by Cara E Holt
“A tattoo?” The tattoo sits on his chest above where his heart sits. My fingers lightly trace the ink. “A raven.” The tattoo is a black raven with its wing spread in flight and in its claws it clutches a heart.
He clears his throat and looks somewhat uncertain. “I had it done when we were still searching for you. To remind me you were always here, holding my heart in your grasp.”
“It’s beautiful.” I whisper, over-awed that he had tattooed his love for me on his skin. I reach up on my toes and pull his mouth down to mine. Our kisses deepen and somehow we make it to my bed. Drayce’s hands run down the sides of my body, making me shiver in delight. His touch sets a raging fire of need in me. One hand cups my right breast and he teases my nipple with his fingers, before he moves south and his fingers part my folds and he strokes in slow barely there circles against my clit. He inserts a finger inside of me and I moan in pleasure, needing more, desperate for more of him. He brings me to a point where I am begging to have him inside of me and slowly holding his weight up on his arms he enters me. I shudder at the feeling of him filling me up. Slowly he moves, he almost pulls fully out and then sinks slowly back inside me. This was different, this was more than sex. This was him making love to me, telling me with his body how he adored me. I lift my head and we kiss, it’s a slow and deep kiss that reaches into my soul and brands me as his.
“I love you,” I whisper on a moan as I lose myself to the wave of pleasure that I am chasing.
“It’s me and you, always raven,” he replies. His eyes are full with promise and love. I had never felt so loved and complete as I did in this moment. Drayce Black was my home, my reason for being, and my purpose in life. I never wanted to part from him again. In such a brief time he had wrapped himself around my heart and soul and taken up residence.
I rest my head on his chest and lightly run my fingers lightly over the tattoo. We lie in silence just soaking up the feeling of being together, sated and content.
“We need to speak with Merrick. Sex on a single bunk bed is tricky.”
I chuckle in agreement. “They have couple’s quarters on the next floor down. I’m sure he’ll allocate us one if we ask.”
There is a loud pounding on the door, disturbing our blissful post-sex haven.
“All right, all right,” I shout, realising they will not give up.
Drayce drops a kiss on my forehead and reaches for his boxers. “I’ll get it.”
I pull the sheet over myself and ensure I’m decent.
Drayce pulls the door open and leans in the entrance, shielding me from whoever it is. “Oh, it’s you,” he says flatly.
“Is she here?”
I sit up, recognising Cort’s voice.
“What can we do for you Cort? We’re kind of busy,” Drayce growls.
“Your parents are due in anytime Lara. I thought you would want to be there when they arrive,” Cort shouts into the room, ignoring Drayce.
I wrap the blanket around me and move to the door, ducking under Drayce’s arm. “They’re on their way here?”
Cort frowns as he takes me in. “Yeah, I reckon they will be here within the next twenty minutes.”
I beam in delight. “Thank you. We’ll get dressed now and be up there as soon as we can.”
Cort gives me a genuine smile. “Well, I know how much you have missed them.”
“Well, thanks for letting us know,” Drayce says, placing a possessive arm around my shoulder and reminding Cort that he is still standing here.
“See you down there,” I say to Cort softly, before Drayce pulls me back and closes the door on him.
“I don’t like him,” he tells me with a deep frown.
I walk past him to my wardrobe and pull out a fresh t-shirt. “You don’t know him. He’s okay when you get to know him.”
“And just how well do you know each other?” he asks sharply, pulling me from what I am doing.
Sighing, I shuffle back over to him, trying to not stand on the blanket that is wrapped around me. “I will be upfront with you, Drayce. We have kissed twice. But it was when I’d just seen your engagement report and the image of you looking down at Sereia with adoring eyes was burning into my soul.” I see his eyes flare with hurt and anger and I place a hand on his chest. “It meant nothing. I was hurting and drunk and I was seeking comfort.”
“You kissed?” he repeats as if checking he heard right, his jaw tight with tension.
I nod and he clenches both of his fists and closes his eyes. “I want to kill him.”
I reach up on my toes and wrap my arms around his neck. “Please don’t. He is my friend, and he was there for me when I was falling apart. He could have taken advantage of my drunken state but he didn’t, he comforted me and sat and watched mindless television with me. It was a stupid couple of kisses and nothing more, I swear.”
His chest rises and falls in rapid breaths as his anger consumes him. Eventually he looks down at me, his eyes warring with conflicting emotions. I can tell that part of him wants to storm out of here and find Cort and use his fists on his face.
“You kiss no one else but me, ever again raven.”
I nod. “Of course. I’m yours and yours only.” I take his hand and place it on my chest over my heart. “This is yours.”
Drayce leans down and kisses me with purpose, branding me with his lips, ensuring I know who I belong to. “I’ll try not to kill him.”
I grin. “We’ll that’s something I guess. We need to get dressed, my parents will be here soon, and I have missed them so much.”
“Oh sweetheart, we have missed you so much,” my mum tells me as she squeezes me tightly. She pulls back and holds my face in her hands. “How are you? It must have been terrible being in that prison? How are you finding it here?”
