23. Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Three
Benji
I sucked in a sharp breath as Damyr breached my body. I winced at the brief flash of pain as the head of his thick cock sank deep inside me, past that tight ring of muscle with a slow, steady thrust that robbed me of coherent thought. I squeezed my eyes shut as I waited for my body to relax, focussing on anything other than the burn as Damyr seated himself inside me fully.
When I opened my eyes, I found Damyr watching me with an intensity that robbed me of my breath. It was too much. I didn’t know if I wanted to bathe in it or run away. I pulled his mouth down to mine, kissing him to distract me from my tumbling thoughts. I didn’t think blurting out ‘I love you’ was the right thing to do even if I was slowly starting to realise this guy was stealing my heart the way he stole me.
Damyr had said I was his and that he wanted everyone else to know it too. He said it like it was inevitable, like it was something I had no hope of fighting or running away from. I was his. Forever. I should be running in the other direction, should be scared out of my mind, but I wasn’t. I just felt overwhelmed by it all. I didn’t want to fight it; I wanted to surrender to it.
I knew it didn’t make any sense, knew this whole thing was madness, but I wanted to be his. I wanted everything about him. His passion, his brooding darkness, all his violence. I wanted it all because deep down, I knew he’d do anything for me. Even burn the world if I asked it of him, and that was a fucking thrilling thought.
My cock was leaking between us, leaving a sticky pool against my skin. Damyr buried his face against my throat, his mouth sucking hard against my skin, marking me. My eyes rolled backwards as he drove into me, his cock hitting that spot that sent fireworks zipping along my spine. “Harder. Fuck me harder.”
Damyr growled and hooked his arms around my thighs, pushing them higher and sinking his cock deeper. I didn’t think it was possible to feel this full, but fuck, his cock hit so deep within me. I couldn’t think about anything else. I didn’t want to. Damyr was giving me what I wanted, pounding into me with a speed that should have been lethal. It was relentless. Brutal. Driving all thoughts away until the only thing I could feel was him.
“Yes. There. Right there. More.” I was a babbling mess as I grabbed my cock, jerking myself in time with Damyr’s thrusts. Fuck, it wasn’t going to take me long to fall over the edge.
“I’m going to come,” Damyr snarled as his eyes dropped down to watch his cock disappearing into my hole.
“Fuck. Yes. Come inside me.” I was rambling, but I didn’t care. “I want to feel it.”
“Beg me,” he demanded, his eyes returning to mine, his gaze fierce.
I couldn’t even muster up a sliver of embarrassment. “Come for me. I need it. Please, Damyr. Give it to me.”
His hips stuttered and he ground his hips into mine, hard enough to bruise. The feeling of him throbbing deep inside me was all it took for me to follow into bliss. I spilled my release between us, fisting my cock until my entire body trembled with over stimulation.
“Are you okay?” Damyr asked as he lay down on top of me, resting his chin on his folded hands.
“Yeah. I’m good. More than good.” I smiled lazily at him, my energy completely depleted. “Are you?”
He grinned at me, those pointy canines winking at me through his smile. “Yes. I want to stay inside you forever.”
I was okay with that. Especially if it meant he was going to fuck me like that again. “I wouldn’t mind that.”
He kissed my chin. “Good. Because you’re mine forever.”
Damyr slipped free and it made me feel empty. Disconnected. Until he wrapped me in his arms, and I snuggled my head under his chin. I liked this, being skin to skin but I couldn’t help the doubt that crept in again. My brows knitted together. “Do you mean it?”
“What?”
“That I’m yours forever?” It was such an alien concept. Forever. Eternity. It sounded so final. “What would happen if you got bored with me? or when I get old, and you no longer want me?”
“Benjamin,” Damyr said in a tone that brooked no argument. “This isn’t a game to me. I have waited lifetimes for you, and if I told you half the things I think when I look at you, you’d probably run screaming.”
My heart leapt in my chest, my pulse raced and my breath hitched. “Like what?”
His gaze met mine, searching my eyes for doubt. I didn’t have any. I wanted to know. All those dark, violent thoughts he might have, I wanted to possess them.
“I want to slide into your skin, just to be as close to you as possible. Until there’s no way to tell where you start, and I end. I want to tie you to my bed just to keep you away from everyone else. And I will never, ever let you leave.”
I smiled. “Not ever? Not even to take me on a date?”
