“About?” she prompted as she resigned herself to the conversation, easing onto the seat though not getting comfortable as she angled her body toward his.
His green eyes glowed in the firelight as he stared at her.
When he placed his hand on her cheek, she started, surprised by the touch. But before he could pull away, she reached up and held his fingers to her face.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly.
“For?”
“What happened the other morning. I was completely out of line.”
The other morning. When he’d brought her to orgasm after finding his own. He thought he was out of line? How? She’d practically begged him, hadn’t she?
“Do you regret what happened?” she asked, holding his gaze.
“It was inappropriate.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
Once again, he remained silent.
“I actually enjoyed what … what’s been happening between us,” she admitted, needing him to know she wasn’t offended or put off.
“I took advantage of you.”
Acadia almost told him that this was merely part of her duties, but she got the feeling that would not go over well. Nor was it even remotely true. What was happening between them was more than that. At least from her side. She definitely didn’t see their interactions as something she was bound to. No, more like wanted to do.
His hand was still on her cheek, but then the other lifted. When he had her face between his palms, Kaj pulled her closer. Acadia leaned in, then waited as his lips hovered over hers.
“I don’t see it that way,” she assured him. “This… I want this, Kaj.”
He seemed surprised by her admission, his body remaining still, his eyes continuing to caress her face.
Acadia waited him out.
“You’ve given me numerous orgasms, yet I haven’t had the pleasure of your kiss.”
Not sure what to say to that, Acadia rested her palm on his thigh, letting him know she was okay with this.
When he kissed her for the first time, she felt the sensation through her entire body. Fingers, toes, they all tingled from the exquisite feeling. His lips warm against hers, his breath soft, the tension between them coiling, drawing her into him. And when he pulled her closer, his tongue sliding over her lower lip and then into her mouth, she moaned softly.
He was a gentle yet dominant male and his kiss reflected as much. Kaj maintained the control as he explored her, his tongue moving alongside hers, his hand sliding around to palm the back of her head as he leaned in to meet her halfway. Warmth pooled between her legs, desire unlike anything she’d known before tightening in her core. Never had she wanted a male as much as she wanted Kaj. And that was even before kissing was on the table. Now … well, truth be told, Acadia didn’t engage in a lot of kissing. It wasn’t necessary to do with males to sate baser urges. In fact, it felt far too intimate, which made this moment all the more potent, she supposed.
She’d actually been disappointed when he had retreated after that amazing morning they’d had in his bed. Part of her had expected things to progress after that. Before now. Acadia was more than willing, more than ready to see what might transpire between them if he would simply let his guard down some.
“Balisra,” he whispered against her lips. “I want to feel you beneath me. I need to be inside you. Is this wrong of me?”
“Not at all.” God, no. Mini explosions fired off inside her, the tingling between her legs proof her body was eager for the same.
“Will you bathe with me?” he asked, pulling back and looking at her.
“Of course.” Although she wasn’t sure she could wait that long. She wanted to feel him inside her now. Here. On this sofa. Acadia wanted the warmth of his naked body covering her, the hard length of him pressed against her, his arousal filling her, stretching her. It was what she dreamt about during the daylight hours, what she fantasized at night when she was taking care of him.
“Keep looking at me like that and we won’t make it to the bathroom,” he growled softly.
“I’m okay with that, too.”
Another growl rumbled in the air as he took her hand and got to his feet. He was slower than usual, which gave her pause.
“Are you in pain?”
He winced. “It’s nothing.”
“Kaj.”
She stood her ground, staring up at him, studying his face as though that would tell her what was wrong. She knew he wouldn’t tell her because he didn’t want to appear weak. He would never appear that way to her. He was a fierce male, a strong, powerful male.
“I want you to feed,” she told him.
“After the bath.”
Acadia shook her head. “Before. Or no bath.”
Kaj smiled and it almost reached his eyes. “Bossy female.”
“Concerned,” she corrected as she motioned for him to sit back down.
“From your neck again,” he said, as though that was the only way he was willing to do it.
“You can have any vein you’d like, Kaj. I am yours in whatever way you need.”
His eyes heated, the desire glittering. It spoke to the female within her, the one who craved every intimate part of him.
“Now sit.”
Kaj eased back onto the small sofa, wincing once again. His pain concerned her. She needed to talk to Obsidian. See if he could do something. Perhaps they’d missed one of the bullets?
As she looked at him, she decided on the best way to do this. And opted to straddle his thighs, a move that seemed to surprise him.
“I have nothing on beneath this robe,” he said.
It sounded like a warning.
“And I have nothing on beneath this gown.”
“Take it off, balisra.”
Acadia nodded, then leaned forward so he could work the zipper on her back. When the gown gave, she held it to her chest as she got to her feet once more. As he watched, with the firelight at her back, Acadia let the silk fall to the floor. His eyes took a slow trip down her body, and she could feel the rake of his gaze like a physical caress. Her skin prickled, her nipples pebbled, and her sex grew wet.
