Chapter 11

We worked for hours in the girl cave. Sorting, searching and marking a map. We’d snack, and a few took a short nap, Arius or one of the personal guards checked in often to get new locations to send the teams to.

Alona hung up her phone. “Two more on the way to a safe house, unharmed.” She clapped her hands.

Crissy jumped up and went over to the map and placed two more green pins on it. She set the pages on the table then went and sat back down.

I set my phone down and went over and picked up the pages with the addresses highlighted. I glanced over my shoulder to her. “If we could all read at the speed you do, this,” I motioned to the stacks of papers on the table, “would be all done by now.”

Crissy shrugged. “Reading is the only way to get out of my head.”

I paused, not sure what that meant.

“We’re making a dent, at least.” Daxx said pointing to the large pile on the floor at the end of the table.

I huffed out a breath. “Still feels like we’re not doing enough.”

“Do anymore and our teams are going to collapse from exhaustion.”

I turned to see Arius standing in the doorway. A large man with short black hair and eyes as pale as Welsley’s stood beside him.

Arius motioned to him as he stepped into the room. “This is Felix. He’ll be your personal guard whenever you are outside the royal chambers.”

I raised my eyebrows and looked over at Alona, she shrugged.

“Sith is a great help.”

Biting my lip, I looked back at Arius. The look in his eyes told me there was no wiggle room with this. I turned to the man. “Felix.” He nodded. “What’s your favorite band?”

His eyebrows rose, he looked at Arius, then back to me, a blank look on his face.

I grinned. “Excellent a clean slate. I can work with that. If you’d been a thrash or screamo fan, it would have been a deal breaker.”

He looked at Arius again. “I don’t know what that is.”

I gave him a thumb up.

Arius shook his head and motioned to the door. “You can go out with the next team.”

“Oh.” I turned and went to the table, grabbing the next addresses. In the process I cut my finger on the edge of the paper. Sticking it in my mouth, I went over and handed Arius the pages. Turning he handed them to Felix. With a nod the man walked back out the door.

Arius pulled my hand away from my mouth. Holding it, he looked down as the blood filled the cut again. Leaning down, he put it in his mouth, rolling his tongue over it.

I stood there, holding my breath looking up into his red eyes.

He lifted his head slowly, pulling my finger across his fangs.

I shuddered, heat moving through me.

He backed away, releasing my hand. Turning he walked out.

“Did the temperature in here just get hotter?” Daxx asked.

“I think it did,” Bethany said softly.

“I don’t know how you resist him.” Crissy said.

Alona fanned her face. “I’m going to go find Chase and cut my finger.”

“Chase doesn’t have healing saliva.” Daxx stated.

Alona rolled her eyes. “Who cares?” She pointed to me. “I want what she just got.”

My cheeks heated. I put my hands over them. “Is it true the blood bond has worn off?

Daxx looked to Alona. “When were we in that office?”

Alona sighed, “It’s been more than long enough.”

I huffed out a breath and dropped my hands. “So he’s not cheating, and knowing what I feel?”

Alona shook her head. “No, that’s all Arius magic now.” She smirked.

“I’m sunk, aren’t I?” I looked from one to the next.

“I don’t know how you’ve resisted this long,” Bethany whispered as she stood up and stretched. “Only thing that delayed Leone and I was I fell out of a building and broke—” she looked down her body, “everything.”

Alona nodded. “Resisting Chase was like denying my body its breath.”

Daxx snorted. “As you know, there was no resisting from me.” She went over and looked at what was left on the tray of snacks.

“I just don’t know—” I said leaning against the back of the couch. “We’ve known each other for less than a week.”

“We should get her gloves.” Crissy got up and went and added more pages to the pile at the end of the table.

“Gloves?” I gave Alona a wide-eyed look.

Alona nodded. “If your left palms can’t touch, the mark can’t happen.”

Beth groaned. “That tip would have saved some tense moments after my accidentally agreeing to be marked.”

