by Austin, RB
“Cade?”
At her neck he inhaled then growled.
“Cade?”
His sucking slowed.
“I need—I can’t—” She whimpered. “It burns. I don’t know what—”
Cade lifted his head from her neck, his face blurry. Tears. Emma hadn’t realized they were falling. She blinked rapidly. Glowing eyes were filled with worry and confusion. His fangs were still extended, dark liquid on the tips. He leaned down and ran his tongue over her neck. She shuddered. Pleasure. Pain.
“Emma?” His voice was hoarse, muffled.
She couldn’t answer. Her moments of reprieve when he was at her neck vanished. The burn remained. A sob escaped before she snapped her mouth shut. Her eyes followed. She held her body as tight as she could, begging the god her mother used to pray to on a daily basis to make it stop.
“I know what to do.” He sounded like he was speaking under water.
Suddenly she was lying on the bed.
Bad idea. Find the edge. Have to stand. Edge. Stand.
"Lie still.” His voice was low, patient. “Let me help you.”
“Stand,” she panted. “I have to stand.” Emma made it to the edge and found it blocked. Frantic, she began to climb over him. “I need to stand. It burns. Burns.”
He put his hands on her waist, holding her. “No. Stop.”
Cade was hard under her. Edges of desire flickered. She scooted over the ridge in his pants.
Pleasure spiked. The burn reduced. Again. Cade groaned, his hands no longer binding, but urging.
In too short of time, the burn overrode the pleasure again. It wasn’t enough. She whimpered. Using his biceps as leverage she pushed to get up.
“Stop,” he said gently. “Let me help you.”
Tears re-wet the tracks down her cheeks. “I can’t. I have to stand,” her voice broke on a sob. “I have to make it stop.” But standing didn’t help. “Why won’t it stop?”
Air wafted across her body as her clothes disappeared. The air, though cooling, didn’t even touch the pain. She was back on the bed. The burn clawed up her throat. The searing pain spread to the tips of her fingers and toes. Emma curled on her side, knees drawn tight to her chest, rocking. “Stop, stop, stop.”
Cade pulled her arms from her legs. She pushed at his hands. The move was ineffectual and she was on her back a second later. Knees were pulled away from her chest. Two fingers drove inside her.
Her back arched. A shout ripped from her throat.
Cade stilled.
Emma opened her legs wider, reached down to grab his hand. “Don’t stop,” she groaned.
Slowly he removed his fingers and pushed them back in.
She cried in relief. Desire was building. The pain reducing.
“Emma?” He questioned.
“Fine,” she breathed. Why had he stopped? She moved her hips up and down on his still fingers. “Fine. Please. Feels. Good.”
His fingers disappeared. Her eyes flashed open. Then he was back. In between her legs. The blunt, thick head of his erection at her entrance. A slight pause before he thrust inside.
The most intense orgasm of her life ripped through her body. Pleasure speared and spread as Cade pumped. Stars burst behind her closed eyelids shooting the pain and burn away until it was only a distant memory.
Emma opened her eyes. Cade was above her, his gaze searching her face.
He exhaled, relief evident. “Are you okay?”
“Yes,” she whispered then closed the distance and kissed him.
His strokes began languid and the warmth inside of her bloomed. It was nothing like the burn from before. She banded her legs around his waist and encircled her arms around his back, holding him close as they kissed, as he swept his tongue across hers. He moved faster.
Another orgasm swept through her like a tide. A second later he shouted his own release.
Emma unhooked her ankles and let her legs fall to the bed. Her eyes fluttered open when Cade began to sweep the strands of sweaty hair from her face.
“I’d no idea that would happen.” His voice was low, his touch gentle as he stroked her cheeks.
“I know. It’s fine. I’m fine.”
He grimaced. “It’s not fine. You were in pain.”
“Next time—”
He was sitting on his knees in between her legs. “Next time?” Cade growled. “There won’t be a next time.”
