Bound in Darkness

by Nicole Edwards

  One day at a time, he figured. When Michael got fed up, Kaj suspected he’d let him know.

  After leaving Obsidian, Kaj headed up to the second floor, making his way to Acadia’s room. Down below he could hear the heurosp working away, tending to chores, making meals, keeping everything in order. Across the way, there was laughter coming from the game room, pool balls clacking, some wagers being made. Everything seemed almost … normal.

  It wasn’t until he stepped up to Acadia’s door that he realized there had been no echo of pain in his chest for the past week. Despite the fact she had yet to speak with Obsidian, he had to assume Acadia had abided by his request and had refrained from feeding the males in the mansion. Considering he’d fed from her daily—though they’d kept it completely civilized—he wondered if perhaps he’d taken more than he should have, leaving it impossible for her to provide to others.

  Kaj rapped his knuckles on the wood.

  No answer.

  He could feel her inside the space, so he let his senses scan within until he located her. Initially he’d thought to do so as reassurance she was all right. When he heard the sound of water falling, he knew she was in the shower and that had his hand turning the knob, stepping inside.

  Steam drifted from the bathroom along with the scent of cherry blossoms.

  “Acadia?” he said softly when he neared the doorway.

  He caught sight of her behind the clear glass wall that separated the shower from the rest of the space. It reminded him of the bathroom he’d used when he’d been healing, the one he’d had his first shower with her in. There had been no glass walls in that one, but the view was still the same for him. And the reaction he had to seeing her was the same as it had always been. He was instantly hard, his body aching for hers.

  Kaj took the opportunity to admire her beautiful form, all those graceful curves. She was mesmerizing, her hair wet, clinging to her as it hung down to her hips.

  And she was watching him as she stood there, her soapy hand sliding over her breast.

  “Invite me in, balisra.” He wasn’t so sure he’d said the words aloud as much as thought them, but the heat he saw flash in her amethyst eyes told him she’d heard him all the same.

  “Please join me, phaal.”

  He stared back at her, shocked to hear her refer to him in that manner. He was not her Alpha, but she’d welcomed him as such.

  The polite thing to do would’ve been to wait for her to finish, but he didn’t want to wait. Not another minute. Hell, not another second. It had felt like an eternity since he’d held his female in his arms, and he was desperate to feel her against him.

  While she continued to run her hands over her slick skin, Kaj tugged his T-shirt over his head, let it fall to the floor. He toed off his boots, leaving them behind. One step forward, he began unbuttoning his jeans. Another and he was lowering the zipper. By the time he’d shed his clothes, he had approached the side of the shower, the glass partition no longer separating them.

  Yet he waited.

  Acadia’s gaze slid over him, his body responding to the approval he saw in her eyes.

  Mine.

  “Yours,” Acadia said softly, and again, Kaj didn’t know if he’d spoken aloud or projected the word.

  Didn’t matter.

  Time seemed to slow as he took one step, then another, eliminating the distance between them. When he was within arm’s reach, Acadia turned to face him, the spray of water slicking her hair back from her face.

  “You are the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen,” he told her.

  Her eyes glittered the way he’d come to love.

  Whereas time had slowed when he approached, the moment his skin met hers, everything else faded and time became nonexistent. The only thing that mattered in that moment was Acadia in his arms. Though the last time he’d held her, when they’d been in the hot tub, Kaj had refrained. He was past that point now, unable to hold back anymore.

  Kaj pulled her into him, banding one arm around her waist, cupping the back of her head with the other, and bringing her mouth closer. He hovered there, his lips barely grazing hers. He was waiting for her to make the first move, needed her to eliminate that last breath between them. When she did, when Acadia’s soft lips pressed to his, her breasts crushing to his chest, Kaj’s world splintered into fragments of light, the adrenaline flooding his veins.

