Iris sighed audibly leaning back into the chair "succubi don't mate but seraphim do" the tattooed vampire offered, running her hand through her short black hair.
"But the thing is, we can't be mates because I'm already mated and he's going to be killed. That's why I'm here" Iris explained further. Yet she could feel the bond with Anna grow stronger with each passing moment. Like unbreakable threads twisting into each of them, pulling them together.
Things were never this intense with Gabriel and it only made Iris question herself more. The bond was there again. Maybe Gabriel wasn't who she assumed he'd be.
"Iris it's okay, I know this is very confusing. God knows I don't know what to make of it either but it already happened. No use crying over spilled milk. Let's just figure out how to deal with this." Lee suggested, placing her hand on top of the raven haired vampire's.
Iris shook away her thoughts and frowned "I need to stay here until my team returns tonight. Until then all I can do is feed, keep up my strength and hope they get shit done" her voice was tight with an edge to it that wasn't there the night before.
It was obvious to Anna that she either fucked everything up or it was all meant to happen. Either way she was certain Gabriel wasn't going to make it easy for her and Iris.
The vampire sighed "so, a seraphim and a incubus...how did that work out for you?" iris was curious enough about Anna Lee. It was such a unique combo of genetics that it almost seemed surprising
"Well, basically, I don't fully change into a snake, though my claws get longer, my skin turns unbreakable and rigid-like scales, venomous fangs and Saliva , the temper and the usual seraphim tongue" she paused briefly "both literally and figuratively speaking" she winked playfully "That's from my seraphim mother" Anna shrugged with a sheepish smile "That's where I get most of my carnivorous urges"
"Then my incubus father...that's a whole other story" She laughed humorlessly "well he wasn't a pure bread incubus. His mother was a siren so I sort of inherited that too because it skipped his generation. It's a complicated breed. So I can compell through my voice and touch thanks to Daddy dearest and feed off sexual energy or life force, my 'vegan' diet" she finished, brushing her blue and black hair backwards with a sigh.
Iris giggled at the obvious vexation apparent on Anna Lee's face "it's quit an attractive and deadly combo. Talk about a femme fatale"
"I'm glad you find it intriguing because you're mated to me for the time being and all the species in my lineage are very vicious when it comes to our mates" Anna Lee explained and locked eyes with the vampire
"One scary thought has always been on my mind, how would my children turn out to be, with a mother like me and whatever species I'm mated to" she chuckled And shook her head And now I find out their other parent is a vampire. Quite the colorful diet don't you think?"
"It is. More than one way to replenish your energy. It's quite the desirable trait" iris laughed "You have one nasty bite by the way, or maybe it's because of your feeding last night that I couldn't heal? I almost don't remember the majority of the night. Maybe it was the alcohol or something"
"Yeah sorry about that" Anna Lee rubbed her neck awkwardly "we kind of got carried away last night and you wouldn't feed from me so when I bit you after I'd fed, it made you weak. But at least you survived the poison so you're kinda stuck with me forever" the girl with the royal blue highlights and the almond shaped eyes laughed nervously
"You're gonna have to feed soon, what you took from me Is barely enough to sustain you " she gently ran her finger along the raised pinkish flesh of her bite mark That was slowly turning black
"You're reacting to the venom, it'll leave a sort of inked mark instead of a bite scar...I don't really know what sort of mark you'll have but it'll be like a tattoo" Anna explained further "that's the awesome thing about a seraphim bite, it doesn't leave a nasty scar. Unlike you guys. Thank you for that by the way" she added jokingly And laughed.
Iris's eyebrows furrowed, she couldn't see a visible mark anywhere near Anna's neck or shoulder and she briefly wondered if she did indeed mark the succubus...seraphim...whatever her predominant species was.
"Oh yeah you did mark me, just nowhere near my neck. Well I guess I should be grateful" Anna interrupted the vampire's thought process. The bond had been in place for less than twenty-four hours and it was already allowing Anna into her head.
Iris had always been a curious one and it was true, curiosity killed the cat. "I'm just wondering, where exactly did I bite you?"
The seraphim hybrid smirked and stood up, taking Iris by the hand "C'mon, I'll show you" she teased with a wink.
