by Rachel Jonas
We both knew, whether I came out of hiding or not, they’d expose Corina and all of us first chance they got. In fact, I was convinced that the only reason they hadn’t yet was because it provided them with leverage with which they could draw me back out into the open.
“Where are you, Julian? This doesn’t look good. For any of us.” The stress and anxiety in his voice were more than heavy.
A sharp breath passed through my lips. It wasn’t that I didn’t know his words to be true, but I knew there was much more at stake than anyone’s reputation, or title. There were lives that hung in the balance, and the only way to save any of them was to see our plan through to the end.
I peered up and locked gazes with Aaric. Yes, I had the attention of the others, too, but his stare was the most intense. Perhaps the gravity in that look he gave had nothing to do with his own preservation, but that of his people. He and Corina were alike in that way. I saw that now. They both loved those with whom they pursued their passion just as deeply as those of us with familial ties. It wasn’t hard to see why she’d been able to forgive him, wasn’t hard to understand why she’d been able to see past his flaws.
“I’m sorry, but ... I can’t disclose that information.”
There was perfect silence on the other end. In those moments that seemed to last forever, I turned to my brothers. We had completely submerged ourselves in a cause that initially had nothing to do with us, with our destinies, but we had sacrificed enough that Corina’s cause now felt like our own.
Because, without realizing it, it was our own.
“I’m … There’s no way I heard you correctly,” Father finally replied. “Son, this is likely your only opportunity to get out of this situation with your name and title intact,” he reasoned, unknowingly citing the two things that currently meant the least to me as bait.
“I understand,” I answered respectfully.
Another breadth of silence followed, and then another plea. “Percival will see to it that you’re branded a traitor and will stop at nothing to see you put to death. And if you’re involved in any way with whatever your pet has contrived … I will not try to stop him.”
The diplomacy with which he’d addressed me before was gone. It had been replaced with anger and an acute spike of confusion.
He didn’t understand and I didn’t fault him for that. He hadn’t experienced what I’d experienced. Hadn’t seen or felt any of what I’d seen or felt since falling for Corina.
“There is one other option,” he added, and the enormity of what would come next could be felt in the room.
Even with the many miles between us, I sensed it.
“Hand over the girl, and I’ll call in every favor I have to spare you. It will take some convincing, and will likely cost me a fortune, but as God is my witness … I will protect you,” he offered.
A few feet away, Silas lowered his gaze to the floor. Levi, on the other hand, seemed unmoved by my father’s proposal.
“I won’t sacrifice Corina, so … do what you must.” With those words, the final nail in my coffin had been hammered in by my own hand.
The line went dead when I decided there was no outcome we would ever both possibly find favorable. A mile-wide valley separated my views from his, and I accepted the fact that I’d chosen my path.
A path that diverged from my father—and my calling—completely.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Corina
Four entered, their quiet footsteps halting as one latched the door behind them.
Not a single word had been uttered, but I felt each one’s presence. Loud and clear. Their concern, their adoration. All of it. Everything. A side effect of the bond, perhaps.
I dared to let my gaze slip toward them—each one tall, devastatingly handsome. My mouth curved upward into a smile and I studied the gazes that settled on me, likely taking note of how my appearance had changed even more since they first left that morning. The refined perfection, the humanity within me fading completely to the naked eye.
However, I knew that wasn’t the case for my heart. Where it counted, in my soul, I would always be human.
“Well, eternity certainly suits you, love,” Levi crooned, the sight of his dark smirk enlivening me. Yes, he always had this effect on me, but when my heart hammered once against my ribs, it told of the new excitement that stirred.
Julian, making it clear he deemed the remark insensitive, cast a look in Levi’s direction. However, I hadn’t taken offense even a little. Levi being, well … Levi, was comforting in some way. It meant everything hadn’t changed, despite it feeling that way at the moment. It was a reminder that my guys were still my guys.
“Thanks, I think.” I matched Levi’s smile from my seat near the fire. He came closer while I stared.
