23. Rule #23 Vulnerability Is A Two-Way Street

Rule #23: Vulnerability Is A Two-Way Street

Zoe

D aniel held my hand firmly all the way to his apartment building, occasionally running his thumb along mine in an attempt to comfort me. I appreciated that he didn't try to get me to talk. We approached his building and I pulled to a stop.

"You live above the art gallery?" I asked.

"Uh huh," he replied, guiding me to a door off to the side.

"Wait," I said, pulling my hand out of his, moving toward the windows.

The gallery was dark and clearly closed, but a few paintings were illuminated with spot lights. They were beautiful. My gaze wandered over watercolors swirled across canvas and acrylics depicting a serene Canadian lake and mountain ranges. A few squat pillars held clay sculptures and my hands pressed against the glass as if I could push my way through to see the marble statue that stood in the center. Sculpting wasn't my thing but I was always in awe of the way someone could take a piece of stone and carve it into something so lifelike. I could almost make out the veins that stood out in the woman's neck as she threw her head back in an elegant arch, hands raised above her head in a ballerina pose I had no name for. Her tutu looked as if it were fluttering in motion. Surely magic? But no. Just art. And it set my heart alight.

A hand brushed lightly against my lower back making me jump. I'd completely forgotten Daniel was there.

"We should come by when it's open," he said.

"Yeah. I think I'd like that," I whispered because I didn't want to disturb the art.

My gaze fell on a sign in the window.

Open Call for Artists Paintings, drawings, sculptures, metalwork, all welcome. Submit your portfolios to [email protected]

"You should go for it," Daniel said from my shoulder.

"Nah, my drawings aren't that great. They're just for me."

He wrapped his arms around my shoulders from behind, dropping a kiss on the top of my head.

"They're amazing and they deserve to be hung up in there."

My heart skipped a little at his confidence in me.

"I'll think about it," I said softly. The run in with Agatha and Marcus had unsettled me more than I cared to admit. Despite my show of bravado back there, something had cracked inside of me. I was shaken and I didn't like it. I was supposed to be strong.

Threading my fingers through his, I pulled him closer, finding safety in his nearness. "Let's go," I said, peering up at him. I must have looked especially pathetic for the soft smile he gave me before he brushed a kiss across my temple, then tucked me into his side.

We headed to the side entrance and up some stairs that eventually led us to a short hallway. There looked to be only two apartments up here and Daniel unlocked the one at the end of the hallway.

I gaped when I stepped inside.

"How much does Lewis pay you? This place is amazing!"

Daniel scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Not all that much to be honest."

"Fuck me," I muttered. "You're rich aren't you?" I accused with narrowed eyes.

"I know the owner of the building. He gives me a good rate."

"Daniel?"

"Hmmm?" he murmured while making his way into the open plan kitchen. It was fitted with all new chrome appliances, granite countertops and a matching kitchen island that separated it from the expansive living room. Tall, arched windows lined the entire wall that looked out on the street below. The exposed brick and steel beams gave the whole apartment an expensive industrial chic feel.

"Do you perhaps own the building?"

He stood by the sink with his back to me, his t-shirt stretched over muscles, temporarily distracting me. His large hands were splayed on either side of him and he hung his head.

"Yeah. Also the art gallery downstairs," he said, drawing me out of my momentary lusty haze.

I walked up to him and lay a hand on his back. "Turn around. Look at me."

Slowly, he turned to face me, then hung his head back, gazing at the ceiling .

"What's going on? You don't need the job at the gym. Obviously," I said, waving my hand around.

"I do need it," he said softly. "Not for the money. I need it for me. I need to make sure that people have a chance to defend themselves if they need it."

My heart clenched, there was more to this beautiful man of mine than I knew. An underlying grief that I recognised. We were so similar, and while I did need the money, unlike him, that was the exact reason why I taught.

I slid my hands up his chest, reaching up on my tip toes so that I could reach his neck, forcing him to look down at me.

"I'm gonna need you to pick me up so that I can kiss you."

"You don't hate that I'm rich?"