  All the time they’d wasted up to now coalesced into a single breath as he pinned her to the glass wall, crushing his lips to hers. Acadia’s tongue fought with his as he tried to inhale her, needing to feel her deep under his skin.

  Kaj slid his hands over her soft, smooth curves until he was cupping her ass. Keeping her trapped between his body and the glass, he lifted her off her feet. When her arms circled his neck, her mouth melding perfectly with his, Kaj shifted his hips so that his sex was pressed intimately to hers. Heaven Almighty, this was right where he wanted to be, her in his arms, warm and wet. If he could’ve frozen this moment in time, he would’ve done so.

  “I need to be inside you,” he rasped.

  Acadia whimpered, a sound he knew to be approval of his understated request.

  He lowered her onto him, pushing forward until his cock was buried as deep as her willing body would allow. He held her then, just like that, their bodies intimately joined in more ways than one. And he retracted his earlier statement. This was the moment he would freeze in time. It was both heaven and hell, the need building to impossible proportions.

  No words were spoken, yet there was a wealth of conversation transpiring. So many things unsaid, so much emotion. It had been in a shower long ago when he’d first realized what she meant to him. A completely innocent encounter that had gotten out of hand. That had been the pivotal point for them, everything that followed building to this moment.

  As much as he wanted to take her like that, slick-footed beneath the water, he feared the beast within would lose traction, so he decided to relocate. With her impaled on him, soap and water slicking her skin, Kaj took her into the bedroom, gently eased her down to the mattress, not caring that he’d left the water running or that they were both soaking wet. He took care of the water, shutting it off with his mind, then willed the fireplace to come to life, providing warmth though he knew it wouldn’t be necessary. The passion their bodies would generate would be enough to heat the entire mansion.

  His heart took over, his need to dominate her overwhelming. It would be so easy for him to claim her once and for all. Once he did, their lives would forever be altered, and he wondered if she understood what that meant. It would forever tie him to her. His devotion would be unwavering. Nothing could come between him and his need for her. The only way she could be rid of him would be to send him far, far away or take his life. Otherwise, he would belong solely to her, his days dedicated to protecting and loving her.

  He pulled back, staring down into her eyes, wanting Acadia to see his intention.

  “Not yet, Kaj,” she whispered, her beautiful eyes bouncing over his face. “For now, let’s just have this.”

  It wasn’t easy, but he managed to ignore the sharp pinch in his chest. He’d been holding off for her, and he would continue to do so for as long as she needed. Didn’t mean he wasn’t ready.

  He growled low in his throat as his hips shifted back then pitched forward, driving him deep inside her. He held her gaze for as long as he could, then tucked his head against her shoulder, the bed rocking with his momentum. His breath locked in his throat as sheer ecstasy consumed him, her body clutching him tightly. He slipped into her mind as he worked them both toward release, needing the connection, to feel what she was feeling.

  It was then he noticed the tension she was attempting to hide, the fear of what would become of her once their mating was complete, but she was willing because she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

  And it was her fear that helped him understand. He refrained from unleashing on her, held that part of himself back. It was inevita
ble, he knew. He would claim her as his, but not until she knew he would move both Heaven and Earth for her.

  “Kaj?”

  He shook his head.

  “I’m sorry…”

  “Don’t,” he whispered against her ear. “Do not apologize, balisra.”

  Kaj sensed her retreat. Not physically, because they were still joined. He was still moving inside her. Emotionally, Acadia shielded herself from him.

  He lifted his head again, stared down at her. He found her hands, twined their fingers, and pinned her to the bed beneath him.

  “Do not do that,” he rumbled, holding her stare. “Do not retreat from me.”

  His hips began moving in earnest, driving forward, filling her as their gazes held. With their palms clasped, Kaj opened himself to her, giving her full access to all that he was, letting her see into his mind, something that was now otherwise shielded to all.

  Acadia inhaled sharply, her back bowing as his power flowed through their joined hands, her body absorbing the energy. He drove her to her first climax shortly thereafter, then rode the wave with her. As he stared down at the most beautiful female to have ever lived, Kaj gave himself over to her.

