by Eve Newton
He shrugs. “I feel like I should thank you,” he says with a sad chuckle.
“Anytime,” I croak out and his eyes light up as I say that. I didn’t mean it that way, I just meant it as something you say instead of “you’re welcome.” Aww shit.
I hear CK sigh behind me, “Aefre. Will you never learn to think before you speak?”
Apparently not. I don’t mind the feeding and I’m sure that even Cole wouldn’t be too put out by that, but feeding on our own kind usually leads to fucking and that is something that is a no-no.
I clear my throat, making another decision off the top of my head that has nothing to do with this situation. “I want to go home. To L.A. Just for a few days. I miss my house. I miss the sun, I miss my swimming pool, I miss driving and my cars and I want to get Scott settled. Are you coming or going back to New York?” I direct the question to CK, unsure of what Sebastian’s plans are.
“Of course. I go where you go,” he says.
“And I go where you go,” Sebastian says to CK.
“What about Jess? I thought you wanted her nowhere near L.A. until she was under control.”
“I don’t. However, my desire to go home outweighs any concern I have for her.”
“Home?” Xane says from behind me, having Astraported in microseconds before.
“Do you mind?” CK says. “This is a private discussion, not to mention the sheer lack of manners for just barging in.”
“Well, I do own the place,” he says. He dismisses CK and turns back to me. “Home?” he prompts.
“Los Angeles.”
“Fine. I’m in,” he says casually.
“Erm, no, you are not. You aren’t coming,” I say firmly.
“Yes, I am. I told you I would follow you,” Xane says just as firmly.
CK is about to blow two, maybe three, gaskets.
“Please, can you give us a minute in private?” I say to him.
“No.”
“CK, please,” I say to him.
He narrows his eyes at me and comes closer to give me a kiss and to whisper quietly in my ear, “He doesn’t come.”
I nod briefly and he and Sebastian leave us reluctantly, knowing that I would just Astral out with him where they couldn’t follow if they didn’t.
As soon as the door closes behind them, Xane pulls me to him and kisses me. I push him away.
“No, Xane. I told you, we aren’t doing this.”
“I love you,” he says. “I’m not letting you leave me.”
“Xane,” I whine at him, “you can’t love me. I’m not available.”
“You will be. You will come around. I know it. You won’t be able to stop yourself. As soon as you stop denying this, you will see how right it is,” he whispers against my lips. I fight with everything I’ve got to stop myself from kissing him.
He pushes me back against the wall and slides his hands up my skirt. “I want you. I want to taste you.” He drops to his knees and places his lips against the thin, filmy lace of my knickers. He sucks my clit through the scrap of fabric before pulling it to the side. He plunges his tongue inside me, making my body convulse with pleasure.
“Oh, Xane,” I moan, pushing my hands into his hair.
He takes that as encouragement, thrusting and sucking me desperately, bringing the pleasure straight to my clit. I don’t want him to stop. He lifts my leg over his shoulder so that he can push his tongue deeper inside me and, combined with his thumb circling me, I come in a throbbing rush against his mouth and he groans. He stands quickly and brings his mouth to mine, making me taste myself on his lips. He brings my leg up around his waist and drops his head to my neck, kissing me and nipping me. I feel a fizz go down my neck and for a second think it is the pleasure I’m experiencing but my eyes snap open to stare directly into the furious green eyes of my sibling. Shit.
I push Xane away and straighten my clothes, but it is clearly too late. I have no clue how long he has been standing there but obviously long enough. Xane turns around smug and disheveled and adjusts his own clothing.
“Sebastian,” I say. “This isn’t what it looks like.”
“Oh, then what is it? Because it looks much like you getting pleasure from someone outside ‘the rules’.”
I look back at Xane, still smug, and I turn back to Sebastian. “We are connected,” I say hesitantly, wondering how much to tell him. He cocks his eyebrow at me, and I continue, “The ritual we did was Blood Magick. It linked us far beyond anything I ever would have wanted. Please, Sebastian. You can’t tell him.”
