by J. N. Baker
Stepping out of the castle and into the darkness that I knew was waiting for me, I closed my eyes, and I inhaled a deep breath of the salty ocean air. I found myself desperately wishing I could go for a swim as I used to do back in the States. Being so close to the ocean and not being able to go into it was starting to wear on me. Damn Baldric and all his fucked-up monsters.
A loud grunt caught my attention, and I followed the sound to the well-lit training grounds. There in the center of it were Josh and Felix, sparring. Shirtless. Sweat glistening on their bulging muscles. And…yum.
What did a girl have to do to get in on that action? With Josh, that was. He didn’t strike me as the sharing type, which was fine by me. I wasn’t looking for a harem. He was plenty enough man for me. The only one I wanted.
I thought about calling winner as I watched the two warriors battle it out, but I was fairly certain if Josh and I started sparring, it would quickly turn into wrestling, and then that would become hot, steamy sex right there in the middle of the snow-covered training grounds. No matter who was around to watch.
There’d be no stopping our fire, those floodgates being opened and all.
It was almost worth the risk. I hadn’t seen Josh since we’d gotten back from our little trip last night, and already I felt starved of his touch, that deep ache low in my belly building all over again.
The two men moved at lightning-fast speeds, exchanging blow for blow. Josh clearly had the advantage. He was faster—stronger—landing more blows than the vampire. That wasn’t to say that Felix wasn’t holding his own against his hybrid opponent, just as he’d done against Baldric. The guy clearly had age on his side. Age and a shit ton of muscle.
The vampire snarled, fangs extended as he tackled Josh. But by the time they’d hit the ground, Josh had flipped them so he was on top, landing a punch to Felix’s pretty face.
“Asshole,” Felix ground out, using his powerful legs to pry Josh off, kicking him back.
Both on their feet once more, the two men circled one another and Josh smirked, his own fangs catching the torch light. If I got Baldric to turn me, I’d have my own set of fangs. What would it be like to thirst for blood? To drink it? A shudder ripped through me at the thought.
And yet the idea of Josh biting me…
I squeezed my legs together to ease some of the mounting pressure building there as I watched the way Josh’s abdominal muscles flexed as he twisted to land another punch. I prayed no shifts came sniffing this way. It’d be hard to explain my arousal right about now. I mean, unless it was a female shift and she had eyes in her head. Any heterosexual woman who drew breath would admit this was a sight to behold.
“They are excellent fighters,” a deep voice said from beside me and the Chosen within me was the only thing that kept me from jumping out of my skin.
Baldric chuckled and I resisted the urge to punch him.
“Goddamn teleports,” I grumbled. “Should put bells on your asses.”
“That would take all the fun out of things,” he mused and then he turned toward the two fighters and called out, “I have winner.”
“Why isn’t he using his ability?” I asked Baldric, eyes glued to Josh. I really shouldn’t have been staring at him so openly, but I couldn’t help myself. He was an absolute beast. Both in and out of bed.
Thankfully, I managed to keep that thought inside my head.
“He likes to fight fair against his own during training,” Baldric replied, a hint of humor in his voice. “You could learn a thing or two from him in that regard.”
“More like I hold back so Felix doesn’t get his panties in a bunch,” Josh shouted our way, landing a kick to the vampire’s ribs. I could hear the crack from where I stood. “Besides, I don’t need my power to beat him.”
Felix snorted, wiping the blood from his mostly healed lip. “Pretty cocky for someone so young.”
Josh moved in a flash and Felix prepared to counter the blow once again. Only the blow didn’t come. At the last second, Josh sprang into the air, flipping over the vampire and grabbing his head on the way down. With a twist, Josh snapped Felix’s neck before he landed firmly back on the ground, Felix’s giant body crashing at his feet with a thud that shook the earth.
The bloodsucker groaned and Josh leaned over him with a grin. “Not cocky,” he told his temporarily-defeated comrade, patting the big man’s chest. “Just honest, my friend.”
Another groan left Felix’s lips, followed by a loud pop that I could only assume was his neck fusing back together.
