Chapter 11 #3
She opened her mouth, even knowing the roil of negative emotions settling inside her. She felt blue, like the water and lights around them. His taste settled on her tongue as he pressed his fingers deep into her mouth. When he pulled them away, his fingers were clean.
Rin was silent.
"Look at me, my V girl. Are you alright? Was this too much for you? Tell me what you feel." In a sweet gesture, Lucien brushed the tip of his nose down the length of hers.
"I feel…" Rin started, the weight of their attention pressing down heavily upon her.
"I feel like I could use a shower." She forced her tone to be light. Then she placed her palms on Lucien’s chest, leaning forward and kissing his pectoral to stave off the hurt in his eyes, before she gently pushed him away.
She was still nude, and far too exposed.
Her bathing suit had drifted to the other side of the pool beneath the water.
She didn’t want to put the soaking material back on.
She wanted to be warm. She crossed her legs, shielding her small breasts with her arm.
They were still watching her. "Can you—" Her voice broke. "Can you hand me a towel?"
Cyrus silently grabbed one of the fluffy, white towels that rested on the cozy seats facing the pool. He crouched down, pressing it into her hands. "Want me to help you get out?" His words dripped with innuendo, but his eyes were clouded with concern.
"Yes," she whispered.
He hooked his hands beneath her arms, and she resigned herself to being exposed for a brief moment before she could cover back up.
That still didn’t stop the shock of cool air against her body, or the vulnerability she felt as Cyrus helped her out of the pool and her feet touched the tiles around it.
She immediately covered herself with the towel, tucking it beneath her arms. Outside of the water, everything felt more real—as did the lingering dryness in her throat and heaviness to her limbs.
Water splashed as Lucien seamlessly pushed himself out of the pool. His swim shorts settled low on his hips; she tried not to stare.
Rin stepped away from them, but her knees buckled.
Lucien caught her with an arm around her waist. "Vesperin? Do you feel okay?"
She played it off as what they’d just shared—which wasn’t hard, with the ache between her thighs and the lingering haze in her mind.
Cyrus leaned into her and grabbed the side of her face, kissing her until she was out of breath. "I love you," he whispered against her lips, before he pulled away. It was as much of an assurance as she’d ever get from him. Somehow, it was enough.
"How long were you watching by the way?" she asked, still dazed.
Cyrus just laughed. "Ask your doctor, he saw me come in."
Rin swung her head around to Lucien, whose jaw tightened as Cyrus nearly skipped out of the pool room—to go shower, she guessed.
"That damned incubus—" Lucien held up a finger to Rin, and she couldn’t help it—never could when it came to him—she bit the tip.
His finger in her mouth, and his come dripping down her wet thighs beneath the towel, her traitorous, greedy body was already wanting again.
"I wanted to see how he has been treating you. If it’s how you deserve. "
His finger slid free as she spoke.
"And?" she prodded softly. "Was it up to your standards?"
Lucien sighed. "He’s not… bad for you. He was much softer than I ever assumed an incubus could be. You deserve to be treated sweetly."
Warmth pooled within her at the words, at his approval.
She wanted them to get along, she realized—her five Soulbonds.
For just tonight, she could be selfish, even knowing that by morning, her desires wouldn’t be sated.
It was like her inherent state around the five men tied to her Soul was that of greed. Nothing was ever enough.
"That makes me happy. I’m going to go shower now." Rin’s hands tightened around the edge of the towel tucked beneath her arms.
Lucien settled a hand atop her head, fingers massaging her wet locks. "You can come with me, let me wash your hair and body."
Rin melted beneath his touch. It was tempting but…
"We both know if we get in the shower together, there’ll be no washing anything.
You’ve been working hard at the hospital.
We both need rest. I’ll stay here tonight.
I’ll message Xara and tell her I had an overnight mission…
" she said absently. "After our showers, I’ll come to you. We can stay in one of the guest rooms together. It’s been a while since I fell asleep in your arms." She pushed up on her tiptoes, and he had to lean down far once he saw what she wanted: a kiss.
She pressed her lips to his, mumbling against them, "Besides, I have to keep true to my word, don’t I? I’m your nightmare relief."
"I’ll be waiting for you."
With that shared promise, she pushed him away and walked to the door, feeling a twinge between her thighs and a warning flutter in her chest.
