Chapter Fourteen
I stared down at the woman in my bed, watching as her dark lashes fluttered. She was close to waking, and when she did, I knew our time together would be over.
Last night, she’d been distracted by the bond pulling us together, and the passion she’d kept bottled up for three years. When she awoke from her first sleep since death, supercharged on reaper energy, the submissive kitten would be gone. In her place would be the fiery independent woman who had taken on Zacharias without flinching, and who’d been ballsy enough to make a bet with death.
Two sides of the same exquisite creature.
The blanket had slipped from her shoulders, pooling around her waist and exposing her torso. Unable to help myself, I drank in the sight of her bare, milky skin.
My cock, which had been engorged since the minx had appeared in my chambers dressed in nothing but a flimsy white shirt and smelling of sex, throbbed painfully. Once more, I questioned if the pleasure of orgasming could be worth enduring hours of discomfort. Not wanting her to wake and find me staring at her like a complete pervert, I gently tucked the blanket around her neck.
At least the worry in my heart over her wellbeing had been satisfied. After the confrontation with Zacharias, I’d been unable to rest, needing to assure myself she was safe. And knowing the power Zacharias wielded and how much damage he’d done to the three collectors, I worried she’d been hiding injuries beneath her clothes.
Hoping to ease the chaos in my mind, I’d gone to find her. But when I’d teleported to the library, it had been quiet and empty.
It was easy to guess where she was, who she was with, and what they were doing. That knowledge had added to my sour mood.
When she’d healed Evander, their tender moment had turned erotic. I wanted to kill him for touching her, but I also wanted to watch her beautiful face as she gave in to her desire.
It had taken all of my willpower to leave, but I wasn’t a demon. And being there for such an intimate moment without an invitation had seemed like a breach of the trust I wanted to build with her.
When she’d asked me how much I’d witnessed, it had been a relief that I could tell her truthfully that I had respected her privacy and left. She’d appeared relieved, but something else had flashed across her face—disappointment, and maybe even a hint of lust.
Which was perfect for my plans. If she was already imagining me as part of her circle, it would be far easier to convince her we belonged together. I would tolerate the collectors if it meant I got to keep my beautiful little pet.
As long as they didn’t hurt her, they would live. If they made her shed a single sorrowful tear, there was nowhere they could hide from Death.
I just needed to wrap up some loose ends and then I could focus my full attention on her. My brother’s murderer had to be dealt with before I could close that chapter of my life, and like it or not, Zacharias’ plan was the best one so far. But with my newfound suspicions about Zacharias’ true character, the one he’d kept hidden from me, I needed to do some investigating. Blindly following his lead would not work for me any longer.
Remembering how hard she’d tried to hide her injuries and her waning energy sent a fresh surge of fury through me. Why had those idiot collectors allowed her to follow them into a battle with a reaper? Why had Zacharias chosen to engage with them rather than simply hiding in the reaper plane? Nothing in that chamber had been worth killing over. No part of our plan would have been exposed.
The moment she’d appeared, I’d wanted to strip off her clothes and reassure myself she was uninjured. But that would have scared her away. So I’d taken my time, checking her face, hands, then neck.
When I’d told her to stand in front of me, I’d half expected her to argue. Her trusting and sweet submission as she obeyed me had caused my erection to strain against the seams. It had very nearly been my undoing. I’d wanted to take her hard, make her scream my name and tell me who she belonged to.
While she had arrived smelling of sex, it had been only her alluring fragrance that I’d breathed in. The collectors had pleasured her, but they hadn’t mated with her. I’d witnessed the bond they shared and knew she would never give the collectors up.
That was fine.
But a jealous, primal part of me wanted to be the first to claim her body with mine. Instead, I’d focused on healing her injuries. Four of her ribs were bruised, and one was broken. She also had two torn muscles and a small internal laceration likely caused by the shattered rib.
It was a miracle she hadn’t been hurt worse after grabbing a scythe, tasting a reaper’s blood, and being tossed around the room like a doll. Ghosts faced very few dangers, as not much could hurt them or even touch them.