Dad places his hand on her shoulder. “Maybe one question at once, honey.”
Dad and I share a smile. Mum was being as impatient as ever. “I’m good Mum. Prison wasn’t exactly a pleasant experience, but I survived, and as for here, well I love it here. I’m amongst like-minded people who believe hybrids should have equal rights like all other supes. I don’t have to hide here.”
Mum cups my cheek with her hand, her eyes glistening with tears. “I’m so proud of you, honey.”
“Anyway you two,” I waggle my finger from one to the other, “Secret double-lives, working for the HDS.”
Dad smiles and holds his hands up. “It’s a cause we heard about when we were at college and well we just knew we had to help the fight. It makes sense now why you were left for us at our coven gates. They must have known somehow of our HDS involvement, or at least that we were sympathisers.”
“Talking of my deranged biological father, we think we have a probable location. I’m just trying to convince Merrick of my plan of action.”
Dad looks intrigued. “I’m interested to hear what your ideas are honey.” Dad’s eyes move beyond me to where Drayce is standing. He had stayed back, giving me the space I need with my parents.
“You remember Drayce?” I take a step to the side, allowing him to step forward.
“We do.” My dad studies Drayce, and I am unsure what he is thinking. “I hear you followed my daughter here and have joined our cause.”
Drayce nods. “Yes, sir. I want Elara to have the freedom she deserves, along with all hybrids.”
My dad bobs his head, and a slight frown appears on his face. “I have to ask son, if you want to be with my daughter why did you announce your engagement to the Balfour girl?”
Drayce clears his throat, looking awkward under my dad’s scrutiny. “I did what I had to to keep my parents happy and not raise suspicion that I was intending to go after your daughter.”
“I see,” my dad replies, bobbing his head and mulling over Drayce’s words. “Then, I am glad my daughter has you in her life.” He offers out a hand to Drayce and smiling Drayce reaches out and places his hand in his and they shake on it. I can’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. It was
important to me that my mum and dad accepted and approved of Drayce.
“Alaric and Halina your usual bunker is ready for you,” Merrick announces. “Tomorrow I suggest we all meet and discuss the plan of yours Elara.”
“That sounds like a plan,” I reply enthusiastically. I had thought long and hard over this plan and for me it was the best way forward. I can only cross my fingers and hope I can convince my parents and Merrick to go along with it.
“I don’t know darling,” my mum says with a deep sigh. Worry etched on her face. “It’s a tremendous risk, sending you in there alone.”
We are all sat around the conference table in the communications room. Everyone around the table has listened to my plan and for a few minutes no one spoke as they all seemed to take it in and mull it over.
“Mum, he wants to unite his family again. He and my mother went through impressive lengths to ensure I survived beyond my mother’s execution. He won’t reject me and I’ll make sure he suspects nothing.”
“What do you think?” my mum looks over to my dad, wanting his thoughts on the matter.
Dad bobs his head side-to-side and glances at me. “I think it’s a brilliant plan.”
“You do?” I blink. That was not the response I expected from him at all.
“I think it’s crazy,” Cort growls. “You will be unprotected in a coven of vamps loyal to your father and a bunch of dark witches.” Cort looks over at Drayce. “You can’t be happy with this plan, surely?”
Drayce glares at Cort. Yeah, there was no love lost between these two. “At first no, but I think raven is right, that this is the best way in. Am I okay with her going in there alone? Not really, but I trust that she is strong and can handle herself.”
I look over at Drayce and if we weren’t in a room full of our family and friends, having a serious meeting, I would have grabbed his face and kissed him silly.
“Merrick. You’re in charge here, so ultimately the decision lies with you,” my dad says.
I snort, and everyone looks at me. I wince, realising I made that noise out loud. “Sorry, but even if Merrick says no, I am going into that lair to rescue my friend.”
Merrick fights a smile. “Then it’s a good job I am in agreement. At least if things go south you will have your comrades here to step in and help.”
My jaw drops in surprise. Everyone was in agreement, which means mission ‘Rescue Norah’ was officially happening.
A SURPRISE DATE
The compound was a hive of activity as we decorated the place for Imbolc celebrations. As we were a mix of different supernatural races, all with our own set of beliefs, it had been agreed by consensus that we would celebrate every event in all our calendars. Imbolc for wiccans was when we celebrated the beginning of spring. It was the festival of fertility and light. Snowdrops decorated the ceiling, and it was draped from the stair banisters. A large willow tree had been transported using magic to take up residence in the main foyer. I loved Imbolc and looking forward to spring, but this year it felt extra special, as I was celebrating it with like-minded people and amongst my kind.
I was leaving here tomorrow to venture into what we hoped was my birth father’s lair and where he was keeping my friend Norah hostage. I could only hope that in a week’s time I would be back here amongst my family celebrating Imbolc. They had chosen Laina to represent the goddess Brigid, and she would bless the dorm rooms of those who celebrated Imbolc. She was super excited to be playing Brigid, and it was all she talked about night and day, that and how beautiful her dress would be that Eretreya was designing for her.