Emma sat up, drew her fist back and let it fly into his chest. “Shut. Up. I won’t allow you to use me for another wave of I’m-such-a-horrible-person-I-did-a-bad-thing.” She recalled the pleasure firecrackering in her body. Then the intense agony. Like her organs were burning from the inside out. Holy shit that had been awful. But she knew what caused it and how to fix it. Emma grew warm just thinking about fixing it again. And having him take nourishment from her was the most erotic thing ever. “Next time.” Her eyes narrowed when he opened his mouth. “We’ll know what to do.” Reaching for his arm, she pulled until he lay next to her.
“I never expected,” he stopped. Shook his head. “Lucas and Gabriel never told me about the effects.”
“You'd never hurt me on purpose. I know that.”
“Your faith and trust is remarkable. And something I don’t deserve.”
“I disagree.”
He didn’t reply, only pulled the covers over their bodies, holding her tight against him. It's as if he never wanted to let her go.
Wishful thinking.
Cade woke to the sound of Emma’s soft breathing and her warm body pressed tight against his.
She sighed, shifted. The soft warm curve of her bottom rubbed against his hardening shaft. He controlled the urge to bury himself inside her and to take her vein.
Elias’s blood couldn't compare to the taste of Emma. Her blood gave him a different kind of power. He felt . . . alive. Filled with emotions he'd only known as a Follower.
At her neck he’d been fully conscious not to take too much. Cade believed the monster would consume all rational thought when he drank a Follower’s blood. It hadn’t happened. The moment he’d been aware of her pain he stopped.
He always viewed his Behn as a monster. A being inside him implanted by Elias blood.
Perhaps there was no monster, only himself.
Lucas sat across from Sarid in the conference room. Both of them were in patrol mode, wearing dark clothing with weapons strapped to their bodies. Another time he may have tried to engage his ach in conversation since they were alone but not today. An annoying mosquito buzzed in the back of his mind and it grew louder with every passing hour.
He wanted to find the son of a bitch who injured Gabe. His heart pounded in anticipation. Lucas palmed Gabe’s stars in his pocket.
Sarid regarded him closely. Lucas forced himself to relax, smile. His ach’s eyes narrowed, but he said nothing as Cade walked in the room.
Lucas glanced at Cade. Then did a double take.
“What happened to you?” Cade looked like he’d come from a ceremony with Elias. Was that a bounce in his step?
He expected to have to coerce Cade into taking blood again. Lucas imagined his leader would walk in with pale cheeks and lost strength. The Behn in front of him no way suffered from lack of blood.
Cade rounded the table. “What was that, Lucas?”
Lucas's eyes narrowed. Even the tone of his voice was different. What—Lucas paused. Of course. He glanced at Sarid, hoping for back up, but Sarid’s gaze was still on Lucas and appeared not to notice Cade or his changes. Anger surged without warning and he couldn’t stop the rumble climbing up his throat.
Cade’s gaze whipped to Sarid, appraising, body tense. When he realized Sarid was not embarking on another episode, he spun to Lucas.
�
��Lucas.” Cade’s voice was soft, soothing. “What’s up?”
The growl erupted from his throat. The low, menacing sound echoed through the room.
Cade held his hands in front of him, took a slow step forward. “It’s all right. You’re safe here.”
Lucas jumped up, muscles bulging underneath his shirt. “I’m not Sarid. Don’t talk to me like I’ve got a demon trapped inside me. I’m not weak. I’m not beyond control.” Through the glow in his eyes he saw Cade’s gaze flicker behind him
Lucas wasn't fast enough and Sarid’s arms encircled him in a tight, unbreakable bond.
“It’s all right. You’re safe,” Cade repeated, still advancing.
“Stop saying that.” Lucas growled, struggling to free himself from Sarid’s hold.
Cade placed his hands on Lucas’s face. Lucas whipped his head side to side. Cade’s grip tightened, fingertips digging into skin. His leader breathed with slow purpose.
