by Bethany Shaw
“It didn’t work for some reason, and you’re ignoring my question,” she said, slapping her hand on the windowsill. If he thought he could derail her, he’d find himself sorely mistaken.
“All the more reason for us to work on your magic,” Zak told her as he set the towel down and walked to the fire. He knelt next to the fire before tossing a log on top of the glowing embers and watching the flames as they rose.
He wasn’t going to give her an answer. Cadence covered her face with her hands and let out a breath. Was it worth fighting over? He’d already said he didn’t mean it like she’d taken it. But she couldn’t help feeling that his words did mean something – to him and Oliver. Maybe she could come back to it.
“Why didn’t Oliver know I was a witch? I thought you guys could sense that.” After pushing off the wall, she strolled to the bed and sank onto the mattress.
"The necklace," he said. "I had Serena spell it."
"Why?"
Zak stood up and whirled around, stalking toward her. "To keep you safe."
"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked. Some of her anger subsided. He’d had a necklace spelled just for her?
"I don't know,” he said. “I didn't know how you would react. I was trying to keep you safe, Cadence. Obviously if Oliver didn’t know you were a witch, it’s working.”
“I don’t suppose you’re going to comment anymore about the mine thing,” she wondered as she dragged her hands over the silky bedding.
“There isn’t anything else to say,” he said with a shrug. But his eyes didn’t quite meet hers.
Cadence blew out a breath and stood up. He was lying, and they both knew it.
“It’s getting late. Are you hungry?” he asked, changing the subject yet again.
“No.”
“I’m going to go ask Francis for a bite to eat.” Zak chuckled at his own joke.
Cadence rolled her eyes. “Leave that poor old man alone. Here.” She thrust her wrist out toward him without thinking. What am I doing? I shouldn’t be offering myself up to him like it's no big deal.
Letting Zak feed from her was dangerous. What if he did hurt her? She sighed, letting out a long breath. That would never happen. He enjoyed it as much as she did. There was something euphoric and erotic about him drinking her blood. She craved the sensation. Her heart sped up as anticipation floated through her.
Zak eyed her wrist and licked his lips. “Thanks, but no thanks.”
Cadence dropped her hand to her side. She swallowed her disappointment as she eyed him. Something was wrong with him. He was being evasive, and he refused to drink from her. She shouldn’t care that he was putting distance between them, but damn it, she did.
“You’re acting strange, even for you,” she said, raising a brow at him in question.
“What is it you want me to say, Cadence?”
She opened her mouth and closed it. What did she want him to say? “I...”
“Well?” he prompted, taking a step toward her.
His tongue slipped out of his mouth, wetting his lips again. Cadence closed her eyes and swallowed as heat charged through her.
The floorboards creaked as Zak took another step, leaving mere inches between them. “Tell me what it is you want,” he demanded.
Her heart pattered against her ribs, and her blood roared in her ears as she pried her eyes open to meet his gaze. She lunged forward, capturing his lips with hers. I want you. Only you. Cadence trembled at the thought, but it didn’t change the way she felt.
Zak whipped her around. Within seconds, he had her pressed against the wall. He pinned her with his body... then broke the kiss.
“I’m tired of this game, Cadence,” he said as he nipped at her mouth. “I’ve never let anyone do the things you do. I want you in my bed every night and there the next morning.” He pulled away again. “No more games.”
“Zak,” she breathed, moving forward to touch his lips.
“Say it, Cadence,” Zak said. He pressed his forehead against hers as he held her gaze.
Cadence inhaled his scent. This was crazy. She should shove him away and forget whatever this was, but she couldn’t. Nor did she want to. “No more games,” she whispered. What was she getting herself into? He hadn’t requested a relationship, but this was more than just sex.
“Good.” Zak’s lips found hers.
His fingers went to her chest, grasping the bodice of her dress and tearing it down the center.
