Chapter 11
Delaney
Warmth and soft goodness surrounds me as I wake slowly. Sinking into the bedding more, I breathe in the earthy scent.
Thorin.
Why am I in Thorin’s bed?
The bar, working. Nolan looking worried, and I start to go weak. The two strange women and then Thorin.
I blink away the sleep, focusing on what is in front of me. I am lying on my right side, and against the red brick wall I can see a large gold mirror that rests on top of a dark wooden dresser.
Two skull-shaped candleholders sit on top of the dresser, their melted candles dripping wax down the sides. A pair of small heart-shaped mirrors hang on the wall, each crowned at the top with what appears to be rays bursting from it. This scene pulls a smile from my lips.
I used to love cleaning this room; the vibe suits both Thorin and me. That all stopped when his activities increased, and I told Winger that I would not step foot in here. So who cleans it for him now?
My gaze snags on a black dresser that does not match the other one in the room, one that I have not seen before. I wonder what he keeps in there.
Tilting my head up, I see that I am in a black wooden four-poster bed. Hmm, that’s new. I frown, then look down my body, seeing that I am encased in black and maroon satin bedding.
Sighing, I pull myself up to a sitting position, then lean against the large headboard, which has intricate carvings. It is stunning. Black curtains frame the windows, and it is still dark outside, so I did not sleep the night away.
Where is Thorin?
Did he dump me here and leave to feed to get rid of his pent-up tension? My stomach churns with the thought.
He always fucked or fed when he was stressed, frustrated, or angry. Hell, he did it just to get a rise out of me.
My chest aches, picturing him in here with the many women he used to cause me pain. Fuck, I cannot be in here.
Even with the new bed and furniture, I can still feel the women here.
Slowly swinging my legs over the side of the bed, my feet drop to touch the soft material of the rug. That is when I notice that my legs are bare. Scanning my body, I see that I am only wearing my underwear and a T-shirt.
Did Thorin undress me?
Shit. Pulling the material away from my body, I look down and scoff; I am not even wearing matching sexy underwear.
Great. Classy, Delaney.
Groaning, I slip into the bathroom. Switching on the light, I wince at the brightness.
After relieving myself, I move to the vanity to wash my hands and splash cold water on my face.
I suck in a breath at the harsh temperature of the water, but I need it to be to bring me out of this fog.
Picking up a towel, I dab my face dry, then take the first look in the mirror and my eyes widen, suddenly clear as I stare at myself.
“Oh, fucking hell,” I groan. With my hands bracing on the vanity, I drop my head in embarrassment.
My hair looks like a murder of crows have nested there, and my makeup is looking like it has melted off my face.
Quickly scanning the room, I take in the large shower that has four showerheads. Why? Who needs fucking four showerheads? Thorin apparently.
Dark green tile covers every space in there, with black showerheads and handles. Fancy. Not knowing how long Thorin will be gone, I take advantage and pull the T-shirt over my head, making light work of my underwear and jump into the shower.
The knobs confuse me, so I twist them all and they all turn on at the same time. Like rain in the rainforest, the water cascades over my body.
Sighing, I wash my hair and body quickly, savoring the scent that is all Thorin. Earthy and oil, I love it. My body tingles with delight, then without warning, a flash of other naked women being in here streaks through my head.
“Fuck.” I sigh.
This is why we can’t have nice things, or get what we want.
Using a big black fluffy towel, I dry off, slipping the T-shirt over my head, sans underwear because no one likes to put on dirty underwear. Ew, gross.
Wielding the same towel, I dry my hair, then step back into the room before my feet stop working. There, sitting on his bed, is Thorin. The man who likes to excite, hurt, and confuse me.
“How are you feeling?” He looks up at me.
His voice is deep, with a hint of darkness, as his dark gaze roams over me. Starting with my bare legs, his eyes move up over my body, lingering on my chest as my nipples peak against the material, then slowly move to my face.
My body heats up from his gaze, making my knees weak. Still, I try to not show him what he does to me, but his nostrils flare, and I know he can smell how much I like him looking at me.
“Better now that I had a shower.” I cross my arms.
“Good.” He nods. “Do you remember what happened?” My turn to nod.
“Yes.” I move to lean back against the dresser, my eyes catching on the twinkle of the gem in the dagger that sits on top.
I frown, noticing its color. The same as my eye color.
My head snaps to Thorin, who is now on his feet stepping to me. One hand rests on my hip, my body instantly coming alive under that simple touch. The other reaches for the dagger.
“It was forged by another member of the Kings. I had him make this for me.” He picks up the dagger, my breathing turning rapid at the thoughts that are running through my head at what I would like him to do with that dagger.
