Chapter 14
Severin
“Take a bath, my heart. Then dinner should be ready and waiting for you after.”
Felix groaned, but eventually rose from the bed and stalked into the bathroom.
He left the door wide open as he began undressing.
I hurried over to the other side of the room, where I would not be able to see him.
My patience was wearing thin, and I was only one weak vampire.
How would I be able to keep resisting him?
My greatest temptation.
My shoulders slumped with relief as soon as I heard the shower turn on.
Now, I just needed a few minutes to prepare myself for whatever punishment I was sure to get when he was done.
I knew teasing him after my shower was not the wisest decision.
I just could not help myself. I yearned for his eyes on me.
For his attention. I wanted, no, needed, to feel desired by him.
I heard Joel’s footsteps from the hall and went to accept the food. On his right hand he held out one plate with a dome over it to ensure it stayed warm, in his left he had a bottle of water. Nothing fancy, but just what my fated needed.
I thanked Joel and he told me he was bringing dessert up, too; he just couldn’t carry everything at once.
Placing the plate on our coffee table, on the other side of the bedroom where a couch sat, I waited for Joel to return.
A part of me had wanted to help, the other part could not even bear to think about leaving Felix.
Joel hurried up with a plate of dessert, a flask with pink lemonade and a glass. I accepted everything and thanked him. Dina had found Joel, and herself, a room for as long as it was needed, so he would clean up the kitchen before going to sleep.
I had no idea if the cleaners would still come and go as they used to, it was, after all, Dina who took care of that. So, I simply closed the door, locking it for privacy reasons, and settled everything on the coffee table.
The shower turned off, and I braced myself for the temptation of a lifetime, but when Felix entered the room, he was wearing loose pajama pants and a white t-shirt. Still a temptation nonetheless. I was both relieved and saddened that I did not get a show like the one I had given him.
“It smells wonderful.” He groaned happily as he sat on the couch. He removed the dome and moaned as the steam and aroma of his chicken wafted upwards. “I need protein. This is perfect.”
I cleared my throat, no longer sure if I was in the clear from payback. If he kept making moaning sounds it might be worse than what I had feared with the towel. “There is dessert, too. Joel brought water, which I left on your nightstand.”
“Thank you,” he beamed, then dug into his food with eagerness. I could only watch and endure his moans.
Goddess, save me…
An eternity later, Felix wiped his mouth and sighed contently as he leaned back against the couch pillows. “That was amazing.”
I croaked, “I am glad.”
He closed his eyes and smiled. I knew then this whole show had not been an innocent act.
He was playing me. I could not explain how badly I wanted more of it.
Would our lives always be like this? Us teasing each other until one of us conceded?
I sure hoped so. Life with Felix would never be boring. I knew that was a certainty.
“Ready for bed?” he asked, still with his eyes closed, relaxed.
I would love nothing more. “Yes.”
I took his plates and stacked everything before sprinting downstairs with them and then sprinted back up again. I knew Joel would not mind the dishes in the morning, and I preferred to sleep without old food in the room.
Joel was nowhere in sight, so I figured he had already gone to bed.
It made me happy—weirdly enough—to have even more people living under my roof.
After centuries of hiding away and not daring to have any friends, it was…
nice. I felt lighter as I returned at normal speed to our bedroom.
Felix was likely the cause of my uplifted spirits, but I could safely say that the others were helping, too.
I was not alone anymore.
“Severin.” Peter’s voice startled me. I had not even heard him approach me.
“Good evening, brother. Something wrong?”
“No. I simply wanted to make sure you were okay. With your bond and everything.”
Ah. We still had trouble showing our affection and love sometimes, but this was Peter showing he loved me. I smiled before replying, “I feel wonderful. I had hoped we could bond fully before finding Astrea, but I will not let her wait for days while we do so. It is not fair to her or Felix.”
“I agree,” he said, leaning against the hallway wall. “I trust Dina’s coven. But we still need to make sure no one gets hurt tomorrow.” Meaning the other coven who took Astrea.
“You think them capable of murder to keep her?”
“I think them able to do anything they so choose. After all, Astrea has already been asleep for five years, then kidnapped. And then they blackmailed poor Felix, a young man who was unable to fight them back.”
“You are right, brother. They do not seem to have any hearts, why should murder stop them.”
“Exactly. So, you should agree with my plan, then,” he said.
Intrigued, I asked, “What plan?”
“You focus on keeping Felix safe tomorrow, and I, on Astrea.”
“I like that plan,” I agreed. “We need to tell the coven before we leave tomorrow, though.”
“Agreed. Astrea and Felix are family now. I need you to trust I will do everything I can to keep them safe.”
