Chapter Nineteen
Leonora
The vampire fell to the ground in front of me and I cocked one hip as I looked at the white-haired devil smirking at me.
“So desperate,” I drawled, stepping over her and moving closer to Hayes, rolling my eyes when he grinned. “I was talking about you,” I continued as I pushed past him.
“Jealous, love?”
The sway of my hips might have deepened as I ignored him, instead making my way to where Novalie and Emerson sat watching our interaction unfold. Hayes' chuckle followed me and I scowled—damned living vamp knew just how to push my buttons.
Novalie shook her head, a wicked smile blossoming on her face as she propped her legs up on the remaining free chair. My eyes narrowed as I halted in place and instead pivoted to a sofa that overlooked most of the room. I kept my eyes facing forward even when the warmth at my side shifted closer.
“This seat's not taken, is it?” Hayes' breath tickled my cheek as he taunted me and I rolled my eyes. “Fine,” he continued, the bond pulsing between us as if irritated by the fresh distance he’d created. The sofa dipped slightly when he stood and I looked away when he glanced back and found me watching him leave.
One of the undead vampire's friends came and dragged her body to a nearby chaise. A fire inside me began to burn hotter and, from across the room with his arm on the back of the sofa behind a pretty red-head, Hayes chuckled like he'd felt it.
A frisson of electricity swept over my skin and I breathed deeply, attempting to gather some control lest anyone be struck by a stray spark. Much like the majority of the rooms at courts, the lounge seemed to blend brick walls with too much velvet as if it was a vampire's signature style. Personally, it felt tacky to me—a cliché so dated it just seemed sad.
Blue eyes locked on mine and the word shrank away. The damp and dust of the room were sidelined by my senses in favour of the unique scent that was Hayes. His heartbeat thundered in my ears and I licked my lips.
Another vampire had claimed the seat at Hayes’ other side, his smile was wide, his gaze a shade too languid to only be friendly—and Hayes was eating it up . Was it because he liked it when I watched? Or was he trying to use jealousy to force me to act? Against my better judgement, it was working.
The distance between us was negligible, barely taking any effort to cross, and the vampires on either side of him were easy to take care of too.
I barely glanced at them, too entranced by the pulse pounding in Hayes' throat. The urge to claim, to drink, surged more strongly. Before I knew it, his jaw was in my palm, head tilted to one side as I tasted his skin.
“Go ahead, Nora.” His voice was deep, husky. “Take me. I'm yours. Show them who I belong to—who you belong to—” His words cut off on a groan as I struck, sinking my fangs in deeply. The taste of him on my tongue, running through my body, was like a live wire.
My tongue laved the small puncture wounds as I swallowed, meeting the eyes of any vampire in the room who looked our way and holding their gaze until they submitted.
Hayes and I often disagreed on many things, but our connection made it impossible not to sense when to push and when to yield. I pulled away and Hayes panted, colour high in his cheeks as he swallowed. “Eternity with you is going to be so much fun, Nora.”
My laugh was short, but genuine. The bond between us felt nearly tangible, like our display had strengthened it.
“But what about right now?” I barely recognised the breathy quality of my voice, but desire was thrumming through me, tightening my nipples to stiff peaks. God, I ached for him.
He shook his head. “I don't think this is the best place for what I have in mind,” he murmured. His fingers brushed my collarbone and I arched into the simple touch. “If I touch you here...” His fingertips coasted lower, over my breasts and stomach, resting on the top of my thighs before halting. “…Then everyone will see how wet you are for me.”
“And that's a problem?” I wasn't even sure I'd said the words aloud, but his smirk confirmed it.
“As hot as it would be, you know you're mine, Nora.” Hayes hand shifted to cup the inside of my thighs on top of my jeans. “So while I'd come hard knowing they were watching your pretty pussy fluttering around my fingers... I'd also have to rip out their eyes for looking.”
I wasn't sure when my eyes had fallen closed, but when I opened them, he was smirking at me with his hands resting in his lap—despite the fact that I could still feel their ghost on my skin.
Bastard. “Stay out of my head.”
“But you make it so easy, love,” he crooned. Before I could respond, Emerson appeared at my side with Novalie in tow.
“So, what did Adrian want?”
I glanced between them in surprise. Adrian had been here?
“He knew we left when we went to meet Cal, but I think he thought we were heading for Ashvale.” Hayes’ voice was completely calm and composed—like he hadn't telepathically mind-fucked me two seconds ago.
“So he's watching us.” I shrugged. “We knew he would. Plus, I'd assumed from the crossbow-greeting and the hand in my chest that he was a little on edge.” Novalie and Emerson looked alarmed at the thought and I waved them off.
“Maybe.” Hayes stood and stretched, his T-shirt riding up. “Or maybe he's just watching in general.”
“For what?” Emerson's hands curled into tight fists before unclenching when she noticed my attention.
“Or who,” Novalie pointed out and Hayes nodded.
“And why,” I said slowly, thinking again about that crossbow and the mage who’d interrogated me not so long ago, “is he so scared of them?”