Daxx shrugged. “Next female that ends up in our lives, I think we should just hand her gloves.”

Alona laughed. “We’ll make an introductory package, tell them what’s really going on.”

“Why does that sound like it would be bad for us?”

We turned to see Chase leaning in the doorway.

“We were discussing gloves.” I said.

He raised an eyebrow and zeroed in on Alona. “I’m quite fond of gloves.”

Alona blushed. “Behave, I’m working.”

“I know. It’s been non-stop commotion and fighting for hours now.” He sighed, “Except the trap, it was a bust. So we still don’t have a group we can trust.”

“Fighting?” I straightened away from the couch.

“Mmm,” he moved toward the map. “Not all our searches have been abandoned by team bad’s goons.”

“Oh.” I hugged my waist. “Is everyone all right?”

He leaned closer to the map and nodded. “Our teams are fine, Arius has new residents in his maze, so all are happy.” He shrugged and turned around. “Well, except the new residents.” He glanced to Alona. “I’ve come to tell you that we now have the rat scientist in custody as well, and,” He smiled, “to see if I can steal my mate away for a break.”

Daxx nodded. “I was going to suggest we all take a break.” She motioned to the papers. “After the near miss with Paisley’s hand, we don’t want to chance more of that happening again.”

Bethany and Alona laughed. Crissy jumped up and grabbed her pack. “I’m going to go find Victor.” She ran out of the room.

“What have I missed?” Chase looked from Alona laughing behind her hand to Bethany.

Alona waved her hand at him. “It’s complicated.”

He frowned. “I can do complicated.”

Daxx was texting on her phone. “I’m going to go see if I can find my king.”

Bethany grabbed her phone. “Can I lead you anywhere? I know where most of the hallways lead.”

I nodded. “I’d like to go see if I recognize any of the men being brought in. I can’t stop thinking about those women taken off the island.”

She nodded. “Okay, I know how to get to the cells.”

“Dress fitting in two hours.” Daxx called out. “Don’t make me do that alone.”

~

I stood in front of the monitors, looking from one to the next, trying to see if any of the men in the cells looked familiar. Each time Arius was on one of the monitors, I was distracted. The way he held himself, the confidence he exuded was striking. I blew out a breath. This wasn’t a blood bond, or something created by being his mate, this was just the fact that he was an attractive, confident, sexy man.

He finished talking to a guard, then walked out of view of the camera.

I felt him come in, before I heard him. I turned, he stood there looking at me. “I wanted to see if any of the men brought in were the ones that left with those girls.” I hugged my waist. “I can’t stop thinking about them.”

He motioned to the monitors. “Are any of these them? There’s more in the cells without the cameras.”

I turned back to them. “I can’t really see them clearly.”

He stepped over and reached around me. “These buttons select the corresponding monitor.”

I watched him punch one of the buttons.

“You use this to zoom in or out.” He ran his hand over a track ball next to the buttons.

I looked up to see the man’s face much clearer on the monitor. “That’s much better.”

“Take your time, they’re not going anywhere.”

I could feel his breath on my neck as he spoke. I hit the next button and watched the screen as he zoomed in. I shook my head and went to the next.

Arius continued to stand close enough that our bodies brushed against one another as we went through all the screens.

“I don’t have the rest in the files yet, the guards are still processing them.”

Turning, I looked up at him.

His eyes held mine. “I can take you to see the rest.”

I nodded, unsure if my voice would work. Being this close to him was causing reactions inside me that made me wish I was here for other reasons.

“We’ll go now,” he said looking at my mouth, “before I get myself into more trouble.” He stepped back.

I followed him, he stopped, swore softly and spun around. He cupped the side of my face and kissed me. Before I could react, he lifted his head and let go of me.

“I’m starving for you.” He said, then backed away and held his hand toward the door.

I stood there for a moment with my mouth open. What does a girl say to that, I wondered, then realized he hadn’t waited for me. I went out and rushed down the hall to where he stood.

“They won’t be able to see you.” He waited until I acknowledged I’d heard, then started down a hallway lined with clear walls.

