Chapter 27

AYRA
I was starving.

I needed something to quench the hunger in my system.

Only that 'something' wasn't food. No. I craved blood instead.

*Blood. Blood.*

That wasn't right. No sane person should crave blood, but here I was, fucking eager to sink my fangs into someone and have my drink of blood to abate my hunger.

From a distance, the rich scent of blood filled my nostrils. I could hear the thumping of a pulse calling out to me, mocking my hunger.

"Isn't she supposed to be awake by now?" A familiar voice said as footsteps approached my bed before a weight pressed down on the bed. "Was I unconscious for long after she took the poison into her body?"

"No. It could be because—"

I lunged at the person on my bed, sinking my already elongated fangs into his neck. My tastebuds hummed in appreciation as blood filled my mouth and slid down my throat.

"Okay, babe, I think that's enough. You're gonna suck me dry," the man said with a chuckle, trying to pull my head backward. "Babe," he said sternly.

I reluctantly retracted my fangs before pulling away. I wiped my mouth, leaning backward. "Who are you?"

Nathaniel snapped his head to Ishmael who also looked confused behind him. "What the fuck is going on?" He turned to me again. "Do you not remember me? I'm Nathaniel. We've been living together for a while, and I—"

I didn't let him finish before I threw my arms around him, laughter bubbling out of me. "I was just fucking with you."

"Don't ever play with me like that. I damn near lost my mind," he mumbled, pulling me closer to his chest. "How do you feel?"

"Happy."

"Happy?" He pulled back slightly to look at my face.

"Mhm. I'm glad you're alright."

"You're fucking crazy. What you did was risky. What if I didn't find Ervin on time? You'd have died."

"I knew you'd find him."

"Have that much trust in me?"

"In your abilities, yes. Plus, I couldn't seek help from your brothers."

"I heard they were dicks to you. I'm sorry on their behalf."

"It's okay. I'm more worried about the fact that I just drank your blood, and you seemed okay with it."

"How about we get you cleaned up before Ishmael explains everything to us?"

I was fine with that decision.

***

"I'm supposed to be staying away from you."

"Why would you do that?" Nathaniel asked, massaging his fingers into my hair. "If it's about my brothers, their opinions don't matter. This is about us."

"Exactly. Is there even an 'us'?"

"Why wouldn't there be?" He queried.

"Because we might not be mates?"

"You're my mate," he said before putting me under the jet to wash off the shampoo in my hair.

"And how would you know that?" I asked after the rinse was complete.

"I marked you," he replied, tracing the mark on my collarbone.

"Don't do that again," I warned, digging my nails into his biceps.

"Why? Is it because it makes you horny?" He asked with a smug smirk that said he knew exactly the effect touching the mark had on me.

"Back to the subject at hand—"

"I'd much rather do this." He cupped my pussy, a finger trailing over my slit.

"Nathaniel, stop. I have questions to ask," I bit out, trying to stay focused on the conversation we were having.

"Ask me anything."

"Not with you doing that."

He thrust his fingers into me. "Doing what?"

"Questions later. I need you right now."

"You're just convincing me you missed my cock and not me." He grinned wickedly, thrusting deeper into me.

"You're wrong. You missed two more things. Your tongue and fingers." I closed my hand over his hardened, silky length, boring my eyes into his.

"I don't have a problem with that."

"Then I guess you won't have a problem with this." I lowered myself to my knees, coming to eye level with his massive cock. I darted my tongue out to catch the precum that formed at his tip.

I closed my mouth around his bulbous head, running my tongue along his length. He sucked in a sharp breath, staring down at me with heavy-lidded eyes. That gave me all the motivation I needed to go deeper.

"Fuck," he hissed, his hand coming down on the back of my head.

I bobbed my head up and down his length, wrapping my hand around the base of his cock to make up for the length I couldn't take.

"Come on up here," he groaned, trying to pull my mouth away from his cock.

I shook my head at him, sucking him deeper into my mouth.

"Ayra, I need to feel that tight pussy wrapped around my cock."

"But I want to taste you."

He pulled me up, hoisting my legs around his waist. "Maybe some other time," he said before I felt the stretch of his cock. "Fuck, I've missed this."

"Me too," I murmured, biting down on my lip.

I failed to mention to him that he didn't turn away from me. I was curious to see what he was trying to hide all those other times, but as he slammed all the way in, that was the last thing on my mind.

His next thrust stole my breath from me, and the next. And then the next. I could only moan and wriggle around at the roughness of the thrust.

"Oh, fuck!” I screamed, looking down at the place where we were connected. His cock tunneled in and out of me while his hand wrapped around my throat, squeezing tightly.

