“No.”
“No what?” I demand in utter confusion as I pause from trying to swing myself around and off the bed. Clamping one large hand squarely in the middle of my chest, he easily prevents me from moving. But to my complete mortification, while he holds my upper torso still, my legs go flapping about the place.
“No, I won’t stop.” He chuckles evilly at my obvious discomfort. “Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’ll have you forgetting you want a shower soon.
“I doubt that very…Ohhh!” My back bows off the bed, and my eyes almost check out the back of my skull when his lips clamp down on my nub, gently sucking it, before his tongue pushes between my labia and licks a path up to my center before diving in.
Before long, my body starts to vibrate and tremble. My fingers scrabble for a handhold and don’t seem to be able to grasp onto anything. I keep repeating the words “oh, oh God” over and over, as if I can’t say anything else. Probably because I can’t. Everything in my body becomes heightened and more sensitive, building into a climax, until finally it washes over me and releases. My toes curl, my back bows off the bed, and my breasts heave as if I’ve run a marathon. I scream my release and pleasure into the room until my voice goes hoarse. Just when I feel it easing, Victor tweaks my nipples causing more stimulation to vibrate through me.
Lifting his head up, his lips glistening from my release, he climbs up my body and kisses me. He claims me with his mouth and body. With one hand on his penis, he positions himself at my entrance, before burying himself inside me with one powerful thrust.
A groan of satisfaction rumbles from him as my inner muscles clamp around him. Slowly, he withdraws from me, leaving only the tip of his head inside before slamming back into me, swivels his hips, and repeats.
Our tongues fuse together, mimicking our bodies’ movements. I lift my hips up off the bed meeting him with every thrust and deepening his penetration. Wrapping my legs around his shoulders, he shifts to a kneeling position and sucks on one of my nipples while squeezing and flicking the other.
My hands explore his hair, shoulders, and everywhere I can reach, before inching between our bodies and cupping and fondling his swinging balls every time they come my way. A growl reverberates from him, as he pounds harder into me. His hips swivel before retreating once more.
“Damn it, I can’t get enough of you,” he mutters into my ear, right before he sucks on my earlobe and gently nips it.
“Good,” I purr in reply. My breathing is uneven and saying that one word feels like an accomplishment. I feel the beginnings of another orgasm spreading through me. I lower my legs from his shoulders to his hips and push onto my elbows, forcing him to sit up straighter and wrap one arm around my waist while leaning on the other.
Arching my back, I thrust and rotate my hips, speeding up as I feel my release flowing closer, faster. Until finally with a scream of completion, I rock into him one more time, wrap my arm around his neck, and bite into him, drinking the blood that escapes him, as I feel his fangs descend into me, muffling his roar of satisfaction, as he drinks his fill and ejaculates inside me.
We pause as if frozen in shock when we hear the distinct sound of a heartbeat thumping four times. Ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum, ba-dum, coming not from me, but Victor.
Withdrawing our mouths from each other’s necks, we stare in confusion at one another. Placing a hand over his chest, I feel his heartbeat thumping beneath my palm three more times before it stops once more.
“Holy shit!” I exclaim in surprise as I stare wide-eyed into his just as shocked-looking gaze. “Has that ever happened before?”
Shaking his head in denial, he opens and closes his mouth for a bit until finally a croak comes out. Clearing his throat, he tries again and a strangled, “No,” emerges.
“Well, fuck me sideways. That was different,” I mutter in awe, at which I receive a lascivious grin.
“I’ll happily comply, but yeah, that was definitely different.” Slowly, he backs out of me, and as he slides from my body, we stare in bafflement at the traces of his semen, which, normally a pale pink, is now most definitely white. Just as it would be from a live human.
“Bloody hell,” I whisper, my eyes look up to meet his for a fleeting second before his gaze drops down to my belly.
“Do you think…” he asks as he reaches out to lay a large hand on my stomach, “we could have just got you pregnant?”