Damyr scowled. “If I take you somewhere on a date, I will make sure there will be no one else there to see you.”
“You’re ridiculous,” I said warmly. I couldn’t stop my grin even if I wanted to.
“I can’t help it.” He shrugged a shoulder. “It’s just the way I’m wired. I’ve lived for a long time, and you’d think that would make me able to move through society with ease, but it doesn’t. The older I’ve gotten, the less human I’ve become.”
“Well, maybe you’ll have me for another seventy or eighty years. Perhaps I’ll rub off on you.”
Damyr cupped my chin and dragged my gaze back to his. “I can give you eternity, Benjamin. All you need to do is ask.”
“How?” I asked, my voice a little breathless. “How does it work?”
“Well, there are a couple of options. I could turn you, which would make you exactly like me, or we can do a blood bond which means you’d have to regularly feed from me, and I’d keep you young.”
“So I wouldn’t have to become a vampire if I didn’t want to?”
Damyr’s brows knitted together. “No. I’d be disappointed, but I’d understand, and I would never pressure you into making that decision. It’s not one to make lightly.”
I couldn’t deny that the idea was appealing and terrifying in equal measure. But the fact that I had options settled some of those doubts and I had time. I didn’t have to make a decision now. Hell, I was still only twenty-five. There was plenty of time to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. And until then, I’d take each day as it came.
“How do you become a vampire? I asked Vlad, but he wouldn’t tell me.”
Damyr stroked his hand through my hair and I arched into his touch. “I’m glad he didn’t. He’d probably have sent you running for the hills. It’s a simple process but there’s a lot of risk. Essentially, I bring you to the point of death by draining your blood, then I feed you some of mine and hope that your body doesn’t reject it. If we mate first, the risks are lower, but we don’t have to.”
“And, um, how do we mate?”
He chuckled. “Exactly how you’d imagine. Popular culture at least got that right.”
“So lots of sex and blood then?”
“Pretty much,” he said as he rolled me beneath me.
I yelped in surprise. “Damyr.”
“And when I’m buried deep inside you, I’ll sink my fangs into your neck.” He nipped the soft spot over my carotid artery. “And then you do the same to me.”
“I have to bite you?”
He hummed, a deep and throaty rumble that I felt vibrate through his chest. “Yes. And then we have lots of sex. It’ll take a while.”
“Really?” He wasn’t putting me off. If anything, I was coming around to the idea the more he talked about it.
“Oh, yes. Three days at least. Think you could handle that?” he asked as he rocked his hips against mine, stirring my cock back to life.
I swallowed audibly. “Yes.”
A hundred percent. Absolutely. Where did I sign?
Damyr laughed softly. “Well, that’s good to know. Now, I’m going to suck your cock until you scream my name, and then we’re going to shower, okay?”
I nodded, my ability to speak vanishing as he moved down my body. The minute his mouth closed around my aching cock, I was lost. Completely, fucking lost.
And I didn’t think wanted to be found.
***
After a shower and bringing Damyr to another orgasm whilst I washed him, we met the others in Damyr’s study. Vlad and Aleksey were clad in their usual black combat gear, heads close as they had an animated conversation. Acheron stood pacing the room whilst Wilder just sat there watching the others.
“Well, don’t you two look happy,” Acheron said with a knowing grin as we moved further into the room. His hair was back to a bright electric blue and the outfit he wore today was a black leather skirt and a neon pink mesh top.
“They don’t look happy, they look well fucked,” Wilder deadpanned. He was sprawled out on one of the sofas, looking completely at ease in someone else’s space.
Acheron threw the witch a scowl. “Nobody asked you.”
The witch just smiled in response. I really hoped he was worth the trouble of having him here. At least Byron was gone so there weren’t any serious fireworks, if Vlad was to be believed. Although, a part of me wanted to see what a flustered Byron looked like. The guy seemed to either want to make you dance to his tune, or he showed no emotion, seemingly unbothered by anything.
Apart from that moment when he thought his brother was in danger. I was still curious about that, too. Did he really stalk his twin? I wasn’t going to ask him, though. I kind of liked my head where it was.
“Have you checked the wards?” Damyr asked, bringing the conversation back to the matter at hand. The fact that this Ronin wanted to take his world apart, piece by piece.
“Yes,” Acheron replied.
“And I improved them,” Wilder added. “You’re welcome.”