"Come on," I said, giving him a bland look, "have you seen the car Lewis drives? I make him pay for all our food."

He let out that big laugh of his, his stupid dimples popped and I swear it was like injecting serotonin straight into my veins. I couldn't help but smile.

Daniel hoisted me up, turning around to set me down on the counter, stepping to stand between my open thighs. The cold of the marble countertop seeped through my jeans but his warm hands contrasted maddeningly as he slowly stroked along my thighs. He still wouldn't meet my eyes though.

I frowned. "What else?" I asked. "What else are you hiding?"

Daniel blew out a breath then trained his eyes on the ceiling again.

"I'm a…" He groaned then dropped his forehead to my shoulder.

"You're what?" I prodded, running my fingers through his soft, brown hair.

His hands gripped my waist then he lifted his head and let out a small sigh before continuing, like it pained him to say the words. "A prince. "

I rolled my lips between my teeth suppressing a laugh and Daniel glared at me.

"Are you laughing at me?"

"No?" I squeaked. Then snorted before it filled out into a loud belly laugh.

I covered my mouth trying to stifle it but he looked so damn serious, that it made everything more hilarious.

"Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds?" I asked, my shoulders still shaking with laughter.

Daniel huffed then pushed away from me but I grabbed the front of his t-shirt, pulling him back to me. I wrapped my ankles around his waist, locking him in place.

"No, no, no. Come back. I'm sorry," I said, but I still smiled widely. "I thought England only had two princes? William and Harry?"

Daniel narrowed his eyes. "You're forgetting about George and Louis," he replied.

I ran my hands down his chest. "Silly me. How could I forget about them? So where do you fit into the royal family?"

He rolled his eyes, but I reached for his face, forcing him to look at me.

His hands landed on my waist again, squeezing once. "I need a drink for this," he said.

This time I let him move away from me towards the bar cart that stood to the side.

He unstoppered a fancy crystal decanter, pouring two fingers of amber liquid before tossing the liquor back, then refilled his glass and poured another for me. He strode back to me, handing me a drink.

I shook my head. "I don't drink alcohol. I don't like how it makes me feel out of control."

"Fuck," he swore softly. "How did I not know that about you?"

I shrugged. "It's never come up before. "

He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, kissing me on my forehead. "I look forward to learning everything about you."

My insides were giddy. Never before had someone made me their center of attention the way he did.

"Now. About this prince thing. Spill."

He groaned, leaning against the counter beside me.

Daniel nursed his drink slower than the first.

"Do you know how werewolves came to be?" he asked eventually.

I frowned as I tried to recall my history lessons. Zara and I had been pitched against each other and while she climbed the social ladder, I had often retreated to the library.

"A monster hunter was cursed by a witch when he burned her at the stake," I said.

"Do you remember that monster hunter's name?" Daniel asked, taking another sip of his drink.

"Edward Blake," I whispered.

"Edward Blake," he echoed. "The first werewolf. I'm his direct descendant."

"Werewolf royalty," I muttered, grabbing the tumbler of whiskey from his hand, I took a sip then hissed.

"That tastes like battery acid!"

Daniel laughed. "And how would you know what battery acid tastes like?"

I retched. "Probably that."

He took the glass from me, setting it on his other side then rubbed my back gently.

"Wow," I whispered, taking in his words. "I did not see that one coming. "

"Yup," he agreed solemnly, emptying his glass. "That's why Benjamin wants me so badly. Can you imagine the status the Silvertooth pack would have with me in their ranks?"

"What would your dad say about that?" I asked.

"Don't know. Don't give a fuck, to be honest. I'm done with him too."

"What happened with your pack?" I asked. "I mean if you don't want to talk about it, that's okay. I just…" I placed a hand over his. "I'm just here is all."

Daniel threaded his fingers through mine, bringing them to his lips for a kiss. He let out a deep, soul-weary sigh before he spoke. "My sister, Aurora, was involved with a vampire. Some low-life bloodsucker named Liam who wove his charm over her. She was blinded by her love for him. But he treated her like shit. He gaslit her and was emotionally abusive, but he never laid a hand on her. So what could I do?"

