Chapter Seven #3
“So when will I see you again?” he breathed—sounding waterlogged like he was talking through drool. “Tonight? Tomorrow? Or should we not plan it? Let’s be spontaneous. The time of impending consummation will not be known to you or I, but it will be soon, and it will be glorious—”
“Professor—”
“Wait for me, my sweet honey, I’m coming for—”
The phone was plucked out of my hand and dropped on the floor. I didn’t have a chance to cry out before Ronin brought his boot down on the screen—crushing it to bits.
“What are you doing?” I whisper-screamed. I was keenly aware of all the eyes on me. “That was the phone you gave me!”
“And I’ll get you another one.” A firm hand seized my chair leg and dragged me to his side. Goose bumps rippled down my spine as his lips pressed to my ear. “And when I do, don’t even think of giving that leech the number. You’re done with him. If he even comes near you again, I’ll kill him.”
I stiffened, hating myself to the core of my being that his nearness stoked the fading embers of desire in my body. What was wrong with me? How could I crave a monster?
“Okay, seriously,” I said, instinctively leaning away, “enough with the mutts and the leeches stuff. It costs you nothing to call him what he is—a vampire. So do it.”
“Uh-oh,” Ronin crowed, smile dancing on his lips. “Look who’s giving me orders now. All right, pet, since you’re so comfortable giving them out, I’m sure you won’t be hypocritical about taking them.”
“That’s not the same,” I cried, swinging my head away. His eyes were so dark, glittering, and intense, it felt like I was looking into the dark heart of a curse. “You don’t need to insult Radu, but I do need him.”
A faint crack hit my ears as Ronin’s grip tightened on the chair leg.
“I need his protection,” I quickly added, once again hearing the alarm bells ringing. “He’s an Elder. He’s the only reason the other vampires have stopped coming after me.”
“I’m the reason that everyone has stopped coming after you. You think I’ll let a few vampires,” he spat the name like it was an insult, “take you when the princesses of hell couldn’t? If my protection is so flimsy and worthless to you, why do you bear my name?”
My patience snapped. “Are you kidding me right now!?” I hissed.
“I bear your name because you tricked me! You blackmailed and threatened me into giving you what you wanted, and now you’re doing it again to make me entirely reliant on you!
” My eyes narrowed to slits. “Don’t think that just because I fell for it once, I don’t see through you, Belphe. ”
His eyes crossed following the finger I pressed against his nose.
“You are transparent, Ronin the Devourer,” I whispered, “and no matter how many glamours you wear, you always will be.”
Ronin snatched my wrist, yanking my hand away from his nose.
Fear shot through my chest thinking, for one horrible second, he was going to hurt me for touching him—
—and then he snapped my hand down.
My eyes popped out of my head when I found myself with a hand full of erection.
“Damn, that was hot,” he growled, ripping a squeak out of me when he bit my ear. “Are all of you mortal women like this? No simpering, no slobbering, no begging, and pleading with anyone—not even those richer, stronger, more powerful, and more beautiful than you?”
“More b-b-beautiful is... debatable!” I cried, tugging and struggling to free my wrist from his ironclad grip.
“Undoubtedly,” he agreed. A hand caressed my thigh, and slipped under my dress.
“See? This is why I can’t take those shivering worms seriously—drooling and tripping over themselves over one peek at my true face.
Because you are the most exquisite, beautiful creature in this or any realm, and they can’t see what’s right in front of them.
“Everything from the way blood fills your cheeks, to the way you scrunch your nose when you’re angry was designed by the gods to bring even the strongest men to their knees.”
What the hell is he saying right now?! Cheeks flaming, I snapped my knees tightly together—fighting desperately to turn away and leave, but Ronin held me fast.
“And when you do that thing with your face,” he growled, eyes flashing with hunger. “These fools talk of killing you, breaking you, sacrificing you when the true prize”—his fingers slipped under my thong—“is possessing you.”
“Dude, cut it out,” I forced through clenched teeth, trying hard to get away. “I’m serious. Not here. Not in public. Not next to—!” I cut eyes to Dora, who was merrily eating her breakfast without a care in the world.
It was like talking to a brick. Ronin pinched my fingers around his zipper and tugged it down. Shamelessly, he wrapped my hand around his length.
