He angles his head a fraction, resting his face in the crook of my neck and taking a deep inhale.
“Exquisite,” he whispers on the next exhale, scraping his fangs torturously slow on the warm skin there. I whimper, my traitorous body betraying me. I want to run away, my anxiety filling me up to the brim, like a bubble that’s about to pop. I want to stay and feel those fangs pierce the skin and go deep inside my neck. I want to scream, yet I want to moan just as much.
This can’t be happening. I cannot be having these conflicting thoughts, not about this creature in front of me I was raised to believe is the evil incarnate.
He moves back just an inch, his never-ending onyx pools fixing me unnervingly.
“Run, little umbra. Run away to the safety of your room before I decide to do something you’re not ready for yet!” He sounds just like the predator that he is, and the low growl that accompanies his words jumpstart my brain back into common sense.
I leap from my seat and bolt for the door without a single glance back. I sprint to my room as if hellhounds are on my heels, and once I’m in the familiar space of my bedroom,with the door shut behind me, I try to focus on my breathing exercises.
One. Breathe in, breathe out.
How the hell did I get into this mess?
Two. Breathe in, breathe out.
So maybe he is not the brutal villain he is pictured to be. But I am not delusional enough to believe he might be good either.
Three. Breathe in, breathe out.
But, worst of all, his fate seems to be intertwined somehow with my sister’s. And that fact alone makes the hair on the back of my arms stand on end. He might not be a murderous monster, but she is.
Four. Breathe in, breathe out.
It does not matter that I find him to be the most unnerving, striking and handsome male in all the kingdoms. Or that I feel the slickness gathered between my thighs that he caused with just a few words. It doesn’t even matter if I will find all other males lacking by comparison from here on out. He is the most enticing mistake I must ensure I will never make.
Five. Breathe in, breathe out.
I feel my pulse returning to normal and my resolve hardening. It’s settled then. If I wish to preserve my life, and not attract even more of my sister’s anger than by just being born with the same face as her, I will have to steer clear of Killian at all costs.
Easier said than done.
CHAPTER 13
Aimee
Forthenexttwoweeks, it’s surprising how easy it is to avoid Killian. He left the next morning after our awkward dinner conversation, away on one of those missions everyone’s so tight-lipped about.
I took the opportunity to sleuth more around the castle, even in the dead of night, hoping to find a damn way out. Despite how much I tried to find an escape route, all my attempts were futile. One night I even struggled to climb the walls surrounding the gardens, landing on my ass more times that I would like to admit. I’m starting to come to terms with the idea that I am stuck here, and a small, traitorous part of me, that I may or may not resent, keeps whispering that maybe it’s for the best. That it’s not that bad here, after all. I should give up my delusions of a grand escape and enjoy the comforts of being Killian’s unwilling guest.
I hate to admit I am treated well here, lavished with the finest clothes, and the most delicious foods I have ever tasted. Am I becoming a glorified house pet? Like a fluffy, fat cat, gorging on tasty treats and napping on plush pillows, forgetting all about its feral side? Somehow, inside these castle walls I can’t break free from, my biggest threat is succumbing to my surprising desire for the Vampire King.
After that dinner, I can’t deny the stupid attraction there is between us. There shouldn’t be, but yet there is. I have never even looked twice at a vampire in my entire life, and now, I can’t stop the constant thoughts about him that plague me, and the heated dreams. Between my usual nightmares and my new sexual fantasies starring a certain brooding Vampire King, I can barely keep an eye closed at night. My frustration runs high, and I’ve come to the conclusion that the only way to rid myself of this ill-fated infatuation is to take another to bed. After all, they say that one fire drives out another’s burning.
I just need to find a suitable candidate to scratch that itch. The various humans working around the castle won’t do. They can’t match my stamina, and I’m certain they can’t erase the images of Killian grazing his fangs alongside my throat, or whispering sweet nothings in my ear. I’m not even sure a Fae could do the trick right now.
Sex is just another tool to gain control, to feel a sense of power in this life that spawned me utterly powerless. It is as much about pleasure as it is about domination, and I need to be in charge of my urges before they overpower me. I will subjugate my body to my will, not the other way around.
I need a strong, powerful vampire that can take my mind off that dark and temperamental male. Maybe it’s time to have a taste of those fucking special bedroom abilities that Sariah mentioned vamps have, not only to get over Killian, but to proveonce and for all, that I am in control of my destiny, my desires, my urges.
After careful consideration, I’ve decided that Blaise will do. He’sreallyeasy on the eyes, with his tall and lean physique, his baby blue eyes and dark brown braids. His insufferable personality is growing a bit on me, I must admit. His arrogance is quirky at times, and I persuade myself that he could be the passionate tryst my body needs to get out of this haze. He’s been nothing but straightforward with me, and there must be more than just tactical reasons for him being Killian’s second-in-command. Maybe he’s the best in the kingdom at pleasurable affairs too, not only spying and combat.,my backstabbing inner voice quips, all too enraptured with a certain vampire I’mnot thinkingabout, yet again.
Blaise returned yesterday from whatever errand the Vampire King sent him on, and since I don’t know when said King will arrive at the castle, I must act out tonight.
I appraise myself in the wide vanity mirror in my room. To enact my seduction, I’ve chosen a black silk slip-on dress with sheer panels at the waist and thin, delicate straps made of dark gray pearls. The dress reaches my ankles, and the thigh-high slit allows my toned legs to peek out from the ethereal fabric. I’ve also chosen a pair of black, shiny high heels with chains curving around my ankle bone.
My chocolate tresses caress my naked back when I twirl in a slow fashion. I feel more like Celestia tonight, my magical temptress alter ego. The black kohl around my eyelids makes the amber in my eyes pop, and I’ve added a shadow of crimson red on my lips. I look delicious, if I say so myself.
