by Chloe Grey
Another silence. I could tell she was already finished with her coffee, but again, pretending to drink. I should tell her. She will find out sooner or later anyway.
“Cass—”
“So—”
We spoke and lapsed in silence at the same time.
“You first,” I urged her, glad I was postponing what I had to say to her for at least a few more seconds.
She cleared her throat. “What do you expect in our relationship?”
Our relationship. I had never thought I would hear that, with her or anyone else for the rest of my life. Yet, here we are.
“Long lasting, I’d hope.”
“You mentioned that having a, uh, submissive partner was necessary, or it was a dealbreaker to you.”
“Yes.”
“What do you expect of me? Do I need to start like, kneeling down to you or something?”
I would like that. “Just be yourself.”
“That doesn’t really answer my question.”
I sighed. “I like to be in control, Cass. And you already are giving me that. I like what we have now.”
She fiddled with her hair, unknowingly giving me another hard on. “Okay, I just want to, you know, make this work out.”
I got off my seat and went to hers, one hand sliding up her back and cupping her nape, my lips finding hers. She tasted just as exotic as she smelled—sweet, fresh, flowery, now with a hint of coffee.
Somehow, she even made coffee taste good.
“Me too, love.”
She arched a brow, her forest green eyes gleaming brightly. “My turn.”
“Your turn?
“What I expect out of you in this relationship.”
Her heart rate was going up, faster than when she was in the shower.
“Okay. What do you expect of me?”
“No secrets,” she said firmly. “I don’t want anything between us anymore.”
I buried my face into her damp hair. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“Okay. You smell so damn good, by the way.”
She crossed her arms, biting down on her lower lips, making my insides go wild. “You’re still hiding stuff from me.”
“Like what?”
“Well, first off, what’s wrong? Why don't you want to fuck me?”
My gaze stayed level with hers, my hand still on her nape. Somehow holding her there brought me comfort. “I want to fuck you, Cass.” I slip my other hand under her shirt and found her breasts. I squeezed, and she moaned in response. “So damn badly.”
“Then do it,” she whispered, her eyes half closed, her breath so hot against my cheeks.
I closed my eyes. “I can’t.”
“What? Why?”
I looked at her. “Is it that important? We can do lots of stuff aside from sex.”
“Sex is vital in a relationship, Dave.” She turned her body towards me, so that she was fully facing me now, her gaze searching mine. “Why won’t you fuck me? Is it because of your past relationships?”
“No.”
She waited for me to say more, but when I stayed silent, she let out an exaggerated sigh. “You just agreed to no more secrets, yet you still won’t tell me. Why won’t you just fucking let me in?”
Cass didn’t wait for me to reply this time. She pushed my hands away and got up, shaking her head. “I hate distrust, Dave. That’s my number one deal breaker. And you know what scares me? I want this—us—to work. So much so that I'm willing to compromise all that I believe in. You can be an asshole and keep your secrets from me, you can choose not to fuck me, you can make me miserable, hurt me. Hell, you can fuck another girl.”
Tears started springing from her eyes, coating her cheeks, yet she insisted on keeping her gaze levelled at me. “You can do all of that, and I will still stay with you. You know why? Because I’m in love with you, and I’m probably the stupidest girl in the world for allowing myself to make that mistake.”
Then she left. I called out to her, but she ignored me, running to the room that we had shared last night and slamming the door. I could hear the creak of the mattress as she plopped down onto the bed, and then the sobbing started.
She’s going to run back to Logan if this keeps up, you know that right?
Shut up, I muttered.
Don’t screw this up, David. She’s the best we’ve had so far.
I gritted my teeth. Shut up.
All you have to do is not be the assholiest asshole in the world. A chuckle. Rebecca said that right? She was good. Very good, but you screwed that up too. Seriously, don’t screw this one up.
I sighed, then followed after her, feeling like the shittiest person in existence.
Chapter 13
-Cassandra-
My hands were still buried in my face, with my knees clutched tightly to my chest, when I heard heavy footsteps down the corridor, echoing against the hardwood flooring. My heart jumped when I heard the room door open. Even if I didn’t know who it was, the scent gave it away.
I felt the mattress sink as Dave got on the bed, sitting beside me. I felt his fingers trail up my arms, landing on the back of my neck—a place Logan soon realised that I hate being touched. But all I felt was comfort from Dave.
“I need to be alone,” I said against my palms. “Give me space.”
His lips came to the side of my neck, and immediately, I felt my willpower being sapped; I didn’t have any left to shove him away. I might as well have been chained.
His breath was hot against my skin. “I’m sorry.”
I brushed my tears away up, trying my hardest not to look into his intense blues.
“Please forgive me. It hurts to see you like this.”
“It shouldn’t be like this. That’s what's fucked up.” Tears began building up again.
His lips came up to mine, our bottom lips almost touching. “What’s fucked up?” he mumbled, his voice deep and breathy. I was melting.
“I meant what I said. I will forgive you, I will always forgive you. This is going to be a very one-sided relationship. I will be miserable.” I started crying again, covering my face with my palms. “But I can’t help it. I want to be with you.”
