Everything, All the Time

RHIANNON

“Okay, try again,” Isaac encourages me. “Do you think you could do a single drop like she did with Lucas?”

I shrug as he jumps out of bed to get me a tissue.

“Here, try.”

Since I told Isaac everything that Rhazell told me, we’ve been lying in bed practicing blood control.

He also insisted that I pin the little silver ball to my clothes every day.

“Okay.” I take the tissue and hold it under my nose. Rolling my neck and squaring my shoulders, I close my eyes and focus.

It’s starting to get easier to make the connection. I just have to concentrate, which I find difficult to do when Isaac is around.

I focus on my pulse, my blood moving through my body, and I start to feel the connection. Rhazell says to “command” my blood, but I’ve been asking it politely, which seems to be working.

I hear Isaac’s sharp inhale of breath and open my eyes.

“You did it!” He looks amazed.

I look at the tissue and find a single drop of blood.

“I did it!”

“I think we should reach out to Ommin. Maybe he knows about the blood tie, or he might at least have an idea who would do that.” His face is etched with concern.

We don’t really understand what a blood tie is, or what it does, but it seems bad. Since I told him, Isaac has been preoccupied by it.

This, coupled with my conversation with Valera, has made him feel protective.

“Hey, Isaac,” I whisper nervously. I don’t know why I’ve been so afraid to talk to him about this.

“Yes,” he pulls himself up to sit, obviously noting my nerves.

“Do you…do you want to have kids?”

His lips pull into a smile. “Yes. Do you?”

“Yes, I mean…yes. I guess I just never thought I would.”

“Why?”

“Well, I told you, other fairies were uncomfortable around me. I lived in a small cottage near the river, far away from everyone else.

“I didn’t want to seem like I was showing off, flying around, but not letting my wings out is painful. My only visitors were Ommin and Sabina. Once my sister left for the human realm, I was alone.

“I didn’t think I would have children because I would have to find a man willing to come near me first.”

“I definitely like being near you,” he says as he nuzzles his face into my hair. “Do you remember when Mag Mell was attacked?”

“Yes, it’s strange though, I remember it like it was a dream. Some of the details are fuzzy and vague. I was at home, and my sister, Mirele, was visiting.

“We heard commotion outside and ran out to check. There were several vampires outside. I couldn’t even move, I didn’t know what to do. We had never had anyone breach the portal before.

“I wanted to fly away but I couldn’t leave Mirele, she was captured. I tried to help her, but they got me, too. When I woke up, I was in the king’s dungeons, alone.”

He runs his hand through my hair before placing gentle kisses on my forehead.

“I won’t let him find you again. I’ll keep you safe, Annie.” His voice is genuine but strained by his fear, I can feel it.

I wrap my arms around his neck. “I’m so happy we found each other. I’ll always find you.”

He looks at me with heavy eyes. “Don’t say you’ll find me, you aren’t going anywhere.”

“Take a bath with me?”

I can’t help but giggle at the way he perks up. He goes into the bathroom and I hear the water roar from the faucet.

I stand in the doorway and watch him. His long, hard muscles are moving under his skin. Whatever he’s pouring in the water fills the room with a soft vanilla scent.

I watch him slip his sweatpants down his hips. This bath was meant to be innocent, a way to help him relax, but things seem to be taking a different turn.

I slip out of my robe and press myself against his back, hugging him around his waist.

“Here, let me help you.” He pulls me from behind him, lifting me over the high wall of the bathtub.

The hot water stings slightly as I ease down to sit. Isaac sits across from me so that we’re facing each other with our legs tangled together.

He closes his eyes and lets his head fall back, the tension in his face becoming softer. His large arms are draped over the sides of the tub and I decide to quickly close my eyes.

Staring at him will lead to less relaxing and more physical activity.

We sit in comfortable silence for several minutes until I can feel his eyes on me. I open one eye to find him watching me, an easy smile on his lips.

“I’m lonely over here, little mate,” his deep, humming voice makes my breath hitch in my throat.

I slowly move through the water until I’m on my knees, between his legs, right in front of his chest.

“Closer,” he whispers as he pulls me against him.

I move my legs so that they are positioned on either side of his. Our slippery skin rubs against each other and just like that, I’m on fire.

“We couldn’t even take a relaxing bath?” I try to hide my smile and the laugh in my voice.

“I tried, I waited as long as I could.” He pushes his lips against mine. This kiss is sweet and tender. His mouth moves slowly, softly, almost innocently.

He brings his hand into my wet hair, his fingers making my scalp prick.

I reach below the water and find him, thick and ready. I lift my hips slightly, adjusting the angle of him before sliding down in one steady movement.

His eyes go wide and his mouth drops open.

I’m slightly sore from the rough, fast-paced orchard rendezvous earlier. I move my hips up and down on him slowly.

“You feel so good.” His voice is tight and full of emotion. “I love you, Rhiannon. I’ll love you forever.”

He hasn’t called me Rhiannon yet, and for some reason, it causes a strange emotional reaction. Tears stream down my cheeks as I press my face into his neck.

He takes my chin gently, his voice also gentle. “Why are you crying, baby?”

I don’t know why I thought I could hide it from him.

“I don’t know, you just called me Rhiannon… I guess I feel like you fully love and accept me. I don’t mind you calling me Annie. In fact, I like it, but... I don’t know, I guess I just feel like you miss her and want her back. Like we’re different people. The person I was, the person I don’t remember, Annie, that’s who you fell in love with.”

“Fuck, baby, I’m so sorry. I love you, Rhiannon. A few small differences aside, you are the woman I fell in love with.

“Annie, Rhiannon, you’re the same, the things I loved the most about her are the same things I love the most about you.

“You are so kind and gentle, you accept me, even with my flaws. You’re everything, little mate, all the time.”

He kisses the tears from my face, and I move my hips in slow circles. He groans out, “We can’t even have a heartfelt conversation?”

“I tried! I waited as long as I could,” I smirk before lifting my hips up and dropping them faster. The warm water laps around us and sloshes up the sides of the tub.

“Just like that, ride me, baby,” he moans as he brings his hands to my hips.

Our moans fill the bathroom as we find our peaks together, staring into each other’s eyes.

I barely remember Isaac carrying me to bed, his warm arms holding me tightly to his chest.

Even amidst the chaos in our lives, I feel at peace, lulled into a false sense of security that will come crashing down sooner than any of us realize.