by Chloe Adler
I turned to look at her over my shoulder. “But he turned Jared into a fox in front of everyone. He was with . . .”
“There must be a reason, Sadie. Maybe he did that to save Jared too.”
I shook my head furiously. “There’s no excuse for Dad leaving all of us.”
Aurelia entered the room with my cup of tea. “You’re right, Sadie. There’s no excuse for what he did to our family.” She handed me the tea and then looked into Iphi’s crystal. “Show her.”
Iphi shook her head but there was no stopping our mother. She always got what she wanted.
“I’m sorry,” Iphi muttered as she passed her hand over the ball again.
It swirled and then cleared, the view breaking my heart just a little bit, even though my intuition told me it wasn’t what it looked like. Ryder was standing with the Scrim. They looked chummy as Ryder nodded his head, agreeing with something the monster was saying.
Chapter Nine
Burgundy and I were sitting on the couch in our living room eating cake. Burgundy always felt that cake was the answer to everything. She plowed a huge piece of tres leches into her mouth because not just any cake would do. She said it reminded her of her happy childhood.
“Why do you eat cake when you garner no nutrients from it?”
“Because I can taste it and it tastes fantastic. You’re just jealous that I don’t gain any weight from it.”
“Well,” I pinched her ample waistline playfully, “that may or may not be true. You are the fattest vampire I’ve ever seen.”
She shot me the middle finger, a smile on her face, as she reached out and snagged another forkful of cake off the coffee table.
“I feel like my entire life has been turned upside down. Burg, what am I supposed to do?”
Burgundy fed me the piece of cake. “Eat more cake.”
I rolled my eyes at her and snorted.
“About your Dad or Jared?”
“Both.”
She nodded. “We’ll figure something out.”
Unconsciously, I twisted my ring.
Her eyes drew together as she placed her hand on top of mine, stilling the nervous movement. “Dead giveaway that you’re stressed, looking for comfort.” She tapped the ornate three-tiered ring that I was rarely without. “Did Aurelia give this to you?”
“Grandma,” I said. “And I never understood why she chose me instead of Iphi or Chrys. It was a family heirloom. Maybe she felt bad for me.”
The doorbell rang and Burgundy flew off the couch to answer it, spilling pieces of cake all over our red velvet sofa and the Oriental rug.
I dropped to my knees, mumbling and cursing as I cleaned up after her. A moment later, the door slammed. I was about to ask her who it was when a pair of denim-clad male legs came to a stop in front of me. I followed those long, heavily muscled legs upward.
“Ryder?”
He was standing there in all of his male glory, the kitchen light behind him limning his form.
“I’ll make him leave if you don’t want him here.” Burgundy stood close to the front door and had assumed the position.
“It’s okay, Burg.”
Her eyes narrowed, her hands remained on her hips, and she licked her lips slowly. I loved how protective she was.
“What about—“ she said. I held up my hand to cut her off.
Standing up, my head held high with a proud chest, I sauntered toward my bedroom, fully aware that Ryder had never seen it.
“This way,” I said without looking at him. The sound of him shuffling behind told me he was following.
Once inside, he stood with his back to the door and looked around. No doubt he was taking in my choice of décor, which differed greatly from the rest of our house. I’ve always preferred modern choices to Iphi’s antiques or Burgundy and Jared’s vintage finds.
Ryder was nodding his head as though he’d expected nothing different.
“Sit down.” I pointed to the brushed stainless steel chair next to my desk.
“I don’t take orders, I give them.” His voice sounded deeper than I remembered. His tone authoritative.
I laughed but being this close to him again flustered me. The smell of juniper wafted through the air. I wanted to kiss him so badly.
“Why are we even playing this game?” I walked over to him and grabbed the collar of his T-shirt, intending to pull him over to the chair.
He grabbed my hands and pulled them to his mouth, kissing them.
