Chapter 50 Run
Lee grabbed Reiya by the hand after Chelsie and Freja left. “Excuse us. We need to talk.” He led her to his bedroom, shut the door, and turned to look at her.
“Is this going to be a new thing for you? See how close you can push it without dying? It seems that, since you left Elysia, that’s all you’ve been doing.
” Lee’s voice was dripping with irritation.
“Tell me …” This time he softened his tone and met her sapphire eyes with his baby blue ones.
“I want the truth … did you think you were going to die?”
At first, Reiya wanted to lie, but she knew better. He already knew the answer to the question he was asking. “For a moment, yes.”
She heard a sharp intake of his breath and watched as he slowly walked over to her. Then he dropped to his knees right in front of her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“I can’t, baby. I can’t lose you, Reiya. I just can’t. I know you’re trying to help, and I don’t want to stop you from helping others. But please, don’t risk your life anymore. I can’t continue this life without you.”
There was so much tenderness and vulnerability in his voice.
Her heart ached for him. Her chest was burning, and her nose stung as a small tear crept down her cheek.
He looked so vulnerable as he clung to her on his knees.
This mighty deity was crumbling at the thought of almost losing her.
And as much as this pained her, it also made her heart swell with love.
For him to care about her so much truly touched her.
She reached out and wrapped her arms around him.
“I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I scared you, my sweet Lee.
It’s okay. I’m right here, and I won’t leave you.
How could I leave you alone? I came back from death for you, Lee.
” His hands tightened around her legs and he hoisted her upward, carrying her to the bed.
Her heart fluttered in excitement as they got closer to the mattress.
Then he spun around, leaned backward, and laid them both down on the bed, with her on top of him.
He held her tight against him and breathed in her scent.
“Can you promise not to do anything dangerous? Especially while I’m away ...” Lee’s voice trailed off quietly.
Reiya jolted upright and looked down at him in confusion. “Away? Where are you going? How long will you be gone?”
Lee grinned and flashed his teeth at her in a dazzling smile. “Are you going to miss me that much?”
Reiya sat on his stomach and pouted down at him. “Of course I am.”
He sat up, moving her to his lap, and wrapped his arms around her.
“I can’t take not being able to claim you in public, Reiya.
I’m going to speak with the council. I want to try excluding fairies and witches from the rule against being involved with deities.
Both are connected to the earth and understand its balance.
I’m hoping to only be gone for a couple of days.
It will probably be something that gets brought up and then addressed again later, but I have to start this process now.
I can’t not have you by my side just because I’m afraid someone will see.
” Lee brushed his lips against her neck and began trailing gentle butterfly kisses against her skin.
“When are you leaving?” Reiya asked quietly. Having gotten used to being around him all the time, her heart was already aching at the thought of him being gone.
“In a day or two. I’m a bit hesitant to leave immediately, with there being a traitor here.” Lee reached up and brushed his hand against her face. “I’m going to miss you too.”
“Can’t you at least come back at night? Since you can instantly teleport and all?” Reiya smiled with her nose scrunched up. She felt his chest vibrations as his nose nuzzled into her mark.
“How can I deny that? If my sweet princess is going to miss me that badly, then I’ll come back to spend our nights together.” He nipped at her neck and flicked his tongue over his mark on her.
Reiya sighed under the heat of his intoxicating touch. If he was trying to drive her insane, it was working. “Well, Lee, are you ready to make me fully yours?” she taunted him in a coquettish tone.
He let out a low chuckle. “Soon …”
Reiya smirked and turned to face him. “I told myself I couldn’t possibly die back there. Not when you haven’t completed the mating bond with me yet.” She watched his eyes battle in color from his normal light blue to dark to light blue again.
“Not yet.” His voice was hushed and hoarse.
“Not until after we don’t have to keep this a secret.
Honestly, baby … I’m barely controlling myself now.
It’s just that, once our bond is complete, there’s no way I’ll be able to be without you by my side.
There’s also a good chance I’ll kill anyone who looks at you.
Just a bit longer.” He kissed her nose and fanned his way to her cheek.
The ‘just a bit longer’ part was really for himself.
No matter what the beautiful woman on his lap was thinking, this was much harder for him.
It was taking every ounce of strength to fight off his animal instinct, to claim what was his.
He had already lost to his animal once by branding her. He couldn’t lose himself again.
Reiya smiled under his barrage of sweet kisses. She understood that, in the long run, this made more sense. “Hey, Lee?”
“Hmm?” He continued to plant soft kisses on her neck now, savoring his sweet fairy.
“Do you think that, after it’s okay for us to be together, you could give me a ride? I’m sure it’s way different than riding a hippogryph.”
Lee chuckled. “Baby, anything you want from me, you can have. Once everything is allowed out in the open, I’m completely at your beck and call.
” He smiled against her skin. She was so cute and sweet.
That was what she wanted? For him to fly her around in his dragon form?
Yes, she had to be the most precious person ever. And she was his.
Reiya leaned into him and kissed his cheek, then nuzzled herself under his chin so she could lean against his chest.
“I like Freja. We’re going to be good friends. I can feel it.”
“She’s more dangerous than she looks.” Lee still wasn’t completely convinced how good of a friend the dhampir could be.
