He released her lips, moving so that he breathed heavily against her neck. She could feel the scrape of his teeth there.
“I want you.” His voice was thick with need.
“I want you too,” she whispered back.
This string of attraction was pulled taught between them. A single wrong move could make it snap.
He looked up, meeting her gaze and then pulled away to the opposite side of the bed and turned his back to her. “I know there is something you’re hiding from me. I will wait until you’re truly ready to give me your all.”
With that he stood, his from disappearing in a cloud of red mist.
Lanias couldn’t believe him.
What did he expect her to do, just vomit everything out?
She had held onto secrets throughout her entire life. She wasn’t just going to risk everything on hopes and prayers. Their sexual tension be-damned.
Rolling over she jerked her blanket higher, fuck she’d sleep it off and later once awake she’d go and speak with Fabian to see what he knew. Though from his actions with the staff she knew he was a half-breed like her. So, Stan must have been collecting them to make sure they remained safe.
The only question was what had triggered the true Surrems to come and hunt the half-breeds like her down. Surely it couldn’t only be the gate she opened. Not that she had done that herself, Zaharis had provided significant help.
Closing her eyes, she let her mind drift away on that thought.
The Others
LANIAS
Lanias looked over her outfit. High waisted jeans with a crop top, and flats. She’d given up her fancier wardrobe for simpler things. It was weird seeing herself in clothes that were completely different from her past outfits.
She still hadn’t gotten used to being humble—not after the life she’d left behind. Tapping her chin in thought, she considered the habits she’d managed to shake… and the ones she hadn’t. A smirk tugged at her lips as she glanced down at the bold ‘D’ stamped on the center of her shoes. She wasn’t entirely done being mercurial.
Turning away from the mirror, she cleared her throat. Her eyes landing on the bed, she frowned. Thinking back to the scene between her and Alek from earlier. She needed to get her priorities in order before she drifted far too deep.
Being with Alek was easy, too easy. She could count on one hand when she’d felt that comfortable with someone. Those times had passed so quickly and had been so fleeting she’d grown weary of them. It must be true that Beings were naturally attracted to those who were powerful.
“Lanias watch yourself, you might find yourself playing the role of victim again.” She muttered before looking away from the bed and heading downstairs. Lanias was the queen of her own destiny, and no matter the result, she wouldn’t allow herself to play the victim.
Leaving the room, she made her way to the steps. Just as she reached the balustrade, she heard two men speaking.
“Why has father managed to call you two, but he’s completely kept Mihai and I out of the loop. What’s he doing that he feels the need to hide from us?” A familiar voice demanded.
Another voice responded with a bit of amusement, “I wonder what dad would think about your word choice Sorin. You sound like you expect him to report to you.”
“Dammit Andrei, that’s not what I mean, and you know it,” Sorin snapped.
His violet eyes met Lanias’ as she appeared at the top of the steps. The two of them stared at each other for a nanosecond when in the blink of an eye he was holding the edge of his axe near her throat. “You demon Witch,” he hissed.
She smiled, her lips stretching in a blood thirsty grin. “The Bastard Prince.”
Sorin coughed as a black root slammed into his stomach. His body rose in the air as if in slow motion before with asudden snap it flew back. He landed on the opposite wall lightly, catching his spinning axe from the air.
Lanias continued down the steps. “I wasn’t expecting to see you so early in the morning.”
He glared at her as he jumped from the wall and landed on the floor. He reached up with his other hand and snapped his fingers, his coat disappeared. Revealing the handle of the second axe on his back.
Andrei stood to the side taking the role of spectator audience, looking between them with open curiosity. Obviously not interested in stopping them
“I don’t know why you’re here, and I don’t really care,” Sorin said, unbuttoning the end of his sleeves and rolling them up. “I promised myself the next time I met you I’d chop you into pieces.”
