by K. Rea
The silver hadn’t just kept the wolf at bay; it muffled the magic in my blood. With the silver gone, my aura was unleashed, and the vampire in front of me ensnared. He stroked his hands down my arms until he reached my waist; he unraveled the knot holding the robe closed. I tried to shift into my wolf before my desire got the better of me. Desire faded, and terror gripped me as I realized I couldn’t shift. All that power bubbled and tingled under the surface of my skin, but not so much as a claw appeared as he began to remove the robe from my shoulders.
“Aiden, no!” I yelled as I dug my fingers into his shoulders and pushed against him. The kettle let loose a high-pitched whistle next to us. Aiden froze, his eyes locked on mine now. The smoldering embers in his eyes dimmed, the blue-gray returned, and his fangs retracted. A look of disgust came over his face. He put distance between us, between one blink and the next. He stood next to the doorway.
“There are clothes that should fit you in the small dresser and hanging in the closet. I’m sorry,” Aiden muttered before slamming the door shut behind him. I moved the kettle off the heat, clutched the robe, and slid to the floor. I looked at the pool of silver chains around me and desperately wished I knew how to charm it back into place. I vaguely remembered Lady Cleo say it dulled my aura. I should have realized what would happen if I removed it.
After a time, I grew chilled on the floor. I walked over to the fireplace and picked up the fire iron; it would do for a weapon if need be. I took it with me to the bedroom. The small wooden dresser was plain. A black velvet ring box covered in a layer of dust sat on top. I opened the drawers hesitantly. I grabbed the first t-shirt I could find and pajama pants, then slammed them closed again. I took the clothes and fire iron to the bathroom, then shut myself inside. I set the clothes on the sink and stared at them a moment. I considered keeping the robe on instead of wearing the other woman’s clothing. I cursed, removed the robe, and threw the clothes on. There was a knock at the door.
“Could we talk?” Aiden’s muffled voice asked.
“How long have you been standing outside the door? Do not come in,” I demanded and grabbed the fire iron from where it leaned against the shower.
“We need to talk; I promise what happened in the kitchen will not happen again,” he muttered from behind the door.
“Thank you very much, your majesty,” I snorted.
“Evelyn,” Aiden stated.
“What?” I snarled and tightened my grip on the household weapon.
“Happy Birthday, mo ghràdh,” he sighed. I ripped open the door with a flood of emotions fueling my strength.
“No, you do not get to wish me anything. You can go to hell. My parents are dead. King Gaius forced me into marriage to the vampire brother of their killer. Now I am some beacon for sex or death!” I felt the power rushing through me. I expected to see him leaning against the door frame. Instead, he sat on the floor, looking up at me with regretful eyes. He slowly rose from the floor, keeping his hands to himself. He took a steadying breath as if he was trying to rein in his own emotions.
“It is your birthday, bonding day, and wedding day. Those days should have a glimmer of happiness. I am sorry for what happened in the kitchen. You overwhelmed me; I didn’t expect the silver to mute your powers so much they didn’t seem to bother you. I can’t put the silver back, but it helped when your aura was muted by my blood in your system. That protection is fading. If you drink more of my blood now, it may help the situation,” Aiden explained, eyeing the iron poker in my hand. “Or you can try to stab me with the poker. Which will it be?”
I nodded my consent. I took a steadying breath and closed my eyes for a moment, long enough for him to move next to me and press his wrist against my lips. His other hand tightened gently at the back of my neck; I open my mouth to protest when his blood poured into my mouth. My blood coursed faster in my veins, my heartbeat racing, my heart pumped so fiercely. I felt that undeniable pull to him.
“That’s enough for now,” Aiden said. He abruptly pulled his wrist away. I shivered as he stepped away from me. He stared at me.
“What?” I asked.
“I—it’s nothing. The clothes look good on you. I’m glad you found something that fit,” Aiden said.
“They’re better than a robe. You said yourself I couldn’t tempt you, that I’m not your type,” I whispered. The t-shirt was tight across my chest, the pants snug around my hips.
