Seth (Dark Assassins #2.5)

by Valerie Ullmer

  “What do you mean by mate? Is it like wife or husband?” Aubrey’s mouth barely moved, the question quiet.

  “From what Kai and Reaper have told me, it’s a deeper connection. When they both caught sight of their mates, they knew that they were meant to be together. Kai had a little rougher go at it. He denied to himself and others that Liv could be his mate, until she was kidnapped and he had to face losing her. Reaper had known Ara was his mate the moment he laid eyes on her. What they feel is love, but they describe it as a deep need to be with their mate, combined with a strong feeling of protectiveness. It’s hard to describe, but when you see how they act with each another, you’ll understand.”

  Seth reached for her hand, smiling when she threaded her fingers with his and curled them around his hand. She was starting to trust him more, but he knew that she was confused about the feelings he brought out in her.

  “Do they know about me?”

  “Yes. I told them the same day I met you. Kai figured it out when I started talking and through their mind link, communicated his thoughts to Liv. Liv is excited for me.”

  He could see the doubt reflected in her eyes.

  “They want what’s best for me and you are what’s best for me. I noticed you the moment you walked in the classroom. And when you walked away from me the first time, I was devastated. I know that this world is new to you, even though you’ve been a vampire for ten years, but I know something that you don’t. I’m your mate.”

  Chapter Seven

  Aubrey

  As the silence stretched between them, she sensed that Seth’s gaze never left her face as she processed all the new information that she’d been given. His words were said with such assurance that she had no doubt he believed in the possibility of her being his mate, but she couldn’t help but wonder what that meant for him as a human. The more they spoke, the more she desired him in ways that were beyond physical. The pull that had her lifting her eyes to his the first day of class had somehow grown stronger. It had grown to the point where she needed physical contact with him, and would defend him if anyone were to even look his way with ill intent.

  “Is that why I wanted to rip that girl’s head off for touching you?”

  Seth threw back his head and laughed, all while keeping her hand firmly in his. The corner of her mouth lifted up.

  “I’m serious. The reason I moved away was because I was scared that I would hurt her. I had to stop myself from thinking about it and for the entire week, I debated whether I should drop the class.”

  Seth grew serious and before she knew his intent, he cupped her face and drew closer to her. Her breath hitched in her chest as she took in his handsome face, moving closer to her, until she glanced down at his lips. Her own parted and he took advantage. His tongue traced around the edge of her lower lip, sending tingles down her body.

  A low, needy sound escaped her and the next moment, she found herself sitting in his lap. The hard muscles of his thighs opened under her and she settled her bottom against his…erection. Her eyes opened and locked on his, and instead of a smile, his eyes sparked with emotion and desire. Without waiting another second, she opened her lips to his and moaned at the sensation as she lowered herself to press against his hardness.

  His hands slid under her hair to grip the base of her neck, and when he tilted her head a fraction to deepen the kiss, nerve endings she had never known existed sparked to life. She crowded forward, pressing their chests together. She hadn’t noticed a reaction in her own body until she shifted closer to Seth and her hardened peaks brushed against the hard muscle of his chest. The sensation shot straight to her core, causing her to gasp in surprise and need.

  As she pressed harder against him, he moved one hand from her neck to her hip, holding her tight against him as he plunged his tongue inside her mouth, stealing her breath. Acting on instinct, she pursed her lips and sucked his tongue deeper into her mouth, loving the groan that rumbled through his body and into hers. Before she understood the spell he cast on her, he had pulled back and laid his forehead against hers, his breathing choppy and shallow.

  “Fuck, gorgeous, we need to stop. I only meant to give you a small kiss.”

  “Why do you want to stop?”

  Their breathing sounded loud in the modest cabin, but her body was alight with sensation and the last thing she wanted to do was stop. But when she glanced at his face, he cringed in what seemed to be pain.

  Her heart stopped and she found herself across the room, standing near the kitchen sink. She bowed her head and willed her body to calm down. The last thing she ever wanted to do was to hurt Seth, and yet she managed somehow by kissing him.

  So lost in her own thoughts, she jerked back against his chest when he wrapped his arms around her waist and tightened his hold. She was disappointed in herself, getting carried away by a simple kiss while they were supposed to get to know each other.

  “I don’t want to take advantage of you—that’s why I stopped. I want you to trust me.”

  “I do trust you.” She wasn’t surprised by the vehemence in her words; she meant them.

  “And I trust you. I’ve never wanted a woman in my life as much as I want you. You consume my thoughts. You make me happy.”

  With his hands splayed on her hips, he turned her around in his arms, until she faced him. Unable to quite meet his gaze and show him all of the emotions that were written on her face, she pressed against his chest. She became overwhelmed in his scent and wrapped her arms around him, pressing herself closer to him. Her body had cooled enough that when she placed a kiss on his chest and pulled back to look at his face, she could smile. He cupped her face and pressed a chaste kiss on her lips, before he led her to the sofa.

  “Have you ever wanted to feed from a human?”

  The thought of feeding from a human, hurting them for no other reason than to gain sustenance, was, to her, deplorable.

