Chapter Twenty-Three #2
I didn’t know how long we sat there on the white-tiled floor, clinging to each other like we could save our souls purely by touch, but I suddenly became aware of a squelching sound invading this little moment between Wilder and me.
“Wow,” Wilder muttered. “That’s something I’m never going to unsee.”
Vee sat cross-legged on the floor in his wendigo form in a pool of blood, humming whilst he happily munched on Cameron’s liver.
His pale blue eyes, that looked almost translucent in his wendigo form, stared at us. “What? Is there something on my face?”
Wilder snorted and relaxed a little. “I think you’ve got a little someone on your face.”
Vee grinned, showcasing a mouth full of sharp teeth, and then licked the blood from around his lips. His tongue was dark and forked, more like a demon than an animal.
I stood up and pulled Wilder to his feet. “Enjoy your snack. I’ll send someone to clean up for you when you’re done.”
“It’s alright,” Vee rasped, his voice a low, scratchy hiss. “I won’t let anything go to waste.”
Wilder grimaced and started backing away to the door. I didn’t blame him. Vee was a creature that even I was a tad wary of, and I was a psychopath.
“Come on,” I whispered into Wilder’s ear. “Let’s go and find something to eat.”
“I don’t think I’m going to eat anything for a while,” he replied but he let me drag him out of the white room and back upstairs to the kitchen.
I sat him in a chair at the table and place a cup of coffee in front of him. “Want to tell me what happened?”
He shrank back in on himself, hunching his shoulders and pushing back into the chair. “I lost control.”
“You didn’t. You came back,” I said as I sat in the seat next to him.
His head dropped to the table with a thud, his chestnut curls falling around him like a crown. “I’m a failure.”
The word cut through me like a knife. I slid my hand into his hair and rolled his head to one side so he could see me.
“You are absolutely not a failure. You managed to find a life force on your first go. Yes, you lost control, but we can learn from that. You also did it without your full power. Just imagine what you’ll be capable of then.
You’ll be unstoppable. I know it. And with you at full strength and me at your back, your father doesn’t stand a chance. ”
A small smile fought to break at the corner of his mouth. “Do you really think so?”
I leant closer. “I know so. I only felt a fraction of your power down there, and it was impressive, Wilder. You’re impressive, and I’m amazed that you somehow managed to find me, a mere human, when you could choose anyone else.”
His warm smile finally broke free. “Byron, you’re not a ‘mere human’ and you know it.”
I shrugged and brushed my thumb over his temple, marvelling at how pretty Wilder was when his smile was carefree. “I’m just happy to be yours.”
Wilder got up from his seat and walked over to sit in my lap, straddling my thighs.
“I know you can’t love me, I know you’re not wired like that but for me, this connection between us is everything to me.
You never thought I’d ever feel this way about anyone.
” He chuckled and bit his bottom lip. “Especially you because we’ll, you’re you and I always thought you hated me. ”
I brushed his hair away from his face, warmth radiating in my chest at his sappy grin. “I never hated you, baby. I misunderstood you but you always fascinated me. You still do.”
A blush crept up his neck and his eyes glistened.
“I guess, what I’m trying to say is I love you.
I know it’s crazy because we’ve been together for like a week, but I do.
I love you, Byron. My sweet, possessive psychopath.
” He pressed a kiss against my lips, just a soft one full of familiar affection. “And I know you can’t love me back—”
“I love you,” I said.
He reared back slightly. “Don’t say it if you don’t mean it.”
“I’ve never been in love before, and who’s to say what I feel for you isn’t love.
You’re everything to me, Wilder, and if that isn’t love, what is?
So I do mean it.” I couldn’t imagine living without Wilder, couldn’t bear the thought of not waking up next to him.
“I never want to be parted from you. You’re mine, baby, body, mind and soul.
There’s not an inch of you that doesn’t belong to me. ”
His smile was wide and bright. “Say it again.”
“Which bit?” I said with a grin.
He slapped my chest playfully. “I love you.”
I pressed my lips against his in a kiss that soon turned filthy. “I love you, baby.”
Wilder nipped at my bottom lip hard enough to slice my skin. “I love you too, kitten.”
Then he lunged forwards and slanted his mouth over mine.
I swiped my hands up the length of his spine, settling one on the back of his neck, and the other between his shoulder blades.
He thrust his tongue deep into my mouth and I let him take control.
He explored my mouth, licking his way along my tongue all the way to the back of my teeth.
It was a dirty kiss. All tongue and teeth, wet and sharp.
“You do know this is my kitchen.”
