Chapter 9 #3
I debate if I should tell her the truth. About who I am, and about Wyatt. I’m not entirely certain I can trust her, as I barely know her. I glance back at Wesley, wondering if I could trust him. Something tells me I could, though I can’t explain why.
I figure honesty is the best policy. Best to address the elephant in the room, and perhaps if I tell her the truth, she will be able to help me find a suitable mate to claim so I may rise to take my place on my father’s throne.
“Wyatt Castor,” I say carefully.
Chloe practically spits her drink out.
“Shut up!” she squeals, drawing the attention of everyone in the bloody restaurant.
My eyes widen as she squawks in delight.
“Holy shit, that is insane!” she says, grabbing my arm. I turn to see Wesley watching me. Watching us. Intently.
I have to force myself to look away.
“How in the hell did you get Wyatt Castor to reject you?” she asks, and her words set me back.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“How the hell did you get him to reject you? His parents have been down his throat for years—well, before his dad died, I guess—to land a mate.”
I purse my lips.
“I didn’t do anything. I was promised as an offering, and my father took us to the castle to offer me officially and—”
My mind wanders back to Wyatt, to his angelic face and apathetic stare. To his bitter voice and his harsh gaze.
And as if my body alone doesn’t know what’s good for it, the heat returns and I shove it away. I don’t want to fall into my bloodheat so soon, and certainly not here. With his brother watching me like a hawk.
I wish I could say his staring was unnerving, but the truth is, it is far from unnerving. Especially if the warmth and wetness blossoming between my thighs is any indication…
“Well, it’s his loss for sure. I don’t know how any man in his right mind would reject you. You’re like a twenty on a scale of one to ten.”
Her compliment makes my cheeks flush and heat ransacks me.
“Um, thank you?” I reach for my drink, feeling like the room’s turning into a bloody inferno.
Chloe giggles. “Just stating the obvious.”
She turns to look over her shoulder at Wesley, then back at me.
“Is he hot?” she asks.
“What?” I shake my head, trying to dispel the heat ransacking me. I can feel Wesley’s gaze on me from across the room, as well as Chloe’s imploring me.
“Wyatt. Is he as hot as they say he is or—” She grins wickedly at me. “Is the abandoned brother hotter?”
Abandoned?
I turn to look at Wesley, meeting his dark blue gaze. Even from where I sit, I can’t deny he’s…
Perfect. Like something from the depths of hell, from my bloodheat fantasies.
His pale skin only accentuates those ocean eyes and obsidian hair. He sits in the shadows and they wrap around him like the arms of darkness can’t resist him any more than I can.
“He’s… very pretty,” I say, licking my lips. “Angelic, almost. Some wild amalgamation of feminine and masculine that somehow work better than they should. But—”
“Sounds dreamy.” Chloe sighs.
“But that’s where the appeal stops, I’m afraid,” I say, breaking Wesley’s gaze.
“Because he’s quite an asshole. His demeanor is…”
Chloe groans. “Oh Gods, so he’s pretty and he’s a dick? Sign me the fuck up.”
I laugh, shaking my head. “Unfortunately, Chloe, I do not believe it works like that. Unless Wyatt shows up at R.I.S.E. Academy—which is highly unlikely—I do not think you stand a chance.”
Chloe dismisses me with a wave. “Maybe you could just ask your boyfriend for me,” she scoffs. I raise my eyebrows.
“What on earth are you talking about?”
Chloe sucks down the remainder of her drink. “You know, the Castor who keeps staring at you like he’s fucking starving.”
My cheeks heat. “Wesley is not my boyfriend. I barely know the man. I met him this morning, remember? And if memory serves me correctly, he ran away from me.”
Chloe smirks at me and winks. “Doesn’t look like he’s running now, chicky-boo, maybe you should go over and talk to him.”
I stir my straw absentmindedly, considering her words.
“Buy him a drink. Then take a bite out of that pretty little neck and settle that hunger.” She licks her lips, and I stiffen.
