Vampish: Blood Bonds, page 7
I watched him, my eyes growing wider with each word. Where was this coming from? Was this just about our fight?
“I was a wolf just like you, Seline, less than a year ago. Hell, I was the alpha heir to a prominent pack. And now, because of some twist of fate, I’m relegated to the darkness, to live out the rest of my immortal life enduring relentless hunger. It’s not fair. Those serviles, they didn’t ask for any of this. The Royals get to do what they want, eat from whomever they please and no one bats an eye. The whole system is fanged up if you ask me.”
The entire room was quiet. He paused and sucked in his lower lip.
“Vampires aren’t born this way, remember that. We were all something else before this was forced upon us. We all had lives, had families. I’m not saying Ronin is right, but he’s not all that wrong either.”
“So what are you saying?” I finally blurted.
“Are you not going to fight with us?” Vera asked.
That dark gleam lit up his eyes, and his typical smirk returned. “No, I’ll fight. I go where Red goes. Call me stupid, call me whipped, but it is what it is. I just wanted you all to realize what you were fighting for.”
Heat blossomed across my cheeks as my team’s gazes zipped from Ransom’s to mine.
“Aw cute, the fanger’s got a crush,” Archer singsonged.
I shot my teammate a scathing glare, and the Fae’s gaze dropped to the floor. After another beat of silence, I faced my team. “Ransom’s not some fanger with a crush. He’s my fated mate.”
The silence took on a whole other level as all eyes bored down on me. Including Ransom’s, which was the heaviest of them all. He darted across the room so fast I blinked, and he stood before me. Those eyes seared into me, the deepest, most profound obsidian. When he was this close, I just wanted to drown in them, to lose myself forever in him. Despite my logical mind telling me what a bad idea that was.
His mouth descended on mine, and my lips curved to his despite the audience. I knew I shouldn’t love this man, knew giving into my feelings for him was the worst decision ever, but that was the problem: logical thoughts had no say in it. What I felt for him was bone deep and there was no denying it.
When he finally released me, a ridiculous smile played on his lips. “Thank you,” he mouthed.
“Um, is anyone going to explain this?” Archer asked. “Or are you two just going to make out some more?”
“I thought his wolf died when he did,” said Seline.
“We’re not really sure how any of it is possible,” I answered once I’d caught my breath from the searing kiss.
I could feel Spark’s heavy gaze on me from across the room, but I wasn’t ready to meet it. At least now I hoped he’d understand why I’d ended things with him. Dragons had mates too.
“Wait a second,” said Cal, rubbing his chin. “Could Ransom be the vampire with a soul?”
“No!” Ransom spun at the Nephilim, nostrils flaring, and fangs extended.
Cal held his hands up. “Whoa, chill, I’m just saying it makes sense. I’ve never met a vampire who can still shift.”
“I can’t shift,” Ransom snarled.
“Then how are you two mates?” Spark asked.
Ransom’s arms came over his chest as if they could somehow deflect the barrage of questions. Maybe blurting out the truth hadn’t been the wisest move.
“We’re not sure exactly,” I finally answered when Ransom’s lips remained sealed shut. “But my wolf can sense his somehow.”
“That’s what brought your wolf out.” Seline’s eyes widened in understanding.
“I guess so.”
Spark’s eyes lifted to mine, and the storm of emotions sailing through the brilliant amber shook me. “Have you completed the bond?” His tone was flat, lifeless.
“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” Ransom snapped.
I slowly shook my head at my friend.
My mercurial vampire mate grunted and stomped into the back bedroom. My gaze trailed his movements for a long moment before returning to my team’s curious faces. I owed them an explanation after lying to them for weeks.
After I hashed out the story, a heavy silence blanketed the room. “It doesn’t change anything,” I said after another endless minute of quiet. “I don’t know what this thing between us means, not with his wolf being gone.” I pivoted to Cal and raised a brow. “Is there someone within the Sons of Heaven that could determine if Ransom still has a soul?” I figured his heavenly counterparts had to have some sort of intuition on the subject.
