by Hana Blue
I turned to him and found his hand had made it to my shoulder to catch my attention. Standing next to me, he stood my height. His build only lightly smaller than my own, admittedly his presence put me on edge. I knew that if it came down to it, I could win out over him, but it couldn’t be denied he would make a vicious threat, given what he was.
“She’s something else, isn’t she?” He remarked, breaking the silence again.
I looked around to find that it was only him and I standing there on the edge on the area. I replied with a nod. Unsure of what to say in response. I watched her a little longer before I questioned the man. “How long have you known her?” I asked, my eyes never leaving the angelic sight of her.
“When I met her first, she was only ten years old.” He replied flatly. “I found her close to Sitka, I was passing through to visit someone and found her and Caireen. I took them back here with me for a while.”
I nodded silently as he explained a little further.
“My heart went out for the girl. She looked rough, all marred and alone, just her and a baby.”
“A baby?” I asked, looking at him with great confusion.
“Caireen.” He remarked curtly. “Aine raised her little sister.”
I looked back out to her, wondering how, or why for that matter, a youthful girl could take on raising a child herself. What could have happened that put a ten-year-old girl alone with a baby to raise alone? Micheal gaped at me, and almost like he had read my mind, like he knew exactly what I was trying to mull over.
“Her parents were in the attack on the other side of the hills. From what Aine told me, which admittedly wasn’t much. Her family had crossed over in an attempt to aid other hunters that had been subject to an attack by one of the most prominent packs that side of the gorge.”
Micheal turned to me flashing a harsh knowing look, making sure that I was more than aware that it was my family’s pack was at fault. I swallowed hard, realizing the implication he no doubt was about to verbalize. My pack was responsible for what happened to her.
“Her parents died alongside many other hunters. Or as you like to call us, blood born. It’s never really been discovered how one pack could take on three, slaughtering many, but it happened never less. Any time I have asked her, all she could say was they took her out onto the battlefield, a group who were dead set on killing every one of them. She fought for her life, leaving her eternally scarred. She says they are a testament that she should be dead instead of walking this earth, I say it’s a testament of her strength. Her refusal to die.”
My eyes widened, looking back to her. Taking in the sobering information. The scars, the marred flesh. It was her badge of honor that showed the world that nothing could break her, nothing could hurt her without her say so. Momentarily my mind flashed back to the wretched-looking beast she turned into, ragged and demonic looking, taking on my men without fear. Her willingness to fight tooth and nail against me to protect her sister. Something she has no doubtdone her entire life.
“How did she make it out alive? I take it her entire pack died?” I asked somberly. My heart bleeding for her.
Micheal looked out to her, smiling softly. No doubt admiring her strength like I was doing myself. Taking in the image of a loyal warrior, a survivor. A woman who overcame so much, only to stand here bound and tied to her demons, damned to never forget from the scars that riddled her body. With a smile.
“All she said was a man rescued her. She said a man found her and Caireen, took them into his arms and to save her life lunged them across the lines back into the dark hills. Leaving her to make a promise.”
“A promise?”
“He made her promise to live,”
I took a deep breath, sadness filling my chest. Regret pooling in my soul, realizing that this woman who had fought her entire life to survive had the great misfortune of being mated to me. Where even something as beautiful as a mate bond also becoming a haunting piece of life she had to endure. I closed my eyes, fighting off the urge to weep for her.
“Your reputation proceeds you, like I said. Fix it, or don’t. I guarantee you one thing. If you choose the right path, you could have the strongest and most loyal woman in the world by your side till the end of time, or you could have the most dangerous enemy, Your choice.”
With that he left my side, entering the crowd. He grabbed Aine’s hand and gave her a spin, causing her to squeal and break out into a girlish fit of laughter. He spun her around again, and the glow of the lamps illuminated the deep scars on her face as she spun past me, and I knew. I just knew Ethan was right.
Fourteen
What Do You Want?