“Shall we begin?”
I sucked in air. His forthrightness never ceased to stun me. I was certain I had that dear-caught-in-headlights look down to a science thanks to him.
His brow quirked, reminding me I hadn’t yet given an answer.
“Of course,” I barely whispered.
Behind him, Aaric wore a look of concern that seemed to be his default expression when it came to me. It was strange, realizing how much his personality was beginning to shine through, burning away the first impression I thought would never fade.
“There’s no need to rush,” Aaric spoke up, seeming to have read me. He was starting to get pretty good at that.
Julian, Silas, and Levi all passed a gaze his way.
“Actually,” Silas reluctantly interjected, “time isn’t quite on our side. Once we complete the final phase and I’ve collected a blood sample from Corina afterward, Felix and I have a mile-long list of work ahead of us tonight. With the interview closing in and the gala—”
“I meant we could spare a few minutes,” Aaric cut in briskly, “not a lifetime. I’m aware of our constraints.”
His voice was dark, brassy, and more of the blatant worry I detected before bled through. In that moment, something within me aligned with him and I had to literally force myself to stay seated. This … homing mechanism of sorts … it was triggered by his heightened emotion, calling out for me to go to him, but I refrained.
“I’m fine moving forward,” I spoke up, swallowing deeply right after. “The hard part is already over, right?” There was an air of misfired jesting in my tone. The kind that I intended to express in a lighthearted nature, but failed, exposing my frayed nerves instead.
Julian’s large hand landed on my shoulder and, strangely enough, it no longer pressed a chill into my skin, because I, too, was cool to the touch.
“Aaric’s right,” he said thoughtfully. “A few extra minutes won’t hurt anything. If you’d like to sit and—”
“I’m fine,” I cut in. When I lifted my hand to grip his where it rested on my shoulder, his gaze rose to meet mine. “I have you all here, so I’m not afraid.”
It was true. Being nervous was a natural reaction to facing the unknown, but fear was absent. Because I had them.
“Well, let’s get this show on the road then, shall we?” Levi clasped his hands after speaking and I grinned, watching him roll the sleeve of a black button-down to his elbow. Beneath the cuff, an expensive silver watch with a crimson bezel was revealed—his signature pop of red.
He stepped between me and the fire, blocking the heat from reaching my skin. I gazed up from his shadow, staring. His wrist lingered in the air, halfway to his lips before pausing.
“Nearly forgot,” he quipped. “You don’t need my fangs anymore.”
I blinked when he reached closer.
“Would you like to do the honors, love?”
He wanted me to … bite him?
My heart did this weird shuddering thing, as if trying to jumpstart itself. Levi must have sensed my hesitance because that wicked smirk was back.
“If it makes you feel any better,” he said, “I rather enjoy a bit of pain.”
Out of nowhere, my fa
ce warmed. I hadn’t expected it to be so noticeable, but it was. Flooding my chilled body was a surge of heat.
“Haven’t got all day,” he crooned again, urging me with the intensity in his stare.
You can do this. Sure, it’ll hurt him a bit, but he likes this sort of thing, right? Easy peasy.
My fingers locked beneath his elbow, drawing him closer. At first, I wasn’t quite sure how to bear my fangs, but it turned out there wasn’t much thought involved. It was reflexive, like breathing.
He was smiling again, but there was a deep fascination I hadn’t missed either. It held as I leaned in, and it intensified when I flashed my teeth just before sinking them into his skin.
His chest swelled when he drew a breath. Our gazes were locked on one another the entire time. As I sank my fangs in deeper. As I swallowed the cool blood. It wasn’t the human variety I unfortunately craved now, but it was still oddly satisfying all the same.
Stop!
The sharp command from my subconscious prompted me to pull away. A bit more abruptly than I meant to, but … I didn’t like how performing this act made me feel. I hated it. Because … I liked it.