She allowed him time to peruse, and when he finally held out his hand to her, she placed hers in it. Once she was situated, straddling his thighs, Acadia reached for the belt on his robe, unwound it, and slid her hands beneath, revealing all his smooth, warm flesh.
“You’ll be the death of me, female.”
Though he’d meant it as a tease, Acadia shivered as unease trickled down her spine. The thought of something happening to him… It was too much to bear.
Sliding her hips forward, she trapped his erection between their bodies, then eased her upper body to his, ensuring he had access to her vein.
“Feed from me,” she urged.
There was no hesitation before his fangs penetrated her, which told her more than he probably realized. His body was weak and he needed blood, but he’d been holding back.
In an effort to keep him at her vein, Acadia slid her hand between their bodies and curled her fingers around his erection. As he sucked, she stroked. Slowly, leisurely. She wasn’t trying to draw his orgasm out, she simply wanted to offer pleasure as he fed. When she thought he was going to release her, she loosened her grip. When he sucked more, she stroked firmly. Kaj clearly understood what she was doing because he settled in, his arms banding around her as he resigned himself to feeding.
It was in that room, on that little love seat, in front of that warm fire that Acadia felt herself fall for the male at her vein. She’d never fallen for anyone before, didn’t think it was in the cards for her.
Clearly that was because she’d been waiting for this male.
Kaj.
And time would prove that he would be her one and only love.
Though Kaj attempted to ignore it, pain shot through his torso, fierce and hot. He’d suspected something was wrong before now, but he’d been hoping time was what he needed to heal
completely.
As much as he wanted to believe Acadia’s blood would suffice, he knew better. Her blood was potent and pure, but it wasn’t doing the job of healing him, which he took to mean something was wrong.
Seriously wrong.
And now, as he released her vein, sealed the wounds, the flickers around his vision grew more intense, his head becoming fuzzy.
“Acadia…”
He felt her move, her hand falling from his erection. Her face was close to his, the only reason he saw the concern, because his vision was dimming.
“Kaj. Talk to me. Kaj?”
Her words drifted to his ears, but they were muted, as though he was underwater. Unable to hold his head up, he let it fall to the cushion behind him, his eyes closing. Yes, something was definitely wrong.
“Kaj!”
That was the last thing he heard as the pain consumed him, dragged him to a suspended state. He was conscious, mostly. But he was drifting in and out, his breaths labored, body weak. The pain ratcheted up, burning in his chest, making it difficult to inhale, exhale.
“Acadia…” He said her name not as a cry for help, more so because he loved it. He loved her.
He’d come to accept it as fact after she’d spent the day in his bed, curled up against him. He had remained awake while she slept, content to hold her in his arms, to feel her chest rise and fall. During that time, he’d also accepted that he had forced her into this, abused the assistance she had been offering. She hadn’t signed on to accommodate his sexual needs, merely his blood needs. And he had taken advantage of her.
Hence the reason he’d wanted to talk. Perhaps she would forgive him, allow him the opportunity to start over, to show her he wasn’t a selfish male. Not usually, anyway.
Kaj was aware of her moving off him, but his eyes wouldn’t open, his arms falling to his sides. His body was useless, overwhelmed by the agony blazing through his insides.
A soft rustle sounded in his ears and he figured Acadia was getting dressed.
Then there were more sounds: a door being opened, heavy footsteps on the floor. He was jolted, a groan slipping out of his throat as he fought to hang on to consciousness. Strong arms slid beneath him and he was lifted. His body was no longer controlled by his brain, though. In fact, the pain was drifting off, as though he was separating from it entirely. His brain flickering in and out, the world slipping away.
The last thing he was aware of was his back meeting the bed, his head eased onto the pillow.
And Acadia’s sweet voice pleading with him to stay with her.
When he came to, Kaj kept his eyes closed, let his senses scan his surroundings. He was in a warm room, a soft bed beneath him, blankets covering his lower body.
Breaths.
He heard her breaths first. Soft, rhythmic, slightly elevated as though she was worried.
“Acadia?” The word came out broken and hoarse.
“Kaj.” There was relief in her tone. “Oh, God. Kaj.”
A soft hand touched his bicep, then silk slid over his chest when she rested her head there.
It took a couple of tries, but he managed to get his arm to work, his hand shifting so he could touch her, brushing her hair back.
“How long…” He swallowed, his throat bone dry. “How long have I been out?”
“Three days.”
Holy shit.
As he remained like that, Acadia’s head resting on his bare chest, he kept his eyes sealed shut, gave his body a good mental once-over, checking in with the various parts to ensure he was still in one piece. He was content to say there was no more pain. Not the agony he’d been plagued with, anyway. Discomfort and soreness had taken its place.
“What happened?”
Her head lifted; her hand fell away. He tried to open his eyes but couldn’t.
Something touched his lips and he realized it was a straw. Greedy for fluids, he drew from it. The chilled water coated his throat, relieving him quickly, taken away only when he stopped drinking.
