by Hayley Todd
Kellic sat back in uncharacteristic silence.
I understood the feeling though. My absentee father had reappeared and my dead mother had not been so dead, all in just over a week. And I became a vampire. Life was rife with confusion at the moment.
We returned to a house in chaos.
There were servants and bodyguards alike swarming the property. It seemed Damien had called ahead. We got out of the cars as soon as they came to a stop, leaping into the blur of activity. Carson helped me waddle along at first but obviously got impatient when he scooped his arms below me and hoisted me into the house. My mother and father, along with Kellic, Gabrielle, and even Will has already beaten us to the foyer.
Will had his arms locked around his mother as Carson mounted the last step. His dark hazel green eyes flipped to me immediately. He whispered something to his mom before releasing her and running up to me. He threw his arms around my shoulders which was awkward in Carson’s arms. He was so warm and he smelled like he always had, rich, smoky…
I stiffened and Carson saw the panic on my face. He stepped away from Will, pulling me free. Will looked at him annoyed but not angry. Carson shared a gaze with him for a long second before finally whispering, “She’s hungry.”
Will’s eyes widened and fell back to me for a moment before switching to apologetic. “Sorry, Ky. I know that’s a struggle. I’ll see you after you’re fed,” he whispered back and then returned to his mom and sister.
The room was filled with a tight, heavy tension but with undercurrents of absolute unbridled joy. There was a relief around us, tangible. Pain melted from our very skin.
Damien walked over to us, my mother sitting on a bench along the entry. He looked deeply at me, a genuine happiness on his face. Then his eyes flicked to Carson. “Can I trust you to heal my daughter?” He asked. He knew the answer to that question but seemed determined to hear an answer.
Carson straightened a little, shifting me closer to him. “Of course, my king,” he replied.
Damien gave him a playful eye roll before jaunting over to my mother and assisting her up the steps and down the hall towards his office.
Carson looked down at me, an amused look on his face as well. “My suite,” he paused looking deeply into my eyes, “or yours?”
“I have a suite?” I asked, trying to bury my blush at the likeness to another phrase.
He smiled and it generously touched his eyes. “You do.”
I thought about it. I was curious what my dad would give me of his home. But I thought of a decadent room that smelled of this man, getting to see where he had slept, where he relaxed. That seemed more fun.
“Yours,” I replied. His grin widened and he took a dizzying path down one of the halls.
I eventually lost track of the twists and turns, yawning sleepily. He looked me over with concern.
He finally came to an unremarkable door, jamming a key into the lock while balancing me against his hip. He swept the door open revealing the room beyond.
He wasn’t kidding with the phrase “suite”. It really was. It was an apartment more or less. There was a door to the left that led to a kitchen with black marble countertops. If you went straight he had a huge living room area. To the right was a dining room.
He led me to a door to the left that opened up onto his bedroom. His bed was built into an alcove in a wall, giving it a little more privacy. He had a TV and another sitting area much like my own room did. To the left was a door that led to a huge bathroom that I could just barely glimpse from here.
He rested me on his bed where the sheets and pillows smelled just like him. I snuggled in, feeling sleepier by the second. “I’ll be right back,” he whispered ducking out of the room. He came back with a smaller cooler. He opened it to reveal bags of blood.
He sat at the foot of the bed, pulling a bag out and putting his teeth to it. He produced a ceramic mug from beside the cooler. He tore a hole in the bag with his teeth and poured the liquid into the mug. I expected him to hand me the mug but he didn’t, dumping its contents quickly down his throat.
He pulled another bag and another, repeating the process. When he had finally accumulated a pile of five bags, he turned to me. He started tugging his button up shirt from his framed. He wore a black undershirt beneath and his muscles stood out against it.
“Hungry?” He asked, tugging the undershirt off too.
My stomach burned in agony. I was starving. I felt wide awake now, the scent of blood invigorating me. I sat up and he leaned nearer to me. He didn’t tilt his head to the side, however. He stared deeply into my eyes.
