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After several days of nothing but orgasms, dirty words, whispered promises, and more sex than I’d ever had in my life—I could sleep for a day. Maybe even a few. But the world was still spinning.
While Elias and I had been in the throes of the mate bond, Ysabeau had been dealing with the fallout of my near-death. My sister had been held at bay, though Nova had left partway through to see her. I was sure she’d needed a break while I’d been indisposed, and I knew she’d have lingering anxiety to make sure Adora was okay.
As impossible as it should have been, heat blossomed in my lower belly. I felt Elias’s response from across the estate. We’d been together not an hour before in the bath when I’d finally pushed him out the door and told him to go work. Do king things.
It was strange, being able to feel him and his emotions. Not unpleasant, just different. I’d probably find it a lot weirder if I hadn’t already had something so similar with Nova. I found it comforting. For most of my life now, I’d always had her. I found peace in togetherness. It was no different with a mate.
Footsteps sounded from the hallway, quiet but audible. My bedroom door opened. I knew it wasn’t Elias since I could feel him. Tossing on a robe, I poked my head out of the closet. “Who is that?—”
“It reeks of sex in here,” Adora said, stepping around our bed and taking in the room. “No surprise, given how Nova smelled when she came to me, but gods. Y’all really went at it like rabbits.”
I threw my arms around her in relief, even if I wanted her to stop talking. “You’re an asshole, but I missed you.”
Her petite arms wrapped around me tightly. “You had me so worried.”
“Elias mentioned you threatened to kill him.” I pulled back a fraction to look at her. “You played your hand in front of them. My mate’s one thing, but the doctors? Anyone else who heard?”
“You were dying,” Adora said simply. “My secret didn’t matter when every minute counted.”
I sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed. She started to follow suit, but then eyed the comforter heavily and seemed to think better of it. I took her hand in mine.
“Your secret is your life,” I said. “It always matters. You need to be more careful.” The strangest thing happened. I felt . . . guilt. Frustration. It didn’t make sense.
Adora sighed. “It’s hard sometimes. I can’t change what I am, and I wouldn’t want to. I’m awesome. But sometimes I wish I didn’t have the Eyes of God power.”
I gave her a sympathetic smile. “We’re freaks. Always have been, always will be.”
“True,” my sister said. “You’re arguably even weirder now. A shifter-who- couldn’t-shift-turned-vampire. Do you crave blood?”
Elias’s. My cheeks flamed. He wouldn’t blood share. Said I had to learn control first, but that didn’t mean that the scent didn’t drive me wild. I’d also slipped up a handful of times when we’d been intimate. Anytime he took me and I was on his lap, the lure of his pulse became too great. Especially when I didn’t have the shower drowning out my other senses.
I saw a lot of shower sex in my future.
I felt myself dampen and embarrassment heated my face. Unlike a normal vampire, whose heart beat slower, mine was unnaturally fast and skyrocketed when I had strong emotions. The faster beating meant blood pumped into my face quicker, giving me away.
In the distance, Elias’s emotions shifted, focusing on me and my lust. I tried to push it down so I’d stop distracting him. Another emotion hit me. This time, it was something closer, but not as strong as my mate’s.
Disgust made my stomach turn. I lifted my eyes to?—
“Don’t tell me blood makes you horny?” Adora grimaced. “Have you and Elias . . . You know what? Never mind. Pretend I didn’t ask.”
“You’re grossed out.”
Embarrassment. Reproach. Guilt.
“No, I just—” She broke off when I lifted an eyebrow, silently calling her out on her bullshit. “Yeah, it’s kinda gross. But you’re my sister and I love you, blood sucker or not. My peacock likes bugs, so I really can’t judge here.”
I chuckled. Something like contentment filled me. Not quite happiness, but a calmness. The slight smile on Adora’s face said it all. “Given I like my steak blue rare, I can’t say it’s that much different. At least I can still eat. Elias said I only need one meal a day alongside a pint of blood, so it could be a lot worse.”
Adora nodded. “You could be dead.”
Her statement ripped the Band-Aid off the elephant in the room. I sighed. “So could you. I’m not the only one Mathis shot—or was intending to kill.”
Adora shrugged one shoulder. “I was collateral damage. Not the target.”
While true, it didn’t make me feel any better about the situation. “What happened? Did he follow you? He said he knew you’d slip up?—”
“I didn’t fuck up. He was waiting for me near the house with half a dozen of his warriors, plus that bastard Andreas. They definitely knew I was going to meet you.” She pushed her ombre-blue braid over one shoulder. “I had the scrambler, and no one was listening to our call. I didn’t tell Mom or Abbey. I didn’t even tell Rowe. I used a silencing crystal so no one could hear me. If they were questioned, I wanted to make sure they were free from culpability.”
