Undying Thirst (Crimson Coven #2)

23. Catalina

TWENTY-THREE

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Tobias caught me before I tipped over and fell into a rosebush filled with thorns. As soon as I was safe with my ass on the cold bench, I scrambled to grab the ripped pieces of the sweats and draped it over my lap, then smoothed my long shirt under my ass.

“Get out of here, Ren.” Tobias’s fangs flashed with his irritated order.

“But you were about to get all sweet with her?—”

I pressed my thumb and pointer finger against my forehead, massaging in little circles.

“If you wouldn’t have spoken we would have been able to see it.”

“Asher’s here, too?” I exclaimed. “Did we seriously have an audience?” I rounded my head toward Tobias.

“I was otherwise engaged,” he said dryly, obviously offended at my accusation.

“I had to watch,” Asher sniffed. “Our precious Priest lost his virginity.”

My face heated. I mean, it was pretty clear from their conversations and his behavior that he’d been abstaining, but putting it all out there . . .

Tobias sighed, and deftly tucked his cock back into his pants.

I crossed my arms across my breasts as the two of them approached, seeing another large form behind them.

“Bastien, too?”

He just looked happy to be there. Okay, ‘happy’ was a stretch since he never really had any emotion going on. His attention focused on me. He stepped behind the bench, pressing into my spine. His hand curled around the back of my neck.

“He seems to like watching, which is interesting since patience and Bastien didn’t go hand in hand even before his mind went.” Asher moved his hand in a roundabout way like he gave a visual representation of Bastien’s mind wandering off. I could already see those indications of lack of patience in his instinctive reactions. They saw it as his illness, but I wasn’t too sure he wasn’t regaining some of his prior self before getting sick.

“Let me show you something.” Tobias pinched my chin to bring my attention to him. Pale moon light caused his eyes to glint.

I slowly nodded.

“It’s not ready,” Asher snapped. His reluctance made me more curious.

Tobias ignored him and pressed a palm into my shoulder to guide me forward. The shirt fell to cover my ass, fortunately, and I set the ripped clothing on the bench. His movements and manner of speech often reminded me of some seventeenth century lord; very proper and gentlemanly, as if we hadn’t just fucked away in the middle of flowers like a smutty scene out of a historical romance novel.

Whoa, I needed to get my hands on a computer to type the ideas down about a Regency Era vampire male lead.

A smile played on my lips. I hadn’t yearned to write in so long.

The weight of his gaze settled on my face. I stifled my smirk, running my fingers through my hair and clearing my throat. Shuffling after the vamps, I rushed into the house. The chilly breeze raised the hair on my arms and made the sticky mess between my legs extra obvious.

“Wait, I’m going to scrub off quickly. I’ll be right back.” I called over my shoulder and ran up the staircase. I was dying to see what had them all worked up.

I descended the stairs, washed and wearing a fresh pair of underwear. They were not in the large wardrobe before, so the undergarments I found were a new edition—all in my size.

In my hurry, I’d tugged on the same shirt. I liked being in their clothes and since they were such giants, they fit me like a comfy dress. Asher and Tobias looked up at me and stopped mid-conversation.

“Where are we going?” I stepped into the foyer. Bastien captured my hand, keeping it engulfed in his.

“Downstairs,” Tobias answered without elaborating, stepping in front of me as we entered the hall.

Why was he being so secretive about it?

“Miss Herrera,” Maddy called from the kitchen. She came into view and I turned to her. Tobias hesitated at the basement entrance.

“Oh, God, why are you last-naming me?” I put my hands up. “Cat is good.”

Maddy grinned.

Bastien suddenly moved in front of me and I clung to him; his stance was nowhere near welcoming. He exuded ‘threat’. Maddy took multiple steps back, dropping her eyes as she inclined her head slightly to bare her neck. The visual was very submissive.

And I kind of didn’t like it.

No. There was no ‘kind of’ about it. I didn’t like it.

It screamed offering.

Like how those blood-whores behaved at the vampire clubs they’d taken me to. It was the same way they coached me to behave.

Tobias pressed on my shoulder and my mind started working again. I yanked Bastien, but when I couldn’t budge him, I slipped away from Tobias and stepped in front of him.

Asher’s chuckle echoed from the hall and I chose to ignore it instead of tossing him a searing glare like I craved. He always had this uncanny connection to knowing when I was jealous.

Tobias rapped his knuckles on the wall. I pushed my palms against Bastien’s chest.

“Let’s go.” I shoved at him. His head turned down and he relaxed, finally allowing me to budge him. Tobias waited, arms crossed. Letting Bastien go, I followed him down the stairs. He was the only one left with us, everyone else had descended.

As soon as I stepped off the last step, the differences were glaring.

The couches remained in the middle, but soft, plush cream carpet covered the floor. I left my slippers on the tile base so I wouldn’t track in any dirt. Paintings graced the walls, and the pink cherry blossoms images added a pop of color. A suede L-shaped sofa stretched in the middle of the space and complemented the carpet with its tan color.

