Becoming Briar

by Erin West

  What the actual fuck? I thought that was just stuff out of movies.

  Wasting no time, Eli begins descending the stairs.

  I hurry after him, not wanting to be left behind. I have no clue where we are going. As soon as I walk past the fireplace, it begins closing, sealing us in. “Uh, Eli. How do we get out?”

  Not pausing, he continues down the stairs. “It will open for us. Don’t worry, just come on. We can’t be late.”

  Stepping down the steps, it feels as if I’ve gone back to medieval times. Lanterns light our way, with high walls encasing the staircase and no hand railings along the stairs. When we reach the bottom, a long narrow tunnel that runs farther than the eye can see stretches out before us, with only the stairs we descended behind us.

  It’s an underground tunnel, but it’s used and well-traveled. It’s clean and well-lit, even though there is a chill in the air. “Is this what it looks like?”

  Turning to me, he takes my hand. “Yes, and it is very secret.” He tugs me, and we walk side by side. “I’m trusting you. This connects all the council members’ residences to each other, as well as being the only way to our meeting chambers.”

  Taking a step closer to him, my arm brushes against his, electricity shooting down to my hand. “So, what you’re saying is, I have nowhere to run.”

  His sea-green eyes turn to me. “I may have fought it, and to be honest, I’m still not a fan of this entire situation.” He sighs and squeezes my hand. “But I’ve come to accept you’re my mate, and I won’t let anyone hurt you. I promise.”

  Holy shit. Was Eli just sweet twice in a couple of hours? Who is this imposter and what has he done to the jackass I’ve come to expect?

  Not wanting to say something and ruin this moment, we continue to walk in silence, heading to face the vampire council together.

  After a short while, two tunnels intersect with ours, and straight ahead is a large, wooden, ancient-looking door. It almost looks like a cathedral door or one from a palace. It’s dark wood, with carvings all throughout the planks, and it has large iron handles.

  Letting go of my hand, Eli grabs the handle and pulls open the door. The room falls silent and he grabs my hand to escort me in.

  There are at least ten vampires sitting in the room. The furniture is prim and proper, much like them. There is a large conference room desk sitting in the middle, made of dark, cherry wood and decorated with hand-carved designs much similar to the markings on the door. There are fourteen chairs around the table, one at each end and six on each side. Five vampires stare at me from the opposite side, while four have their backs to us.

  Sitting at the end of the long table is a man who couldn’t look more cold and menacing if he were made from a block of ice. Long, black hair is slicked back in a ponytail at the nape of his neck, and ice blue eyes assess me with disdain and mild curiosity.

  Eli’s hand squeezes mine a little, pulling me closer to him.

  “Who or what have you brought to our chambers?” His voice is nasally and condescending, much like Eli’s was at the beginning. What a drastic change since our first meeting.

  The vampire’s nostrils flare as he inhales a deep breath. “She reeks of mutt, brimstone, and something I can’t quite put my finger on. Why have you brought this harlot amongst us?” His eyes take on a new sheen that has my fire stirring.

  I open my mouth to tell him what I think about his name calling, but snap it closed when Eli turns his head to glare at me, his mouth set in a straight line. Fine. I’ll let him handle this, for the moment.

  “Lucian, how dare you talk so disrespectfully to my guest. Be glad I’m in a forgiving mood and not seeking retribution for your words.” Eli’s body is vibrating with fury, but he keeps a calm façade for the other vampires around us.

  Lucian stiffens and drums his fingers on the table top.

  “We seek the Seer’s guidance. This information could be crucial for us.” Eli smooths any ruffled feathers by swaying it in the vamp’s favor.

  Has he lost his ever-loving mind? He doesn’t know that it could benefit the vamps any more than I know it could benefit myself.

  The cold man’s ice blue eyes brighten, and his figure leans forward in the chair.

  My eyes sweep the other members.