“The ecstatic dance was an anomaly. I’m a top in the bedroom, when it comes to men,” I said, doing my best to glare.
“Really?” He put one of my fingers on his lips and traced it there, slowly and steadily, before nipping the tip.
“Definitely.” I tried to make myself taller even though there was no way my five four could compete with his six one.
While still holding both of my hands in one of his, he reached his other hand around and grabbed the hair at my nape. My head pulled back and I gasped. Oh, he was good at that. He maneuvered me over to my bed and threw me down on top of it.
“No, sir.” I struggled to sit up but he leaned over and held me down.
After what I’d seen in Iphi’s crystal ball, I knew Ryder was bad news and I’d promised my family I’d stay away from him. But for my father and Jared’s sake, maybe it was wiser to find out more.
I was already turned on by his display of dominance, which surprised me. I cursed my body for being a traitor.
Ryder had no trouble holding me down, easily leaping on top of me. I pretended to struggle, already giving into the sensations of delight. He climbed up my body, trapping my arms with his knees, and wrapped his hands around my throat. I looked up at him, making eye contact. I had expected to see hardness looking back, but what I saw in those eyes surprised me. His eyes were soft and liquid brown. There were flecks of amber and gold dashing about as if in competition with each other.
There was longing and regret. He unzipped his jeans, presumably to force his cock into my mouth but seemed to change his mind and climbed off to lay next to me. With an unexpected gentleness he petted my hair, nuzzling my neck. Huh?
“Sadie,” he said over and over. “Beautiful Sadie.”
I wanted to push him off. I wanted to run. My heart was melting and an entirely unfamiliar and unwelcome welling surged through my body. My senses flooded warm and open, but not in a sexual way. I didn’t like it. I tried to stop it by squirming away but he threw his arms around me and held me there.
He kissed me softly on my neck and face, tiny little butterfly kisses. What the hell did he think he was doing?
“Just fuck me already,” I hissed through clenched teeth.
He didn’t respond but kept petting my hair and kissing me. As I tried to wriggle away, he climbed on top of me, holding me down again but this time differently. Gently.
He placed those soft kisses all over my face and eyelids as I struggled to break free. I pulled a knee up to smash his balls but he flattened himself on top of me.
“I knew you couldn’t be a proper top,” I said meanly. “You’re too much of a wimp.”
He didn’t respond. Instead, he reached an arm around and underneath me. In a second he was under my skirt and underwear and inserting a finger in my ass.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
Still pressing his entire weight against me, he curved his other hand between my legs, finding me completely drenched, and massaged my clit. One hand played with my pussy and the other hand pumped my ass.
I was no longer fighting him. I’d gone limp with pleasure. Again, my body betrayed me.
“You didn’t say that last time,” he purred into my ear before he placed his mouth over mine and sucked me in.
He must be referring to our encounter at Promise.
He continued to manipulate his fingers deftly, in and out of my ass while alternately rubbing my clit and then delving inside with three fingers to massage my G-spot. How did he know
the way I liked it?
I was getting close to an orgasm when he whispered, “I know you prefer a dildo in your ass.”
That pulled me out of it just enough. “Are you kidding me?”
He replied as though he was hurt, with a lilt in his voice. “Don’t you recognize my technique?”
I tried to push him off and since my hands were free and his were occupied, I nearly succeeded. He climbed off of his own volition and walked over to my closet.
“What are you doing? I want you to leave. Now.” I pointed to the door. “Why would you pretend to be someone else and seduce me?” I didn’t want to sound hurt but my voice rose. I stopped talking.
“You wanted to fuck a stranger last night and I didn’t want it to be anyone else.”
“You don’t own me.”
“I don’t but I want to.”
“What?”
Ryder walked back over to me, carrying four of my scarves. “Can’t you tell how I feel about you, Sadie?”
“What are you talking about?”