With each long exhale Lucas felt the anger leave him. Unwillingly, his gift was absorbing Cade's transmitted peace. Deep inhale. Long exhale. Anger leaving. Again and again until he slumped forward, his head on Cade’s shoulder. Sarid’s arms were no longer restraining, but holding.
Another few minutes and Sarid relaxed his grip. Lucas sank into the chair his ach pushed behind him. Covering his still glowing eyes with his hands, he bent forward. It came on so fast and strong. He’d been a backseat driver to his emotions and the words that’d spewed forth.
“I’m sorry,” he croaked.
Cade’s hand rested on his shoulder. “Better?”
Lucas heard only concern in his leader’s voice. “Yes.” He shifted his gaze from Cade to Sarid who was still behind his chair. The words he’d hurtled at Sarid tore through him. Lucas winced and his remorse completely covered the lingering anger. “I’m sorry, ach. Please forgive me.” Throat tight, he practically choked on the words. He was the most in tune to what Sarid dealt with on a daily basis. Belittling him like that was unforgivable.
“You spoke the truth.”
Lucas rose on shaky limbs. “No Sarid. I—” The rest of his apology cut off as Sarid turned around.
“What happened?”
Lucas dropped his gaze from Sarid’s retreating form. “I don’t know,” he answered Cade.
“Don’t play with me.” The words were spoken softly. “Tell me what’s going on with you.”
“I felt anger.”
“Did you absorb it from someone?”
“Not from me,” Sarid’s reply was quick.
“No,” he concurred. “No one in the room.”
“When you were feeding?”
He hesitated then nodded.
“Has it been like this before?”
“Never.”
Cade’s brow wrinkled. “I don’t want you to patrol until this new side effect has been studied and is under control.”
His eyes widened. “No.” Lucas inhaled sharply and shoved his hands in his pocket, clutching the stars. When he spoke his voice shook with control. “I want to catch the one who did this to Gabe.” When Cade didn’t respond, “I’m the one who can identify him.”
“No.”
“Cade.” He followed him to his chair at the head of the table. “I’ve fought with this thing. I know his moves. I can take him down.”
“You’ll give a play by play of the alley and then I want a Norman Rockwell of this guy.”
A Norman Rockwell? WTF? “What are you talking about?”
Cade looked at him and then across the room to Sarid. Back to Lucas. “What?”
“A Norman Rockwell?” Lucas prompted. It was all he could do to keep a level tone. His fists clenched around the stars.
“You know, the famous illustrator. He painted Foll . . .” he trailed off. “Never mind. Just sketch the guy’s face, will ya?”
“It’d be easier, if I could just point him out to you.”
“You will not patrol.”
Lucas opened his mouth.
“I’m finished with this discussion, Lucas. Let’s begin the meeting.”
Fury brimmed as Cade turned away. Lucas was ready to unleash. Someone moved behind him. Sarid pulled out a chair, was offering it to him. The awful things he’d said echoed through his head again. He sat. Sarid lowered himself into the chair next to him.
Clutching the stars, he described the scene in the alley. Outlined the pertinent details up until Sarid's arrival. Lucas left out the pure evil he’d sensed coursing through the Uber Fallen’s body. His achs would too easily put two and two together and then be more determined to find this thing. He wanted to be the one to track down the UF. It would be his hands, his knife, that would end its life. Lucas squeezed his hand around the stars, the sharp points digging into, but not breaking, the skin. He couldn’t wait.
While Cade went into detail for the night’s patrol, Lucas began to sketch the UF’s image. He listened to the convo, putting to memory Cade and Sarid’s position. No big deal. Lucas would just avoid those areas.
In the back of his mind, he registered the fact that Cade’s plan was not the usual mantra they’d lived by the last century. They were taking the offensive position. Gabe would be ecstatic.
If his ach could be here. If Gabe hadn’t been injured. Almost died. If that mother fu—
“Lucas.”
He jolted.
“Are you finished with the drawing?” Cade was unable to mask his concern.