“I beg your pardon… are you suggesting I…” I look back and forth between us, noting the restaurant is starting to get more crowded. Which makes me more nervous.
“Are you suggesting I feed on another vampire?” And not just any vampire—my rejected’s brother!
Chloe leans closer to me, so close I can smell the vodka on her breath. My gaze dips to her mouth, to her glistening fangs before I find her gaze.
“That’s exactly what I’m suggesting,” she says as she licks her fangs. “Take it you’ve never fed on a vampire’s blood before.”
I tense. I’d heard of other vampires doing as much, but I’ve never been one to think too much about the relations of other vampires. What others did was none of my business. I had bigger things to focus on.
Not to mention, my father was insistent I bear my bloodheats alone, and after the human kiss debacle, I was served my blood for my feedings in a crystal pitcher on a silver tray and locked in my room with my heat aides.
The idea of sinking my fangs into anyone is enough to stir my hunger, but the thought of sinking my fangs into Wesley…
Well, the fresh bloom of moisture between my thighs is telling enough of how I feel about the idea.
“Of course not,” I snap.
Chloe sighs, the sound much darker than it should be. “Then you’re in for a fucking treat, girlypop.”
Before I can protest and tell her I can not just waltz up to Wesley and ask to feed on him, she whispers, “He’s coming over here. Act cool.”
Act cool? Act cool? How the hell am I supposed to do that when I feel as if I may spontaneously combust from the temperature in this bloody restaurant and this conversation?
I feel him before I see him. That rippling energy that exists between us, some invisible thing that somehow holds its own weight, despite its absence of presence.
“Hey, Wes,” Chloe says sweetly.
Wes nods at her with a polite smile. “Chloe.”
“Feeling better? You left so suddenly…” I can hear the faint lilt of her voice, and I wonder if the alcohol is starting to hit her. I fear it has already begun to hit me if my body temperature is any indication. Chad slides us both fresh drinks.
Shit.
Before I can push it back, Chloe pushes it towards me with a wink.
“I am,” Wesley says carefully. He doesn’t sit, just stands between us, a bridge between the space of what was and what could be.
My body responds of its own accord. To that energy, to his presence. I can’t deny it feels equal parts ominous and enticing. Being underneath that scrupulous sapphire gaze is doing things to me I can’t explain and I’m not sure I want to.
“I’m sorry,” I say, my voice barely a whisper as I stare into those deep, dark pools.
His eyebrows furrow.
“What do you have to be sorry for?” he asks, and it is both genuine and curious as if he does not truly know.
“For whatever it is I did,” I say softly. “To frighten you off.”
Chloe lets out a chortle as she slurps her drink.
“You didn’t… frighten me, I just—” Wesley’s gaze dips to my lips, where they hover for a moment. The same way Adrien’s hovered.
Somewhere inside, I know what that means. He wants to kiss me.
My bloodheat flares at this realization and I tense, because now is certainly not the time to go into a heat episode…
For starters, we are out in public! I can not ride out a bloodheat episode in a bloody bathroom. I need my bed, my cozy little nest of blankets and pillows and—
I watch as his gaze shifts and then I get a whiff of something tangy and spicy mixed with moss and salt. It’s a strange combination, but it makes my mouth water and my pussy clench like a vice.
I press my legs together to quell the sudden rush of heat, of moisture coating my thighs.
“It’s not you, it’s me. I promise.” He says the words softly, and Chloe lets out a laugh.
He turns to her with a glare.
“Something funny, Chloe?” he bites, and his tone is more than pissed. It’s annoyed as hell.
“I can smell you from here, Wes. You ain’t hiding shit.”
I look between them, confusion etched on my face. “What are you—”
“You know I can’t help it!” Wes growls, crossing his arms.
Chloe tsks him as she looks at me with a raised eyebrow.
“And you aren’t exactly subtle either, chicky-boo,” she says as she pushes off her stool, grabbing her drink.
