Chapter 13 Healing
Healing
Sadie
By the time we reached the bakery, the Pumpkin Festival had wrapped up for the night, even for the nocturnal residents of Pumpkin Hollow. A few vendors were loading boxes into trucks, but Rowen was able to slowly drive down the street.
The intense nausea and dizziness had subsided with the blood Rowen had given me.
The idea that each time I drank from him, I bonded us together was heavy on my mind. Did he want that?
“Come on, let’s get upstairs. You should feed again,” Rowen said softly, parking the truck and looking over at me.
“I’m actually okay,” I said. It was mostly true. My skin still stung and I felt weak and groggy, but clearly my life was no longer in danger.
“You ridiculous, gorgeous vampire,” he muttered, sliding out of his seat.
Before I could drag myself up, he opened my door and scooped me into his arms. Instinctively, I nestled against him, enjoying his strong embrace as we headed to the bakery’s front door.
“Oh, Rowen, um?” a sweet voice said.
His steps slowed, and my fingers curled in his jacket as he turned to face the woman.
“Amelie, was everything okay with the booth?”
“Yeah, no problem. Is she okay?”
The beautiful blonde stepped closer, looking me over. Her bell sleeves gave a distinct seventies vibe.
“I’m okay,” I squeaked.
“Sadie had a run-in with some sunlight. I’m taking care of her.”
Amelie’s eyes widened, an excited light sparkling in her eyes. “This is our new baker.”
“And my girlfriend,” Rowen added.
“Thank you for handling the booth so Rowen could come rescue me,” I managed to say, my cheeks tingling with how hard I was blushing.
Behind Amelie, three figures strode toward us.
“Love, are you ready to go?” asked an elegant woman with long, shockingly red hair and a flowy dress with a slit nearly to her waist.
“It’s getting late, even for us,” the middle woman said. Multiple piercings glinted in her nose, and her white-blonde hair was chopped at her jaw. An oversized green-and-black-striped sweater hung over one shoulder.
The third woman glanced between us. Her dark hair was pulled into a chignon, and she wore a frilly black dress like a traditional witch. “It seems that Amelie’s brother has found a true partner. We should celebrate.”
“That’s not necessary,” I said, raising a hand.
“We can party another time,” Rowen said resolutely. “Right now, I need to get Sadie upstairs so she can recover. Thanks again for handling the booth. I’ll text later about tomorrow.”
“Nice to meet you,” I called around Rowen’s bicep as he walked away from his sister and her three companions. Leaning closer to my witch, I whispered, “Who were all those people?”
“Fuck if I know,” Rowen muttered.
A tired, breathy giggle escaped me, and I relaxed into his hold, letting him carry me past the kitchen and up the stairs to his apartment.
As I sank into his mattress, Rowen hovered beside the bed, his fingers working to unbutton his shirt. Cringing, I noted the drops of blood on his pants.
“I’m sorry, I was a mess.”
His saturated hair fell over his brow as he shook his head. “Don’t apologize. I wouldn’t have cared if you destroyed my entire wardrobe, so long as you’re okay.”
My heart squeezed. “I’m okay.”
His shirt fell away, followed by his pants. Looking him over, I licked my lips.
“Don’t look at me like that. You’re healing,” he said sternly.
“Fine, but help me out of this dress. It’s not exactly comfortable.”
His warm honey eyes flared with heat as I twisted to give him access to the zipper.
His arm hooked under the small of my back as he slid my dress up and over my head, exposing my breasts.
Despite his warning, he couldn’t help dipping his head to press a kiss to where my dress had protected me.
There was a distinct line where creamy white skin turned to a mix of pink and gray. It was ugly, and I cringed.
As if he could read my thoughts, Rowen brushed my hair back. “You’re beautiful no matter what. And don’t worry, you’ll heal up just fine. And it’ll be faster if you drink more from me.”
“Is that why you stripped? To entice me? We still haven’t discussed the whole soul-bond thing. Not really.”
Placing one hand on my other side, he loomed over me. Light filtered in from the doorway, painting his elegant profile, the curve of his nose, the fullness of his lips.
“I’m all in. I would marry you right now if you wanted that. I’m not worried about my soul being connected to yours. It’s a good thing, as far as I’m concerned.”
“Oh.” After I’d hounded him about discussing the situation, that was all I could manage to say. But what does a girl say when their boyfriend-boss-blood source basically proposes?
“We have time,” he murmured, his fingertips dancing along my neck where the skin hadn’t been burned. “I’m sure it takes much longer for the bond to solidify and become permanent. So for now, you need to feed. And later, we can figure out our relationship.”
