CHAPTER 26
Aimee
“You’ve been training while I was away.” Blaise winces from beneath me.
We’re currently on the mat, him sprawled on his stomach, and me on top, a knee digging in between his shoulder blades. My dagger is grazing his throat, while my other hand coils around his braids, keeping him in place.
“I’ve been doing many things while you were away.
” Smugness drips from my voice as I release my hold on him and jump to my feet.
I’ve been training like crazy every chance I’ve got, strengthening my muscles, working on my stamina, honing in on that sixth sense I seem to develop, the one that tells me in my gut what my opponent’s next move is going to be and guides my strikes with sharp precision.
I spent the last few weeks almost entirely in the training hall during the day and tangled between the sheets with Killian at night.
I know I’m flirting with danger, both emotionally and physically, but at this point I can’t seem to stay away from the Vampire King anymore.
My body craves him with such insane intensity that all rational thoughts flow right out the window the moment I see him.
“Ah, yes, I know all about what you’ve been doing as of late.” Blaise wiggles his brows playfully as he lifts himself off the ground.
“You what?” Shock washes over my face. “I thought males didn’t talk about such things,” I say begrudgingly.
“Well, no, we don’t. But it’s clear as day. The unresolved sexual tension fogging up this castle has dimmed quite a lot. I have a second sight for this kind of thing, you know?” He sticks out his tongue at me before licking his fangs with blatant lewdness.
“Of course you do!” Laughter bubbles up out of my chest, and I punch him in the arm.
As if summoned, Killian strolls into the fighting area, dripping swagger, as always. I low-key hoped that sating my body’s need for him would clear the haze from my mind, but it only made me even more hyperaware of his sinful, commanding presence.
“Ah, lover boy is here,” Blaise snickers from beside me. I punch him again, in the exact same spot. “Ow!” he grumbles, rubbing his biceps. “Careful! I bruise like a fucking peach.” Now it’s my turn to snicker at his silly antics.
Killian all but ignores him, his heated stare focused entirely on my sweaty, leather-clad body.
“Little umbra,” he hums in a raspy voice, before turning to Blaise and glaring at him.
“I was expecting to receive a report from you as soon as you arrived,” he says in a voice that says he means business.
“I was just finishing here. We can go to your study.” Blaise straightens, all his playfulness gone. “You’ll be pleased, though, to know that the kitty cat here just kicked my ass.”
“Pleased indeed,” Killian says in a throaty tone that has my pussy clenching in wanton anticipation. Down, girl! I chastise myself mentally.
“You can speak without restraint in front of Aimee,” he continues.
“We’re past the time of keeping things from her.
” I wince internally at his earnestness.
Killian has indeed opened up to me. He even shared the news about my father’s gruesome demise, and I wept in his arms, while he stroked my hair with soothing fingers and allowed me the space to grieve for a man that never showed me an ounce of fatherly affection.
He’s bared his worn-out soul at my feet, while the same can’t be said about me.
Unbeknownst to him, I’ve been giving him only half-truths, and a part of me is drowning in guilt.
But the other half, the one in charge, still believes it’s for the best. What good can come from him knowing the extent of Aurora’s cruelty toward me?
It would only make him hate her, and he needs her too much to be plagued by such conflicting sentiments.
Blaise regards me wearily for a second before opening his mouth. “No luck in locating those three males yet.”
I tense up when I hear that. I’m not surprised Killian followed through on his promise to hunt down my aggressors, but how much did he disclose to Blaise?
Hopefully, nothing. I’m not ready for everybody to know about my gruesome past, and a part of me believes I will never be.
Killian knows only because I was sleeping in his bed when my worst nightmare hit.
He’s been nothing but supportive and caring, and it only deepens my shame about withholding my sister’s involvement in the ordeal.
“They vanished a few years back, overnight. Only a note left behind, saying that they had outgrown Vroni, even Ibrok, and were leaving for bigger adventures. Nobody knows where they are.”
Killian grunts in disapproval. “How conveniently Faes seem to vanish without a trace from Vroni. Anything else?”
“No news about Aurora, either.” Blaise sighs in defeat. “The entire Fae kingdom is buzzing only about the upcoming nuptials. They’re set to take place in a few days.”
“What nuptials?” I ask as my curiosity gets the best of me.
“Prince Noahlin is getting married before his coronation,” Killian says, distaste clear in his tone.
“Ah.” I scrunch up my nose, not really interested in this piece of gossip.
“You know him?” Killian asks, his stare intense, as if trying to assess if he needs to extend his murder list on my behalf.