We moved along, one cell after the other, stopping so I could look at the man inside.

“There’s so many.” I whispered after going by a dozen or more.

“We’ve had a huge increase lately with everything Hubert has been doing.” He stood and waited for me to study the next man.

I looked down a hall of more clear walls to our left. “What happens if you run out of room?”

He smirked, “those with lesser crimes,” he took a few steps to the next one, “are transferred to work farms to rehabilitate. None associated with Hubert will ever see outside of these walls.”

I crossed my arms and looked at the man standing in the middle of his small cell, staring off into space. I didn’t know the first thing about him, but he had an expression on his face that clearly said he regretted decisions that landed him here. “He’s having a serious discussion inside his head.” I said quietly.

Arius chuckled, “most do. The ones that don’t are the ones that are harder to contain.” We stepped to the next cell, he motioned to the man inside. “Like him.”

I turned to see the man pacing frantically, then smacking the wall each time he met it.

He placed his hand on my back. “Step back for a moment, so he can’t see you.”

I nodded and watched while he did something on a panel.

Arius knocked on the wall. The man stopped and glared at him. Crossing his arms, Arius just stood there looking at him. The man’s brow furrowed. He shook his head, then stepped back and sat down. Arius tapped the panel.

“Did you do something?” I stepped back beside him.

He shook his head. “I have to be touching someone to get in their mind.” He motioned to the man. “He’s not wearing a device, so he’s from this side.” He shrugged, “most know me—and what I can do, so just my presence settles them down.”

“You like being,” I waved my hand around, “scary?”

He smirked. “Not necessarily, but it is helpful to make life in here easier.”

We stepped to the next cell. “What if they’re wearing a device?”

He crossed his arms. “Then they’re usually so shell-shocked they’re manageable.”

I shook my head, so we’d move to the next one. “And when they’re zapped here, or whatever—what if they need a device and don’t have one?”

Glancing down at me, his eyes moved over my face for a moment. “I won’t lie and say none have died, but we do have intake cells prepped that can act like a giant device.” His jaw clenched, “sometimes it doesn’t register on the initial scan for one reason or another, so as soon as we take them out…” He gave me a quick look but didn’t say anymore.

I looked from him slowly to the man in the cell. There was something familiar about him. I looked at his arm to see he had no device, or cuff. “Can you get him to look up?”

Arius cocked his head and looked down at me, then he nodded and hit a button. “Stand on the line.” The man’s head snapped up, he looked around like he was expecting someone to be in there with him. Getting up, he moved over to a white line on the floor and stared at the wall we were looking through.

“He’s one of them. He left with a tiny blonde woman.” I nodded and hugged my waist. “Was she…” I swallowed, not sure if I wanted to ask.

“I can find out.” He picked up his phone. “Michael, you have the women catalogued?” He shook his head. “Paisley recognizes one of the men who left the island with one of them.” Nodding, his eyes stayed on my face the whole time. “Grab Troy and get him down here too, I want to know what’s in his head.” He smirked. “I don’t care what he’s doing.” Shaking his head, he hung up. “Michael has photos of the women.”

I nodded.

Turning, he motioned to one of the guards at the end of the hall. “Do you want to wait in the office?”

I looked back at the man. “I’ll wait here if that’s okay.”

His grey eyes moved over my face slowly. “You may not want to…”

I shook my head. “I’ll wait here.”

“As you wish.” The guard came over. Arius motioned to the man I’d identified. “Did he come in alone?’ The guard shook his head. Motioning to a cell on the corner, “move the other one to that cell.” The guard nodded and went in the other direction.

I heard footsteps echoing and turned to see Victor striding toward us, Michael right behind him. Victor gave Arius a curious look.

Arius motioned to the man still standing on the white line. “Paisley recognized him as one of the men that left the island with a woman.”

Michael glanced up and then tapped the tablet he held.

I looked up to see a number at the top of the cell.

He looked up from the tablet to Victor then to Arius. His jaw muscles clenched.