  “Kaj!”

  “Come for me again, balisra.” He pounded into her, the bed rocking into the wall, the pictures rattling.

  And when he came, he threw his head back and roared, the sound bouncing off the rafters, rattling the chandelier overhead.

  As she lay in Kaj’s arms, Acadia mulled over what she’d seen in his mind while they’d been joined so intimately. She wasn’t sure whether he realized she’d been able to read his thoughts in that moment, but she had.

  There was so much he was dealing with, all of it overwhelming even from a distance. He was worried about his males, Mirakel especially. But also Bijou, her request to move into the Lair, his refusal to allow her. And then there had been the decision he was plagued with. That one had tripped her up momentarily. Whether he’d meant for her to find out, Acadia was aware that he’d been given the ability to free the Fae from their servitude. Michael simply wished for him to bring forth the original vampire and he would release her and her brothers and sisters.

  She also knew he was going to go through with it. For her.

  There was no denying the hope that flared in her chest. The thought of being free … finally. She’d long ago stopped believing it was a possibility, giving in to the existence forced upon her. Now … could it really happen? Could she be free to live as she wanted to? And if so, what exactly did that mean?

  “What’s on your mind, balisra?”

  “You can’t do it for me,” she said softly, rubbing her hand over his arm where it was tucked around her chest.

  “I can do anything for you.” His voice rasped close to her ear. “And I will, Acadia.”

  It pained her to know he would base such a huge decision on doing what was right by her. As much as she wanted to be free, she would never ask so much from him.

  “Are you hurt that I rejected you?” she asked because she had to know.

  “I understand your reasons.” His arm shifted, pulling her in closer. “And I vow to do right by you. I am yours, regardless. From here until eternity.”

  But she’d seen the desire in his eyes, the need to claim her. She’d almost given in, but something had held her back. Not something. Her. She was holding herself back.

  “I can’t,” she admitted. “Not until I know I can give you all that I am in return.”

  Which meant she had to confront Obsidian, tell him what her intentions were. What that meant for her position within the fiestreigh. But before she could do that, she had to come to terms with what the repercussions might be.

  “I get it. I do.”

  She pressed back against him, absorbing his warmth, letting it infuse her. Acadia had missed this, the two of them close like this. Since his return to the mansion all those months ago, the sex had been a means of satisfying them both. This … this was more, and she cherished this moment.

  “Have you spoken to Obsidian?” he asked.

  “I have not,” she admitted, hating that she’d avoided him. “But I’m holding to my vow. I have fed no other since that day.”

  As for how long she could continue to do so, that wasn’t known. Acadia had a responsibility to the fiestreigh, and she took her duties seriously. If she were free, she’d have the freedom to choose whether or not she wanted to support them. Until that time, she was bound by obligations forced upon her.

  “I know you haven’t, Acadia. I can sense it.” He pressed his lips to her cheek. “Once I claim you, it won’t be an option, balisra. If you give to another male, or feed from one, it will push me over the edge. I will be a danger to every male within these walls.”

  She knew that. And perhaps she’d been hoping he would claim her so she didn’t have to make such a big decision. It was actually an easy one to make, because she wanted nothing more than to belong to this male. However, it wouldn’t change the fact she was enslaved by her duty to the fiestreigh. The real question was, if she opted out of her duties, what would become of her? Would God do as he promised?

  “Do you know what we did to earn this punishment?” she asked Kaj, feeling the need to explain her hesitance.

  “You never specified.” His body relaxed as he pulled her against him, holding her gently but firmly.

  “My ancestors defied God,” she told him. “For centuries, we managed to remain hidden from humans. Almost entirely, in fact, back in the Old Country. Here, in the New World, things began to change. We began interacting with humans, similar to the way vampires do. Not fully immersed, but on the periphery. As long as we had kept them from knowing what we were, it was fine. Then Calista, our Queen, she met a human male and she fell in love with him. She was warned that it was against God’s rules, but her love was so deep, so true, she decided it was fate that had intervened.

