“I will be a fool for no man. I am a warrior …”
Our love was true. Hearing her words as she broke down outside of the door had given me a hope so great that it kept me hanging on. Aetas couldn’t be me. He could hold my appearance, he could pretend by his actions, by mine and Tessa’s souls were intertwined so deeply that no matter where I was, she’d be drawn back to me. And maybe she thought she was spilling her worries to our leader, but in truth, it was me she was speaking to. Her despair was for me. For our missing bond and for the absence of my true self. She was mourning the loss of the one she was meant for. And me, I was grieving as well.
A loud grunt left my lips and my jaw snapped together. The ache caused my body to convulse against the restraining surfaces that kept me trapped. How long had I technically been dead? A month? Longer? Time didn’t exist. The gaps in reality came whether I was awake or asleep. My mind was shutting down, breaking from the torment brought on by the hum of the machine and the silence that accompanied every passing second.
“Ae-tas.” My weak voice had me reaching within to scream his name louder—clearer. “Aetas!”
How many times had I yelled that name? For how many days now?
Minutes went by and again I began the yelling. Light blinded me and for a moment I thought I had finally crossed over. The shock of my death quickly faded as a snarl tore through the room. Tears stung my eyes at the sensitivity and I blinked repeated, trying to see through the blur that had taken over my sight. No matter how many times I tried to make my vision come in clear, the face before me, my face, wouldn’t sharpen to my regular sight.
“You wake me from a most pleasurable sleep. Why are you so weak?”
My mouth opened, only to snap shut again. Blurry brown eyes narrowed down at me and what I was sure was concern flashed on my features—Aetas’ new features.
“This isn’t right,” he whispered, messing with the tube on the side of the throat. “The blood is too weak for you. Impossible. You cannot be growing so strong already.”
I tried lifting my arm, but only managed a few inches before it fell again. Yes, I was so weak.
Warmth began to swarm in my core and I felt the powers that had been absent for so long, begin to return. The enclosed casket cut me off from my true self, somehow, but now … like this, I was returning. More hope. It had the anxieties easing. If I could be free of this enclosed space, I would eventually get better. I wasn’t doomed like I had assumed I might if I ever got free.
“Here. Drink.” Aetas cut into his wrist, placing it against my mouth. Ravishingly, I sunk my fangs into his skin. He winced, groaning as I greedily swallowed him down. The blood was like a breath of fresh air. The correction to my sight was almost immediate. And I was moving, drawing my knees toward my chest as I moaned through the simple pleasure of being able to do so.
“The queen is able to sleep, again,” Aetas said, smiling. “She’s starting to take to me. Her arms hold me at night and she sleeps with her face in my neck. Even though I tried, I could never imagine how that felt. The small things, they are so much greater than most know. Her bond is to Hunter, and he holds her from the other side, but she always turns to me. Me, Marko.”
I wanted to argue, to say something to wipe that expression off of his face, but I couldn’t. My hunger left me glued to his wrist.
“Her sadness is still present, but even it fades. Time has a way of doing that. Of changing things.” His eyes moved down to stare mindlessly at the ground as he continued. “I thought I had loved her before, but I knew nothing. It’s strange how fast the emotion grows. A little time passes and I look back now,” his head did a quick shake, “the difference is almost shocking. Love. It does things to us. Opens places inside, both good and bad.” His gaze returned to me. “I feel myself getting jealous of my creation. I thought myself incapable, yet Hunter’s presence is beginning to wear on me. I don’t understand it. I need him for my future plans, yet I plot ways to kill him anyway.”
All I could do was watch as I focused on the heat building within. I still wasn’t strong enough to overpower him and escape, and I wasn’t about to risk it. But if I could let it grow. If he came back to feed me more … maybe eventually …
“I was so sure of my plan. There were no questions, just actions. This love for Tessa, it’s starting to affect my judgement. The moment I gave myself to her mentally, something happened. And it grows. She’s all I can think about. I want her in ways I can’t even begin to describe.” He glared. “And that brings me back to Hunter. To his growing love of her.”
