Chapter 14

A week later I found myself standing in the practice room. Alone. Talking to myself. I was supposed to be practicing what Clairee and her coven—of magical witches—had figured out, that was supposed to help me not drain my own health or energy when I used my magic.

It worked too, when I could focus.

I was irrevocably mated, to a giant with a gentle heart and stupid ideas. Yes, I was still mad at him. Oh and through the mate bond I would now live beyond my human life span. I didn’t know what that was in numbers, but knew it was going to be a century or more than I’d ever thought I’d live.

My sleeve tattoo proved we were rare, true mates. That was kind of exciting, I supposed. Billions of people in this realm and the other, and I’d actually found a true mate. Yay me. Too bad I hadn’t known such a thing existed before I’d become one, irrevocably.

The longest relationship I’d ever had lasted a week. One week. Seven days. Now I was mated for, possibly, all eternity. That was pretty serious on the wow scale.

I was being petty, holding it against him, I knew. Sure, I was attracted to him like I didn’t think was possible, and his sexy red eyes, let’s not forget his hot fangs—but still I’d fought to be and do what I wanted and now I was—

I blew out a breath and danced around like a boxer warming up for a match. “Don’t think it, just do it. Don’t think it, just do it.”

“Seems to me chanting it is probably the same as thinking it.”

I spun around to see Leone standing in the door. Dressed in dark leather vest and pants, looking sexy as hell. Dammit.

“I’m just distracted.” I turned my back to him and looked at the metal target Michael had set up for me.

“I know.” I heard his boots on the mat. “You’re thinking endlessly.” He stood beside me now.

“I’m still processing.” I gave him a ‘go away’ look.

“It’s been a week.” His brown eyes assessed me.

I shrugged. “It’s a lot to process.” I held up my left arm, like I needed to remind him.

He held out his that matched it.

I frowned and backed away from him. For the past week he kept appearing and always knew when he’d affected me. It was annoying. It wasn’t fair my stomach filled with butterflies every time I was near him. I held up my palms, sparks coming from them as I stepped back further.

He raised an eyebrow and walked toward me.

Scowling, I focused harder and made them arc off each other.

His expression didn’t change.

My back hit the wall. He reached me and grabbed my hands and pinned them to the wall beside me.

Leaning down, he brushed a kiss over my mouth, then moved to nuzzle my neck. “I miss you.” He whispered. “You show me I’m stronger than I ever thought, then leave me wanting the one thing I can’t have, all over again.” He kissed my neck, then lifted his head. His eyes were red.

I looked at his mouth, knowing the fangs inside would bite into me if I asked. I took a shaky breath.

He looked at my mouth, then lowered his head and kissed me gently, trying to coax my mouth to open. I did return his kiss; how could I resist that?

When he lifted his head, I exhaled trying to settle my breathing. “I just need time.”

“I know. I wait every night.” He said quietly.

“I don’t understand it. I was everything you couldn’t have—then I’m not?”

He kissed me softly again. “I’m the one that messed it up, Beth, I accept that.”

“I thought, the whole time I was going to be locked in the cells—I had no idea what a mate was, never mind that you knew I was yours.”

“I know. I’m sorry. My head was a mess. Then you talked me into feeding off you. I don’t even crave it now—” he shook his head, “others—there’s only you. Every time I feed for the past week tastes like ass. You broke me of an addiction I’d fought every day for decades—so yes, I fucked up and rushed to mark you, so I didn’t lose you.”

My heart was melting into a puddle as he spoke. Unfortunately, my head still needed to process. Pulling my hand free from his, I brushed my hair back over my shoulder and exposed my neck to him. I couldn’t deny him that. I felt somehow it was my responsibility now.

His eyes flicked from my neck to my eyes a few times. He smirked. “Can I have you naked, beneath me while I feed?”

I shook my head. “Not just yet.”

“Can I try to change your mind?”

“If you think you can.”

He grinned. “That wasn’t a no.” He pulled me by the hips and then lifted me and pinned me to the wall with his body.

As persuasion went, this was a very good start.

His mouth moved over my throat, placing soft kisses along it.

The anticipation of waiting for his fangs to pierce my skin made me shiver. “Leone, bite me.” I hissed.

He chuckled briefly and then his fangs sunk into my neck.

I sucked in a breath and realized I’d missed this. Missed being near him too.

Licking over it, he grasped the back of my head and kissed me roughly.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I ran my tongue over his fangs. He moaned.

“God’s! I’m going to need a cold shower soon. I just walked in on Troy and Daxx—in Michael’s office. Doesn’t anyone use their own rooms anymore?”

