Tales of the Darkworld 2: Hot Water

by Lex Valentine

  “Do I look like the kind of guy who would use one of those?” Colin said when he caught her staring at the bidet.

  She turned to find him standing in the doorway, an amused expression on his face. She arched a brow at him. “It wouldn’t hurt you to use it. You know, cleanliness is supposed to be next to godliness.”

  “The only goddess I get next to is you.”

  “Like I said, it wouldn’t hurt you to use it,” she teased.

  Colin reached out and grabbed her around the waist, pulling her against him. “Do you like the house?” He nuzzled her neck.

  Eden sighed. “It’s very white. And it looks like no one lives here, but yes, I like the house.”

  He made a face. “It came white. I didn’t know what to do with it.”

  “I suppose that means you’re giving me carte blanche to do something with it.”

  The instant the words left her mouth their eyes locked. “Yes,” Colin said softly. “You’re my bloodmate. Maybe it’s wrong of me to assume that you will want to live here with me permanently, but…”

  She put her fingers over his lips, stilling his words. “It’s not wrong. It just takes some getting used to. It felt strange to come home and not go to Sean’s. But this feels … right.”

  His sigh conveyed his relief. “Pizza and a swim?” he asked with a bright, hopeful smile. “I have a great place that will deliver. What do you like on a pizza?”

  “Everything except bell peppers and anchovies. Any combination of items is fine with me.” Eden pulled away and walked over to the windows. They stretched from floor to ceiling, the width of the wall, and the expanse of the Pacific Ocean stretched before her on the other side of the glass. The night sky twinkled with lights that reflected off the water. The view tugged at her senses and she knew if the windows and patio door were open, she would feel as if she was outdoors.

  “This view… it’s unbelievable.”

  “Yeah, I thought so too. I bought this house solely for that view. The house is way too big for me, but I couldn’t resist the feeling of being at sea.”

  Eden knew what he meant. Standing before the wall of windows, the ocean seemed so close it felt as if she could reach out her hand and touch it, as if she stood on the deck of a yacht with the ocean all around her. A long sigh escaped her. The mating thing had gone more smoothly than she’d thought it would. Colin’s house was perfect. No one had made any imprint on it, not even Colin. It was a blank canvas, waiting for her. For the first time in her life, Eden had the sense that she had really come home. The place felt comfortable and welcoming despite its lack of furniture.

  They sat on the deck outside the bedroom and ate their pizza. Colin kept flinging his crust out onto the sand for the seagulls despite Eden’s warning that the gulls would keep coming back every day if he did that. After they ate, they got into swimsuits and Colin pulled out towels. He led the way down an outside staircase to the huge patio behind the privacy fence. Gray flagstones stretched from one side of the house all the way around to the other side. The side with the privacy fence had a huge hot tub and an infinity pool set into the stones.

  The pool was landscaped all around with big gray rocks and a waterfall near the hot tub. When she stood at the waterfall end of the pool and looked toward the open end of the patio, the pool looked like it merged with the ocean. The effect was spectacular and Eden knew Colin must have paid a small fortune for it.

  She sat on the edge as Colin turned the pool lights on. When he came toward her, she slipped into the water, backstroking away from him. He smiled and dove in, coming up next to her. The seductive warmth of the water made her limbs feel light and languorous as Colin wrapped his arms around her. Their bodies slid together sensuously as he kissed her. His mouth rubbed against hers, hot and urgent. Eden’s heart took on a thunderous rhythm.

  His tongue danced with hers as his hands untied her bikini top. Moments later, their swimsuits landed on the flagstones with a wet slap. Eden scissored her legs around Colin, rubbing her pussy against his thick erection. His hands cupped her breasts and they went under. Without breaking the kiss, Colin kicked out, pushing them back to the surface. He maneuvered them toward the shallow end, close to the rocks and waterfall where their feet could touch the bottom.

  Eden moaned as his thumbs teased her hard nipples. “Now. Just fuck me now,” she panted, rubbing against him.

