31. Let the games begin #2
“You’re an angry fellow, aren’t you?” Raine chimes in.
“So forgetful. Tell me, have you not accounted for everyone in your House…wait, Caspian’s now our Leader, my apologies, ‘former,’” he answers, his demeanor calmer than expected, but my jaw hits the floor witnessing him smile.
“However…” He steps closer, meeting Marcel’s vengeful eyes.
“It would be unwise to upset a female on her night out, wouldn’t you say?
” Raine’s features are a contrast to the fay before him.
Oh fuck. Oh fuck.
“What’s unwise is your presence, vampire. You talk too much, and I’m annoyed.” Marcel’s fists tighten until his knuckles become almost translucent.
“Does my species bother you?”
Wait–wait–wait. He’s a vampire too?
“No, you bother me. Your smile bothers me, and let’s not forget how your coven operates.” A flash of two auras collide, pushing past me, and knocks over Blaise’s book, which causes his writing to become flawed. And he stands.
“You’re interrupting and intruding Kyra’s peace. A path you’d rather not go down.” Something sinister floods from my left, away from Blaise, and I gasp. Whispers clash with the music, and I see Alex standing along with Russ, and now Ethan has moved closer. What is happening?
“Enough.” Caspian steps forward, frowning, and pushes his aura into the mix of whatever the hell is going on. “Either deal with it later, or deal with me now.”
My palms press firmly into my thighs as I gaze left and right. Any thought or response I wanted to divulge has eluded me in haste. The purpose for me being here tonight was for a good time, and it’s been anything other.
Not to mention the group of hussies who have been eyeing me all night, flirting with anyone they have seen me talking to, Alex’s companion, and now this. Yeah, I’m over it.
*Sigh*
“Kyra, would you care to dance?” Blaise asks, earning him the attention of everyone before us, and it takes an eternity for my mind to process what was asked.
Caspian’s eyes widen, ignoring the threat he offered earlier. “Blaise, I was–”
“Kyra, if you’d like to be anywhere other than here, shall we?” He holds out his hand, warming the chilled cloud of angst held inside my lungs. Those multi-toned eyes give me little room for objection. He is annoyed, and perhaps this will help both of us.
“Yes.”
“Then it’s settled. When she and I return, this conversation will be no more.” I place my hand in his, and a jolt of energy surges into my blood, swimming its way into the valves of my heart. Holy shit. Standing, Blaise guides me around the table. I’m thankful because I’m seeing double.
Bright lights cover the corners of my eyes, causing a collision against the table, but he grasps my hand tighter, pulling me into his embrace before any sense can be made.
“Are you okay?” His breath sends shivers along my spine. Either the drink’s effects have taken hold, or something strange is happening. Regardless, I nod, and he grins. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
Before answering, I scan the room, noticing more attention on us than I’d care to have. Ethan is right off the floor, arms folded and scowling, Alex too. Russ is ignoring Paige, looking over with an arched brow, glancing between our intertwined hands.
“Yeah, I’m sure.” Pulling my focus, I place it back on him. If they’re mad at us for dancing, they should’ve asked first. “Though, I’m unaware you knew how to dance, let alone would ask me.”
“Sometimes destiny can be a bit…unplanned and fun,” he says, smiling and leading us further onto the floor. “Besides, I’m a master at this.”
Confident…Unfazed…Tantalizing…Engaging . My lips part, but the words fall short as I decipher his expression. He is determined, and right now, he has my undivided attention.
It’s somewhat crowded, and a few times I bump into a couple of students around us. Blaise, letting out a frustrating groan, says, “Stay right here and don’t move.” His gaze is demanding with a promise of returning, so I still, watching him escape into a flow of bodies.
Breathing helps cool the skin around my neck as my nerves form sweat over my palms. Seconds turn into a minute and more, and I have a mind to turn back until I spot him climbing the stairs of the D.J’s booth.
Together they point in my direction, and I take a step back. A rise in blood flow does little to cool my skin. What is he doing? The D.J. nods, ending their discussion, along with the music, and ‘boo’s’ break out around me.
“Hey, turn the music back on!” someone shouts, creating an uproar of protests.
