She nodded, suppressing a yawn with her hand. When she rose, she leaned over and kissed Cassius on the cheek. "I'm glad you're okay."
Cassius's face was priceless.
Never in his existence had he ever had any creature not be affected by his presence. I imagined it was a humbling experience — one he didn't enjoy.
"Thank you." He released her, his arms falling to his sides as if they carried the weight of the world.
She stumbled toward us.
Alex moved quickly, lifting her into his arms. "You know, you're still my sister… in every way that matters."
"Ha." She yawned. "So you won't disown me?"
"Not unless you really piss me off — then again, you are a human. By the way, do I affect you? Feeling warm and tingly?"
She frowned. "First of all, gross… second, no."
"Fascinating." Mason rubbed his chin and shook his head. "It must be because she started out immortal."
Cassius was still staring at the door long after Alex had carried her out of it.
"I need to talk to him," I whispered into Genesis's hair.
She nodded and held out her hand to Mason. "I believe you promised we'd share a steak?"
"You heard that?" Mason growled.
"All of it." She grinned. "Come on, feed me, wolf."
He smiled and tucked her into his body. "I'll feed you, but I may need help with my own eating habits."
"Together." She patted his chest. "Alright?"
He kissed her forehead and walked out with her.
Typically, I would have ripped his lips off for daring to graze her skin, but I felt her heart beat for me, saw her green eyes, knew without a shadow of a doubt that she loved me — and only me.
"Controlling your emotions well, I see," Cassius said in a low gravelly voice.
"One of us should," I fired back.
He looked away and cursed. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Oh?" I moved toward the bed and sat on the edge. "No idea at all?"
Cassius stared at the blankets.
I laughed. "Lie."
Mumbling another curse, he crossed his arms. "Dirty vampire trick, tasting the air to see if I'm being honest."
"Well…" I shrugged. "At least be honest with yourself. You're disappointed."
"It's called shock. Hasn't happened in a great while… I imagine it will pass." He licked his lips only to have those same lips covered in frost again.
"You love her."
"Dark Ones don't love."
"I really wish people would stop saying that when all evidence points to the contrary." I arched my eyebrows. "She's human now."
"Thanks, caught that."
"You could mate with her."
Cassius went very still.
I kept talking. "She's immune. She wouldn't become addicted or obsessed."
"Right," he croaked.
"Fear…" I tilted my head. "Now I taste fear. Odd, since Dark Ones are afraid of nothing."
"It's a day of firsts. I should sleep."
"You rarely sleep."
Cassius pounded the mattress with his fist. "Damn it! Why didn't she just let me pass? Things would have been so much easier."
"Do you truly want easy?"
"No."
"Cassius—"
"No!" He pointed at the door. "That woman… that, that—" He bit down into his lip. "She'll ruin me."
"How do you figure?"
"Because I'll fail."
"I think you lost me."
Cassius pushed the dark hair from his face and swallowed. "I don't know the first thing about honestly pursuing someone or something without using every ounce of power I possess. To Stephanie, I may as well be human."
"And that's so bad?"
"It's horrible." His eyes met mine. "Because I'll be found wanting."
"So insecure."
"Honest," he said in a humorless laugh. "She couldn't possibly want me, darkness and all, and even if she did, I have no power to convince her of anything."
"So don't use your power."
His nostrils flared.
"Don't pursue her as a Dark One…" I whispered. "Pursue her as a man."
Cassius closed his eyes and leaned back against the headboard. "Or I simply don't do anything."
I burst out laughing at the way his heart picked up pace. "I'd really like to see you try."
"You don't think I'm strong enough?" he roared.
"No." I shrugged and got up. "I think you're tired of fighting what's been in front of you too damn long, but good luck with your plan. I'm sure that will work out really well, you miserable bastard."
"Since when do you talk to your king like this?"
"Since I realized he's more friend, more brother, than king."
Cassius's lips twitched. "Don't let that get around. Imagine what it would do to my horrible reputation."
Laughing, I turned on my heel and walked toward the door. "Cassius?"
"Hmm?" He lifted his head.
"You owe it to you, and you owe it to her to at least try."
"And fail?"
"Trying isn't near as fun when you already know you'll succeed."
"Go find your mate. I'm tired of you making sense, vampire."
Smirking, I waved him off and made my way downstairs, passing Stephanie's room on the way. Alex was just leaving, his expression amused.
"What?" My eyes narrowed.
"She's human."
"So?"
"I just find it funny." Alex slapped me on the back. "We gain a human a few days ago only to lose her and gain another."
I stopped walking. "Genesis is still human."
Alex tilted his head. "Her heart still beats, yes. But…" His smile grew. "Interesting. You didn't even notice."
"Notice?" I gripped him by the shirt and slammed him against the wall. "Notice what?"
"Holy shit!" Mason screamed from the kitchen.
Alex burst out laughing. "I think you're about to find out, poor Mason. I do hope he was able to get away in time."
Genesis
"Mason!" I covered my mouth with my hands — my very sharp mouth. "I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me!"
His mouth was still open, maybe in shock, possibly a bit of horror as he looked from the raw steak back to me. "Blood."
