Chapter 20: A Knight’s Kiss

Vanya rested against a tree, taking in the peace and quiet of the woods. She was in a bad mood right now, and it would be best for everyone if she avoided interacting with anybody in the pack, particularly her father and Ares.
How could they betray her?
Then her thoughts returned to Cassian's bedroom, where she had unexpectedly awoken in his bed that morning. How did she get so drunk to knock on his door and wind up puking in his bathroom and sleeping in his bed?
 And if she was furious with anyone, Vanya realized she was equally angry with herself. She didn't like the surge of adrenaline that rushed through her body every time she locked her gaze on the Knight's amber eyes. And, if she'd been honest with herself, it wasn't the first time she'd had such an emotional reaction to the vampire knight. Even before their paths crossed when Cassian first came, she'd been more aware of the vampire than she preferred. It got worse after a few conversations with him.
And even now, she was overcome with Cassian's scent just thinking about him.
*What would the taste of the vampire's lips be like?* Vanya couldn't help but wonder.
Perhaps she was captivated by Cassian, because he was a vampire and he could enchant everyone, and it was likely that those around him felt what she was feeling towards him. And if, owing to his ability to manipulate mind and seduce, she were physically drawn to Cassia, Vanya imagined she would do her best to fight against it.
The hunter was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't notice another presence until the very last second. She reacted instinctively and without hesitation. She reached up behind her and drew a dagger from her belt, spun around, and found herself looking down at her attacker.
"You!" she exclaimed, driving the point of her knife into the vampire's neck lightly.
Cassian raised his head from his knees to look at her. "Yes, it's me. Is it okay if I stand up right now?" In a calm tone, he asked.
The vampire knight was steadily becoming a part of her, following her around when she wanted to be alone, allowing her to literally bring him to his knees when he had the strength and speed to easily dodge her maneuvers and bring her to her knees instead.
"What on earth are you doing here?" Vanya hissed angrily. She came here to calm down and figure out what to do before being whisked away to The Capitol later that evening. The woods were her shelter when she had to think. Rowan and Lachlan understood it and respected her enough to leave her alone after they were done with their duties.
"I heard you're in a terrible mood," Cassian stated quietly. "I thought you might want to talk to someone about it."
Vanya laughed. Even to her ears, her voice sounded unusually weak. "I didn't even want to speak to Ares, despite the fact that he's my mate. What makes you think I'd want to talk to you?" she asked, pressing her knife's point in a little more.
Cassian, unlike Ares, drew out the worst in her. Just watching the composed, placid features of the vampire freed her dark thoughts.
Cassian returned her stare with a steady gaze. "Because I'm not your Lycan mate."
"You are aware that Ares is my mate."
"I know a lot more than everyone else."
"No doubt," Vanya mumbled. "Well, you shouldn't be here."
Cassian reached up and gently caressed her wrist with his fingertips. "I know you need me," he replied simply. "I'm here."
Vanya gently withdrew the dagger and put it back in its holster. The second she released Cassian, the vampire rose and pulled her close, and breathed in her scent..
"What are you up to?" Vanya muttered under her breath.
"I'd want to read your thoughts."
"You can't do it. And I'm not going to let you."
"Then please tell me."
She let out a sigh. "I'm not sure what's going on with me..."
"Vanya…"
"I feel such a strong connection to you... And I have no idea why." It was almost as powerful as her bond with Ares.
"You know why, Vanya. Please quit denying what you already know."
"Who are you?"
"You know who I am." He growled at her. His gaze was so intensely focused on hers that she couldn't help but look away. "Think. Remember your dreams."
She took a long breath in, bracing herself for what she was about to say. She drew her gaze back to meet his, gulping audibly. ‘"You’re…"
"Yes?"
"You're the boy..." she hesitated and licked her parched lips. "*You’re the raven-haired boy, aren’t you*?"
Cassian swung around and quickly crept up behind her, whispering in her ear, *"Now I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I had a taste of what's mine*." 
She turned to face him. "You're my other mate." She sounded confident and certain, and she expected him to smile, relieved that they could finally move on with their lives and sort things out as they went along, but he didn't. Cassian had this expression on his face, as if he was grappling with something.
"At first, I couldn't believe it and felt destiny was trying to make a mockery of me. You were a human. And, as if that wasn't enough to put me to the test, you turned and I had to share you with another Lycan."
"I…" Vanya was soon gasping for air. "What are you doing to me? I think I... I’m… Cassian, I'm feeling so...hot."
The vampire wrapped his arms around her and smiled, admiring the rise and fall of her breasts as she breathed heavily. "Now that you know the truth, your wolf is slowly accepting me."
"What? I'm burning up. Cassian... I feel hot... What's happening to me?"