“Blood Magick? You tied yourself to him with Blood Magick?” he asks in anger.
“Not intentionally,” I insist. “I will find a way to break it. I just need you to keep this quiet,” I implore him. “I am trying to resist. I’m trying,” I say at a loss as I look back at Xane.
He looks devastated. “You cannot break this,” he says to me, moving closer. “There is no way to break a Blood Magick bond except by death.”
“Xane, I have to try. I cannot do this with you,” I say desperately.
“No, you cannot break this bond. We belong together. It is what is expected,” he says, desperate himself now.
“I have to try,” I say again, softly.
“No! I won’t let you,” he says, adamant.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper and look back at Sebastian. “Please keep this between us.”
He looks at me with that impassive, unreadable expression I know so well and decide to bargain with him. “Keep this secret and I will give you what you want.”
He cocks his eyebrow at me again. “And what is that?”
“You know what you want,” I state simply and his eyes light on fire.
“Every day?” he asks eagerly.
“Twice a week,” I offer back, and he frowns.
“Xane, please, I need you to go,” I turn to him and he is angry.
“I will follow you. Mark my words, Xerxei, you are not getting out of this that easily,” he hisses at me and Astraports out.
Can’t say I wasn’t expecting that, but at least he has gone, and I can focus on getting Sebastian to keep his trap shut.
“Three times a week or no deal,” Sebastian finally says, and I agree.
“Done. But no fucking.”
“No fucking? Now that hardly seems worth it,” he says slyly. “You will have to offer up more than that.”
“I feed from you, you feed from me. Nothing else.”
He shakes his head. “No, I don’t think so.”
And we just stand there at an impasse, staring at each other.
“You know he won’t understand,” he says mildly after several long minutes of silence.
I cave slightly. “Fine. Kissing and feeding, but no touching. He won’t understand that either.” I know I have him in place now as he thinks it over and knows I’m right.
“Done. Although you say no touching…I amend that to no touching each other.”
I look at him in question and he says softly, “I want to taste the rush. If I can’t touch you to do it, you will have to do it yourself.”
Oh. I look away from him, somewhat embarrassed.
“Very well.” I clear my throat but get taken by surprise as he pushes me back into his bedroom.
“Now?” I ask.
“Yes. Right now. You have no idea how much I want it,” he growls and kisses me, spinning to sit on the bed and pulling me down onto him. “Me first,” he says. He drops his fangs and moves my hand in between us, placing it where he wants it. I hesitate, still unsure of this course of action. Is it betrayal? It’s a gray area and I don’t really know. But I do know he wants this to keep the secret I am so desperate to hold onto. In its own little way, it is erotic and far beyond arousing. I have never done this before with anyone. Sex is completely off the table but this…this isn’t sex, not really. This is me pleasing myself and him pleasing himself. We just happen to be in the same room and feeding from each other. His eyes are on mine in
complete wonder as I continue to pleasure myself, squirming on his lap. I whimper quietly, letting him know I’m close. He pulls my head to the side and sinks his fangs into me. I feel him getting his cock out as he drinks from me and he strokes himself, groaning as he tastes the rush of my orgasm pouring into his mouth.
He pulls away and murmurs, “Your turn.” He kisses me and continues to masturbate, but I pull away and drop my fangs. I descend slowly to his neck. The power rush is amazing as I bite down on him. That mix of sweet tastes is incredible. I could get used to this, but I know that is one of many reasons why he keeps this a secret. I take my fill of him and reluctantly pull back, plunging my mouth to his as he moans and comes by his own hand.
“Fuck,” he whispers to me. “Fuck.”
“I know,” I murmur back.
“That was better than before. I was inside you, but you weren’t willing. This was better than that,” he says as if he can’t quite believe it.
I close my eyes and lean my forehead against his and wonder what the Hell I’m supposed to do now. He senses my hesitation and says, “We didn’t do anything wrong. I didn’t touch you and you didn’t touch me.”
