The Venatrix

Chapter Thirteen

Malkai carefully laces his fingers into my thick curly locks. His eyes search mine. It's almost like he can sense what I am feeling. I want this. I want to be owned by him. I want to be claimed. I want the universe to know that I am his.

After this there is no going back, no separating, and no do overs. This is a big decision that can't be taken lightly. I know what I want but Malkai on the other hand needs a sign. He needs to know that I won't regret this decision. He needs to understand that even though the words haven't been spoken, we love each other.

I stand on my tip toes and wrap my arms around his neck. His eyes meet mine, one last time before gently placing a kiss on my lips. It's soft, it's sweet but I want more. I trace his lips with my tongue requesting access. Once he did it was game over. The kiss is warm, it's deep, it's like we are tasting each other for the first time.

His fingers dance down my spine, even though the clothing I can feel the sparks he leaves behind. He grips the hem of my sweater and breaks the kiss long enough to rip it over my head. I run my fingers across the hard planes of muscle on his stomach before urging his shirt over his head. The remainder of our clothes disappeared in a flash.

Our limbs meshed together. There was no him. There was no me. We were acting as one. Every thrust, every kiss, every nip, every graze just made me love him even more. This man, my mate, is worshiping my body. He is making me his queen.

The euphoria starts to peak. I know my climax is coming. The process is almost complete. Now all that is left is an exchange of blood. My mouth waters, the idea of tasting Malkai's blood nearly pushes me over the edge. I feel his fangs graze across the side of my neck. I match his position. I'm so close. Silently pleading for the climax, silently pleading for a taste of his blood.

When our teeth sink into each other. A loud moan escapes my throat. I don't know if it's because of the climax itself or if it's because Malkai blood tastes like the finest piece of cake I could have ever been offered.

Once the euphoria has ended all that remains is pain. It is slowly crawling up my neck. Its only job is to make me suffer. I grit my teeth to keep from crying out in agony. It's ten times more painful than becoming a vampire ever was. The difference is I know what this pain is. It's a branding and an official marking of our bond.

"Just breathe through its baby. The pain will subside in just a minute." Malkai said through gritted teeth himself. Almost like he is trying to convince himself that it doesn't hurt.

I take some deep breaths through my nose and retreat into the deepest parts of my mind. Nothing can hurt me here. I don't have to worry about anything. It's just me floating through darkness. It's so peaceful. It's almost like the death that I wish I would have had.

Nora, are you still with me?" Malkai asks frantically.

I can hear him. It's like he is talking to me through water. I want to answer him but I'm too deep in my head. Here I am safe. My life has always been hard. I got dealt a bad hand. I always found myself in the middle of terrible situations.

I wish my mother would have left a light on for me. I wish she would have told me I could come home whenever my dad was away or if I ever needed something. I had no choice but to sell my soul to the world and hope that I would receive a better life in exchange.

I lived in isolation for years. I rescued Esmeray who reunited me with Light. Who wasn't who I thought he was. Meeting her put me in this terrible situation but if I had never rescued her, I wouldn't have met Malkai.

If I was given the chance to do my life over again. I wouldn't change a thing because if I did I wouldn't be the person that I am. I wouldn't be with the man of my dreams.

"Nora, talk to me please!" Malkai pleaded. I can feel his fingers caress my cheeks. Even through the pain I can feel his gentle touches. Wait, the pain? I feel no pain.

I slowly open my eyes and am met with Malkai's copper red eyes. I've never seen him show an ounce of fear, but his face shows nothing but relief. He wraps me in his arms and buries his face into my neck. I stroke his blonde hair and hum a melancholy tune.

"You scared me, Nora." Malkai eventually says.

"Why?" I curiously ask.

"Nora, you were asleep for a few hours. I was worried you were rejecting my mark." Malkai said.

"I would never do that. Well not intentionally at least. The pain was just so intense that I went to my happy place. I can't feel anything there." I said.

"Your mark is beautiful." Malkai says kissing the side of my neck.

"Can I see it?" I ask.

"Yeah!" Malkai said, pulling me up off of the bed and into the bathroom. I turn to flip the light switch on but he quickly catches my hand.

"You can see it better this way." Malkai said pointing at the bathroom mirror. I look in the mirror and notice there are elegant flowers that are beautifully placed around my eyebrows and caress the underneath of my eyes. Vines dance down my cheek bones and meet a gorgeous rose that surrounds a cursive C on my neck.

I look at Malkai and see that he has what appears to be bullets that appear to be in an intricately placed pile around his eyebrow and eye. Smoke covers his cheek bones, and a replica of my gun is plastered on his neck.

"Why are our marks different?" I ask.

"Our marks replicate what we love the most in this world." Malkai says.

"So, yours is flowers?" I ask jokingly.

"No, mine is my last name. I am the only surviving member of my family. So, my name means everything to me." Malkai says proudly.

"Mine, is my gun?" I ask.

"Yes, you even told me at one point that you asked for that gun in exchange for your services. You didn't get to have the normal things in life. Nor did you get a chance to buy the things you wanted with money. So, that gun is almost like your first big girl purchase. It's like a guy's car. Your gun is your pride and joy." Malkai said smiling.

"It's weird in a sweet kind of way. Now every couple has a piece of their mate to carry with them all the time. She wolves just wear the crest of their mates. The males don't have marks. It's kind of boring." I say smiling sweetly.

I see panic briefly flash through Malkai's eyes. He covers it by flashing me a smile. I may be stuck at seventeen but I'm not naive. It makes me wonder what he is hiding but I'm not going to ruin our mood by asking about it today.

"Miss.Bleau!! Mr. Christiansen!! We are under attack!!" One of Maddox's men yelled while pounding on the door.

We both look at each other with wide eyes before we scramble to get dressed. It's time to finally see what this pack has been up against.