by Rachel Jonas
When Julian glanced my way, I sensed he was just as surprised as I was that she thought of, and even included, Levi.
“Thank you,” I offered.
Liv gave a quick nod.
“Whether any of us likes it or not, until we find Cori, we’re kind of in this together.” She’d stated the obvious, but it still needed to be said.
“And, call me crazy,” Julian added, “but I think Corina would approve of that.”
I couldn’t have agreed with anything more.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Corina
It was late. Without a clock, I couldn’t say exactly how late, but it’d been dark for hours.
Still, sleep evaded me, and not because I wasn’t exhausted.
Four days now, Levi and I had been held here against our will, without so much as an explanation as to why. We’d been fed, brought clean water for bathing daily, and given a couple changes of clothes, but hadn’t been given a single answer. I was pretty sure this was the reason I hadn’t gotten much sleep.
As I paced, I could feel Levi’s eyes on me from where he sat on the edge of the cot. Judging by his silence, I guessed he’d given up trying to convince me to lie down and rest. Or, his lack of conversation could have been because, for the last two days, he’d refused to eat.
A fact that, admittedly, made me kinda nervous.
Yes, I’d been bitten and would transition soon enough, but for now I was still quite human, still vulnerable. If he freaked out in this cell, got beside himself with thirst, I’d be his first target for sure.
Thinking of it, I put a bit more distance between us.
“Even if you refuse to sleep, you could at least lie down,” he spoke up, proving me wrong. I suppose he hadn’t given up yet.
“How about this; I’ll sleep when you eat. Otherwise, I think we both know what could happen the second I close my eyes.”
The comment earned me a stare, and a curious smile from the handsome beast who’d foregone his shirt roughly an hour ago—by my estimate. I knew it had been about that long, because that was precisely the moment I tried to forget we were locked in this space together—unattended, nothing to keep us distracted from one another.
“Are you suggesting that, if you close your eyes, I’ll … maul you to death?” The laugh that slipped out right after left me to believe he disagreed.
I sighed and continued to pace, doing my best to erase the vision of him from my thoughts—a hard body that had been well cared for and waxed to perfection. Not a speck of hair on his chest, or his stomach. I imagined my hands pressed to the smoothness of it all, and grumbled inwardly to suppress these persisting thoughts and feelings I couldn’t control around him
“I’m just saying, it’s not so far-fetched that a being that thrives on blood, and then proceeds to deprive himself of it, might eventually get a little desperate.”
There was still laughter in his eyes when he rested his back against the cot, swinging his legs over the edge to lie flat.
“It’s a safety precaution,” he revealed with his eyes fixed on the ceiling. “My powers should have returned by now if it was just the dart. So, I’m pretty sure they’re lacing the blood they’ve been dosing me with to keep me docile. The sooner my abilities are back, the better our chances of getting out of here.”
I glanced at him again, at the dips and edges of his abs, perfectly outlined in moonlight that snuck in through the bars of the slender window above.
“You really think that’s it?”
He shrugged, keeping his gaze trained on the ceiling. “It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
Thoughtful, I let my weight fall against the wall behind me. The movement earned me Levi’s undivided attention and I wished that hadn’t been the case. Because, now, I was keenly aware of how he gawked at me, like he knew how easily he could coax me into doing bad things if he pressed hard enough.
“Come lie with me,” he crooned, the depth of his voice moving over my skin like those words had a life all their own.
It would do me no good to show him how he affected me.
“Yeah … no thanks,” I responded, pretending to be repulsed by the idea.
Unfortunately for me, he didn’t seem to buy the act. Proving me right when he stood, and all six-plus-feet of him crossed the room.
Not a single breath left my mouth. Instead, I peered up into his metallic eyes, and practically begged him to challenge me. Maybe that’s what it would take for me to give in to him.
Standing in the chill of his shadow, I wondered what he’d do or say next, imagining all the possibilities.
“Do you intend to make me beg, Love?”
Absolutely not. Because if you so much as breathe on me, I’ll fall into bed with you without a second thought. That’s how badly I want you.
My thoughts would betray me one of these days, but not today.
“Beg all you want, but I’m fine right here.” I held my ground.
When I folded both arms over my chest, Levi full on laughed at me, making me aware of how I probably looked like a bratty child to him. But I wouldn’t be bullied. Not even into something I secretly wanted.
“Have it your way.”
At first, I wasn’t sure of his intentions when the vague words left his mouth, but then the room suddenly turned upside down as I was hoisted into the air and tossed over a broad shoulder.
“Are you crazy?” I screeched.
It was over before an answer could be given, but I knew he was insane even before asking. My body flopped down onto the thin mattress and I bounced a little. Peering up, Levi’s satisfied grin was both infuriating and tempting at the same time. I hated that he’d gotten his way, but in so many ways, we wanted the same thing.
He didn’t hesitate, or open the floor for discussion before dropping down beside me on the small cot meant for one. Sandwiched between his large frame and the wall, there was nowhere to run from all these things he made me feel.
Nowhere to run from how badly I wanted him.
Resisting had been one of the hardest things I ever endured. He was, somehow, my new weakness.