“I know,” I say again but I’m unable to open my eyes to stare into his, so like my own. I kiss him chastely on the mouth and get off him, adjusting my clothing.
“I was going to make you do it before. I stopped myself,” he says quietly as I reach the door.
I turn back around. “What?”
“I spelled you because I wanted a fuck and feed. I needed it from you. I stopped you from feeding. I didn’t want it that way,” he admits.
I just stare at him. What he is saying is not what my sire told me his reasons were. Although he didn’t know I knew about him then. Did CK make it up or was it all just part of a grand plan?
He stares back at me as I don’t say anything and shrugs. “I just wanted you to know why I did it.”
“Is that the only reason?” I ask.
He nods.
Well, okay. One of these two beasts is a big fat liar, but I wonder which one? I nod back and stalk out of the bedroom, heading to the bathroom attached to my and CK’s bedroom. Although is it now my, CK’s, and Cole’s bedroom? I stare at myself in the mirror. What the fuck am I doing here? This is getting ridiculous. I wash my hands just for something to do and sense CK behind me.
“Everything all right?” he asks warily.
“Yes,” I sigh.
“Did you sort out the Demon problem?”
“He is coming to L.A. There are issues to deal with. I need him close,” I say, irate.
“Aefre, I told you not to get involved with him. I won’t be subject to another bond,” he snaps.
“It isn’t like that,” I lie. “Please just accept he is now part of our group; I need him as much as I need any of you right now.” I must look and sound as weary as I feel because he doesn’t protest further. He comes behind me and wraps his arms around me. He stares at me in the mirror as I sink back against him, relaxing into his embrace.
“I need to get back to my husband,” I state eventually, pulling myself away from him. He drags me back and whispers to me, “I can’t wait until you call me that.” He runs his hand over my stomach, stroking his thumb over me.
“Get your hands off my wife, if you don’t mind,” Cole says from behind us, his jealousy coming at us out of the blue.
CK spins us around, his hand still on my belly. “I will if she wants me to,” he murmurs. Cole’s eyes are full of rage as he watches CK stroke his hand over my stomach, his ring flashing in the light. I straighten up, pulling away knowing now why Cole is angry. I wish that I didn’t have to choose but my new charge tips the balance. He needs me more than my sire does. Again, I wish we could stop this and just all of us be together.
Cole looks smug as I move away from CK.
He says to me, without a care in the world, “I thought you gave this day to me?”
“Yes, before Cole showed up. My new charge takes precedence,” I mumble.
He is livid but there isn’t anything he can say without it making him sound like a hypocrite. “I see. I shall leave you to it then.” He pushes past us, and we are left alone. I feel awful about Sebastian and about hurting CK and Cole is still furious.
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED FIFTY-FOUR
“Y ou gave him a ring?” his voice is like a whip and I cringe slightly.
“I did. It was something I wanted to do,” I say honestly as there is no point in lying. Well, any more than I have to.
“Something you wanted to do,” he repeats slowly. “It seems to me that you always get to do what you want.”
I blink at him. That is quite harsh coming from him, but I suppose I have hurt him, unintentionally.
“I’m sorry,” I say quietly.
He moves closer to me and takes my right hand, lacing his fingers through mine. He pushes me back against the counter and lifts me up. He roughly pulls my head towards him for a kiss before he rips my knickers off me. I wrap my legs around him, pulling him closer and he frees himself. With a hard thrust he is inside me and I cry out as he is being unusually rough with me. He pulls my hand up, our fingers still entwined. He lets me go and pulls my ring off my finger, clenching it in his fist tightly. “You are my wife,” he growls as he continues his vicious onslaught, pounding into me hard, his fingers digging into my flesh, pinching me.
“Mine,” he says again. “Say it,” he barks at me.
“Yours,” I say.
“Again,” he orders.
“Your wife. Yours.”
“Not his. You will never be his,” he says forcefully.
