Chapter 37 #2
Lucian looks like he's about two seconds away from leaping across the table and throttling Gideon with his bare hands.
His gaze darts back to Seraphina, and he shoots her a wink, his eyes sparkling with mischief and possessiveness. Seraphina blushes, caught off guard by the sudden attention from both men, her cheeks turning a delightful shade of pink.
Everyone launches into a heated discussion about ship repairs and our next move. I chime in, reminding them of our need to head to Serraphatic Cove to find the key I'm supposed to locate.
How the hell am I going to accomplish that feat is anyone's guess, but I've learned to roll with the punches when it comes to this whole "Chosen One" gig.
I lean in close, my voice low and laced with concern.
"I know this all may seem really strange to you.
I'm so sorry, Seraphina, that you're in this position.
" The words feel hollow, inadequate in the face of her sacrifice.
She lost her home, her very purpose, because of me, because of my father's actions.
But Seraphina, ever the picture of grace, shakes her head, and her smile is gentle and understanding. "Don't blame yourself, Dani. It was my decision, my consequence. I'm okay with it."
She sniffs and then stares into her mug as if the universe's secrets might be hidden in its murky depths.
Sensing her unease, I nudge her gently. "It's ale; it has a kick to it. Try it." I encourage her, hoping to distract her from her heavy thoughts.
She raises the mug to her lips, taking a tentative sip.
Almost immediately, she starts coughing, her eyes watering as the alcohol burns its way down her throat.
"It burns," she gasps, rubbing at her neck.
But to my surprise, she goes back for more, her eyes widening with each gulp.
"But it's good," she admits, slamming the empty mug on the table.
The table falls silent, everyone's jaws practically hitting the floor as we watch this angelic creature throw back her drink like a seasoned sailor. Oblivious to our stunned reactions, Seraphina wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. "More?"
Lucian, who looks like he's about to combust, leaps to his feet, his chair clattering to the ground in his haste.
He stumbles over to Seraphina, his usual cocky swagger replaced by a nervous energy that's both endearing and hilarious.
"Yeah, I-I got it... just wait, right there," he stammers, his voice cracking like a pubescent boy's.
I can't help but laugh at the sight of Lucian, the smooth-talking, unflappable vampire, reduced to a bumbling mess in the presence of his celestial mate.
For her part, Seraphina seems blissfully unaware of the effect she's having on him.
She smiles that sweet, innocent smile. "Thank you," as if he's just offered to pass the salt.
"Erik says Seraphina's scent is... distracting," Rhyland's deep, commanding voice echoes through my mind, his tone laced with a hint of primal possessiveness.
I glance over at Erik, noting how his muscles are coiled tight, his jaw clenched as if fighting an internal battle. Shit. If Erik, the master of self-control, struggles to keep his cravings in check around my scent, I can only imagine the effect Seraphina's pure Atherian essence has on him.
"Is he going to be okay?" My concern bleeds through our mental connection.
"He'll manage," Rhyland assures me. "But it's not easy. She's potent, her scent a siren's call to our baser instincts. Even I'm finding it... challenging to ignore."
I can feel the tension rolling off Rhyland in waves, his every muscle flexed as he fights to maintain control.
It's a side of him I rarely see, the raw, animalistic power that lurks beneath his calm exterior.
The knowledge that Seraphina's mere presence can bring such powerful vampires to the brink of their control is both thrilling and terrifying.
"What can we do to help?" I ask, my mind racing with possibilities.
"For now, we endure. We are not slaves to our impulses. We are warriors and leaders. We will master this, as we have mastered every challenge before."
His words show a steely determination. At this moment, Rhyland is every inch the alpha male, the unquestioned leader of his kind. His strength, his unwavering control, is a force to be reckoned with.
Erik and Rhyland struggle against their instincts. Our very essence calls to them a temptation that would bring lesser beings to their knees.
But my vampires are no ordinary men. They are warriors, leaders, and kings among their kind. And they will not be brought low by base desires, no matter how potent the lure.
"Lucian, on the other hand..." Rhyland's voice trails off, a hint of concern lacing his words.
"What about him?"
"It's different with him. She's his mate. Every instinct in his body screams at him to protect and cherish her. He'd sooner starve himself into madness than ever lay a finger on her in harm." Rhyland's tone is solemn, his words hanging heavy between us.
I gaze at Lucian, watching as he stares at Seraphina with a longing so intense it's almost palpable.
The depth of emotion in his eyes is staggering, a testament to the unbreakable bond between a vampire and his mate.
At this moment, I know with absolute certainty that Lucian would move mountains and walk through the fires of hell before he allowed any harm to come to Seraphina.
"How long can he hold out if Seraphina doesn't accept the bond?" The question tumbles out of me before I can stop it, a nagging worry plaguing me since Rhyland offered me his own bond.
What would have happened if I had made him wait? If I had refused?
Rhyland is silent for a moment, his brow furrowed in thought.
"It's difficult to say," he admits at last. "It varies from vampire to vampire, depending on their strength of will.
Some of our stories speak of those who waited years, decades, or even centuries for their mate to accept the bond.
Others..." He hesitates, a shadow passing over his features.
