SEDUCTIVE PREY

VENOM AND VOWS

My pulse pounds in my head and my eyes are so heavy I can't lift them. On top of that, my body aches from head to toe. An endless throb that slowly ebbs away as someone's feather light touch caresses my skin. Leaving wet skin, exposed to the elements, before the soft kiss of the air causes the wetness to evaporate.

Opening my eyes is a struggle. They're locked in the 'just five more minutes position'. Only, the scent of clove oil and wintergreen captures my attention.

Ethan...

Forcing my eyes open, it takes several minutes for everything to come into focus.

The bed I'm lying on.

The lit fireplace.

And the haunted baby blues staring back at me.

Smiling at him, I reach out to touch him and my heart lodges in my throat. My arms are covered in fang marks in various stages of healing and my skin burns.

What the hell?

My gaze flickers to Ethan and guilt flickers across his face before he turns away from me. Shame and embarrassment tinging his pale face.

"I need to apply my venom to the wounds, and they'll be gone in a matter of seconds." Ethan's tells me in a solemn tone. "The Syth have been impatiently waiting outside of the room for the past few hours. I couldn't let them see you like that. So, I refused to let them in."

Briefly Ethan meets my gaze, and two things stand out to me. One, he referred to his fang marks as wounds. Like I'm some sort of wounded animal rather than a willing participant in this mating dance gone incredibly wrong. And two, he's so ashamed of what has transpired that he doesn't want anyone to see.

Sitting up, I try to place my hand over his, but he backs away from me. He's taking this harder than I am. And when he gets like this, the best thing to do is allow him to work through it. So, I lie back down on his bed.

"Apply the venom." I tell him.

Inhaling deeply, it takes him a minute, but he finally turns toward me, and I watch him silently apply venom to the rest of my fang marks. Loathing himself until there is no evidence left of what he's done.

"The bond between us is growing stronger. We should distance ourselves to avoid a repeat of what happened today." He tells me. Then he gets up and leaves like his word is law and there's no room for discussion or any objections I might have.

"How?" I cross my arms over my chest. "We live in the same house and within the same four walls of this bedroom."

"I don't know," his haunted eyes meet mine again. "But I could've killed you. You shouldn't put yourself at risk."

"You say that every time. Yet, every time, no matter how bad it gets, you always find the strength to pull back."

"Until I eventually succeed in killing you." He fires back. "There's no coming back from death, Ali. For you or me."

"Actually, you're immortal. So, death doesn't even apply to you."

Ethan spares me a scathing look that says, 'this is no joking matter'. To which, I sheepishly look away. Clearly, he's lost his sense of humor.

Changing the subject, I tell him, "We should be out looking for them, you know."

"I have some people on it. As does Tristan and the Syth. Please be patient. We are doing all that we can to find them. And as soon as we do, we'll get them back Ali. I promise."