25. Amy
Chapter 25
Amy
N ovak’s eyes became vacant, staring past me at the unmoving body in his basement cell. His shirt and forearm were covered in his brother’s blood. At least, I thought it was blood. All I knew was that it was thick as tar and smelled awful.
“Hey.” I cupped the side of his neck. “You still with me?”
“It’s done,” he said softly. “My brother’s dead. I killed him.”
My chest squeezed with uncomfortable tightness. The shock of his actions must have been setting in.
“Come on. Let’s get you upstairs and cleaned up, okay?” I took his clean hand and led him out of the basement. He was compliant, but his eyes never lost that thousand-yard stare.
Once in his bedroom, I left Novak by the door to start the massive four-headed shower. When I returned to him, he was looking down, seeming to notice the black sludge on his shirt for the first time. Tempting as it was, it wasn’t the right time to make a joke about a shirt famine.
“Do you want me to help you?”
He didn’t answer, so I gently steered him toward the shower and began undressing him. I wadded up the shirt when I removed it, careful to not let the dark stain touch anything else. There was no washing that thing. It probably had to be burned.
My hands shook slightly as I removed the rest of Novak’s clothes. He let me take everything off without comment, even lifting his feet for me to remove his socks and shoes. When he was completely naked in front of me, all my sexual attraction to his body was overtaken by my concern for him. He was beautiful, statuesque, but also profoundly sad. His arms were limp at his sides, shoulders rounded forward, and his stare blank.
I tested the temperature of the water before taking his hand. “Come here. You’ll feel better soon, at least physically.”
I directed him to sit on one of the benches jutting out from the wall, and got to work on scrubbing him. The blood had only touched his forearm but I had a feeling he’d want the whole experience washed away. So I did my best to stay out of the direct spray of the water while washing him from head to toe. I even washed his hair, massaging my fingers into his scalp until his eyes closed softly.
After rinsing and then toweling him off, some life seemed to return to Novak. He embraced me, not caring that my clothes were soaked from staying fully dressed in the shower.
“Thank you, akra.”
He sounded exhausted, weary, and I felt the same fatigue in my bones. Dawn had to be approaching soon.
“Of course. I can’t imagine how difficult that was.” I reached on tiptoes to kiss under his jaw. “Let’s get you into bed.”
His arms around me tightened. “Are you staying?”
I didn’t hesitate. “Yes. I just need to change into something dry and then I’ll be right there.”
After swapping out my wet T-shirt for a fresh one, and quickly texting Tavia that I was alive and well, I slid into bed next to Novak.
He embraced me from behind, molding his chest to my back and lining his hips with mine. All at once, his body relaxed with a massive sigh that ruffled my hair, and sleep overtook us both.
The moment I was awake, I rolled over to check on Novak. His side of the bed was empty, the covers rumpled and pushed back. On my nightstand sat a steaming cup of coffee and two small cookies on a saucer. A slip of paper under the saucer read, In the office. – N
I sat up with a smile and popped one of the treats into my mouth, rolling my head around on my neck as I fully joined the waking world. The cookie was more like a miniature scone, buttery and flaky, and went down well with my first sip of coffee.
Rising from the bed with mug and second cookie in hand, I headed for Novak’s office in nothing but my sleep shirt and panties. It was almost alarming how quickly I became comfortable in his house, but he didn’t seem to mind.
The office door was open as I approached, with a flurry of movement within. Novak was surrounded by boxes and piles of papers on his desk. He sorted through notes and journals, organizing them into various stacks.
“Akra.” A smile touched his lips when he looked up and noticed me. “How are you? Did you sleep all right?”
He was dressed down as well, at least for him. His slacks were unbelted, the top buttons of his shirt undone, along with his signature rolled-up sleeves.
“Definitely, I’m fine.” I set my mug down on a side table before turning to him. “How are you?”
I reached for his face, relieved to find his warm red eyes alert and focused.
“I’m… good.” He leaned into my touch, nodding as if confirming to himself that his words were true. “I am. Good, that is.” His smile widened. “I’m free.”
“You are.” I stepped back to take in the boxes and piles of documents everywhere. “So what’s all this? Are you tidying up?”
“Sort of. I’m finding all the clan decrees, everything referring to assets, customs, and clan laws of Rathka’s Order. It’s all going into this box.” He pointed to the one sitting in the center of his desk. “And then it’s all going into a fire. Because Rathka’s Order is no more.”
“And your brother?” I asked hesitantly.
“Yeah, I…” His voice took on a somber tone as he raked a hand through his hair. “I cleaned up downstairs and performed a death ritual. He’s at peace now.”
“And you’re okay?”
“Yes.” His expression softened. “I could feel Rathka taking him away and that gave me closure. I’m good, really.”