“I lied,” he smirked. “You look good in everything, but I like this ensemble best.”
“Anything with a beating heart is a temptation to a vampire. Right now, you are anyone and everyone’s type,” Aiden admitted as he ducked back through the doorway of the bathroom. He took the fire iron from me, then strolled back toward the fireplace. I breathed deeply, trying to control the growing desire to find out just how enjoyable Aiden could make me feel. If I didn’t want to find myself in his bed soon, I needed a solution and quickly.
“Whose clothes am I wearing?” I asked as Aiden stoked the fire.
“Lara’s,” Aiden said stiffly.
“She lived here with you?” I asked.
“For a short time, she helped to build and design it,” Aiden responded, stabbing at the growing fire.
“And the baby?” I asked. Aiden froze.
“From a different time, I’ll remove those items and pictures if they bother you,” Aiden offered. “I should have taken them down a lifetime ago.”
“No, it’s fine,” I responded; Aiden sighed as if in relief.
“You should go to bed. I’ll sleep here. Let me know if you get cold or too hot. We can talk in the morning,” Aiden suggested.
The growing heat from the fireplace felt amazing as it warmed the frigid air in the cottage. Aiden stretched out on the couch in jeans and a flannel. One of his hands rested in his hair, the other across his abdomen. I wandered back to the bedroom. I crawled into the cold bed beneath the heavy flannel quilt and wrapped myself around a pillow. I listened to the vampire’s heartbeat and the crackling fire as it lulled me to sleep.
EIGHTEEN
I stretched beneath the quilt only to feel soft hair between my hands. A rough hand captured mine; Aiden brought it to his lips with a soft growl. He kissed the back of it before turning it over and kissing my wrist. I braced for the feeling of fangs against my skin. Instead, he continued to kiss up my arm. Warmth and desire spread outward from every gentle touch. I looked into those stormy eyes.
“Are you making me feel this way, making me want you? Charming me?” I murmured. Hair fell into his eyes as he shook his head no. He moved to straddle me. He caressed my hair with his hands, smoothing it away from my face.
“Mo ghràdh, I would never force you. You called to me. I can feel your desire coursing through my veins. If you tell me to stop—I will,” he replied, his eyes growing darker before leaning in and kissing my neck and down my shoulder, moving my shirt as he went, then traced back the way he’d kissed and down the other direction. Desire and tension flooded my body; the growing sensations were overwhelming. His hands moved outside the sweater, feeling, fondling, and exploring.
One of Aiden’s hands lingered along the edges of the shirt before I felt fingers on my skin. My breath caught. I felt alive. I could feel so much power trapped within me. I was wrapped in a blanket of energy, as if I was on the verge of shifting but unable to. How long had it been since I had felt like this? Weeks? Months? Years? I couldn’t recall. He slowly drew circles across my navel as he continued to kiss my neck, shoulders, and anything else he could put his lips on.
Aiden’s wandering hand drifted higher. I felt fleeting touches across my ribs, and then his lips were on mine, capturing my gasp as his hand stopped on one of my breasts. I kissed him and shifted my body against him for some relief. He toyed with each breast; he paid special attention to my nipples. His calloused hands rough against my skin. His other hand drifted down t
he shirt, past the edge of my pants to trail up and down one of my thighs. He teased me into a hot and bothered mess, my heart racing, and my breathing erratic. I whimpered before putting my hands on his shoulders.
“Aiden, I need—I need you to listen to me,” I struggled to say as he brought his hands to the bottom of the shirt as if to remove it. He froze, except for the invisible pattern he wove across my navel. He didn’t raise the shirt any further. He let it go and looked up at me with a playful smirk.
“What is it you need to say, Evie? What is it you want?” asked Aiden. He pinned me with those stormy eyes. I hesitated. He smiled again before he leaned down to kiss my exposed navel. Kissing a path up my body as he slowly raised the shirt.
“I haven’t done this in a while,” I whispered.