They made their way towards the storage room in the back of the bar, several morning patrons casting sideway glances at the two of them that made the vampire growl or hiss, forcing the curious eyes to focus on their plates.
Once inside and away from prying eyes, Anna Lee began to undo the buttons to her tight leather pants, turning to face away from Iris.
"Uh...Anna what are you doing?" Iris wondered hesitantly out loud, she and Lee may have slept together but that didn't mean she was ready for round two. She still hadn't recovered fully from round one.
"Don't you wanna see where you marked me?" Lee answered teasingly as she pulled the tight leather fabric down her taut curves.
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Iris had been sitting up against the wall laughing for the better half of the past hour. Just seeing where she'd bitten Anna Lee brightened her mood considerably.
"It is not funny Iris. I still wince every time I try to sit or stand or walk or anything really" Anna Lee frowned looking down at her laughing heap of a mate.
"Ok ok....I'm done laughing" Iris began to say before she erupted into another fit of laughter.
Anna scoffed audibly at the raven haired vampire and shook her head "can you be any more immature about this?" she asked dejectedly eyeing the vampire.
"You're right but seriously how in hell did I get anywhere near your ass to mark you there of all places!" Iris began to chuckle again, she chanced a look up at her hybrid mate to find Anna glaring down at her.
"Hmph" Lee spun around, her back towards the snickering vampire, Iris realized she may have laughed a little too much at Anna's expense.
She moved up from the ground and slowly wrapped her arms around the seraphim hybrid pecking the curve of her shoulder softly
"I'm sorry that was rude on my end, what can I do to make it up to you?" the porcelain skinned night walker offered but Anna stayed still.
"I'll do anything you ask me to Anna" iris offered hoping it would tempt the seraphim to agree and forgive her.
At that offer, Anna turned her head sideways to look at the vampire
"Anything?" she asked with a shocked smirk
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The hours seemed to fly by in a haze, soon enough it was the fourth day and the mercenaries had returned with the desired items and gathered at the bar with their loot.
Iris was torn, should she let Gabriel perish for his mistake and stay with Anna Lee? Or should she promise the succubus hybrid that she would return once she'd set Gabriel free?
In the few days iris has been away from Gabriel, their bond has slowly been breaking down whereas her bond to Anna had grown exponentially stronger, merely twenty-four hours in the making.
Iris sighed deeply, she wired the funds she promised the mercenaries for their services and bid her goodbyes. Only one thing left to do, speak to Anna...
The raven haired woman sat at the edge of her bed, head thrown into her hands, leaning her elbows against her knees. She let out a frustrated growl that broke halfway into a disgruntled sob.
"I know you have to leave Iris, I understand" Anna's voice resonated in the dark room that Iris had occupied for the past two days. The vampire looked up only to be met with sparkling grey-green eyes full of sympathy and understanding.
"You were never here to stay, I get that, you have things to do back home" Anna spoke, her voice calm and collected though her tone made it obvious this was just as hard on her as it was on Iris.
"I won't keep you here, I won't make you promise to come back but please...whatever you decide about us, let me know" the seraphim's voice broke near the end of her sentence but she held herself together. In the short few days that Iris had been there, Lee has grown fond of the vampire; even more so when the bond was set in place.
"Don't keep me waiting if you're not coming back Iris"
With those final words, Anna Lee took her leave from the room, iris remained seated at the edge of the bed as if shell shocked.
Even when Anna had told her to go, the doubt in her heart grew stronger with every passing moment. Her intuition nagged at her that Gabriel no longer was the man she turned, he no longer was the kind-hearted gentleman she knew. But he was still her mate...had he ever been her mate? Or was it just a flux of infatuation that lured her into turning him?
As she sat there wondering, looking for answers, she was losing herself more and more; drowning into this vortex of doubt and insecurity. As she sat there, she had even less answers than when she began, her conviction dwindeling away with each question that imposed itself onto her mind.
Should she leave this place? Could she leave this place...leave Anna Lee here? And if she did leave and save Gabriel out of some obscure desire to protect him, would she ever come back here to Her mate?