There was so much he was dealing with, all of it overwhelming even from a distance. He was worried about his males, Mirakel especially. But also Bijou, her request to move into the Lair, his refusal to allow her. And then there had been the decision he was plagued with. That one had tripped her up momentarily. Whether he’d meant for her to find out, Acadia was aware that he’d been given the ability to free the Fae from their servitude. Michael simply wished for him to bring forth the original vampire and he would release her and her brothers and sisters.
She also knew he was going to go through with it. For her.
There was no denying the hope that flared in her chest. The thought of being free … finally. She’d long ago stopped believing it was a possibility, giving in to the existence forced upon her. Now … could it really happen? Could she be free to live as she wanted to? And if so, what exactly did that mean?
“What’s on your mind,balisra?”
“You can’t do it for me,” she said softly, rubbing her hand over his arm where it was tucked around her chest.
“I can do anything for you.” His voice rasped close to her ear. “And I will, Acadia.”
It pained her to know he would base such a huge decision on doing what was right by her. As much as she wanted to be free, she would never ask so much from him.
“Are you hurt that I rejected you?” she asked because she had to know.
“I understand your reasons.” His arm shifted, pulling her in closer. “And I vow to do right by you. I am yours, regardless. From here until eternity.”
But she’d seen the desire in his eyes, the need to claim her. She’d almost given in, but something had held her back. Not something. Her. She was holding herself back.
“I can’t,” she admitted. “Not until I know I can give you all that I am in return.”
Which meant she had to confront Obsidian, tell him what her intentions were. What that meant for her position within thefiestreigh. But before she could do that, she had to come to terms with what the repercussions might be.
“I get it. I do.”
She pressed back against him, absorbing his warmth, letting it infuse her. Acadia had missed this, the two of them close like this. Since his return to the mansion all those months ago, the sex had been a means of satisfying them both. This … this was more, and she cherished this moment.
“Have you spoken to Obsidian?” he asked.
“I have not,” she admitted, hating that she’d avoided him. “But I’m holding to my vow. I have fed no other since that day.”
As for how long she could continue to do so, that wasn’t known. Acadia had a responsibility to thefiestreigh, and she took her duties seriously. If she were free, she’d have the freedom to choose whether or not she wanted to support them. Until that time, she was bound by obligations forced upon her.
“I know you haven’t, Acadia. I can sense it.” He pressed his lips to her cheek. “Once I claim you, it won’t be an option,balisra. If you give to another male, or feed from one, it will push me over the edge. I will be a danger to every male within these walls.”
She knew that. And perhaps she’d been hoping he would claim her so she didn’t have to make such a big decision. It was actually an easy one to make, because she wanted nothing more than to belong to this male. However, it wouldn’t change the fact she was enslaved by her duty to thefiestreigh. The real question was, if she opted out of her duties, what would become of her? Would God do as he promised?
“Do you know what we did to earn this punishment?” she asked Kaj, feeling the need to explain her hesitance.
“You never specified.” His body relaxed as he pulled her against him, holding her gently but firmly.
“My ancestors defied God,” she told him. “For centuries, we managed to remain hidden from humans. Almost entirely, in fact, back in the Old Country. Here, in the New World, things began to change. We began interacting with humans, similar to the way vampires do. Not fully immersed, but on the periphery. As long as we had kept them from knowing what we were, it was fine. Then Calista, our Queen, she met a human male and she fell in love with him. She was warned that it was against God’s rules, but her love was so deep, so true, she decided it was fate that had intervened.
“Calista decided she was going to mate the human, but her people were against it. She couldn’t be persuaded and figured the best way to gain acceptance was to get pregnant.” Acadia glanced back at him. “That was the reason God made us infertile. Calista found herself with child, but before she could give birth, God found out. The pregnancy was terminated upon her death. And because the Fae had welcomed the child despite the fact they had been against the mating, we were cast out. Our souls were banished from Heaven, and we were forced to forever walk the Earth. Upon our death, we simply wither and fade, forever trapped in the shadows, alone, unable to interact with anyone.”
“So Michael intervened?”
“Yes. He offered us the opportunity to be the life source for his warriors on Earth. We’re still not allowed in Heaven; instead, he made us indestructible. We cannot be killed; therefore, we cannot be forced to the shadows.” Acadia exhaled, then smiled. “In the beginning, I was terrified. Upon meeting Obsidian, I’d expected him to be a hard male. It didn’t take long to realize he wasn’t forcing us, but rather embracing us within his family.”
“Would you have left if he released you?” Kaj inquired.
“No. I don’t know anyone who would, either. Though we have no real choice in the matter, Obsidian has never made us feel that way. It’s an illusion, mind you. I know that, but I wouldn’t trade this family for my freedom.”
Until Kaj, Acadia had never really understood how bound she was. As long as she was enslaved to the warriors, she would not be free to be with him. No matter how much she wished it so.
“I’m going to free you, Acadia,” he said, brushing her hair back from her shoulder before he planted his lips there. “And I’m going to claim you as mine.”
She turned to face him, cupping his beautiful face as she scanned his hard features. “I’m already yours. Nothing will change that.”
