Chapter 35: Alluring Darkness: Chapter 35

There is a warm, strong body wrapped around me when I wake up. Drawing in a deep breath, I blink to clear the sleep from my eyes. Eli’s dangerously handsome face meets me.

My stomach flutters.

God, he really is gorgeous.

I study the planes and angles of his face. His usually so severe expression is smoothened by sleep, his jaw relaxed and his mouth soft. He looks utterly at peace.

Reaching up a hand, I trace my fingers along his cheekbone. He stirs slightly and tightens his arms around me, pulling me closer, but he doesn’t wake up.

Warmth spreads through my chest. I still can’t believe that this is somehow because of me. That he can sleep this peacefully because of me.

What he told me last night almost broke my heart. Being kidnapped and tortured and humiliated like that when he was only thirteen…

I blow out a long breath as I let my gaze drift over the scar across his eyebrow.

No wonder he developed into someone who craves violence and control over others. I thought my unusual childhood messed with my head, but his must really have done a number on him. But thankfully, it appears as though we’re at least fucked up in the same way so that we complement each other.

When I’m with you, I feel safe.

My heart constricts as Eli’s words from last night echo inside my skull again.

No one has ever felt safe around me before. Even my family considers me unpredictable on the best of days and a straight up safety hazard on the worst of them. But Eli feels safe with me. Because he knows that if someone attacks him while I’m here, there is nothing I wouldn’t do, no laws I wouldn’t break, no lines I wouldn’t cross, to protect him.

Another pang hits me straight in the heart.

God, this ruthless violent man was supposed to be my enemy. And yet, he is the one who has made me feel normal for the first time in my life. The only one who makes me feel like I’m not broken. Or crazy. Or damaged goods. But instead, makes me feel the exact opposite. As if my insanity makes me better than ordinary people. It’s an intoxicating feeling, and after spending years thinking that I was defective, I don’t mind getting drunk on that power. Not one bit.

“See something you like?”

I blink in surprise to find that Eli has cracked his eyes open and is watching me with a smirk playing over his lips.

“Actually,” I begin, and flash him a sly smile back. “I was thinking about how much prettier Rico’s face is.”

His gaze sharpens as he narrows his eyes at me.

I flick a pointed look down at his cock. “And I still kind of want to find out if the rumors about Jace are true.”

“Raina.” My name rumbles from his chest, dark and low like a warning.

“What?” I raise my eyebrows in an innocent expression. “I’m just saying, maybe I picked the wrong brother.”

Eli moves like a viper. A thrill courses through me as he rolls me over on my back and straddles me. With his weight trapping me against the mattress, he wraps one hand around my wrist and pins it next to my head while his other hand slides across my throat and up to my jaw. Lightning dances over my skin in its wake.

“Careful now,” Eli warns.

I grin up at him. “I’ve never been careful in my entire life. Which is why I should probably try fucking Kaden as well just to see if—”

“One more word out of your mouth right now, and I will fuck that insolence out of you until you can’t even remember your own name. Let alone my brothers’ names. Only mine.”

There is a storm brewing in his eyes as he holds my gaze, daring me to disobey him. His lethal muscles are tense, and his scars stand out even more against his skin. Every part of him pulses with power and utter command as he stares me down like a ruthless warrior god. My core throbs as he tightens his fingers slightly on my throat.

Then I let a smile full of challenge slide across my lips before I pant, “Oh, Jace.”

It turns out that the bastard does indeed follow through on his threats.

Quite thoroughly too, I might add.

He fucks me mercilessly, making me beg and plead and call his name over and over again until it’s all I can hear echoing inside my skull.

By the time we’ve showered, gotten dressed, and are making our way down to the kitchen, my body is so utterly spent that I have to hold on to the railing when I walk down the stairs in order to stop my legs from simply giving out. Eli smirks at me over his shoulder while a very smug I-told-you-so look glitters in his dark golden eyes.

I shoot a glare back that promises revenge.