“She had short choppy blonde hair.” I added for clarification sake. “She would cover for me as I searched for a way off.” I said quietly.

Victor gave the man inside the kind of look I’d never want to be on the other end of.

Michael handed the tablet to Arius.

He looked down at it, then to me and heaved a heavy sigh. Holding it out, he placed his hand on my shoulder. “Is this her?”

I looked at the tablet to see a photo of the woman I remembered, the one side of her face was bruised and swollen. I covered my mouth and nodded quickly.

Arius handed the tablet back to Michael and turned.

“Arius.” Victor said in a firm tone.

Stopping, Arius looked at him.

Victor shook his head. “We’ll let Troy look, first.” He motioned to the cell the man stood in. “If you go in there, his mind will be clouded with pain.”

Arius stopped and crossed his arms over his chest.

A commotion at the end of the hall, had him spinning around. The guard was back with a man, he was pushing him in our direction.

Victor grasped my shoulders lightly and moved me, so I’d step back.

The man wore a blue cuff on his arm.

As they reached the corner the man turned and grabbed for the guard, his eyes were bright green.

Arius bolted toward them and used his forearm to knock the man back. He made a low growling sound when the man glared at him. “Try it.”

A shiver went down my spine from the lethal tone in his voice.

Arius shoved him toward the open cell. Then hit the panel beside it. He turned to the guard. “What class is he?”

The guard looked at the floor, then to Michael briefly. “Class five.”

Arius jolted like he’d smacked him. “And you didn’t bind his hands and cover them to move him?”

The guard stared at the floor. “He’s been complacent the entire time.”

Arius made a sound of frustration. “So is a wild animal, until you open the gate.” He motioned down the hall. “Go review the regulations, so you remember all of them.”

The guard nodded, turned and hurried down the hall.

Arius huffed out a breath and glared at the man he’d just shoved in the cell.

I looked up at Victor. “Class five?”

Victor nodded, without looking away from his agitated sibling. “A ranking system in place to categorize the level of danger associated with certain types of feeders.”

Eyes wide I gawked at him. “And class five is?”

“The highest level.” He said quietly. “With a touch he can drain the life from you.”

I blinked and looked at the man in the cell.

Arius heaved a loud sigh and came over. He motioned to the man he’d pushed in the cell. “Is he familiar at all?”

I took a deep breath and looked at the man sneering at the wall. “He looks similar to the man that left with the women, but I can’t be sure. I only recognized the other one because he kept looking at me and giving me a creepy smile.”

Arius growled and turned to Michael.

Michael nodded, “I’m looking.”

“What did the other woman look like, Paisley?” Victor asked in a calmer tone.

“Uh,” I closed my eyes for a second and tried to calm down. Opening them I looked at Michael. “She had shoulder length brown hair,” I bit my lip, “and a beauty mark beside her mouth.”

Michael tapped the screen. “Yes, she’s here.” His eyes flicked to Arius briefly.

I looked at the man with the blue cuff. “What about the girl he was with? Did he…”

Michael looked up from the tablet. “We’ve had each one seen by a doctor; I don’t see anything to indicate he fed from her.”

I nodded and held my hand over my fast-beating heart. “That’s good.”

Troy came walking quickly down the hall, his hair wasn’t neatly secured behind his head. “What’s going on? I was,” he paused and looked at me, “busy.”

Victor smirked and motioned to the two cells. “Paisley has identified two males that left the island with women.”

Daxx came down the hall quickly. “This better be important.”

Troy looked at her for a moment then to Michael. “And the women?”

Michael held the tablet out and scrolled between two screens.

Daxx hissed out a breath and turned to look at the men. “I can go in and stick my raptor in his…”

All the men turned to look at her.

Troy groaned and leaned to look at her back. He pulled a leather case with small, curved handle sticking out of it. “You know you’re not supposed to bring weapons into the cells.”

She shrugged. “Let one of them try to get it off me.” She snarled at the man in the cell.