Without responding, he climbed on top of me. If he thought he was going to tie me up, he had another thing coming. I wasn’t going to fall victim to that again. But instead of forcing me to do anything, he kissed me tenderly, completely throwing me off my game.
He started by nibbling on my lips and pressing close-mouthed kisses from one side of my mouth to the other. I didn’t want to enjoy the sensations but I did. My body stiffened and then relaxed, accompanied by a small flutter in my heart. He dropped light kisses along my jawline and then up my hairline, his hands moving to massage my head. He ran his fingers through my hair, a forbidden gesture but I couldn’t stop him.
His thumb found my amulet, almost distractedly, and he rolled it between his fingers.
“This is beautiful,” he said. I tried to buck him off but he leaned down and whispered, “Like you,” into my ear. So softly it felt like the wind. I shivered.
My body was melting into the mattress. A sound came out of my mouth that was completely foreign to me, a cross between a moan and a kitten mewling. How disgusting. I tried to move away from him but somehow, when I hadn’t been paying attention, he’d already tied my hands to my bed frame. What the—? I kicked up with my legs as he quickly rolled off, grabbing each one and securing them to my footboard.
“Untie me right now, Ryder, or so help me . . .”
“You’ll what, Sadie? I know you’re a witch with almost no power. You gonna change my eye color? Scary.”
Wow, he didn’t.
I lay there and seethed for a moment before I yanked against the scarves again. Ryder sat on the bed beside me, running his hands gently over my body. I was not expecting that. I was expecting him to force me when I was unable to move. He slowly pushed up my tank and delicately traced his fingers across my bare abdomen. I shivered. The sensations were completely new to me and oh so pleasurable. His fingers tripped and glided, so lightly they were almost not touching me. Little sparks of pleasure radiated out to the tips of my fingers. I’d never had anyone touch me this way. My brain said no but my body said yes and I finally let go and rode the sensation. When it came to pleasure, I never could control my body.
“Sadie,” Ryder whispered between kisses. “Beautiful Sadie.”
His lips trailed over my stomach, tracing where his fingers had been and just as lightly. An hour passed while I was tied up and gently kissed all over by this delicious mortal. I didn’t want him to stop. He slowly worked his way down my body after covering my face, arms and stomach with the lightest touches of pleasure I had ever known. Kissing and tracing his way down my inner thighs, he stopped to gently bite the delicate flesh. I tried to buck him off but only halfheartedly. The feelings surging toward my center and sending endorphins to my brain did not want him to stop.
For a minute I thought he was going to change his tactics and begin the dominant assault that he’d performed on me at the V Club. I could go with that, even though it would pull me out of the trance I was in. But he didn’t do that at all. He surprised me by continuing the delicate, light kisses and licks.
I felt like an ice cream cone being slowly devoured, yet savored. Every kiss and lick was more intense than the last. He worked his way up my thighs to my pussy, which was completely wet and begging for his attention. I raised my hips toward his mouth when he placed a kiss there but he moved to the crease between my mound and my legs where he lightly kissed. Teasing me. I gasped and bucked, trying to keep quiet with my lust. My movements didn’t faze him. He continued kissing and licking, slowly circling back to my wetness. If he licked me there for even a minute, I’d come, something he seemed to know or sense, so he continued to torment me almost mercilessly. Licking my clit and then moving away, kissing all around my pussy, then back to my clit again.
A noise came from the other room, like glass breaking, then silence. Ryder looked up toward the door. The fear on his face was stark. What could he possibly be scared of?
“I should go see what that noise is.” He sounded heroic and jumped off me, starting toward my bedroom door.
“No, please,” I begged him. “Make love to me.”
Where had that phrase come from? I’d never even thought those words before, let alone spoken them.
But it had its intended effect, and he was back on me quickly, covering my face in kisses.
“Sadie.” He straddled my tied-up body and looked at me deeply, locking his eyes with mine. “Oh God, I need you.”
What had he just said? And why did he look so tormented?
