“Stop,” he snapped. “Do not speak in riddles. Your alignment requires honesty. If your obedience is for a third party, you are misaligned with me.”
Vorthain’s mouth tilted, the smallest smile. “Yes. Omega instincts misdirected must be corrected. The bond is with him, not a phantom of your conscience. Correct your purpose, or I may be forced to employ some… faster methods.”
My fists clenched at my sides, my stomach twisting. Saying nothing was safest, because there was no talking my way out of this. Not without accidentally exposing Ronan.
I exhaled slowly, forcing my posture back into the exercise. My body obeyed outwardly, my shoulders relaxing and gaze lowering as Victor stepped back towards me, but my mind seethed inwardly. The small relief Vorthain had promised was nowhere to be found.
“Good,” he praised, like I was a puppy who’d finally learned how to sit. “Again.”
I was going to go crazy. For over an hour, we practiced approaching each other until I no longer stiffened. But it wasn’t due to some “alignment” nonsense, though.
It was surrender.
* * *
That morning, as dawn’s light was snuffed out by the heavy curtains pulled across my windows, I sat in my bed. Victor remained in the doorway, shirtless with silk pajama bottoms, while Vorthain stood inside, directing the scene.
“Sex is a distraction,” he explained. “A replacement you both used instead of a real, emotional bond.”
I nearly laughed. Yeah, no shit. Sex was the only thing that had made the past five years tolerable.
“Until Sage’s mind is realigned, it will only hinder your progress.”
“Are you seriously suggesting I be celibate?” Victor asked. I nearly laughed again. Could it not be more obvious how little he actually cared for me if his greatest concern was whether or not he could get his dick wet? “For how long?”
Vorthain gave a small shrug. “For as long as it takes. You gave me your word that I would have full control over the process, Premier. That having more than Sage’s body was important to you. Are you telling me that is no longer the case?”
The lamps dimmed, but I couldn’t tell by whose power as the dark priest and vampire stared at each other. To my surprise, it was Victor who finally relented. “No. I just… have needs. I would hate to rush the process to see them met.”
Vorthaintutted. “Come now, I did not say you could not be intimate. Sage needs to relearn your touch as a source of comfortand not only pleasure. You will sleep next to one another during the day, and you will guide her physically at night. Once she leans in instead of away, once she accepts the bond and her designation without hesitation, then may you reconnect sexually.”
Victor’s lip curled, his attention snapping to me. “Perhaps, darling, you should consider taking your lessons a little more seriously or—”
“Ah, ah, ah,” Vorthain interrupted, wagging his finger. “This is what I mean. You are using negative threats to ensure compliance. This sort of reinforcement is what frayed the bond to begin with.”
It was almost funny watching Victor struggle under someone else’s command. The way his chest heaved, his pupils dilated and retracted, the way his muscles tensed and relaxed. “Understood.”
He stomped towards the bed, lying down beside me, and pulled me next to him. I could feel the anger radiating off his skin, a cold fire that made me shiver.
“Calm yourself, Premier. You are not a safe place for her right now.”
The growl was a vibration that soon morphed into a purr, and he tucked my head under his chin as he stroked my hair down towards my back.
I did my best to relax, if just to finally be rid of Vorthain.
“Good, excellent. I’ll be right here if you need anything.”
At this I sat up, wrenching myself from Victor’s hold. “What do you mean? You’re going to be watching us all day?”
Vorthain nodded. “Of course. I must make sure Victor does not break the rules.”
“But… don’t you need to sleep?”
He smiled. I was never going to get used to those teeth. “Not as much as you may think.”
Victor pulled me back down, whispering conspiratorially in my ear. “We’ll endure it for now. The sooner this is over, the sooner he’ll be gone.”
I took a deep breath, finally releasing the tension in my muscles. I wasn’t sure whose presence was worse, and for once, I may have agreed with Victor.