I open my mouth and close it again. My gaze drops to where his hand lies possessively on my stomach, gently stroking my skin. Shaking my head, I finally admit in a quiet voice, “I don’t know. Maybe?”
“If we have, then the Prophecy could be coming true.”
I stare at him in surprise. I don’t know what to say to be honest. The words I read from the Prophecy swirl around my brain as if they’re being spoken directly to me.
And the Double Magick one will be born stronger than any other.
Gather unto thyself allies to fight in preparation of the coming of the Triple Magick one.
When the Double Magick one fails to rise again, there will be two Triple Magick ones, to end the battle against the supernaturals’ enemies.
For as The Protectors meld their blood, making all one, the Triple Magick ones shall destroy them all with one swift pulse.
And once more all races shall live in freedom and love as all magicks will grow once more.
Could this mean I’m the mother of the Triple Magick one? And if so, what exactly does it all mean?
Chapter 53
“I don’t understand. What exactly does it all mean?” Flinging my hands up in the air as if I’m hoping that the answers will fall from above, I resume pacing the bedroom, where I’m surprised I haven’t worn a path into the carpet.
“Candi, come and sit down,” instructs Victor from where he’s been watching me from the bed.
His expression is one of concern and hope, though he’s also looking a little aggravated too. It could have something to do with me almost throwing him out of the way in my dash to get off the bed to pace so I can sort out my thoughts. Not that it’s helped. At all. Instead, I feel more uncertain and scared.
Every time my gaze slides toward the bed and I see that damp spot, my eyes shy away and my need to pace increases. Until I finally swing around to face him, open my mouth and nothing. No words come out, not even a croak. Nothing.
My shoulders sag, tears fill up my eyes, and I make to run to him. Instead, he’s just there, his arms wrapped around me, holding me tight as he makes soothing shushing noises. That’s when I realize I’m bawling my heart out.
“It’ll be okay. We don’t even know if you are, sweetheart.” His soothing words finally penetrate my brain. I sniffle and pull back slightly so I can see his face.
“But I want to be,” I admit in a hiccupping voice.
Gently, he wipes my tears from my face. His gaze when it connects with mine is one of love and devotion, and my heart flutters, actually flutters in delight.
“I hope you are too. The idea of having a family with you is more than I ever could dream or wish for. I love you, and I need you in my life.” A slight smile curves his full lips upward, yet his gaze is steady and intense as he watches me.
“I know we’ve claimed each other, but I want more. I want the world to know you’re mine. Candi.” Suddenly, he drops to one knee, and I just gape at him in all his naked glory. “Will you marry me? Before you say anything, I did in fact plan on asking you to marry me, so it has nothing to do with if you’re pregnant or not.”
Releasing my hands, he climbs to his feet, walks to his bags, and pulls out a little box from its depths, before returning to me where he once more goes down on one knee and takes hold of my hands in one of his.
Flipping open the box, he repeats his question as I stare in stupefaction at the beautiful amethyst gemstone surrounded by smaller rose zircon stones, nestled in a white gold band, inside the velvet box. I look from the ring to Victor and know this is something he’s thought
a lot about.
“I chose the amethyst because it reminds me of the color your eyes turn when your magick comes out to play, especially if your wolf is peering out of your eyes,” he quickly explains, as if unsure if I like the ring or not. “And the rose zircon because it’s your birthstone.”
“It’s beautiful. I can’t believe you found me such a beautiful ring. I love it. Yes, yes, I’ll marry you. Oh, Victor, I love you too.” I fling my arms around him, and because he was balanced on one knee, I manage to knock us both to the floor, where I take advantage and ravish his mouth.
Soon, though, our hands start exploring each other’s bodies once more, and we’re making love on the floor. At some stage, Victor puts his ring on my finger and links our hands together as I ride him, my back arching backward as he thrusts from below meeting my body as I impale myself on him.
Our bodies turn slick with sweat, our breaths hitch, and our hearts gallop. I bend forward and kiss him. Breathe in his sent and taste. God, I love him.