I nodded, relieved. “So, what does this mean for you?”
Novak straightened to full height. “I’m starting a new clan. My own. I don’t want any association with Rathka’s Order anymore.”
“You are? Wow. That’s a big deal, right?”
He nodded. “And I want to align with Blood ‘til Dawn. Nothing can erase what my ancestors did to them, but I want to atone for their losses if I can.”
“Wow,” I said again. “What’s your new clan called?”
“I don’t know yet.” Novak caressed down my arm until his fingers reached mine. “I was hoping we could decide on a name together.”
My gaze snapped to his. “Together?”
“Yes, akra.” He drew me closer to him. “Because it won’t just be my clan. It’ll be ours.”
Time stood still and I couldn’t have heard him correctly. “What do you mean?”
“I mean it begins with you and me. Together.” His forehead lowered to mine. “Just because I want an alliance with Blood ‘til Dawn doesn’t mean I’ll let them keep you. I want you to myself.”
My mind was connecting dots that seemed to make logical sense, but I still struggled to believe the conclusion I arrived at.
“I’m not sure I understand.”
Novak turned abruptly and swept an arm across the surface of his desk, sending his neat piles and boxes of documents scattering across the floor. Before I could react, he grabbed my waist and lifted me in the air. Then he set my ass down on the center of his desk and spread my legs as he moved to stand between them.
“You understand, you just don’t see yourself as I see you.” Novak held a punishing grip on my hips, his fingers curling into my T-shirt. “You’re my blood mate, akra. Your blood was made for me, and mine for you. I want you at my side for centuries to come, heading our clan, our descendants, together.”
Desire, awe, and overwhelm swept through me in a maelstrom. His voice was strained, like he wanted this, wanted me , more than anything else. Humans called this marriage and children. Making our own family. But with a vampire, it was so much more. It was centuries of life, it was drinking blood and aging slowly.
Being with Novak would mean multiple human lifetimes of his fascinating mind, his sharp smirks and sweet forehead kisses. Centuries of being held and listened to, of being driven to orgasm within an inch of my life. He was the first and only man I ever trusted, and if he wanted to give me forever, how the hell could I refuse?
The rush of sensations and emotions overtaking me spilled out into four words.
“I love you, Novak.”
He blinked in surprise, as if not expecting to hear that. “You’re the first person to say that to me in centuries.”
“You deserve to hear it.” My arms went around his neck, legs squeezing around his hips. “You’re amazing and you deserve to be loved.” I let out a soft, deprecating laugh. “I’m not sure why you’d choose to start a new clan with me, but?—”
“Because I love you too, Amy. Don’t you see?” He pushed my hair off my shoulder, knuckles stroking my cheek as he did. “You deserve it too, far more than me. It’s not even about establishing a new clan; I just want to see you every day. I never want the taste of your blood and your kiss to ever leave my mouth. I want your laughter and your curiosity filling up my home. I want the presence of you lighting up every dark corner of my life.”
My breath was tight, my voice wavering with emotion. “You are saying very romantic things right now and I love that, but can you back up a second?”
His brow furrowed. “Back up to what?”
“We’re actually blood mates? You’re sure?”
He shrugged. “Pretty sure. We can test it by trying blood that’s not each other’s.” At my grimace of disgust, he laughed. “Exactly how I feel.” His forehead leaned on mine again. “We can have a priest of Temkra’s Blood confirm it, do the whole ceremony if you want. All I know is your blood is the sweetest taste that’s ever hit my tongue, and I can’t stand to go a single day without it.”
“I’ve never wanted anyone’s blood except yours,” I realized. “The idea of it disgusted me until I drank yours.”
Novak’s thumb nudged the corner of my lips, teasing one of my fangs. “You were also very new to being a brusang.”
“Yes, and I hated what I was.” My fingers stroked his neck and the ends of his hair. “But you never saw me as ugly or disgusting.”
“Never,” he agreed. “Not for a single moment. You’re the most beautiful creature I’ve ever set eyes on.” His lips curled on a growl. “And you’re mine.”
His kiss was all-consuming, a rough scraping of lips, tongues and fangs. He held my hips flush against his, the heat and pressure of his erection rubbing and teasing where I was most sensitive. If my panties weren’t already damp, they would be in moments.
“I need you.” The words dragged out of his throat on a rough whisper. “My blood is on fire for you. Tell me you need the same or I’m going to need an ice-cold shower immediately.”
“Yes, Novak. I want you, need you.” I was pinned against the desk, held in place with his hips and his hands. “But—” I grabbed his wrist when he reached for the hem of my shirt, about to lift it up. “But that stays on, okay?”
He pulled back with a growl that held a tinge of anger to it. With a dark look, he released me and planted his hands on the desk on either side of me. “No, akra. That’s not going to happen.”