I am breathing heavily now as he is speeding up his movements. I’m pinned between him and the counter, his grip on me stopping any movement from me. He is holding me in place, doing all the work and I don’t like it. I squirm against him to get some leeway, but he tightens his grip on me, needing to dominate me completely.
“Say it,” he rasps harshly. “Say it.”
I can’t. I can’t say it. Truth be told, I will be his wife one day, and the more days that go by, the sooner I hope it will be.
“Say it!” he yells at me as he Shifts, his claws digging into me.
“Not his,” I whisper.
He growls as I don’t say what he wants me to. “You will never be his,” he repeats. “Never. You. Will. Never. Be. His.” The staccato rhythm of his words matching his actions and he comes inside me breathlessly, leaving me slightly shocked by his forcefulness and of course, left wanting. He leans his forehead against mine briefly and then pulls away, adjusting his clothing and pocketing my ring in his back pocket. My ring. My hand feels bare without it. It is a heavy adornment and it feels wrong that it isn’t there. I just stare at him, unable to speak, not wanting to speak. My anxiety levels must be radiating off me as CK comes back into the bathroom and asks harshly, “Everything okay in here?” He sees me all disheveled and silent still on the counter, my ripped knickers on the floor and Cole glaring mutinously at me. I run my hand through my hair and try to gain some composure.
His eyes flick straight to my finger, bare of his ring, and his face hardens to stone. “Where is it?” he asks quietly, menacingly.
“I have it,” Cole says just as quietly, turning to face Constantine. “She isn’t wearing it anymore. She is my wife and I will not have her engaged to you.”
Constantine steps forward, his face full of fury. “Give it back to her now or there are going to be serious consequences.”
“No.”
I see the change go over my sire the exact microsecond he Shifts and I am in between the two of them in a flash as he rakes his claws, meant for Cole, down my face, right down my chest all the way to my stomach, slashing my clothes and slicing brutally into my skin. The sting of it causes me to recoil as the blood pours out of the deep cuts. Christ, he didn’t hold back. He was going for serious damage and I’m glad that I got it instead of Cole.
“Fuck!” I cry out a
s I take a deep breath.
CK stares at me in absolute horror.
“Liv!” Cole yells at me. He spins me around and his face falls as he sees the damage done to me. “What the fuck?” he yells at CK, who just stands there mortified that he has done this to me.
“Aefre…” he whispers. “What did you do?”
Me? Me? I turn back to face him, the blood still pouring out of the slow healing cuts. “What did you make me do?” he whispers.
“I didn’t make you do anything,” I snap at him. “I was defending my charge. How dare you attack him! Who the fuck do you think you are?” I am roaring at him now, as mad as a snake.
All the commotion has brought Sebastian in to see what’s going on.
“Fuck, Liv! What happened?” He stares at me.
I must look a right fright for all the horror being directed my way.
“Our sire is what happened,” I yell at him. “He attacked Cole.”
“But you defended him. You defended your charge from me,” CK whispers to me, still in shock that he has hurt me.
“I defended my husband from you. I love him. I am not about to let you or anybody else for that matter, hurt him.” I am beyond pissed now and I start to shake uncontrollably. I need to feed, badly.
“You defended your husband, from me,” he says, and the realization seems to truly hit him hard that I am in fact, in love with my husband and I intend to stay with him until he leaves me. The denial he has been in is slipping away as he sees the facts and mutters, “You chose him over me.”
Oh, for fuck's sake. Of course, he would see it that way. It isn’t about choosing a side. We are all on the same side. Or at least we are supposed to be. He backs out of the room with a look of sorrow that breaks my heart. I take a step towards him, but he puts his hand up. Cole grabs my arm in a tight grip.
“I’ll go,” Sebastian says quietly, and I nod my thanks.
I drop my head into my hands, smearing the blood all over my face. The wounds have almost fully healed now but I am still a right mess. I pull away from Cole and step into the shower, losing my clothes in the process. I ignore him as he says, “Liv.”