Chapter 14
Vie
For the first time in my life, I wished I’d learned to drive. It never seemed important before, but now I watched Willow drive while she barely held back tears.
I was worried that she’d get hurt if we were in any kind of collision, but I also wanted to take the burden of driving off her.
We were almost back at my place, and aside from the muted sounds of Willow sniffing, we drove in silence. Before now I didn’t know the lack of sound could be so loud.
“I’ll make this right,” I said. My voice sounded unnaturally loud in the quiet car. “I’ll replace everything.”
Her only answer was a little shake of her head.
I hated feeling helpless. “What can I do?”
She pulled into the parking lot of my building. After pulling into a spot and shutting off the car, she dropped her hands in her lap and let her head fall back against the headrest, lids closed.
“Willow?”
Rolling her head to the side, she looked at me through watery eyes. “I don’t know,” she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. “I don’t know anything anymore. I thought I had everything figured out. Now it’s all gone.”
I leaned close and cupped her cheek in my hand. “I’m still here, and I’m going to take care of you.”
She didn’t respond, only looked out the front windscreen with a blank expression, without actually seeing anything.
Turning to mist, I moved to her side of the car and solidified. After opening her door and unbuckling her belt, I lifted her out of the vehicle. She rested her head on my chest and relaxed in my hold.
I was humbled by her absolute trust in me.
“You and Jina are all I have left,” she whispered, then let out a long breath that was half sob. One of her hands grasped my hoodie tightly. “Please don’t leave me.”
“Never,” I swore, and carried her into the building. It was awkward to punch in the code and activate the elevator, but soon we were on the third floor.
When I had the building retrofitted, I’d let them build the elaborate bathroom the architect had included even though I never needed it. Now I was thankful to the architect for his focus on comfort and the builder’s excellent work.
Because of Sorrow’s attention to detail, there were thick, soft mats on the floor, a stack of large fluffy towels, and a basket of items like hair care products, lotions, and other bathing items.
I set Willow on her feet next to the tub and pulled off her clothes.
She didn’t make a sound as I dropped everything into a pile.
After she was naked, I picked her back up and set her in the empty tub.
Pulling her legs against her chest, she wrapped her arms around them and set her cheek on her knees.
I pulled out one of the bottles of body soap from the basket and a colorful poof I knew was for scrubbing.
Kneeling next to the tub, I turned on the water and made sure it was an acceptable temperature before diverting the water to the hand shower.
After that, I got the poof wet, then worked up a lather with some of the scented soap.
Grabbing one ankle, I tugged gently. She let me guide her leg until it was straight out. I started with her foot, using the hand shower to get her skin wet, then scrubbing gently with the poof. She watched my movements with a kind of detached interest.
I took my time, washing between her toes, gently moving the soapy poof across the bottom of her foot and then the top. The silence was hard on me, so I started talking.
“I didn’t want to travel here at first,” I said as I moved up to her ankle.
“But one of my brothers felt a new wraith being created, so he traveled across the Atlantic. It took years for us to find him, but we finally did. After we’d taught him what he needed to know, I felt drawn across the continent to San Diego.
Because we tend to follow each other, they followed me this time. ”
I’d never really thought about why I’d been pulled to resettle in San Diego after spending years traveling up and down the East Coast of the Americas searching for Teo. I’d assumed that there was a new wraith being formed, but now, over a hundred years later, I realized that wasn’t it at all.
I was drawn here because whatever magic had created me knew Willow would eventually be born here.
“I don’t think it was luck or happenstance that I was there the night you were attacked,” I said. She didn’t flinch at my words. When I looked up, her eyes were focused on me, and it seemed like she was listening intently. “We were always meant to meet.”
She tilted her head, as if encouraging me to continue. I went back to cleaning her as I talked.
“No wraith has ever felt anything like what I’ve experienced with you,” I continued.
“When I told Sorrow about my climax, he was intensely angry and jealous. I’d never seen him like that before.
He and Pain have always been the most calm of the wraiths.
