Bound in Darkness

by Nicole Edwards

  “But I’m back now,” he said, once more pulling her against him. “And I’m not going anywhere, Acadia. As long as you’ll have me, this is where I intend to be.”

  As much as she wanted to tell him she wanted them to be together, there was still that underlying fear of what would happen to her if she did. There was no way to ignore the reasons she was here. She had a duty, and there was always the risk that the Almighty would eliminate her if she defied them. Though her heart belonged to Kaj, her body wasn’t her own to give freely, nor was her heart.

  “I’m going to order food to be brought up,” he said softly. “Then we’ll eat, take a bath if you’d like.”

  “Will you stay with me today?” she asked, sliding her hand over his chest. “I don’t want to sleep alone.”

  “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, balisra.”

  She knew deep down that he meant that, and it soothed her in many ways.

  If only she could soothe him by settling his mind, assuring him that she would forever belong with him.

  It was the only thing she wanted, and it was the one thing she knew she couldn’t give.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Monday, February 5, 2018

  Acadia had spent the past three days watching over Kaj as he slept, praying he would heal now that Obsidian had truly removed all the lead that had been lodged in him. After the incident when Kaj had passed out from the pain, she had sought Obsidian, insisting he do something. It was then the male offered another exam, one that alerted him to the fact he had indeed missed one of the bullets.

  With Obsidian’s assurance he would heal fully, she had remained in the bedroom with Kaj, refusing to leave his side. She couldn’t imagine what she looked like now, after three days of ignoring herself completely. The only time she slipped away was to use the bathroom and freshen herself up a bit, but she had avoided showering because she didn’t want to leave Kaj for that long.

  A soft grunt sounded from the male as he shifted, rolling onto his back.

  Acadia leaned onto the mattress, watching him closely, praying he would finally open his eyes once more.

  “Balisra…”

  “I’m here,” she whispered. “I’m here, Kaj.”

  A smile tilted his lips seconds before his eyes opened, his head turning toward her. “You’re here.”

  Was it wrong of her that she enjoyed the relief she heard in his tone?

  “I never left,” she told him.

  As though he just realized where he was and perhaps remembered what had happened, his eyes scanned the space around him.

  “What happened?”

  Acadia went on to explain about their conversation on the sofa, him passing out, Obsidian coming in, finding and removing another bullet.

  “That explains it, huh?”

  She frowned. “What?”

  “Why I feel like a new male.”

  Relaxing for the first time in days, she exhaled heavily, then realized a tear had fallen, the wetness rolling down her cheek.

  Kaj turned back to her, his hand lifting, cradling her cheek as he swiped the tear with his thumb. “Do not cry, balisra.”

  She forced a smile. “I’m sorry.”

  “Do not apologize.”

  “I was worried about you.”

  “I was, too,” he said with a soft chuckle.

  “You need to eat and you need to feed,” she told him.

  “First, I need a shower,” he rasped as he pushed himself up. “I’ve been in this bed for days.”

  “May I assist you?”

  “I would be honored if you would.”

  Acadia briefly wondered if he recalled the conversation they’d been having prior to this setback. The one where he had apologized, believing he had taken advantage of her during their time together. She wanted to bring it up, to assure him that she was here in a capacity other than as his nurse, but she refrained.

  It only took a couple of minutes to get them both beneath the hot spray. Kaj was sturdier than she’d expected him to be, and Acadia considered that a good thing. In fact, she was sure he was in much better shape than before Obsidian had worked that second round of magic. She hadn’t expected the relief it brought on, but it was so much, she actually swayed on her feet.

  “Come here, Acadia.”

  When Kaj held out his hand to her, she took a step forward, allowed him to pull her into him. Their naked bodies pressed together as he wrapped his thick arms around her, holding her close. Acadia rested her head on his chest and returned the gesture, ringing his waist with her arms. In that moment, she let herself cry, hoping the water would conceal her tears.

  “You need not worry about me,” he whispered, his words spoken softly over her head. “You’ve taken good care of me.”

  Perhaps. But that didn’t change the fact she’d spent the past few days worried he would succumb to those injuries and she would spend the rest of eternity without him.

  Kaj shifted, forcing her to lean back. His finger curled under her chin, urging her to look up at him.

  His green eyes glittered with health and warmth, and yes, she saw heat in there, too. His body was coming to life as they stood beneath the water, and hers was answering the call. Her relief that he was all right was soon overshadowed by the heat their bodies generated when in such close contact. And when Kaj reached for the bottle of soap on the ledge, Acadia took a step back, watching him as he poured a generous amount in his palms before requesting she turn around.

  Not sure what his intentions were, she did, giving him her back. To her relief, he pulled her against him, his arms coming around, soapy hands beginning their leisurely stroll over her skin. He started with her shoulders, down her arms, her hands, back up. When he moved on to her chest, her breaths became labored. When he moved down to her breasts, she was panting. He teased and fondled as he caressed her so gently it was all she could do to remain on her feet.

