Chapter 27
“Brady!” Lucius raised his voice as he vigorously shook his mate. Panicked at the thought he might have drained too much of his mate’s blood, he rebuked himself for not being more careful.I’ve got to find Kieran, and fast?he’ll know what to do.Rolling over, he sat up on the edge of the bed, flexing his legs to see if they’d support him. They seemed to be working, so he stood up and headed for the door. Stumbling after his first step he realized he was still connected to the IV needle. Lunging for the back of the chair next to the bed, he grabbed at it to hold himself up.Now what the fuck do I do?
“Leelan? Where are you going?”
Snapping his head around, Lucius found his mate’s eyes on him. “Brady! Are you all right? I was trying to get Kieran to help me save you but my legs were too shaky.”
“Save me from what?” Brady asked, a puzzled look on his face.
“From me! I’m so sorry I bit you but my mouth was watering for your blood and I couldn’t fight it anymore. And then you moaned and I was sure I drank too much cause you wouldn’t wake up. So the only thing I could think of was asking Kieran to help save you,” Lucius cried, tears gathering in his eyes.
“Leelan, come here, please,” Brady murmured, patting the bed next to him. Seeing the guilt on his mate’s face nearly broke Brady’s heart; it was now obvious his mate’s lack of knowledge about relationships between vampires and their Fated Mates had caused his current distress. Once Lucius settled next to him, Brady wove their fingers together before placing both their hands on his mate’s chest. “You didn’t hurt me, Lucius. As my Fated Mate, it’s impossible for you to do that.”
“You’re wrong!” Lucius protested. “You were unconscious because I drank too much. I know when that happens because I saw it when Valerian drained his donors. That’s the sound they made…just before they died.”
Leaning in, Brady gently kissed his mate, before saying, “Leelan, first of all, as Fated Mates, we can’t hurt each other. Remember when I told you that even if I had magic, it would never be used against you?”
Nodding, Lucius replied, “Yeah, but I…”
“No buts,leelan. There aren’t any exceptions to it which means it’s impossible for you to drink too much of my blood. Tell me…what happened when you heard my moan?”
“I stopped immediately.”
“Exactly…it alerted you to stop. And you did.”
“But what about next time? What if you don’t moan? I think it’s safer if I just drink animal blood,” Lucius proposed.
Brady was surprised at the unexpected low growl rising from his chest. But it seemed the thought of what his mate was suggesting was enough to trigger a strong possessive streak in him?something he never felt before. “Animal blood won’t do. From now on, you’ll need my blood to sustain you, nothing else will.” Then seeing the look of dismay on Lucius’ face, he huffed in frustration at his poor explanation.I can simplify any legal issue so even a simpleton can understand it, but I’m muddling up the most important matters in my life.
Taking a deep breath, Brady started again. “Lucius, we are Fated Mates…or ‘soul mates’ might be a better description. When you bit me, it completed the claiming between us. Now, we hold each other’s heart in our hands, binding us together for all eternity. And because of the love we have for each other, it’s impossible for either of us to hurt the other, which is why I can freely give you my blood, knowing you will not kill me like Valerian did to some of his donors. And finally, just so you know, I wasn’t moaning in pain…I was moaning because it felt so good.”
Shifting his gaze from their linked hands to his mate’s face, Lucius asked, “Are you telling me the truth?”
“I am,leelan. I couldn’t believe how good it felt…it was like the best orgasm I ever had. I felt I was floating with you among the stars and planets. I never wanted it to end.”
Smiling shyly, Lucius murmured, “I felt the same way. Will it be that way every time?”
“I’m pretty sure it will, but maybe we should test my assumption…many times…just to make sure it’s correct.”
Lucius’ eyes widened and a smile graced his face when it sunk in what Brady was proposing. Nodding vigorously, he replied, “That’s a very good idea. I’m prepared to do it as many times as necessary to prove you correct.”
“Happy you agree,” Brady murmured, before tucking Lucius against his side. “But first, let’s get some more sleep because I have a feeling we’re going to have a very busy day ahead of us.”
Yawning, Lucius thought about asking what Brady meant, but in the end, decided it could wait. Closing his eyes, he whispered, “I love you,” just before drifting off.
“I love you too,leelan,” Brady mouthed, his words finding their way into Lucius’ heart.
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Confirming no one was following him, Josiah’s eyes shifted from the rear view mirror to the road in front of him, exhaling in relief.A fucking witness!Unfuckingbelievable! Rudy swore to him no one survived, but obviously it was just another fuck up in a long line of fuck ups. Ever since he received the warning call from his contact, he anticipated seeing High Council goons around every corner, ready to arrest him. Hopefully, he now had some time to disappear?at least until he came up with a new plan. Until then, he had to cover his tracks.
Thank the gods for an old friend who had no problem walking the shady side of the law and was more than happy to help him out with no questions asked. Arriving at his destination, Josiah drove through the open ten-foot-high chain-link gates, down a dusty road where he stopped in front of a small, dilapidated building. Getting out of his car, he glanced around, checking to see if anyone was around. A large, chained up, growling Pit Bull eyed him warily. Satisfied, he entered the unlocked front door.
No words were exchanged as Josiah handed over the keys to his car. Getting a nod in response, he followed his friend to the back of his junkyard where they stopped in front of a car that had seen better days. As his eyes ran over it, he knew it was perfect for his trip. Shifting his gaze to the man beside him, he asked, “You sure the engine’s good?”
“It’s a brand new one I put in myself. You won’t have no problem with it…no matter how far you plan to go.”
Taking the keys from his friend, Josiah climbed in, spending a few minutes getting familiar with the controls before starting the car. Beckoning his friend to get in, he then backed it out from its spot and drove it back to the building. After transferring his possessions, he shook his friend’s hand before getting back into the now-untraceable vehicle.
