“I know…” he murmurs, and with his gentleness, I forget the four pairs of eyes that might be watching us. In this moment, it’s just us.
One of his hands moves gently to the back of my head, tracing a slow, soothing path down my spine. The warmth of his touch anchors me, even as my thoughts spiral. “And if you weren’t, that’s okay too.”
Closing my eyes, I let my mind drift to the dream—the one where I let my walls crumble. I’d admitted I wasn’t okay, let myself be vulnerable, and for once, it didn’t destroy me. I wasn’t okay then, and maybe I’m not okay now, no matter how much I try to convince myself otherwise. That dream version of me had felt lighter, freer.
“I’m fine.” I’m more assertive this time, because I can’t be this exposed in front of everyone.
He draws me away slowly, one of his strong hands coming to gently cradle the right side of my face. A small, knowing smile pulls at the corner of his lips, soft and reassuring. His eyes, full of understanding, meet mine and silently tell me that it’s okay not to say anything I don’t want to. I choose what I share, no one else in this room does.
“Thank you,” I whisper, before turning back to Alaric, who is staring at our engagement. I finally reply, “She forced spit down my throat the night I was taken, I didn’t know if that had anything to do with her being able to control me.”
Kai never lets me fully go, keeping a hand securely on my shoulder.
“It’s more along the lines of imprinting inside you, like a tracker of sorts. It wouldn’t last longer than your body filtering it out. I’d safely say the odds are high there is nothing left of her inside of you.”
At least there is some good news to this conversation.
“Do you think I can control her with my blood?”
I look at Sydni, who I am surprised to see leaned against Brice. I think it’s more of a comfort than attraction. Her body language and the aura I can see coming off of her isn’t that of lust or love. It’s need, and it’s sedated with the Werewolf.
When she sees me looking at her, she smiles warmly.
“That, I’m unsure of. It’s possible since we know you can do it with me…” He sounds irritated by that fact. “Have you ever met another of your kind?” Alaric moves to sit on the back of the couch he had been leaning against. His Vampire servant—I’m rude, I’m having a difficult time knowing if I should trust Niyla or not—comes to sit in front of him.
“No—well.” I bite down on my bottom lip, humming softly to myself, before continuing, “I don’t know him, but there was another Incubus there. With Chase, and a Mundane. His name is Archer. Other than that I’m not sure.”
“Suppose that makes sense,” the Fallen growls and looks away from me. “Had to have someone there to breed with you.”
Kai’s arm twitches. “I’ll fucking kill him…” He lowers his tone. He knows Archer can’t die, but it’s like a natural response to end someone that has hurt me.
I thought I’d despise that, but it turns out I was completely wrong. Nothing makes me hornier than the thought of him cutting someone in half for hurting me. Even though I’m fully capable of delivering the justice I deserve, the fact that he wants to protect me—because he believes I deserve that—is more telling of the love he has for me.
“Maybe our first action is to find him, or, another of my kind,” I offer. “I can test the theory.” A collective nod comes from the group. “In a few days,” I say quickly. “Maybe a week. Odds are they will go back to Sidence, thinking that is where I’d go.”
Alaric seems to disagree, considering he is shaking his head. “Tali is going to search high and low for you. She won’t go back to Sidence, but it’s possible the others will.”
“As much as killing her is a top priority, so is ending Lars. That disgusting, vile piece of filth is going into a basement somewhere for me to torture for years to come.”
When a chuckle rolls from Kairhyse, he leans in and whispers into my ear, “Hot.”
“That is why I imagine she’ll have Chase and Archer sent there.”
Niyla tuts. “Along with all the other guards that Lars will have, it will be impossible to get to him if that’s where your mind is racing toward going.”
I chuckle. “Says you.”
I glance at Sydni, and she’s grinning back at me. I give her a wink. We won’t act just yet, but my girl and I will figure something out. Having Kairhyse, who’s mentioned he has contacts he can reach out to now that he has me back and can focus on other things, will be a huge asset as well.
After a unanimous disbursement,Kai takes me back to the bedroom furthest in the back. It’s as aesthetically pleasing as the living room; dark wood with soft mood lighting—and of course a big fireplace that he begins to stoke for me.
The bed is huge, and I’m going to assume it’s custom built becauseit is larger than a king. Black fluffy blankets and pillows—so many damn pillows. Above the bed is the head of a bear. I hadn’t had the opportunity earlier to ask him about it, but now seems appropriate.
“Were you a hunter? Of game,” I jest, looking at him coming to stand to his full height. “Not of little demons.”
The handsome smile that tugs at his lips, revealing his fangs as they hang just over his bottom lip, sends a wave of fluttering butterflies through my stomach.
“No, my cousins were, along with my father many, many years ago, before he passed.”