A pause. “Are you really miserable with me?”
“No. But I know this will happen again. You will hurt me, again, and again, until one day I will be. I will be the stupid girl who will always come running back. But for now, I need space. Please... just leave.”
Even as I said those words, I knew it wasn't convincing. I didn’t want him to leave. I wanted him to stay, touch me, kiss me, make me feel alive again. I was terrified that he would leave, forever this time, never to come back, leaving me in a sobbing, pitiful mess for the rest of my life. I needed him. Just a taste of him last night, and I was already addicted.
Dave embraced me, and I broke down, snuggling into the shelter of his big, warm body, crying into his shoulder.
“I don't want to hurt you, love. I don’t want you to be miserable. This won’t happen again, I promise.”
“You’re an asshole,” I sobbed out.
‘I know,” he said, inching back and gently pushing my palms aside, making me see that gorgeous face of his again. I didn't struggle, because he genuinely looked sorry, and I believed his words. I always did.
Dave crawled on top of me, and settled down, his arousal thick and hot against his shorts. “I’m sorry. Please stop crying. What can I do?”
“Make me feel again,” I exhaled. It was getting hard to breathe, the air between us so thick and electrifying. “Take me.”
Dave obliged, claiming me in a searing hot kiss, his tongue slipping past my lips. I arched my back, pressing against his palms as he cupped my breasts, and moaned my contentment when he squeezed them, claiming them as his. Dave deepened the kiss, his teeth tugging gently on my lower lip, his hands and mouth working me into a fever pitch. I was burning, so hot for him, so awash with sensations that my core throbbed with a deepening desire I had never felt t
owards another man.
I knew I was addicted. I knew it was terrifying to be so. But, at that moment, I couldn’t have cared less.
We broke the kiss mutually, both of us gasping, his eyes sparkling. Dave came back with a light peck, a barely-there touch, but I still felt the full love in it, such an overwhelming sweetness.
“Is sex really that important to you?” he asked me, his fingers coming to my cheeks and brushing away old tears.
My core throbbed, answering the question for me. “Yes.”
“I won’t fuck you, love. Not until I tell you everything.” He leaned closer and breathed me in. “Then you can decide if you still want to stay with me or not. I’m really sorry, Cass.”
I shuddered. I loved it when he says my name. “I’ll stay with you. No matter what.”
“Are you—”
“Don’t. Please don’t be an asshole.”
“Sorry,” he grabbed me by the hips and lifted me into a sitting position, my back on the soft headboard, my body curving into his and our breaths mingling. “Sorry, I’m still learning.”
“You still have a long way to go.”
“I know.”
We looked at each other, green to blue. His deep, beautiful, hypnotising blues. And at the moment, a mutual feeling passed between us. We were bound, tethered to the same string, just on opposite ends. An unbreakable connection that would last a lifetime. And when I looked into his eyes, I knew he knew it too.
“I will stay with you,” I repeated fiercely, promising him something that I had promised no other man before. I sighed when he kissed me, bringing me to paradise, my core tightening as though he was already inside me. “No matter what.”
FIVE ORGASMS LATER—THREE from me, two from Dave—and after washing ourselves again, I was slouched in the living room, watching some Korean drama on the huge flat screen tv and nursing a bag of salted peanuts that I had found on the bar top.
My best friend—my lover?—sat down next to me a moment later, still nude from the shower, and extended his tongue out, eyeing the snack. I smiled, then gently set one peanut on it, which he promptly ate, then leaned in to caress my lips. I welcomed him.
“Delicious,” he murmured, his breath a warm tickle, his gaze fixed on me. “But not as good as you.”
I blushed, looking away. Cheesy or not, his voice made it seem like the best compliment a man could give.
“I requested some clothes for you. We’re going out later.”
I arched a brow. “How do you know they will fit?”
He extended his tongue again and I plopped another peanut down. “I know your size, love.” His warm voice rolls over me, and I disguised my smile by stuffing a bunch of peanuts in my mouth.
Dave took out his phone and cleared his throat. “We need to get you in a new phone.”
“Mhmm.”
He dialed a number and looked at me. “You need to call your brother and tell him you’re okay.”
I froze. I’d completely forgotten about Kevin. We weren’t close, but he was still my brother.
“Are you sure?”
He nodded. “They must be worried sick.”
“We’re not that far away from home. We can visit them.”
“Yeah, they will probably shoot us on sight.”
“What? Why?”
“They witnessed everything. They were paralyzed, but they saw.”
“I will explain everything to them. They will understand.”
He chuckled, but it was forced. “They probably think you’re already possessed as fuck. They saw me bite you. They won’t trust you.” His eyes dropped. “Not after what happened with Laura.”
He was right. It hurt to accept, but they would be fools to trust me now. I wasn’t one of their kind anymore, even though I still felt like it.
Dave offered the phone to me. “Just call. Say that you’re alright.”
“Okay.” I took the phone and stared blankly at the huge screen. Suddenly, I was more nervous than when I had first walked up to introduce myself to Dave. I still cringed at that memory to this day.
I drew out my held breath and pressed ‘Call.’