Cassian's eyes traveled down her body, his fingertips brushing across her cleavage and shooting heat directly to her core. "Allow me to ease you up, Vanya."
He moved aside the collar of her leather jacket and began kissing her neck, tasting the delicate flesh with his tongue. Biting down hard, the smell of the forest disappeared as he drew a mouthful of her rich, sweet blood.
Vanya bit her lower lip and moaned, the proof of her desire pooling between her thighs. "What are you doing?"
"Completing our bond."  As he drank, he enjoyed the sound of Vanya's raspy breaths. He could feel his own heartbeat racing and his hands tightening over her shoulders.
He soon became hard, and his erection pressed into the hunter's hip. He rocked against Vanya beneath him; the circumstance reminded him too much of what he had imagined in the shower earlier that morning after she had left his room, and he was dangerously aroused.
Vanya whimpered sweetly beneath him. She wasn't resisting him, and as he felt her press herself against him, he was fully aware of her own arousal. Because he towered above her, he had to move and angle himself better in order to make better contact and feel Vanya's eagerness against his thigh.
Cassian then withdrew his fangs, seemingly too abruptly, as Vanya gasped in a sharp breath in response.
"Do you like it, Vanya?" he murmured into her ear. "You like me bonding with you?" he purred, flicking the tip of his tongue across the twin wounds in her neck.
Vanya didn't say anything and instead arched up against him. She noticed the vampire's amber eyes had gone red.
"Are you feeling much better, Vanya?" Cassian asked calmly, his eyes locked on his mate's moist lips.
"Yes," she replied softly.
"Do you want us to continue?" he asked, though neither of them were sure whether he was referring to drinking her blood or something else.
"Yes," she simply responded.
He leaned in closer, his lips almost touching hers. He skimmed his hand down to the front of her leather pants, cupping her mound in his large hand, causing a strangled groan to escape her lips.
Then he claimed her mouth and she responded by clutching his back and thrusting her hips onto the vampire's palm. The kiss was rough and hungry, but they were eager to explore each other's mouths for the first time, and when his tongue brushed her lips and entered her mouth, he realized she was urging him to taste and probe.
"You enjoy that, don't you?" He teased her. She didn't say anything, but rocked her hips against his hand. "You do," he breathed. The loud, throaty gasp that escaped her lips was more than enough confirmation for him. He unzipped her pants and shoved his hand into her panties, sliding his fingers through her folds.
"Ahhh…"  Vanya breathed loudly. "Cassian..."
"You're already fucking wet for me. Good girl.  Now spread your legs for me, Vanya."
She immediately obeyed, moaning loudly as his two fingers glided over her curls and then easily slipped through her wet folds.
He brushed his nose along her jawline, as she swayed her hips against his hand, driving his fingers deeper into her center. He rubbed her clit with his thumb while bending his two fingers that were inside her.
"Cassian...Fuck...Fuck," she cursed out loud.
He grinned and locked his mouth into hers, swallowing her groans as his fingers plunged into her wetness again and again, pulling out, then back in. 
Vanya, however, fought the impulse to be filled by him and abruptly broke the kiss and swiftly pulled away. 
What was she thinking? She was making out with a vampire knight! Mate or not, she fell under his spell and let him seduce her. She couldn't possibly allow herself to get involved with him; after all, he was a knight in the Royal Council. 
*What if he's just taking advantage of their bond and doing this to assist Alpha Callum's intention of sending her away to The Capitol*? She wondered as her heart pounded in her chest and her ears thudded with her pulse.
"Vanya, what's the matter?" Cassian asked, his voice raspy. He seemed perplexed by her reaction.
The hunter, who was starting to panic, was about to say something harsh and insulting to put an end to this, but hearing so much concern in his question unnerved her a little. 
"How can I be sure I can trust you, *mate*?" Vanya asked. 
"You could feel how strong our bond was the second I had my tongue down your throat, Vanya," Cassian taunted. "I could never betray you."
She wanted to believe him, but she was at a loss as to what to do with Ares and the vampite, as well as her ties with both of them. But, regardless of how precarious things were between them, could Vanya betray Ares by choosing to bond with Cassian?
Her fingers were trembling. She couldn't believe she had come so close to making a huge mistake. Ares would be absolutely gutted. No matter how mad she was at him at the moment, she would never betray him with Cassian.
But Cassian was also her mate.
"Shit," she muttered under her breath. *So, what should I do now?*
She straightened up shakily. The sexual thrill had faded, and the lingering effects of the excitement that had rushed through her system were leaving her queasy and anxious. She couldn't bear looking at the vampire or seeing his expression, so she looked down and said, "I think this is a mistake."
 And before the vampire knight could respond, she was gone.