Ryker’s eyebrows shoot to the heavens while his eyes widen in surprise. “Oh, I didn’t realize you were secretly engaged.”
Heat creeps up my face. To hide my embarrassment, I run a hand through my hair, dropping my chin.
A knock on the door saves me from explaining to Aurora my outburst. We’re mated, but I haven’t even told her how I feel, and now I’m talking about marriage. What’s wrong with me?
“What now?” She strides to the door.
“I texted Ronan. Asked him to bring me some blood.”
She whips her face in my direction, glowering, before she opens the door. Yeah, she’s pissed at me now.
“I got the blood.” Ronan lifts the bags, but then freezes when he spots Ryker standing in the middle of Aurora’s living room. “What is he doing here?”
“Oh, just come in already. I’m not going to explain while you’re standing in the hallway.” She opens the door wider to allow him to pass.
Ronan glances at me with a question in his eyes.
“The warlock is here to help Aurora.” I shrug.
“Okay.” He walks over and offers me the bags. “Here. I got everything we had, but I’m not sure these will help. You need to feed from a live source.”
I cut a glance in Aurora’s direction just in time to catch her wince. “I will as soon as our illustrious visitor does what he came here for.”
It’s an effort to forget—for the time being—the other part of Aurora’s deal with him. I don’t have all the details, but what matters to me is Aurora is expected to marry that motherfucker. There’s no chance in hell I’ll allow that to happen. I already carry the last name of a traitor. If I kill that good-for-nothing mage and it costs the king his alliance with the magical folk, would it matter? Most of King Raphael’s supporters expect me to screw up. I might as well prove that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
She takes a step closer to the warlock with her chin raised high. “Just do what you have to do.”
Ryker glances at me, and then at Ronan. “I was going to tie up lover boy there, but since you’re here, just keep him restrained.”
“Why?” we all ask in unison.
The warlock turns to Aurora. “Because this is going to hurt, and I won’t put it past your mate to attack me while I’m in the middle of the incantation.”
He’s right about that. “Tying me up wouldn’t have worked. Ronan is a better solution.”
The warlock nods and then focuses on Aurora. “Are you ready?”
“As ready as I will ever be.”
He presses two fingers in the middle of her forehead, and almost immediately, I sense the wisps of magic take over the room. The warlock’s eyes glow bright green while the light pouring from Aurora’s eyes is white. Ryker’s lips are moving, but I can’t hear the words he’s muttering, even with my vampire senses. Besides them lighting up like a supernova star, nothing seems to happen for a moment. Then I hear Aurora’s small whimper, a sound that pulls my spine tight. The muscles around her mouth tense, her expression becomes twisted. Her hands turn into balled fists by her sides. She’s in pain and trying to hide it. All my instincts are telling me to end her suffering.
Ronan, sensing the change in my stance, positions himself in front of me. “Sax, do I have to physically restrain you?”
I want to say no, that I can control myself, but just then, Aurora lets out a bloodcurdling scream that reverberates through my bones. I’m moving forward before I know it, only to collide with Ronan’s brick wall. His steely arms wrap around me in a vise, turning me around to contain me in a choke hold. My right arm is twisted behind my back, and Ronan’s forearm presses against my neck.
“Let me go!” I attempt to wrestle my way free, which is futile. Ronan is a beast.
In the background, Aurora continues to scream, driving me more insane. I thrash, trying to push Ronan against a wall, but my friend’s grip on me doesn’t waver. I end up pinned on the floor by him.
“Sorry, buddy.”
“She’s hurting,” I grit out.
“Not anymore.”
I stop struggling and listen beyond the pulse beating in my ears. He’s right, Aurora is quiet now.
“It’s done,” Ryker announces. “You can release him.”
Ronan jumps off my back, then offers me his hand. I’m still riding high on the adrenaline when I glance at Aurora. She looks paler than before, but in one piece.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“I think so.” She turns to Ryker. “Is the repel spell gone?”
“Yes. I stayed longer inside your head than necessary to investigate the possible mind-to-mind link you mentioned. It hurt more because of that. I’m sorry.”