Levi’s eyes were glued to me, staring as I swiped the back of my hand over my lips. If I’d still been human, I would’ve likely been panting as I focused intently on him. Continuing to stare, he stepped back, letting his eyes trace every inch of the black fabric that hugged my figure. No, he hadn’t said a word, but that look in his eyes said it all.
The dress had his seal of approval.
“Si,” Julian cut in, gesturing with a short movement of his hand, “you should go next.”
My gazed slipped to Silas then, at the precise moment his settled on mine. Taking Levi’s place before me, he stepped closer while pushing one sleeve of a white thermal shirt up his forearm. This time, worry had been replaced with intrigue.
Would he taste the same?
Would he enjoy the pain like Levi seemed to?
Silas—my quiet storm—was hard to read.
Cool skin met my fingertips when I took his wrist. Unlike before, I didn’t hesitate. The room was completely silent as I bit down, puncturing his flesh. I was less timid than before. This time, when that forceful voice urging me to retreat bled into my thoughts, I didn’t heed as quickly, either.
After a moment, I managed to pull away. I’d heard more than once how it would kill most Ianites to feed from another, but, apparently, I was immune to that rule. Like the guys.
Silas stared with a deep sense of fascination as he pulled away. Perhaps because I’d been able to feed from the princes without facing death. Or … perhaps because he realized I didn’t hate this.
Didn’t hate the taste of him. Of Levi.
Julian stepped forward next and I took the liberty of exposing his wrist myself. Gently, of course. Or at least I meant to be gentle. When his brow quirked, and one corner of his mouth lifted with a half-smile. The sight of it inspired my lips to match the curve of his.
I didn’t hesitate. Instead, I worried little that the feel of my teeth against his skin would bring him discomfort. I bit down, welcomed the bitter warmth of his blood when it met my tongue, and then released him slowly.
My eyes were fixed on the small puncture wounds I left behind. However, within seconds, they had nearly vanished. One of the many convenient aspects of being an Ianite.
We were almost done here. My gaze flitted toward Aaric next—the last of the four to step forward. He wasn’t afraid, wasn’t timid in the least. He did, however, wear his high esteem for me almost on his sleeve. Now that he knew my true identity—knew I was the woman behind the name so many had idolized—I sometimes got the impression he was a bit starstruck.
As preposterous as that seemed.
I reached for his hand and ran my thumb over his skin, along the thick tendon that flexed in his wrist when his fingers drew together to form a fist.
Of the four, he and I were the least acquainted. Time nor circumstance had been on our side. However, in that small corner of my mind—the one I tried not to visit often—I knew that wouldn’t always be the case. At first, I’d mistaken him for a monster. Now, I suspected that the next time I associated him with any manner of beast … it would be no mistake.
My eyes practically bore a hole through him, doing nothing to hide my curiosity. My newfound infatuation. There was nothing about him physically that I didn’t appreciate. In fact, with my highly sharpened vision, I found that I enjoyed the sight of him even more.
His tongue peeked out, wetting the full pout I’d dreamed about on more than one occasion.
Okay … on far more than one occasion. But who’s counting?
“I’ll make it quick,” I promised in a hushed tone, unsure why I felt the need to say such a thing out loud. He’d seen that I hadn’t lingered long with the others.
Nerves, I guess.
He was intense, severe in ways the others were not. So, yeah, I guess there was a certain measure of anxiety involved when it came to engaging with him, in particular.
“I trust you.”
Those words lingered in my thoughts a moment. Mostly because I knew they were true. He did trust me. My reputation, as far as he was concerned, had certainly preceded me.
I gripped him tighter, bringing his cool skin to my mouth, and then biting down. It wasn’t lost on me that there should have been a pulse throbbing against my lips.
I was methodical, attempting to disconnect emotion from my action, but it didn’t quite work. If I had to guess, he felt everything.
That I liked being close to him.
That I was intrigued by nearly every aspect of him.
That I was inexplicably hopeful when it came to spending the remainder of my life with him and the others.