Cadence trembled as she wriggled out of the shredded garment, letting it pool around her waist. He pulled back and shoved the dress down. She stepped out of it, leaving herself completely bare to him.
She reached out and fumbled with the buttons of his shirt. Why did apparel have to be so difficult in this time period?
Zak pulled back as he removed her fingers from his shirt. He tore the top and let the tattered remains flutter to the floor. His lips nuzzled her collarbone. Then he peppered kisses down her skin so he could take one of her breasts into his mouth while his fingers tiptoed down her belly to her core.
Cadence hissed, grasping his shoulders as he sank his fingers inside her. She dug her nails into his shoulders and held on as he pumped in and out. Her panting made her chest heave, and Zak took full advantage as he pricked her breast with his fangs.
A scream bubbled up her throat, but it only came out as a squeak. Zak increased his thrusts as he licked the spot he’d bitten. His lips crept up her body, and he captured her lips again. He swirled his tongue around hers, caressing it. Her blood lingered on his mouth, and she groaned at the taste. What was he doing to her? It should have terrified her, but she wanted more.
Zak withdrew his fingers from her apex. She whimpered at the loss of contact, and then shivered as she forced air into her lungs. Her eyes darted to his pants, which his hands worked to undo. The pants slid down his muscular thighs, and his erect member jolted to attention.
She reached out for it, but he stopped her, wrapping his hand around her wrist and pinning it to the wall above her head. She hooked one of her legs around his thigh as his other hand went to his cock and guided it to her center. He ran the tip up and down her folds before plunging inside.
Cadence gasped as he filled her, stretching her wonderfully. The hand that had been on his cock went to her clit. He flicked her sensitive bud, and she cried out as pleasure consumed her.
Zak continued his ministrations as he continued to kiss her. There was something primal about the way he thrust against her as if he were claiming her. Mine, she thought. I wouldn’t mind being his if this is what it means.
Part of her knew she shouldn’t be forming an attachment to him. He was her enemy. Their truce would end once they got home. But how could she ignore whatever this was?
Zak’s teeth grazed her lip. Blood. Her blood flowed between their lips. She groaned at the taste of it, unable to focus on anything but the pleasure Zak was giving her. He increased his rhythm, moving his thumb against her clit in time to his thrusts. His hand gripped her pinned wrist tighter as she used her free hand to grasp his toned ass. She kneaded the flesh, enjoying the way it moved beneath her fingers as he moved inside her.
“Let go, Cadence,” he breathed against her lips while flicking her bundle of nerves.
“Zak... I...” she croaked.
He pushed into her harder, sending her teetering over the edge with his name on her lips. She clutched to him for support as wave after wave of pleasure ran over her. Her knee gave out, but he caught her, supporting her weight as he moved inside her. Once. Twice. Thrice, and he shuddered, stiffening against her as his orgasm consumed him.
He placed soft kisses to her mouth as he released her wrist. His hands threaded through her hair, pulling her close. “I’m not done with you yet, Cadence.”
Her breath caught and she shivered as he lifted her up with his already hardening cock still buried within her. He was consuming her body and soul. She didn’t want to stop it, even though she should.
***
Zak could tell the exact moment Cadence woke. Her breathing changed, and her legs moved beneath the covers. Her back was to him; her long, flowing, sandy blonde locks tickled his nose every time he drew in a breath. His eyes narrowed as he wondered what she would do.
Would she try to sneak out? Go back to sleep?
He’d never experienced a morning after sex before. There had never been anyone he wanted to see again... to make love to again. Cadence was different – special. She was his. Until their encounter with Oliver yesterday, he hadn’t realized what was happening. The second he’d uttered the word mine, he knew. This thing with Cadence was more than just infatuation. Now that he thought about it, the signs had been in front of his face since the moment he’d laid eyes on her. Never in a thousand years did he imagine he would bond to someone.
It wasn’t right to bite her again knowing now that they were forming a bond, but he couldn’t help himself. Last night had been a defining moment for them. The pull to her was intense and consuming, more powerful than he’d ever thought possible.