“Mhmm—this?” Aiden murmured. One of his hands trailed down my body and tugged at my pajamas. His hand hovering above my sex, teasing me. I tried to move against his hand. I tried to swallow the moans wanting to escape my lips but failed. I didn’t know if I wanted him to stop or not. He rose and kissed me like he had at Court, a consuming, demanding kiss. I took it all and more.
“Yes, and no,” I replied. Aiden froze and placed both his hands by my head.
“Neither have I, didn’t think you would be a dream walker mo ghràdh,” Aiden said.
“Dream walker?” I asked.
“We’re dreaming, or rather you are, and you pulled me into it. As much as I’m enjoying this, I think it’s time we woke up. Wouldn’t you agree?” Aiden questioned and gently kissed me on the forehead. I tried to kiss him, only for him to disappear in my arms. Startled, I woke flushed and needy with the sheets wrapped tightly against my body. Across the room with his arms crossed, a hungry look in his eyes, and a curious expression on his face, Aiden leaned against the door frame.
“Sweet dreams?” Aiden asked. I focused on unraveling myself from the knotted sheets and ignored the blush creeping up my neck.
“Not sure what you’re talking about. Is it warm in here to you?” I asked, stumbling out of bed. I straightened my sweater as I went past him into the living room; he chuckled.
“Quite the opposite. The fire died down while you trapped me in your dream. You seemed to enjoy it. Is there anything you want to tell me?” Aiden asked, still leaning against the doorway, and I felt the heat drain from my face.
“We can share dreams now?” I asked, mortified.
“Occasionally, the bond affects mates differently. It may only be temporary; it could turn into something else. It depends on the bond. Only time will tell how the bond will change us,” Aiden causally explained.
“You’re telling me even my dreams aren’t my own anymore?” I scoffed.
“Oh no, that was your dream. You pulled me into it. You seem to be more at peace with our situation than you let on. Do you want to finish what we started or have a cup of tea?” Aiden offered, coming up beside me, his fiery breath tickling my ear in the frigid air. He gently brought his arms up around me in a solid embrace.
“Come on, lass, where’s your spitfire attitude? Just tell me,” Aiden implored. Through the sweater, the friction and touch caused my body to respond and grow heated. He wasn’t threatening me, only testing.
“Tea, please. There’s nothing to tell you,” I deferred, prying his arms from around my body. I stomped back to his dresser and withdrew a sweater from it I had seen the day before. The fishermen’s knit was soft and worn. It felt like armor when I pulled it on.
“I’m not a mind reader,” Aiden softly stated; I groaned.
“No, you’re pushy,” I scolded.
“You’re the one that pulled me into your dream. I’d say you’re the pushy one,” Aiden said. “You can trust me. I can tell you’re upset. Talk to me. I won’t punish or laugh at you if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Fine,” I grumbled.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had any relationships. My family didn’t know if I would pass along the moon shadow gifts to a human lover, and we couldn’t visit other packs. By the time I didn’t care about the risk, I had found my fiancé in bed with one of my friends. Since then, I haven’t made the time to meet and trust anyone,” I explained.
“Sex can give your gifts to your lover, though usually that only happens after you’ve reached maturity at twenty-five. This fiancé of yours wasn’t worth a damn if he couldn’t wait,” Aiden suggested, not making any further advances and instead headed toward the barely smoldering fireplace. “How long has it been?”
“About six years,” I admitted.
“You and Mason Faolmen in the woods?” Aiden asked, surprised. I blushed to the tip of my ears.
“Yes,” I blushed. “Will you become a moon shadow, or will I’ll turn into a vampire if we, you know?” I asked.
“You mean when we consummate our marriage, highly unlikely. Our natures are equal. We will become stronger, may have some shared immunity or traits. You shouldn’t crave blood; if you do, it would only be for mine. Usually, giving gifts only occurs when humans are involved. We can’t turn someone into a vampire unless they’re human or nearly human. Some supernaturals are made into thralls. They become dependent on their vampire companion. We’ll be careful to avoid that,” Aiden promised. The fire crackled quietly as if in response.