AINE~.
“Hey, please wait up.” Caireen called after me as I made my way back into the house to get a drink.
Having already had a few, trying to wash away my reservations and the building urge to drag Dominic away from the party. The alcohol making my fear slip away, leaving only behind the nagging feeling of him near me. His presence surrounding me, suffocating me, leaving it hard for me to drown out how much I truly craved him. Making it hard to deny it, or come up with reasons I shouldn’t touch him, taste him, feel him.
I shook my head, pushing the thoughts of his body on mine, doing with it as he pleased out of my mind, and kept walking. I definitely need more to drink.
She called after me again and I pretended to ignore her, still not ready to face the repercussions that were bound to follow my outburst at her. Sure, I didn’t regret or take back what I said, but I didn’t want to hurt her either. Unfortunately, she followed behind right on my heels.
I walked into the kitchen and swung open the fridge to grab other beer. Caireen, mustering up a little confidence, grabbed the fridge door and slammed it shut to get my attention. With a sigh, I pulled my shirt up and wrapped it around the neck of the bottle, twisting the lid off, and tossing the cap into the sink.
“Talk to me Aine.” She pleaded.
I turned to face her, leaning back against the now closed fridge taking a sip of my beer. I eyed her over carefully, waiting for her to talk. Waiting for whatever type of amends she would try to make. In true Caireen fashion I was sure she was about to spout off apologies I was not owed she was the one who deserved one.
“Grow up Aine.” She finally spat out at me, causing me to choke on the swallow of beer I had just taken.
“Excuse me?” I barked at her, straightening my stance. “What did you just fucking say to me?” My words flying out like knives straight into her face.
Staring right back into her defiant eyes, I snarled. Appalled that she would dare say something like that to me. Clenching my fists at my sides, I stepped towards her challengingly, ready for a fight. The alcohol in my system coming to a dangerous boil.
“I told you to grow up. You get one fucking chance to embrace this. I saw what you did Aine. You slaughtered one of his pack mercilessly without a second thought, yet he is here being kind to you. You also tried to kill him just as much as he tried to kill you, yet he is still here. Grow the actual fuck up. You should be so lucky to have found your mate, not everyone gets that opportunity. Now he stands there trying to put aside his hatred for what we are, and embrace you, and all you want to do is fight. Maybe you deserve the misery you feel.”
My mouth hung agape as she stormed off. Quickly I chugged the beer in my hand and grabbed a fresh one. Slamming that one back. Hurt and frustration quickly took hold of me, leaving me to slam the bottle against the sink with a loud smashing sound, glass shards flying around me in all directions. My face heated with and anger and I grabbed the other bottle, smashing it as well, a shard of glass flying back, shredding open my hand.
“Damnit!” I growled out in pain, clutching it with my other hand. Hissing at the stinging feeling where the blood seeped out. “Fuck this.” I muttered through gritting teeth, making my way to my bathroom to clean up my hand that was slowly starting to heal. Slight drops of blood being left behind like bread crumbs as I made m
y way down the hallway.
Once in the bathroom, I washed my hand off; the water running pink down the drain. “Grow up.” I scoffed to myself. “Thinks she can talk to me like that, I fucking raised her. I’ve done everything to protect her.”
“I know.” Dominic almost whispered behind me, his voice low and soothing.
* * *
DOMINIC ~
The sound of smashing glass came from the kitchen as I entered the house, set out to get myself another drink.
“Where the hell did she disappear off to?” I muttered to myself, realizing that it had been a while since I had seen Aine, and I was feeling what I could only compare to withdrawals from her absence. She seemed to avoid me more as the party went on, the slight glances my way turning to her avoiding mine at all costs. Leaving me to wonder what was going on her her mind. Maybe I was foolish to think she was softening to me a little. I raked my fingers through my hair, wonder what the hell I was even doing here. What did I expect to happen?