“Alright, everyone, settle down–settle down.” A low and smooth voice responds over the speakers. But his tone feels personal, like he is standing beside me. “If you can’t dance, get the fuck out the wayyyy! This one goes out to Kyra, Kyra, Kyraaaa!” the D.J finishes.
Students move aside, giving room for Blaise’s advancement, and I’m greeted by a devious smirk. My emotions expand and flow through me all at once as I notice gasps, whispers, and other phrases being tossed around. Having vampiric hearing isn’t necessary when I’m the center of attention.
“What are you doing?” I stage-whisper, wiping my hands on my tights as the sweat builds into an itch.
“This isn’t an ordinary dance with me, Kyra. You’ll experience things only your dreams can manifest. Allow me to bring them to life.”
A force lifts my hand as his slides into mine, sending tingles racing up my arms and spreading over my chest. “ Blaiiiise,” a cooling breath against my heated ears.
Sparkles of green and red appear around us as the outer light dulls, and I face away from him, noticing everyone else fading into darkness.
Warm and steady fingers grip my chin in a touch so soft it’s like they aren’t there.
He guides my head with a gravitational pull back towards him, and I lean in close.
Mesmerized at the clear view of his multicolored eyes, the right one is green and teal, and the left, green and pink…
both speaking to me before he does. Passion.
“Keep your attention on me, Darling.”
Some may say I’m insane, but peering into each one, my reflection thunders, matching the cadence of my pulse. It’s enchanting how each eye has a set of different colors, and when he blinks, it’s though they’re taking photos of me mentally. Darling? Me?
I’m muted by all recognition. Being the center of someone’s attention has never felt like this, and my aura recognizes that. It pushes beneath my skin while his strokes on top of it. Two energies calling for one another with a thin layer of flesh being their single obstacle.
An emerald spotlight shines over us, transitioning into red and expanding out a few feet, but keeps our surroundings in a deepened shadow.
Green captures my emotions while red defines his features.
I breathe, trying to keep up with my elevated pulse, but he places the corner of his mouth against my cheek and whispers, “Who do you want?”
My grip on his hand tightens as my lungs and heart work in unison–skipping a beat.
Who do I want?
Blaise retracts a step without letting go, and anticipation prickles when an abrupt melody starts. I recognize this song. Ex Habit, ‘Who Do You Want?’ A favorite of mine.
He guides my arm up with purpose, locking his fingers in mine. In an instant, I’m pulled into him as the base vibrates. Throwing my other arm around his neck, I let a breath escape.
Blissful stings trail along my spine from the path of his palm as it lands on the small of my back. Him peering into my eyes tells me one thing–in this moment, I’m his, and another deep inhale allows a scent of black teakwood to invade my senses. Damn.
Pressed together, Blaise’s body guides us backwards. The hardness of his muscles push against my soft frame like two puzzle pieces sliding into place, and our eyes lock. Barely blinking. The base rattles, entering my core, and we pause, stopping on beat while a moment passes.
His fingers dig into my back with an unrelenting and possessive hold, slightly lifting me to my toes. He never removes his gaze. “Who do you want?” I can’t hear him over the music, but I feel the graze of his breath on my lips. Each word lasts as though he kissed me with them.
Blinking unravels visions of us without these bothersome clothes–his hands, blazing across my flesh as I bend to his will.
And then I’m back in this reality. A strum of instruments collide into one melodic sensation whilst we move again.
Each step is in tune with the bass, but I can’t look away, nor do I want to.
Trapped in his arms, my aura calls out for him .
We pause again, and Blaise spins me. Two hues, mixing at the speed of my twirl until I come to an abrupt stop, now feeling his chest pressed into my back. “Let me show you,” he whispers, and electricity rushes across my shoulders.
I lean back into him, tilting my head up as his palms move around my waist. Keeping our hands interlocked, I repeat, “Show me.”
We sway, and my body acts on impulse. The lyrics allow me to become lost–to relinquish all self-control–to witness in this reality…
my dreams. His free hand glides up the side of my hips, past my ribs, and lands at the nape of my neck, then suddenly, I’m bent over.