“Can we still exchange blood like before without that risk?” I asked.
“If I give you any more of my blood, I’m concerned you’ll start the transition to thrall. If you have too much of my blood, your body will try to become a vampire. Since you’re not human, a vampire transition as an adult could kill you. Frankly, I would need to feed from you again before I could give you more of my blood, and the smell of your blood alone is testing my control,” Aiden admitted as he ran his hands through his hair.
Aiden sighed dejectedly before shoving his hands into his pockets. He wasn’t the smooth and savvy vampire I encountered at the nightclub. His hair a wild mess, he absentmindedly rubbed the growing shadow of stubble on his jaw. The smell of soot hung around him from the fireplace.
“Evie, you’re different, your aura is stronger than most women your age, and it showed before your birthday. It’s why I mistook you for being older. If I had known you were only twenty-four, I would never have brought you to Court. Soon your aura is going to affect you. You’ll want to bond with anyone nearby with power equal or stronger than your own; the pull will be more than anything else you’ve ever desired. That desire will consume you if you resist it for too long. I’ve seen it happen over the years with witches and mermaids who resisted and did not turn to the abbey, fae, or another for help,” Aiden explained as he walked to the kitchen.
“Power equal or stronger?” I asked.
“Your aura is Goddess designed to attract the strongest and most compatible mate for you,” Aiden explained. “Every bonding is different because every woman’s powers, natures, and tastes are. If a woman has not found a potential bond partner by their twenty-fifth birthday, steps must be taken, and those vary based on circumstance, place in Court, clan, and family. In your case, you could not stay within the Court walls without suffering and causing violence throughout the Court’s would-be suitors.”
“I’m stronger and older, mo ghràdh. I am waiting for you to accept me. I can wait for you to come to me,” Aiden warned as he put a kettle on the stove.
“You’re the only one that can get in, and I can’t get out. Can you leave me here, unbonded?” I asked, sitting on the couch. The smell of earl grey floated in the air from the mugs of tea he made. He carefully carried them to the couch and offered me one. The hot ceramic warmed my chilled hands.
“We can try for a while,” Aiden offered, “As we discussed, there may be severe consequences, though.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, moving a throw blanket over my lap; it smelled of him and wood-smoke.
“You’r
e not healing, you can’t change, and soon your magic will compel you to find a mate. Even now, there’s a group of lust-crazed men outside the gate clamoring for your attention. If you got through the gate, the violence of that encounter could kill you. They’ll come for you and kill each other for you until the strongest, fiercest, and most ruthless mate is left standing,” Aiden explained as he drank from his mug.
“I won’t give in to the bonding just because you’re saying my body will turn on me,” I argued. He took the mug from my hands and set it next to his on the coffee table.
“You don’t believe me, that’s fine. Grab that blanket and come outside. My blood, my aura, is already leaving your body. Your aura is burning it from your system the longer we wait. You won’t feel as strongly tied to me, and you’ll feel the full effects of being around other men attempting to answer your bond’s call. There’s a group of druids outside the fence line, but they’ll never be able to breach it. The most damage they can cause is this early winter storm,” Aiden explained as he held the front door open against the wind.
“Wait, I thought this was your secret sanctuary?” I asked as snow flurries blew in from the outside. I grabbed the throw, wrapped it around my body, shoved my feet into fur-lined boots resting by the door, and walked out into the snow. I could hear the wind howling, the cold bit at my face and hands.
“Not anymore. You’re a beacon to everyone nearby. Protecting you and giving you time was worth the sacrifice. Secrets don’t last long at Court anyway,” he explained. The moment I stepped off the porch, I could hear yelling and chanting that mirrored the storm’s cadence. I looked over my shoulder at Aiden as he stood on the deck in a flannel shirt and blue jeans.
“Aren’t you cold?” The frosty air chilled my legs as it crept beneath the blanket I threw around my shoulders.