My eyebrows drew in and Aetas jerked him arm back. I took deep breaths, relishing in the burn that was no longer present in my throat.
“What will you do?”
He grabbed the heavy marble. Panic had my arm shooting out, but he easily pushed me back down. “What I always do—whatever I want.”
Chapter 19
Aetas
The bedroom appeared before me as I felt myself materialize. Hunter was wrapped around the back of Tessa, kissing her neck. Small sounds left her in her sleep and her hips arched as consciousness beckoned. Jealousy swept through my veins as I stared ahead, watching her lips part. The covers rose as Hunter’s hand slid up from her waist to stop chest-level. I could see his fingers moving, no doubt caressing her breasts. Teasing her nipples.
My energy flared and his head lifted. When his eyes met mine, he grew still.
“Leave us.”
The volume of my voice had Tessa’s eyes fluttering open. Hunter only paused for a moment before his features tightened and he threw back the covers, leaving the bed. He reached over, grabbing a pair of jeans and pushed his legs through angrily. He didn’t say a word as he left the button undone and stalked from the room. When the door slammed shut, I turned my attention back to Tessa. She was trying to get a read on me, but I didn’t allow her the chance as I began to remove my clothes.
For nearly a week, I let her adjust to this new me I was suddenly becoming. I took things slow, gave her attention and affection without crossing the line and rushing her. But I couldn’t wait anymore. I wanted her to the point that it was driving me crazy. Marko’s need of her was my own and I was impatient to sate this passion that was stronger than any amount of hate I currently harbored.
“I dreamt of you.” Her words were husky as I pulled back the satin and climbed in the bed with her.
“Was it a good dream?”
My hands were already pulling her closer, bringing her underneath me. She didn’t get a chance to speak as my lips massaged into hers.
I moaned, slipping my tongue in deep to taste her. Silk slid between my fingers while I gripped to her thick hair. Fuck, I was falling…falling for her hard. The tug I gave had her breaking away in a gasp.
“It was good. I found you. You were missing.”
“Missing? But I’m right here.” I kissed her again, sliding my hard cock against the wetness of her pussy. Tessa’s hands gripped into my back, squeezing my flesh as I continued a slow rhythm against her folds. “Don’t you feel me? Can you not see how far I have come after this last week?” I changed to French. It felt natural. Right, with us. “Do you not see my love for you? It grows so fast and strong.”
“I do,” she answered in our language. “I wasn’t sure it was still there, but it’s coming back. You’re returning to me just as Hunter said you would.”
“No more talk of him. Kiss me.”
Tightness met my cock as I nudged into her entrance. The warmth drove me deeper until I felt her stretch around me. Blood tinged my mouth. The pleasure was more than I was prepared for. I paused, withdrawing, only to plunge forward through my greed to have more.
Stinging sliced into my back as Tessa’s nails dug into my skin. My hips rotated and I thrust, moaning through the victory of finally being inside of her. Finally having her like I had longed for since she’d come to me, dead from Hunter’s dagger. Her powers and beauty had entranced me then, but as they grew, so did my obsession
to include her in my plans. But I never saw this happening. How could I? I had never felt real love before.
“Marko.” She was moving against me faster, kissing along my neck as I relished in her scent and energy. They were peaking. Already, she was so close to an orgasm. From me.
I pushed into her deeper, testing her energy with my own. I wanted to make this good for her. Better than Marko ever had.
Cautiously, I merged our powers, easing mine into her as I continued to keep a leisurely pace. Deep breaths filled the room as she clutched to me and I felt her body throw off a wave of heat. I kept the pulses light, hoping she was too far gone to notice. It would resemble what I did the night of the coronation and if she caught on to that, I wasn’t sure how she would react.
“Faster,” she moaned. “Harder.”