Only him.
“The gem needed to match your eye color.”
“Why?” I question, the one word sounding breathy.
He smirks while looking at the item in his hand. The tip presses against the pad of his index finger as he twists the handle.
“You have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen, baby. Fuck, all of you is beautiful.” The last part pulls a scoff from me, his eyes flicking over to me.
His head dips, but his eyes stay fixed on mine, giving him a menacing look. They glint dark gold before turning red— then the color disappears in an instant.
“You are saying all the right things now, Thorin, but where were these words years ago? Saying them now does not make me forgive you for all of the pain that you have caused. A mate is supposed to be there for their other half, to love and support them. All you did while I was recovering was stay away, and then you made sure that I saw what you were doing with countless other women.”
“The brothers told me that you never fucked any of them,” he blurts out, and my breath stutters in my chest.
It was decided that who I was to Thorin should make me off-limits, and the men agreed, but to keep up appearances with him and the other club girls, the brothers would take me to my room and we would talk or play games.
“Do not turn this around onto me.” I stand straighter, pulling my shoulders back. “It was not like you cared what I did, so why not try and show you that I did not care either?”
“Yeah, and how did that work out for you?” he snips.
Inching forward, I poke his hard chest.
“So fucking good. Got to build my friendships with your brothers, becoming a family, while you were fucking empty bodies and feeding off dirty blood,” I snap at him.
My retort only makes his smirk deepen.
His body closes in, and my breath catches in my lungs, the scent of him making my body betray my heart.
He drags the blade across my neck just above the material of my shirt, and my breath hitches at the cold contact of the metal. I watch him, eyeing the blade as he slices through said material in one swoop. I catch it before it flaps open, flashing him my breasts.
A growl slips from him, but before he can speak, the door to his room flies open.
“Oh, there are you, baby. I have been looking for you.” We both turn to see Sybil enter the room.
Dressed like she is ready for the strip club, she steps into the room, and my body tenses. So does Thorin’s, but his hand does not leave my hip.
He growls low and deep, showing his displeasure at the intrusion.
Sybil’s steps falter at the sound and the look of his eyes turning red.
“Do not take one more step.” His voice is unnatural.
“But you always feed off me at night; just because this bitch got attacked does not mean that we have to stop.”
Fucking hell, does she not take hints?
“Leave.”
“Thorin—”
“Do not say my name,” he snarls, and even I freeze at the sound.
My heart is racing in my chest, but I am also so turned on by him rejecting her.
For years, this bitch has tormented me, along with the other girls in the club. More than happy to tell me what Thorin did with them, and saying that I am not good enough for him.
It was always implied that I was not good enough, not only being a human, but also the damage that I carry on my body.
I see a survivor when I feel my scars, as I can no longer see them.
Rolley over at the club’s tattoo studio, Spirited Ink, covered them up with stunning designs of flowers and mandalas along my one arm, with a large, old-school style moon with two roses, foliage and stars that cover up a repeat bite area on the inside of my left wrist.
There is also a cluster of purple foxglove flowers surrounding a witch’s hat on the top of my foot, covering another bite mark. I added a spine tattoo for fun.
“You are picking her over me. After everything we have been through,” Sybil cries, but I hear the malice in her tone.
Thorin steps toward her, her face going ghostly pale, and if I am being honest with myself, I like that she is scared; it makes her look weak to me, removing some of the hold that she has had over me for years.
Gone is the bully, and the bitch in its place is a weak foal, cowering from danger.
“The only thing you have done for me is empty my balls like the whore you are. I never once fed off of you; no doubt your blood is tainted like the rest of you. From this second forward, you make sure that you tell all of the club girls that I am off-limits. You do not flirt with me; you do not look in my direction. I am fucking done with you all; I have no need for any of you. You were nothing but a distraction. Delaney is the only one I need. Now leave.”
She scurries way, and I fight to keep the smile off my face.
The door slams behind her, then he turns his big body to face me. I bite my lip, my arms still holding the cut material in place. Our gazes meet, his dark eyes full of need and hunger.
“What has you smiling?” His dark voice makes me shiver with desire.
I shrug, trying to show my indifference. “I liked seeing her scared.”
“I bet you did. They will not fucking say a word to you after today.”
“They shouldn’t have been saying anything to me in the first place, Thor.”
He nods, stepping back to me. Placing his hands on my hips, he lifts me, drawing a yelp from me, before he is moving us to the bed with my hands on his shoulders.
Thorin moves into place on the bed, his back against the wooden headboard, me straddling his strong thighs.
“I like you like this,” he groans, my pussy fluttering at his words.
Damn it, I both hate and love that he affects me like this.