He shrugged, lips screwing into a pout. “I’m not sure, but I can find out for you.” He ticked his head at the door Ransom had disappeared into. “Your mate seems pretty adamant he doesn’t have one though.”
“Ignore him. The whole dead wolf thing is a touchy subject.”
“I’ll see what I can uncover.”
“Thanks, Cal.”
Vera squeezed her boyfriend’s hand and rewarded him with a smile.
“Enough sitting around, guys.” I stood and faced my team, my fingers itching to reach for bardy who leaned against the wall by the door. “In a few hours, we go to meet the queen. If we can’t take Ronin down, we’re all out of a job, so let’s make sure we don’t fang this up.”
A whoop broke out, echoing across the high ceilings of the penthouse. “Everyone grab what weapons you have left and meet me in the apartment downstairs in thirty minutes. It’s vacant and big, so we can get in a quick training session before we go.”
“Wait a second, if there are other livable apartments in this place, why have we all been stuck on top of each other?” Archer asked.
“Because, you Fae brat, this is the only one with a generator and running water.” I pointed at the door with a smirk. “You’re more than welcome to stay down there if you’d like.”
Archer snorted on a laugh. “I don’t think so, Nix.”
I turned toward the hallway and called out over my shoulder, “See you down there in thirty.” Then I pivoted to the room at the end of the hall. There was something I had to do first.
I peered through the crack in the door before I entered. Ransom lay across the bed, eyes closed. I watched the steady rise and fall of his bare chest for a few more seconds before I steeled my nerves and marched in. I didn’t know what exactly I was going to say to him, but something had to be said. It wasn’t that I magically forgave him for promising to kill Azara to save me, but hearing his speech back there changed something.
All this time, I looked at vampires—at him as the enemy. I never considered the truth, that they were as much victims of circumstance as I was, as my parents were. With those words, my view of the world pivoted, and suddenly everything was different.
I crept onto the bed beside him, my flesh lighting up at his proximity. We’d been at odds for too long, and the burgeoning bond between us was angry. It longed for completion, burned to be made whole. Placing my head on his chest, I snuggled into his side. My blood sang.
After days fighting, it was like the pinnacle of pleasure without any of the sex. My thoughts bounced back to that night when we’d failed to complete the bond. My wolf nudged at my ribcage, butting her big head against my insides. She still longed for that connection. Her loneliness, her grief seeped into my conscious thought.
Despite all the terrible things Ransom had done, I would’ve tried to complete the bond just for her sake.
A muffled groan slid from Ransom’s parted lips, drawing my attention to his mouth. His eyes were still closed, but the steady rise and fall of his chest had accelerated. Maybe even in sleep he could feel me too.
A low growl filled my belly, confirming my suspicions. My wolf mostly made her presence known when his was around. My thoughts flew to Callan. Would one of the angels be able to give us an answer? Would Ransom even agree to go to Celestia to find out?
Ransom sighed and rolled toward me, trapping me beneath his strong arm and muscled leg. I smiled into his chest as his arm tightened around me. I peeked up at him, but his eyes were still closed. So I settled into him, his warmth and steady breathing making my own lids heavy.
I must have nodded off because I awoke in a panic to check the time. My arm was wrapped around Ransom’s bare torso and pinned in place by his heavy bicep. I tried to wriggle free, but he groaned at the movement.
Ugh. I was stuck. I was crushed against Ransom’s body, my mouth pressed to his chest. Thirty minutes had to have passed by now, and my team would be waiting for me. I hated waking him especially when I didn’t have time to say all the things I wanted to now.
I tried to slide my arm out from under his, or loosen his hold around my waist, but it was no use. Come on now… I pushed against his chest, but his arms were like steel vices.