I shook my head. "It just — I didn't—"
Mason roared with laughter then carefully set the knife down and made his way around the table. "Fangs look good on you."
I covered my mouth again. "But I'm human."
"Vampires get very protective when they feel threatened." He held up his hands then tilted his head. "May I?"
"What?"
He winked and leaned down, pressing his head against my stomach. Was he insane?
"Mason, please, tell me why the hell you have your head pressed against my mate before I rip your tongue out."
"Such violence," Alex said in an amused voice. "You'll have to learn to guard what you say when you have a little person running around."
"Little person?" Ethan repeated.
"Shh…" Alex held his finger to his lips. "…listen."
Ethan stared at me then at Mason then at Alex. "Three heartbeats, but—"
"But…" Alex nodded. "Do you hear that fourth one? Kind of sounds like a horse taking off, its hooves hitting the race track in rapid succession."
Mason grinned and looked up at me. "Healthy."
"Wh-what?" I was still covering my mouth.
"Vampire blood…" Mason laughed and slapped his knee as he sat down. "For one reason or another the mixture of the bloody steak and me holding a knife set your heart racing. Protective vampire blood took over, compliments of your mate and newfound immortality, and here we are…"
"I attacked you!" I wanted to crawl under the table and hide.
"To protect your little one." Mason winked. "It won't be the last time."
"Little one," Ethan repeated still as a statue.
Alex grinned betwee
n all of us. "I'd like to point out I knew first."
"How?" Ethan growled.
"I counted." Alex rolled his eyes. "The heartbeat was so faint at first. I thought it was because we were losing Cassius, and then when Genesis walked in, it was stronger. And we all know what happens when a mate is made immortal. They take on different… gifts… from their immortal partner. She's still human, but mama bear will most definitely fang a bitch or…" He smirked. "…a werewolf — my apologies — if she feels threatened."
Mason let out a low growl while Ethan moved around the table and gathered me into his arms. "You're pregnant."
"Um…" I gulped. "Apparently."
"Immortals move fast and all that." Alex yawned. "Oh, and here's some good news. Six months — not nine. Immortal blood develops faster."
I nodded my head, unsure if what I was hearing was actually happening. "I think… I think I need to sit."
"Yes, well, just keep your fangs in." Ethan grinned.
Horrified, I touched my mouth again only to find the fangs gone. "What happened?"
"Retracted." Alex winked. "Cool trick, right?"
"Alex, don't you have somewhere to be?" Ethan hissed.
"No." Alex pulled out a chair. "I really don't, and it's Uncle Alex."
Mason grinned.
"Does that make me a grandfather?" Cassius stumbled into the room. "Because as much as a new life excites me, I'm the oldest here, and the thought doesn't sit well with me." He winced and pulled out a seat.
"Hip bothering you again?" Alex joked.
Cassius tilted his head, white filling his eyes, while Alex jumped out of his chair and started scratching his arms violently. "Make it stop."
Cassius smirked. "I have no idea what you're talking about, siren."
Ethan rolled his eyes. "Cassius…"
"Fine," Cassius snapped, his eyes flashed, and Alex stopped itching.
"You know I hate ants," Alex grumbled, crossing his arms. "Making me see one of my fears isn't a good way to make friends."
"I have friends." Cassius shrugged.
I smiled and reached for him. Ethan's eyes were leery, but I knew it would be okay, knew that touching Cassius would do nothing to me.
He must have realized it too because the minute my hand snaked out, Cassius clenched it with his and kissed me on the knuckles. "I'm glad you're feeling better."
"Me too." I squeezed his hand back and then kissed his cheek.
Ethan growled.
"Settle." Cassius rolled his eyes. "She feels nothing for me. Her heart is pure green."
"Funny," Ethan hissed.
"Like her eyes." Cassius smiled.
"I only have four steaks." Mason interjected. "So, if you guys need more food, someone has to go to the store, and I vote Alex, since he's the most irritating of the group."
"I don't eat." Cassius frowned. "But…"
I laughed and pointed to the meat. "Maybe you should try to be more human."
"She has a point." Ethan pulled me into his lap. "It may help things along."
"Things?" Alex squinted. "What things?"
Cassius growled.
Alex's eyes narrowed. "Oh no. Hell, no."
Mason chuckled. "So, we get more steak."
"Am I the only one who thinks this is a really bad idea?" Alex shouted.
"What idea?" I played dumb, knowing exactly what was going to happen. Cassius was going to pursue Stephanie… as he should.
"I'll murder you," Alex said in a low voice.
"Any more fears, Alex?" Cassius taunted.
"Bastard."
"King." His eyes flashed. "And don't you forget it."
Ethan
The minute I'd discovered she was pregnant, it was like I'd ceased to exist, and every thought focused on the tiny life growing inside of her.
I couldn't stop staring at her all throughout dinner. I didn't want to eat food. I wanted to taste her — taste and make sure the baby was healthy — and force my own blood down her throat even if I had to trick her. It would make the baby grow faster.
And I'd feel a hell of a lot better about protecting both their lives.