She rubs her forehead. “Did you find anything?”
“I couldn’t find any traces of her inside your head. She’s not spying on you through the bond. But she has the Taluah Mirror, which is troublesome. Here, wear this amulet at all times. It should keep her from spying on you via the mirror.” He offers Aurora a silver chain necklace with a small pendant, which she puts on right away.
I open my mouth to comment, but the little wind of energy I got when trying to protect Aurora vanishes in the blink of an eye. I lose the feeling of my body first, and then there’s nothing.
34
Aurora
My head hurts like I’ve been hit by a sledgehammer. As uncomfortable as the throbbing is, it doesn’t compare to the excruciating pain I endured during Ryker’s mind invasion. It felt like he reached inside my brain with clawed hands and scratched it raw.
I’m trying to keep my discomfort from showing on my face for Saxon’s benefit, when he passes out on me again, falling face forward, lifeless.
“Saxon!” I yell at the same time that Ronan catches him in his arms.
The towering vampire lets out a curse under his breath as he lays Saxon on the couch. My heart gets stuck in my throat when I see his deathlike appearance. The golden hue from his skin has turned into a washed-out gray color, a look that’s common with vampires in a comatose state.
“Tell me he didn’t go into hibernation.”
“Not yet. His breathing hasn’t slowed down that much, but considering the injury he suffered, I’d say he’s very close. He needs blood ASAP.”
“If he started the process, good luck getting him to wake in order to drink,” Ryker pipes up.
“You’re not helping!” I snap.
“On the contrary, I am. I can strike him with the right amount of voltage. It will revive him long enough for you to entice him with your blood.”
“You mean electrocute him?” Ronan asks.
“Think of it as something akin to using a defibrillator to resuscitate a flatlining patient.”
“Fine. Do it,” I say. “Anything to keep Saxon from going where I can’t follow.”
“Okay. Step away.”
Ryker raises his hand and begins to speak in a strange language so softly, it’s almost a whisper. Strands of electricity form on his palm, crackling as they converge into a green sphere of energy. When he hurls it in Saxon’s direction, it looks like lightning is shooting from his hand. I don’t know what warlocks must give up in order to yield that kind of power. My guess is their souls. I can’t deny that Ryker’s abilities are fascinating and terrifying at the same time.
Saxon’s chest lifts upon impact, and then he jerks into a sitting position with a loud gasp. His eyes are round and red-rimmed, but also unseeing. His mind is not back to us yet.
“Go on. Do what you have to do before he collapses again.”
I run to him, sitting at the edge of the couch. I don’t have anything sharp on me, so I just pull my hair to the side and offer him my neck, hoping that it will be enough to kick in his hunger.
“Bite me, Sax. Do it now.”
With a snarl, he pulls me closer to him, sinking his fangs into my soft skin. I try not to wince when the sharp pain follows. It didn’t hurt the first time he fed from me, but then he was
one hundred percent in the moment, not half-asleep. With each pull, the pain recedes, until another feeling takes its place. A swirl of desire starts from my chest, quickly spreading through my body to concentrate mostly between my legs. A wanton moan escapes my lips, bursting my face into flames. I don’t suffer from false modesty, but I’m not a vampire who doesn’t mind voyeurism.
“I think we’re good now. You can show yourselves out,” I tell Ronan and Ryker.
My eyes are closed, so I don’t see when they walk out, I only hear the door shutting. Saxon takes a couple more hard pulls before he licks the incisions with his warm tongue, and leans away from me. Goose bumps have broken out on my skin, and my heart is hammering like mad inside the confines of my chest. I blink my eyes open, suddenly afraid that my blood didn’t help Saxon after all, and he’s in danger of leaving me again. Relief washes over me when I find him staring with hooded eyes and lips partly open. Color has returned to his cheeks too.
“Are you okay? Did you have enough?”
“I’m much better now. How are you feeling?”
“I’m fine.” I reach for his hand, squeezing it in mine. “I’ve never felt more terrified in my entire life. I thought you had left me.”