Baldric’s eyes slid to me, his lips pulling up at the corner. “My turn,” he said, eyes never leaving mine. Reaching down, he yanked his signature long-sleeved shirt up and over his head, tossing it to the ground before striding into the center of the training grounds, that blackened sunburst between his shoulder blades flexing over layers of muscle. He didn’t have to hide his marking from me anymore, but seeing it still made me feel uneasy. The truth really was hard to swallow.
The self-proclaimed king stepped around Felix as the vamp dragged himself away one painful inch at a time. “No holding back now,” Baldric told Josh, who grinned in response.
“This should be interesting,” Felix said, grunting as he crawled to his feet at my side. “These two can go for days.”
Well, one of them can, I wanted to say. I knew firsthand the extent of Josh’s stamina. I bit my lip to keep from smiling as the memories came rushing back to me, filling my body with heat.
The two men wasted no time, charging toward each other. Josh dodged Baldric’s first blow, countering it with a right hook that missed completely because Baldric vanished into thin air. Again, damn teleports. Almost as unfair in a fight as…
Two more Baldrics surrounded Josh, all three coming at him at once.
A longsword shot out of one of the weapons racks, slamming hilt first into Josh’s open hand just in time for him to impale one of the three Baldrics in the chest. Ripping the blade free, Josh spun around, taking the head off the second Baldric, even as the third—the real—Baldric came at him from behind, wrapping his arm around Josh’s neck.
The ground beneath my feet started to tremble and I latched onto Felix’s arm, having horrible flashbacks of earthquakes and tsunamis and the end of the damn world. Yeah, I didn’t think I’d be getting over that anytime soon, big, bad Chosen or not.
Felix looked down at where I was clinging to his muscular forearm but didn’t say anything. He just winked at me before turning his attention back to the fight, like he couldn’t wait to see Josh get his comeuppance.
I forced myself to release the vampire, even as the earth started to roll under our feet, building in size as it moved toward Baldric and Josh.
Was Josh actually moving the ground?
The wave of dirt and snow zeroed in on Baldric but he saw it coming, relinquishing his hold on Josh rather than be hit.
“Not bad,” Baldric said from where he reappeared beside one of the weapons racks. “But still no match for me.” He snatched up one of the swords, giving it a test swing, before promptly disappearing again.
The king reappeared directly in front of Josh, their two swords clanging together violently. Baldric pushed Josh back with each powerful blow, bearing down on him with one thousand years of power and experience until sweat was dripping down Josh’s face and his arms were shaking. But, to Josh’s credit, he didn’t yield.
As they neared the edge of the training grounds, where land met sea, Josh spun away from Baldric, Baldric’s blade slicing through his back as he did. Seeing Josh’s blood splattered across the snow made lightning sizzle to the surface of my hands, burning my palms as it itched to break free.
Josh was capable of handling himself, I reminded myself. He didn’t need me to protect him, just like I didn’t need him to protect me. But that didn’t stop my innate need to destroy anyone who laid a hand on what was mine.
Josh dropped down to his knees, swiping up with his sword and bringing it across the b
acks of Baldric’s thighs. Deep enough to kiss the bone without actually removing yet another limb from his body. As the would-be king stumbled, Josh used his ability to yank the sword from Baldric’s fingers, claiming it for himself.
Once again, Baldric flickered out of existence, giving Josh the time that he needed to jump to his feet. Josh did a slow circle, swinging both swords as he awaited the inevitable return of his opponent. We all knew there was no way Baldric would walk away from this fight. His age, not to mention his ascension, gave him a clear advantage. There was no equal match for Baldric…yet.
“I do not need a blade to defeat you,” Baldric’s voice called from the darkness and Josh spun toward it, raising one of the swords to strike. But there was no one there.
Suddenly, both weapons were ripped from Josh’s hands, clattering on the ground thirty feet away. Baldric reappeared on Josh’s back. He sandwiched Josh’s head between his metal hand and his real one, his dark eyes meeting mine.
“No!”
I hadn’t realized I’d shouted until the word had already left my lips.
