by LJ Baker
"That's incredible." Chase felt the words catch in his throat and a tear burn in the corner of his eye. He choked back his feelings as Alexander turned to beam at him. In that one quick moment, they were connected over Ari, over the babies, over their bond as family, whether either of them wanted it or not.
The doctor went about measuring the babies, one at a time, and frowned.
"What's wrong?" Ari propped herself up on her elbows and struggled to get a better look at the screen. "I can tell something isn't right."
"There isn't anything necessarily wrong. It's just that baby A is still getting bigger at a significantly faster rate than baby B. I don't know that it means anything, but I worry that baby A will take up too many resources, and what that will mean for the other."
"Can you tell the sex?" Ari asked, her eyes still glued to the screen.
The doctor moved the wand lower and jabbed it harder into Ari's belly. Chase and Alexander both growled at the same time when Ari groaned, but the doctor ignored both males and adjusted the wand until a smile came over her face.
"What is it you two were hoping for?"
Alexander and Ari both said "girls" at the same time.
"Well, you're in luck… at least partly."
"Partly?" Alexander tensed. "What does that mean?"
"Baby B is a girl and baby A is a boy. One of each." The doctor snapped a couple pictures of the babies, printed them out, and handed Ari a wad of towels to wipe the goop off her belly.
Ari and Lex just stared at each other with goofy smiles and kissed. Chase could have done without seeing that, but he was happy for them. He was going to have a niece and a nephew. An odd twinge of pride came over him and he suddenly wished he could hug his twin, but there was no way Lex was moving away from her.
"What about the pains she had, doc?" Chase asked before the doctor could leave the room.
"I don't see anything that stands out. Other than the size difference, everything looks good. She needs to continue to stay off her feet and rest. And I want to see her in here every week for another scan." She turned to look at Ari. "And if you have any more pain, I want to be notified right away. Understand?"
Ari nodded and she left.
Ari hopped off the table and fixed her shirt. She was all grown up and Chase wondered when that happened. Just over six months ago when they arrived at Vampire City, everything was different. It was him and Ari against the world. Now she was mated to the vampire king, pregnant with twins, and didn't need him anymore. He was on his own and he wasn't sure how he felt about that.
"You okay, Chase?" Ari took his hand and pulled him out of his silent pity party. He hoped that Ari and Lex weren't listening in on his thoughts. He was in no mood to talk about whatever it was he was feeling.
"Yeah, fine. I'm glad the babies are okay." He kissed the top of her head and slipped his hand out from hers. "So I'm gonna get going. I have some stuff to take care of."
Ari nodded, but he knew that she saw through his bullshit. She would let him get away with it for now, but he would have to deal with her sooner or later.
He hoped for later.
CHAPTER TWO
"You smell like vampire and desperation, sister. Who have you been doing this evening?" Michael sat down on the black leather sofa and took an indifferent sip off his whiskey.
"I have never been desperate, brother. And why do you even care? Are you jealous?" Willow sat down across from her brother, blending in with the furniture.
"Me? Jealous? Of course not. Spend your time as you wish. Just don't come crying to me when it blows up in your face."
"And why would it blow up in my face?"
"Because of who he is. Do you think I don't realize you've been hanging around Ariana's brother? She is mated to the king, Will, you should stay away from him. We don't need any trouble. I want to stay, make a home here."
Willow crossed one leg over the other and stared at her brother. "You act like I've been throwing myself at him."
"Haven't you?" Michael raised an eyebrow and took another sip off his drink.
"No. I have not. I'm just having fun with him, so chill out. We can't all be as uptight as you, Michael."
"I am not uptight."
"No? When was the last time you got any?"
"What does that have to do with anything?" Michael put the glass down on the marble coffee table and sat forward.
"I've seen the way you look at that security idiot. You like him, but you don't say anything. So who are you to talk about me?"
"Finn?"
"Yes, Michael. It's not like I didn't notice that. Did you think you were hiding it?"
"I'm not trying to hide anything. There is nothing to hide. I'm not interested in him."
Willow laughed, picked up her brother's drink, and downed it in one gulp. "You're either a liar, or you're in some deep denial."
Michael's cheeks grew red and he got up from the sofa. "Just watch yourself, Will. Find a new plaything."
***
"Are you sure we are supposed to be in here now?" Issac leaned on his fighting stick, avoiding eye contact with Willow. He was the oldest from the group of young vamps they'd found turned and left alone after the whole strigoi mess. Willow guessed that he was twenty at most, only a couple years younger than her, but something about the way he looked, he could have passed for much younger.
"Have you ever had a girlfriend, Issac?" Willow sat on a table, about fifteen feet from the boy and watched him. He was uncomfortable around her, which she enjoyed probably more than she should have.
"I… yeah, sure. I mean, of course. I've had lots of girlfriends." Issac twirled the stick the way he'd been learning with Chase and smacked himself in the forehead with it accidentally.
Willow stifled a laugh and pulled one leg over the other, exposing her upper thigh under her short, leather skirt. "Really? Well then you must have a lot of experience with females."
Issac nodded, a little too eager. "Sure. Tons."