I ran a thumb over the back of his hand in comfort, but I didn't speak. I knew exactly what that felt like.

"You know wolves and vamps don't usually have beef. My father and Liam's father were allies, business partners, they ran multi-million pound companies together, but Liam wasn't the heir his father wanted him to be. He somehow got Aurora to move in with him. And whenever I saw her after that she looked sick. Every time it was worse. She was gaunt and weak and probably had Stockholm Syndrome. She'd shrug it off when I asked her about it. But she denied it, saying that I just didn't like Liam. I was being unfair. That he loved her and she was happy. The dark circles under her eyes said otherwise. Something was off."

"What did your dad say?" I asked.

"He wouldn't hear anything about it. Liam's father was a good man, he said. He said it was pack law not to get involved with nest business, and that Aurora had made her choice. "

He swallowed audibly, trying to psyche himself for whatever came next.

"Liam was feeding off her," he whispered. I squeezed his hand and he held on tight, like I was his lifeline.

"I hadn't noticed before because it would always be in places that were covered up. But I visited her one day and she hadn't had a chance to cover up the bites with makeup the way she usually did. Liam was taking too much. He was draining her. Werewolf blood is richer than humans. When I told my father he still wouldn't budge. His own daughter!"

"Why?" I whispered. The horror of it all washed over me.

"Besides the fact that it would start a war, more importantly it would affect his business interests if he started something with them. I went to Liam's father. He refused to believe me. Refused to believe his son would stoop so low."

Daniel stopped, staring off into the distance for a long time. I thought that was the end of it, and as I opened my mouth to speak, he went on.

"I was too late. I rounded up a few of my pack that were loyal to me. The ones who grew up with us and loved Aurora like a sister. I was going to kidnap her. Even if she screamed about it. I didn't care. She'd be safe… but I was too late," he whispered. "I can still see her body on that living room floor. Her dead eyes staring at the ceiling, her skin was so cold… so pale… Liam had let his whole nest feed on her. They couldn't stop when the bloodlust started."

"Oh, Daniel," I whispered. I pulled him closer, so that he faced me and I wrapped myself around him. He held me tight, burying his face in my neck and breathing in deeply. I ran my hand over his back in slow, soothing circles.

He lifted his head and looked down at me. "I was furious with my father. Furious that he hid behind pack law. But Liam's dad got what was coming to him though. Liam might not have been the heir he wanted, but with his newfound power, his coup was child's play. He killed his own father and my father lost his business partner anyway. That's when I left. That's when I swore off pack life."

"And that's why you hate vampires," I said.

"Yeah," he answered. "I know it's unfair to Rory. I know that's not who she is. I just…" He didn't finish.

"You know, Rory might seem like she's all sunshine and puppies, but if she knew she'd probably kill Liam for you."

"I know. But she doesn't have to. That was the last thing I did before I left England. He couldn't live when Aurora didn't."

"Why do I have a feeling you wouldn't be welcomed back to England?"

"Because I wouldn't. I left a mess for my father to clean up. But there wouldn't be one if he had just intervened when I asked him to."

"What happened to the vampires with Liam and his dad gone?"

"Liam's father had a second in command, Vincent. He stepped up and came to some agreement with my father. There were losses on both sides and they had businesses to run."

"Not to be crass, but how do you still have money if you cut ties with your dad?" I asked.

"Trust fund baby," he said with a grimace. "My grandfather set it up for Aurora and I. Her portion came to me when she died. I used hers to donate to a shelter for abused women. And it turns out I'm really good at investing," he said, waving a hand around to indicate his apartment.

I leaned up and kissed his jaw. "Thank you for sharing that with me."

He leaned his forehead against mine. "Thank you for being you."

Daniel moved from me to place his empty glass in the sink and he came to stand back between my legs.

"I don't plan on being part of a pack again," he reiterated, his hands slipping under my t-shirt, slowly caressing the sides of my body. Tingles of warmth spread through my body. My hands caressed his chest, one snaking up to his neck.