Kevin answered on the fourth ring. “Hello?”
“Hey, Kev. It’s me, Cass.”
I heard a sharp inhale, then a pause. “Where are you?”
I looked at Dave. He shook his head. “At a hotel somewhere.”
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Where is David?”
I looked at Dave again. He shrugged. “He’s with me. He’s fine too.”
“He got bitten. We all saw him, and—”
“I’m still myself, Kev. Dave wasn’t bitten. He’s... different.”
Silence. But I could still hear his heavy breathing. “I really wish I can believe that. Which hotel is it? Tell me.”
“I don't know.”
“Don’t bullshit me. Logan has been crazy. He’s still out, you know? Trying to find you. He hasn’t eaten or slept. Which hotel are you? Tell—”
Dave snatched the phone away and ended the call.
I looked at him. “I have to go back.”
“No.”
My glare hardened. “I have to go back.”
“Listen, if you go back, they will be in danger. Vampires will come.” He sighed. “I made a mistake staying with you. That’s why I left. Not because of that argument. Because I knew sooner or later, somebody will come, and look what happened.”
“She didn’t come for you.”
“What?”
“The vampire we killed that enslaved Laura? She said that she was his mate.”
Dave went silent at that.
“She wanted revenge, Dave. Like we did.” I stood up. “I need to go back.”
I expected resistance from him again, but Dave remained silent, his gaze on me, but far away.
I slid my hand around to touch his cheeks, smoothing down his freshly shaven face. “Come with me. They will understand, once we explain everything to them.”
He finally nodded, looking at me. “Okay, but I’m coming for you, not them. But I want us to make a stop first.”
“Where?”
“I want you to visit my mom.”
YOU’D THINK THAT A flower shop would smell fragrant and nice. But nope. Apparently, having a bunch of scents, all jumbled up together wasn’t that pleasing to the nose. Or at least, not for mine.
I looked around for Dave, but couldn’t spot him among the crowd. Suddenly, I felt like an idiot. Not only I was the only woman in the shop, but I was overdressed. Dave had asked me to wear a black velvet gown that felt too tight against all my curves. It had a huge slit too, showing off too much skin on my right leg. It was a gown you’d wear to something like a wedding or, I don't know, anywhere but a flower shop.
Dave didn’t take too long. Within a few minutes, he appeared beside me with a bundle of lilies and a single rose.
He handed me the rose. “For you.”
“Thanks,” I murmured, a blush cresting my cheeks.
I sniffed the rose, then held it awkwardly in front of me until Dave put a hand on the small of my back and escorted me towards the cashier.
I almost choked when I saw how much those lilies had cost. Seriously, for that price, I’d rather not be receiving flowers just for a moment of ‘aww’ then letting them die after a couple of days. Just bring me out to dinner or something.
We exited the store and walked side by side into the sea of bodies. It was a total chaos to my ears. Hundreds of heartbeats, unintelligent murmurs, engine rumbles, blaring horns of vehicles, and the worst of them all—footwear scraping on the pavement. The sound reminded me of chalk on a blackboard, and there were hundreds of them.
Maybe not, I thought as I continued walking, wrinkling my nose in disgust at the smoke-filled air. I was going to go insane with these new senses. There had to be a way to get used to this. Dave seemed fine.
I tried to focus on other things to drown out the unwanted noi
ses. That was when I noticed women staring at Dave as they walked by, some bold enough to offer him light smiles, but those would disintegrate quickly when he didn’t seem to take notice, staring past them, hands on me. I hid a smile behind the rose, leaning into him more, feeling so special.
We head into an electronics store, and Dave bought a phone for me—some type of android device with a huge touchscreen and smooth edges to it. I wanted an iPhone but he ignored my protests, paying for it just as quickly as he picked it up. He booted it up and typed his number in the contact list before handing it to me.
“I want me as the sole number in your contact list.”
I punched his shoulder. “Asshole.”
The cemetery we were headed to was located behind an ancient looking church on a massive patch of land with headstones that stretched as far as the eyes could see.
We journeyed into the grave without pause until we were somewhere in the middle of the cemetery.
“Here.”
I looked down at the stone he was standing in front of. It was a simple headstone like all the rest, with only a few words engraved on it, still looking fresh.
Mary Ward
1970 - 2016
I LOOKED BACK UP AT Dave. No tears, but there was no mistaking the pain in his eyes.
“She was so young.”
“Too young,” he agreed, staring down at the stone, hands in his jeans.
Dave sucked in a long breath before letting it all out slowly.
“Hey, Mom. This is Cass.” He gave me a quick glance. “The girl I always talked about?”
The girl I always talked about. I shivered, taking his wrist, squeezing to hopefully let him know he wasn’t alone.
Dave sighed, then squatted down, severing our brief link.“Lillies, Mom. Your favorites.”
He stayed silent for a long while. I didn’t mind. Dave never talked about his mother but it was obvious that they had been close. He could take as much time as he needed.
Finally, he stood up and walked to me, catching me by the lips and giving me a light kiss. “Thanks for coming.”
“Of course.”
He looked at me. “Do you believe in a God?”