Lucas tore the page from the notebook. The image was a dead ringer for the UF in the alley even down to the crazy grin and sharp pointed teeth. His hands shook as he passed the paper off. Once free, he shoved them back in his pockets.
Cade studied the image for a moment before handing it to Sarid.
“You’re staying here.” Cade reaffirmed, his gaze assessing Lucas.
A few drops of lighter fluid spilled onto his dying flame of anger. Lucas dropped his gaze to hide it. Balling his fists in his pockets, he barely registered the pain as a star tip finally broke through the skin. The scent of blood drifted to his nostrils. “Of course,” he said as evenly as he could.
“I do this for your own protection.”
He raised his head. A moment of clarity sprang among the fury. Cade was concerned. If the anger’s hold wasn’t so deep and demanding, Lucas might have felt the same way.
In truth, he didn’t mind it much. It was a weapon. He’d do whatever necessary to avenge Gabe.
Cade’s concern grew as Lucas left the room. His ach’s tats were never so red before. “We need to learn how Lucas ingested this anger and how to remove it. Quickly.”
Sarid agreed. “He’s not use to handling that emotion.”
Cade picked up the image Lucas had drawn. “I want this UF found and destroyed. Tonight. We’ll split up to cover more ground, but I want to keep contact at all times.”
Sarid removed two black earpieces from his pocket. “With my enhancements these will receive and transmit within a fifty-mile radius and track our location.”
“Niiice.” Cade took one and placed it in his ear.
Sarid held out a palm-sized square black device. “I’ll give Jeeves the receiver.”
Cade left for his room. First, it was Emma and her infection from the poison on the Fallen’s knife. Next, came his unstoppable attraction to her. Third, a new and greatly improved UF wounded Gabriel. Now, Lucas was infected with something that converted him into a raving madman. The only unaffected, normal one was the deeply scarred ach with a real monster inside of him. If Lucas, the peacemaker of the Sept, was losing it they were going to be in a shit load of trouble.
Cade stopped outside Emma’s door, warring with the need to see her or to strap up and get to town. He'd be responsible for a change. A long, difficult
fight would calm him down.
A familiar, deep laugh boomed from behind her closed door.
Cade stilled.
Turned.
The bedroom door slammed open, crashing into the wall.
Emma jumped, she glanced at him, her eyes lighting with excitement.
He swiveled his gaze to Gabriel. Sitting. On. The. Bed. Right. Next. To. Emma. Growls erupted from his throat.
Eyes blinked. Glowed.
Mine.
Fangs extended.
Mine.
Gabriel’s grin faded. “We were—”
Cade was across the room, choking the rest of the words from Gabriel’s throat. Gabriel struggled, clawed at the hands wrapping his neck.
Mine.
Raising his arm, he lifted Gabriel from the bed and slammed him into the wall, his grip still secure.
There were screams. Sounds of heavy, running footfalls.
Gabriel’s face purpled from lack of oxygen. The scent of blood filled the room.
Mine.
A hand grabbed him from behind. It yanked on his neck. Cade growled viciously, tightened his hand around Gabriel’s neck.
Emma was in his line of vision. Tears streamed down her face. Mouth moved. Gabriel was behind her. Her face blocked his.
Her. Body. Pressed. Against. His.
Cade snarled.
She moved a half a step forward. Hands on his cheeks. Her warmth seeped into his skin. The growling subsided.
“Yes.” The words finally processed. “Yes. I’m yours.”
“Mine.”
“Yes,” she said. Emma stepped until her body rested on his. “Yours.”
His grip loosened. Gabriel inhaled, a small ragged breath. Cade growled, tightening his fist.
“Hold me, Cade,” Emma pleaded. “Please. I want your arms around me.”
The need to obey was instantaneous and he unclenched his hand. Gabriel started to fall forward. On. To. Emma. He punched his fist to Gabriel’s chest holding him to the wall.
Mine.
A snarl ripped from this throat. Cade punched again.