Sighing, Troy handed the blade to Victor. He bent down and shoved it into his boot.

Michael motioned to the cuffed man, “he’s a level five, so it’s going to get tricky.”

Troy looked at the other man. “Which one was with the blonde?”

Arius motioned to the first prisoner.

Troy nodded. “We’ll start there.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a leather cord and quickly pulled his hair back to secure it.

With an abrupt nod, Arius did something on the panel beside the door to that cell.

Troy, Arius and Victor stepped in and the door closed.

Daxx leaned closer. “He turned off the blocker for abilities, so Troy can use his.”

I nodded, not taking my eyes off the men inside.

The man backed away as Troy walked over to him. There was no emotion visible on Troy’s face as he stopped and just stood there, looking at him.

I waited to see what he did, but he just continued to stand there. I looked at Daxx. “Is he in that man’s head?”

She bobbed her head. “Yep.”

Troy straightened and glanced at the wall we were looking through then turned to look at Arius and Victor. He shook his head. Victor’s expression hardened. Arius’ went from distaste to fury. He stepped past his brother and grabbed the man by the throat.

Troy spun and pulled at his brother’s arm until Arius released him. The man slumped to the floor, his chest heaving.

Jerking his arm from Troy, Arius went over and hit the pad by the door and stepped out. Troy and Victor followed him.

Daxx gave me a startled look, then she turned to her mate. “Troy, what did you see?”

Cold hazel eyes looked at her for a moment, then he gave an abrupt shake of his head.

I took a step toward Arius, he stood there his chest rising and falling quickly. Seeing him that upset bothered me. I placed my hand on his arm and looked up at him.

Looking down at me, he took a few deep breaths, not looking away from me. When he was calmer, he touched my hand and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“Do we want to know with this one?” Troy motioned to the cell the man with the cuff was in.

Michael motioned down the hall. “I can go get our leather jackets.”

I looked from him to Daxx, then realized they wanted to cover their skin, so he couldn’t touch any of them. “I can help.”

Arius frowned down at me and shook his head.

I motioned to the door. “I can stand at the door and stop him from moving.” I turned and looked at Troy, “you don’t need to touch him, right?”

Troy gave a slight shake of his head, his eyes moving to Arius’.

“No.” Arius shook his head.

“I can hold him immobile for a minute or so,” I glanced to Victor, “I don’t know how much internal damage it would do to hold him longer.”

Victor raised an eyebrow and looked over my head to Arius. “We can stand on either side of her.” He motioned to Michael.

Turning back, I looked up at Arius, touching his arm lightly again. “I want to help. We need to know, so those women can be properly treated.”

The nerve in his jaw twitched as he looked down at me. His eyes flicked to his brothers and then back down at me.

“Please, Arius. Why was I given this ability if I don’t use it for good reasons?” I whispered.

He inhaled slowly and then let it out. Lifting his head, he looked at Troy. “You have thirty seconds, brother, so dig quickly.”

Troy gave him an abrupt nod.

Glancing to me once more, Arius searched my face, then reached over and did something on the panel beside the door. He stepped into the cell and slowly walked toward the man. He stepped back a few feet.

When Troy went in the man sneered. “Your highness.”

Victor and Michael went in and stood on opposite sides of the door; the man’s expression became guarded.

I stood between the two large men.

“Well, well.” The man looked at me a lewd expression on his face. “Hello, pretty. I know you.” His eyes moved over me. “I should have selected you.”

Arius growled.

“Do it now, sister.” Michael whispered.

Raising my hands, I focused on him and his expression changed. “Don’t step in front of me. I have to be able to see him.” I said quietly.

Troy moved closer.

My heart was racing in my chest as I waited for them to tell me to stop.

“Let him go.” Troy said. As I did, he swung and punched the man in the face, he slumped to the floor. “I just saved your worthless life.” He growled.

Turning, he motioned to the door, making sure Arius went in front of him.

I stepped back out into the hall.

No one spoke until Arius closed the door again.

