Alternate Chapter 47
“All right, now that Linnea isn't here, how do you really feel?” Kaid leaned against the closed door, folding his arms over his chest.
Halsten sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “The mender said there’s nerve damage, as well as a muscular tear. She told me she could try to repair the muscles surgically, but it was risky and I still would most likely come out of the surgery in the same condition.”
“And what is that condition, Halsten? Why are you in bed?”
“Because of the nerve damage, I can’t exactly feel my foot sometimes.
It’s like it’s there, because I can feel the pressure of it touching something, but I can’t feel the sensation on my skin, if that makes sense.
And then,” Halsten leaned off the side of his bed, pulling out a stick from underneath it.
“I have to walk with this. Probably forever. Like some old goat, waving his cane around yelling at kids to not trample his flowerbeds.”
Kaid laughed despite the devastation he felt. “I’ve seen a lot of young dukes using canes as a fashion statement. Own it, brother.”
They dove into telling the tales of their journeys.
Kaid never wanted to be separated from his best friend like that again.
He knew that if the sirens won the war, he would likely figure out a way to spend his time in both kingdoms, but he wouldn’t be leaving his best friend in perilous situations every time he departed, so that was different.
He also would not be leaving his friend alone any longer, now that Linnea was around.
He could never repay Linnea for the care and love she provided for his best friend the last few days.
Kaid poured a glass of water from the pitcher and handed it to Halsten. “So, you had to claim the other Blomvin woman, hmm?”
“You know I’ve always had a thing for redheads,” Halsten laughed. “But seriously. I know how we used to be. But we’ve got these two amazing, fierce women in our lives now and I have no interest in that anymore.”
Kaid sighed. He had been so wrapped up with Asta that he never even saw the relationship blooming between Halsten and Linnea.
What was confusing to Kaid was how easily Halsten fell into step with Linnea, how quickly he put his past behind him.
“How do you know you’re not going to fuck it up? We’ve never done this before.”
“I’m not saying I’ll never do something wrong, but I’m devoted to her.
If I wrong her, it will be bringing her the wrong tea in the morning, or wearing a color that clashes with her dress to a party.
It won’t be anything involving another woman.
Ever. It’s okay to let go and enjoy the free fall. I have been.”
That was exactly what Kaid wanted, too. To free fall with Asta. But they each had a habit of protecting themselves above all else, even if it led to their demise. “I’m not entirely sure how to do that. Every time I feel like we’re making progress, something sets us back and we’re arguing again.”
Halsten started laughing and Kaid couldn’t for the life of him figure out what he had said that was so funny.
His best friend took a deep breath to stop himself from cackling.
“Do you not remember how you two met? You’ve always been good at challenging one another.
You’re just challenging each other on the wrong things right now.
Show her how serious you are and make her step up.
You know she’ll want to one-up you simply to prove to you that she can love you more.
Eventually, it will even out. That’s how you two function. ”
This was why Halsten was Kaid’s best friend. Above all else, he knew how Kaid’s brain worked—even when Kaid couldn’t quite figure it out himself. He was right. If he wanted to free fall with Asta, he had to grab her arm on the way down and race her to the bottom.
Kaid left Halsten’s suite with a spring in his step, feeling lighter than he had in weeks. He and Asta didn’t have some deeply rooted problem, destined to never work out. They needed to give in to what they both felt and call each other to rise to the occasion.
He marched to Asta’s suite, letting himself in and sitting on the couch next to her. Dyri curled up at his feet while he and Asta watched the calming crackle of the fireplace in front of them. She was wearing a dark blue, silk night dress that left nothing to the imagination, and it drove Kaid mad.
He didn’t avert his gaze from the flames as he spoke, scared that looking into Asta’s intense stare would cause him to stutter.
“I’ve meant everything I’ve said to you, you know.
” Asta did not respond, so Kaid continued.
“I need you. I need you to point out my flaws and guide me when I feel lost. I need you to knock me down a peg sometimes.”
“I do enjoy doing that,” Asta mumbled playfully.
Kaid faced her and grabbed her hand. “Let’s wear matching outfits and break protection spells together, forever.”
Asta laughed, rolling her eyes. “Let’s actually do neither of those things again. I can’t believe I had to be the one to introduce myself to your mother. You didn’t even have the sense to do it yourself.”
Kaid was the one laughing now. Asta had actually met his own mother before he even had. Well, aside from when he was born.
He gripped Asta’s waist and pulled her onto him, her legs straddling his lap and her night dress riding up her thighs. One of Kaid’s hands gently caressed her thigh while the other wrapped around her back, pulling her face down to his.
“Do you still hate me, my love?” Kaid asked, his lips inches from Asta’s.
“Until the end of time.” Her lips crashed into his with a world-shattering kiss.
He knew what she meant. Until the end of time, she would hate that she fell for the man she was never supposed to love. But she would love him with everything she had.
Kaid reached up and wrapped his hand in her vicious curls, yanking her head back until she let out a moan.
