Chapter 4 #5
Seeing his eyes shutter, I cocked my head.
Since he’d brought Shane back from Canada, he’d watched him like a hawk.
He’d not gone to London as much, and he never stayed overnight at his clubs anymore.
He made me stay with Shane when he wasn’t here, and he always returned, even if it meant travelling there and back on a nightly basis.
He could fool everyone else, but I’d had plenty of time to observe Count Balthazar Rossi while I lived in his home and worked in his club, and he felt something for Shane.
I wasn’t blind. I saw the way he watched Shane when no one else but me was around.
He often looked like he wanted to both strangle him and screw his brains out.
Not that I blamed him, even in his unwell state, Shane was ruggedly sexy, and a powerful supernatural in his own right.
I might not be beautiful or oozing sex appeal like the women in Balthazar’s club, but I wasn’t dead.
I’d enjoyed watching them both, especially as I was so quiet and under the radar that neither of them noticed.
I wasn’t sure why I had such a crush on them, considering my past with Nikolai, but I did.
So, yeah, I smelled bullshit. I almost flinched as the words floated freely around my brain. I couldn’t say them out loud—yet. But I was working on freeing up my ability to express myself. I took a step forward, angry on Shane’s behalf.
“Is that so?” I poked a finger in his broad chest, ignoring the fact that it was like poking granite.
“You can lie to yourself, Count, but I’m neither blind nor stupid.
You feel something for him. You’ve fed him yourself.
I know what that means. You’ve never once fed anyone before; your men do it for you when you order them to.
No, Shane is different.” I peered up into his face. “You care about him.”
He snarled and leaned forward, his teeth lengthening into sharp points. I stiffened but didn’t look away. If he wanted to hurt me, he could. There was nothing I could do about it.
“Don’t fool yourself, little human. I don’t care about anyone, not him, and not you.
Stay out of my way while I’m feeding him…
” He touched his tongue to his sharp fang, and my insides pulsed.
Why that move was so arousing, I had no idea.
I should be running as fast as I could, but instead, I stood rooted to the spot, mesmerised.
I wanted to stay right there and see what would happen next.
His deep scent drifted up my nose, sensual and intoxicating.
“...or I may have to feed, too. I am still a killer, Sorcha, one who is hungry, especially, as you pointed out, as I’m letting Shane take his fill from me.”
He stepped closer. I moved back, heat pulsing between my legs at the predatory way he looked at me.
“Or perhaps you’d like to join us? Hm? Blood and lust? Is that what you like? Or is it Shane that you’d like a taste of?”
Another step forward.
Another step back, my heart slamming against my ribs, my breath catching in my throat, even as heat throbbed between my legs.
“Is that it, little Sorcha? Do you want him to fuck you?” He inhaled deeply.
“Mm, that scent is amazing.” His eyes focused on my chest, where my heart was beating up a storm, before they dropped to the juncture between my legs, where my leggings were now damp.
“Or, I wonder, is it the thought of joining both of us that turns you on so much?”
“B-both of you?” I whispered, looking up into his deep red eyes.
Shocked at the erotic images that hit me, I swallowed, my skin too tight, too hot.
My tongue was tied, my breath difficult to drag into my ever-tightening lungs.
I’d been taken by two men at once, of course I had; it was one of Nioklai’s favourite power trips.
But those times had been something done to my body while I retreated into the safe place in my mind.
I’d never been turned on like Balthazar's voice was doing to me now. And that scared me. I didn’t know how to handle the full-on feeling of need coursing through me.
Another step forward.
Another backwards.
I shook my head, my cheeks burning. I wanted that image of them both with me to be real so badly, my insides ached, but…
It hit me like a smack in the face. My eyes narrowed on his face, and I cocked my head.
Was that it? Payment for betraying his trust?
He wanted me to service both of them at the same time.
The fact that I wanted to would just be a bonus to him, no fighting or screaming.
Not that it would do me much good. I’d learned that a long time ago.
Gentle fingers grasped my neck under my chin, tilting my head to expose my neck. “Shane is in lust, little one; he’d enjoy fucking you.”
Coldness washed through every part of me, all traces of desire disappearing at his words.
“So that’s what you want from me. To give my body to you both.
” My voice was dead. It wasn’t a question, it was a realisation.
But I’d survived this kind of thing before, and I could do it again. Then I’d take my stuff and run.
He growled and stepped back so quickly, I almost fell. I slapped my palms against the wall behind and waited tensely for him to grab me or guide me up the stairs. I felt the heavy weight of his gaze, but didn’t move, my attention fixed once again on the buttons of his silk shirt.
“Go to bed, Sorcha.” The tightness in his voice was hard to miss. “And don’t presume you ever know anything about me or what I want. I have many reasons for my actions, and none of them will ever be obvious to a mere mortal like you.”
My head snapped up. “What? So you don’t want me to sleep with you both?”
“It’s called fucking, Sorcha. Say what you mean, and there is very little sleeping involved when I take anyone to my bed, or anywhere else I choose to fuck them, for that matter. But no. I don’t fuck humans. They are too breakable.”
Heat immediately swamped my face. Of course, he didn’t. How stupid was I? What the hell would someone like him want with me? A used blood and sex slave. Mortified, I kept my gaze and face lowered. “So you just want me for Shane?”
He muttered something under his breath, but having mortal hearing, I didn’t catch it.
“Like I said, Sorcha. Go to bed. I do not expect anything from you. You are here because I knew how much it would piss Nikolai off to lose one of his investments. He is a snake and needs to be reminded occasionally which of us is more powerful. I want nothing in return, except for you to stay as part of my household. Shane will need a friend, and I would imagine something more at times. I will not always be here. If you find him attractive, it’s up to you both if you act on that or not.
I have no feelings on it either way. But until I say otherwise, you stay away from him.
He’s dangerous at the moment and is not the man you have come to know. ”
I kept my head lowered, not wanting him to see my tears.
He’d made his point. The desire that had heated the air before must have been a figment of my overactive imagination.
I was beneath the great Balthazar Rossi.
Not so much that I didn’t have my use, which was to keep Shane company, but reminding me I wasn’t even good enough for him to…
Say what you mean, Sorcha, isn’t that what he said?
Fuck, then. I wasn’t good enough to fuck.
Yeah, that was enough to destroy any self-confidence I’d gained working in his damned club, or even while I’d spent time with Shane and him.
I felt his gaze on me and saw his fingers flex and open a few times before he turned away.
I didn’t move until his footsteps had faded.
Exhaustion hit me. It took a few minutes to get back to my room, and when I did, I fell face-first onto the bed and let my brain shut down.
No matter the Count’s warning, I’d make sure Shane was okay.
I knew he’d never hurt me. Then I’d leave.
I ignored the tightness in my chest at the thought of deserting Shane.
I’d miss him so much. He’d been the only person in my life that I could remember being genuine with me.
He’d never had an agenda, never hurt or yelled at me, only ever been kind, and as supportive to me as I’d tried to be to him.
But I’d had enough of being treated like the dirt on every vampire’s boot.
I was grateful to the Count for getting me away from Nikolai, but it was time to leave and make my own way in this fucked up world.
I huffed a smile at being able to actually swear.
“Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck…” I mumbled as I fell into a deep, exhausted slumber.