“Kyra,” he said, quietly. “If I let you do this, you have to be okay with whatever happens,” he mumbled. His jaw was tight and he was obviously fighting to get the explanation out.
“Whatever happens?” I asked innocently, teasing at him.
His jaw tightened again. “Whatever happens,” he repeated, his voice husky.
This was my turning point. I could turn away from this man. I could decide not to enact on what every fiber in my being was trying to tell me to do. I could ruin it all in a breath.
But I couldn’t. I wanted this man. I needed this man. My skin was crawling, begging for his touch. I wanted him more even than I wanted his blood. I had five and some odd months. Why wait?
“Anything,” I breathed, barely a whisper.
His eyes went alight, filling with a burning passion. He tilted his head, exposing his neck to me. I bit into him gently and his blood welled within me. I immediately lost myself to him, knowing I wanted this. My head spun as ecstasy rolled through me.
I felt when he pulled my sweater from me but I didn’t remember helping him remove it. He was around me and I floated through him. I clung close to him while his hand worked at the clasps of my bra, releasing them one at a time. When he finished his work we separated, the cool air between us suffocating while I pulled the bra from my body. I dropped it into the growing pile of discarded clothing on his floor.
I pulled my mouth away while he tugged off first my pants, followed quickly by my panties. I lay back on the bed, him atop me, his eyes tracing my body. I burned beneath that gaze, but his stare was adoring.
He leaned into me, pressing kisses on every part of my skin. I burned beneath their warmth. He kissed across each breast and down my abdomen. He pressed his lips across my hips and down my thigh. He ran his mouth along my collarbone and shoulders. He left playful nips down my neck, coming to a stop below my ear.
“Please,” I begged, urging him on in a breathless voice. My arms wrapped around his chest and he pressed his lips to my neck.
Then with a quick piercing pain, his teeth were in my and I ignited where I sat. My world burned. Anything that was not him was a liquid cold fire. He was everything I wanted and everything I needed and in that moment I felt that physically. My body rolled with ecstasy and I had to force enough clarity to undo his belt, sliding his pants over his hips and to the floor below.
He leaned into me, releasing and letting me bite him again. As his blood touched me, he pressed into me and I gasped around his skin.
My mind exploded into crystalline perfection. A bliss unlike I had ever imagined. He was made for me and I, for him. Even physically we were perfectly matched. He rocked against me, gasping his pleasure along my skin.
At some point I had removed my lips from him but in the liquid ecstasy, I didn’t recall doing so. He kissed along my body while thrusting into me, again and again. My body swelled with agonizing delight.
He eventually lifted me, gathering my legs around his hips, his hands supporting me while he thrust into me again. I gasped, the pleasure filling my every pore. He backed me into his wall, rolling into me again.
He kissed and nipped below my ear before sinking his teeth into me again. For a moment, I literally couldn’t see as blinding white hot pleasure erupted in me. He rode toward me, swelling the raging feelings inside of my body.
I felt every sensation that he felt and
I knew he felt mine. That just seemed to push us further, encouraging the blinding passion rolling between us.
I felt the tension in his body build and my body churned in response. My legs tightened around him as his timing jolted with furious pleasure. I sank my teeth into his neck, knowing I had made the right choice. I would never give this up.
A final wave of pleasure exploded within me, pushing me over the edge, my consciousness crashing into his. He bucked in response, losing himself within me and crying out my name. We fell into a heap on the floor, both of us a mess of blood and sweat.
For a long time we didn’t move. I snuggled into his arms and he cradled me against his chest. Eventually, as I started to fade into a perfect, blissful sleep, he scooped me into his arms and laid me in bed below the sheets, then he climbed in on the other side, pulling me against his chest again. I fell asleep like that, arm and arm, with the man I loved.
Chapter Fifteen
When I finally awoke, Carson was already watching me, running his fingertips through my hair. We were still cradled together in his bed, surrounded by twisted sheets.