Acadia’s head returned to his chest, his hand once again settling on her hair, the need to touch her greater than he expected. A sense of calm washed over him as he succumbed to sleep once more.
Chapter Sixteen
Although he’d managed to keep his distance, Mirakel knew he could no longer put it off feeding. It had been too long as it was, the lack of blood making his brain logy, his muscles weak.
At least he had the good sense to find neutral ground. This time he opted for the infirmary, for one of the empty patient rooms. That was where he was now, sitting in a hard plastic chair that he feared was going to buckle beneath his weight. The other choice was to pace the room, and since that would mean he had to exert energy, it was a no-go.
A knock sounded on the door a second before it opened, Briony’s beautiful face appearing.
Mirakel forced his gaze back to the floor.
“You summoned?” she said softly.
Was it his imagination or was there a hint of disappointment in her tone? It was enough to have him lifting his gaze, observing her as she stepped into the room and closed the door behind her.
This morning she was wearing a velvet gown the same color as her eyes. It cinched in at her waist and flared at her hips, the heavy skirt brushing along the floor as she moved. He’d never seen anything more beautiful in his life.
“Where would you like me?” she asked, her words curt.
Mirakel swallowed hard, met her gaze. “Would you prefer I find someone else?”
He meant the words to come out as an accusation; instead they sounded tormented, even to his own ears.
Clearly Briony heard the vulnerability he’d meant to hide because her face instantly softened. “No. Of course not.”
He’d actually considered asking one of the other Fae, but in the end, Mirakel knew he couldn’t go through with it. The mere thought of taking from another female… It made his gut churn violently.
Mirakel nodded toward the hospital-type bed that filled the space. “Would you mind sitting up there?”
She didn’t speak, simply positioned herself on the edge of the mattress, her legs dangling down, her small feet peeking out from beneath the hem of the skirt. God, she had lovely feet. Her toenails were painted the same color as her gown, and he wondered if she always did that.
Scooting the chair closer to the bed, he ignored the violent screech of the metal on the tile as he got close enough she wouldn’t have to stretch.
Though he wanted nothing more than to take her neck, Mirakel knew he wouldn’t survive it. He’d managed to keep away from her for so long, he feared that he would go too far given the opportunity. And Heaven knew he wanted her with a ferocity that defied logic. She certainly wouldn’t understand it.
As he was reaching for her hand, he noticed she was trembling. The sight had him panicking, pushing the chair back against the wall, giving her space.
“I’m sorry,” he blurted as he shot to his feet. “I don’t mean to scare you.”
“What?”
He nodded toward her trembling limbs. “You’re scared of me. I can sense it.”
Briony stopped the shaking by placing her other hand firmly on her wrist. “No. I’m not. It’s…” Her eyes lowered. “I’ve put off feeding a little too long.”
“Since when?”
She whispered a response he couldn’t hear, which was saying something considering his keen senses. Then again, they could be failing since he’d waited longer than he should have to feed himself.
“When, Briony?” he demanded.
“Not since you,” she whispered.
Five days. The same amount of time he’d gone.
His inner beast wanted to shout his pleasure of knowing she hadn’t fed from another but seeing her in her current state worried him. The problem was, Mirakel knew he couldn’t handle feeding her until he’d refueled himself. If she took from what little energy he had left, chances were good she would kill him.
But what if
the same was true for her? Could she really handle feeding him?
Mirakel couldn’t take that chance. He would rather die than harm her in anyway.
Turning to face her, he snagged the neck of his T-shirt and yanked it over his head. He forced his knees to lock as he came to stand before her. When he took her hands and lifted them to his chest, he watched her eyes widen.
“What—”
He pressed her palms to his chest and held them there, meeting her gaze.
As though her body recognized what she needed to survive, he instantly felt the pull as she siphoned his energy from him. Barely a minute had passed when he felt his knees weaken, but he held firm, closing his eyes as he battled the mind-numbing drain. Damn good thing, too, because he could feel the room spinning, knew he was going to hit the floor any minute now, and he would much rather not see it coming.
“Mirakel?”
He felt Briony pulling away, or trying to. He kept her hands firmly on his chest, needing her to take from him. It was his duty to provide what was necessary for her. She was his nehadon, even if she didn’t understand it. He knew. And this was what he lived for.
A sharp scream pierced the air seconds before Mirakel hit the ground. Thankfully, it was only a knee that jarred into the tiled floor as his leg gave out. Then the other.
Briony’s hands fell away because he could no longer keep them there as he fell over, his shoulder meeting the cold, hard floor, then his cheek.
The last thing he thought before the world disappeared: Fuck, that hurt.
Apollo came to an abrupt halt when he crashed through the door to the patient room to find Mirakel laid out on the floor.
“What happened?”
Briony’s eyes were wide as she knelt beside the enormous vampire, her hand brushing his hair back from his face. “I don’t know. He was supposed to feed from me. Then he insisted I feed from him.” She nodded, as though he could see what happened next.
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