Bonding for vampires was rare, but he’d never dreamed it possible between a witch and a vampire. The more blood they shared, the stronger their connection would become. Cadence felt the pull to him too – to some degree. He didn’t know if it was as intense as it was for him. Could he confide in her about the bond? What would she do?
He closed his eyes and opened them. Telling her was the right thing to do, but what if she rejected it? Part of her still viewed him as the enemy. If he confided in her now, it would drive them further apart. No. He’d wait. He was an Original vampire, for Christ’s sake. If anyone could suppress the gnawing hunger for her blood, it was him.
They could continue whatever this was without furthering the bond. Then he would tell her when the timing was right.
Cadence groaned beside him, stretching her limbs and drawing him from his thoughts.
"Plotting your getaway?" he asked.
"I thought you were sleeping," she said, moving to look up at him with a smile. "And no, I wasn't going to run away." She gave him a shy kiss on the lips. "Unless... you were." A frown marred her features, and she tucked her bottom lip between her teeth.
"No. I wasn’t going anywhere. Just admiring the view." His eyes roamed over her while he pushed her hair back and cupped her beautiful face. Looks like I’m not the only one with a fear of rejection.
She rested her face on his chest, trailing her finger up and down his chest. “This is... nice.”
He smiled, she thought this was nice. “So you don’t regret... last night?” he asked. He had wanted her for so long, but the nagging bit of fear that she would think she made a mistake gnawed at him.
He felt her smile against his shoulder.
“No.”
He relaxed a little and kissed the top of her head.
“I, uh, regret that we didn’t do this again sooner, because last night was... kind of amazing,” Cadence said
“Well, I suppose we could always try to make up for lost time,” he said, shifting so he was hovering over her.
Cadence blinked up at him. She wiggled her hips, her fingers still trailing up and down his chest.
His cock hardened, and he pushed the tip into her silky folds. She wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him in to the hilt. Her core encompassed him like a glove, fitting around him perfectly.
Zak thrust into her and she gasped, arching up into him. He pulled out before burying himself in again. He set a slow steady rhythm that she matched, rising up to meet him. His fingers teased her nipple, gently pinching it and turning it into a tight bud. He kissed down her neck and took the other nipple into his mouth, swirling his tongue over it. Slowly he kissed his way back up her body before meeting her lips again. She opened her mouth to him and sucked on his bottom lip as his tongue traced along her top lip.
With a quick roll of her hips, she switched their position so she was on top. Zak grunted and lifted his waist to roll them back over, but a quick twist of her waist settled their internal dispute. His hands went to her hips, gripping them tightly as she moved against him. She sat up, eliciting a grunt from him. Drawing him even deeper, she continued to move against him.
Bracing her hands on his chest, she smiled down at him as she rolled her hips. Zak growled out her name as he pressed his fingers into her hips, and she purposefully went slower as he moved with her.
Cadence was killing him with her slow, seductive movements. Yet he liked seeing her in control, and she knew how to move. He could feel her slick, wet walls starting to tighten around him, and knew that she was getting close. He pushed himself up so he was sitting to increase his pace as he rose into her. He enjoyed the moans that came out of her mouth as she dug her nails into his shoulders.
His gums ached as his fangs threatened to burst through. I can’t lose control. I can’t bite her again. I won’t do it.
“Zak...Zak,” she called out as her walls tightened around him.
He thrust up a few more times before his release washed through him. His fangs pushed through his gums, but he clamped his mouth shut. His blood coated his mouth and he swallowed hard, ensuring the wound and blood were gone before kissing her again.
He pulled her back down with him holding her close to him as their breathing slowly returned to normal. No way would he ever tire of this. Cadence was the woman he had been waiting centuries for, and he wouldn't be letting her go anytime soon.
Now that he had her, he was determined to show her what he could offer. He had roughly six months with her to tell her about the bond. In that time, he prayed she would accept it.
