Chapter 14 #2
Joining her near the precipice, I answered, “About eight miles. Maybe nine, I don’t recall. The atmosphere is different here, that’s why. The air is saturated with oxygen.”
“It’d be cool to have a house this high up.”
“I do.”
“Really? I’d like to see it sometime.”
I took her hand and pulled her to me, so her waist brushed my hip. “Did you forget we are to be wed? Of course you’ll see it.”
Cassia pushed her hair over her shoulder. “No, I just thought, I guess, with how busy you are...”
There was no acceptable answer to her musing, especially not with the tasks looming over me. “Come, there’s a path. You were hungry so we’ll sit down and eat.”
With her hand in mine, we walked the short path to another clearing, this one bearing soft grass and a couple of short trees.
Conveniently, there were rocks shaped like chairs with a flat stone between them.
If I had to guess, I would assume they were carved purposefully, but that would have occurred before my time.
Once she sat down, I tugged the artwork from my pocket and handed it to her. She took it, flicking a glance at me before focusing on the paper again. She unfolded it, gasped, and pinned me with her bright gaze.
“I drew this. This is what I meant. But... but I ripped it up?”
Crouching beside her, I waved my hand over the scene she’d carefully crafted. The paper wobbled as it divided itself into four sections. Then, the tiny fibers knitted themselves back together, restoring the art to its former glory.
She glanced up at me and swallowed before turning the page over and examining it. “Miraculous,” she breathed. “Magic.”
“Directed energy.” Cupping her cheek, I said, “You’re very talented. It is obvious in your rendering of my Realm. I wonder how it is you were able to draw an exact likeness of a place you’ve never been.”
Her tongue dragged along her bottom lip. “I have no idea. I just draw what I see in my head.”
There had been other humans, dragged into Realms not their own by way of dreams or experimenting with magic.
The phenomenon was curious, but I’d never spent much time speculating the mechanism.
I suspected Cassia had somehow gained insight through some twist of fate, a slip of the universe’s wanderings, perhaps.
Maybe fate had conspired to thrust us together, and this was a sign?
The workings of fate didn’t matter, it only mattered that she was here with me now.
“I guess it's kinda creepy. I didn’t think it was based on anything but my wild imagination. The thought had sorta occurred to me before, when you first brought me here. I looked out the window and thought holy shit I painted that sky.” She chuckled.
“But then I just kinda tossed that thought out, ya know? Stress and all that.”
I moved to open the bag containing the food and set the items out in front of her on the makeshift table. “I hope you approve.”
Cassia froze, her eyes scanning the offering. Then her eyes watered. Her energy waved around her in thin tendrils. She wasn’t upset, but she was fighting the softness that attempted to take over her heart, and I let her sit with her feelings.
On one level, I recognized her struggle as I, too, tread carefully. My reasoning was different. I knew she would be mine the moment I found her. There hadn’t ever been a doubt in regard to that.
My own angst was a fear of letting her down. I’d never seriously courted a human before. They’d been temporary diversions and food. None had ever affected me the way this woman had and no one else ever would.
I lifted the pastry box’s lid and handed her one. She eyed the chocolate frosted concoction that was covered with sprinkles as if she’d never seen one before, reluctantly taking it from me.
Then, I pulled out a bottle of Chardonnay and two glasses, taking a moment to fill them both, her attention rapt.
Finally, I tugged the small, netted bag of plums and placed it in front of her.
“How?” She looked bewildered.
“Is it to your liking?” Humans were known for being fickle, but I trusted my prior research.
Her gaze remained on the donut, handling it as if it were a live grenade. “It's perfect. How did you know I like these? It's like you took my three favorite things straight outta my head.”
Tentatively, she bit into the pastry, her eyes closing in pleasure. “You should totally try one of these, they’re so good.”
“No, thank you. I have a different kind of sweet in mind.”
Her eyes snapped open, meeting mine. She didn’t say a word but greedily gulped some of her wine.
“You have to eat sometimes, don’t you?” She stared into the depths of the glass, her unspoken message loud and clear.
The truth was, at my age I rarely needed to feed. I did so primarily for pleasure. Gluttony, really. The food humans ate was enjoyed on occasion. I’d never had a sweet tooth, but I knew I was about to develop a very specific one.