"I love a male with experience." Willow unbuttoned the top button on her top and her breasts spilled out just enough to make poor Issac lose his balance. He tumbled over his stick and landed on all fours. Willow was in front of him in a flash, squatting down, so that when he looked up, his face was inches from her ample cleavage.
The boy swallowed back a lump in his throat and Willow was certain he was starting to drool. She half expected him to say something stupid, or spit out some line he'd heard another male use in a bar, then she remembered he was probably too young to get into a bar, if humans even had them.
"You want to touch me, Issac?"
He nodded, making no move to speak, or get up. Willow remembered why she didn't usually waste her time with the inexperienced ones. He was probably going to be more work than he was worth, but she smiled and ran her tongue over her bottom lip.
That was all the encouragement Issac needed. He lunged forward at her, knocking her backwards on the mat and tried to shove his tongue down her throat.
"Easy there, tiger. You don't need to swallow my face." Willow pushed him back and sprang to her feet as graceful as a cat. She reached out a hand to help him off the floor and led him over to the table where she'd been sitting before. Issac reached down for the stick and followed her like a puppy dog following its master.
"Chase isn't here. You can put down that ridiculous thing."
Issac looked down at the stick, then over at the door. "He could come in early."
Willow smiled and hooked one finger up motioning for him to come closer. "You can blame me. Besides, how are you going to touch me, if you are holding that silly thing?"
Issac stepped closer and leaned the stick on the table, his hands free to do whatever. Not that he did anything with them, but at least now he could.
Willow grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him against her. Her breasts flattened against his hard chest. He was in decent shape and she found herself actually a little interested for the first time since she'd called him
in there.
Issac's breathing was coming in fast pants as he reached out to touch her breasts. He fumbled, squeezing them like fruit at the market, but she allowed his awkward exploration. When he found his way, she reached between them and undid another couple buttons, giving him full access to her bare skin. He wasted no time, reaching into her bra and releasing them, one at a time.
With a gasp, Issac stepped back and looked over her with glazed eyes. Her breasts jutted forward, nipples at attention. All they needed now was a little appreciation. Well, maybe a lot of appreciation, but they would get to that.
"Take a taste, Issac."
He paused for just a moment, then his mouth was on her. He was a quick study, his tongue doing a much better job than his hands had. Willow tossed her head back, enjoying the licks and flicks of his tongue. She felt his fangs extend and scrape along her flesh. For a second, she thought he was going to bite her there. She would have allowed it, but he pulled back, looking up at her with wide eyes.
"I'm sorry."
"What for?" She brought her head back and searched his face. "You were doing fine."
"But I, my teeth, I don't—"
Willow put one finger up to Issac's lips to silence him. "You didn't do anything wrong. It's natural to cross your wires between arousal and blood need. They can very much be a part of each other. Jayce should have talked to you about that by now."
"But I wanted to bite you."
"Of course you did. You're vampire, Issac. That is what we do."
"We? I thought you were a witch." Issac shot her a sheepish look.
"Yes. I'm a blood witch. That means I'm both witch and vampire, just a little less vampire than someone like you."
"What does that mean?"
Willow flashed her fangs at Issac and smiled. "Mine are smaller. And I don't need to drink blood the way that you do, but I can if I want to. I'm not as fast, or strong, and my other senses are not quite as sensitive as a full-blood vampire."
"And you're a witch on top of that." It was more of a statement than a question and she watched him mull it over in his mind, trying to make sense of everything he was hearing.
"Yes. Now do you want to know my life story, or do you want to kiss me before your training group shows up and we have to stop?"
Issac paused for a second longer, then crushed his mouth to hers. His hands tangled in her hair, pulling roughly on her long locks. She pushed his head down, edging him in the direction of her aching nipples. He stopped along the way, kissing down her neck, over her collarbone, and finally over to one needy mound.
Willow reached down between them and reached into his pants. She was grateful that he was in sweats, ready for training, so she didn't have to bother with a clasp or zipper. Her mind drifted from the inexperienced vampire nibbling on her left nipple and images of a certain blond went through her head.
Issac tensed when her hand closed around him, her palm cradling his balls and her fingers snug around his shaft. He was so hard she could feel him throb against her palm.
"Willow, I…" Issac started speaking, but stopped, mid-sentence, his mind blank.
"Shh," she whispered, bringing her legs up and using them to push his pants down to his ankles with her feet.
As if his sexual instinct kicked in, Issac reached under her skirt and grasped the thin fabric of her panties. With one quick tug, he ripped them free of her body and tossed them onto the floor where the fighting stick had fallen. Willow pushed her hips forward and slid her ass off the edge of the table. He used his hand to position himself against her opening and groaned.
She was ready and he knew it. He rubbed himself over her a few times, wetting himself with her need, and prepared for what was about to happen. If she hadn't been sure before, she was certain then that he had next to no experience with females. Even though she knew she'd have to lead him in the right direction, she was actually looking forward to molding him the way she liked.
"What the fuck is going on?"
