happen. I can’t drag him into this mess unless I absolutely have to.

  “I’m okay, really. Everything is just catching up to me and I don’t do well with change. It was just a minor freak out. I love you and I’m really excited to mate with you. I don’t ever want you to think otherwise.”

  “It’s alright. I can understand that. It’s a lot of change in just a week. I’ll do my best to make the transition go smoothly for you. I want you to be happy.”

  “That’s just it, Cody. I’m so happy. I don’t deserve to be this happy. You are perfect and I’m not. I don’t know why the bond chose me. I just hope I can live up to being a good mate.”

  “How can you even think you’re not a good mate? I’m incredibly happy you’re my mate. I’m not perfect. Even if I was, you are perfect too. Perfect for me in every way. That’s why the bond chose you. We fit like two puzzle pieces. You never have to worry about that, ever.”

  He says it with such conviction that I believe him. I just need to get my mind out of the gutter. He is affected by my moods now. I’m not being fair to him by breaking down or even lying to him. It makes me all the more ashamed of myself.

  “I love you. I already miss you. I wish you could crawl up into my bed and hold me as I fall asleep,” I confess.

  “I love you too, princess. You can’t believe how hard it is to be away from you already. I would give anything to be there, in your bed.”

  I didn’t miss the innuendo and I smile. He’s amazing.

  “It’s been a long night and I’m in need of a hot shower before bed. I’ll see you tomorrow night, right?”

  “A shower, huh? Think about me, would you? I’ll sure be thinking about you. I won’t be able to get that image out of my head all night now, Callie. The things you do to me already. It’s going to be a long night.”

  “You are definitely a typical guy. I love you. Goodnight, Cody.”

  “I love you, too. Goodnight Callie.”

  I hit the end button on my phone and make sure to program him into my contacts. Then I put him on number two speed dial, right behind Jane. After I place the phone back down, I get up and stretch my arms out. I’m exhausted.

  After heading into my closet to grab a tank and a pair of shorts, I make my way into the bathroom. I turn the water on really hot. I need to loosen up. All this change is making me tense. I was telling Cody the truth about not enjoying a lot of change in my life.

  I soak myself in the hot water until my skin turns a brilliant pink. I’ve managed to wipe away all my distress and leave nothing but thoughts of Cody. I’m back to grinning like a lovesick girl, which I actually am.

  Once I dry off and get dressed, I brush the tangles out of my hair. I open the bathroom door, letting all the steam escape. My dress is hanging on the back of the bathroom door and that’s where it’s going to stay tonight. I’m so tired.

  Trying to distract myself, I place my ear buds in my ears and start my night time playlist. I’m hoping it will soothe my thoughts and help me fall asleep. I can hardly wait for tomorrow. I want to see Cody so badly. I don’t know if it’s just my feelings or his wrapped in there too. I’m feeling nothing but euphoria from him.

  I climb into bed and get comfortable. I don’t make it long. I’m just so tired.

  As soon as I am awake, I bolt out of bed. I can’t believe how excited I am to see Cody. All I can think of is running my hands through that sexy hair of his and kissing those soft lips. I want to feel the definition of his muscles and wrap myself in his arms. Just the thought of his intense, hazel eyes settling on mine gives me shivers.

  I throw the covers back up half assed over my pillows. I don’t really care about them this evening. I pull the door to my room open and bound down the stairs into the kitchen. As usual, Mom is already in there, drinking her blood cocktail. I pour myself a glass and have a seat at the table.

  “Good evening sweetie. How are you doing? Are you excited to see Cody?”

  “I’m fantastic, Mom. I’m dying to see Cody. It totally sucks being away from him.” (Listen to me with the vampire jokes today. I crack me up.)

  “It’s good to see you in such good spirits. It’s something I only ever see when you go hunting with Jane.”

  That does it. That stops all thoughts of Cody. The room goes silent and I know she feels bad, I can see it in her eyes. I’m stunned though. I’ve managed to temporarily forget Chase in my excitement over seeing Cody.

  I take another sip of my blood in silence. Then Dad walks in. He can feel the tension in the room and just dives right in. “Your mother and I will deal with Chase today while you’re with Cody. With any luck, he’ll be gone when you get home.”

  I look up, hopeful. This mess could be over today. Then I can get on with my life with Cody. I can only hope. “Thanks Mom and Dad. I appreciate it.”

  “Don’t thank us yet. We don’t even know if it will work,” Dad says.

  I drain my cup and jump up with excitement. “Well, I have to go get ready for my date with Cody. I’ll see you guys after I get back, okay?”

  “Sure, dear. Have fun tonight. Cody’s a good boy. You are lucky to have him in your life now, Callie,” Mom replies.

  I just smile and hurry up to my room. When I get there, I notice my phone is lit up. I have a text and a voicemail. I listen to the voicemail first and it’s from Jane.

  “Hey girl, I need the scoop. I didn’t find a mate, so I have to live vicariously through your mating. Call me sometime tonight when you get a chance! Later babe.”

  Shaking my head at her voicemail, I check my text. My heart starts beating wildly. It’s from Cody.

  Good evening, princess. I love you. I’ll see you at nine.

  I hurry up and send a reply before taking my shower.

  I love you too! Can’t wait to see you! I’ll be waiting

  I’m still wearing my stupid grin when I get out of the shower. Now I have to find something to wear. It’s warm enough out, but I don’t want to dress in anything too skimpy. Easy access equals getting carried away. That means sundresses are out.

  I narro
w it down to a pair of frayed, jean shorts, but I’m still trying to find the perfect shirt. Finally, my eyes land on a teal tank top trimmed with lace on top and bottom. It’s perfect. I put everything on and search for shoes. I go with a pair of sequin trimmed, black sandals.

  Satisfied, I spend the rest of the time drying my hair and fixing my makeup. My hair is down and straight like usual. It’s always straight. My hair is next to impossible to curl. I finish my makeup with expert care.

  Finally ready, I shove my phone in my back pocket and head downstairs. Mom and Dad are still in the kitchen so I go into the living room and turn on the television. I try to watch it, but I’m so keyed up that my thoughts keep straying to Cody.

  I pull my phone out and look at the time. Its ten minutes until nine. I tap my foot anxiously. This waiting thing is hard. I just want to be in his arms, kissing him, connecting with him. Finally, I just give up and shut the television off. I have no desire to watch it anyway.

  I’m about to go in and talk to Mom and Dad as a distraction, when the doorbell rings. I practically knock Finn, the butler, out of the way in my attempt to get to the door. I throw it open and fling myself in Cody’s arms.

  He has a bouquet of flowers in his hands but manages to get them away before I crash into him. I take one look into those hazel eyes I’m coming to adore and kiss him. The world just falls away as I melt into the kiss. I feel a sense of comfort being in his arms again.

  “Mm, it’s good to see you, too,” he says between the kisses I am raining down on him.

  When I pull away, I’m smiling. He hands me the bouquet of flowers. “These are for you. They’re not as beautiful as you, but they will have to do.”

  They are a dozen red roses. I inhale the sweet fragrance and I am still grinning like an idiot. I tug him inside with me while I go to the kitchen to put the roses in a vase.

  Mom sees us and puts her hands out. “Just hand me the flowers honey. I’ll get them in some water. You go enjoy yourself.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “You’re welcome and have fun.”

  I squeeze Cody’s hand tightly and we head out into the warm summer evening. He places his hands on my waist as he guides me to the truck. He is all gentlemanly as he opens my door and helps to lift me up into his big, black truck.