The nerve in Troy’s jaw twitched. He looked at Daxx for a moment, then turned to Michael. “He didn’t feed off her,” his eyes flicked to me briefly, “it may have been better for her if he had.”

Daxx covered her mouth.

I took a ragged breath and looked at Arius. “Can you make someone forget something like that?”

He gave me a pained look, then shook his head. “No. Not with that kind of physical trauma.”

I held my hand over my chest, trying to not shake. “There’s a—” I couldn’t say it out loud, “crisis center for women downtown,” I glanced to Daxx, “on our side.”

“We have to be careful who knows the location of the safe houses.” Michael said quietly.

Victor cleared his throat. “I’ll get in touch with our medical staff and see if we have anyone qualified, or if they know of someone on the other side.”

Troy nodded slowly.

“Can we round up some more telepaths, males only, and have them help Troy with every man brought in on these raids?” Arius was watching me as he spoke. “So we can help any women involved.”

Michael nodded. “I’ll get on it.”

Victor turned. “I’ll go talk to the doctor and send more guards down here to help.”

I put my shaking hand over my stomach. “I don’t feel well,” I said breathlessly, “that—that could have been me if I hadn’t jumped off the cliff.” I leaned over my knees.

“Get her out of here.” Troy said in a soft tone.

Arius came over and scooped me up into his arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck and squeezed as I pushed my face into his throat. I was trying not to cry but the reality of what could have happened, what had happened to others washed over me. My breath caught in my throat and the tears started to fall.

Arius leaned his cheek to rest against mine as he walked. “Babe, don’t cry.”

I did what everyone does when someone tells you not to cry. I started crying harder.

I heard doors open, then close, behind us.

“Arius is my twin hiding…” Chase stopped speaking.

“Paisley?” Alona’s voice reflected my pain.

“Talk to Michael.” Arius said and started walking again.

“Daxx?” Alona sounded like she was crying.

“I can’t right now, Alona, I’m sorry.” Daxx said.

“What the hell is going on?” Chase sounded angry.

Arius held me tighter, “My room is just around the corner.”

I nodded and squeezed his neck tighter. “I’m sorry…”

“Don’t be.” I heard a door close then he sat down. Shifting, he gently pulled my head, so I would look at him.

We were sitting in a large armed chair. I looked in his eyes, so full of pain and compassion, I started crying again.

Gently cupping my face, he wiped the tears from my cheeks with his thumbs. “We will do everything inhumanly and humanly possible to help those women.” He leaned forward and gently kissed my quivering lips. “We have an entire realm of abilities; we’ll find something to help them.” His eyes searched my face. “Each man involved will be punished and pay for their involvement in this.”

I tried to slow my breathing, to calm down. I squeezed my eyes shut. “Those poor women.”

He hugged me against his chest, his hand gently stroking my hair. “Thanks to you, we’re finding each one of them.”

“We’re too late for some.” I started sobbing again.

He rocked me gently in his arms. “It’s killing me to see you like this.” His breath was warm against my ear. “I need to help you.” He kissed my cheek. “Let me help you, babe, let me soothe your pain.”

I looked at him. “You want to get in my head and tell me to not feel it?”

He leaned his forehead against mine. “No. I don’t want to change a thing inside this beautiful mind.”

I wiped my eye roughly. “I don’t understand.”

Lifting his head, his large hands surrounding my face. “With my blood, through that connection.”

I hiccupped. “How? I thought that…”

He kissed my mouth softly. “I didn’t project to you before, just monitored how you were feeling,” His eyes searched mine, a look of vulnerability in them. “Not to spy on you, or use against you, just to know your reaction—to me.”

I felt dumb in that moment. I’d assumed he was being a creeper like Martin had been. I took a shaky breath. “So-so you can project feelings to me?”

He nodded. “Mates do it through their connection. I have something similar with my brothers…”

“And you want to be connected to me too? That’s a lot of connections.” I frowned.