“Okay.” Another eloquent answer on my part.
Rowen held out his arm, but my heart felt like it would burst and I needed more of him. Tugging at his arms, I pulled him down beside me, so we both lay on our sides facing each other, our bodies brushing.
“Thank you,” I whispered again, hooking one leg over his hips, and pressing myself against him.
His arms wrapped around my middle, so every inch of our bodies touched. My bottom hand threaded into his hair, cradling his head, while the other roved down his side, feeling the expanse of skin over muscle.
“I’d be lost without you.” With a kiss to his cheek, and then his jaw, I moved to his neck. There was no rush to feed, so I kissed and sucked on the tender skin there, eliciting a moan from him.
I could listen to him all day when he made sounds like that. Canting my hips forward, I savored the feel of him. His hands tightened at my waist.
Gently, I scraped my fangs down the length of his neck, earning another moan, this one a desperate plea of my name.
Finding the perfect spot, I sank my fangs in, leaving them in his neck so he’d feel good. His breathing stuttered and his hips flexed against mine.
“Sadie, baby…fuck, I need you.”
He was a mess, his hands massaging my stomach and moving to my ass, hauling me against him tighter. Worried my teeth would tear at his skin as we moved, I pulled them free and closed my mouth over the bite, letting his blood flow.
Sweet blood, sparkling with magic, poured over my tongue, and I drank it down greedily. No one else tasted like Rowen.
I didn’t think I could ever bring myself to give him up. He was too thoughtful, too kind, too clever. And there was my answer: I wanted him, not just as a hookup, but in my life as my partner and my lover. It really was that simple.
Sucking at the punctures, I drew out more of his blood, letting it fill me with his power and magic. Already, the stinging in my skin was subsiding and energy was seeping into my muscles.
Pressing my tongue to the punctures, I sealed them, greedy to start kissing him. I wanted everything with this witch.
I slammed my lips against his, desperate for him. He kissed me back, letting me slip my tongue into his mouth, but his hands squeezed my hips twice in a silent request.
Panting, I pulled back.
“What?”
His brows pinched together. “You’re healing, and I think we’re getting carried away.”
“I feel so much better, and I want you,” I whined. “I need you.”
“Sadie,” he said, his voice strained. “Give it a day. I’m scared I’ll hurt you or make something worse.”
A very inhuman growl rumbled from my chest, and his eyebrows shot up. “Fine.”
“I’ll make it worth it tomorrow,” he promised, kissing the tip of my nose lightly.
“You’d better. You haven’t even fucked me yet,” I snapped, color rushing to my cheeks as I realized what I’d said.
It was Rowen’s turn to blush, a soft warmth coloring his cheekbones. “If that’s what you want, I’m happy to oblige.”
Rolling onto my back, I scowled at the ceiling. “I still don’t like that you’re making me wait.”
“The things I want to do to you…” he murmured. “You won’t remember your own name.”
A shiver worked its way down my spine. “Promise?”
He gave a breathless laugh. “I’m up to the task.”
Throwing my wrist over my eyes, I fought a grin. The audacity of this man was incredible, and I hated that I found it so sexy. But was it audacity if he could deliver?
Heat spiked in my belly and between my legs as my anticipation built. Sighing, I tried to think about anything else but the man climbing out of bed and pulling on a pair of sweatpants. If he was making me wait until tomorrow night, I needed to calm down.
Rowen disappeared, and after a while, I couldn’t handle laying there doing nothing and went searching for something to wear.
His shirt hung off me, past my panties. Lifting the fabric, I took a deep inhale of his caramel scent. This man was addictive.
I found him in the kitchen. A door was open that I had assumed was a closet, but actually held a washer and dryer. My suitcase was open on the dryer, and he was checking the label of each item before stuffing it into the washer.
“Are you doing my laundry?” I asked with a disbelieving laugh.
Scrunching up his cheeks, he looked at me. “Is that okay?”
“Sure, I guess.”
Leaning against the doorframe, I admired the way his abs tightened as he reached down and tossed another dress into the open washing machine.
“Some of those are still clean,” I said. “But it doesn’t hurt to wash them all.”
His lips curved into a soft smile. “And then we can put them away in my closet once they’re dry.”
“I didn’t agree to move in with you.”
Sighing dramatically, Rowen straightened, turning to face me. His hands went to my hips, and I had to tip my head back to meet his gaze.
“You could get your own place if you wanted to. But we both know you’d be here with me every day and night. You might as well stay. Besides, if you stay, I’ll do your laundry and cook for you. And you can have blood any time you want.”