Chapter Five
Jamie closed her book when Maddie huffed and sank down onto her bed.
“I don’t understand why we haven’t said anything to anyone yet,” Maddie said with a shake of her head. “We’ve been looking at these books for days and found nothing.”
Maddie was right. They had found nothing. There was something in one of these books to help Cadence – at least that’s what she hoped. They had to keep looking. “I don’t know who we can trust,” Jamie said. “Katherine must have known what Liana was doing. You’ve seen the two of them. They’re always darting off to private meetings.” She smeared a layer of dust off one of the other old books. Her nose crinkled as a sneeze festered. She opened the book and skimmed over a few pages.
They’d dragged a bunch of books to their room the past few days, figuring it would create fewer questions than their constant trips to the attic. It had taken some time and a lot of evasiveness, but they’d managed. As long as no one conducted a search of their room, they were golden. The coven wasn’t that paranoid – yet.
“What if the coven knew what Liana was planning to do to Cadence? If we tell the wrong people we could be locked up, bound, and stripped of our magic. Then we’d be no help at all to Cadence. She could be stuck in the past with Zakariah Smith for God knows how long. We can’t risk it, Maddie.” Jamie plopped down next to her friend. “You know that, right?”
Maddie nodded with a sigh. “We have to find a loophole to bring them home now,” she said. “It’s been months for Cadence. I can’t imagine what she must be going through, stuck with Zakariah Smith. He’s dangerous and manipulative.”
Jamie shut her eyes and ran a hand over her face. “Believe me, I know. The more research we do, the more I think we just need to make sure we open the gateway to bring them home on the full moon. I don’t think there’s a loophole to get them here sooner.” She played with the edges of the blanket. “In fact, this could be part of Liana’s plan. She’s sending Malcolm after them in the past. If she eliminates Zak, then Oliver, Grace, and Eli are the only ones she has to deal with in this time.”
“But why did she send Cadence with Zak?” Maddie asked. “Surely she could have done something to make sure she was safe.”
“I have no idea. But I want to find out.” Jamie’s phone chimed from the nightstand. She stood and picked it up, tapping
her finger on the screen to silence the alarm. “I have to go. Work and then I’m meeting Oliver.”
“You trust him?” Maddie asked, lifting her brow.
“For the moment,” Jamie admitted with a sigh. “I don’t think we have any other choice. They want their brother back as much as we do Cadence. I’m not sure Liana or Katherine care about bringing Cadence home.”
Maddie let out a breath and looked down at the bed. “Be careful, Jamie. I don’t like you meeting him by yourself.”
“He wants his brother back. He won’t hurt me. And... I trust him and his information more than I do anyone else's at the moment.” A week ago she couldn’t imagine trusting a vampire over the coven, but Cadence’s disappearance had raised concerns. Katherine and Liana’s secrets made her even more worried. Something bad was happening within the coven. She could feel it in her bones.
Jamie slipped her jacket on and gathered her bag. “I’ll see you tonight.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Maddie said with a roll of her eyes. She slapped her hands on the bed and flopped backwards with a dramatic sigh.
Maddie wasn’t allowed to leave the protection of the coven’s house. Vampires had hunted her family ruthlessly. Maddie was the last living member of her family.
Jaime offered her friend a small smile before leaving. It was hard enough for Jamie to listen to the vampires. It had to be ten times harder for Maddie. The monsters had taken everything from her.
Jamie shook the thoughts from her head. She opened the bedroom door, stepped into the hall, and closed the door behind her. Her boots thudded against the carpet as she made her way to the grand staircase, then down into the large foyer.
Katherine was exiting one of the offices. “Leaving?”
“Work,” Jaime said as she went to move around the elder witch.
Katherine blocked her path. “I’ve heard from several sources you’ve been late coming home the past few evenings. I’m sure I don’t need to warn you that we are at war right now. Given your friend’s recent disappearance, I hope you’re not taking unnecessary risks.”