His mouth quirked, “I can compartmentalize. Trust me I only share with my brothers when it’s absolutely necessary.”

I blew out a shaky breath, holding my hand over my stomach. “I still feel sick.”

“That’s delayed shock.” He brushed the hair back from my face, “most would have felt that right after being hauled out of the water and being ported to another realm.”

I glanced to his eyes again. “I’m different.”

He smiled. “I know. In a perfect way.” He kissed my mouth softly. “Let me help you. Give you some peace, and keep you steady, so you can help us find all those women.”

Inhaling through my nose, I blew it out trying to shake the churning in my stomach. I was cradled in his lap, the last thing I wanted to do was throw up on him. “Arius, we barely know each other.” I looked into his eyes as I spoke, he returned my look without hesitation. “I feel some kind of connection to you, but—” I sighed, “I don’t want to jump into this mating thing,” I frowned, “I have horrible taste in men. Look at Martin.”

He raised an eyebrow. “You’re comparing me to that scum?”

I shook my head, “No. I was just saying I tend to misread signals and ignore all the signs that I should be reading.”

He studied me silently for a moment. “A connection through blood wears out of your system if it’s not renewed frequently. This will not tie you to me irrevocably.” His tone was quiet, guarded.

I felt lower than slime. He was trying to help me, and I was comparing him to someone who used me, drugged me and then left me on an island with insane people. “Can it go both ways?”

His brow creased. “A blood bond?”

I nodded.

“It can,” he said slowly, “if we exchange each other’s.”

I nodded again. “Then we’ll do that. It’s only fair that I lurk about in your emotions if you’re doing it to me.”

He gave me a surprised look. “You want a full blood bond?”

I didn’t know if I did, but I nodded once more anyway. The idea was intriguing and definitely something I could say I’d never done before. “I’d feel better about it then.”

Leaning forward, he kissed my mouth softly. “Then we’ll do that.” Shifting, he let go of me and pulled his shirt over his head in one fast, smooth move.

I looked at his chest for a moment, as traumatic moments went, that wasn’t a bad way to distract me from the turmoil inside me.

“Paisley,” he said softly.

My eyes jumped to look back to his.

He raised an eyebrow, “looking at me like that isn’t going to help me behave and earn your trust.”

My cheeks heated. “Sorry. I’m used to meeker, unmuscular humans.”

He chuckled, then jerked his chin to the right. “Reach down and pull the blade from my ankle.”

I turned and reached down, pulling his pant leg up, I took the handle sticking up out of a case. “I thought weapons in the cells were a no-no.” I held it out to him.

Grinning, he looked at me for a moment. “My cells, my rules.”

“Uh huh.” I watched the playfulness leave his eyes and a softer, more serious look replaced it.

He inhaled slowly, his eyes holding mine. “You completely undo me when you hold my gaze and don’t look away.” His voice was so quiet when he said it.

I touched his face gently. “There’s no reason to look away.”

Grasping the back of my head, he shifted and slid down in the chair a bit. He didn’t look away from me as he cut into his chest. I leaned forward at the same time he moved my head closer. Licking the blood trailing down his chest, I closed my mouth over the slice in his flesh and sucked on it.

He took a ragged breath when it sealed, and I lifted my head. His eyes were red, his fangs visible as he took deep breaths. “I don’t think I can cut you.” He said softly.

I leaned back. “Then use these.” I touched the sharp teeth in his mouth.

I heard the knife hit the floor, then he moved so I was lying across his lap. Supporting my head and upper body with one hand, he leaned me back. My own breathing became as uneven as his gaze traveled over me.

Leaning forward, he pulled my hip tight against his body. He licked over my neck, making me suck in my breath. When his fangs punctured my flesh, the breath escaped all at once. A heat filled me when he lifted his head and looked down at me. I could feel the blood running over my skin from the open marks.

With a soft growl, he leaned down and sucked on my neck. It was the most erotic thing I’d ever felt. Licking the wounds, he lifted his head and looked down at me again. His breathing was heavier.