  With a growl, Colin grabbed her ass and lifted. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he fitted himself to her and thrust home. The delicious feel of being impaled by his thick cock had Eden shuddering in orgasm. Colin held her close, his fingers digging into her buttocks. She gazed into his dark eyes, seeing the flame of his arousal burning there.

  “More,” she rasped breathlessly.

  Colin pressed her back against a smooth stone and pulled almost all the way out of her. He thrust within her again, beginning a rhythm that had the water sloshing around them. Heat rose in her as her dragon stretched and clawed to be free. Her skin rippled with the effort of holding her human shape. She wanted more… wanted something… her hips moved urgently against Colin’s as her body sought relief from the incredibly pleasurable tension.

  Eden’s fingernails dug into his shoulders and their gazes locked. Colin’s breathing was rapid and rough. Her own matched it. She could tell that they were both about to come. She tossed her wet hair back, exposing her neck. A low growl came from Colin.

  “Bite me,” she demanded, her wet naked breasts rubbing against his chest, against his pierced nipples.

  His eyes glowed with a preternatural light and within her, her dragon roared its approval. He kissed her and she could feel the sharp edge of his fangs. She arched her neck as his lips left hers, feeling the fangs dance along her sensitive skin. Then heat scored her as a sharp sting told her his fangs had pierced her vein. Instantly, Colin’s thoughts flooded her mind.

  Oh gods, her blood tastes so good.

  From his thoughts, she could feel his ecstasy at tasting her blood on his tongue, how the joy filled his senses and his soul. His love wrapped itself around her as surely as his physical body did. He continued thrusting into her as he drank from her and the sensation made her mindless with lust. She bucked against him, pressing closer. The need to be one with him overwhelmed her. The pounding of his heart became the thundering of her own heart. They were a seamless unit, melded together until she couldn’t tell where she ended and Colin began.

  His fangs began to retract and pleasure burst within her. She screamed his name as he licked her throat, moaning her name over and over again. She convulsed, her body going rigid with the most intense orgasm she’d ever had. Colin’s cock swelled inside her and she cried out again as his hot semen bathed her hot channel.

  Somehow they ended up on the shallow steps, lying limp and dazed. Groggy, Eden’s body still shook with little tremors. Colin’s mouth had a bit of blood smeared on it and his eyes were unfocused. Suddenly, it dawned on her what had happened.

  “Colin?” she asked shakily. “Did you just bond with me?”

  He blinked a few times before his eyes finally focused. “Yes.”

  She looked at the still water and realized she hadn’t loosed her dragonfire yet. The water would have been boiling if she had. “I didn’t bond with you.”

  He shook his head. “S’ok. You’ll get to it.” His words were slurred like a drunk’s.

  Colin pulled her close as they lay on the steps, letting the warm water lap at their tired bodies. As immortals, it wouldn’t take long for them to regain their equilibrium. Eden loved how the more she regained her presence of mind, the stronger her mental and emotional connection to Colin became. His disjointed thoughts recalling the bonding echoed in her mind. Experiencing the event through his mind gave her an even greater sense of belonging to him. It strengthened her own conviction that this man was her mate.

  Once their energy returned, they got out of the pool and wrapped themselves in towels. Back in the master bedroom, they show
ered together, still slightly dazed from bonding, and fell into bed. Colin pulled her into his arms and she rubbed her face against his chest in a loving caress.

  Mine now. Only mine.

  His thought made her smile as she drifted to sleep. Coming home had never been this good.

  Chapter Eight

  Colin didn’t feel all that different. Being bonded was all about love anyway and he knew he was in love with Eden. They’d gotten up early and made love again. Colin bit her again, just because he could, not because he needed her blood. It just felt good.

  Afterward, they’d dressed and eaten cold pizza for breakfast, washing it down with coffee that Eden made after finding a state of the art coffee machine and French roast beans in the kitchen cupboard. She cleaned up afterward even though Colin protested that he had a cleaning lady.

  He drove her to the Antaeus family home where her brother Sean lived. She had clothes, a car and other belongings there that she wanted to collect. Colin worried that going there would upset her, but she seemed cheerful and if it bothered her to be there, he sure as hell couldn’t tell. As soon as he dropped her off, waving to Sean’s astonished wife, he drove straight to Sean’s office.