  “How do you know that it could benefit us? You don’t know what the Seer is going to reveal. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be seeking her guidance.” The deep voice draws my eyes to another vamp in the middle of the table. He’s wearing a smug expression. “Who votes for Eli and his slut’s request to be denied?”

  Eli speeds away from my side in a blur, stopping behind the smug bastard, twisting his head with a sickening crack that echoes around the room. He drops the limp body to the floor behind the now empty member chair.

  Did Eli kill a fucking vamp original for disrupting his plans, or insulting me? It can’t be possible to destroy an original with such ease. Can it?

  After straightening his suit jacket and pulling the sleeves of his dress shirt down, he meets the eye of every member still sitting. “Does anyone else wish to speak up?” He pauses, then nods. “Good. Now, let’s get down to business, shall we?”

  The room remains in a stilted silence for what seems like an eternity. The hinges on one of the doors creaks, and a man walks in with his head tilted toward the floor before he steps off to the side.

  Is he a servant? Do people still have servants nowadays?

  One of the most gorgeous women I’ve ever seen in my life walks into the room next, drawing everyone’s gaze. Mine included.

  Her black hair is so dark it appears purple when the lights bounce off the strands that hang down past her waist. Violet eyes lock on me, the only other female standing in a room full of vampire men. The floral patterned white summer dress flows around her knees as she makes her way around the table to me.

  No one approaches her or makes a sound.

  “You wish to seek information.” The enthralling tones that make up her voice wind around me, drawing me closer to where she stops a hundred feet from me, beckoning me over to her.

  I nod. “Yes. Rumple is after me, and it seems that I have four mates, each of them a different supernatural species. I don’t know much about my past, just that I was raised as a human in the system. Every new piece of information leaves me with more questions than answers.” My voice is strong despite the spell that’s been cast over the room.

  The violet hue swirls around me as she gazes into my eyes.

  I wait with heavy anticipation for what she has to say. Doubts swarm my mind as the seconds tick by into minutes.

  She opens her mouth and I hold my breath.

  “A crown awaits your return. However, coinciding forces circle you with evil intent that threaten everything as the world knows it. The Quinfecta must be complete for your triumph to come to fruition. But your strength and determination will be paramount to your success. There is no room for errors.”

  A crown awaits me? What could be the two dark forces? I know one is Rumple, and once again, I’m left with more questions than answers. The time seems to be slipping away from me and the world keeps spinning and plotting.

  “What crown could there be for me?” I meet her intense stare, hoping she has more answers to give.

  She frowns. “I’m limited to what I see. But the crown represents royalty. Let me give you one more piece of advice. When the world feels like it’s on your shoulders alone, remember the ones you have at your side. I wish you luck on your journey.”

  She doesn’t say anything more before she graces me with a blinding smile and turns to leave the same way she came in.

  The vampire council watches with bated breath as she leaves the room.

  Eli stops her with a hand on her arm and leans forward to share a few words.

  What the fuck does he think he’s doing touching her like that? I clench my hands into fists to rein in the fire burning through me, itching to sear her to ashes where she stands.

 
; He looks at me from across the room and removes his hand from her arm.

  The tension releases from my body and I inhale a deep breath, unclenching my fists.

  She says something back to him that I can't hear, then leaves.

  Eli takes measured steps around the table, his eyes locked on mine as he makes his way over to me.

  Tingles course through me being the sole focus of his attention.

  Some of the vamps whisper to one another, but the room remains in relative silence.

  “I must say that was enlightening. But I don’t know how that information benefited us. Not to mention, we’re going to have to deal with Felix when he wakes.” Lucian’s voice draws me out of my trance with Eli.

  I’m sick of his condescending comments. Fire blazes from my right hand and I hold it up in front of me.

  The members of the council move back to get away from me, while Lucian glares at me. At least he realizes it’s him I’m threatening.

  A hand touches my lower back, drawing me into a strong lean chest. Lips press against my ear. “He’s not worth it. Let’s go. He gets the picture.”