Seeing him so affected helped me overcome my insecurities and fear. ”
I moved on to washing her other leg.
“I know it probably seems strange that I would be afraid. What do I have to fear? I’m a wraith.
As far as I know, I can’t be killed, but your kind dies so easily.
Something as simple as tripping and bumping your head could end up killing you.
Despite the absolute fragility of human life, all of you manage to go on each day as if there will be another after.
I never understood how inspiring that was until meeting you. ”
I’d finished with her legs and moved on to washing her arms. I noticed the dark blue nail polish was chipped on several nails. I’d have to research how to fix that so she could have the perfect colored nails she liked.
“Now that I have you in my life, I’ll do everything to protect you.
I could buy you a dozen shops and fill them for you.
Or I could finance any type of business you wish.
Do you want to go to college? Become a lawyer?
Doctor? I have the funds to support you in any pursuit.
The only thing that matters is that you thrive because anything else isn’t acceptable. ”
I finished washing her arms and then moved to her chest and back. I debated washing her hair, but I was worried about getting soap near her eyes.
With her body clean, I put the hand shower back and plugged the tub. I added some of the lightly scented bath salts and let the water pour in at full force.
She still hadn’t spoken, which worried me, but at least she hadn’t curled back up in a ball.
I misted and retook my solid form, leaving my clothes to fall to the ground without me in them. Now that I was naked, I carefully got into the tub behind her, stretching my legs out on either side of her. She partially turned her body and hugged one of my arms to her chest.
“I’m not broken,” she whispered. “This hasn’t broken me.”
I rubbed her back with my free hand. “You’re too strong to break.” Then I thought of something I’d heard Sorrow say once. “It’s important we learn to rest so we don’t feel the need to give up.”
“Yeah,” she said, sniffing a few times. “I need a rest.”
Then she started crying. She clutched my arm tight and pressed her face against my chest. The steaming, fragrant water rose around our bodies as she wept into my pale skin.
I spoke comforting words. I didn’t think she could understand what I was saying, but I knew she felt my tone. It hurt my heart to hear her pain, but I instinctively knew this was cathartic.
She sobbed until she was exhausted.
I didn’t move, even after the tears were done. I waited until her body relaxed against mine and the water began to cool.
I’d managed to turn the water off with my foot earlier. It was easier to open the drain by pushing the lever with my toes. It took some maneuvering, but I stood up with her in my arms. When I stood her up on the bath mat, she swayed, and her eyes stayed mostly closed.
I quickly dried both of us off, then carried her to the bed. I slid her between the sheets, then slid in after her. She turned to face me, wrapping her arms and legs around me as if scared I would disappear.
“I’m here,” I whispered. “I’ll always be here.”
She let out a long, bone-deep sigh. “I love you.”
Her words were barely audible.
“You’re my heart,” I whispered back, pretty sure she was already asleep. “Without you, I wouldn’t even know what love is.”
Willow
When I woke up, it was still dark outside. There was no disorientation, I remembered everything that happened the day before in perfect detail. The sharp bite of yesterday's pain was gone. I felt strangely numb.
I didn’t like it.
Looking up, I found Vie staring down at me with those beautiful, glowing blue eyes.
“Do you need anything?”
“You,” I whispered. “I need you.”
He looked confused even as he nodded his head. “Take whatever you want from me.”
Sitting up, I pulled the covers off both of us, uncovering his sleek, muscled body. He stayed still while I looked my fill. Goddamn, he was gorgeous.
Leaning over, I pressed my face to his chest and rubbed up and down, feeling every ridge of muscles with my lips. He tensed as I touched him, making the muscles even more pronounced.
I opened my mouth and licked across his washboard abdomen. He let out a strangled sound that only encouraged me to keep going. The tip of his erection brushed my breasts, reminding me that there was more of him to explore.
“Maybe I should, oh!” He stopped talking when I sucked his tip into my mouth. The way his body shook made me feel powerful.