The hand holding me shook slightly as he bent down to place a soft kiss on my mouth. Shifting again, he cradled me in his arms, so my cheek rested against his chest. Part of me was disappointed he’d stopped, the other part respected that he had been able to stop, despite my hormones wishing for more.

I closed my eyes and listened to his heart beating, the soft rhythm of his breathing. My stomach settled and the feelings of mourning inside me eased. It was the first time since I’d woke up on that island that I’d felt like I might come out on the other side of this. “Are you doing that?”

“Mmm,” he kissed the top of my head, “just relax and go with it for a while.”

Curling my arms into my chest, I snuggled my face into his neck and sighed. It felt good.

I don’t know how long we stayed like that, I felt like I was drifting in and out of a dream state.

I heard a soft knock on the door but didn’t move.

“I brought some tea.” It was Bethany.

“Thank you.” Arius said quietly.

“How’s she doing?” Leone whispered.

Arius’ chest rose and fell with a deep breath. “She’s exhausted and emotionally drained. She agreed to a bond so I can help her rest.”

“Good.” Beth whispered. “You need to rest too, Arius. I don’t think you’ve slept since you saw her jump off that cliff.”

He inhaled a deep breath. “I’ll be fine.”

Leone made a hissing noise. “Stretch out with her for a few hours. I’m heading to the cells to help, so is Raf. Quinton is leading the teams going out. Troy is wrangling Daxx right now, she wants to go kill anything that moves.”

“She doesn’t do emotion well.” Beth whispered. “Alona, Crissy and I are going to drag her in to help go through the files and find more to rescue.”

“We’ve got it covered for a few hours, brother. Ensure you and your mate rest. We’re going to need you both at full strength when we breach the island.” Leone said, his voice moving away.

“We’ll see you later.” Beth said quietly, then a door closed.

“I know you’re awake.” Arius said quietly.

I leaned back. “Through the bond?”

He shook his head, “no, your breathing.” Taking a deep breath, he stood up, taking me with him. “They’re right, a short rest wouldn’t hurt either of us.” He walked over and stopped at the bed. “Or would you rather go lay in your bed?”

I shook my head. “No. Alone is bad right now.”

With a quick nod, he knelt on the bed and lay me on top of it. “Do you want some tea?”

“No. Not right now.” Even in the low light, I could see the hesitation on his face. Reaching up, I tugged on his hand. “Rest.”

He lay down slowly, then pulled me against his warm body. Reaching behind me, he pulled the cover and draped it over me. I wiggled so I was cuddled into his chest. He huffed out a breath. “I feel like an awkward teenager right now.” He said with emotion in his voice. “I’ve never lain in bed with a woman before.”

I rolled back, so I could look at him. “If you tell me you’re a virgin I’m going to call you a liar.”

He grinned. “No. I didn’t say I’d never had sex before.” With a soft touch, he brushed the hair out of my eyes. “I said I’d never lain in bed like this before.” His gaze caressed my face. “Women I’ve been with won’t even look me in the eye, so cuddles afterward are definitely not on the menu.”

I took a moment to decide if I was shocked or just angry by that. Both perhaps.

Arius studied me. “I can feel your anger.” He sounded surprised.

“I am angry. That’s cold and awful.” I cuddled against him again. “If we are confessing things, I’ve never lain in bed with such a sweet, irresistible inhuman man before.”

It was his turn to lean back and look down at me. “You caught that earlier?”

I nodded. “Is that what your people are classified as?”

His brows furrowed, “I don’t know that it is or isn’t. We’re not human, or not just human at least. Troy likes to say we’re demons, but that doesn’t fit either and Chase…”

“Is his own specie.”

He chuckled. “That he is.” He took a deep breath. “I don’t know what I am or aren’t, right now I’m just happy I’m with you.” Pulling me tight against his body again, he kissed the top of my head. “Rest. The next few days are going to be very trying.”

“Arius—thank you.” I closed my eyes and pressed my ear against his chest, so I could listen to his heartbeat.