Chapter 54
Eventually, we shower and dress and wander downstairs to join the others and share our news with them. Well, some of our news anyway. We both agree that we’ll only share that we’re getting married, not that we believe we might be having a child. That’s something we want to keep to ourselves, until we know for sure.
Hand in hand, we practically glide down the staircase. I wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that clouds brought us down the stairs, as I’m positive my feet don’t touch the ground. Cloud nine has nothing on how I’m feeling right now.
“Hey, how you feeling?” Jezebel asks, upon spotting me descending the stairs. Her gaze is concerned when it lands on me, then sharpens as she must see something that a second later makes relief take its place.
I beam a reassuring grin at her. Releasing Victor’s hand, I hurry to my friend and wrap her in my embrace. “I’m really, really good. I saw my spirit guide,” I tell her.
“Oh, thank God. Candi, you had us all so worried. I thought we’d lose you, like we did Jasmine there for a while. I couldn’t go through that again.”
A sob catches in her throat, and I feel tears dampening my neck. I try to lean back to get a proper look at Jezebel, but her arms tighten preventing me from extracting myself.
“Hey, oh Jez, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to hurt anyone. I just couldn’t deal with…”
Releasing me from her embrace, Jezebel wipes the tears from her cheeks with unsteady hands. Her tear-filled gaze connects with mine as a tremulous smile flits across her lips. “I get it. Honestly, I do. I just couldn’t stand the thought of you hurting so much for protecting and saving us all.
“I wish you didn’t have to do it, but I’m so grateful you did.” Looking over my shoulder, she nods at the vampire behind me. “I’m glad you have one another. And I can’t thank you enough, Victor, for being here and loving my friend the way you do. If it weren’t for you…”
“What?” Victor’s rich voice washes over and through me, curling around my heart and tugs it gently. A moment later, his strong arms wrap around my waist and pull me gently back to rest against him.
“If it weren’t for you, I believe we would have lost Candi forever,” Jezebel replies.
Her words send ice down my spine. The agony and heartbreak as well as gratitude toward Victor make me realize more than anything else, just how far I’d descended into my world of torment and grief.
“So, thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for loving her and not giving up on her. But, dude, a word of warning, you have seriously got your hands full with this one.” Giving him a slight nod of her head, she turns to walk away, pauses, and without turning around, calls over her shoulder, “If you ever need anything, Victor, I’ll help you. All you need to do is ask.” With that, she struts into the lounge.
We stand there back to front for a while, letting Jezebel’s words sink into us, before finally with a gentle squeeze of his fingers around my waist, Victor releases me. Linking our hands, he leads me through the door Jezebel just entered.
Silence greets us as our friends turn toward us. Slowly, as if they’re uncertain if they should, they advance toward us.
“I’m okay. Honestly,” I reassure them, to which I receive relieved sighs and mutters of “Thank God for that.”
“You had us so worried,” Jasmine chides me, before advancing toward me and hugging me. Wrapping my arms around her, I give her a reassuring hug back. A moment later, the other girls have launched themselves at us and join in. Slowly, we disentangle ourselves from one another.
“Don’t ever do that again. I honestly don’t think my poor heart, or Victor’s, could handle you going AWOL again,” exclaims Nancy, giving me a slight shake of the shoulders before once more wrapping me in her embrace.
“Ditto to that,” mutters T.T. with a tremulous smile flitting across her lips. A moment later, she lets out a slight gasp and grabs my left hand. “Holy hell in a bucket of ice, does this mean what I think it does?” Her gaze locking with mine in joyous surprise.
“Yes, it does,” Victor replies, with a smirk of such satisfaction on his face, I can’t help the bubble of laughter from gurgling up and bursting out of me. “Candi has done me the honor of agreeing to become my bride.”
Squeals of delight reach deafening volumes as congratulations are issued all around. With an arm wrapped around my gorgeous vampire consort, I show everyone my ring, and a feeling of pure bliss envelops me.
