22. Aiden
AIDEN
Severn was already asleep when I got back from my meeting with Vea. Her schedule changed about four times yesterday, and I didn’t end up going to see her until around eight PM. I got back to the Pulse Den at about two in the morning.
“See you later, Aiden. Let me know if you need anything.” Mitz waved as he closed the door to the storeroom. I heard the lock automatically click shut and began heading to my room, walking straight to the bathroom to wash my face.
The meeting with Vea was partially what I expected.
She wanted to know how Severn was, if he needed anything, or if there was anything else we could do for him.
Her care and consideration for this being that she gave life to but doesn’t know was incredible.
My senses remained open through the entire conversation.
I needed to know that the trust I had in Vea wasn’t blind trust. Especially after learning what I had about what Severn has been through. Her sincerity was a relief.
Reaching over, my hand gripped the towel to dry off my face.
After patting my face dry, I looked at my reflection in the mirror.
Water had dripped onto my shirt. I reached my fingers up and unbuttoned it, pulling it off and tossing it on the bathroom floor.
Quickly following that with my socks and pants.
As I began walking back toward my room, the door leading to Severn’s room creaked open.
When I turned around, Severn rolled his lips between his teeth before smiling as he looked down at the ground.
Squinting, I gave him a questioning look, but the quirky smile just remained on his face. I was too tired to try and figure out what he was feeling, so I just continued into my room, brushing it off as nothing.
My eyes drifted closed, and another wave of tiredness ran over me. Just a few moments later, the bed dipped to my right,t and I could feel Severn getting under the blanket. I couldn’t help but smile as he settled in close next to me.
“Are you going to have to go see Vea again?” Severn asked as he sat on the floor sketching.
“I shouldn’t anytime soon,” I answered truthfully.
Other than asking me about Severn, she wanted to get me more information about what they knew.
Since Ceril had initiated a Tethered Ritual and the last Division was likely soon after Severn created those last paintings.
When he explained to me the absolute terror he went through on a regular basis to give blood to Ceril, I wanted to kill the angel more than I ever have before.
Based on the timeline, Ceril had another month before he needed to complete the next Division. Taking Severn’s vision into consideration as well, we could assume that it was nearly complete.
“We just need to stay safe for the time being. Hopefully it can all blow over. We just don’t know what will happen if the ritual isn’t completed.
Des and Milo are looking into that.” I leaned forward, and Severn looked over at me with a sad smile.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” I asked, leaning forward more and lightly punching his shoulder.
Severn sighed, “Nothing.” He shook his head and continued to sketch. “Did they find out anything else?”
Leaning back on the couch, I slouched down and got comfortable.
“Yeah, we think it’s pretty clear why Ceril initiated the Tethered Ritual.
Immortality means he doesn’t have to name a successor to the family.
Vea knows he has been after her since your birth because she is the only other being who can defend your existence.
Genetically anyway.” We sat in Vea’s conference room for hours discussing possibilities for this entire situation.
In the end, this was all that made sense.
“You know how valuable you are, Severn. You as a being are like one in a million.”
Severn nodded, putting the pencil down. “Yeah, I know that. I had read somewhere once that my blood, because it’s so uncommon, creates immortality in Tethered Ritual. Senketsu’s are anomalies because we are made of beings of life and death.”
“Exactly.”
“But what does Vea being able to defend my existence have to do with anything?”
I leaned forward again, wanting to make sure I gave Severn the information clearly.
All of this was truly so complicated, and I wanted to put Ceril through the side of the mountain for putting Vea and Severn through all of this.
“If the ritual is completed, Ceril won’t have to name a successor.
Your existence won't matter. He could kill you, and that would be it.” Severn’s face went white.
“And clearly getting the demon blood to kill you at that point won’t be difficult.
” My senses were open, and Severn was terrified at coming to this realization.
His aura pulsed a dark grey. Moving to the floor, I sat next to him to ease some fear but continued giving him the answer.
“If we keep you safe, and the ritual isn’t completed.
He will have to name a successor. He will pick someone from within his organization, not you.
Even though that’s the rule in their family.
” Severn nodded understanding. “He’s been trying to kill Vea since you were born so that she won’t challenge it.
We never anticipated he would initiate a Tethered Ritual.
” I started to think about Ceril and Beck moving as mirror images of one another and hated the sight of it.
Chills ran down my back, and I squirmed.
“Holy shit.” Severn scooted back to lean on the couch. “I feel like such an idiot.”
“Why?” There was no reason for him to feel like an idiot. We spent hours talking through different possibilities for this situation to land here. “Sev, you were not in a healthy environment. And you didn’t have all of the information we do now. Do not feel like an idiot for anything.”