Heading into the kitchen to see what caused the sound, I found shattered beer bottles all over and a small trail of fresh blood leading away from the kitchen. Almost immediately the smell hit my nose, and I recognized that it was Aine. I followed the path of blood that lead back to her room. The amount of blood left behind was slim, so I wasn’t worriedfor her being badly hurt, but obviously something happened.
Quietly I entered the room, closing the door behind me with a soft click. A light shined from the bathroom allowing me to see her standing at the sink, watching her hands viciously, muttering to herself. I took a step closer in hopes to hear what she was saying, trying to piece together what was bothering her. Relieved to see that I was right, she wasn’t badly hurt.
“Thinks she can talk to me like that, I fucking raised her. I’ve soon everything to protect her.” She growled out with malice. Assuming she was talking about her sister.
Her tone almost more frigid than I had heard before. My heart went out to her as I watched her struggle with her own mental anguish, feeling like in this moment I could relate to her. Slowly the hate I had built up against her started melting away like ice left in the sun. My walls were cracking around me, dropping down for her. Like every moment I spent near her, the harder it was to picture a moment where she wasn’t around.
With a sigh I spoke up, unable to silently hide in the shadows behind her any longer.
“I know.”
She lifted her head cautiously, taking in my reflection behind her in the mirror. “What the fuck do you know?”
Her gaze hardened on mine for a minute before she turned off the faucet. She lowered her head and ran her hands through her hair in frustration. “I’m sorry.” She finally muttered, taking me by surprise.
She looked back up to me in the mirror, still pushing the front of her hair back, her fingers tightly laced in the gigantic waves. She half heartedly smiled at me. Her face screaming out in pain. Looking as though the world was crushing down on her and she was finally cracking from the pressure. After a moment she turned around, bracing herself with the edge of the counter.
“Look, you want to play the righteous one, that’s fine. But if you came here to see if your mate was really the monster you thought, I can assure you, I will leave you disappointed.”
* * *
AINE~
“You won’t find that I’m not.” I continued, looking down at my boots. “I was born for misery, there’s no two ways about it, and I guess over the last twenty-eight years, it’s done an excellent job at consuming me.”
I sighed, crossing one foot over the other, wiggling my foot around thoughtfully. Unsure why I was telling him this. Why I was trying to entertain a conversation when he no doubt couldn’t care less, but something about his aura being near me made me feel comfortable at the moment. Maybe it was just an urge to get it all off of my chest before he eventually killed me, who knows. I lifted my head to look back at him, but he wasn’t standing silently in the doorway anymore.
He was standing right in front of me, his hand finding its way to the side of my neck. I closed my eyes and sighed. Why did something so damn scary have to feel so damn good?
“Born for misery, huh?” He looked down to me with gentle eyes, the cold blue color seeming so warm and welcoming in this moment. “I don’t believe that.” He muttered again, still gazing at me.
I shrugged my shoulders and slid my hands into my pockets. Looking back at my boots. “That’s fine, I don’t expect you too.” I mumbled under my breath.
I felt like my whole being was being crushed by the flood of emotions that pooled just underneath the surface. All the heartache, from everything Caireen said, everything I said, and the daunting feeling that surrounded his entire presence was swiftly becoming too much to bare. So I let go.
I leaned into his hand that still softly caressed my neck, letting my eyes flutter closed. “You know, when I asked you to kill me, I honestly meant it, and if this is some sham to get close enough to do it, I welcome it. I should have died years ago, and it is by some great misfortune that I didn’t. And I keep going, why? Because I made a promise to live, to survive. But for what?”
His grip tightened a little, and he stepped closer. I could feel his breath on my face, ragged and uneasy.
“So I could know you.” He spoke deeply, reaching for my chin, pulling it up for me to look at him. “Fuck me, I was wrong.” His chest rose unevenly from the aggravated breath that followed his words.
