Chapter 118: Chapter Twenty-Four

Hope

I was sent to my room.

Well, not really my room— but Alex’s. Which made everything that much worse. I was afraid to touch anything.

And it didn’t help that his scent was everywhere— to be completely honest, it freaked me out that I knew what he smelled like, that the pillow I was resting my head on was so delicious I’d been tempted to stuff my face in it and suck in a giant breath.

That was just what I needed, Alex to walk in on me sniffing his pillows like I was committing a crime. The man was arrogant enough, and I hated that he knew the effect he had on women.

Why had I been able to control myself around him before?

And now? Now I wanted to touch him every single moment we had together.

My body and my mind were at war with one another. It was completely exhausting and depressing.

“This is ridiculous,” I grumbled to myself. What was I supposed to do? It wasn’t like it was humanly possible for me to relax, not with the creepy tattoo wrapping itself around my body.

Any normal person would be freaked out.

I think if anyone deserved a time out— it was ~me~.

Granted, I’d known about the immortals, but going from knowing about them to actually living with them was a giant stretch even by their standards, right?

I mean, my little brain wasn’t exactly accustomed to seeing things like Cassius suddenly breathe ice into the room, or Ethan suck off of his wife’s neck, or even Mason—the man had clawed the crap out of the couch by accident!

His nails could have impaled me if I was an inch closer to him.

That wasn’t normal.

And then there was Alex.

I sighed as my body heated.

Alex. Alex. Alex.

I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to force all sexy thoughts of him away from my brain.

He really wasn’t that pretty to look at.

Because he was too pretty.

Prettier than me.

By a long shot.

If you stared at us side by side, you’d think he was doing charity or something. It was that bad.

Then again, he even made the rest of the immortals pale in comparison.

“Stupid Alex,” I muttered.

“You called?” A silk voice wrapped itself around me, warmth invaded my fingertips as my heart fluttered.

Alex loomed over the bed. At least he was clothed. A white T-shirt had somehow glued itself to his body making sure that every single muscle strain was visible.

His black leather pants so weren’t helpful.

They were tight.

Why leather? Why not jeans?

“They itch,” Alex said, answering my thoughts. “Besides, I like soft things against my skin, don’t you?”

He was doing it again, his eyes dilated as his mouth slowly descended.

I met him halfway, unable to stop myself.

But the minute our lips touched a searing pain erupted up my arm and wrapped around my neck.

I tried to suck in a breath.

And nothing…

There was no air.

Alex’s horrified gaze shifted to fury as he gripped me by the arms holding me against his chest, pounding me against the back. “Breathe.”

~I’m trying!~ I screamed the thought at him.

“Shhh.” His hand slid down my back as he pressed my ear against his chest, his heart thudded slowly against my ear. “Breathe in and out.”

So I did.

I listened to his heart and then placed my hand there too, because it felt good, it felt warm, not hot, comforting.

In fact, the slight buzzing I’d had around him was completely gone, and in its place, I finally felt normal again.

So normal that I wasn’t ready to beg him for sex.

The alarm on the bedside table rang.

Alex shoved me away and cursed. “I’ll go get Mason.”

I found my voice. “What? Why? What’s going on, and why can’t I breathe?”

“So the prince’s kiss is poison,” Alex mused out loud. “Timber must have thought it would be amusing to protect you from power—all soul-sucking power and since I’m a siren and we feed off of emotions, just like demons… I can’t…” He paled. “I can’t touch you without hurting you.”

“But without touching me—” I swallowed. “Without…” I squinted up at his beautiful face. “You could die, right?”

“Eh, I’ve lived long enough.” He smirked.

“That’s not funny!” I jumped to my feet and swayed toward him, happy that I could actually be in the same room with him without thinking dirty thoughts, but even with his powers dulled toward me, I still wanted his hands all over my body. Damn him.

“Am I laughing?” Alex shrugged. “The best I can do is keep you alive until Timber stops playing his childish little game of Gotcha… Mason can at least…” He gulped as tension filled his gaze, fists clenched he said through clenched teeth. “Please you. Touch you. While I can’t.”

I shook my head as tears filled my line of vision. “You’re just going to pass me off now?”

“Hell, no!” Alex roared. “You think I want him touching what’s mine? You think I’ll enjoy the fact that his dirty pinecone-loving hands get to feel how silky your skin is while I sit downstairs and freaking burn?”

I gasped.

“You…” His eyes were back to that scary-looking red, as a powerful shudder ran through him like a visible ripple across his muscled torso, his teeth snapped together, and the colors from his hair went completely black. I’d never seen him jealous—now I knew what it looked like—darkness itself. “…have no idea, the pain I feel when I can’t touch you.”