"You're squeezing me too tightly, babe. I need to move," he said, and I could just envision his smile as I tipped my head back against the wall.

"You can move."

"I know, but with your pussy holding me like that, I'm gonna blow my load before I make you see stars," he mumbled, nipping at my ear. "I've fucking missed this pussy."

His thrusts shifted to a painfully slow pace, and it almost felt like he was hardly moving.

"Harder."

He shook his head at me. "Not a fan of slow and sweet?"

"I'm not a fan of talking."

He chuckled, covering my lips with his. His kiss mirrored his thrusts; soft and slow, like he was trying to relay something. The build-up was slow, and it started from a pit deep in my stomach, spreading across my entire body.

"That's it, Ayra. Come for me," he urged, slipping a hand between us to rub my clit. "Who owns this pussy?" He growled.

"You. Fuck, you do," I sobbed.

"Damn fucking right I do," he rumbled, the sound shooting straight to my clit.

I felt a strong urge to sink my fangs into his neck, but I held myself back.

"Don't fight it, Ayra," he whispered.

"I—"

I didn't get to finish my sentence before the orgasm slammed through my body. That broke the little self-control I had, and I bit him, sending him over the edge.

"Fuck," he groaned, burying his head in the crook of my neck. "That bite was orgasmic."

"Nate, are you in there?" I heard Alan call out from the other room.

"You're not going to answer him?" I asked when Nathaniel remained quiet.

"No. I want to stay here with you forever."

My heart melted at his words. I grinned from ear to ear, running my hand down his back.

"I was so fucking scared when Benjamin and Ervin met us at the top of the cliff." He pressed his forehead against mine, shutting his eyes. "I thought they were going to hurt you, and that got me so fucking scared. I don't think I've been that scared in a while, but since you came here, it's an emotion that I've been feeling more than I want to. You bring out fear in me."

I had no reply for what he said, so I kept quiet, letting his breath fan my face.

"You make me so fucking weak—"

"Nathaniel—"

"I need to get this out, Ayra. Please, let me."

"Okay."

"Thank you. Showing emotion makes me weak in front of my enemies, and I let it get the best of me up on that cliff. When Benjamin mentioned putting his hands on you, I lost it.

"They would've hurt me either way, but when I lunged at Benjamin, it gave Ervin an opportunity to plunge his poisoned claws into my side. I was outnumbered, but I knew I'd have done anything to protect you. So, you don't just make me weak. You make strong, too. I've never felt protective over anyone like I have you, and up on that cliff I knew I'd die before I let them get to you." He finally opened his eyes, and they held so much vulnerability that made my heart ache. "You don't feel things like that for someone who isn't your mate, do you?"

I now understood what he was trying to say. He was scared that we weren't mates. The Blood Moon Festival was three days away, and it'd decide whether or not we would be together, that is if either of us found a mate.

"Surely, the moon goddess can't be that cruel, right?"

"I-I don't know. You want me as your mate? Is that what you're trying to say?" I asked to be sure I got what he was trying to say.

"Kinda figured it was obvious."

"I've been thinking the same. What if I find someone else? I don't think I want that."

"You want to be with me even though I annoy the fuck out of you?"

"Most especially because you annoy the fuck out of me."

He chuckled, bringing my hand up to his lips. "Here's to hoping you don't."

"Are you guys done now? You do know I can hear you two, right?" Alan asked.

"What the fuck do you want, Alan?" Nathaniel asked annoyed at the interruption.

"We still haven't spoken to Benjamin. We were supposed to before you suddenly changed plans."

I froze. "You're going to speak with Benjamin. He's one of the demons who attacked you. Why do you want to see him?"

"Relax, Ayra. Benjamin can't do shit to me."

"Right now, he can," Alan piped in.

"Shut up!" Nathaniel and I growled at the same time.

"We'll be waiting for you," Alan said before we heard his footsteps and the slam of the bedroom door.

"I'll be fine. I'm taking Ishmael and my brothers along. Did that calm you down?"

"A bit."

"When I get back, we can talk about what's going on with you liking my blood," he said with a smirk, pulling his cock out of me.

I slid down his body. "Get going. I'll finish up here."

"I'll be back before you know it." He opened the shower door. "On a side note, what does my blood taste like?"

"Heaven."

He burst into a peal of laughter before walking out and closing the door behind him. I didn't bother telling him I wasn't joking. He did taste like heaven and sin at the same time.

I had a tingling suspicion about what that meant I was, but I didn't have enough brainpower to think about that at the moment.

Right now, I needed to get some much-needed rest.