The other showers were occupied by Cyrus and Lucien, so Rin hesitated outside the door to Rhyden’s room.
It was as if she expected him to appear any moment.
The halls were wide and grand, with marble floors and marble statues, serving as a base for potted plants.
It wasn’t what she’d expected from the vampire, after seeing his ascetic base.
Maybe she’d gotten him wrong. She just couldn’t see him with such light-colored paint or greenery.
It was like he’d simply stepped into a place someone else had decorated.
Perhaps he’d hired an interior decorator. That thought made her huff a laugh.
Rin was being ridiculous, just standing here. She pushed open the door.
The first thing she saw was the wide windows. The curtains were shoved back, and moonlight settled heavily over the cityscape, falling onto the marble floors beneath her bare feet.
The second thing she saw—
It took her a moment to realize… because that couldn’t possibly be there, right? She was mistaken.
Rin tiptoed closer, and her eyes only grew wider.
Surveillance equipment was set up at the window. It was black, sleek—a model she was familiar with. She’d studied it in her preliminary Hunter training. It was used to safely watch Rogues from a far distance.
A long-range holo-sight.
She ignored the bed behind her and its soft, cloud-like appearance; she ignored the lack of anything personal decorating the gilded dresser; and she ignored the bathroom door near the settee, which was the whole reason she’d come into Rhyden’s room in the first place: to use his shower.
Rin pressed her palms to the window, her breath fogging it, as she kept her elbows pinned to her chest to keep the towel in place.
The Academy gates were below. The scenery was familiar to her, yet odd from this angle. She was used to standing on the other side.
Breathing heavily, Rin leaned down and pressed her right eye to the sight—and saw her dorm room.
The lights were off, but the color corrector on the holo-sight was made to see in even the darkest of places.
Her bed was slightly unmade, the sheets rumpled as she’d not had time to smooth them out this morning.
She moved the sight to the side, and it lined up perfectly with the window in the small living space she and Xara shared. She could even see the kitchen from here.
Rin was so consumed with staring at her dorm room—and the implications of what this meant—that she didn’t hear the door open.
She felt a touch at her hips.
Rin gave a strangled scream, turning so quickly she felt dizzy as she stared up at Rhyden.
The vampire’s jaw ticked, muscles straining against his leather jacket as he crossed his arms. He wore thick boots, the tips brushing her bare toes. His peppermint smell was thicker, with an underlying smoky hint. Had he been out setting more fires, making more enemies?
She breathed in deeply. "You’ve been watching me."
Rhyden was silent for a few seconds, but when he spoke, his words were said without inflection; though, she saw the hint of something in his red eyes.
"Took you long enough, wife. I thought Hunters were trained for situational awareness.
You never stopped to wonder why my apartment was right outside your Academy gates? "
"Don’t deflect. You’re a fucking stalker." Her fingers twisted in the edge of her towel. She was too exposed.
Rhyden’s eyes dropped, as if he’d read her mind. "I caught a little prize for myself, it looks like—stumbled right into my lair," he taunted. "Why did you come in here? Snooping?"
Her teeth dug into her lower lip. "No, I wanted to use your shower."
Rhyden barked a laugh. "Sure that’s not all you wanted to use? You look a little flushed, wife." His voice dropped. "Did you come to me for some relief? Trying to tie me up again and take what you want?"
Rin stiffened. It was the first time he’d so blatantly spoken of what she’d done.
"Of course not!" she said quickly. As she shifted, she felt the stickiness on the inside of her thighs and crossed her legs.
"What were you doing then?" He reached forward and lifted a drying clump of her hair.
"Your hair is wet. That towel is too short to hide clothes—you’re naked beneath.
And you have a little wildness to you, with your swollen lips.
" His hand moved until the pad of his thumb roughly brushed over her bottom lip.
His ring cut into her chin as he did so.
"Was it your doctor? Or the incubus—not prince, not anymore," he corrected himself.
Her cheeks flamed, yet she only wanted to shove him away. Her eyes dropped to his chest, then shifted to the windows at her side. She wouldn’t let him distract her.
"It was both, Rhyden. You might want to get your pool cleaned."
He opened his mouth, but no words escaped. Rin had done it—she’d rendered him utterly speechless.
Danger sparked in his eyes like fire.
Rhyden’s hands settled on her bare shoulders. Everything rushed, and in a blink, she found her knees hitting the edge of his bed, and he shoved her onto her back. She fell with a low growl.