He’d slipped.

I knew it.

He knew it.

Because he’d just admitted that I wasn’t replaceable. And even though the situation was dire and terrifying, I found myself trying not to smile—even though he looked terrifying.

“Smug little elf,” he teased.

“Arrogant, hot-headed siren.”

His grin grew. “I can hear your heart pound, your blood soar…” His black eyes rolled back into his head. “The pleasure I could bring you right now… The places I would take you.” He swayed toward me licking his lips like he could already taste me.

My breath hitched. “Do it.”

Alex’s face turned to stone. “Believe me, the pain wouldn’t be livable.”

“But—” My palms began to sweat as his eyes scoured my body. Slowly, tendrils of heat pulsated between my legs as I clenched my thighs together and then cried out in pain. “Oh!”

“Right.” He cursed.

“Why Mason?” Pain burned me from the inside out, and all because what? Alex had tried to give me an orgasm without even touching me? Two days ago I would have been horrified. Right then? I was disappointed. What had he turned me into? “Why not Cassius, or Ethan?”

With each name I mentioned Alex’s expression darkened more and more. “Werewolves are healers.” He gulped. “The others would hurt you. Cassius would freeze your ass. Ethan would end up sucking you dry because vampires just love blood, and he would lose all control. The last time he killed by accident, it was nearly impossible to live with him.”

“Oh good, so it’s about his conscience.”

“More or less.” He grinned with a wink. “Stephanie would most likely hurt you, she’s horrible with controlling her powers, and I take it you haven’t ever swung that direction. Am I right?”

My cheeks heated. I gave him a jerky nod.

“So that leaves.” He swore violently. “WOLF!”

A pounding sounded on the stairs, and then Mason was in our room, panting, his brown hair wild around his face as he wiped a dirt smudge from his face. “What?”

“Racing a turtle again?” Alex teased.

Mason flipped him off then sniffed the air. “Something is off.”

Alex pointed at me. “Tick-Tock.”

With a growl, Mason clenched his hands. “And you expect me to do what? Lick her neck so she doesn’t die?”

“If you’d be so kind,” Alex crossed his arms. “And try not to enjoy it so much.”

“Wait.” I held up my hands. “I, um, I need a minute.”

“Her heart is fluttering,” Mason eyed me sadly. “She doesn’t want me to lick her, Alex, she wants you.”

“Well, I can’t touch her! I tried kissing her, and she nearly stopped breathing!”

Mason let out a gruff whine. “That sucks those balls of monkeys.”

“I think you mean that sucks monkey balls,” Alex swore again. “And it’s not like she needs actual sex like I do, she just needs… pleasure.”

I jerked my head in Alex’s direction. “Explain.”

“You, uh…” He winced. “Need to orgasm.”

“Oh.” I shrugged. “Aren’t there tools for that sort of thing—?”

Both Alex and Mason burst out laughing.

“What?” My cheeks heated. “What’s so funny?”

“Humans,” they muttered in unison.

Embarrassment flooded my senses. “I don’t get it, if I just need an orgasm, then I can…” I shrugged. “You know?” I mean I wasn’t exactly experienced in that arena, not really, but… what choice did I have?

Death?

Wolf?

Or me?

“That is not an orgasm,” Alex said with a simple shrug of his shoulders. “Humans are imperfect creatures, they are not immortal. They are given a sliver of pleasure whenever they do anything sexual, but the power behind a true orgasm is held from them. Ergo, you could try, and I’m sure it would feel okay, but not compared to what either of us could do with a simple thought. Basically, your pitiful toys and ways to get off—” His expression reflected distaste. “Don’t count. It’s like running a mile versus running a marathon.”

“Humans,” Mason muttered before stepping toward me and giving me a short bow. “It will be my honor to make you happy, Elf.”

“Stop that,” Alex cursed behind him. “You’ll give her a big head. Now, pleasure her so I can go hunt Timber and rip his head off. I can only last a few more days before I die.”

“Serious?” I asked the room.

“As death,” Alex was still smiling, though it was frozen on his face, like he was trying to make me feel better about the fact that if he didn’t have sex with me, his mate, he was going to cease to exist.

Mason touched my hand, as an electrical current from Alex slammed into me right along with the thought.

~“I’ll kill him for touching her.”~

“You’ve given me no choice,” Mason said out loud, right back at him.

Wait. If I could hear Alex’s thoughts when Mason touched me.

That meant… Alex’s power wasn’t blocked.

And I felt no pain.

I glanced between the two of them.

It was either the best idea I’d ever had.

Or the last one I’d ever think.

I gulped and reached for Alex’s hand while still linked to Mason, and reached up on my tiptoes to kiss him.