He only chuckles and turns back to the hallway ahead as we reach the floor downstairs. I wince at the soreness in… well, every part of my body, as I follow Eli into the combined kitchen and living room.

Noise blares from the TV. I flick a glance towards it and find Jace sitting on the cream-colored sofa in front of it, playing some kind of first-person-shooter game on the console there. Rico is sprawled on the cushions next to him, but he’s scrolling on his phone rather than watching the video game. I slide my gaze to the dining room table, where Kaden sits, drinking a cup of coffee. His cold brown eyes lock on me the moment I step across the threshold.

“Productive night?” Kaden asks, the question clearly directed at Eli even though his eyes stay on me.

“Yeah, it was,” Eli replies as he saunters over to the cabinets and pulls out a mug. While pouring coffee into it, he casts a glance at his brother from over his shoulder. “Raina has something to tell you.” His gaze, suddenly dripping with command, cuts to me. “Don’t you, princess?”

I raise my eyebrows at him.

He continues pouring the coffee, but he narrows his eyes threateningly. The sentiment in them is clear. Follow my orders, or we’ll pick up right where we left off. Even though I wouldn’t mind being fucked into oblivion by this madman again, I don’t think my body could handle any more right now.

So after blowing out an annoyed sigh, I shoot him one last angry look and then turn to face Kaden again. “I’m sorry for taking your knife.”

Kaden holds my gaze for a few seconds while tense silence crackles around us. Then he jerks his chin down in a nod. Apparently satisfied, he goes back to drinking his coffee.

I draw myself up on the kitchen island so that I’m sitting on it with my legs dangling over the side. There is a bowl of fruit in the middle of it, so I lean back and snatch an apple from it before sitting up straight again. Biting into it, I chew slowly while Eli moves around the island. When he’s right next to me, he leans back against the edge and crosses his ankles. A smug smile tugs at his lips as he flicks a glance at me. I suppress the urge to yank that ceramic cup from his hand and use it to bash his teeth down his throat.

“I’m kind of hoping this was just a one-time punishment session,” Rico begins from his place on the couch. Looking up from his phone, he arches a dark brow while amusement blows across his face. “Because if you’re going to make that much noise every night, I’m gonna need to steal a pair of noise-cancelling headphones from Kaden’s room.”

“Touch my stash without permission, and you lose a hand,” Kaden says casually, as if he were commenting on the weather and not making death threats.

Rico flashes him a grin and flips him off. “How’s that for hand?”

Kaden narrows his eyes.

However, before it can escalate further, Jace pauses his video game. “I agree about the noise, but I also have a question.” Turning around, he furrows his brows as he looks between me and Eli. “Did I hear my name earlier?”

From next to him, Rico leans over and gives his shoulder a shove. “Were you eavesdropping, Golden?”

Jace grabs the pillow next to him and slams it into Rico’s side with impressive force. “Stop calling me that.”

“If you were eavesdropping while I was fucking my girl, I will break every bone in your body,” Eli interrupts.

My stomach flips and butterflies erupt in my chest. My girl. I have to put down the apple and grip the edge of the counter with both hands to stop myself from falling over.

Apparently oblivious to how my world tilted on its axis from those two words, the Hunters simply continue bickering. Jace snorts and rolls his eyes at Eli’s threat, and Rico uses the opportunity to yank the pillow out of his grip.

Ignoring him, Jace turns farther around on the couch so that he’s facing us head on. There’s a wicked grin on his mouth as he retorts, “Good luck with that when I’m the one with the pile of bats waiting for me.”

“I don’t need a bat to beat you up, little brother.” Eli takes a slow drink, watching Jace from over the rim of his cup. “And yes, you did hear your name earlier.”

It looks like Jace was about to throw an argument back in Eli’s face, but when that last sentence sinks in, he stops abruptly with his mouth still open. Raising his eyebrows, he stares at Eli with wide eyes. “Wait, what? I did?” His gaze flicks to me. “You said my name?”