Baldric smirked and then snapped Josh’s neck, letting his limp body fall to the ground.
Felix clapped and roared beside me. Someone was clearly happy with karma. “Nicely done, my king!” he shouted, stroking an ego that clearly didn’t need any stroking.
Healing faster than a regular vampire, Josh was already pushing to sit and Felix was there to lend him a hand up.
“Payback is a bitch, brother,” Felix said with a deep rumbly laugh, clapping Josh on the shoulder.
Baldric headed in my direction, scooping up his shirt along the way. “Did you like what you saw, my dear?” he asked, his eyes alight with mischief. There was no way he hadn’t heard me cry out. Shit.
“It was a good fight,” I told him, keeping my voice level. “Though I find I’m getting rather sick of so much violence.”
“So it would seem.”
“I am going to go for a walk,” I told him, eyes drifting in the direction of the ocean. “I’ll be back later.”
“Of course” was all he said and a chill crept down my spine.
As I started walking away, I could feel Baldric’s heavy gaze on my back.
His and Josh’s.
I couldn’t get out of Baldric’s kingdom fast enough, not stopping until I was to the small patch of forest Josh and I had come to before. Only then, surrounded by trees and cloaked in darkness, did I feel like I could breathe.
How could I have been so stupid, shouting out like that. Josh would heal—I knew he’d heal. But I couldn’t help myself.
“Fucking idiot,” I grumbled, scrubbing my hands over my face. At least I hadn’t called out his name. Counting those blessings and all.
I was sure it would be fine. Baldric believed Josh didn’t remember me, even if I remembered him. He’d likely chalk it up to me not wanting to see my old friend with his head facing the wrong direction. Who the hell would want to see that?
Still, I needed to be more careful. Maybe it would be best if I steered clear of Josh in public outside of our “family” dinners. Though that thought alone sent a pang through my chest. I was pretty sure the night we’d spent together had only strengthened the pull between us—solidified it. It felt like being apart from him now would simply kill me.
I leaned against one of the tall trees, letting my head rock back as I breathed in deeply. If I imagined hard enough, I could still smell Josh’s scent lingering in the air. It comforted me, soothing my frantic thoughts until my mind was instead consumed with thoughts of him. His hands sliding down my body, breath hot against my neck, fangs dancing over my bare flesh, deep voice whispering in my ear.
Burn with me.
A rustle in the brush behind me was all it took to temper the fire that had started building low in my stomach.
I whipped around, eyes scanning the darkness for movement. I half expected Kaziel to step forward. Just as I was about to call out for the creature, a pair of hands grabbed me from behind, one wrapping around my middle and the other clamping over my mouth.
Heat exploded within me.
With that one touch, my whole body felt like it had burst into flames. Only one being could burn me so good.
I spun around in the dark forest, throwing myself into Josh’s arms and yanking his lips down to mine. His fire coursed through me, building as he lifted me off my feet. My legs automatically wrapped around his middle, grinding my core against the rock-hard bulge in his pants. Josh slammed my back into the nearest tree and I moaned, rocking my hips into his once more.
“You’re driving me crazy, woman,” he growled against my lips. “Ever since last night, all I can think about is being inside you again. I paced my room the entire night, thinking of nothing else but you. Your body writhing beneath mine, these sinful lips crying out my name. And then to catch you watching me train…I nearly came right there.”
“Take me,” I breathed, digging my nails into his still-shirtless shoulders. “I need you.”
And I meant it. I needed him like I needed air—or like I used to need air when I was still human. Being around him, it both calmed me and brought me to life. His presence soothed me while setting my entire world on fire. He made me stronger while reminding me what it was to be human. To be my old self—the self he still saw when he looked into my eyes.
Dropping my feet to the ground, Josh’s body molded to mine, pinning me to the tree as he claimed my mouth in a carnal kiss that left me panting and aching for more. He leaned away from me just enough for his deft fingers to make quick work of my pants, unbuttoning and shoving them down to my ankles. Returning the favor, I reached for the top of his pants, popping open the button and unzipping them, his large erection springing free between us.