This moment is what we were all fighting for, to love and celebrate our love for our partners no matter who or what they are. This is what so many died for, and as long as The Protectors remain, will continue to fight and die for. This simple right to love unconditionally and be loved in return.
A simple right, an honest one, and to be honest, a beautiful one too. Looking at Victor and our friends, I know deep in my heart the war isn’t over and that I will do anything to protect those I love and those I will never meet so everyone can have this moment and a love like ours.
As if he senses my thoughts and emotions, I feel Victor’s arm tighten around my waist, and when I glance toward him, he inclines his head ever so slightly. “We’re in this together, forever. No matter what, beautiful. One day, we will win the war; the Prophecy will come true.” Victor’s voice reverberates in my head. His words a caress and promise.
Through our bond, I reply, “I know we are. I’m not afraid anymore, of us. Our bond, our love for each other. I can’t wait to explore our lives together, and I hope more than I could ever imagine that we will have a child. Timing sucks though. I just gotta say that,” I add, to which the man I love more than I ever dreamt possible bursts out laughing.
“Hey, what’s funny?” demands Felicity. “If you’re doing that bond thing,” she adds while waving her fingers between us for extra emphasize, “then that’s so not fair! Seriously, though, what’s going on?”
“We’re just excited and happy,” I reply, feeling a slight tinge of guilt at not sharing the fact that we believe/hope I’m pregnant. But the thought that we might be wrong—after all, the chances are…well, almost impossible. That depressing thought feels like a bucket of icy water being thrown over me. Almost as if seeing a miracle and finding out later you didn’t see what you thought you did.
Before my thoughts can descend farther down the self-pity of delusion-ville path they’re on, Vlad strides into the room. Upon seeing me, his nostrils flare and his eyes widen, before flickering down to my stomach.
“Dumnezeule, tu ești insarcinata! My God, you’re pregnant!” In an exclamation of shocked wonder, Vlad’s words explode from his mouth, creating deafening silence into the stunned room.
Chapter 55
The silence lasts for a grand total of two seconds before chaos reigns in the room.
“You’re what?”
“How? I mean, I know how…but how?”
“Oh my God, really? Wow, just wow!”
My friends’ questions tumble over one anoth
er, and to be honest, I can’t figure out who is asking what, as their voices blend into each other’s, and all I can think is, I’m pregnant. A wave of protectiveness washes over me for my unborn child, and instinctively, I glance toward Victor and see the joy and wonderment wash over his features, mirroring mine.
“Enough.” Dragging me slightly behind him, Victor manages to quieten the room with one word, delivered in a tone a drill sergeant would envy.
Peeking around Victor’s broad shoulders, I let my gaze rove over my friends until it lands on the vampire who’d caused the ruckus in the first place.
“Vlad, nice to see you too. Fancy expanding a bit on your comment?” My voice sounds like a languid drawl, calm and cool, as if I was offering him tea instead of asking he explain what the hell he said, and how he could possibly know I’m pregnant for sure, when even I didn’t know!
“My apologies, doamna mea, my lady,” murmurs Vlad, placing a fisted right hand over his chest he bows at me. “I didn’t mean to cause a commotion. I can sense your child inside you. Your child’s power beats like a living heartbeat, strong and powerful, like nothing I’ve ever felt before.”
“You can sense our child?” demands Victor. Shock reverberates in his voice, his arm that had held me protectively behind me, now pulls me to his side and curls around my waist, as his other hand, trembling slightly touches my stomach.
“Da, yes, I can sense your baby. Felicitări, congratulations.”
When I look Vlad in the eyes, I’m surprised to see a shimmer of tears, until I remember he was a father.
“Vlad—” I begin to offer condolences toward his loss. As if he knows what I’m thinking, he interrupts me before I can say any more.
“Nu, no, you mistake my tears. It’s not sadness but joy they’re for. Everything we’ve been fighting for, all the losses we’ve suffered, I now finally see an end in sight. The Prophecy is coming to fruition. Slowly, da, yes, but it’s coming.”
The Protectors Page 17