We froze at the intrusion, Wilder’s mouth hovering above mine, his breath ghosting across my lips.
I looked over Wilder’s shoulder and found Benji sat at the table, his chin in his hand and a smug little smirk on his face. “Isn’t it Damyr’s kitchen?”
“Meh, semantics,” he said, waving away my question.
Wilder turned around in my lap and settled against my chest.
“Jesus, fuck!” Benji blurted. “What the hell happened to you?”
“Huh?” Wilder said, and I found it adorable he’d forgotten about the bruise on his face.
I bit along Wilder’s jawline. “I think he’s admiring the bruise on your face.”
“Oh,” Wilder said with a nervous laugh.
“And the tattoo,” Benji said, pointing at Wilder’s throat. “What the hell has that idiot done to you?”
“Careful now, little bird,” I said, my voice low and threatening.
“Nothing I didn’t want or ask for,” Wilder said as he straightened his spine.
Benji’s gaze stuttered as he looked between us, taking in the possessive way my hands clasped Wilder’s hips and whatever he could make out in those violet eyes I loved so much.
He eventually held his hands up placatingly and sat back in his chair. “Whatever floats your boat. At least let me get you some arnica cream for your face, Wilder. That bruise looks sore.”
“Might be worth investing in some to keep at our apartment,” I said. I should probably get some ready to go suture kits as well. Just in case.
Wilder looked back at me over his shoulder, a supercilious curve to his brow. “Our apartment? I didn’t think I’d agreed to move in with you yet.”
I grinned and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. “You said you love me. You have no choice now.”
“Byron,” he groaned, but there was no real resistance in his tone. He was going to move in with me. Besides, I’d already arranged to have all his things moved from his house to my apartment. Sure, it’d be tidy once Damyr’s men had finished sorting through the wreckage, it would also be empty.
“This all looks very cosy,” Damyr said as he strolled in to join us. He kissed the top of Benji’s head and sat in the seat next to him. He slid a manilla envelope over to Wilder. “This just arrived for you.”
Wilder flinched as he looked at it.
“What is it?” I asked as I took in the letter.
“It’s from my father.”
The atmosphere in the room instantly sharpened. Lawler Rowan’s days were numbered, of that I was fucking certain.
Wilder’s hands trembled slightly as he lifted the packet, bracing himself just in case his father had imprinted a memory on there again. He held his breath for a moment, before releasing it on a long exhale.
He opened the envelope and pulled out a letter and a photograph. “It says, in case you were thinking of ignoring my invite, I’ve included some added motivation for you to join me.”
He looked at the photograph and gasped, his hand flying to his mouth.
I peered over his shoulder and saw what had shocked him.
It was an image of Astrid, bound, gagged and hanging from a hook.
One of her eyes was swollen shut and there was a nasty cut through her eyebrow that was bleeding.
Other than that, she looked unharmed, but I couldn’t see all of her in the picture.
That fucking asshole.
“I’ll kill him,” Wilder said, his voice raw and trembling with rage. “I’ll kill him for this.”
I grabbed his hands and forced him to look in my eyes. “And we will. I promise you, we will make him suffer and his life will end.”
“What do you need?” Damyr asked, ever ready to go into battle. “What’s the plan?”
“Plan?” I huffed. “We go to Misthaven Central Park, kill some bad guys and rescue Astrid.”
Benji shook his head at me. “You can’t be serious? Surely, your father knows we are coming? This is going to be suicide.”
Wilder looked at the photo of Astrid and then back to Benji. “But this is my friend. I can’t let my father hurt her because of me. I need to finish this.”
There was a moment of silence as Damyr stared firmly at Wilder, his gaze assessing and harsh. Finally, he nodded, a decision made. “Fine, I will order the men to get the weapons and vehicles ready. We will do this together, Wilder.”
“Thank you,” Wilder said, his voice shaky.
Damyr stood and straightened his custom made jacket. “You don’t need to thank us, Wilder. You’re family.”
“Besides, who doesn’t like a bit of murder and mayhem on their birthday?” I said with a smile.
“It’s your birthday?” Benji asked. “How did I not know this?”
I could see the cogs in Benji’s mind turning as he started planning where he was going to get a cake and all that birthday shit from. If I didn’t know better, we’d be having a full-blown party tomorrow.
“I’ve always celebrated it on New Year’s Day, but I was born at midnight on the dot.”
“A soul caught between the old and the new,” I muttered aloud. “That’s a powerful moment to be born.”
Wilder took my hand in his and warmth crept into my soul like it always did when he touched me. “Let’s finish this. Together.”