“And I do possess you, Charlotte Hunter.” His words were warmth on the shell of my ear, sending shudders down my body. “You are mine, and I will not share you with anyone. Especially not Santino Radu, so say it.”
“Ah!” I cried out, clamping down on my lip.
Ronin stuck his finger past my folds as his thumb pressed down hard on my clit. “Say you’ll tell that walking carcass to fuck off and crawl back into his coffin where he belongs.”
“Ronin, p-please...” Desperation crept into my voice.
“I’m not into public stuff, okay? I never have been and—and everyone’s looking at us!
” The table linen covered our legs and laps, but nothing was covering the lust in his eyes, or the shame on my face.
“They’re going to guess what we’re doing. Please, stop.”
“If you want me to stop”—both hands picked up the pace—“you know what to say.”
I clamped down on my lip, doubling over and dropping my head on the table. Ronin was warm and slick in our hands, and I hated that—even as loathing and embarrassment burned my chest—I was warm and wet in his palm too.
Moans threatened to fall from my lips, but the words he wanted me to say didn’t.
I can’t! Vampires are a million times faster than demons.
Fast enough to take dozens of creepshots of me in my bathroom without me having a single clue!
Without Professor Radu’s protection, I’d be a walking blood bank for every vampire who hates hunger more than they fear Ronin Belphe.
“Say it.” He plunged a third finger inside me and streeeetched me wide, catching my cry with a rough, punishing kiss. “Do it,” Ronin hissed against my mouth, “or I’ll bend you over this table and show everyone exactly who owns you.”
I glared into those otherworldly eyes. It was true. I knew what he was doing. Taking away all of my allies—the few though they were—and making me wholly dependent on him for everything, so he could be sure I could never deny him anything.
Yes, I knew his intentions, but that didn’t mean I knew how to stop him.
Ronin released my hand and grabbed my hips, lifting me up to spread me on the table.
“Wait!”
Smirking, he put me back down. “I’m listening, Charlie, but before you do, understand that if you make a promise to me and break it, I’ll be so displeased that I may lash out irrationally against anyone...” Ronin flicked to Dora. “...in my vicinity.”
My hands trembled. It was then I noticed my right hand was still wrapped around his cock. Head down, I nodded. “I got it, all right? Ease up.”
His probing fingers slowed. “Say it.”
I swallowed through needles, feeling the words that would sign my death warrant rising up my throat. Taking a deep breath, I raised my head—
—and smashed my forehead on his face.
“Argh!” Ronin bellowed, blood spurting from his nose.
“Ahh,” Eris screamed. “What the fuck are you doing to Ronin— Hey, stop! Stop her!”
Shooting up, I grabbed Dora’s hand and tore out of the mess hall—beating it out of there before anyone could move an inch to—
Pain exploded in my face. Clapping my hands over my nose, I screamed—tumbling over my feet and smacking flat on the sticky floor.
“Ahhhhh!” Agony tore through my face. Hot pokers up my nose, acid in my sinuses, termites eating away my cartilage, and flames incinerating my bones—I could only wish it felt like that, because all of that would’ve hurt a fuckton less than the pain I felt now.
“Ahhh! Ahhh!”
“Felix?” Dora’s voice pierced through my screams. “Felix, what’s happening? Are you okay?”
“Wow, that was awesome.” I’d only known her for a short time, but I’d recognize that voice, and the lustful sadism in it, anywhere. “Maybe we are all missing out on this sub bond thing,” Raven said.
“Such a silly little thing,” Ronin remarked.
I couldn’t scream anymore for crying, and even that was torture. Every tear felt like my eyeballs were being yanked out through my nose.
“Like she’s the first bonded to try to hurt her bonded and run away.
As if the bond would let her get away with either.
” A soft hand caressed my cheek. “This odd creature doesn’t stop fighting when she’s trapped, when she’s down, or when she’s beaten.
It’s strange...” Ronin’s voice was soft—almost sweet.
“But when I see her like this, it makes me want to try even harder—”
A hard, loveless kiss ravaged my lips.
“—to break her.”
Darkness chased me. Pouncing and pulling me under, it took me away from the pain.