  He’d been to Antaeus International a few times since Elysia had hooked up with Declan, but he’d never been to Sean’s office. He knew it was on the same floor as Declan’s though – the top floor. He got off the elevator and headed to Declan’s office first. His brother-in-law looked up, amber eyes narrowed, as Colin walked in and shut the door.

  “I know you told me on the phone that you didn’t have the same opinion about Eden as Sean, but I want to hear it from your mouth while I’m looking you in the eye,” he growled.

  “I don’t know why Sean said that to you, Colin. I love my sister. I always have. I don’t care where she works or lives as long as she’s safe.” Declan’s deep voice sounded serious. “If she wants to be with you, I have no objection. She’s her own keeper and has been since long before she left this company and moved to New York. In fact, I can’t think of very many people I would trust to control her and keep her from doing something cockeyed, but I think you can handle her.”

  “We don’t need your approval, but I’m glad to have it for her sake.” Colin drew a deep breath. “I bonded with her last night.”

  Declan’s eyebrows shot up. “So soon?” He shook his dark head, his expression a little wry. “Well, that’s very Eden. She’s quick to make up her mind.”

  Colin watched his brother-in-law carefully. “I bonded with her. She has not yet mated me. I have yet to see her dragonfire. In fact, I’ve never even seen her shift.”

  A smile curved Declan’s mouth. “You will soon. A dragon cannot keep himself from showing off his dragon form to his mate. It’s like trying to keep a little kid out of a candy jar.”

  “So you and Elysia are okay with this? I’m not gonna have to come back up here and bloody your nose?” Colin asked pointedly.

  Declan shook his head. “Your sister and I are happy for you both. Holden is too. I called him after you called me. Frankly, since I knew you would be coming here to talk to Sean, I didn’t call either him or Diandra. If I had called Di, she would have called Sean, and I knew you wouldn’t want that. In your shoes, I would do the same thing. As my sister’s mate, you have every right to call Sean on the things he told you about Eden.”

  “Where’s his office?”

  Declan pointed to his door. “Three doors down from mine in the corner.” His amber eyes, so like his sister’s, glinted with approval. “Good luck.”

  Colin left Declan’s office and walked purposefully toward Sean Antaeus’ office. He brushed past Sean’s assistant and pushed the door open.

  Sean sat at his desk, his back to Colin, his eyes on the huge window that looked out toward the ocean. “Good morning, Colin. What can I do for you?” he said without turning around.

  Colin’s mouth tightened. “You can turn around and face me, Sean,” he gritted out, his anger rising.

  Slowly, Sean spun around in his leather chair. He looked a lot like Declan, but harsher, not as handsome, with black hair brushed back neatly from his face. His golden Antaeus eyes held a cold, hard expression.

  “What can I do for you?” he repeated.

  Resisting the urge to clench his hands into fists, Colin said, “Why did you lie to me about Eden?”

  Sean shrugged. “What does it matter? You know the truth now, don’t you? And you love her despite anything I might have said to you. Am I right?”

  Colin saw red. The man deliberately pushed his buttons! “You’re her brother. You should be supporting her and protecting her, not turning your back on her and telling people she’s a fucking worthless dilettante!”

  Sean’s dark brows flicked up a little. “Why do you say I don’t support her? She wanted to leave and I let her go. That’s supporting her decision in my book.”

  “That’s turning your back on her, you fucking asshole!” Colin roared. “Do you have any idea how bad you’ve made her feel over the years? The lack of self-esteem she has because you think she’s a goddamned black sheep? She’s spent all these years thinking she doesn’t fit in anywhere, that she’s been nothing but trouble to your family. She thinks it because that’s what you fucking drummed into her head for having the temerity to want a career that has nothing to do with this fucking company!”

  An impassive expression settled on Sean’s hawkish features. “Think what you want,” he said coolly turning his chair away from Colin.