Severn just nodded before dropping his head in his hands. “I really thought he was just using me for art and money. Then when I had that first vision the other day with the cave, I should have started figuring stuff out then. But you’re right, how could I?”
Reaching over, I rubbed his back. “We will figure all of this out. It’s going to be fine.”
After a few moments of comfortable silence, Severn and I went back to our original positions around the couch.
I turned on a show we had started watching, continuing to the next episode, and Severn closed his sketchbook, getting up on the couch next to me.
We each grabbed a blanket and got comfortable as the show played.
An episode in, Severn got up to get snacks and a drink.
I felt myself begin to doze off, and I slid down on the wide couch, my legs spread wide under the coffee table.
There was a soft tug on my shoulders, and Severn was pulling me closer to him.
I didn’t object. I was already half asleep, and actually lying down would be comfortable.
Resting my head on his lap, Severn laid his arm across my side, and I fell asleep instantly.
When I woke up, episodes of the show were still playing, but it was much later.
We had slept through most of the afternoon, shifting around slightly on the couch.
My head was now on a pillow, and Severn lay on my chest across my shoulder.
I didn’t want to disturb him, but I desperately needed to go to the bathroom.
I tried to move a pillow under his head and slip out, but I failed miserably and woke him up. “I’m so sorry, Sev. I have to get up really quick.” I quickly kissed him and got up to go to the bathroom.
When I walked back into the room, Severn was sitting on the couch with his hand in his lap. “Lay back down,” I said with my hand out in offering. I was still half asleep, and my senses were lying dormant. I wasn’t even going to try to read him.
“I’m going to wait just a second.” He said, looking straight forward.
Walking until I stood directly in front of him,m I lifted his face toward mine. “Sev.” He lightly knocked my hand off of his chin. I just nodded and sat down next to him.
Leaning into his ear, I whispered, “Oh wait.” I lightly licked up his ear, and the sigh that left Severn’s mouth was like music to my ears. “Is my idea better?” I nipped his earlobe, and he leaned back on the couch.
When I straddled his lap, it was confirmed that my memory wasn’t playing games with me. Every inch that I saw of him in the shower the other day was very present on my thigh. I steadied that brick wall to my senses so that I could experience every moment of this for myself.
“Absolutely,” he stated before pulling me in for a kiss.
I was grinding on his cock, his length pressing against mine. The friction from my pants was a tease. My mouth started watering thinking of Severn in the shower again. I knew immediately what I wanted.
Planting light kisses down Severn’s neck and chest, I made my way to the waistband of the joggers he wore.
Lightly, I licked the skin right at his pants, and Severn gasped.
I looked up at him, and the look he was giving me was a look of pure encouragement, so I kept going.
I bit his waistband and pulled his pants down with my hands. He lifted slightly to help.
When I looked up at him again, he cupped my cheek and brushed a thumb over my bottom lip.
Without thinking, I pulled his thumb into my mouth and sucked on it for a moment, resisting every urge I had to pierce his skin and have a quick taste.
Blood during sex was a perfect experience for a vampire.
But I wouldn’t do it without talking to him about it first.
Releasing his thumb, a trail of saliva hung between my lips and his finger. I licked my lips as I watched the string break.
As I gripped Severn’s cock I couldn’t believe what I had seen in the shower wasn’t a mirage.
I didn’t think he could get more perfect, but holy shit, was I wrong.
As I stroked his length, he groaned, arching into my hand.
Leaning forward, I hovered my mouth directly over his tip and spat on it.
He whipped his head forward and yanked me up by my hair.
I just smiled at him. After he released my head, I wrapped my lips around the tip of his cock and lowered myself as far as I could, taking his length deep in my throat.
Breathing through my nose, I continued to rub the underside of him with my tongue while I sucked in a rhythm he seemed to really enjoy.
“Aiden, touch me. Please,” Severn begged.
I reached up and gripped his waist, admiring how his muscles flexed with each small movement.
Taking my other hand, I massaged his inner thigh before lifting his leg up and draping it over my shoulder.
The warmth from his body began to wrap around me, and I felt his muscles begin to tighten and flex. I could tell he was getting close.
“Aiden.” Severn started tapping my shoulder, and I could tell he was trying to warn me. He was about to come. I wasn’t going anywhere, though. I wanted to taste every drop of him.
Testing the waters, I dragged my fangs across the top of his cock. At the contact, Severn came, spilling into the back of my throat. Pulling back, I swallowed every bit he gave me.
Severn’s head was thrown back with his arm over his eyes. I straddled him again, and he looked up at me. “You okay?” I asked, hoping he read my concern as genuine.
Leaning up, he pulled me in for a deep kiss.