“I was close, Rora. But you brought me back.” He cups my face, a tender gesture that makes my skin sizzle nonetheless. “Is the repel spell gone?”
“I think so. I didn’t feel anything foreign building inside when you were drinking from me.”
A grin spreads over his lips, and his eyes shine with mischief. “You know what that means, right?”
I nod, because if I try to speak now, it’s probably coming out as a croak. He stands up and I try my best to keep my gaze fixed on his face instead of the huge bulge in his pants. Smiling more broadly now, he offers me his hand. “If we’re doing this properly, we’d better get to your bedroom.”
He helps me up and I’m grateful for it. My legs are seriously malfunctioning now. Actually, my entire body has gone haywire. My skin is ablaze, my heart is going ninety, and my very bones are on fire.
“Are you sure you want to do this now? I mean, aren’t you tired?”
I must be the biggest idiot in the world for saying this, but among all the wonderful, giddy feelings that are making me float in the clouds, there’s also fear. This is a big step for us; I can sense the mating bond magic getting stronger. We’re about to seal the deal. There won’t be any going back from this.
“You’re nervous,” he says.
“I don’t mean to be.”
“It’s okay. I’m nervous too. I never thought I’d ever feel this way about anyone, Rora. I didn’t think love was in the cards for me, and I was fine with that. But you came along and it was game over for me. I didn’t know what was missing from my long life until you showed me.”
“Is that the bond talking?”
“No,” he answers in a soft breath. “The bond makes me crazy for you, but there’s something apart, a small spark that’s all me. I love you, bond or not.”
Maybe it’s all the stress that accumulated in the last twenty-four hours, but instead of throwing myself into his arms, I break down in a torrid current of ugly sobs. I step away, covering my face with my hands.
“Rora, why are you crying?” He turns me around, pulling me into a hug.
I melt against him without reservations, without fear of hurting him. An enormous sense of peace and security wraps over me. I’ve had to be strong for so long that I forgot what it’s like to feel protected. I realize in that moment what Saxon means to me.
“I love you too, Sax. And you want to know how I know?” I lift my face to his, getting lost in his eyes.
“How?”
“It will sound crazy, and we haven’t really spent that much time together, but when I’m with you I feel free. You’re the only one who has ever seen the real me, my vulnerable side, and that’s okay. You’re home to me.”
He captures my face between his. “You have no idea how much your words mean to me, my love. No idea.”
His lips meet mine for a kiss that’s tender at first, but like always when we’re together, we’re unable to take things slow. When his tongue darts in my mouth, possessive and demanding, I have no choice but to match the intensity. Saxon grabs a fistful of my hair, tilting my head to the side to deepen the kiss. My arms go around his back, and as my fingers brush against his bandage, I’m reminded that he still has a hole in his chest that needs healing. Reluctantly, I pull back.
“Where do you think you’re going?” He keeps me trapped in his arms.
“You’re recovering. Let me take care of you.”
I manage to break free from him, but only because he lets me. With our hands linked together, I steer him to my bedroom, bringing him to my bed. He sits on the edge of the mattress after I nudge him with a light shove.
“What are you doing, little witch?”
“You’re hurt, so today, I’m doing all the loving.” I smile.
The red in his eyes shines brighter. “Oh, I like that.”
It’s almost impossible not to combust while blasted by his intense stare. I think that even with my tan complexion, he can see the blush. But I’m determined to not mess this up. Recreating one of my favorite movie scenes, I unhook my bra, then work the straps while I’m still wearing my oversized top. Once free of the undergarment, I lob it toward Saxon, who grabs it with a deft hand.
“Is slow torture part of your loving?” he asks in a husky voice.
“What?” I fake innocence. “I’m just getting more comfortable for bed.”
I take off my pants next, and then my underwear. All my most enticing bits are still covered by the oversized top, but at this point, Saxon’s face is already beet red, and his hands are holding the bedcovers in a merciless twist. “Fuck me.”