“I’m locking you in, so don’t even think about trying to escape,” he teased while turning to face me. Next, his hand came to rest at my hip, holding me in position. Just like he promised.
My breathing was loud and erratic, which he had to have noticed—having supernatural senses and all. Still, I couldn’t quiet it. He made me feel so … tangled. My thoughts and emotions spun out of control when he was near. It shouldn’t have been so easy for one man to tear down my defenses, let alone two.
Julian was never far from my thoughts. As much as I hated admitting it, I missed him. That realization alone left me wondering how long I would have lasted back at base with my team. Would this feeling of longing for him have driven me right back inside the palace walls? Only … that might not have been possible with the destruction I left in my wake a few nights ago. For all I knew, Julian had grown to hate me, and would have me put to death the moment we laid eyes on each other again.
If … we laid eyes on each other again.
However, even as I entertained these dark thoughts, I knew none of these things were true. If what he felt for me was even half as strong as what I felt for him, doing anything to harm me would have been out of the question.
Which I guessed to be the same with Levi.
I glanced down at my wrist as a thought occurred to me. He must have been starving. In fact, the darkening circles beneath his eyes told me he was. And yet, he hadn’t even thought about hurting me.
If someone had told me I’d one day trust a prince of the Lydian Dynasty with my life, I would have laughed in their face. Only, now, nothing made more perfect sense.
“Here,” I whispered, lifting my wrist to him. Moonlight beamed in from the high window and swam in his eyes.
Confused, Levi quirked a brow at me as I relaxed in this space beside him.
“You’re hungry, so you should drink
,” I offered, making the gesture even clearer. “You said yourself that we can’t trust them. So, this is our only option.”
It surprised me when he began shaking his head in protest, before I even finished my sentence.
“I appreciate the offer, but … no. It’s not safe,” he admitted. “While you’re in no danger that I’ll black out and attack you, to be tempted by your blood after having gone so long without feeding … it’s too risky.”
I considered this, mindful of my previous concerns. However, the next thought I had was how even though I had been hellbent on escaping the palace just a few days prior, a small part of me regretted that now. Because, had I stayed put, I wouldn’t miss Julian as badly as I did, nor would I have possibly jeopardized our safety, or my chances of having access to these men to whom I’d grown so attached.
So, bearing that strong bond in mind, I placed my wrist to the softness of Levi’s cool lips, taunting him, daring him to pass on such a tempting opportunity.
The silver centers of his eyes were slowly cut off from me as his lids became heavy, lowering until they eventually closed. He was trying to fight the urge, but appeared to be losing the battle. His hand left my hip, and crept upward until it met skin, caressing my waist. The length of chilled fingers eventually wandered beneath my shirt’s hem, and I drew a deep breath. I imagined my pulse throbbing against his lips as he tried to resist, thinking that, one day, this would be me. I’d be the bloodthirsty beast unable to fight the hunger.
“Corina … I can’t even begin to express what a terrible idea this is,” he spoke against my veins, wetting his lips before dragging them across my skin.
I was mesmerized with the control I seemed to have over him in this moment—this powerful prince.
“It’s okay,” I assured him. “You have my permission.”
His eyes flashed open with those words, and I noted how they’d changed, how the whites surrounding his irises had filled with darkness. It was an indicator that he was suddenly less himself than before. Still, I didn’t falter.
Drawing my lip between my teeth, I nodded to let him know I was sure.
It was that last silent nudge that prompted him to give in to the need. Right before my eyes, his cheekbones jutted out, taking on a more angular look than before, his parted lips revealed a set of deadly fangs that made a breath hitch in my throat. We were so close, face-to-face, and yet … I wasn’t afraid. In fact, offering myself to him brought a morsel of relief.
Levi’s head tilted, and I saw how powerful his hunger had grown now that he no longer had to bridle it.
“Wait,” I called out. Surprisingly, he had the wherewithal to stop. “Not like this,” I panted.
His nostrils flared with impatience as I withdrew my wrist, inching my body closer to his until the softness of my chest melded against him. His skin was no longer ice cold. It matched my temperature so closely that I nearly forgot who he was … what he was.
I tilted my head, offering my neck to him instead.
“This is how you like it, right?”
My question went unanswered, but I instantly felt a sharp breath against my throat. The awareness of how dangerous that was made goosebumps sprout over every inch of my skin.
His lips were so warm now, even his tongue as it danced dizzying swirls over the spot he intended to bite. What little space there had been between us disappeared completely when I was brought closer. I guessed he couldn’t stand the distance any more than I could.
Both legs entangled with his, and I barely noticed when his lengthy fangs sank into a vein. Had it not been for the sudden rush of lightheadedness, I might not have noticed at all. The sound of a primal moan being breathed next to my ear made me embrace him tighter, drawing his trim hips between my thighs.
What is this hold he has on me?
Why can’t I will myself to fear him, like I’m certain I should?
Why is he the only thing on my mind at a time when I should be scared for my life?
He took one last swallow and my skin tugged a bit as his fangs retracted. Worried he’d pull away completely, I gripped the nape of his neck, running my fingers through the back of that pristinely-tapered haircut of his. I wanted to make a mess of it because he was always so particular about his appearance. Actually, I had the intense urge to dirty him up in general.