“You don’t need that, you need me.”
I drove down, letting my fangs break through her skin with just enough bite to have her sucking in air. Venom oozed from my fangs and her response to the potency of my poison was automatic. Screams tore from her throat and her back tried to bow under my weight.
Sweet blood pooled into my mouth, hardening my cock so much that it ached with the most pleasurable agony. The screams were still coming as her body spasmed through the waves of release. I soaked them into my brain, nestling them in securely for the future. I wanted to remember everything about this moment. Our moment.
“So strong,” she breathed out. “So … good.”
A smile wanted to come. Instead, I let a little more flow from me. She clawed across my back, moving wildly beneath me.
“Oh yes. Yes.”
My thrusts increased and within seconds she was screaming and thrashing through the orgasm again. I broke away, licking over her neck as I pushed the top half of my body up. I grabbed her ankles widening her legs so I could watch where we were joined. My pulse thumped hard in my chest and I couldn’t breathe through the sight.
Too many dreams. Too many fantasies. But this was real. My plan concerning Tessa’s part had really worked. I had her, and Marko was out of the picture for good.
My eyes shot up to hers. Her lids were heavy from passion and her full lips were separated as she took deep breaths from her mouth.
“So beautiful. You love me, yes? Tell me, ma minette. Let me hear you say it.”
Dark lashes fluttered as her arms lifted to press on the headboard. Her back arched and I groaned loudly as she pushed down to sink to the base of my cock.
“I love you.” Her hips rotated while I kept still, watching her fuck me. Watching her use the sway of her hips to guide her pussy up and down my length. “I love you,” she repeated again, circling her hips again. “I love you.”
Faster, she moved, pushing from the headboard with ever rotation. And me … I was frozen with captivation. With this new love I was drowning in. Even I couldn’t have imagined this. It left me wanting to do something for her. Something so grand that it forced her to love me more.
“I want to taste you. I want us to be bonded again. You are missing from me. I can’t bear it any longer, Marko.”
The pain that swept over her face didn’t compare to the sudden shattering of my own. Bond. Yes, to be truly bonded. Then we’d be in love forever. She’d be mine for real.
But it was impossible. I was tied to Marko. Her blood wasn’t strong enough to overpower his. Especially now that he’d strengthen from our connection. The longer he and I were linked, the more we were doomed to stay that way.
I leaned forward, trying not to be hesitant as I lowered my weight back over her. Our special time was about to be ruined. She’d taste how much Aetas’ blood had taken over Marko’s. Or that’s what she would assume since she was really tasting me to begin with. Still, I dreaded what was about to happen. We wouldn’t tie, and she’d be devastated all over again. And me, I’d be upset as well.
Tessa’s hands on my neck drew me down for a kiss. The soft brush of her lips had my lids lowering with longing.
“Your turn to tell me that you love me.”
I met her eyes, caught unaware as I detected suspicion within her depths.
“I love you,” I breathed out. “I do love you,” I assured.
“I believe you. “ She drew me down again, adding more pressure this time with her kiss. When she worked her way across my cheek and ran her tongue over my neck, I relaxed and waited for her bite, but it didn’t come. “That’s why I am going to ask this of you, my love” she whispered in my ear. “Bring our people back to headquarters. Stop the war now and let us go back into hiding. Make the humans forget about us. You can do it. I know you can.”
Fangs sung into my neck painfully and I winced as I locked up on top of her. Did she know? Did Tessa suspect?
The draws on my vein were slow—calculated. As if she were reading and studying everything there was about what made up my blood. The need to growl, to stop her because of my guilt was there, but she’d only be more suspicious if I did. Instead, I slammed my cock into her. Once I started, I didn’t stop. Her poison was stronger than I expected. It was growing and it egged me on, causing me to pound into her with brute force. She broke from my neck gasping and I took the opportunity to crush into her mouth. She didn’t know the truth, and even if she did suspect, I would win her over. She would love me in the end. I knew she would, because I was Marko, and deep down, I knew that’s where her heart was.