His fingers found their way between my legs, dipping into my slick folds. “So ready,” he groaned.
Josh’s hands moved to my thighs, hoisting me up once more so that my legs came around him. He pressed me into the tree trunk as he lined himself up with my entrance.
He eased into me, filling and stretching me in the best ways. I tightened my legs around him, pulling him in deeper until the base of his cock brushed against my clit, the contact sending sparks shooting behind my eyes. Pulling out almost all the way, he slammed back into me, making my head rock back into the tree.
“More,” I whispered and he happily obliged. Josh pumped in and out of me, each long stroke taking me higher and higher as he continued to bump against my sensitive nub.
He placed a chaste kiss to my mouth before his lips traveled over my jaw and down my neck, lingering there. His breath was hot against my flesh, kicking my already rapidly beating pulse into overdrive. Josh continued to pound into me, the distinct sound of his fangs elongating filling my ears.
“Bite me.”
The words were out of my mouth before I realized I’d said them.
Josh’s head shot up, his eyes finding mine. He wanted it, I could see how badly he wanted it, but he’d never ask that of me. Only, I found I wanted it too. I wanted him in me in every sense of the word.
“Do it,” I told him. “I trust you.”
He oh-so-slowly dipped his head down, pressing his lips to the side of my neck, right over my fluttering pulse. I shuddered, anticipation and need coursing through me.
“Please…” I breathed.
Rearing back only slightly, Josh plunged his fangs into me and the brief moment of pain was quickly replaced by unimaginable pleasure. I screamed out his name, blindsided by the orgasm that ripped through me. Pulsing around his hard cock, I continued to ride the powerful wave of my orgasm, the intense pleasure only growing with each pull of my blood that Josh took. It was like my artery was a direct line straight to my pussy.
Holy. Shit.
I was seeing stars. Josh was giving me the heavens back.
He moaned against me before retracting his fangs from my flesh. “So damn good.”
Josh pistoned in and out of me with a pr
imal need that had my body sprinting to the top of that glorious cliff once more. As if he could feel my need, he held me up with one hand, his other hand coming between us to brush against my throbbing clit. And that was all it took to send me spiraling into bliss once more, taking Josh with me as he found his own release, growling my name as he emptied himself inside of me.
His forehead fell against mine as his thrusts slowed, our heavy breaths mingling together, the only sound in the darkness. Josh slowly slipped out of me and I could feel his essence trailing down my thighs as my feet dropped back down to Earth, marking me as his.
He put a hand under my chin, drawing my eyes up to his as he dragged his thumb across my lips. “Be mine forever.”
I kissed his thumb and nodded. “Forever.”
And forever wasn’t nearly long enough. Not with Josh. I wanted eternity and more.
Josh scooped me into his arms, holding me against him as he sat on the forest floor. My head fell against his shoulder and I wondered how many times in our lives he’d held me like this. With our clothes on, that was. We’d come so far and there was no turning back now.
“I almost screwed up with Baldric,” I told him, once again thinking about shouting out during their sparring match.
He stroked my back rhythmically and my eyes drifted closed. “I heard. But it’ll be fine. He didn’t seem to suspect anything when I last saw him.”
“But what about next time?” I asked, shifting in his lap so I could meet his eyes. His cock twitched under me. “It’s harder to be around you now. I know you feel it too,” I added, rocking against his growing erection as if to prove a point.
“I know,” he whisper-groaned. “The sooner we kill William, the better. Then we can be free of all this. Then you’ll be mine completely.”
I sighed. “I don’t think he’s going to kill William right away—if ever. Baldric is blinded by his need for revenge. He wants William to suffer. He doesn’t want to end this yet; he doesn’t want to give up control. He thinks he deserves to rule.”
“Then let him,” Josh shocked me by saying. He held me to him as I tried to get off his lap. “Look, no matter what Baldric says, we will make sure William dies. This damn war and endless night will end. And then who cares if Baldric wants to keep his title. Those who want to follow him can. He takes care of his people, some of whom likely wouldn’t be able to take care of themselves otherwise. Let him rule this little corner of the world.”