  His words soothe my anger away and I drop my hand to my side, the flames extinguishing as fast as they came.

  Lucian’s ice blue eyes harden.

  Looks like I’ve made an enemy. Do I give a fuck? Hell no, I don’t. I don’t need people on my side that don’t care about me.

  “Surely, even you could understand the importance. Just think if it had been Amara in this position.” Eli’s hard tone silences the whispers.

  A few sharp intakes of breath grab my attention. When I see Lucian’s face again, it’s like stone, hard and unforgiving.

  The hand on my back pushes me in the direction of the door we arrived through. No one stops us or says anything else. Once we step through the door and it closes, Eli sweeps his arms under my thighs, lifting me in a cradle against his chest. My arms wrap around his neck, his body vibrating under my touch.

  I press my face into the crook of his neck and I feel the vibrato of his growl through my cheek.

  “Hold onto me tight.” His voice caresses my ear, sending a spark of electricity through me at the brief skin contact.

  A cold breeze blows through my hair as we travel at a speed that has the walls blurring together until we reach the bottom of the stairs where we started.

  He sets me down on my feet and grabs my hand as we walk up the stairs. A pad appears beside the door where he enters a code that I can't see. The fireplace slides to the side, allowing us to enter the office again.

  I walk over to one of the brown leather couches and sit as Eli paces the room in front of me, running his fingers through his hair in agitated motions. Troubled, intense, sea-green eyes bore into mine as he meets my blue gaze.

  “You need to rest.” He walks over to me.

  I shake my head, but my mouth opens in a wide yawn, contradicting me.

  His chuckle is strained as his large hand envelopes mine, pulling me up from the couch. The bedroom door comes into view and my blood thrums through my veins as I think about sharing a bed with him.

  Once again gaining entry, we step into the opulent room and I head to the closet to change out of the constricting, red dress, into a gray pair of sleep shorts and a light pink tank top.

  When I walk out, he is sitting on the edge of the bed with his head in his hands. He lifts his gaze, glancing me over from head to toe with glowing red eyes.

  “I need to get your code so that you can come and go as you please.” His voice travels over my body, bringing goosebumps to my skin.

  Heat courses through me down to my core, and my thighs clench together as I wait for him to say something else. My throat is dry from the look in his eyes.

  The need on his face calls to something deep inside of me. Without thinking, my feet carry me over to him, and I reach up and run my fingers through his hair. I lean down and press my lips firmly against his.

  His shoulders tense, and he groans into my mouth, pulling me tighter against his firm body.

  My nipples harden as they rub against the thin layers of fabric between us.

  The softness of the mattress meets my back as he spins us around and lays me down, his weight on top of mine.

  He breaks the kiss, eyes burning into mine, and I feel his need as if it were my own.

  The dark circles and tightness under his eyes heighten my drive to take care of him.

  “You need to feed.” I turn my head to the side, exposing my neck to him.

  His eyes drop down to the pulse thrumming in my neck and his fangs elongate. He takes a deep breath and shakes his head.

  “You need to rest before I feed from you. I'm afraid I won't be able to stop the next time I taste you.” He looks anywhere but at me.

  I didn't realize that he felt that way about me, even though the feeling is mutual. The fire that is always burning within blazes to an inferno, making my core clench with need, wetness pooling at the junction of my thighs.

  “Maybe I don't want you to stop.” The gruffness of my voice is a tone I don't even recognize coming from myself.

  Eli’s head swings up. His desire reflects back at me and matches my own. With hooded eyes, he leans in close, sniffing my neck before a sharp prick pierces the skin and then ecstasy rolls through my body.

  A moan leaves my lips and my arms clutch at him. My back arches into his chest and my leg wraps around his hip, spurring him to rub his hard dick against my core. The clothes we’re wearing are the only things separating us from completing our bond.

  I squeeze my eyes tight, savoring the sensations Eli elicits as an orgasm builds.

