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He stepped into the bedroom, scanning over it briefly before turning back to me. "No, I think I'll be alright. Thank you for your hospitality. I apologize for any inconvenience I'm causing."
I jerked my head once. "No problem. Night."
Not waiting for him to return the sentiment, I stalked back down the stairs and into the dining room. The others had cleared out except for Marcus. I could hear Darren banging around in the kitchen, no doubt still pissed off by Jack's presence. Of all the guys, he was the most jealous of outsiders.
"Where'd everyone go?" I asked, sliding into my seat. Darren had made my favorite chicken fettuccine tonight. I took a big bite. Hmm. Yum. Still good, even lukewarm. I'd have to make sure to thank him.
"Antoine had business to attend to, and the others went to hunt." Marcus sat at the table, his metal container holding their daily ration of blood in it between his hands.
I turned my attention in his direction. "You didn't want something...warmer?" I swallowed hard and flushed. Talking about feeding always made my body heat up lately. Darren had explained to me that by being a human servant, my body expected me to give blood often and made it so that I would find it a pleasant experience.
When I had to donate to Marcus, it was more than a pleasant experience. More like orgasmic. It had made things between us...complicated.
While I had told Jack I was dating them all, I didn't actually know that for sure. I mean, Marcus and I exchanged a couple of kisses and some blood, but we hadn't had sex. We hadn't even said much to each other since then. I honestly didn't know what to say or how to go about it. It made sense that I would end up with all of them. I'd already basically screwed my way through the family as it was. What was one more?
It wasn't like I didn't like Marcus either. He was sweet. He didn't talk much, but what he did say was always to make sure that I was alright. Before he'd been captured by the hunters, I'd thought Marcus only thought of me like part of the family, nothing sexual at all. However, our little feeding session had changed things between us.
Now, he asked after my wellbeing as usual, but he always found a way to touch me. Brushing my hair behind my ear, touching my arm, or even just kissing the top of my head. I thought it would make things uncomfortable. It didn't. I liked that he wanted to be near me and touch me. He was so big, and having him around made me feel safe and dainty. Not that I would admit I like feeling small around him. That was the last thing I needed right now.
Marcus spoke low, his dark gaze on the table before him. "I thought you might like company while you eat."
"Oh." My brows shot up. "That's so nice of you. But..." I skimmed around the table. "It's kind of silly for you to sit all the way over there." I offered him a small smile as he lifted his head up.
Those dark orbs locked with mine for a moment before he was suddenly not there anymore. I startled as he appeared in the chair at the end of the table, right next to me. I giggled lightly. "I don't think I'll ever get used to that. Even with my extra senses."
Marcus's lips twitched. "I am faster than most."
I pushed some noodles around my plate and studied him. Marcus usually had all the looks of a soldier to him. Short hair, clean-shaven, and muscles for days. Add on the fact that he kept his facial expression so guarded it was hard to tell what he was thinking unless he wanted you to know.
I shoved my fork into my mouth, thinking.
Each member of the house of Durand had an ability that came with being a vampire. Antoine could command anyone with his voice and sometimes even his very presence. He could even control crows and see through them as well. It was a nifty ability. If only he'd stop worrying so much. Those crows are hard to explain when I was out training or like today on a hunt.
Rayne's ability was the most annoying and yet most useful of the others. He could read minds. Anyone's. It made it hard to keep anything from him. Which also made it easier for the guys to stay safe from their enemies. Though, it did make it feel like you didn't have any privacy around him—somethings you just didn't want your boyfriend to know about.
The twins each had their own ability as well. Drake had that mesmerizing gaze you always heard about in the books and movies. He has literally convinced me out of my pants without ever saying a word. It was an interesting experience for sure.
Allister didn't like to use his power. He'd only showed it to me once. Allister had a gifted tongue, that was for sure. Even more than just the normal ways. His voice could literally convince you to do anything he wanted you to do as long as you were in hearing distance. It was a bit different than Antoine's gift, where it was more of an automatic response. Allister's made you want to do it. Like it was your idea in the first place.
The most fun of the abilities had to be Wynn's. Just thinking about the things he could do with just his mind alone made my skin ache. There was a reason the others didn't want him to use his powers against me in the beginning. I could see myself killing just to be at the mercy of Wynn's powers. If you could orgasm with just a look, you would too.
Marcus, though...he was still a mystery to me.
"So, is that all you can do?" I prompted. "You're stronger and faster, right? Anything else?"
The vampire before me tilted his head slightly, confusion in his eyes. "Is that important to you? Our abilities?"
The way he said it made me frown. "No. Not really. I mean, they're nice to have. Definitely gives us the advantage, but it doesn't get my motor going if that's what you mean." I paused and blushed. "I mean, besides Wynn."
Marcus nodded in understanding. "My abilities are more defensive than offensive. I cannot make anyone do what I want with my voice or even my presence. I cannot give you pleasure as Wynn does or read your mind, like Rayne. I take on more of the reconnaissance work because it is harder for me to get caught." He stopped, and his face grew grim. "When I am caught, I can heal faster than the others as well as I have a higher resistance to the poisons the hunters use. Obviously," he huffed bitterly. "I cannot keep myself from starving."
I nodded in understanding. "Hey, those all sound like good things to me. I mean, not the starving part, but then we figured that out as well." I winked at him and grinned, wanting to see that rare smile on his face.
I wasn't disappointed.
"So, what should we do about Jack?" I enunciated his name with a scowl. "He's being more of a pain in the ass than I expected."
"I could always get rid of him."