  With a growl, Colin leapt across Sean’s desk, the preternatural speed and dexterity of a vampire coming to his aid. In a blur of movement, he had Sean by the shirtfront, dragging him from the chair and slamming him against the wall. Sean’s golden eyes lit with fire and he pushed away from the wall, but Colin was waiting. His fist shot out and connected with Sean’s face. The force of the blow knocked the dragon back into the wall. The drywall cracked from the floor to the ceiling, raising a cloud of dust.

  Sean put a hand to the corner of his mouth where a trickle of blood oozed. Colin’s eyes glowed red with bloodlust. “If you ever tell another lie about Eden, I will break every bone in your body, you son of a bitch.”

  He took two steps back and when he was sure that Sean wouldn’t attack him, he spun on his heel and left the office. Outside, in the corridor a small crowd had gathered. His bloodlust dissipating, Colin saw Declan and Holden Antaeus standing a few feet away. Holden grinned, holding up his hands in a gesture of surrender.

  “Don’t look at me like that, brother,” he chuckled. “I’m on your side. Someone needed to take Sean down a peg where Eden’s concerned.”

  Declan’s mouth twitched. “Welcome to the family, Colin,” he said.

  ~ * * * ~

  Eden stared at her sister-in-law mutinously. Despite being Sean’s wife, Careen usually had her own opinions on things. This time, however, she spouted Sean’s party line and it pissed Eden off.

  “Why do you have to do this so quickly, Eden? Why couldn’t you have come home and just dated Colin like a normal person?” Careen pressed.

  Eden closed the last suitcase and heaved it to the floor, ignoring Careen’s comment about ‘normal’. She looked around her bedroom. Nothing personal remained in the room. There was a stack of boxes by the door and three suitcases. She had another dozen boxes in the garage. She made a mental note to hire someone to pick them all up.

  Ignoring Careen, she tucked the smallest suitcase under her arm and grabbed the other two suitcases, hauling them out of her room and down the hall to the landing. She struggled down the stairs with the bulky suitcases, annoyed with her sister-in-law for not offering to help. Not that she would have accepted Careen’s help after the lecture she’d had to endure from the woman.

  Dragging the cases to the garage, she opened it and dug in her purse for her keys. With a loud beep, she turned off the alarm on the Land Rover. Pulling open the back, she flipped the seats down and tossed her suitcases in. She w
ent back in the house and began carrying down boxes until she’d filled the SUV.

  Sweating and angry, she stood on the driveway and wiped her face on the sleeve of her sweater. Everything from her room was either in her car or here in the garage waiting to be picked up by the moving company. Careen still hovered, her next lecture only a breath away. Eden took out her phone, checking it for text messages or missed calls. She blinked then. Careen held a huge jewelry box in her arms. The box looked like a Swiss chalet. Eden’s father had given it to her as a little girl. Seeing it in Careen’s arms when the woman had been nothing but a pain in her ass all morning made Eden see red.

  Lurching forward, she tried to snatch it from Careen. “Where the fuck did you get that?”

  Careen stepped back, out of Eden’s reach. “Sean had it put away because his mother’s jewelry is in there. He says it’s worth a lot of money,” Careen said, tilting her head defiantly.

  “Arggh! He had no right! That’s my jewelry box!” Eden growled and snatched at it again.

  Careen tried to hang on to it and they struggled for a moment. Then, as Eden wrested the box from Careen’s hands, her sister-in-law hit her. Startled, not knowing whether Careen meant to hit her or whether it was an accident, Eden almost dropped the jewelry box. They both grabbed for it and Eden’s cell phone went flying, shattering into several pieces on the concrete driveway.

  “Shit!” she growled, her eyes flashing at her sister-in-law. She put the jewelry box in the front seat of the SUV and locked it, coming back to pick up the pieces of her phone. “Damn it! Why are you suddenly such a bitch, Careen?”

  Careen looked down her nose at Eden. “Sean doesn’t think you’re being rational.”

  Eden let out a sigh. Her fucking brother had a lot to answer for. “Yeah, well you’ve never spouted Sean’s party line before now, Careen,” Eden said waspishly. “I used to think you had your own mind. I can see I must have been mistaken.”