He let his hand retreat from its place on my neck so he could wrap his arms around my waist. With no more will to fight or argue, I leaned into him, laying my head on his chest. The sound of his heartbeat echoed in my ears, and a whole sense of peace washed over me. I squeezed my eyes shut, letting tears flow.
“Aine?” He murmured against the top of my head.
“What?” I asked sniffling, the single word coming out broken and weak.
“I’m glad you’re alive.”
I pulled away just a fraction to look up at him. Shocked by the implications that came from such a simple phase. But as I took him in, I saw nothing but sincerity in his eyes. He meant it, he really meant it. I didn’t understand, I couldn’t fathom it. Another tear rolled from the corner of my eye, and it surprised me to feel him gently wipe it away. He was being caring, and I couldn’t understand. Without thinking, overcome with the array of feelings that his actions had brought on, I rose on to my toes, and pressed my lips to his. The salty taste of my tears still very present. He closed his eyes, groaning softly.
“You can’t do that Aine.” He muttered softly, pulling me tighter against himself.
The way my name desperately flowed from his lips sending a burning need straight to my core.
He clenched his jaw a bit, looking down at my neck sorrowfully. “I can’t control myself with you, you already had to experience that.” He brushed his hand over the mark, looking at it regretfully before meeting my eyes again.
I swallowed sharply, remembering back to the alley, and my entire body tingled. Vivid flashes coming back to me filing me with a desire for this man, who now almost lovingly held me in his arms. Whether it was out of a desperation for self destruction, or the ungodly urge to just feel him again, I didn’t know. All I knew was that I had been bottling up this desire for him most of the night, and the liquid courage I had been drinking in abundance left me powerless to stop it.
Nervously I chewed my lips, and he watched, his eyes glossing over with the same desire as before.
“You need to stop.” He groaned breathlessly.
Something about his warnings only made me want him more. Made me want to push him past that point. I couldn’t explain it, but something about how he almost pleadingly wanted me to stop made me want to force his hand like it was a challenge. Letting my hands wrap around the back of his neck, I pulled myself into him tighter, feeling his own arousal press against my thigh. I gasped, then giggled a little.
“Why? I thought you said I was yours” I cooe
d at him seductively, only a fraction of an inch away from his lips. My eyes glued to them, craving the feeling of them on my skin.
Roughly he grabbed my hips, hoisting me up onto the bathroom counter, pushing my legs apart coming to stand between them. Devilishly, I watched him as he raked his fingers through his hair in frustration.
“Look, I want you. Fuck, I want you like crazy.” His breath hitched as he spoke.
“But?” I tauntingly purred at him, chewing my lower lip.
“But, last time, you ran away. Last time.. I..” He trailed off, nuzzling his face into my neck.
I leaned my head back, letting out a satisfied moan. The feeling of his breath on my neck sending goosebumps all over my body.
“You’re so damn perfect. The way your body reacts to me.” He groaned again my skin, pressing himself into me. “The way you taste.” Me muttered, placing lips gently on the sensitive skin of my neck. I whined a little, almost irritated with how gentle he was being. The deep sultry sound of his voice sending chills down my spine.
Tangling my fingers in his hair, I felt him shutter a little. He pulled his lips up to my ear and paused for a moment. “I’m so fucking afraid you will destroy me.” He whispered.
He placed a small kiss on my jawline, slowly leaving them behind as he made his way to my chin, his hold on my waist ever tightening.
I wrapped my legs around him, and took his face into my hands, forcing him to kiss me. And he did. His tongue urgently pushing at my lower lip, begging for entrance. He growled into my mouth as I did, his lips feverishly starting to move against mine. It was full of passion, and I couldn’t get enough of the taste of his mouth, how he needed me. It was intoxicating.
Sliding his hands underneath me, he suspended me from the counter. Clumsily he made his way into the bedroom, refusing to take his mouth from mine. Once making it to the edge of the bed, he threw me on to it, leaving me to giggle a little.