A dark chuckle filled the air between us, and my eyes shot up to his. “Ransom,” I squeaked.
“You’ve got another thing coming if you think I’m going to let you go now.” He arched a mischievous brow. “You sneak into my bed and press your body against mine like you mean it… what did you think was going to happen?” He shot me his trademark grin, revealing that devastating dimple.
“Ransom, I wanted to talk, I still do, but I’m supposed to meet with my team to train.”
“Not right now you’re not.” He rolled his hips against mine, and his arousal pressed against my upper thigh.
“Ransom…” I groaned, but even I could hear my conviction faltering.
He didn’t waste any time to take advantage of my floundering. His lips descended on mine before he rolled me on top of him. I grumbled against his mouth as I straddled him, my traitorous body melding to his.
“You’re already late, Red. A few more minutes won’t make a difference. Especially not for what I have planned for you.” A wicked grin curled his lips before he claimed my mouth again.
I was helpless when I was trapped against him. All logical thought flew out the window as my body simply reacted to his. “Make it quick,” I mumbled against his lips.
“Oh, Red, I love it when you talk dirty.” His hands skated down my back, cupping my butt and pressing me harder against his lower half.
A burst of pleasure lit up my core as he rubbed against the bundle of nerves at my center. “Oh, gods,” I groaned.
Ransom took that as an invitation, his deft fingers making quick work of my bra, then top. As my shirt hit the floor, I glanced down at the man splayed out beneath me. The man. My mate. In that moment, he wasn’t a vampire, he wasn’t a fanger, he was just perfect.
And mine. My wolf growled.
Ransom’s eyes drifted to my chest and for once I didn’t think it was my boobs that had caught his attention. His ghostly wolf whined in return, the sound whistling in his chest. I lowered myself against him and palmed his sculpted pecs.
“That was a new sound,” I whispered.
His head dipped, but he didn’t say a word.
The closer we got the more his wolf seemed to surge to the surface. His thundering heartbeats battered my palm, as if his heart were desperate to break free. I smiled at the persistent beat. To think he had died… I squeezed my eyes shut to banish the panic-inducing thought.
His hand came over mine, pressing it to his firm chest. “Thank you for what you said out there.”
I nodded slowly. “I should’ve told them the truth a long time ago.”
He brushed his lips over mine again before pulling back and pinning me in his devastating gaze. “I’ve completely fallen in love with you, Red. It’s undoubtedly the stupidest thing I’ve ever done, but I can’t bring myself to regret it.”
My eyes locked on his, and I could feel the truth from those dark depths. “Good.”
A rueful chuckle parted his lips. “Not exactly the answer I was hoping for.”
I smothered his objections with my mouth, and it only took him a second to yield to my tongue’s demands. For now, it was easier to give into the desire, into the pleasure. Those things were easy, uncomplicated. What I felt for him was too raw, too uncontrollable, too all-consuming. I’d figure it out eventually, but right now, I hoped this was enough.
Chapter
Ten
Ransom
* * *
I followed Red down the dark stairwell still grumbling. Her team had to have finished training by now. There was no reason to drag me out of bed where we could’ve been having so much more fun. Where we had been having so much more fun. After having that tiny taste of her, I couldn’t get enough. I wanted to claim her in every way possible.
We’d been close today, but Red’s team was on her mind, distracting her. Plus, if we’d had sex again, I would’ve felt compelled to tell her the truth about the mate bond. Or at least Sierra and Hunter’s truth. Even if we attempted what they’d done, it didn’t guarantee success.
I huffed out a breath as we reached the floor below the penthouse.
“Oh, stop complaining, it’s not that bad.” Red shook her head as she opened the door into the hallway. “We could all use a little workout.”
“I wanted a little workout. Just with less clothes on.” I threw her a wink.
“You’re relentless.”
“You don’t even know.” I brushed by her, nudging her with my shoulder. “But I’d love to show you one day.” One day when all of this was over, and she was safe.