Rin’s towel rose up her thighs indecently as Rhyden placed his knees on the bed and leaned over her.
It was… exhilarating.
She stared up at him, and she didn’t even try to push him away.
His nostrils flared as his palm landed on her thigh, thumbs brushing the skin near her core. So close. Yet not close enough.
For not the first time, Rin wondered why she couldn’t give in to him. She loathed him, yet still wanted him. How could she detest someone, yet want to bite his neck and leave scratches on his back?
"Both, then? Was it your first time…" he paused. "With two men?"
She lifted her chin. "That’s none of your business."
"Don’t get so fucking shy. It’s natural with Soulbonds," Rhyden bit out the words. His fingers drifted over her thigh, higher and higher. Until she couldn’t help but gasp.
"Feels good?" he rumbled, then used his other hand to grab one of hers, pulling her fingers away from where she had a death grip on the edge of her towel. "Let’s get this off, hm?"
She didn’t stop him. Perhaps because of pride—or deadly curiosity. Her towel fell open, and there she was, bare beneath him.
"I’m only letting you do this because I don’t care about you. If I cared, I would’ve pushed you away or yelled for the others." It was a weak excuse, even to her own ears.
Rhyden hummed. "Just keep telling yourself that."
Her nipples pebbled beneath the heat of his stare, and his fingers finally found the space between her thighs as he touched her. She was already a mess, yet he didn’t seem to care as he touched her swollen, intimate flesh.
His finger pressed against her wetness. "Is that for me?"
Rin narrowed her eyes. "You know it’s not."
"Then tell me, who the fuck is it for?"
"Lucien… and Cyrus."
Rhyden just grumbled, lowering his head—just like Lucien had done in the pool as he’d moved inside her. She felt his fangs graze her neck.
His fingers continued to tease her, and she gave a soft, pleasant sigh as he used firmer pressure. She felt him trace the space around her entrance, and she held her breath as he slowly sank a finger inside her. He groaned, but the sound was short and cut.
Even though she’d just felt pleasure, she found herself already reaching that peak once more. Easier this time, as she was languid and already wet.
One fang skimmed the line of her throat, and she felt only the softest bite of pain in the wake. A mere scratch. But he’d broken skin nonetheless. His tongue traced the cut.
"I should drain you dry on my bed. They wouldn’t find you in time," Rhyden groaned out.
She stiffened, yet her hips worked instinctively, urging him to finish this—finish her.
"Do it, then," Rin dared. "I’ll just find you in the next life and make you miserable."
Rhyden said something against her neck, but she couldn’t hear the words, only felt the rough vibration of him speaking.
Then, he pulled his finger out of her, standing in a flash. Cool air teased over her exposed body, and she sat up, tucking the towel back around her with shaking hands. She clenched around nothing, wanting.
Rhyden stood by the windows, the holo-sight at his back. "Get out," he said.
Rin stood, far more slowly than he had. "What?" Her voice was husky.
"Get out. Go shower, like you wanted."
Rin ground her molars, feeling like her teeth would crack from the pressure. She wouldn’t beg him. If he didn’t want her… well, she knew who would. She wouldn’t go to Lucien or Cyrus again. She didn’t want to be dependent on anyone but herself.
"Fine." Rin turned to the door. "I never wanted you anyway. I think the Celestials were stupid for tying us together."
Rhyden’s eyes followed her as she slammed the door behind her. She didn’t look back, even when hurt bloomed uncomfortably inside her chest.
Atlas watched from the shadows as Vesperin leaned her back against the tile wall of the large shower in one of the guest rooms.
She had called his kind stupid? The word falling from her lips had made him want to laugh.
Water cascaded down Vesperin’s body as her hand moved between her thighs. There was a soft blush on her skin from the temperature of the water.
She came with a moan, chest heaving as she caught her breath, the action making her small breasts lift.
For a brief moment, the Celestial felt that his watching of her was wrong. She was his, however, and she always would be. If she… remembered—Atlas felt his own breath catch—she would not turn him away.
Vesperin’s hand fell to her side, fingers glistening, and she pushed herself off the tile, stumbling for a moment.
He saw how her young, human mind worked to brush it off as nothing—as heat from the shower or exhaustion from her swim, though he knew better. And she did, too.
Atlas let the shadows take him away, to flower fields and a castle for his queen.