I’d done so well to wait this long, hadn’t I?
Wasn’t it okay to give in now?
“Corina.” He breathed my name, and it was the most delicious thing I’d ever heard.
Hearing it only quickened the hurried trails of my hands as they maneuvered down his tight body. I was trembling with need by the time I reached his belt buckle, panting greedy breaths against his ear. The only thing I’d ever wanted more than this was air, and even that took a backseat to passion.
Passion … that’s what Levi brought out of me. Yes, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t knee-deep in a sexual fantasy about him, but I wanted more than that. The physical connection would be amazing, I was sure, but I mostly looked forward to the moment my very soul would be open to receive his.
Long fingers looped my wrists, and had it not been for Levi’s strength, I would have pulled his belt free from another loop.
He leaned away, and I blinked to focus on his stare. What I found there was unexpected. Yes, there was lust, passion, and need, but … there was also a strong resolve I didn’t understand at first.
“We can’t.”
Those two words were like pouring a bucket of ice into a steaming hot bath.
What the … ?
“We … can’t? Why?” I asked, nearly begging by that point, unashamedly reaching for his belt a second time.
A deep laugh fluttered to my ears, and I just about melted at the sound of it.
“We can’t because you didn’t offer yourself to me for that,” he explained. “You made a kind gesture, and quite honestly, I’d feel like less than a gentleman if things went any further than this.”
I stared at him startled, knowing this wasn’t his nature talking, but … mine. Of course my stupid morals would find some way to ruin this for me.
A final kiss was placed on my lips instead of my neck this time, and it only made me want him more. However, the part of me that stayed up late nights with Liv, dreaming of a whirlwind romance I didn’t think possible, saw the beauty in Levi turning me down.
It was different, unexpected.
It was … sweet.
My heart was still racing when I nodded, agreeing to settle down, but the cat was definitely out of the bag. If Levi hadn’t known before how hard he was to resist, he certainly knew now.
Reluctantly, I removed my hands from his waistband, and could hardly believe how forward I’d been, but who could blame me? As I stared at him now, his fleshy lips that begged to be kissed, it was a miracle he hadn’t spent his entire adult life naked, and entangled in bedsheets.
But then again, I was almost certain that was how he had spent his entire adult life.
Levi didn’t let me retreat completely, which I liked. He kept me close, pushing my hair behind my shoulder before placing a kiss there.
“I fed, which means I held up my end of the bargain. So, now it’s your turn,” he crooned. “Sleep.”
I didn’t say it out loud, but I felt completely safe in his arms. Even with uncertainty lurking just outside the door of our cell.
As if he had willed me to do as I was told, I felt my body relax against his. However, this wasn’t trickery or magic, it was natural.
“I’m a woman of my word, so I’ll rest like I promised, but just keep something in mind,” I offered before leaning into him. “I wouldn’t be mad if you decided to wake me,” I whispered.
Soft lips pressed to my forehead as he laughed. “Sleep well, Corina.”
Accepting that I’d been shut down for the night, I submitted to his request.
For now, anyway.
***
Levi
I heard them comin
g long before they arrived. The short warning gave me the chance to awaken Corina subtly, her body stirring when I brushed my hand against her cheek, instead of allowing the guards to startle her.
She’d slept in my arms all night, and I loved every second of it, which made me dread having to ruin it now. But we weren’t on our own schedule. We were on theirs.
Whoever these people were.
If it were up to me, the night would have been spent on a yacht, or in a lavish penthouse overlooking whatever city her heart desired, because any woman of mine deserved to be spoiled to her heart’s content. Not stuck here, where we’d been imprisoned like criminals. My pride wouldn’t let me admit it, but chivalry was not the only reason I resisted her advances. Truth be told, I had a gentlemanly side to me when I cared not to suppress it. And, with her, I wanted to let that part shine through.
After all, we were now mated for life.
I couldn’t imagine being intimate with Corina under these conditions. I was wise enough to know the idea of there being a perfect time was merely a myth, but there certainly was a such thing as an absolute wrong time.
And this was one such time.
“Wake up, Love.”
She blinked at the sound of my voice and I smiled watching her yawn and stretch like a sleeping child.
“They’re on their way,” I whispered against her ear, prompting her to sober even quicker.
Both arms extended past her head, hanging over the edge of the cot. “It feels like I slept for a year,” she groaned, a groggy rasp to her voice. “Do you feel any better?”
It was kind that she asked.
“If by ‘better’ you mean do I feel my abilities returning? Then the answer is, a little.”
It was true, I felt the twinge of power deep within, but couldn’t quite access it yet. In due time, though.
The guards were close enough now that Corina could hear them too. She sat straight, rolling her eyes as the door unlatched.
A metal tray was placed on the floor, and without looking, I knew it only held a slice of bread, a boiled egg, and a cup of water. That’s all they’d brought her for all three meals since we arrived. It wasn’t much, but it kept her from starving, I supposed. Beside it, a chalice of blood, laced with whatever left me void of my abilities.