She nodded, the ghost of a smile flickering across her face before she marched to the apartment at the end of the hall. The door was ajar, and her team’s voices drifted into the corridor.
“At least they’re still there.” She hurried to the door and swung it open.
The dragon and the she-wolf sat on the floor in the corner, fingers entwined. I searched Red’s expression for a reaction as her gaze landed upon them, but her face remained unchanged. Was she really over him?
“About time you showed up.” The little witch popped up and strutted over with a mischievous smile on her face. “Did you two have your own work out?”
“Oh, please spare us,” Archer groaned.
“Sorry, guys.” Red’s typical take-no-prisoners attitude had dimmed a notch. “I totally passed out.” A hint of crimson tinged her cheeks, reminding me of the heated blush that blossomed on her face when I’d made love to her what seemed like a lifetime ago now.
Vera turned to me, still grinning. “What have you done with our real team leader? Who is this lazy imposter?”
I couldn’t help my lips from parting. The ways in which Red changed me were innumerable, but to think I had an effect on her was oddly disarming. I just hoped I didn’t fang her up.
“Lazy?” Red eyed her friend, then the rest of the team. “I’ll show you guys lazy.” She pointed bardy at each one of them before tossing the weapon. It flew end over end across the room and landed with a thwack in the opposite wall. The plaster crumbled but the blade remained fully entrenched in the mortar. “Come on, another twenty minutes of weapons work.”
A wave of grumbles exploded across the space.
“We already trained for the past hour while you were napping,” Archer groused.
Red wagged a finger at him. “But did you have practice with a live, moving target?” Her eyes darted to mine, and a wicked grin lit up her face.
“Are you serious?” I cried out.
She jabbed her elbow into my side and leaned in, her warm breath tickling my ear. “It is kind of your fault I’m late. Consider this punishment.”
“Punishment for amazing foreplay?” I hissed out loud. Vera and Seline laughed, and Red threw me a pointed glare. Totally worth it. “Fine, fine. I suppose the least I can do is make sure you all don’t get yourselves killed when we take on Ronin.”
“And Thanatos, the actual god of death.” Sparky stood, jaw clenched tight. “Do we know anything about his status?”
Red shook her head before turning to Vera, who gave us a reluctant shrug. “Ronin hasn’t mentioned what exactly he needs to bring Thanatos back, only the items necessary to break the spell.”
“They could be linked,” I added.
“I don’t think so.” Vera chewed on her lower lip. “From my research, Thanatos wasn’t exactly banished from Azar. He, like the other gods, who once walked the earth simply left when we were created. I guess they didn’t like rubbing shoulders with the likes of us. In theory, any of the gods could come and go as they pleased, but not in corporeal form.”
Red’s gaze focused on her friend, and a flicker of unease swirled through the bond. “So how exactly do they become corporeal?”
“That’s the thing, no one knows. There’s no guidebook out there on how to bring a god to earth, which is why I’m guessing Ronin’s warlock is just having Thanatos take over his body.”
“For now,” I muttered.
“Right. Having Thanatos amongst us, with the power that he wields, it would be pretty disastrous.”
“Great, and we have no idea when he’s coming.” Red crossed her arms over her chest, and eyed bardy across the room.
“Or if he’s already here,” I added.
Red grunted. “For now, we do what we can, which means making sure we’re all at the top of our game.” She moved to the center of the room and held her hand out. The whole team joined in the circle a moment later. “Whatever happens we’re in this together, and we fight till the end.”
A chorus of whoops broke out as everyone’s hands joined the huddle. I even threw mine in at the last minute.
“And no matter what,” Sparky added, “we won’t let Ronin or Thanatos anywhere near Nix or her freaky blood.” He shot her a smile, and my ghostly wolf snarled. Whether Red had truly moved on from her dragon boyfriend was unclear, but it was glaringly obvious the dragon heir was still in love with my mate.