"What if they don't give you a choice?" I asked.

Daniel leaned down to kiss me, his lips warm and soft against mine. There was so much promise in that kiss. So much conviction. "We always have a choice, Zoe. I choose you."

A blush spread across my cheeks.

"Like a Pokémon," I joked. I deflected with humor when I felt like I was on uneven ground. And someone choosing me was something that had me on the shakiest of grounds. I still couldn't be sure that he wouldn't just up and leave me eventually. But I had boarded this train and the crash was going to be catastrophic.

He chuckled then kissed the tip of my nose. "I mean you're kinda like a Pikachu. Small, cute but you pack one hell of a punch."

A smile crept over my face. "Such a charmer," I mumbled, staring at his earlobe. His forest green eyes blazed and they were too intense to look into. His earlobe seemed like a safe body part. He had a nice earlobe.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, pulling my focus back. Concern shone in his eyes. Fuck, I loved the colour of them. When I looked closer they were a wild kind of green, with specks of blue and brown. They reminded me of a stormy ocean.

"I'm fine," I lied. He knew the run in with my ex had rattled me and the look he gave me now said he wasn't buying my shit. "I don't want to talk about it."

His hands under my t-shirt moved to my back, rubbing slow, comforting circles on my skin. He leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to my neck.

"Well, you did say that I was going to fuck you six ways till Sunday," he said, continuing to trail kisses along the sensitive skin of my throat. His soft growl vibrating against my skin made me shiver with need. My fingers threaded through his soft brown waves. He groaned softly when I scraped my nails along his scalp.

"You think you can live up to that, Blake?" I said, my voice came out shakier than I would have liked. I felt his smile against my skin, before his teeth grazed my neck. I gasped at the sensation, before he licked then kissed the spot again. He continued leaving little love bites all over my neck. Marking me. And I didn't give a fuck about them. I'd happily wear his marks.

Daniel's kisses burned as he moved up my neck, nipping my earlobe. A gasp left my mouth and he smiled against my jaw as he skimmed his soft lips against it. The ache between my legs grew as did the anticipation of his kiss. And when he did finally claim my mouth, my whole body responded.

His lips were soft but demanding, and when his tongue coaxed the seam of my lips, I let him in. His hands roamed up and down my back, his touch set me alight. My whole body felt like it was about to ignite from just his touch alone. One of my hands drifted to his neck, his pulse jumping erratically under my touch. It was a heady feeling knowing that I affected him this much. That he lost his mind over me. It hadn't been like this with Marcus and I realised in this moment how I had accepted crumbs of attention with him. The need to be wanted had overruled what I deserved. With Daniel it was so different. Like night and day, and he was my sunshine. Even the way he looked at me was different. Most times it was with heart eyes. But other times, like right now, his eyes were full of desire and want. He wanted me on every level, and while that was scary, it was also thrilling.

I needed more of him. I needed to feel him everywhere, so I let my hands wander. Across his strong shoulders, down his muscled arms and I smiled against his mouth when he let out a low growl as my nails raked his lower abdomen. I broke the kiss, both of us panting and the lust in his eyes made me throb between my thighs.

"You gonna show me what's up those magical stairs?" I asked, nodding to the metal spiral staircase on the other side of the living room.

Daniel slid his hands under my thighs and I giggled when he picked me up.

Walking across the room, he said, "Yes ma'am. "

Fear flooded me as I held up both my hands, keeping the protective shield in place. My arms shook with exertion, a bead of sweat trickled down the side of my face. Shadowed forms swirled around the outside of the protective force I had created. I couldn't make out who they were, but they were inching closer. I couldn't move my head, but I could sense a presence behind me within the shield. The forcefield shook with a mighty boom as something slammed against it, but I held strong. The presence behind me, actually it was more than one, I could sense several people, gave me strength. It poured into me, fortifying me. But when I glanced over my shoulder all I could see was blinding white. More magic flooded through my veins as I reinforced the forcefield. Another ball of shadow was flung at us, shaking it again. The shock of it traveled down my arms, my feet skidded back. That fear took hold of my throat. The balls of black came faster, with less and less time between them. They rattled the forcefield.