Taste her. Taste her blood. Let her essence infiltrate your very being.
Kaid’s siren hissed at him, forcefully urging him to feed. He pushed the feeling away, knowing that sirens did not typically feed from each other. He wasn’t sure what it meant.
He kissed down the side of her neck, sucking on the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder, eliciting a whispered string of curses from her lips.
He ran his other hand around the back of her thigh, slipping his fingers under her silk garment to grip her full ass.
He pulled her forward, pressing her against his lap and she gasped.
“Keep making that sound, Princess, and this night dress won’t be in one piece much longer.”
Asta moved against him. “That’s the plan, Prince.”
Kaid grazed his thumbs over her chest through the silky fabric.
“I love you,” he admitted.
“I love you, too,” she whispered back.
Kaid stilled, not expecting her to so readily say it back, but ecstatic that neither of them were afraid to admit it any longer.
Bite. Bite. Lick her blood from her body like the starving beast you are.
Kaid’s eyes closed, fighting off his siren.
He kissed down her chest, careful to avoid his siren fangs that were out due to his apparent thirst for her blood. He instinctively latched onto her, biting harder than he intended. As he went to apologize, she let out a deep moan not of pain, but pleasure. Interesting.
Kaid stood up, wrapping Asta’s legs around him and leaving his shirt behind. It would be a good warning sign for anyone who may come in and try to disturb them, anyway.
He walked to the bedroom, shutting a pouting Dyri out before laying Asta on her plush bed. Her golden hair glowed in the firelight, which turned her green eyes to an amber color.
“This is familiar,” Kaid chuckled before back away from her slightly.
Asta spread her legs so Kaid could see that she was not wearing any undergarments. “I think it’s a little different than last time.”
Oh, yes it is. This time, Kaid would kiss Asta, would touch Asta, would fuck Asta with no remorse.
Asta whimpered, frustrated at the lack of contact, but she didn’t try to take control, which Kaid found peculiar.
“Tell me what you want, Asta.”
“I want you to touch me.” She sounded like she was in pain, her hips ever so slightly lifting, searching for friction and only finding air.
“Then show me how you like it,” Kaid demanded.
Asta shook her hand. “I don’t know.”
She had never been touched the way she wanted, and that made Kaid furious. Not at her, but for her, because he knew she had likely never experienced a proper ravishing before, the way she liked it.
Kaid bent over and kissed her, hungry for more.
Her blood is yours.
Asta pulled off him suddenly, looking confused as she ran her tongue across her teeth, revealing her siren fangs on full display.
“It’s okay. It’s happening to me, too.” Kaid gently pushed her onto her back, peppering her collarbone with kisses, whispering to her. “My wraith.” Kiss. “My pretty little demon.” Kiss. “My siren of death.”
Kaid aligned himself with her center, waiting for her nod of confirmation before thrusting in.
He took her in fully—wild curls spread behind her and legs spread without a care.
No rituals, no impending war. Just the two of them, their bodies connected physically and emotionally.
Kaid had been intimate with women before, but he had never made love.
Now, he knew there really was a difference.
He bit her breast and she moaned. “Do it,” she grumbled. “I think we’re supposed to. It feels right.”
Kaid opened his mouth wide and clamped down on her breast, his fangs piercing her skin and blood flowing into his mouth. Her blood tasted like a blend of floral teas, and it was the most addicting thing Kaid had ever savored.
He fed on her while still seated in her, drawing guttural sounds from his princess. Once the feeding frenzy slowed, his thoughts cleared. He didn’t know what this feeding meant, but he knew it was Asta’s turn.
She knew that as well, judging by how she slowly pulled herself from beneath Kaid and pushed him into a sitting position. Asta climbed onto his lap and reinserted Kaid’s member.
Kaid tucked her hair behind her ear. “You focus on your feeding, blondie. I’ll take care of everything else.”
Asta traced a delicate finger all over Kaid’s body, clearly choosing where to mark him. He shivered when the pad of her finger tickled his jugular and she grinned. She still had newborn bloodlust, but he trusted her. This feeding felt different.
She dipped forward and licked the spot that made him shiver before lightly pressing her fangs to his throbbing vein. He felt her hesitate, her hot breath dancing across his skin. Every nerve ending on his body was on fire.
“I trust you. You’ll be able to stop. I trust you.” Kaid reassured her.
Asta bit down and the pain was blinding at first, but quickly turned to a pleasant ache. The room began to blur, all of his focus on the two points where their bodies connected. If she didn’t stop soon, he was going to explode.
Her breathing became labored, but she did not stop feeding. Asta fell apart on top of him, her mouth disconnecting from his neck and blood dripping down her chin, the sight causing Kaid to come undone with her.
When they both fell from their high, Asta slowly pulled herself off him and they went into the washroom together, helping each other clean up. Neither of them yet to acknowledge what they intrinsically knew, that the bite marks were some sort of bond, and they had finalized it.