“Good morning,” he said quietly. He smiled at me and I couldn’t help but to return the gesture. I felt revitalized. It was the best night's sleep I’d had in years. I had needed it.
“Good morning,” I responded, kissing along his pectoral muscles. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He finally cupped my chin raising my eyes to his.
“Do you want to take a bath?” He asked. A bath?
I nodded, curious.
He tossed back the covers and swung his feet out onto the floor, turning and holding a hand to me. I took it, heaving myself out of the bed and following him to the bathroom. He opened the door with one hand and I immediately understood what he had meant.
In the middle of his bathroom a Jacuzzi tub was imbedded partially into the floor. He helped me over to it and we dipped our naked bodies beneath the rolling wave of jets.
He sat himself in a carved out seat, drawing me into his hips. I straddled him, enjoying the press of warm all around me. He pressed his lips to mine in a gentle kiss. “Better?” He asked, dipping into the water to scrub blood from my neck and chest.
I nodded, resting my head against him. “Much better,” I replied. It didn’t take long before we were in the throes of passion again and I wondered doubtfully if I could ever get sick of this.
After a time, we had both cleaned ourselves again and were drying. He walked back into the bedroom, producing a garment bag from his closet. He unzipped the bag revealing the black dress from the council meeting.
He laid the bag across his bed and turned to me, taking my hands. He stared deeply into my eyes. “I know you’re the guest of honor, but would you accompany me to your coronation ball?” He asked.
I could tell he was nervous. It was sketched into his shoulders. I smiled up at him, wondering if there were any rules that said we couldn’t, then deciding that I actually didn’t care. I nodded my head and he swept me into another kiss.
“I don’t have clothes here,” I gasped, realizing I’d have to walk of shame in front of my parents.
He smiled at me before producing a neatly folded pile of clothing. I started unraveling folds. The first outfit was an oversized wool sweater with a black long sleeve shirt and black leggings. It looked perfect and comfortable. I quickly sorted out a bra and pair of panties combination and shimmied them onto my still damp body. He was watching me appreciatively while donning his own clothes. He wore jeans this time but still had a smooth button up shirt.
I tugged on the leggings and shirt, pulling the sweater on. It dropped to just above my knees making I almost as long as a dress. It was every bit as warm as I’d hoped it would be. He also handed me a pair of dress socks and an adorable pair of black boots.
I gave him a questioning look, quickly pulling on my socks and shoes. “Who do I have to thank?” I asked him.
He looked down at the pile of clothes. “I think Kellic? I honestly don’t know. A servant brought them to the door earlier,” he replied.
I groaned. “I’m betting my dad sent them and if he did it means he knows that I stayed with you last night.”
He smiled at me, tying his shoes. “I’ve stayed with you before,” he supplied defensively.
“Yeah, out of need!” I exclaimed self-consciously.
He shrugged and pressed a feather light kiss to my lips. “You’re an adult and old enough to make your own decisions,” he provided, shrugging again.
He led me back out of his bedroom and to the front door, opening it for me.
“Where are we headed?” I asked.
“Your father’s office. He has something to tell us.”
Carson led me back through this maze of a house until we reached the door to my father's office. The door was propped open, and we could hear my father talking to someone. Carson rapped his knuckles on the door, opening it and ushering me in.
I entered. My father sat behind his desk, his form stiff. On the seat across from him was Anton. He was clutching a bloody, swollen cheek. He had what appeared to be a bullet wound through his chest. He was gasping for breath.
“Holy hell!” I gasped, lunging to his side. “What the hell happened? Are you okay?” He looked up to me, one eye swollen shut.
Damien cleared his throat behind me. I whirled. He gestured to the other seat. I fell back into it and Carson stood at my shoulders, close enough for me to feel his heat.