I sashay toward him slowly, which is much harder than I expected. The bond is pulling me to him, stronger than ever, demanding that I throw myself into his arms. With my fingers, I trace his forehead, then the angles of his cheeks, following along the line of his sharp jaw. “You’re the most beautiful male I’ve ever seen.”
He grabs my shirt and pulls me closer, while his other hand disappears underneath the fabric. “And you’re the sexiest, most tempting witch I’ve ever met.”
Sneakily, he reaches over my pussy, and using his thumb, he swipes over my throbbing clit.
“Sax, I’m the one who’s supposed to be in control here,” I breathe out.
“You are in control. I’m at your mercy,” he replies with a devilish smile before he swipes my clit again, quickly turning me into putty in his hands.
I jump back from his wicked ministrations, dancing away when he tries to capture me again.
“Hey!” he complains.
Wiggling my finger, I say, “No. You’re not going to do that to me. I told you that I’m the one taking charge today. And the first order of business is to get you out of those jeans.”
He arches his eyebrows, fighting a grin. “You want these gone? All right then.” He stands up, and moving too fast for my human eyes to register, he yanks his pants off, throwing them to the side torn in two pieces. All that’s left are his boxer briefs.
“Now it’s your turn. I want to see those gorgeous tits of yours.”
With a shake of my head, I say, “Not so fast, love. There’s something I want to do first.”
I walk over, and then push him back on the mattress. Keeping our gazes locked, I drop onto my knees, and pull down the last barrier between me and his erection.
Saxon hisses when I curl my fingers around his shaft. Without breaking eye contact, I lick his head, and the moan that leaves his parted lips is the most amazing sound ever. He threads his fingers through my hair, giving me tingles not only where he’s touching me, but everywhere. Not wanting to wait a second longer, I suck his cock into my mouth until the tip hits the back of my throat.
“Oh my God, Rora.”
I take my time licking and sucking, loving e
very hiss, every grunt and moan that escapes his lips. He’s getting bigger and harder, and I’m more than ready to make him explode in my mouth, but he grabs me by the shoulders, halting me. “Wait, sweetheart. Stop for a second.”
I let go of him with a loud pop and look up. “What?”
He scooches back, then, hooking his index finger, he says, “Come here. I want to feast on you too.”
My pussy throbs in anticipation. I couldn’t get more turned on if I tried. I decide then that I’ve tortured Saxon enough. I pull my shirt off, not moving for a moment to soak up Saxon’s heated gaze on my body. He isn’t touching me, he’s nowhere near me, but it feels like his hands are everywhere.
“If you don’t get in this bed now, I’m going to pounce,” he growls.
“Hmm, I love your wild side,” I purr, but because I can’t stay away from him for much longer, I join him on the mattress, slowly crawling in his direction.
“I’ll show you my wild side.” He reaches over, pulling me to his level for a searing, take-no-prisoners kiss.
I’m too far gone to offer any resistance. My plan was to do most of the work, but it seems my mate has other ideas. I lean back, breaking the kiss, only so I can straddle him, and finally fulfill what has been denied to us for too long. I’m so wet that his cock slides inside of me with ease. He grabs my hips, digging his fingers in my skin while I try to ride him nice and slow. “Try” being the operative word. It’s impossible. My body is taken over by a fever that reaches stratospheric levels. It leaves tingles of pleasure in its wake; it goes straight to my head, making me dizzy in the most delicious way. I don’t know anymore where I end and he begins. We’re finally one and it’s the most wonderful thing in the universe. My heart overflows with emotion.
Still pistoning in and out, Saxon sits up and claims my mouth again. I wish he would bite me, but maybe he can’t take more from me before I recover. Even without his love bite, I know exactly when the bond clicks into place, when it solidifies. It’s the moment when Saxon and I climax at the same time. I’m detached from my body, soaring through the sky tangled with him. We shatter into a million pieces, becoming stardust. We’re suspended in time and space, and maybe the experience only lasted a few seconds, but it will be branded into my memory forever.
Wild Thing: A Vampire Paranormal Romance (Blueblood Vampires Book 2) Page 22