  His hands pull at the shorts and panties denying him access to my core. His lips separate from my neck, tongue swiping across the skin to heal it before he growls and rips the clothes from my body.

  How was I to know that someone ripping clothes off me at the seams would be so damn sexy?

  He snarls and jerks my hands above my head, looking over my naked form below him.

  Red eyes lock onto mine and his tongue darts out, licking across his bottom lip, my eyes following the movement.

  “Never hide your beautiful body from me.” The tone indicates he wouldn’t take anything except agreement to his demand.

  Nodding, my voice comes out strong. “I won’t.”

  He releases my hands to travel down my sides, touching every available inch of skin.

  My hands go to his clothes, trying to push them off. I need to feel his flesh against mine. I groan in frustration and bare my teeth at him when he chuckles at my struggle.

  Pulling away, he rips his suit off before I can take my next breath.

  This time, his lips are soft and caressing mine in a tender kiss, slowing the speed down.

  “This isn’t a race but a marathon. We’ve got all night.” His words whisper over my lips, the metallic smell of my blood hinting on his breath.

  Eli’s lips trail down my neck, to the valley of my breasts, and take a hard nipple into his mouth. He alternates between flicking it with his tongue to biting just enough to bring a little hiss from my lips before circling it again to soothe the pain away. A thumb touches my clit, rotating the sensitive bud until I think I’m going to lose my mind with pleasure. He inserts a finger into my wet channel, curving it upward, and my orgasm detonates, squeezing his finger inside of me.

  Kissing back up to my lips again, he groans as I lay boneless beneath him.

  The tension from the last two days just falls away with the release.

  His hardness rubs against the inside of my thigh and I reach down, stroking it up and down a couple of times before he pulls out of reach.

  “Hey.” My lips form a pout, and my eyebrows scrunch together in a frown.

  He laughs, making his face look ten years younger. Not that he has any problems with looks. He’s the hottest old man I know.

  “If you keep touching me like that, I’m liable to explode all over you like a randy teenager.
” He holds up a hand. “Which I haven’t been in centuries.”

  “Yeah. You’re probably right. We should stop. I think you might be too old for me.” I cut my eyes up to him with a playful smile.

  The skin around his eyes is no longer taut and discolored, spreading warmth through my chest knowing I had something to do with that.

  He poises at my entrance and growls. “I’ll show you old.” With a slow thrust of his hips, he enters me.

  Oh my damn. He stretches me to the brink of pain before he thrusts in and out, taking his time. The smile drops from my face as a moan replaces it.

  His glowing red eyes never leave my face. If I wasn’t so enraptured with the pleasure ricocheting around my synapses, I’d be embarrassed from his intensity.

  Warm lips caress the other side of my neck, his fangs puncturing the skin there and drinking from me. The pleasure from his bite and his thrusting sends me skyrocketing with another orgasm.

  Eli’s lips close over mine, a strong metallic taste filling my mouth, and I swallow, not hating the taste. His hips piston into mine faster before they become jerky as he climaxes, collapsing on top of me, both of our chests heaving with big gasps of breath from the exertion.

  He lifts himself up, looking down at me with a relaxed, sexy smile. The smile falls from his face and his eyes widen.

  Chapter Nine

  “Rose, you’re glowing.” He stands from the bed, staring at me.

  What is he talking about? I raise my arm, my skin glowing blue like the hue from my dagger. Sitting up in the middle of the bed, a weight appears in my hands and a burst of light floods the room.

  Once it dims, Eli lowers his hand from in front of his face.

  I’m back to my normal skin tone but the dagger is in my hand. A splash of black grabs my attention. A diamond with four interconnecting hearts flow around the inner lines from the middle of my palm down my wrist. An intricate knot that must symbolize me and my four bonds.

  The power coursing through my veins is thrilling and intoxicating. I’ve never felt this way before. For the first time in my life, I feel at one with myself.

  What is going on? I lift my head and seek Eli out for answers.