My chest pounds from an accelerated high.
“Who do you want?” the vocalist asks before another thrash of instruments scream.
Sensual fingers slide down my spine and around my stomach, maneuvering up the middle of my chest with precision, until I feel them lock around my throat. And he lifts me back up. It’s as though he knows my body, able to avoid all sexual spots, but finds the right ones to tease.
I exhale, noting our pulses in perfect harmony as my neck throbs against his fingers.
“Blaiiiise.” A different voice answers, and I’m likely to agree. My head is swimming with confusion, rushing and chasing after this euphoric sensation of being…wanted. His other palm moves up my spine, landing once more on the back of my neck, followed by, “Who do you want?” this time in his tone.
I remain silent as he rotates me to face him, not letting go of my body for a second. There is an answer within his gaze–one he searches for–and his panting scent tastes heavenly against my lips. Hard breaths fuel my craving of wanting more and keeps him from speaking.
Our hips roll in a steady motion, and Blaise lays his head upon my shoulder with one hand on my back.
“Tell me,” he commands, planting his face into my neck.
But before I’m able to answer, his hands graze down my thighs, circling towards the back, and gripping below my ass with possession. Another breath of mine–gone.
Following the beat, he lifts my leg and wraps it around his waist, motioning us backwards across the dance floor as my other leg drags on top. He holds me steady without removing his attention.
Our auras reach for one another, interlocking, pushing, and pulling until somehow these walls between us shatter, and a vision so vivid consumes me.
I get a glimpse of Hope…Intimacy…Motivation , and every sensation in between before coming to a halt, and his features shroud my perspective once again. A telling expression of what he feels. Misunderstood…Envy .
He leans me back, still embraced by his hands, and Blaise’s head dips to my collar whilst keeping the rhythm of his hips in motion. Slow and teasing. The softness of those lips traces down my stomach, and my hips push into him. I’m putty, waiting for him to mold and bend me to his will.
Dipping low, he swings me in a half rotating motion, erecting our posture and whispers, “Who do you want?” matching the voice blaring from an unseen speaker.
We’re close–no–our lips are close, and one wrong move will have them meeting. But my aura senses it, demanding with an internal yell of, you.
He releases my leg with a grin as though my thoughts somehow manifested into actual words.
This look I’m receiving damn near makes me believe it.
He places a hand just beneath my chin, then he’s gone, circling behind me as his knuckles graze the warm flesh of my throat. I ache to feel his body against mine.
Right one cue, his solid frame presses into my back with his chin on my shoulder, and I smile.
Leaning into him, I melt within the firm embrace of those arms now wrapped around me while his delicate fingers caress my hips, continuing down my thighs and forcing me to pant as the silk skin of his lips trail along my spine.
In a breath, he is back up, not missing a beat of our surrounding music. I’m standing by the sheer will and strength of his arms. Somewhere between his hand on my thigh and lips on my back, my legs stopped working.
His hips take lead, moving mine, and I overlap my hands with his. Something about this feels so damn right, yet I’m terrified of Blaise having this much control over me since we just met. He is an addiction.
I allow him to explore my body, caressing the center of my exposed stomach when he stops beneath my breasts. Pressing a palm there, he pushes me deeper into him, swirling our hips as I reach up and place my hand behind his neck.
Nothing matters in this moment. Two new souls sharing a longing as though it’s destined.
Prewritten by their Gods. The music builds, nearing its end, but our time contests it’s just begun, and I’m entranced.
Blaise’s touch is a mixture of ice and fire, cooling my flesh with a burn of ethereal desire.
“Who do you want?” he questions, muffled by his lips against my shoulder. You. It nearly seeps out. I want it out. Something about keeping it in burns at my core like withholding a lie.
Our cadence continues, and with each passing second, the declaration inches up my throat. You. But I fight it. Instead, scraping my nails along his neck, I return the question. “Who…do you want?” A pair of inhales and exhales escape us in tandem, and I feel his lips move to my ear.
But as he begins to speak, I’m turned around in a flash, and he is gone, leaving a dying whisper of “yoooou” drifting through the air.