Willow and Issac both froze, snapping their heads to the side to find Chase and Jayce standing there looking at them. Jayce was smiling with a raised brow, clearly amused, but Chase was another story. His face was red and he was fuming. Willow was sure if she gave him a moment, she would get to see steam rise up from his ears.
Willow was the first to speak, making no move to cover herself, or hide what she'd been doing. "Seems pretty obvious what's going on. Don't you think, Issac?" She turned to look over the boy, who turned pale, like he was about to lose his breakfast.
"I, uh, I don't…" Issac reached for his pants and yanked them back up, stumbling over the fighting stick, and just barely caught himself before he landed on his ass. He reached down and grabbed the stick. His eyes shot up to Chase's and the scent of his fear filled the room.
"I thought I told you to keep that stick in your hands." Chase stared at Willow as he spoke to Issac, his eyes flipping from her face to her skirt, still hiked up around her waist.
"I think he had a different stick in his hand." Jayce chuckled.
"I, uh, sorry, I was trying to, but she said—"
Chase's glare cut Issac's words off and he went silent, dropping his chin to his chest. Chase turned his attention back to Willow, but she wasn't about to be intimidated by him. Amused, she tilted her head and batted her lashes a few times at him, as she adjusted her bra, slipping her breasts back inside. She made sure to graze her fingertips over each nipple as Chase watched her intently.
"Yes?"
"Can I see you outside, please?" Chase grabbed Willow by the arm before she could answer, and led her through the door. He motioned to Jayce as he passed. "Can you keep an eye on Casanova for a few minutes please?"
***
"What the hell was that?" Chase pushed Willow to the side of the training facility door to avoid the trainees arriving for their morning session.
As soon as he'd seen her, picked up the scent of her arousal, noticed her skirt up around her waist, Chase was hit with warring emotions. He'd wanted her, needed to be the one standing between her milky thighs, causing the soft moan that escaped her mouth. At the same time, he'd been filled with rage, wanting to tear off Issac's head and crush his skull in his hands for touching her.
His feelings made no sense. He had no right to be angry with her being with someone else. He had no claim on her. But that didn't stop the rage that he was just managing to hold under the surface.
"Do I really need to explain that to you, Chase? I know you haven't had a lot of girlfriends, but come on." Willow leaned her back against the cold wall and crossed her arms in front of her half-exposed breasts.
"The number of girlfriends I've had is irrelevant and if I'd known you were going to throw that in my face, I never would have told you."
"Don't be so sensitive. I enjoyed the conversation we had that night."
"I was drunk. I hardly even remember it." Chase balled his fists at his sides and tried not to look at her breasts.
"I remember it. I remember you pulling me into your lap and enjoying my company." Willow hooked one finger into the waistband of his pants and pulled him to face her. "I don't know why you try to deny it."
"Stop trying to make it out to be more than it was. It wasn't anything. Just a drunken conversation. Even if Gabe hadn't walked in, nothing would have happened. I'm just not into you." He pulled her hand off and let it drop to her side. Chase wasn't in the mood for her bullshit.
"If that's true, why did it look like you were going to rip off Issac's head a few minutes ago?"
"Because he's a trainee. He is supposed to be doing as he's told, not fucking you in the gym. It's disrespectful and against the rules. Do you want to see him kicked out of here? Sent to another region where the regent isn't mated to a human who keeps him from using other humans as bloodbags and disposing of ineffective vamplings?"
"Your sister isn't exactly human."
"You're missing the point." Chase tightened his fists at his side and straightened his bac
k. "Stay away from the recruits."
"You don't get to tell me who I can befriend, Chase Summers. You have no authority over me."
"No. But I have authority over Issac. Stay away from him or I'll have him kicked out of the program."
Chase turned to walk away from her, but she grabbed his arm and stopped him. "Why do you even care? Really, not any of this shit about Issac disrespecting your authority. You weren't angry with Issac in there. You were angry with me."
"I absolutely was pissed at Issac." And he was. His rage was directed at Issac when he saw his hands on her. Not for one second did he think that he was being disrespected, that Issac wasn't following rules, or that his behavior was an assault on the program. No, he was pissed because his hands were all over Willow.
Because she was letting him touch her.
Because it wasn't him.
Chase hated his mind betraying him, hated that she was invading his thoughts, and hated that even as he stood there pissed as hell, he still wanted her.
"You were more pissed at me."
"You're right." Chase grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her into the cold brick. His knuckles dug into the wall, scraping some of the skin there, and his breathing was coming in fast pants. He wanted to hike her skirt back up, run his hands over her, feel her heat around him. Instead, he kissed her, hard.
Willow kissed him right back, taking his rough assault and throwing it back at him. When he broke the kiss, she slapped him, hard.
"What the hell was that for?" Chase stared at her, a small half smile pulling up the corner of his lips.
"Because you deserve it. You don't get to kiss me without my permission." She glared at him, her red lipstick slightly smudged. It made Chase want to kiss her again, but he held back.
She stared at him a moment longer, then spun around, leaving him there alone.
"What the hell was that about?" Jayce stood behind Chase with his arms folded across his chest and an amused smile on his face.