"Stop fidgeting," Alex said to my left. "You're worse than a woman."
"Don't call me a woman," I snarled, trying to pay attention to the card game, while Genesis and Mason attempted to bake a cake.
She wanted chocolate.
He had some extra berries for the toppings.
And now they deemed themselves professionals. Pans went flying, and I knew it was only a matter of time before my gourmet kitchen was going to have dings all over it from both Mason's inability to do anything gentle and Genesis's newfound strength.
A knife had impaled itself into Alex's thigh when she was cutting vegetables. Don't ask me how. One minute it had been in her hand; the next minute it had gone flying. Naturally, I'd gotten out of the way.
Alex, however, had been too busy daydreaming.
He'd bled for mere seconds before he healed.
But he was still irritated.
It was torture — waiting for the cake to bake. Waiting for everyone to stop talking.
Waiting, waiting, waiting.
Finally, Cassius cleared his throat and whispered something in Genesis's ear before giving me a fleeting look and walking out of the room.
She jumped to her feet, reached for my hand, and the next thing I knew, she was pulling me up the stairs toward our bedroom.
The doors slammed behind us.
And her mouth was on mine.
"You taste like chocolate," I growled, biting at her lips. "Sweet."
"Mmm…" She gripped my hair with her hands, jumped into my arms, and wrapped her legs around me. "…and you taste like sugar."
I chuckled and bit at her lips again. Tasting a bit of her blood mixed with her scent had my mind racing as I tossed her onto the bed and ripped at her clothes aggressively. "I've been wanting to do this for hours."
"Rip clothes?" she teased.
"Only yours."
"I didn't know." Genesis tilted her head back while my lips found her neck, trailing kisses all the way down until I came into contact with her bra — worthless piece of material. I ripped it off and made a mental note not to let her wear any undergarments — ever. Too many unnecessary layers.
She let out a moan when I licked between the valley of her breasts, my mouth making a wet trail down her stomach.
"Cassius said we needed alone time."
"Remind me to vote him into office." I swirled my tongue around her belly button and moved lower, tugging her leggings away. Damn, she wore a lot of clothes. Where the hell were all those dresses I told Stephanie to buy for her?
"You vote for king?"
"Stop talking," I hissed, licking her hipbone then biting the sensitive flesh above it.
"O-o-okay." Genesis gripped my head and forced it down.
I chuckled. "Demanding."
"Sorry, I was… distracted."
"Allow me to distract you more." I leaned up on my knees, still hovering over her and ripped off every stitch of clothing left on my body. "Also, remind me to lock you in the bedroom for the next few weeks."
She laughed, her hands dancing across my naked chest. "You're beautiful."
"Vampires are deadly. Not beautiful."
"Fine. You're deadly."
I smiled.
"Still pretty though."
"Dangerous," I corrected her.
Her eyebrows arched.
With a hiss, I flipped her onto her stomach and moved between her thighs. "Still think I'm pretty?"
"Very." She moved up to her knees and looked over her shoulder. "Is this you trying to prove me wrong?"
With a growl, I rocked her hips back, plunging into her. "Guess I'll have to try harder."
"Yes, harder." She closed her eyes and whimpered.
With a growl, I filled her and began slowly stroking, moving. I ducked my head down and bit the side of her hip, drawing blood between my lips as I went deeper
, filling every inch of her.
Eternity.
Immortality.
I experienced it only with Genesis.
And I knew my life would never be the same. Because she lived… I was forever changed.
"Ethan!" she screamed.
I pulled out and flipped her onto her back, sinking my fangs into her neck as I thrust one last time, nearly taking us both off the bed. "I love you," I whispered hoarsely against her neck. "Forever."
Epilogue
Cassius
I wandered the streets, letting the darkness consume the loneliness inside my chest. The irritating little jab that continued to beat in a melodic rhythm, reminding me that I was alive.
That she'd almost died.
I muttered a curse and pulled the hood of my jacket over my head, moving through the shadows, watching, waiting.
"You called?" an amused voice cracked into the night sky.
I flinched at the way his every syllable made my body want to convulse with anger — rage. "Yes."
"And?"
"She gave me her immortality. Is it possible to give it back?"
He stepped out of the shadows, his white hair a stark contrast to the dark air swirling around us, protecting us from watchful eyes. "Why would you want to do that?"
I hated my father, hated Sariel for forcing me into the position of king over a people who, for the most part, feared me but despised me with a hateful rage that could never be fixed. "She's weak."
Sariel smiled, folding his large arms across his chest in a manner that reminded me what he was — and what I was in comparison. Small. "There is always a way to return what has been given, but things always come at a cost. You give back the gift — you earn the same fate."
I figured as much.
"Being human, is it so horrible?" Sariel held his hands out in front of him as the cloud of darkness disappeared and people walked around us, mindless of our presence. "Some of them are happy."
"But most of them are full of fear, anger, sadness." I shook my head. "The same emotions that would overtake me if I didn't have your blood."
Sariel's eyes flashed white. "Emotions are something we don't readily experience."
I licked my lips and nodded once. "Thank you."
His eyebrows shot up. "That's a first."
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