  “No.”

  “Aubrey, that vampire who turned you was a complete prick. All vampires have a numbing agent in their saliva as well as in the venom in their teeth. With the venom, you can control how much or how little sedative you administer. One lick on a human’s neck is enough for a bite not to hurt.”

  She could feel her body shake at the news. She had no idea.

  Seth squeezed her hands in his before he continued. “And with mates, the bite is an aphrodisiac, of sorts, to the human. When the human turns, then the mates can feed from the other so they don’t have to go elsewhere for sustenance. Kai also told me blood tasted metallic and bitter, whereas when he fed from Liv, it was magnificent. He hated feeding before, but he couldn’t get enough of Liv. It was the same with Kane.”

  “Wasn’t Kai worried that he would hurt Liv?”

  “I think he was too busy fighting his feelings for her, because somewhere deep inside he knew that she was his mate. It goes against all instincts to hurt your mate. He knew that he would have to drink from her when they were sequestered in his house for a couple of days because of the people after her, and she was the only one he could feed from. The luscious taste of her blood was a surprise.”

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  “I want you to feed from me.”

  His statement was simple, and before she could outright deny him what he wanted, she glanced at him. His eyes were imploring her to consider what he requested, and although it went against every instinct to hurt Seth, she did believe what he learned from others’ experiences. He wouldn’t put himself in danger.

  “I need a little time to think about it.”

  “Sure, no pressure.”

  His answering smile had her relax her shoulders a fraction. He had her intrigued. Although the blood that Cole had brought to her over the years had been warm and filling, she couldn’t say that she enjoyed the taste. She drank it quickly and treated it as though it was another chore to get through. But if Seth was right, his blood would taste perfect for her and her alone.

  But with each new
thing she learned about being a vampire, she couldn’t help but feel a little ignorant about her immortality. Over the years, she had never sought out another vampire because of her experience with the one who had turned her. She had thought that they were all cold-hearted bastards like the one her mother brought home.

  A couple of years after she turned, she’d come across the scent of what she believed was a cross between an animal and human, or a shifter as she recently learned. Although intrigued, her instincts blared at her not to seek them out and she’d listened. She couldn’t help the curiosity that bloomed at the thought of vampires and shifters who were Seth’s family, but she didn’t want to assume that she would meet them. She’d already crossed the line by getting lost in his kisses.

  She turned toward him and lowered her head to smile as she thought about how his lips felt against hers. While she was lost in thought, he crowded closer to her. His fingers caressed her cheek before moving down to her chin, and gently raised her gaze to meet his.

  “You never thought about turning before?”

  “No, it never really occurred to me. I wanted to get through college and start working full-time with Liv as I trained with the assassins in order to protect myself. They’ve taught me a lot because they think of me as vulnerable, since I’m human. Until I met you, I never thought I would have an immortal mate, so wanting to turn wasn’t even in the realm of possibility. Now, I want to because the thought of living without you hurts me more than I can say.”

  Overwhelmed by his confession, she blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “I want you to kiss me.”

  She could hear his pulse accelerate at her words, but she held her breath, wondering whether he would push her away again. Instead, he brushed his lips against her and the sizzling spark that had ignited the first time they’d kissed, flared again. He swallowed her moan and took her by surprise when he nipped her lower lip. The moment her mouth opened, his tongue darted inside. Each touch of his lips, his tongue, his teeth made her melt against him as he took her mouth in a practiced, yet sensual way. The thought of him kissing other women that had jealousy flare in her chest, and she couldn’t help but wonder how many women he’d seduced from his mouth alone.

  “There is no one else but you, gorgeous. There will never be, because the moment I spotted you, I knew we belonged together.”

  “Wha…what?”

  Instead of answering, he bent and brushed his lips against hers, before he stood and captured her gaze. “I can’t wait for next Friday to see you, and I would like you to see where I live. Do you want to come over after sundown?”

  “Are you leaving?”

  “It’s getting close to dawn and you need to eat before you sleep. This way I’ll get some sleep, too, and we’ll have all night together.”

  She wanted to ask him to stay, but she had skipped her dinner and wasn’t in total control of her thirst. She nodded and memorized the address the moment he spoke it.

  “I’ll see you soon.”

  Seth drew her in for another intense, yet too short kiss that left her breathless and aching. When he pulled away, she reached for his hand and squeezed once before she let him go.

  She couldn’t help but watch intensely as he strode down the driveway and into his SUV. She leaned against the doorframe and watched as he turned the SUV toward the main road, smiling when he waved at her before he disappeared around the curve.

  Something settled inside her at the thought of seeing Seth in less than ten hours. She went back into her house, making sure that the door was locked and the blackout curtains were in place. As she drew out a blood bag and sank her teeth into it, she couldn’t help the happiness that radiated from the inside out. She had been brave, taken a chance, and although still new, she could see spending her life with Seth.

  After eating, she slid into bed and settled down for a day of sleep as Hades cuddled against her. She smiled as she thought about how much her life had changed in such a short amount of time because of one handsome human who, as she had come to believe, was the one destined for her.