  “Calista decided she was going to mate the human, but her people were against it. She couldn’t be persuaded and figured the best way to gain acceptance was to get pregnant.” Acadia glanced back at him. “That was the reason God made us infertile. Calista found herself with child, but before she could give birth, God found out. The pregnancy was terminated upon her death. And because the Fae had welcomed the child despite the fact they had been against the mating, we were cast out. Our souls were banished from Heaven, and we were forced to forever walk the Earth. Upon our death, we simply wither and fade, forever trapped in the shadows, alone, unable to interact with anyone.”

  “So Michael intervened?”

  “Yes. He offered us the opportunity to be the life source for his warriors on Earth. We’re still not allowed in Heaven; instead, he made us indestructible. We cannot be killed; therefore, we cannot be forced to the shadows.” Acadia exhaled, then smiled. “In the beginning, I was terrified. Upon meeting Obsidian, I’d expected him to be a hard male. It didn’t take long to realize he wasn’t forcing us, but rather embracing us within his family.”

  “Would you have left if he released you?” Kaj inquired.

  “No. I don’t know anyone who would, either. Though we have no real choice in the matter, Obsidian has never made us feel that way. It’s an illusion, mind you. I know that, but I wouldn’t trade this family for my freedom.”

  Until Kaj, Acadia had never really understood how bound she was. As long as she was enslaved to the warriors, she would not be free to be with him. No matter how much she wished it so.

  “I’m going to free you, Acadia,” he said, brushing her hair back from her shoulder before he planted his lips there. “And I’m going to claim you as mine.”

  She turned to face him, cupping his beautiful face as she scanned his hard features. “I’m already yours. Nothing will change that.”

  “Then help me, balisra. I need you at my side.”

  “There’s no other place I’d rather be,” she admitted, at the same time praying it was where she would one day be allowed to be but
essentially knowing it was out of her control.

  As well as his.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Friday, February 2, 2018

  When Acadia opened the door to Kaj’s room, she was surprised to find it was dark.

  Well, mostly dark. The fire was blazing in the fireplace, which offered enough light to see by, the golden glow licking along the walls and the furniture near the hearth.

  Her gaze settled on the bed first. No Kaj.

  Then the bathroom. Nope. Just as dark as the room.

  Frowning, Acadia stepped inside, easing the door closed behind her. “Kaj?”

  “Good evening.”

  His voice came from the direction of the fireplace, on the opposite side of the room from the bed.

  “Is everything all right?”

  “Come join me, please.” The tension she detected in his tone gave her pause.

  Was he in pain? Was he upset? She didn’t know him well enough to decipher his mood, but it wasn’t like it really mattered what was bothering him, she had a strange desire to fix whatever it was.

  She made her way over, taking in his still form. He was sitting on the thick-cushioned love seat that she often sat on when he was resting. He patted the spot beside him.

  Acadia looked at the cushion, up to his face, back to the cushion. It wasn’t difficult to understand what he wanted from her, but what she didn’t know was why. Was he planning to tell her he was leaving? That he no longer needed her assistance?

  As for why those were her first concerns, Acadia wasn’t quite sure.

  Confused, she met his stare. “What’s going on?”

  “I want to talk to you.”

  That didn’t sound good.

  Then again, he had been acting a bit strange since the morning when he’d fed from her neck while she’d been in his bed. Though he had fed from her three times since then, it had been from her wrist and while he was sitting on the edge of the bed. As though he’d been bothered by what happened between them.

  As for her, Acadia only remembered how good it had felt when he touched her, even more so when she’d slept at his side through the day. That was the first and only time she’d spent in his arms, and there was no denying she’d been hoping for more. That hadn’t been his plan, though.