I open my mouth to respond, but Eli beats me to it.

“Yes, she was telling me that she now knows that the rumors about you are wrong.” He sets his cup down on the counter with a clink before flashing his younger brother a sharp smile. “And that there is no doubt about it that I have the biggest cock.”

By the polished wooden table, Kaden snickers into his coffee.

“Oh fuck no,” Jace snaps.

“Oh yes, little brother.” Smugness laces Eli’s voice as he stresses that one word.

With impressive agility, Jace scrambles over the backrest and leaps off the sofa. Straightening on the floor, he stabs a finger towards Eli. “You’re full of shit and you know it.”

“No, it’s the truth.” Placing a commanding hand on my knee, he gives it a firm squeeze. “Isn’t that right, Raina?”

I slide my gaze to him. Yet again, power and threats swirl in his eyes. He narrows his eyes slightly, and his fingers dig harder into my skin. I know exactly what he wants me to do, and what he’s going to do to me if I disobey him. But because I have absolutely no impulse control, I let a wide grin spread across my lips instead.

“I mean, I’m just working off assumptions here,” I say. Shifting my attention back to Jace, I lift my shoulders in an innocent shrug. “So if you’re up for a dick measuring contest, I wouldn’t mind being the judge.”

Jace’s eyes light up with mischief as he reaches towards the top of his dark gray sweats as if to pull them down right now. But before his fingers can so much as brush the fabric, a knife flies through the air right in front of him.

It buries itself in the opposite wall with a thwack.

Both Jace and I whip towards Kaden in surprise. Eli and Rico only chuckle and exchange an amused look.

“Keep your fucking dick in your pants,” Kaden says. “I’m eating breakfast.”

“One,” Jace begins, raising a finger in the air. “You’re not eating anything. And two…” He cracks his knuckles while starting towards the table. “If you ever throw a knife at me again, I’ll introduce you to my favorite bat.”

Kaden snorts. “Come try it.”

While they continue threatening each other, Eli pushes off from the edge and moves so that he is standing right in front of me. Placing his hands on my thighs, he forces my legs open so that he can step in between them. I arch an eyebrow at him.

Reaching up, he takes a firm grip on the collar of my shirt and uses it to pull my face closer to his. The promise of painful, wicked, and absolutely delicious vengeance dances in his eyes.

“You’ll pay for that, princess.” His fist tightens on my collar. Holding me in place, he leans in and slants his lips over mine. “Dearly.”

I chuckle and then whisper my next words directly against his mouth. “I’m counting on it.”

Eli crushes his lips against mine, claiming my mouth with a savage kiss.

My heart soars in my chest.

I feel lighter than I have in years.

I feel like I can finally breathe again.

Connor knows that I came here to protect him, so he doesn’t hate me anymore. And Eli is no longer targeting Connor, so I don’t have to worry about his safety. I also don’t have to keep blocking out my feelings for Eli. He’s no longer the enemy, so I don’t have to keep pretending that he doesn’t set me on fire every time he so much as looks at me. I don’t have to keep ignoring the way his messed-up soul calls to mine. The way my heart pounds erratically whenever his hands are on my skin. Now, I can just feel it all. Take it all.

I can’t go back to the teacher program. Partly because I’ve already quit and would have to wait another year to reapply. But mostly because I simply don’t want to be a fucking chemistry teacher. I’m done trying to hide how unhinged I am. I’m done pretending to be normal.

I have no idea what I want to do instead. I will never be a good hitman, and I’ll keep failing basically all of my classes here, but I will finish out this year at Blackwater. And then, I’ll take it from there.

However, even as that elated feeling sweeps through my chest, a seed of worry sprouts. There is something that I’ve forgotten about. Something dangerous. Something that I should have been prioritizing instead of thinking about ways to get Eli to fuck my brains out against the nearest wall.

But as Eli’s lips ravage mine, the thought evaporates and I slide my fingers through his soft black hair instead as I kiss him back.