Chapter 20
Tessa
Sweat dripped down my face as I gathered my powers and projected it toward the shield Marko held up across the room. We’d been going at it for hours now, and not just the lessons. We had literally been arguing the entire time.
He refused to bring our people back. He said we were okay. That the fighting between us and the humans would calm now that they’d had their victory. He told me to trust him. Trust him. I trusted no one anymore. I would show him what was expected of me. I would play the game of loving queen trying to mend her broken ties with her mate. But inside, I was seething. Impatient and enraged at his decision.
“Again.”
A yell filled the room as I took my anger out on his shield. A shield I didn’t seem to affect, whatsoever. Aetas. His blood had turned my Marko more into him than anything. I hated him. So then why did I long to go back to The City of the Dead?
“Again.”
I spun on Marko, trying to catch my breath. “I am finished.”
“You are not. You must get stronger.” He paused. “Do you want to bond with me, again? If so, you must heal the damage that has been done. The only way is to exercise your gifts. This is therapy, ma minette. Now continue.”
My lips pressed shut as I reached inside of me and put everything I had toward the invisible force. The slightest glimmer surfaced along the wall and I cast him a quick glance. His eyes narrowed and he nodded.
“You peaked. That’s as strong as you’re going to get with that skill. Try something different. When you begin, only focus on the warmth in your core. Try to force as much of your powers through as you can.”
I turned my back to him, facing the shield, again. I hated how much like Aetas he was. When Marko and I tested our skills, we never singled each other out. We did everything together—merged our gifts. Apparently we didn’t anymore.
A bead of sweat ran down my temple and I wiped it away. My eyes closed and darkness engulfed me for only a moment before Marko’s face flashed before my eyes. It wasn’t of him now, but of when I rushed to his cell. At the time I had just turned into a vampire and I didn’t remember him, but the expression he held. The fascination merged with pain. It had my heart becoming heavy. It was almost as if he were a different person than the one who held onto those bars so long ago.
When he reached for me …
On instinct, I felt my hand lift. I hadn’t went to him then, but now, I wanted to.
To turn back time. Yes. I would suffer through Sayer’s rapes all over again to go back and change things. I would have been more careful aro
und Hunter. Protected his human emotions better so he wouldn’t have ever tried to kill me. I would have never of met Aetas. Marko would be the same. We could have been happy, and Hunter, perhaps the three of us could have come together somehow.
I opened my lids knowing I was deluding myself. It wouldn’t have turned out that way. Not with Hunter anyway. I was who I was. A killer, and I liked shedding blood. Vampire lives weren’t meant to merge with humans. Not as friends, only as food and foe. Fuck, we needed to get our people back.
Black fog swirled around my palm, waiting. For what I wasn’t sure. I was open, but I didn’t have anything in particular that I wanted to do. Everything I had learned to this point I already had perfected. And I couldn’t do what Marko had done. Although his blood was still thickly in me, our bond was broken … and wasn’t returning anytime soon.
Tears resurfaced. Aetas. His blood was so strong in Marko that I knew it could be years, decades even, before it faded enough for me to rebond to my mate. What if we didn’t make it that long?
I turned, taking in my mate’s questioning expression. The fog swirled between us in my hand and once again I was in limbo. Nothing new came. I was missing something, but what was it?
My lips parted as Hunter entered my mind. I’d been so focused on Marko’s gifts that I didn’t even take into account what I’d inherited from bonding to Hunter. He had Aetas’ blood. I now had Aetas’ blood in me as well.
I looked back at the fog, smiling as I began to make it thicken and grow like a curtain around me. Outside of my space, I could feel Marko’s curiosity. His energy was surging and I let my own work its way toward him. When I didn’t get stopped, I continued, trying my best to stay undetected as I pushed into his unprepared mind. I didn’t make it far before I hit a subconscious wall.
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