I bobbed my head up and down, slowly taking more of him each time. He tried to talk, but all that came out were half words and gasps.
Vie was a supernatural creature with immense power, but he was helpless.
I was in control. I was powerful.
When I took him as far as I could without gagging, I held him there, his body shivering under me. I sucked on him, enjoying his hard flesh in my mouth.
Along with feeling strong and dominant, all the helpless, needy sounds he made were getting me hot.
I heard rustling. Opening my eyes, I rolled them up to see his head thrown back and his hands gripping the pillow under his head.
When I pulled away, letting his cock pop out of my mouth, he lifted his head to look at me with dazed eyes.
“Willow?”
“Stay,” I ordered, sitting up and moving my body further up his. “Don’t move. I’m going to take what I want, and you’re going to let me.”
He nodded and remained still for me. I maneuvered until my pussy hovered over his thick dick. Holding him in place, I lowered myself down until the blunt tip was at my entrance.
His hips jerked slightly. He was fighting himself.
“You’re being so good,” I cooed, lowering myself just enough so his cock was held by my pussy. Putting both my hands on his chest, I lowered myself down with deliberate slowness.
Waves of cold and hot came from him, as if his magic couldn’t decide what to do. His entire body went tense as I worked myself onto his thickness. My body was ready for him. No, that wasn’t right; my body craved him like a drug.
When our pelvises met, we both moaned.
God, he felt good!
It was almost like the waves of hot and cold I felt coming from him were now radiating from inside me too. It felt so good it almost hurt, like getting into a hot bath when you’re a little chilled.
I lifted my hips until he almost fell out of me, then slammed back down. He cried out, and a wave of power swept through me, making me gasp.
I wanted more!
Setting a fast pace, I rode him hard. Tension built inside me as waves of sensation and magic rolled over me one after another.
I needed to come; I didn’t think I could take much more.
“Please, Willow!” Vie begged.
I heard ripping. I looked down in time to see two halves of a pillow flying in different directions, fluff going everywhere.
The controlled violence pushed me over the edge. My orgasm drew me into myself. It forced me into a fetal-like position with my shoulders hunching and bending my back. I shook uncontrollably and couldn't keep myself up. I curled down into Vie’s chest.
“My turn,” Vie growled. Grabbing me, he rolled us over, so he was on top. He made me gasp, then moan as he started thrusting.
My orgasm made my body tighten around him. His magic thrummed through both of us, building and building.
My eyes shut, and I wrapped my legs around him, holding on. My second orgasm washed over me, a wave pulling me under. My chest tightened, and for a moment, I couldn’t pull in any air.
Vie’s strong arms were wrapped around me, squeezing tight as he pounded into me. It didn’t matter, I couldn’t get any air into my lungs. He was putting pressure on me from the outside, and the magic-laced climax was pressing from the inside.
Pleasure held back the panic, and I relaxed into possible death. What did it matter when I was getting exactly what I asked for? I didn’t feel numb any more.
Blackness ate my vision, making it impossible to focus on anything. Everything around me got hazy, and it almost felt like I was floating above the bed.
Vie cried out and jerked a few more times inside me. A last powerful shock of magic plowed through me. It pushed the last of my breath out in a gasp.
Everything froze for a moment. My vision completely disappeared, and my brain was turning over slowly. I couldn’t make my voice work, not even to moan.
“Breathe.”
I couldn’t tell if Vie said that, or I heard him in my head, but that single word helped me open my mouth and suck in a lungful of air. Everything happened at once. My oxygen-starved brain urged me to keep breathing, my body went limp with relief, and we both seemed to crash back to the bed.
Had we been floating in the air?
Vie was quick to roll us onto our sides so his weight wasn’t on top of me. Then he tucked me against him, both of us breathing hard.
“I want to do that again,” I wheezed out once I could form words. “But not tonight.”
“Anything you want,” he agreed, his words sounding more like a vow than a simple promise.
With his comforting words in my ears, sleep was able to pull me under with no trouble, and if I did dream, I didn’t remember it.