Leone lowered me, then turned to look at Chase. “Your timing sucks, brother.”

Chase smirked. “That’s what older brothers are for.”

Leone laughed. “If that were true I’d still be a virgin. What do you want?”

Chase sighed. “No one is answering their phones, although now I know why. My mate has sent me to fetch everyone—apparently king translates into fetch—there’s a meeting.”

“About?”

Chase threw his hand up. “No idea. She won’t say.”

“The meeting.” I pushed past Leone. “I forgot.”

He looked from Chase to me. “You knew?”

I nodded.

He gave me a curious look. “What is it about?”

“Guess you’ll have to come find out.” I started walking out of the room.

“I sense an ambush, brother.” Chase said as I went by him.

“Yeah.” Leone was right on my heels.

~

“You want to do what?” Troy looked from Daxx to Chase then back to his mate again.

“Just hear us out.” Daxx gave him a hard look.

Leone glanced down the table at me. “Absolutely not.”

I frowned. “Why?”

“Why?” His voice grew louder. “Aside from the fact that letting Lou out of the cells is insane, screwing around in someone’s head drains you.”

I shook my head. “No. It doesn’t now. I’ve been practising.” I pointed to Rafael. “Ask Raf.”

Chase made a strangled noise as Leone turned slowly to look at his brother.

Leone gave him a serious look. “You’ve been allowing my mate in your head?” His words were slow.

“Shit,” Chase muttered.

“Fuck,” Troy cussed almost at the same time.

I leaned forward in the chair. “I couldn’t do it to Daxx, she’s immune to magic.” I waved my hand toward Crissy. “She has enough going on in her head and Alona has more walls and barriers in there then a maze. Raf was at the temple when Clairee and I figured out a way to do it without draining me, so he volunteered.”

“Of course he did.” Quinton sat back and looked from Rafael to Leone. The tension was almost visible.

“Raf,” Leone said in an even voice, “later we need to discuss boundaries.”

Rafael shrugged. “Fine, but the point here is she did it repeatedly, for over an hour, without even looking tired.” He smirked, “having her chatter inside your head is…”

Leone glared at him.

Rafael cleared his throat, “but you already know what it’s like.” He finished quietly.

“This is getting us nowhere.” Alona said quietly.

Crissy knelt on her chair, getting right in her mate’s face. “Vic, it’s a good plan.” She nodded enthusiastically.

He gave her a soft look and then sighed and looked to Daxx. “Explain it again.” He held up his hand, “without interruption.”

Later I needed to find out how the ranks worked in this family. Everyone listened when Victor spoke.

Daxx glanced to me, I nodded.

“Okay. We let Lou out, then follow him.” She motioned to her mate. “Bethany is going to get inside his head and get him to lead us to the landmarks Troy picked out of his head.”

Victor looked around at his siblings. “It’s a sound plan with proper preparation.”

Leone made a sound of exasperation. “Yeah, except it’s my mate following him around to do this. Have you all forgotten the last time Beth put herself in harm’s way to help us? I haven’t,” he tapped his head, “it’s burned into my memory forever.”

The pain on his face broke my heart. Hey, superman, I whispered inside his head.

Leone’s head snapped to look at me.

You’ll be right beside me the whole time. I whispered so only he could hear.

His expression changed. “Fuck.” He got up and went into the kitchen.

Chase started to get up when Alona put her hand on his arm and shook her head. She looked down at me.

Taking a deep breath, I got up and followed where he’d gone.

He stood on the other side of a very large, very white, spotless kitchen. The fridge was the size of my closet bedroom. His back was to me, hands on his hips with his head hanging down.

“Hey,” I went up behind him and put my hand on his back.

He turned and looked down at me. “I see you laying there broken every time I close my eyes.”

“I’m not anymore, thanks to you.”

“I don’t—” he shook his head.

“You can’t seal me in a bubble, Leone. I can’t live like that. I don’t run away from problems—I solve them.”

Scooping the back of my head in his big hand, he pulled me toward him, tilting my head up. “Did you ever think that’s why you get into trouble?”

I shrugged, “it’s how I am.”

He made a sound of frustration. “If anything happens to you again, they’re going to have to put me down like a wounded animal.”

“I won’t take risks.”

His eyes held mine for a long moment. He cursed softly then kissed me hard on the mouth. Releasing me, he walked back into the dining room. “I want a camera and tracker on Lou. In case we lose him in a crowd.”

Victor nodded.

“And,” Leone pointed to me, “If anything goes down, someone gets Beth the hell out of there.”

“I will.” Daxx nodded to me, looking very happy now.

Leone heaved a loud sigh and glanced to Troy. “Let’s do it.”