Blue Moon~ Blackwater Series 3

Chapter Eighteen

Mona

   "Were you trying to purposely piss everyone off?" Mona slammed the door shut after Rebekah's guard opened it. The entire ride back was in silence as Mona contemplated how she felt. Stating claim to Rebekah had the potential for her to lose Paulina. Not that Paulina showed any ounce of care for Mona to not doubt her. It weighed heavy on what Lucian would think. Lucian Manor was the only home she'd known since her first night being turned.

   Rebekah gave Mona the space to sort through her thoughts. There was no point in pretending to be all soft and cuddly to Mona's friends. She was who she was and in a position of power because of it. Scratching the corner of her head, Rebekah let Mona do as she pleased, keeping them locked inside her limousine. "It would be crass of me to act differently. I have never changed, Mona. I have only opened another side of myself to you."

   Mona knew she was right. Expecting her to be kinder to her friends was a foolish thought. But she'd gotten her blessing from Kaliska and that is all that truly mattered. Leaning into the leather seat, Mona couldn't help but think of what Paulina said. "Why do you have my Sire?"

   "Mona," Rebekah chimed out in a monotone. "I have a purpose for all the choices I make."

   Shifting her body to Rebekah irritation flashed in Mona's eyes. "I'm trying to find a reason. And I can't come up with one. I don't know rather to be ashamed of how I feel for you or embrace it and trust you."

   Rebekah lifted her soft hand to Mona's cheek. "Trust is one to earn and I know I have yet to give you that, completely. All I can say, is that me having Lucian is not to bring harm to him or you and yours. There is a duty to uphold and it needed to be done." Rebekah gestured in a head roll. "Perhaps, I insinuated on more than one occasion, me taking him was to hurt you all. It was merely a jib. One that I will always regret doing to you."

   Mona could accept her answer for now. She studied Rebekah then gave in to her kind eyes. "Will you ever wake him? And not in the next century?" If Mona was going to be claimed by this woman, she needed to trust in this woman. There was a reason her blood boiled in not the torturous way, around Rebekah. She needed to trust her instincts.

   "Very soon." Rebekah's lingering gaze held promise. "Now, may I take you my bathing room and soak your skin in soap? I promise to be kind to your body."

   Mona's body jittered in need of Rebekah's touch. There was also fear lingered in the back of her mind. If they made love, there would be no turning back. She needed to stay patient until Mona could say without doubt, she would stick by her side. "I'm not—"

   "I am not speaking of sex. Only a simple soaking in the bath. Being around a bunch of werewolves gives me the itch. No offense given to your beloved Kaliska. Though fortunately, she does not smell like them."

   Mona rolled her eyes. "Fine." It was never a shy issue of her body when it came to the individuals she slept with in her past. But there were telling scars left in intimate places from her past before turning, she wasn't ready to share. When she'd laid with Latham, she'd made it clear to be done in the dark and most time, blindfolded.

   Mona had an inkling, when and if she ever fell into bed with Rebekah, she'd want to see every ounce of her.

*

Rebekah

   "Patrol the property on foot every hour. And don't slack again." Rebekah chastised one of her vampires. On the way up to her room, one of the guards had a complaint and immediately, Rebekah went to Monarch mode.

   Standing at a distance, Mona eyed a human as if he was a steak being sizzled on a skillet with fresh seasoning to bring out its scent. Not wanting to be rude, Mona figured staring was far worse than approaching.