“What are you talking about?” I ask, suddenly aware of how crowded the room is. I notice a few glances from vampires, and other creatures I can’t discern, but know from glowing gazes they are not human.
Wesley takes a step closer to me, angling his body in front of mine and another rush of heat comes. Faster, hotter.
I feel like I can’t breathe.
“Your bloodheat, duh,” Chloe says. “Both of you reek of fucking bloodheat, and judging by the looks you’re getting right now, I’m pretty sure if you don’t get the fuck out of here, there’s going to be a damn brawl.”
She looks up at Wesley, smiling a perfect fanged grin.
“But I haven’t even eaten yet,” I say as I meet the gaze of a man just a few feet away, licking his lips.
I lean into Wesley without a second thought and his hand finds my elbow, his palm warm and moist against my skin, and that powerful rush overcomes me, and I start to pant. Arousal, anxiety, confusion, my mind and my body are a mess.
“I uh… we can grab something from the cafe on the way back to your dorm,” Wesley says carefully.
“My dorm?” I ask as I move closer to him until I’m pressed against his side, trying to hide from the feral gazes. His one arm wraps around me, holding me against him and something switches inside me. His scent surrounds me and his solid body against mine makes my insides ache, makes my fangs ache.
“Yeah, I think we need to get you back home. Where you’re safe.”
I nod, understanding dawning on me as I wrap my arm around his waist. Without thinking, I squeeze him. I like how his body feels in my arms. I like it a lot.
“Have fun, you two.” Chloe grins as she heads into the crowd.
“Bone appetite, Ivy,” she says with a wink, before Wesley rushes us both forward. One vampire steps forth and Wesley growls. It’s a deep, rumbling sound that comes from somewhere deeper than his stomach. Perhaps his soul.
“Don’t even think about it,” he snarls, baring his fangs to the man. The other vampire is shorter, stouter, but he’s still quite attractive, with his brown hair and grey eyes. He nods at me.
“How bout’ you let the little princess decide for herself,” he sneers.
Wesley tightens his grip on me and advances, snapping at the man in a motion that is absolutely vicious.
My insides heat and I realize my panties are practically soaked at this point, and that notion causes a flush of heat to my cheeks. Oh, my Gods…
“How about you get out of my fucking way, Bret,” Wesley grunts. “Or I will move you, myself.”
The other vampire laughs, but that laughter is short-lived as Wesley takes his free hand and wraps it around the vampire’s neck.
I don’t miss the way his eyes widen or his surprise.
He certainly wasn’t expecting this, which tells me Wesley is not usually like this.
I’m disturbed but also strangely placated by this realization; the little voice in my head that appears during my bloodheat practically reeling with excitement that this vampire is being possessive. Of me.
Wesley lets go as he shoves him to the side, leaving Bret to rub his own neck and a crowd of vampire men to ascend.
“Fuck off, Wes! She’s fair game!” Bret snarls and Wesley lets out a deep sigh.
He turns just before we make it to the door and I’m well aware the entire crowd is watching us—watching our interaction. I clench Wesley’s T-shirt in my fist and bury myself against his side, needing to burrow into his warmth, his hold. I never want him to let me go.
“You’re scaring the shit out of her, asshole!” he roars. “Back off.”
His hand rubs the small of my back through my dress, and I realize I’m burning up.
“It’s okay,” he whispers, causing me to look up at him. I find those bright blue eyes, blazing with equal heat and something else I can’t quite describe.
“I got you. I won’t let them hurt you.”
When he says those words, I believe him, even though I know I shouldn’t.
I nod as he looks back up at the crowd.
“And if anyone even fucking thinks about trying to come after us, know I will fucking tear your throat out.”
There are audible gasps and whispered curses. I can hear Chloe’s “holy shit” echo in the room.
But I don’t have time to process what’s happening, because a moment later, Wesley pulls me through the exit, into the cold night.