I’d asked them to make a better living space for Bastien, and they took me seriously. It felt good being listened to. Butterflies flooded my stomach.

“How did you guys get this done so fast?”

“Money gets you about anything you want.” Asher leaned close. “And we have tons of it, Pet.” His sweet breath sent a shiver up my spine. “That’s not the best part.” Asher swept his arm around my waist, pulling me forward. The door swung open into the bedroom Bastien had been held in. “Your bedroom.”

My sight was assaulted with dark purples and varying shades of black.

The bed seemed tailor made to fit from one end of the corner of the wall to the other. It had to be two king sized mattresses put together. Purple bedding with black embroidered detailing outlined the edges of it.

The same cream carpet extended into the bedroom. A desk was pushed up against the corner to the left of the door and a laptop rested on the top of the chestnut surface. The feminine edge to the furnishings and decorations was obvious, but it wasn’t my style. Even so, I was so grateful.

Jax quietly stepped after us. He hadn’t looked at me since earlier. I didn’t miss the fugitive glances he kept shooting at me.

“This is mine?”

Asher moved in front of me, head swiveling to one side and to the other as he took in the details.

“Yes,” Tobias said.

The color coordination . . . kind of reminded me of something. I opened my mouth and closed it.

“Thank you?—”

“I clearly remember telling you to stick to pale shades.” Asher scowled.

“This is elegant,” Ren added, shrugging his shoulders.

The color ran line in line with the dresses in the upstairs chest. My stomach swirled with discomfort.

I hated those colors quite vehemently. This room was in Imogen’s style and that was the problem.

“I thought women liked all this?” Ren jutted his chin at Tobias. “He confirmed everything in the order, too.”

“It’s very nice, thank you?—”

“You obviously don’t like it,” Jax interjected.

“—for the space. I appreciate it,” I said louder, ignoring Jax.

“Let’s get to the conversation, I have things to do,” he continued, ignoring my words.

I clamped my lips together.

What did they need to talk about with me? A feeding schedule? I settled on the bed to see all of them. That way I wasn’t swinging my head from one vampire to the other.

I lifted an eyebrow, waiting.

“I’ll have the room changed,” Asher said to me, settling next to me on the bed.

I crossed my arms. “What do you need to say?” My heart raced and even though I didn’t want to show it, I was sure they could see the thudding pulse at my neck.

“This is our gift to you,” Ren announced. I opened my mouth, closed it, then opened it again.

“What does this mean?”

“That you’re officially the property of Crimson Coven. Humans in the vampire community must belong to a Coven.” Belong . . . as much as I hated it, my stomach dipped. I’d never belonged anywhere.

“What’s the difference compared with what we are now?”

“The difference is that now you are our official Pet.” Ren grinned. He had the sensitivity of an iceberg. I blinked. ‘Official Pet’ sounded crazy. “And we’re not going to murder you.” And that was worse.

Tobias shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. He seemed to be the only one that understood the human implications.

“We want you comfortable if you are to be our long term human?—”

“If you go around spouting nonsense of not belonging to us, we can’t protect you. We wouldn’t have a claim on you.” Ren cut Tobias off.

“How long is ‘long term’?” I feared asking it but it needed to be done even though I knew they would have no true answer. My life could end on a random Tuesday because one of them fed on me a little too much.

“As long as you desire,” Asher said, hand smoothing up my back.

Lie.

Vampires only knew how to own and devour. How long would it be before he tired of me? A knot swelled in my throat. They’d turn on me eventually.

“You will be well cared for,” Asher added, continuing to wax on about how they’d make sure everything was taken care of for me.

“No,” I whispered, and shot to my feet.

I licked my lips and curled my nails into my palms.

“What do you mean, no?” Ren tilted his head. He was comically shocked. He didn’t hear ‘no’ enough.

“Humans need time to process the inevitable, Ren. Bulldozing her will not help you,” Asher said, condescending to me again.

“You mean you’ll keep me until you think I betray you or . . . or, you feel I wronged you guys in some way.”

“That will not happen.” Asher tried to pacify me again.

“You’ll turn your back on me—again.” I shook my head, backing up.

My throat clogged up.

“Catalina,” Asher chided.

“You guys didn’t even believe me when I said I didn’t try to run off with Imogen’s ashes.” They still didn’t.

“I—”

“You didn’t,” I interrupted Asher. “I’m here for the foreseeable future, but don’t act like you all suddenly care for me.” I glared at Jax as I backed away. “Especially you.”

For once, he didn’t have some rude response. His jawline fluttered and his hardened gaze stared me down.

“Didn’t you say you wanted protection?” Ren drawled, his shoulder pressing into the wall.

I swung my head to look at him. “By vampire law, if anyone tries to harm you we will be powerless if you state you do not belong to us. It will not go well for you. We literally won’t have any claim over you.”

I deflated. Oh.