The ease with which he has taken it upon himself to disembowel males that wronged me should probably appall me.
Instead, my heart skips a beat at his twisted show of affection.
“No, not personally. But servants talk, and rumors abound. He seems like an utter twat,” I shrug.
“A twat, indeed,” Blaise snickers.
“Who’s the lucky bride?” I air-quote the word lucky, gaining a small smile from Killian.
“Some Fae noblewoman, Loelle Brimms. Pretty thing, but way too vain for my taste,” Blaise says.
“Mmm, yes, I know Loelle. They seem a good fit, the utter twat and the vain bitch,” I conclude, and Blaise titters further.
“If that is all, I would like to wash away the humiliation of getting beaten up by a girl.”
Killian nods in approval, and Blaise turns around, striding towards the exit.
“I’m pretty sure this wouldn’t be the first time,” I holler after his retreating form, and he waves me off with an offensive hand gesture.
“Walk with me,” Killian says, and I fall into step next to him as we exit the hall and stroll through the castle’s corridors. His shadows float around us contentedly, caressing my skin from time to time.
He keeps stealing brief glances my way, and I swear I can almost see behind his stoic facade. There’s been something on the tip of his tongue for a few days now, something he wants to say, but he doesn’t find the right way to say it.
I nudge his shoulder playfully, trying to coax words out of him. “Anything in particular you want to talk about?”
His lips part with a sigh, as if he’s decided yet again to keep his thoughts to himself. I can’t blame him though; I’m doing the same thing, more than he knows.
“Not really, umbra. Walking just helps me clear my head, and your presence, well, it’s become the highlight of my day.” His gaze lingers on me for a few seconds before returning to the hallway ahead. “But the issues are the same as usual—the war, Morweena, your sister, the prophecy.”
I nod silently, because what else is there to say to that? Besides the truth, that I’m unwilling to give?
The silence between us is not awkward, but I can’t help falling back into my earlier thoughts.
Would he hate me if he ever found out the secrets that I’m so adamant about keeping?
Would he feel the sting of betrayal? An inexplicable ache constricts my chest at that idea.
No matter how pointless I know our tryst is, I can’t help but wish things could be different.
It’s getting harder every day not to fall for him. He might be ruthless, a true-born killer, but the softer side he’s shown me has me up at night, when I leave his bedroom and sink into the cold emptiness of my bed.
I’m adamant about keeping things separate, as even if I allow myself the decadent treat of his body wringing pleasure out of mine, I don’t linger in his quarters a minute longer than necessary.
I lost the battle with addiction when it comes to my needs, but I am still fighting tooth and nail to keep my heart afloat, untethered and unharmed, although it’s proving more difficult with each passing day.
He hasn’t breached again the subject of what happens when Aurora appears, and I’m thankful for that.
I can’t resist his allure anymore. I can’t seem to stay away, as much as I might want, and I’m realizing I don’t even want to, most of the time.
I’ll take any chance I get to bask in his affections, his possessive sway over my body and soul.
He’s become my personal magic bullet, the cure for all my ailments, mental or otherwise.
With him I feel not only wanted, but cherished, for the first time since I drew my first breath.
It’s an addictive emotion, sweet as it is dangerous.
I’m well aware I’m setting myself up for total heartbreak, but I don’t have it in me to stop any longer.
When the time comes, I’ll pick up the shattered pieces of my spirit, and slink into the shadows, out of sight, out of mind.
It’s the only acceptable outcome, as hard as it is proving to be.
I just pray I’ll be able to vanish out of sight before Aurora senses our connection.
He might not understand my motives or my reasoning.
He might even hate me for my actions once I am gone, but he will eventually forget about me.
A destiny such as his, bound by the fates for greatness and honored with realm-encompassing responsibilities, doesn’t have the luxury to stray from its path.
His beautiful, warm, compassionate heart shall remain stoic, and he will move on.
The fact that this moving on will be with my spiteful sister makes me want to break a castle window—or all of them.
“All the gold in Wrahta for your thoughts?” Killian whispers my way, his longing gaze lingering on my lips. He must sense something is off, insightful as he always is, so I do my best to steer things in a different direction.
“I was just wondering if you’d be prone to installing some sturdy hooks in your ceiling, and procuring for me some aerial wraps. I would like to dance for you.” My smile is lazy, and I give him my best wistful gaze.
His eyes darken, the onyx pools scorching me from the inside out with promises of never-ending carnal delight.
“Consider it done.”