10. Evelyn
10
Evelyn
W e were all sitting in the dining room, enjoying our delicious meal and recounting our day.
“Evelyn here totally kicked Viper’s ass in tactical training,” Chad exclaimed, pointing his fork at me. “You should’ve seen the look on his face when she took him down. Priceless!”
I shrugged modestly, though a grin tugged at my lips. “Guess he needed a reminder not to underestimate me—especially after mouthing off to my friends. Though, in his defense, Ruby is sometimes a little intense.”
Alister shifted in his chair beside me, an odd expression flickering across his face as he absently rubbed his stomach.
“Are you okay?” I asked, frowning.
Alister tilted his head, a confused frown creasing his brow. “I feel strange. Kind of funny?”
The table fell silent, everyone watching him.
Then, a loud gurgling sound erupted from his stomach, echoing across the room. Alister’s eyes widened, his face turning a shade paler.
Before anyone could respond, another, even louder gurgling noise sounded, and he bolted up from the table, his expression panicked.
“Excuse me,” he muttered, sprinting toward the nearest bathroom.
For a second, we all sat there, stunned.
Then Chad burst into laughter, pounding the table with his fist. “Oh my god, was that his stomach? This is priceless! The big, bad vampire is now at the mercy of his digestive system!”
And just like that, we all dissolved into laughter.
“Oh, I can’t breathe!” Chad gasped, clutching his sides. “Did you see his face?”
I was giggling, too, wiping tears from my eyes. “Poor Alister. The guy’s been undead for centuries; he probably hasn’t felt…that in ages.”
“Do you think he even knows how to use a toilet?” Chad asked, still laughing. “Did they have those back in his day?”
Rafe chuckled. “He’ll figure it out, eventually. Maybe we should leave some reading material outside the door if he’s in there for a while.”
When Alister returned, looking a little pale and embarrassed, he sat back down, and everyone tried to stifle their laughter.
“Well,” he said, straightening his collar. “That was undignified.”
“Oh, get used to it,” Chad said, giving him a playful slap on the back. “Welcome to the joys of humanity. You’re gonna be hungry, tired, and, well, you’ll be visiting the bathroom a lot more than you used to.”
Alister groaned, rubbing his temples. “I had forgotten how unpleasant that was.”
Chad leaned back, crossing his arms with a smug smile. “Well, honestly, I’m kinda happy you no longer have that bite-and-instant-orgasm trick. It was, uh, making me a little self-conscious. Hard to compete with that level of skill.”
Alister blinked before a wicked smile spread across his face. “It’s not a competition,” he said smoothly, then glanced at me with a playful glint in his eye. “But yes, I’ll miss that little perk. Guess I’ll just have to practice my skills a bit more.”
Chad snickered. “Oh, you’ll need a lot of practice. And coffee. Humans say they need it. Every single day. Welcome to the human struggle, my friend.”
Alister sighed, though he was all smiles. “Well, if it means sitting here with all of you and my mate.” He squeezed my hand under the table, warmth flooding through me. “I suppose it’s worth the adjustment.”
I returned the squeeze, smiling back.
The moment held a quiet reassurance that, for tonight at least, we could enjoy being together—no gods, no battles, just family.
* * *
Later that night, I made my way to Alister’s bedroom—now mine too, since Lucien was still sleeping in my room and Zade had taken over his. I wasn’t sure why Zade didn’t just take my room or why Lucien preferred mine over his own.
Maybe he had a secret obsession with unicorns?
I was still smiling at the thought when I opened the door to find Alister stepping out of the bathroom, a damp towel wrapped around his waist and looking utterly scrumptious.
“Evelyn,” he greeted me warmly.
I nodded, but the lightheartedness from dinner had faded, leaving me with a mix of emotions I couldn’t quite shake. Tonight was full of laughter, teasing Alister about being human—but I felt responsible underneath it all.
Always perceptive, Alister sat on the bed and patted the spot beside him. “What’s on your mind, little phoenix?”
I took a deep breath, sitting down next to him. “I’ve been thinking about what happened in the Shadow Realm. About the sacrifice you made for me.”
His eyes softened immediately. “Evelyn—”
“No, please, let me finish.” I held his gaze, my voice wavering slightly. “You gave up everything for me. Your immortality, your powers. I just…I need you to know how much that means to me.”
Alister reached out, taking my hand in his. “I’d do it again in a heartbeat. And for me, it wasn’t a sacrifice. It was a gift—the best one I could ever get.” He paused, a small, wistful smile tugging at his lips. “Yes, I may have to adjust to being mortal again. But like I said before, now we can have a family. I can be a father, which is something I have always wanted. We can grow old together.” He brushed his thumb over my knuckles, his gaze so full of love that it made my heart ache. “I haven’t lost anything that truly matters. I’m here with you. That’s all I need.”
I leaned into him, resting my head on his shoulder. His arms came around me, warm and solid—human. The steady beat of his heart under my ear was a constant reminder of his new mortality.
“I’m scared,” I admitted. “About Eris, about Lia, about everything that’s coming.”
Alister’s hand stroked my hair, soothing and steady. “It is a lot, but we’ll get through it. Just like we did with everything else.”
I tilted my head, meeting his eyes, and leaned in to kiss him. Alister’s hand slid to the back of my neck, pulling me closer. The gentleness melted away, replaced by heat and need as he drew me onto the bed with him.
He brushed his lips against mine, his voice a low murmur. “Now, let me make good on what I promised at dinner. I might not have that bite-and-instant-orgasm trick anymore.” His hand traced a line down my back, his gaze smoldering. “But I intend to make up for it in other ways.”
A shiver ran through me. “Guess we’ll see if you live up to the hype,” I teased, barely able to keep the smile off my face.
He grinned, rolling me over so that he hovered above me. “Oh, trust me,” he whispered, his lips grazing my jawline. “I’ve been waiting centuries for you. I intend to get this right.”
His lips traced a path down my neck, lingering, teasing, making my skin ignite under his touch. I arched against him, craving more.
“So impatient, love,” he murmured.
“Screw patience,” I said, tugging the towel. “I want you, now.”
Alister didn’t waste any time either. His fingers deftly unbuttoned the blouse of my school uniform with surprising care. When he caught sight of the lacy bra beneath, his eyes darkened, and a low sound escaped him. “You’re breathtaking.”
“Good,” I purred. “I want you to feel half as crazy as I do.”
Finally, there was nothing between us—just skin against skin, our breaths mingling as he pressed into me, slow and steady, filling me with an intensity that made me gasp. I bit my lip to stifle the sound, savoring his length’s exquisite stretch and warmth.
“You’re perfect,” he murmured, his voice rough. “So perfect.”
“Less talking and more fucking, husband,” I teased, tugging at his hair.
With a smirk, he obliged, his rhythm quickening as the world around us faded into just the two of us.
“Harder, Alister,” I said, my voice catching as pleasure built inside me, coiling tight.
He kissed my temple, his breath hot against my skin. “As you wish, love.”
Alister gave me exactly what I needed, and I shattered around him; my mate followed, his body tensing as he held me close, lost in his release.
We lay there, tangled together, our breaths still coming fast. My fingers traced idle patterns along his back, memorizing the feel of him.
“Well,” I said, still breathless, a grin spreading across my face, “vampire or not, that was spectacular.”