“Henrick Van Murg is officially an enemy of the realm,” Damien said. Carson’s gaze shot to him. Damien nodded. “He has disowned Anton and hadn’t intended to send him away alive. He is on the run. My troops are on his tail and intend to drag him back. Anton has advised us that he refused to obey some of his father’s wishes with regard to you,” he looked at me, “and he has something planned for you.”
A shiver went down my spine. Great. First my life was threatened, then I had an arranged marriage to look forward to, and now my father’s sort of arch enemy was literally out to get me.
“Also, your mother has made very clear that the accident we thought she had been killed in was only the aftermath of an attempt on your life. She and Gabrielle were kidnapped, not killed. Henrick orchestrated it all. He has been working with witches to hide your mother because of her abilities.” His hands were clenched into fists on his desk. “I need to keep you close for a bit, Kyra. Will you please stay here until it’s safe?” He asked, his rhythm measured carefully.
I appreciated my dad’s consideration. I was honestly surprised that he even bothered to ask. I was afraid of Henrick. I had seen my mother. And I knew what my worth was to him. I would take my father’s protection if he would give it.
I nodded. “I’ll stay.”
Relief flooded my father’s face. “And will you keep Carson with you at all times?” He was so serious. Did he not know how little of a problem that was?
“Okay,” I replied.
I reached for Carson’s hand to scare away the chill that had taken up residence in my spine. He grabbed me, leaning down to me the moment we touched. His eyes burrowed into mine. I could see in his eyes that he could sense my anxiety.
“I will protect you,” he said.
“I know,” I replied, taking a shaky breath.
“I’m glad that’s decided,” my father said, clearing his throat. “For coming forth, Anton is being housed as my guest at this time while his heirship is discussed.”
I glanced at Anton. He looked hurt, more than the wounds on his body. I felt for him. Henrick was a creep. He didn’t deserve this.
“Okay,” I chimed softly.
All three of them looked at me, surprised. They stayed frozen that way for a moment before falling back into conversation.
“How is Naomi?” Carson asked.
Damien flopped pained eyes in his direction. “She is doing better. She was always strong. We’re keeping her and Gabrielle to one wing until they get a good reserve of blood. We’d ha
te for someone to lose control and make a regretful mistake.” He folded his hands across the tabletop. “She is still recovering but would like to see the two of you.” He looked aside at me. “And I’d like her to take a look at you,” he said forming his hand like I had when I had wielded light. “In the meantime, Kellic mentioned catch up with you, my daughter. I will let you know if anything changes.”
I nodded while Carson helped me to my feet and guided me from the room. He led me down halls by my hand in comfortable silence. After a dizzying set of twists and turns, he opened a door. It contained a small foyer and another door. At this one, he knocked and scrambling from the other side led to Kellic swinging the door open from beyond.
Within the room Will was stretched over a couch, a bowl of popcorn in his lap. Kellic stood beside the door perusing me. She had a hand on one hip and was tracing my face. “Carson you can have a seat. Ky, will you help me get more popcorn from the kitchen?” I nodded, releasing Carson and parting ways.
He slid into the seat beside Will and they started quietly chatting about this game and that show. I followed Kellic down a long hall to a set of swinging doors. She pushed through them and stepped into an industrial kitchen, chrome countertops and shelves lining the room. She pulled a box of un-popped corn from one of the shelves, straightening the bag open. She plopped the first into the microwave, stabbing a popcorn button on the display.
She finally leaned back, crossing her arms over her chest and looking at me with a smirk. “How was your night?” She asked and I could see the thoughts churning beyond her eyes. She knew. Or she strongly suggested.
I sighed out a breath, “it was...incredible,” I gasped. Her eyes twinkled with excitement.
“Isn’t it something with these senses?” She asked, holding her hands at length like foreign objects. Then she turned to me. “Isn’t he something?” She inquired, gauging my face for a reaction.
The thought of him made me feel like melting. His spring green eyes and dark tousled hair, the stubble lining the edge of his chin, the warmth that constantly radiated from him, the way that he looked at me and could take my breath away in a glance. I smiled.