Lost deep inside my own head, I pulled away from his wrist slowly, thoughtfully. When I did dare to glance in his direction, I wasn’t surprised to find him already staring.
Somehow, he saw right through me. Just like the others.
I was certain of it.
“Looks like there’s only one thing left to do.” Levi offered. “It’s your turn, love.”
I peered up just in time to catch the sultry smile he wore, and flashed one back at him. However, I was admittedly overwhelmed by the thought of being at the mercy of these four.
“Bite me,” I answered cheekily, causing his grin to widen.
“Don’t mind if I do.” Without hesitation, he leaned in,
However, a sternly spoken, “Wait,” made him halt.
Both our gazes shifted toward Julian, and he didn’t seem to be nearly as amused as Levi and me.
“This could be painful,” he warned. “It might be best if we all do this at once, quickly. To get it over with.”
He meant for my sake.
My nostrils flared with the suggestion.
“Agreed,” Aaric weighed in, “but that should be her decision. Not ours.”
My chest heaved despite the breath I took being merely a force of habit. I scanned them all.
“If you think that’s best,” I practically whispered, sounding small.
The fire crackled when an ember burst upward into the chimney, as if responding to the tense moment.
Julian had everyone’s undivided attention. “Be gentle with her,” he instructed the others, not bothering to soften the words even a little. “We shouldn’t have to take much for this to work, so let’s make this as quick as possible,” he added.
“Where should we do this?” Silas asked reluctantly. “I mean, where on your … body?”
I nearly smiled with how uncomfortable he seemed having to ask that question, but my nerves didn’t allow it.
“Um … just not close together,” I answered shakily, eyeing my own skin. “Maybe … here.”
I pointed to both wrists.
“I don’t think my shoulder would be so bad, either,” I added. However, glancing up at Levi, I decided not to play it so safe with him. “My neck would be okay, t
oo, I think.”
The gleam that filled his eyes the next instant was unmistakable. He was fond of biting me there. It had been his choice the night of our claiming, and mine when he’d taken blood from me at Blackthorn. I saw no reason to deny him the pleasure here tonight as well.
“Then, I suppose we’re all ready,” Levi concluded. Even if he hadn’t leaned over me with a smirk, hadn’t released a quiet groan just beneath my ear, I would’ve sensed he was eager.
One by one, four sets of cool lips covered my skin, only on the areas I’d given them permission to bite me—Silas and Julian on either wrist, Aaric on my left shoulder, Levi with his face nuzzled into the right side of my neck.
Yes, there was pain, but there was so much more.
There was … ecstasy.
I couldn’t say who stopped first, but Levi and Aaric definitely released me last. Fangs tugged free from the tendon beneath my jaw while another set disappeared behind soft lips near the strap of my dress. A quiet whimper escaped me, and I couldn’t decide whether it had been in response to the intense sting or equally intense pleasure.
I sat before the fire with what I was sure had been interpreted as a wild look in my eyes. Each one’s energy reverberated off the walls, like unbridled thunder, invisible lightning. The final ceremony had only been complete mere seconds and, already, I felt the effects.
A surge of power rushing through my veins, abilities awakening within.
Julian’s brow tensed when I glanced his way, and I imagined he felt it, too. They all seemed to experience it.
Before, they only possessed their quadrants’ respective abilities, but now those abilities were shared among us all—flight, mental intuition, telekinesis, strength, and with Aaric being the anomaly among Ianites, invisibility.
“I feel like we should give these powers a test run,” Silas joked.
At his suggestion, I felt a sudden rush of dread. Yes, trying out these new abilities was tempting, and I imagined it always would be, but something inside me suppressed any trace of excitement. Embracing this new version of myself, who I’d become, didn’t settle well. Being an Ianite was something I’d learn to live with, but having powers would never be a facet of this life I celebrated. Because of this, exploring the benefits of this transition was a luxury I was fully prepared to deny myself.