Reapers and collectors were the exception.
What had worried me most were the dark circles beneath her eyes. When I’d sent my power drifting through her, I’d barely hidden my shock at what I discovered. She was a ghost, but unlike any ghost I’d ever encountered.
When a human died, they had a finite amount of energy. Once they burned through it, it was gone and they faded—unless they were helped to the beyond by a reaper or collector first. But the mysterious little beauty was making her own energy. Her reserves had been dangerously low, but even then, they were at a far higher level than any other ghost I’d encountered. Given time to recover, she would have replaced the energy she’d used to feed her collectors.
Still, she was injured and exhausted… and they still fed from her. And yes, I knew they had been on the brink of death—Hades, I’d had to forcefully put one back together. And without a reaper’s abilities, they had no way of knowing her true levels. But I didn’t care about logic at that moment. And facts would not appease my rage.
She was going to feed them whether I wanted her to or not. It was something I had to accept. But I would make sure I was there to replenish everything they took from her, even if it meant holding her on my lap while they fed.
As if sensing my irritation, my sleeping beauty scooted closer to me, pressing her lips against my chest and hooking her leg over my hip. This new position caused her to press against the painfully rigid bulge in my boxers.
Stifling a hiss, I clamped my eyes closed and focused on steadying my breathing.
How long were erections supposed to last? Even the men who died after blue pill marathons didn’t last for twelve hours.
Maybe the bet had been a bad idea. I’d been desperate to find a reason for her to stay with me willingly. I wanted to check her injuries. I didn’t want her to be with the men. I wanted to know she was safe. I wanted to hold her.
And so I’d done the one thing I had sworn never to do.
I’d used what I’d learned in the stupid dance classes my brother had forced me to attend with him to seduce her.
At the beginning of the dance, her expression had been one of absolute confusion, but that had quickly shifted to shock, and then it had morphed into the one I was waiting for. Lust.
She had continued to deny her attraction to me, even though I’d felt the wet arousal she’d left on my pants. But as I danced, the way she kept licking her parted lips and the raw hunger in her dilated pupils told me I had won.
Her sweet fragrance hung heavy in the air, an animalistic call that her body was ready and begging for me to tend to her needs.
There was nothing I wanted more, and I knew I could easily seduce her into being pliant, and letting me have my way with her all night long.
Not all reapers were as indifferent about sex as I had been before meeting Axelle, and I’d heard plenty of talk about their so-called conquests. They found it amusing how little effort it took to get a woman in their bed and enjoyed comparing their times as though it were a race.
I wanted her to rest, but that wasn’t the only reason I’d put her to sleep. The larger reason was my fear. I’d savored the opportunity to learn how to heighten her arousal with my body, touch, and even my commands.
But how much of her attraction was because of my species’ allure, rather than me?
I didn’t want her to have sex with me because I was a reaper.
I wanted her to feel the same way about me as I felt about her.
Until I knew those answers, I would happily give her energy and satisfy any itches she wanted scratched… but I wouldn’t claim her body with mine. Once that happened, there would be no going back. She would be mine forever.
Assuming my cock didn’t fall off before then.
BANG!
My sleepy ghost sat bolt upright as the bedroom door flew open. Not wanting Zacharias to see her naked body, I tossed the sheet over her head a fraction of a second before he walked in.
“Listen, Saul. I’ve never seen you so angry and I really think we need to talk—” Zacharias froze mid-step as his eyes landed on me lounging in bed wearing only my boxers and the sheet-clad figure beside me. “This… is… a surprise.”
The hair on my body lifted as he sniffed the air. She was mine, and I didn’t even want to share the scent of her desire. It was for me. Swallowing back a snarl, I forced my features into an expressionless mask.
“You brought a woman to your bedroom? I never thought I’d see the day.” Zacharias chuckled and leaned against the doorway.
Arrogant, mannerless prick.
“Are you going to introduce me to the girl who got your V-card?”