“You didn’t improve anything,” Acheron snapped, his brows drawn and his mouth turned down in a grimace. “You just spent the entire time wiggling your fingers and trying to look pretty.”
“You think I’m pretty?” he asked with a cocky grin.
“I said ‘trying’, asshole.” Acheron pinched the bridge of his nose before giving Damyr a flat look. “Can I kill him? please?”
Damyr sighed heavily. “Like it or not, he’s here as a guest to help us. So you’ll just have to play nice.”
Wilder blew a kiss at Acheron which made him snap. He hurled what looked like a lightning bolt which struck Wilder right in the middle of his chest. The witch fell forwards, his hand clutching the spot above his heart.
“Acheron!” Damyr snapped, but I was already lunging towards Wilder.
I rolled him over onto his back. He wasn’t breathing. I checked his pulse. Shit. I started chest compressions.
“What the fuck was that, Acheron?” Vlad demanded.
“Just a few thousand volts of electricity.” At least he had the grace to look sheepish. “I didn’t think it’d stop his heart. I thought he was more impervious to magic than that.”
I paused the compressions and checked for a pulse. Nothing. I started up again. He’d be lucky if I could get his heart started again. I needed a defibrillator to shock it back into a rhythm.
Fuck it.
I curled my hand into a fist and thumped it hard onto his sternum.
“What the hell are you doing?” Damyr asked.
“Trying to save his life!” I thumped Wilder again. “Come on. You will not die today.”
Another thump.
His eyes shot open, and he flew upwards with a jolt. His chest heaved deep breaths into his lungs and his eyes were wild.
I grabbed his shoulders and soothed him like I would a wild animal. “Easy, Wilder. Easy.”
“Where is that fucker? I’m going to kill him.” He took another few rapid breaths.
“Hey, look at me.” Wilder’s violet eyes met mine. They were full of anger and rage, but there was a little bit of fear buried in their depths too. A brush with death would do that to a person. “Breathe with me.” I took a slow, deep breath, encouraging him to copy me. “That’s it.”
When his breathing returned to a more stable rhythm, I checked his pulse again. It was a little elevated, but nothing that worried me.
“Thank you,” he muttered, his fingers flexing against his thighs.
“Don’t mention it. Let’s get you up and into a chair.” I helped heave him off the ground. He wobbled on his feet a little, which was understandable since he’d just died for a few moments, but he made it to an armchair without incident.
Acheron, on the other hand, looked like he was chewing glass. Guess, I’d missed something in the commotion of saving Wilder. Now I understood what Vlad had meant about Wilder being a spark of chaos.
“Well, that was all very entertaining.”
I turned towards the door and saw Lucia standing there looking hideously glamorous and gorgeous with none other than Remy Lavaeux.
Holy fuck.
Warm, golden skin and eyes the colour of honey. The man looked like a sweet treat just waiting to be unwrapped. He was always stunning in his photoshoots, but up close, the guy was impossibly beautiful.
“Stop drooling,” Vlad whispered in my ear.
I brushed my thumb against the corner of my mouth, double checking I hadn’t actually managed to drool over the guy. I looked at Damyr, but he just looked pissed that his wife was here. With her new boy toy.
Now that Vlad had told me that Damyr had married her so long ago, it didn’t bother me quite as much that they were still technically married. It only bothered me a little.
And by ‘a little’ I meant a fucking lot.
I never knew I could be quite so possessive.
“Lucia. What do you want?” Damyr snarled.
“Damyr,” she said with a pout on her perfectly plump red lips. “Is that anyway to greet your wife?”
My left eye twitched.
She cast her eyes over me, and I felt her gaze slither over my skin. “Has your little human got bored of you already? Turning to a witch for fun now, Benji?”
I slowly stood up, facing her head on and mustering the haughtiest expression I could. “You can say what you like, Lucia. I know where I stand in Damyr’s affections and it’s certainly higher than you.”
Her eyes narrowed and her upper lip curled back in a sneer.
Remy stepped forwards, his nails lengthening into long claws. “Be careful, boy. If you say another word, I will slice you into a million pieces.”
I cocked my head to one side and tucked my hands into my pockets, trying to become the embodiment of nonchalance, when inside I was terrified. I was well aware this guy could probably tear me apart with his bare hands, but I was not being spoken to like that. No matter how good someone looked. “Wasn’t it that kind of attitude that dropped us in this mess in the first place?”
Remy’s eyes flashed bright amber, and he made to lunge towards me. I instinctively took a step backwards. Maybe pissing him off wasn’t the best idea.