  Minutes passed as he paid attention to every inch of her, getting more soap when the suds had been washed away. He kneeled behind her, working down the fronts of her legs, then up the backs. Kaj cupped her bottom, lightly teased between her legs, cleaning her intimately before moving higher. By the time he was standing tall, she was once again swaying, her muscles loose, her body aching for his.

  Then it was his turn. While he soaped up, an endeavor that was not quite as reverent but equally provocative, Acadia watched. His skin glistened as water sluiced over him, running in rivulets down his chest, his thick thighs. She wanted to offer to assist but couldn’t quite focus, so she settled for observing. His erection was thick and heavy as he lathered himself, the suds briefly shielding him before being washed away.

  “I want to make love to you,” he rasped.

  She swallowed, her heart expanding, her belly fluttering. No one had ever made love to her before. It was something she’d read about in fiction books that Obsidian brought in. The idea of two hearts bonding as one, two bodies joining in a dance as old as time.

  Once they were both rinsed, the water was turned off, towels were retrieved, bodies were dried. Then Acadia took his hand and led the way to the bedroom. She was the first on the bed because she wanted him to know she was willing and eager. This wasn’t him taking advantage of the situation, this was her offering herself to him.

  When he joined her, it was to cover her with his warmth before his mouth found hers. They remained like that for long minutes, her hands exploring him while their tongues mated.

  And while her body grew more insistent, her desires raging out of control, Acadia could’ve been content to stay just like that for the rest of her days. During the time they’d been together, Kaj had become important to her.

  Enough that she realized and accepted that … she was in love for the first time in her life.

  Although Kaj had been intimate with females before, never had it felt like this.

  Perhaps that was because he felt more alive than ever before. He wasn’t sure it had anything to do with h
is near-death experience so much as it related to how he felt when Acadia was with him. With her, every touch, every taste was significantly more intense, a joining of more than mere bodies.

  He wasn’t sure when it had happened, or even how, but he had fallen for the female. No, amend that. He had imprinted on her, his soul claiming her as his own for eternity. It was what they referred to as mielix zan, an affliction that affected males of his species. He had bonded with the female, and there would never be another who could take her place in his life.

  As he held himself over her, Kaj wanted to mark her with his scent, to infuse her with his venom, to tie her to him for eternity.

  He couldn’t, of course.

  For one, Acadia wasn’t aware of his feelings for her, his needs. She was caring for him and yes, he got the feeling she had developed some affections for him, but as for whether she was willing to bind herself to him for the rest of their existence, he didn’t know. And he didn’t think now the appropriate time to ask.

  No, right here, right now, their bodies were eager to merge, and he was content with that. He’d spent weeks worried that he was making assumptions about desires that weren’t there. However, she had corrected his thinking when he’d apologized. And here they were, his body finally mending appropriately, his heart still belonging to her even if she wasn’t aware of it.

  “Make love to me, Kaj,” she whispered, her mouth separating from his as she kissed down his jaw, his neck.

  He closed his eyes, drowning in the sensual onslaught as her hands and lips caressed. As much as he wanted to slide into the warm haven of her body, Kaj knew he needed to feed first. It was the only way to ensure he could satisfy her. His own needs were secondary, but his strength was failing because he’d spent too much time in this bed.

  Kaj hated to do it, but he shifted off her, rolling to his side and pulling her against him, her back to his chest.

  “I need to feed,” he whispered, kissing her neck as he brushed her hair away from that delicate column.

  Acadia leaned into him, her body forming to his. She tilted her head down toward the pillow, giving him the access he needed.

  As desperate to taste her as he was to feed, Kaj kissed and licked her skin. “I’m going to be inside you before I’m done,” he warned.

  “Yes … please, Kaj. I…” She shifted again, her ass grinding against his groin. “I want to feel you inside me.”

  He growled low in his throat as his fangs shot down from his jaw. He dragged one sharpened point over her skin, licked her. When she moaned softly, he pierced her vein. Her blood was so potent it shocked his system instantly. He drank from her, his hand moving to her breast, cupping her, plucking her nipple as his body roared to life, his strength returning.

  His hips began a slow grind. When she lifted her upper leg, his erection slid between her thighs, seeking the heart of her. Together, they adjusted so he could penetrate even as he fed from her vein. His fangs remained lodged inside her as her hand slid down, guiding him into her heat. His lungs ceased to work for a brief moment as her slick sex enveloped him.

  “Kaj…”

  His name on her lips had him refocusing. He drank her down as he rocked his hips, the head of his cock throbbing as he sank inside her.

  He continued to feed even as he rolled over her, mounting her from behind. His hips were rolling on their own, pushing him inside the heavenly heat. Deeper, deeper still. He refrained from pulling out, loving the way her sex clenched around him, milking him as he sought all the pleasures her body could offer him.

  As much as possible, he focused on feeding, taking from her vein while he gently rocked, careful not to tear her flesh in the process. He maintained a smooth, gentle rhythm for as long as possible. And when it became too much, he retracted his fangs, licked the wounds to seal them before he let himself go, his hips retreating before slamming forward. He growled as the sensations ripped through him, the silky heat of her overwhelming his senses.