I was tired of being so weak . . . so human. They were strong. They could protect.

All five vampires seemed so relaxed and without worry. If . . . I was like them, I wouldn’t be at their whim.

Could I be a vampire?

Should I?

If I became a vampire, no one could hurt me again, and I could stay with them, as equals. Questions bubbled behind my lips, but I held them in.

“I need to think.” Whirling to the door, I padded over the soft carpet and stormed upstairs. The dull thud rang out with each slap of my slippers against the metal.

Childish, but it made me feel good.

I clocked the propped metal door. Yeah, sure, I got my own room, but it wasn’t lost on me that they could also lock me up down there.

Maddy watched from the busy counter, slicing the knife through potatoes with rhythmic movements.

“You’re just on time for some lunch.”

I smiled at her, close-mouthed and plopped on the chair, lacing my fingers on the counter I’d been fucked on yesterday. Fortunately, a heavy smell of cleaner hung in the air.

Saying it was lunch was weird, but my days were backward now, so I guess it would be considered ‘lunch time’ even though it was one in the morning.

Maddy’s slicing slowed and she peeked at the door. She set the knife down and pushed her palms into the counter as she leaned forward on the island.

Her boobs pushed over the collar of her shirt. It really outlined her figure.

“Girl, give me some tips,” she whispered.

I blinked. She must have noted the confusion on my face.

“To get in with the Crimson Coven Sires. It’d be so fucking amazing. You know how fucking lucky you are?” She sighed and clapped her palms together. “I hear they’re phenomenal in bed.”

A sour taste spread on my tongue, and I struggled to smooth my expression so the grimace didn’t take over.

I gripped my hands harder until it hurt. Jealousy was a nasty emotion. I hated that they brought it out of me.

Being ‘theirs’. Was this what I looked forward to? And if they saw me as property, I’d just have to accept whatever they chose, even if it meant they were with others.

I forced the corner of my lips up. The thump of steps approached.

“Tell me later,” she whispered.

“Sure.” My mask almost slipped.

Maddy returned to the potatoes and placed them in the boiling water.

Asher settled next to me, his shirt billowing and allowing peeks at his chest. The Viking-like vampire undeniably drew attention. As shown by Maddy who shot him furtive looks from under her lashes.

She didn’t even try to hide her lust.

I cleared my throat and rubbed my palms against my thighs.

Asher’s legs spread, caging me with one thigh at my back and the other wedging into my knees.

Asher drummed his fingers on the counter.

He said nothing and I tried to ignore him as I stared at Maddy cooking and shot him looks, mainly because he hadn’t stopped staring at me.

“What?” I finally said, exasperated.

“You’re upset. How about I chase you down and pleasure you?”

“No.” I scowled. “Are you trying to make me feel better or yourself?”

“You’ll enjoy it.” His voice lowered an octave.

God, he was sexy.

Based on the glaze over Mandy’s eyes as she gawked, she thought so, too.

I snapped out of my lust.

“What if we watch a movie?”

“I love films.”

I clamped my lips together. It wasn’t the response I expected.

“Which would you like to see? A few months ago, I watched something about a young boy discovering he was a witch.” He frowned. “I think it was a witch. It may have been a werewolf.” I combed my brain for a movie with the plot. I raised an eyebrow.

“That wasn’t a few years ago, Asher. It was a decade ago.”

He blinked slowly, processing.

Another aspect to consider if I chose to be a vampire.

“Nevermind with the movie. How about you explain what you guys meant the other day when you mentioned Bastien was kept because he held value?”

Asher hummed and nodded, looking away for the first time.

“Of course, the curious girl wants to know everything.” He cupped the side of my head with his large palm. I couldn’t deny the flutters that erupted at his claim. “Bastien has sired many vampires, and their allegiance is to Crimson Coven.”

Maddy’s explanation added context to those words. So if they all sired many, collectively they were powerful, or at least exponentially more than individually.

“So, Imogen wanted to keep him because of his contribution?” I couldn’t hide the horror in my tone. I recalled the careless way they chained him up . . . the lack of clothing. “And you guys kept him in that state for years because of his usefulness?”

“Decades really, but it was worse when Imogen was around. Bastien came to disgust her.”

I sucked in a breath.

I hated her more with each piece of information I learned.

The doorbell dinged.

Asher brushed my hair behind my ear.

“I will return.” He smoothly strode away.

I sat, wrapping my head around the new information.

These were all things I must consider if I turned into a vampire. I didn’t want to lose myself.

Maddy had been watching us the entire time, but I tried ignoring her eagle-like attention. Slipping off the stool, I trailed after Asher.

“She’s not dead,” Asher’s voice echoed to me as I strode down the hall toward the living room. “Who are you to search for her?” A threat rang in his tone.

“She’s . . . not dead?” The familiar voice reached into my gut and squeezed my stomach.

No, no, no, no. He couldn’t be here. My worst nightmare bloomed to life before me.