I smiled at that. Peter could tease me and give me a hard time, but he was fiercely protective over those he loved, and at the moment, I was the only one he held such love for. Dina was growing on him, but he was stronger than I when it came to his emotions. He only let those in he truly wanted to.
I did not think as I stepped in to hug him. I just needed my brother. He was older than me by only four years, but still, after all this time, I saw him as my big brother. He would always be my big brother.
He returned the hug, holding me as tight as possible without it hurting us. Then we parted, not saying another word.
Entering my bedroom, I was ready to sleep with my fated in my arms, looking forward to his teasing. But when my gaze found him, my beautiful mate was already sound asleep on his side of the bed, taking away all my hope of teasing and fun.
I smiled, unable to stop myself as I got into bed, too. This was my life now. I had a partner waiting for me in bed. No more sleeping alone.
I fell asleep, feeling lighter than I had ever felt before. At least I could not remember a time I had felt more at ease.
Felix and I slept all night through, until Dina woke us up with her knocking. “Stop touching and get a move on!” she yelled, then I heard her steps retreat down the hall.
If only.
I wiped drool off my chin and then met Felix’s lazy gaze. His right side was filled with wrinkles from his pillow and his hair was sleep mussed. He was the sexiest man I had ever seen.
“Why, oh, why, must you look so good in the morning?” I groaned, before standing up and averting my gaze from the temptation in my bed.
He let out a happy giggle and then my gaze was back on him, transfixed, I could not stop staring.
He was happy, radiating light, happiness, life.
I jumped onto the bed, then leaned over his body.
He stopped laughing, his eyes widening, then he grinned.
I kissed his neck, forcing my fangs to retreat, then kissed his jaw, growling while doing so, my vampire nature wanting to take over.
To claim him as mine. But this could not go any further, for his sake and mine.
Felix needed two more days of no feedings, and I could control myself. I hoped.
Feeling my resolve weaken, I jumped off, then strode to my walk-in closet to get dressed.
“Really?!” he yelled from the bed, his tone indignant. I grinned to myself. I had won this round.
Dressed and somewhat awake, we met the others in the foyer.
I told Felix that both Peter and I could sunwalk, which had made this rescue mission much easier to plan.
Dina had then introduced us to her coven sisters and with one hug between Claire and Felix, we were now off driving towards Astrea’s location.
I picked my fastest car and with Felix sitting next to me in front, I felt calmer knowing he was with me. Dina sat in the back with Peter.
“So,” Dina started, and I feared we were in for a long drive of questioning on what Felix and I had been up to.
“Why are you and Astrea covenless?” Oh, so not a question about us after all, but actually a question I would love to know the answer to myself.
I focused on the road and waited patiently for Felix to answer.
“Our mother died in a coven war,” he replied, looking out on the wildflowers we passed in a blur. I hated that Felix had lost his mother, too. The world could be a cruel place without a mothers love to help guide you.
“Oh, hon. I’m so sorry to hear that,” Dina said, her voice full of regret and affection.
“It was a petty war, too,” he continued. “The witch who started it was jealous that another witch had stolen her boyfriend. Twenty-three witches were killed because of it. The only reason we knew the cause was because my Gran was told about it.”
“What?” Peter asked, clearly just as confused as I was.
Felix turned to face Peter, “Jealousy,” he said, like that explained everything.
“It’s rather common for witches to start wars over petty stuff like that, always wanting to be the most powerful coven there is,” Dina explained.
“Most city covens are like that, too far from nature to feel at peace, constantly battling for power. It’s like they’re searching for a meaning for their existence, if only they would listen to the rest of us. ”
“That is just sad,” Peter said, and I nodded in agreement, not that they noticed.
“Astrea and I moved in with our Gran after that. She was in a coven and they were all lovely, but we decided not to join.”
I knew he had lost his grandma; he had told Joel as much. But it still hurt to hear how alone he and Astrea truly were, and to think a coven would exploit that.
“I think I would’ve done the same,” Dina replied after a few moments of silence. “I can’t even imagine how tough it must’ve been for you and Astrea.”
“Thank you,” Felix said, giving her a soft smile. I tried to focus on the road, but it was hard when Felix bared his soul for us. I wanted him to know I heard him. Grabbing his thigh with my right hand, I hoped my touch showed him what I couldn’t say at the moment.
His hand rested on top of mine, easing my frayed nerves and calming my heart.
We drove in silence for what felt like ten minutes before Dina spoke again. “If you ever want to join a coven, mine will welcome both of you with open arms. Even if you don’t want to join, but wish to learn more, we will be happy to help.”
“I need to ask Astrea what she wants to do first, but thank you.”
I smiled as I drove, happy that Dina could help Felix.