“I’m more dangerous than I look, too.”
Lee squeezed his arms around her and chuckled. “You’re deadly.”
“Hey!” Reiya tried to pull away from him, but he held her captive in his arms. She snuffed out a breath of air. “Are you making fun of me?” She furrowed her eyes and felt the small vibrations from his chest.
“Never. I wouldn’t dream of it.” He smiled into the back of her hair as he felt her twist, trying to get out from his grip.
Reiya pressed her lips together and then got a devilish idea. She flicked her finger and sent a jolt of water at Lee. The moment he loosened his grip to block the water, she hopped away from him.
His eyes widened, and he had a big, mischievous grin on his face. “Did you just use the element that I bestowed upon you against me?”
“Aww, Lee. I didn’t realize you weren’t very smart. Yes, Lee, that was the element of water. Say it with me: waa—teeerrr.”
Lee chuckled. “Oh, you are getting punished for that, little girl.”
Reiya tilted her head up to him. “Little girl? Is it little girl or woman? Because just a few moments ago, I’m pretty sure you weren’t looking at me like a little girl.” She watched his eyes flicker at her.
Every person, every animal … everything has that instinct inside that screams out to them right before a predator strikes.
Reiya’s senses were tingling. She wasn’t going to wait for him to strike, though.
She swiftly took off running and swung the bedroom door open.
Lee was at her heels as she took off running into the great room.
She squealed and giggled, knowing he was right behind her.
She ran past Xander and shoved him into Lee to slow him down. It worked.
“Wow, Levi, I never knew you cared so much.” Xander batted his eyes up at Lee. Lee gave him a hard shove out of the way.
“Yep, I knew it. You only love me at night,” Xander continued, giving Lee a crooked smile.
Lee looked up to see Reiya hiding safely behind Brody. His eyes met with Brody’s, peering at him curiously, trying to figure out which position he would take. Brody grinned and looked down at Reiya. “Sorry, Reiya, but this is bro code.” He then winked at Lee and stepped aside.
“Traitor!” Reiya hissed out. Just then, Chelsie popped up from the stairs. “Chelsie!” Reiya dove in behind her friend. “Save me, Chelsie!” she squealed.
Chelsie looked up at Lee, who stopped a few feet away from them.
Her eyes became dark beads as she took a protective stance in front of Reiya.
Through the slits in her eyes, she all but dared Lee to come for the girl.
She didn’t care if he was a deity. All she knew was her friend was hiding behind her for help.
Brody ran in from the side and scooped Chelsie up in his arms. “I got this one. Hurry before she gets away!” Brody grinned as Chelsie yelped in his arms. She had no idea what was going on, but she quickly melted under Brody’s touch. He cradled her in his arms and smiled down at her.
“Wait, when did this happen? Was this always a thing? Gosh, no one tells me anything.” Xander held his arms out, gesturing toward Chelsie and Brody.
They ignored him. Lee focused on his fairy with a taunting smirk. “No one left to save you now.”
“See, that’s the thing, Lee. You’re still looking at me like a girl who needs to be saved.” Reiya winked and sent a surge of water at Lee. It was the split second she needed so she could escape the corner she had run herself into.
Lee chuckled. Time to catch my fairy.
Reiya was encircled by a wall of dark water, almost like she was put in a cube of some sort. The water was so dark that it was almost black, and she couldn’t see past it at all because it completely surrounded her. She watched Lee walk into the water prison with a triumphant grin on his face.
“There’s no escaping me, princess. I’m the winner here.” Lee flashed a big smile at her as he stepped in front of her.
“Oh? How much do you want to bet I can get you to beg for mercy first?” She trailed her hands up his chest and settled them around his neck.
Her fingers tickled his back, and she gave him a wry grin.
She felt him shudder under her touch. It was the reaction she was looking for.
She pressed herself forward into him, bringing his head lower as she raised to her tiptoes.
She pulled his bottom lip into her mouth and began to suck on it while she tickled it with her tongue.
He moaned into her lips as she continued her game.
“Mmm, Reiya.” His hot breath fanned her skin as she took charge and pressed her lips against his.
She deepened the kiss, nipping at his bottom lip.
Her tongue began to dance with his. He was finding it harder and harder to stay in control, if he was even in control now to begin with.
When she began to suck on his tongue, he knew he was losing.
He was willing to give her anything she wanted right then, consequences be damned.
Reiya pulled away from him. She looked into his dark, glossy eyes and smiled. “See, Lee, I’m the winner here.” She winked at him and giggled. She knew the effect she had on him.
My dirty little temptress. Soon, this will be a game she won’t be able to win. “Baby, I’m going to pay you back for this very soon,” he whispered against her lips, pecking her nose one last time before he brought the water barrier completely down.
“The men are the victors!” Brody said triumphantly as he held Chelsie against his side.
“Hmmm, I don’t know ... were you the victor, Lee?” Reiya blinked her eyes at him innocently.
Lee shook his head with a low growl. “Not this time, but next time, I won’t lose.” There was a thrilling threat in his voice, one that sent a promising tingle through Reiya’s body. She couldn’t wait, either. She couldn’t wait to lose next time.