“Seriously, Lukas. How did you guess my favorite foods. I never told you. Can you read minds?”
“I can read auras, but no, not minds. It may seem like that sometimes.”
“Can any vampires read minds?” She appeared genuinely concerned.
I took a sip of my own wine, letting the apple and oak flavors settle on my tongue before swallowing. “There are many different beings out there, and yes some can to a degree.”
“Like what kind?”
Setting my glass down, I said, “Not for you to worry about.”
Cassia grabbed a plum and turned it over in her hand. The skin practically glowed under the sunlight, shades of violet and purple deep and rich under the light. “Can we go there?”
She pointed to the distant peaks. “Yes, sometime,” I answered.
We sat in silence for several moments, both of us admiring the view and the quiet.
I was about to disturb her, but it couldn’t be helped.
She stood, walking to the ledge and taking everything in. Moving behind her, I pulled her flush so her back was to my abdomen. My hand slid to her lower belly and soon, heat bloomed under my palm. She wasn’t unaffected by me, whether she wanted to admit her desire or not.
I let her feel the hardness of my approval and slid a hand down to her wrist, circling it with my fingers. “You remember Annalise discussing the need to claim and mark you, yes?”
She nodded but didn’t say a word. A fresh spike of heat burned my skin. She was imagining what it would be like for me to claim her.
“My kiss marked you, which could be considered a first step. I will claim you, Cassia. Sooner rather than later.” She shuddered against me, and I felt her gathering herself, her aura tucking in close for a safety that would never come.
My hand pressed against her soft belly, and I moved to just above her pubic bone, enjoying the warmth she likely prayed would disappear.
“My job is to keep you safe. You’re going to submit to what will happen next.” She stiffened, but I continued, “You’re going to drink my blood.”
Just saying those few words pressed my fangs through my gums. She turned in my arms as she said, “No.”
Keeping hold of her wrist, I placed my other on her neck. As she faced me, I kept my lips separated, letting her see my teeth. “You will.”
With our proximity, I felt her stomach roil. A heave moved her chest, rubbing her breasts against my jacket. “No, and you can’t make me.”
“I can and I will. The decision is not up to you.”
“I don’t want to be a vampire,” she insisted vehemently. “I’m not going to drink your blood.”
My anger flared. “I kill those who turn humans, and the humans they turned.”
Her eyes watered. “Don’t make me do this,” she pleaded.
I lifted my wrist to my mouth and listened to the light squeaking sound of my teeth tearing through flesh. My blood trickled down my skin.
“No!” Cassia cried out. I didn’t want to have to spell her, but she was making it increasingly difficult not to. She flailed under my grasp, but I didn’t relent. “Why do you have to do this?”
“It will keep us joined should anything happen to you. I need to be able to find you instantly.”
She choked on a sob. “What else does it do?”
“It keeps you from ageing, optimizes your acclimation to the Realm. Most importantly, it ties you to me.” My blood was going to start congealing. “Drink now, Cassia.”
She tried to wiggle away again and I grabbed her neck. When I brought my wrist to her mouth, she stubbornly refused to do anything. My blood smeared around her face like overzealous lipstick, and I knew I’d have to take the next step.
Once I spelled her, she let out a sigh and soon began searching with her lips, the sensation sending a pleasant tingle up my spine. Cautiously, she raised her hands, curling her fingers around my forearm and holding me in place.
Then she began to swallow.
A whimper sounded in my ear, and it was like electricity had been injected straight into my veins as she drank. Bursts of color exploded behind my eyelids, and the scent of her increasing lust wove around my head like a spiderweb, trapping me in her intoxication.
If just this simple feeding affected me this way, I couldn’t imagine what bedding her would be like. I’d end up tying her to a bedpost and keeping her there.
“Lukas,” she sighed between sips, rubbing her thighs together. “Ahhh.”
I grasped her hips with my free hand, crushing her against my body. I wanted to take her here, right now.
“Stop,” I ground out.
She continued to sup, the delicious, creamy scent emanating from between her thigh causing a flood in my mouth.
“Cassia, that’s enough.”