Chapter 10
Severin
Yesterday had been the most painful and simultaneously the best day of my existence. Felix was the reason for both. I knew telling him how painful his absence would be on me, would only force him to stay by my side, and I selfishly did not want his forced company. I wanted him towantto be with me, not out of pityfor my wellbeing.
Looking to my right where Felix was still sleeping softly, I traced his jaw with my finger, mesmerized by his beauty. He had fallen asleep while we shared our first bath together and I found myself unable to part from him. So, I carried him from the tub and dried his body as carefully as I could manage, sneaking a good look at how gorgeous my fated was without any clothing obscuring my view. Then I tucked him into my bed, savoring the knowledge of finally having him where he belonged. Sleep had found me shortly after.
Now, I lay awake, contenting myself by watching him. I do not care about the potions he had taken. I knew he was mine. But for Felix, I could wait until the next feeding before I fully claimed him. It would happen no matter what, once the potion was out of his system. I knew deep in my soul that it was the reason our mating was not fulfilled. When a vampire feeds from their fated, they go into a sort of trance together, and both experience a euphoric pleasure in their veins before reaching their completions. Then, they often both lose consciousness and wake up bonded.
Felix had been the only one to faint, and I had missed whatever was lacking from his blood. But now, I knew I only had to bide my time for us to fully bond. As intended.
Felix groaned, alerting me he was waking up. I rested my head on my right hand, both eager and a little afraid of his reaction when he opened his eyes.
He blinked, then scanned the room with his brows furrowed, and then his gaze landed on me. He gasped softly, and I smiled at him, not able to stop myself from feeling my chest bloom with happiness that I once again held his full attention. Peter was the attention seeker in the family, but I figured when it came to Felix, I would always desire his attention.
“Good morning,” I rasped, surprised with how rough my voice sounded.
I was immediately hit with the sweet scent of his arousal. I groaned, unable to stop my cock from lengthening. This wassonot the time.
“Um, hi,” he replied, blushing prettily. “How’re you feeling?” How sweet of him to worry about me. I had been gifted such a perfect fated.
“I feel much better. Thanks to you.”
He gave me a weak smile. “Considering how I was the one causing your unease, I figure a ‘thanks’ isn’t necessary.”
Shaking my head, I sat up against my headboard. “I was the one who refused to tell you what would happen to me. I was naïve to think I could survive the whole week.”
“Why didn’t you? Tell me, I mean.”
“I did not want you to feel forced to endure my company, nor did I want your pity. I might be old, but I still prefer my companions to desire me back.”
He flinched at that, which I had expected. Hearing about past lovers would do that to a fated. I would likely react a bit more violently if he had said the same to me.
“I deserved that, I guess,” he sighed. “For what it’s worth. I felt horrible being away from you, too, which doesn’t bode well for my theory on us not being truly fated.”
I smiled smugly at him. “Oh?”
He just rolled his eyes at me. “No matter what, we still have to wait a few days to be certain. So, while we wait, I would like for us to become… friends.”
I could do that. Under one condition. “You sleep in my bed each night, and I need to be with you as much as possible. Then, I am okay with us being friends. For the time being, of course.”
“Of course,” Felix agreed, mockingly. I loved seeing how unafraid he was, how unapologetically himself, he chose to be around me. I felt like I had been given a gift. A rare vulnerability, that Felix trusted I would not mind his true self. I found myself more enamored with him as time passed. For each layer of him he revealed, the more I found that I loved, desired. I wanted to protect him, cherish each layer.
Felix’s stomach growled and I remembered he needed food. Checking the clock that stood proudly next to the door—one of my fondest pieces from when I was a clockmaker a century ago—I saw it was nearly nine a.m. Joel was hired to prepare breakfast each day at eight, since that was when Felix had requested it. Dina had most likely told Joel to prepare it, but cover it up so that we could rest. Knowing Peter, he would have already told Dina everything. She tended to worry, and even if I would never admit it, I rather liked her concern for my wellbeing.
“Breakfast,” I stated, getting ready to stand.
Felix grumbled behind me and I quickly hid my smile from his view. He was absolutely adorable. And to think this was our first morning waking up together. The first of many mornings to come.
Seeing as we had bathed the night before, we skipped showering and got dressed. I picked out a set for him to wear, knowing it would fit well enough, so I handed it over. “I can just go to my own room,” he grumbled, but still accepted the clothes.
“I want you in my clothes,” I stated, not bothering with how possessive I sounded.
“Is this anotherbondingthing I need to know about?” he asked, putting on the pants I had picked out for him.
“Yes.” I was not about to explain further until he had eaten. Peter being here would make my vampiric side on edge until I had claimed Felix fully, so him smelling like me would help ease that side of me. Or, Ihopedit would. This was not exactly something I had experience with.
He shook his head, not saying anything else as we both finished putting our clothes on. With me in my usual dark grey slacks and white button-down, him in black slacks, and a navy-blue long-sleeved t-shirt.