To prepare for the mission I had upped my training and was doing on average three to four hours a day. I needed to be prepared for what I might face, and I was under no illusions that dark witches were a force to be reckoned with. I had been spending time each day with my mum working on my attack and defence spells and combining this with the strength and skill I had gained in physical combat gave me a good chance at protecting myself.
I have no idea how I will feel about meeting my father in the flesh. He was a stranger to me, but he had fought to save me from my fate all those centuries ago and I knew from reading my mother’s journal that was now lost to me, that both my parents had loved and wanted me. Despite this, though, I needed to remember what he had done to my fellow students at the academy. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how it must feel to no longer have magic. Worse than this, he was planning on draining the life force from my friend to allow my mother to return to her physical body. No matter how conflicted I might feel when I finally meet him, I had to stop him, even if it meant killing him.
I wrap up training with my mum for the day and I am surprised to find Drayce waiting for me. He had already been allocated a squad and had already been out on two rescue missions. I was insanely jealous that he was out there and I was not yet, but I knew that right now I had to focus on being ready for my mission. Drayce looked good in hybrid fatigues, that was for sure. He, Thorin and Meara had been accepted here at the compound. Drayce already had a flock of girls falling at his feet, much to my annoyance.
“What are you doing here?” I ask him with a pleased smile. As I reach him, he wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me against him.
“I thought we deserved some quality time together before you leave tomorrow.” He leans down and kisses me softly, making my toes curl and my heart beat rapidly. Those ice-blue eyes of his hold mine hostage. Out of every delightful thing about my guy, it was his eyes that hooked me. Those damn beautiful eyes of his had me in the palm of his hands.
“What did you have in mind?” I ask him, my brow cocked with a wicked smile on my face.
Drayce smirks. “Oh, definitely plenty of that later raven, but I thought we should have a date.”
“A Date? Here at the compound?”
“You’d be amazed at what my magic can conjure up,” Drayce teases, his smile playful and relaxed. I loved these moments between us. Ever since we had been forced into an engagement together it had felt like we were battling to keep secrets or deal with evil forces. I longed for a day when we could have a normal life and just enjoy being together.
“Come on.” He takes my hand and guides me out of room.
I look over my shoulder at my mum who has been sitting quietly at her desk working.
She beams at me and winks. “Have fun you two.”
I am puzzled when Drayce pulls me into the lift and presses for the twelfth floor. As far as I know there was nothing on that floor, and that made me very intrigued as to what he had planned.
When the lift comes to a stop and the doors slide open, Drayce covers my eyes and guides me out. I giggle in excitement as he moves me along.
“Okay, here will do.” He removes his hand from over my eyes and I stare open-mouthed as I take in the room around us. He has decorated the place with holly and ivy. Hanging from the centre of the ceiling was the largest bunch of mistletoe I had ever seen. A large yule log burns creating an ambience of peace and warmth.
“Happy Yule,” Drayce greets as he moves in front of me and walks backwards holding my hand and guiding me to the centre of the room. “You missed celebrating, so I thought we’d have Yule celebrations of our own.”
“Thank you,” I tell him, my voice barely a whisper as I struggle with my emotions. This man was something else, and I wasn’t sure what I’d done to deserve him.
Drayce guides me over to where a picnic blanket is laid out on the floor covered in a vast array of traditional Yule food from fruit and nuts to spiced cider.
“I can’t believe you did all this.” I say in awe.
“Well, I had a little help from Meara,” He confesses as he takes a seat beside me and pours me some cider. He pours himself a glass and then raises his. “Happy Yule, Elara Latimer. Here’s to the first of many more together.”
I raise my glass and join in his toast. “Happy Yule.”
“No Yule would be complete without some gifts.” He reaches behind him into
the picnic basket and pulls out a parcel, wrapped in brown paper.
Excited, I take it from him and feel it to try to guess what was inside.
“You could just open it, you know.”
“Where’s the fun in that? I love trying to guess what might be inside.” I feel around the edges and it definitely feels like a book. “I think it’s a book.” I tear at the paper and I gasp when I see what is inside. “My mother’s diary. How?”
Drayce smiles. “Remember when we were fleeing the academy I threw it in my bag. Well, when they released me from custody, they returned all my belongings to me, including that diary. I held on to it, hoping I would find you and return it to you.”
I throw myself over the small space between us and wrap my arms around his neck. I fought back the tears in my eyes. “Thank you. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
Drayce lifts my chin and places his soft lips against mine. “I’d do anything for you. Your safety and happiness are all that matters to me.”
I look up into his eyes and search them. “Drayce what about your family? I know how much you love your brothers and your nephews. It will kill you not seeing them again.”
Drayce sighs, brushing my unruly hair from off my face. “I have to hope that one day my family will come around to our way of thinking. That one day they will accept us with open arms again, but until that day you are all the family I need. I can’t be apart from you, raven. I choose you.”
The tears I have been fighting spill down my cheeks at his beautiful words. “I don’t deserve you.”
He grins, wiping the tears from my cheeks. “You deserve so much more than me. You’re an inspiration to other hybrids. You will change the world Elara Latimer and I will be by your side as you do.”