  Chapter Eight

  Seth

  Seth stopped pacing the moment the perimeter alarms Kai had set up alerted him of the car coming down the drive. By the time Aubrey parked, he was leaning against the front doorframe; when she emerged from her car, something in his chest settled. The last thing he wanted to do once she accepted him into her life was to be separated from her, but he’d told her things that changed her understanding of her immortality and he wanted to give her time to think.

  He’d been a little worried that she might not show up. If she pulled back from him, he would have given her more time. But he wouldn’t have given up.

  He met her halfway between her car and the porch. Without wasting one more second, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. By the time he lifted his head, they were both breathless and his cock hard. He placed his hand on her lower back and escorted her toward the front door.

  “Let’s go inside.”

  She stopped after step. He couldn’t see her reaction, but he could hear her intake of breath as her eyes raised and scanned the isolated house.

  As ridiculous as it sounded, even in his own mind, he wanted her to like his home.

  “I wanted a place of my own, yet close to the others. I earned money from helping Liv in the lab, so I purchased the land and the others helped me built it. It turned out to be bigger than I’d imagined. The wrap-around porch was Liv’s idea.”

  “It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

  “Thank you.”

  They entered the house and he locked the door before he turned back to Aubrey. He bent down and brushed a kiss to her forehead, lower still as he kissed her eyelids closed, and then her cheeks before he captured her lips in a searing kiss. He cupped her face in his hands; when he tried to end the kiss, her hand pressed against his neck and she bit his lower lip. It wasn’t enough to draw blood, but he moaned as he thought about her tasting him.

  She blinked up at him as the kiss ended and her eyes sparkled as she looked up at him. “I was starting to wonder whether I’d dreamed you.”

  The next words out of his mouth stalled when her hands started to caress his chest. It was the first time she initiated any touch between them, and he found her tentative touches more erotic than he’d experienced in the past. When she brushed a finger over his nipple, he bit his lip and suppressed a moan that stuck in his throat. His muscles tensed and he closed his eyes, lecturing himself to control his need for her.

  “What is it?” she asked.

  A breath escaped as he opened his eyes and caught the devastation on her face. When she took a step back, he threw caution to the wind and devoured her mouth, tasting her. She sank into him and kissed him with abandon. He loved it when she pushed him against the wall and ravaged his lips.

  He found that he loved when she discarded all thought and kissed him as though she needed him to survive. A growl escaped his throat when she wrapped one leg around his and jerked him closer. But when she found that they couldn’t get close enough standing up, she snarled into his mouth and ended the kiss. The silver of her pupils had all but disappeared; when he glanced down at her mouth, he noticed her fangs had extended. Feeling dangerous, he flicked out his tongue and licked the sharp point of one.

  “Fuck, you bring out the demon in me.”

  A wave of emotions swamped him at that moment, and they weren’t his. Although Kai had told him that he could feel Liv’s emotions while she was still human, he never heard Liv talk about being able to feel Kai’s. He didn’t understand why he could feel Aubrey’s, but dismissed the thoughts because he had other concerns. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the jumble that assailed him. It took him a few minutes, but when he opened his eyes, he understood her prominent emotion. Jealousy.

  “Why are you jealous?”

  “Wha…how do you know that?”

  “I can feel your emotions and the strongest one is jealousy. I think I fel
t the same thing yesterday.”

  She burrowed against his chest and sighed. He pulled her closer as he rubbed his hand up and down her back, hoping to project how much he cared for her. It amazed him; when he had her in his arms, he could easily forget that although she might seem fragile, she was as deadly as any immortal he knew.

  “I…you’re very good at kissing.”

  His brows drew down. Pulling back, she met his gaze. The meaning behind her small smile had his heart stopping.

  “Yes, there have been a couple of women I’ve dated, but they never lasted longer than a few months because they weren’t you. When I met you, everything changed. I knew that you were exactly who I need in my life. When I kiss you, you’re all I think about. There will never be anyone else for me because you…Aubrey, you are the woman I need.”

  The silence stretched between them as she assessed his words. He didn’t know what to expect, but as long as he could hold her in his arms then he could handle anything.

  “I want you. I want to make love to you.”

  His arms tightened around her back and he leaned his forehead against hers. “Fuck, gorgeous, I want you, too. Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” she breathed.

  The stranglehold he had on his control evaporated and within seconds, his hands slid down her back and under her sweater. As he encountered hot, soft skin, a deep groan vibrated through his chest and she shivered against his touch. He couldn’t stop his hands from wandering up and down her back, memorizing each curve and indent as he went.

  This time, her mouth met his. His hands tightened against her back, pressing her chest against his, when he realized that something was missing.

  “Are you naked underneath this sweater?”

  Without answering, she leaned back a couple of inches and reached for the hem of her sweater. If he hadn’t been paying attention, he would have missed the swift removal of the garment up and over her head. Within seconds, he wrapped her in his arms and plundered her mouth as though she could slake any thirst he had. Her fingers found the hem of his shirt and without breaking the kiss, she ripped open his shirt, buttons flying everywhere and forgotten as she pressed against him.