  Kaj took her then. He did his best to maintain a steady pace, to treat her with care even as his hips jerked forward.

  “More, Kaj … please.”

  When Acadia shifted, her hips pushing back against him, he realized what she was requesting. Making love didn’t necessarily mean being gentle and sweet, it was more a state of mind. And here, in this room, with the fire warming the air, the scent of her arousal, the softness of her body beneath his, Kaj made love to her in the way they both needed.

  As minutes ticked by, positions changed. Kaj dislodged long enough to roll her onto her back so he could see her beautiful face. He drove into her again, watching as her eyes closed, a brilliant smile pulling on her mouth.

  “Yes…” Her knees lifted, squeezing his hips as he drove them both higher.

  When she came the first time, her body pulling taut, her sex strangling him, Kaj wanted to roar his approval. Instead, he focused on sending her over again.

  More shifting, different position. Acadia on top, riding him, her smooth hands braced on his chest as she took control, driving him to insanity with the exquisite pull on his cock. Minutes passed as she took what she needed. When she orgasmed again, Kaj flipped them so she was beneath him once more. This time, he draped her legs over his forearms and let himself go. His hips were like pistons, fast and furious, as he clung to her, the electric current starting at the base of his spine and working its way up and out. His balls drew up tight, his cock pulsing as his release barreled through him. And when he came, it was with one final punch of his hips and a roar loud enough to rattle the chandelier dangling above the bed.

  Careful not to suffocate her, Kaj rolled, taking her with him so she was draped over his sated body, his cock still lodged inside her.

  “I’m not done with you,” he told her. “Just need a minute.”

  Her laugh was so sweet, his body reignited, his cock pulsing inside her once more.

  Acadia moaned as she gyrated her hips, the friction sending heat to his extremities, bringing life to those recovering nerve endings.

  “I’m not done with you, either,” she whispered.

  And she went on to prove it.

  For hours.

  Chapter Twenty

  Fucking treadmill.

  One would think the designers of those damn things could figure out how to make them powerful enough to keep up with a full-grown male vampire.

  Okay, fine. Perhaps they weren’t aware that there were full-grown male vampires, so whatevs.

  Thanks to his quick reflexes, Mirakel managed—barely—to keep from breaking his neck when he’d all but exploded the motor on that damn thing. And now, as the belt limped along while he held firm on the side rails, he was stuck with nothing to help rid him of this abundance of energy that had kept him confined to this room for the majority of the night and into the day.

  He glanced at the clock on the wall.

  Twenty minutes until he had to meet with Briony.

  What he wanted to do was tell her he couldn’t make it. However, that was his brain talking. The rest of him was all about the meeting, desperate for even a small glimpse of her.

  And yeah, yeah. He knew it was wrong. Mielix zan was not something to be avoided unless you were a recluse and never saw anyone. He’d gone and imprinted on the female, and she had no freaking clue what that meant. As it was, he’d been grateful she’d yet to feed another male. Heaven help them all if he couldn’t manage to keep his distance if and when that happened. It was part of the reason he’d restricted himself to the weight room, hoping all the stone and earth between him and her would be enough barrier to prevent him from feeling it should it happen.

  Of course, he’d been called to the carpet and rightfully so. Because he’d been so caught up in his own problems, he had ignored the very reason he was here. Thankfully, Kaj had kindly realigned his priorities, and Mirakel was back where he needed to be.

  Snagging a crisp white towel from the rack, he wiped his face and the back of his neck. What he needed was a
shower, then maybe half a dozen sandwiches. Perhaps then he’d be calm enough to go to her, to feed without losing his shit. Even the thought of touching her again was enough to keep his cock in a semi-hard state all the time. Didn’t matter that he’d worked that fool out a good half a dozen times every single day just to keep it from getting pissed at him. Asshole still saluted him at all hours.

  As he made his way up the stairs into the house, he kept his head down, slipping through the parlor to the hallway that would lead up the back way to his room. Last thing he wanted was to have a conversation with—

  “Hey, Mirakel!” Blāz shouted.

  He grunted in response, taking the stairs three at a time. He rushed down the hallway, listening to the male’s voice behind him.

  “Yo, dude! I just wanted to let you know—”

  Desperate to get away from him, Mirakel slammed through his bedroom door and came to an abrupt halt.

  “—that Briony’s here to see you.”

  Yeah. She was definitely there. And she was most def seeing him, because her glittering purple eyes were in the process of caressing his bare chest.

  He grunted again, holding his position in the doorway as he considered the ignorance of walking into that room and closing the door behind him. It was a testament to his desperation that he would even think it was an option, b-t-dubbs.

  This morning, Briony was wearing emerald-green robes that hung from her narrow shoulders, resting gently against her full breasts, tied with a matching sash around her tiny waist before dropping all the way to the floor, covering her feet. Her red-gold hair was pulled up once again, pinned in place to reveal her delicate neck.