There was a blur of movement before Remy was slammed into the wall behind hm. One second Damyr was behind his desk, the next he was stood in front of Remy as he pinned him a foot off the ground by his throat.
“Nobody threatens what’s mine,” Damyr said, his voice low and steady. “Do you understand?”
He was so calm, and I think it was that cool delivery that had the hairs on the back of my neck standing to attention. He sounded like a cold-blooded killer.
Remy hissed as Damyr’s nails lengthened against his skin, the sharp points sinking into his neck slowly. God, watching Damyr threaten someone on my behalf… my dick was definitely taking notice. It shouldn’t be hot, but the thought of Damyr burning the world for me set butterflies tumbling in my stomach.
Lucia took a step towards Remy, but Vlad stepped in her path. “Ah-ah, you stay there.”
She spat at him like a pissed off kitty.
“Do I make myself clear?” Damyr commanded softly, pressing his sharp nails, deeper into Remy’s neck. Blood trickled down his skin, staining the collar of his white t-shirt.
“Yes,” Remy finally said and Damyr let go. The supermodel fell to the floor in a heap and Vlad moved out of the way to let Lucia tend Remy’s wounds. She swiped her tongue along the half-moon crescents, instantly healing them, and helped the guy to his feet.
But by this point, Damyr had turned his back on the whole thing and come to me. “Are you alright?”
“Yes,” I said a little breathlessly.
Damyr curled his hand around the side of my neck and his brows drew together. “Are you sure? Your heart is racing.”
A flush crept up the side of my face. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just been a bit of an intense few minutes.”
Damyr quirked a dark eyebrow, but he didn’t call me out on my shit. Watching Damyr flex his muscles had turned me on.
“Okay,” he said and pressed a kiss to my temple which surprised me. Not sure, why. I guess I’d assumed he wouldn’t be affectionate in front of other people, but I definitely liked that he was. It seemed the more time I spent with him, the more I liked who he was.
“Now then,” Damyr said as he turned back to Lucia and Remy. “Cut the theatrics and tell me why you’re really here.”
Lucia swiped her hair over her shoulder with an angry flick of her hand. “I received a letter.”
“A letter?” Damyr asked. “What kind of letter?”
Lucia pulled a single crisp sheet of paper out of the inside pocket of her jacket. She unfolded it and began to read. “My dearest friend, had we more time and world enough to share, I wouldst still not have enough words to describe thy beauty. I have no world of mine own to offer, merely a heart that would love thee for all days if thou wouldst be mine. You stir a passion within my soul that—”
“Stop,” Damyr whispered, his face pale. He looked like he’d seen a ghost and it had slapped him in the face.
“What is it?” I asked, anxiety turning my skin clammy.
“Where did you get that?” Damyr demanded, ignoring me.
Lucia looked flustered. “It was delivered to my chambers. It came with a note that said I needed to bring it to you.”
“Who signed it?” Vlad asked.
“The same guy that sent you the body,” Lucia said. “Ronin.”
“Let me see it.” Vlad pulled the letter from her fingers, his eyes scanning the page for any secret it might hold. “It’s just a love letter.”
“Out,” Damyr shouted suddenly, making me flinch. “Everybody out.”
I’d never seen people move so fast.
Acheron disappeared instantly, Remy and Lucia practically ran, and Aleksey strode out the door. I’d forgotten he was in the room, to be honest. The guy barely said two words together.
I exchanged a look with Vlad. He seemed just as confused as I was. I helped Wilder out of his chair and made to walk with him. I figured if they had a doctor on site, there must be some sort of medical equipment somewhere. I needed to get Wilder on a machine to watch his heart for a bit. I didn’t want it arresting again.
“Vlad, take Wilder to the doc. Benji, you stay.”
I bristled a little with his command, but I didn’t rise to it. Damyr was clearly upset, and I could always mention it later.
Vlad gave me the letter and went to pick Wilder up to carry him.
“I can walk, asshole,” Wilder said as he batted Vlad’s hands out of the way. It was a little concerning that Wilder was still rubbing the spot over his heart, but whether that was because of the brutal way I hit him, or his heart spasming, I didn’t know. He seemed to be managing the walk out of the office fine, though, so as soon as they closed the door behind them, I turned all thoughts to Damyr and the letter in my hand that turned him whiter than the sheet of paper it was printed on.