Hello Darkness

Chapter Fifty-Five

The trickle of rain turns into a downpour by the time I step into Victor's foyer, water and mud gluing my clothes to my body. I smell of earth and blood, and I can't imagine I look anything less than a drowned rat.

The door clicks behind me. Through the cracks of the closed door, an amber glow bleeds into the entry from Victor's parlor. He's not going to be happy if he's home.

Just as I think I can sneak up the stairs unnoticed, muffled shouts came from the parlor. Heavy stomps thunder in my direction and the door flings open. Reuben emerges, his long jacket nipping at his calves, his silver hair damp from the rain.

"You're wrong, Victor. This is wrong!" His voice booms off the walls of the entry and Victor fills the doorway, looking from under his eyebrows, fists clenched at his sides.

"If the Authority gets wind of this, it will be the end of us all, and I won't be a part of it." His grey eyes narrow on Victor, holding his ground. "I'm starting to think they were right about you." Jacket swinging like a black cape, he whirls around exiting out the front door.

Victor roars, swinging his hand at the door and knocking it off its hinges. He feels my eyes, and white hot anger spreads through me. "Where have you been?" His voice comes from the pit of his stomach in a growl.

I stare at Victor, afraid to move, unsure of what to say. He's so angry. I've never felt such rage. And now it's directed at me. I do the only thing I can and send cooling waves down the bond. "I—"

It seems to calm him. Through gritted teeth he says, "I've been worried sick." His voice softens as the heat fades from our bond. "I thought the Silvanos had you or you turned yourself in— we were discussing what actions we'd take."

Actions—he'd do that for me? "I should have told you, but I knew you were busy."

He walks toward the stairs, looking up at me from the bottom, his hand resting on the rail. "I'm never too busy. Where were you?"

"I wanted to learn my demons name, and I took a chance." I close my eyes feeling every emotion again. Letting it leak down the bond. Victor rushes to my side. I collapse into his chest, his heavy arms wrapping around me.

"You should have told me—so many things could have gone wrong." His fingers run through my hair.

I bury my face into his chest. "So many things did go wrong."

"But did you—"

I nod.

"How?"

I pull my head back. "I veiled her to think I completed her deal."

A smirk dances on his lips and his eyes light up. "You brilliant girl." He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me close. He lowers his lips to meet mine. I fall into his rhythmic kiss, and ache when he pulls away.

"You know I should be scolding you right now." When he raises his eyebrows like that—I wonder if it was the bond making me feel this way. I bite my lip, not sure if I care. It feels good for everything to be so effortless.

"I needed to do something for myself."

"Clearly." His breath tingles against my lips, his firm hands pressing into my lower back pull me even closer to him. With as much care as before, he brings his lips to mine. I let the bond open, letting it consume me. I need it to erase my thoughts of anything but this moment. I can deal with the consequences later. Right now, it's just him and I.

He lifts me from the ground, our lips never parting. I wrap my legs around his waist as he carries me up the stairs. Our shadows dance down the hallway. Stumbling every few steps to deepen our kiss. He runs his fingers through my hair, sending tingles down my spine. With his face this close he smells more than leather and spice. Dreamy dark nights and scandalous desperation.

He opens the door of his room and I giggle as he tosses me on the bed. We both know where this is going and he rips of his shirt and climbs on top of me. His fingers explore my waist then my breasts, sending my back arching.

He wraps his fingers around the collar of my drenched v-neck shirt. Effortlessly ripping it in two, exposing my black bra. Each kiss down my chest numbs my mind further and further, taking me away from the guilt and pain. The heated graze of his lips travels everywhere, consuming me—making me ache for more. He pauses at my collarbone, inhaling a deep shaky breath.

He lifts his head with closed eyes, like he just smelled his favorite dessert. "I want you to be mine."

Every inch of my body screams for him. Yes...yes...whatever he wants. His eyes pour into mine, waiting for my response. He wants me—he wants this.

"I want to truly bond with you. Being your guardian was my choice. But I want this one to be yours." He kisses along my shoulder, lightly pressing his fangs against the bare skin—hoping to influence my decision. Jolts of electricity shoot through me at the spot, clouding my mind and making me want only one thing—him.

"I want you to be mine and only mine," he says.

And I want him, and I don't care if it's the bond or me controlling it. The bond coils around us, pulling us closer, like it's willing us to concede.

My fingers travel around the muscles of his biceps, and link behind his head. I pull him closer and breath against his lips. "Then take me."

Victor's kiss meets mine with an eager ferocity, unrestrained and wild. His hand slides behind my neck and tangles deep in my hair. Kissing my neck, his fangs brush my skin, turning my insides liquid. I tilt my head to the side, submitting to him.

He places a final light kiss on the flesh of my neck, then sinks his fangs deep. It ignites my blood and I moan, arching my back, pressing myself into him.

A low growl vibrates against my throat. My hands grip the sheets trying to regain control of my body. But all I want is to give in.

Hot blood trickles between my breasts, soaking into the band of my bra. Victor releases my head rocking back in pleasure. The moon reflects the gold in his eyes. He rolls to my side, his arms sprawled across the bed and pulls me on top of him.

Starting at his chest I kissed up his scar, my teeth grazing against his neck—he shivers. I grin, following it up to his jaw and onto his cheek. I kiss the smirk I find there.

"Make me yours," he whispers against my lips. I respond with a deep kiss, our tongues eager to meet. I pull away tempting and teasing with light kisses until I reach the soft skin of his neck.

His arms stiffen when I stopped kissing, the tendon in his neck bulging. "Be gentle. It's been a while," he whispers in a low rumble.

I graze my fangs against his flesh, and sink my teeth in. He moans, knotting his fingers in my hair and pushing me harder into his neck. His blood coats my throat in a silky warmth. The bond thickens with each swallow. He didn't let me speak before he flips me beneath him.

His lips devour mine. My hands explored every inch of his body— felt every scar. Where had our clothes gone? Our bodies heave against each other as his mouth ventures down my chest, awakening every nerve.

Victor makes me feel again. Over and over. Hedoesn't stop until he awakened every part of me—even the parts that wanted toremain numb forever. When we're both exhausted, I curl into his chest and fellinto the deepest sleep I had in weeks.