He bent down to cover my mouth with his. Maybe I needed him too. No, I didn’t need anyone. I’d never even said the L word to a man other than my father and Jared and I’d never felt a twinge of romantic love or need for any man. Ever. Even the thought of those feelings weakened and embarrassed me. Instead, I closed my eyes and kissed him back.
I felt him fumbling and heard the tear of a condom wrapper. When he entered me a moment later, my body arched to meet his. His movements were slow and fluid, rubbing against my body, pushing into me. I pushed back. I was so wet that his toned stomach and the cropped hair around his cock slipped and slid against my clit. I pushed myself up and into him. My eyes were open as the sensations assaulted me. He was watching me watch him. Our eyes were locked, unblinking.
The movements built and intensified. I couldn’t hold off much longer and my breath caught and hitched in my throat. His eyes darkened and he pushed into me harder, grinding against me, knowing how to ply my body. His hands were holding onto my bound arms as I pulled and strained against the scarves.
“I know you didn’t come last night and I want you to come for me now,” he growled in my ear.
Impossibly, he ground a little bit harder, the base of his cock driving hard over my clit and I did as I was told.
That’s when the fireworks began. I’d always thought that was a stupid cliché, but there they were, raining down from my ceiling. The most amazing fireworks display I’d ever seen. And so realistic. I could even hear the crackling and smell the smoke.
Suddenly, the door to my bedroom sprang open and Burgundy was standing there in the doorway like a wild woman, her eyes wide and her hair flying around her face. She was flushed and looking upward.
“What the hell are you doing, Sadie? You can’t set off fireworks inside the house.”
“How can you see them? They’re in my mind.”
“We can all see them,” Ryder exclaimed as the lights faded.
Burgundy remained for a moment, her hands on her hips, head shaking in either dismay or disapproval. “We’ll talk about this later when you’re not so . . .” She waved an arm over our post-coital heap and left the room, shutting the door quietly behind her.
Ryder untied the scarves that bound me. “Looks like you may be a true witch after all,” he whispered into my hair, pulling me in for an aftercare cuddle.
“Sadie.” It was my father’s voice and though I could hear it plain as day, I knew I was aslee
p. There was only darkness.
“Papa?” I couldn’t ignore the pain that crept in from losing him.
“Sadie, listen to me. I’ve been trying to contact you for years but your mother . . .”
“What did she do?”
“She made it impossible.”
A swirling gray mist appeared in front of me and my father stepped out of it. He was wearing the bathrobe I’d gotten him for the last Yule we’d all spent together as a family. This had to be a dream.
“What do you mean?” I tried to walk toward him. Even if it was a dream, I wanted to touch him. To hug him. I wanted him to hold me and pet my hair like he used to.
“Tonight, your powers started to return.”
“What powers?”
“Oh Sadie, she never told you anything?” The look in his eyes spoke of sadness and remorse.
“Papa, I don’t know what you’re talking about. Please. I know this is only a dream. Can you just hold me?”
“This isn’t a dream, Sadie, my child. This is a dream visitation.”
I wanted to jump up and down. I’d heard of this talent among witches but how could my human father do it?
“How . . . why?”
“We don’t have much time. Your powers are still too weak.”
I took a tentative step toward him but he held up his hands. They were shackled.
“What are those? What’s happened to you?”
“Sadie, listen to me. I had no choice but to follow the Scrim. That thing would have killed every single one of you if I hadn’t.”
“What?”
“It wants something from our family but I don’t know what exactly. I let it take and use me so that it would leave you all alone. I made a deal. A sacrifice.”
“But Dad . . .”
“I am here to tell you that right now, in these moments, you’re doing the right thing.
“Doing what right thing?”
“Ryder,” he said.
“What about Ryder? Aurelia showed me . . .” I shook my head. “I knew she was lying.”
He held his hand up again. “Maybe. It doesn’t matter what Aurelia thinks she knows, she’s not always right.”