"Others fell to their darker nature when faced with rejection from their fated partner. "
I swallow hard, my mouth suddenly as dry as the desert sands.
The thought of what could have happened to Rhyland, of the pain and madness he might have endured had I not accepted our bond, sends a shiver spider down my spine.
And now, watching Lucian, seeing the raw need etched into every line of his face, I can't help but fear for him.
Lucian is strong, his mind is as sharp as a steel trap, and his will is unbreakable.
But everyone has a breaking point, a limit to what they can endure.
And the bond between a vampire and his mate, the all-consuming need to claim and be claimed in return.
.. it's a force that can bring even the mightiest to their knees.
"We'll just have to hope it doesn't come to that," I murmur, my heart aching for the struggle I know Lucian must be facing. "Seraphina may be an angel, but she's not heartless. Surely, she won't let him suffer needlessly."
Rhyland nods, his jaw tight with unspoken emotion. "We can only pray that she sees the truth of their bond and accepts the gift that fate has bestowed upon them. Because if she doesn't..."
He doesn't need to finish the thought. We both know the stakes, the terrible price Lucian may be forced to pay if Seraphina rejects him.
As I watch the interplay of emotions across Lucian's face, the way his eyes never leave Seraphina's form, I can't help but feel a flicker of hope.
Because, in the end, love always finds a way.
And if anyone deserves a happily ever after, it's Lucian—the vampire with a heart of gold beneath his smartass exterior.
"I'm just so fucking happy he's finally back to his old self and has stopped drooling over your delectable ass," Rhyland's relief flows through me.
"Now he can focus on his own goddamn mate and keep his fucking hands and fangs to himself.
I won't have to rip him apart limb from limb for sniffing around what's mine. "
I can't help but snort at that. "Aww, were you feeling a little threatened there, Fjord Fluff? Afraid Lucian might sweep me off my feet with his charming wit and dashing good looks?"
Rhyland hasn't breathed a word about the kiss—Lucian and his loose lips just had to spill the beans. I'm counting my lucky stars that Rhyland's keeping mum. Maybe he's just as eager as the rest of us to put this whole clusterfuck behind us.
"Watch it, Angel. You know damn well that you're mine and mine alone. I won't hesitate to remind you of that fact, even if it means bending you over this table right here and now and showing everyone in this fucking tavern who you belong to."
I feel a rush of heat flood my body at his words, my thighs clenching involuntarily at the thought of Rhyland claiming me so publicly, so possessively. But I'll be damned if I let him know just how much his little display of dominance affects me.
"Whoa there, Berserker Beau," I tease, "Let's keep the public mating rituals to a minimum, shall we? We wouldn't want to give Seraphina a crash course in Vampire Kama Sutra 101. I'm pretty sure her angelic sensibilities aren't quite ready for the sight of your bare ass in all its glory."
Rhyland's answering chuckle is dark and filled with wicked promise. "Oh, I think she'd survive, baby. But you're right. We shouldn't subject the poor girl to our passion's raw, untamed force. She's got enough on her plate dealing with Lucian's piss-poor attempts at wooing."
I can't help but snicker at that, my eyes darting to where Lucian sits, his gaze still glued to Seraphina like a lovesick puppy drooling over a juicy bone.
"By the way, I felt that, Angel."
I play dumb, batting my eyelashes with exaggerated innocence. "Felt what, exactly?"
Rhyland leans over, his breath hot and heavy against my ear, his hand gripping my thigh with possessive intent.
"You got fucking excited when I mentioned taking you right here on this table, in front of everyone," he whispers, his words a sinful caress against my skin.
"I think my Naughty Little Angel has a kink for public sex, for being watched, worshipped, dominated.
You've proven that twice now. Or should I say, Little Devil? "
I close my eyes and try to steady my breathing, but it's a losing battle.
Rhyland's words, his touch, the very thought of him claiming me so openly, so possessively, in front of a room full of strangers—it sends a spark of molten desire straight to my clit, my body betraying me in the most delicious way possible.
Fuck, I am one dirty, shameless bitch.
Rhyland throws his head back and laughs, the sound equally intoxicating and infuriating. "See? I knew it, baby. You can't hide from me, not even in the depths of your own mind."
I shoot him a mental middle finger."Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, you smug bastard. Just remember, two can play at this game. Keep teasing me like this, and I might give the good people of this tavern a show they'll never forget."
Rhyland's eyes flash with hunger and challenge, his grin turning feral. "Don't make promises you can't keep, baby. You know I'll take you up on that offer in a fucking heartbeat."
I lean in close, my lips brushing against his ear in a whisper-soft caress. "Who says I can't keep them? Maybe I want to be bad, to let everyone see how thoroughly you own me, body and soul."
Rhyland's answering growl is a rumble of pure lust, his hand tightening on my thigh in a grip that's sure to leave bruises. "You're playing with fire, Angel. Keep this up, and I won't be held responsible for my actions."
I grin, "Well then, hot stuff, it looks like you've got your work cut out for you. Better find a way to douse these flames, 'cause right now? I'm a regular ol' fire hazard."
It's a dance of dominance and submission, a push and pull of passion and provocation that never fails to leave me breathless and aching for more.
And fuck, if I don't love every single second of it.