An odd strangled sound came from beneath the sheet and her fingers curled around the hem as she prepared to lift it. Acting unbothered, I stretched out my legs, pinning the thin fabric to the bed and trapping her inside.
“I’d rather not. We’re in the middle of something.” I gave Zacharias a pointed look that told him to leave before I lost my patience. “We will talk later.”
“Are you sure she’s okay under there? Sounds like something might be wrong?” His words sounded caring, but a nasty smile curved his lips.
“Yes. We’re roleplaying. Not that it is any of your business.” I wanted to grab my scythe and demand answers for his actions in the tunnel, but I didn’t want to show my cards. Not yet. For now, he needed to believe I trusted him.
“The Vanilla Reaper is roleplaying?” Zacharias snorted. “And what is she pretending to be? A ghost?”
“Yes. A ghost,” I ground out between clenched teeth.
“This is some boo-sheet,” the love of my immortality whispered, just low enough that I could hear.
I wanted to yank her out from the blanket and kiss her adorable self until she was breathless, but knowing I needed to keep her safe until I knew Zach’s true plans, I remained motionless.
Zach raised an eyebrow. “You can’t expect me to believe you seduced some girl into playing Ghost and Grim Reaper with you?”
We eyed each other for several long seconds, and I could see the growing suspicion flickering his pale purple eyes.
The sheet sighed. “Woooooo. Woooooooo. I’m a ghost here to haunt you all night longgg.”
Zach’s eyes widened as he stared at the sheet.
She wiggled, getting into her performance—or maybe just seeing how far she could take it. “I might be the ghost, but I wasn’t the only one moaning last night. Woooo.”
I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. Zacharias knew me far too well, and the only person who’d ever made me laugh was my brother. If I laughed now, he’d realize she was important to me. That would paint a target on her back and risk him trying to use her as a pawn to force me to do his bidding.
He needed to believe she was a random hookup I would use and throw away. Just thinking the words caused my stomach to roil.
“I’m light as a feather, and Saul’s stiff as a board. How about you climb under this sheet with me and rattle my bones?” The sheet shook as she giggled and gave a last wavering, “WOOooOooo.”
If I wasn’t already in love with her, I would’ve lost my heart right there on the spot.
Zacharias pushed away from the doorway, his face scrunched in disgust. “You sure picked a weird one for your first. Maybe try a sober one next time.”
The door closed behind him and I listened as his steps faded down the corridor. As soon as I knew he was gone, I sat up and lifted the sheet. Her mussed hair stuck out at wild angles around her face, and her eyes sparkled as she dissolved into laughter.
I’d never seen a sight more beautiful in my life.
Impulsively pulling her into my arms, I covered her face and neck in kisses until her laughs turned to small breathy giggles.
“I’m sorry, pet.” My lips brushed against hers. “I didn’t want him to recognize you.”
“He was the reaper I bit?” she asked, wrapping her arms around my neck.
“Yes. His name is Zacharias.” Her skin pressed against mine, making it hard to think about anything other than the granite length in my boxers and how incredible it would feel to be inside her.
“Sounded like you two are pretty chummy. You’re close friends?” She pulled away from me slightly.
Growling softly, I tightened my arms around her body. “I don’t know what we are. There are a lot of things I don’t know right now.”
Ignoring my protests, she pushed away from me and scooted to the end of the bed to find her shirt. She was going to leave me.
“Where do you think you’re going, pet?” I demanded, wincing at the sharp tone I hadn’t meant to use.
“My name is Axelle. And until you figure out who matters in your life, I’m not your pet and I’m not your toy.” She pulled the T-shirt over her head and turned to meet my gaze.
“I know your name. The collectors said it in the tunnels.” Rising from the bed, I moved to stand in front of her, holding her delicate hands in mine. “I just prefer to call you mine.”
Her eyes softened, her lips parted, and for a moment, I thought she might stay with me.
“The collectors are mine, and Zacharias tried to kill them. He is my enemy.” She pulled her hands from mine and took a step away from me. “If you are friends with him, then you’re my enemy as well.”
With that, she vanished, taking my heart with her.