Boom.

Boom!

BOOM!

I jolted up with a gasp .

BOOM!

Thunder shook the sky as rain pelted against the windows of Daniel's bedroom. I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I lay back down and turned my head to the side, facing a still sleeping Daniel. A crack of lightning lit up the dark room illuminating his beautiful, peaceful face. Reaching out, I ran my fingers through his soft brown hair. I loved his hair, I could play with it all day. He lay on his front, with one hand tucked under his pillow. He didn't stir even as I stroked his face. His cheekbones were stupidly sharp and not for the first time I wondered what he would do if I attempted to slice cheese on them. Probably smack my hands. He had a small mole under his left eye that I hadn't noticed before. His eyes usually captivated me so much, but now I had time to take in the finer features on his gorgeous face.

Another crack of lightning lit up the room followed closely by rolling thunder.

It seemed like sleep would elude me tonight, so I slipped out of bed, locating my panties dangling over the lamp on his nightstand. I pulled them on and grabbed his t-shirt from the foot of the bed. His scent surrounded me, calming my racing heart. It was like being wrapped in a safety blanket. On silent feet I made my way to the spiral staircase leading to the floor below. His bedroom was on a loft level, overlooking his entire apartment. From up here I could finally take in the place. The open plan kitchen stood on the far end and the large open space in front of it was divided by a dark brown leather couch that looked super comfy, facing a flat screen TV mounted to the wall. Behind the couch was a small mahogany dining table, big enough for six. But what drew my gaze were the arched floor-to-ceiling windows looking down on the town below.

The metal stairs were cool on my bare feet but they didn't creak at all as I made my way down the spiral staircase .

The rain continued its assault on the windows in the living room and I drifted toward them. The raindrops left tracks as they raced down the glass. My dream had left me shaken. Dream interpretation wasn't my field of expertise. That had been Katie's wheelhouse. I was more adept at combat and defensive magic. That dream felt more like a premonition or a sign. Something was coming, and while I didn't know what it was, I knew it was bad.

I didn't know how long I stood there but I didn't flinch when a strong set of arms wrapped around me, pulling me into his warm body. His scent had reached me before he had.

"You weren't in bed." His voice was thick with sleep, slightly rough and it made me shiver. He chuckled against my skin, kissing me softly against my temple.

"Couldn't sleep," I replied. "I didn't want to wake you."

Daniel stroked his hand along my arm. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," I murmured. "Strange dreams."

The rain has slowed to a soft drizzle and I stared up at the slate gray clouds that hid the slowly growing moon.

"We're all set for next week. Meeting at Amelia's at six. Sunset is at eight," I told him.

"You sure you're okay to do this?" Daniel asked. "I know you can hold your own. You've handed my arse to me more times than I'd admit to. But your magic—"

"Is fine," I interrupted. I opened my hand face up and conjured a fireball. The orange, glowing ball perfectly controlled in my hand, until I closed my fist, extinguishing it. "I told you. I've been feeling stronger lately. I'm fine."

"Why is that?" Daniel asked. "You said that without a coven your powers would disappear. "

"Maybe the ley line along with the power boosters are working," I said with a shrug.

"We're not on the ley line here though," he said. I could practically hear his frown.

"I don't have any answers for you, Dan. All I can tell you is that I can connect to my power better lately. And that's enough for now. To get us through this."

He kissed the top of my head, squeezing me in a hug. "Okay," was all he said.

"Now come back to bed. I think I have an idea of how to tire you out."

"Oh, do you now?"

"Come on, you filthy girl."

I squealed as Daniel picked me up and threw me over his shoulder where I had a perfect view of his sculpted ass. I reached out to pinch it and laughed when he yelped. A loud smack echoed through the room when his large hand landed on my ass and it was my turn to yelp.

"Behave," he said, carrying me back up the spiral staircase. But if that's what misbehaving got me, then I was about to be a very bad girl.