CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

O liver figured it was a good time of day to show Piper around the mansion. Most vampires, aside from the day skeleton crew, would be sleeping. They wandered from one area to the next, skipping the ops room and private quarters.

They made their way down to the training area, a space in which he spent a lot of time.

A couple of vampires were working out, and he watched Piper examine their power and physique. Just as jealousy began to raise its ugly head, she turned to him.

“Well, this explains your hot bod,” Piper said, then shrugged. “Wipe that grin off your face. You know you have one.”

He leaned down and whispered into her hair. “They can hear you. Keep talking.”

She shook her head. “Boys! Whether you’re a human or vampire, clearly, you’re all the same.”

He heard the vamps across the room snigger.

“Wow, those swords are amazing! Can you...” she faltered.

“Fence?”

“Is that what it’s called?”

“Yes. Or dueling. Swordplay,” he answered. “And yes. We’re trained to use any and all weapons here.”

At the start of the tour, he’d explained The Institute was a private security company but left out the bit about assassins. That was harder to explain. They were warriors at the heart of it. Not just killers.

Piper walked over to the swords, and he lifted one off the wall for her. She took it and let out a gasp at its weight.

“This is why you need to be strong.” She nodded. “It looks so easy on the TV.”

These weren’t modern-day swords. They were the real deal and extremely heavy. She tried to lift it into the air and swing it around, but it began to dip. Oliver caught it just as it fell out of her hands, and swung it around, showing off.

And he didn’t give a fuck if everyone knew it.

If there was anyone worth showing off for, it was the woman who was very likely his mate.

Piper’s eyes shone.

For him.

He knew appreciation and desire in a woman and his female was looking at him with piles of it. It was working. After sleeping with her for a few hours during the day, despite the uncomfortable sofa, and now the playfulness that was re-emerging, hope was returning to his heart.

“Come,” he said and stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her. “Give me your hands.”

“Like virtual reality sword fighting?” she asked, laughing.

“Something like that, darlin’.” He placed her hands under his. “Now follow my lead.”

Sure, he might have been channeling his inner Patrick Swayze from Ghost and it was cheesy as fuck, but Oliver was willing to do anything to win Piper’s trust and heart.

Slowly, he moved the sword through the air, taking all the weight and felt her body move with his. Cheesy movie aside, it was intimate as hell and surprisingly erotic.

Piper made a lot of appreciative noises and he let her take some of its weight. A few upwards and sideways swings through the air and then he spun them, keeping her pressed against his body so he could ensure her stability. She gasped sexily and he could feel she was loving every minute.

His cock hardened and when he turned her once more, her ass pressed against it. Their movements slowed, and he felt Piper’s breath on his cheek as she turned to him.

He froze.

Leave. Now, he told the warriors in the training room and felt them teleport out a moment later.

Oliver threw the sword onto the mat away from them. Their eyes locked as the weapon clanged. Both their hearts thumped. Never in all his life had he felt such intense intimacy with another being. It was as if his breath, his very soul, belonged to her.

He could take, or he could wait. If he made the wrong move right now, he’d regret it for the remainder of his life.

Her eyes begged as her pupils dilated.

Then he knew.

He slammed his lips onto hers and she damn well melted in his arms as he engulfed her body.

Fucking yes !

Their tongues meshed together, familiar, and yet demanding to be reacquainted. Oliver lifted her, carrying her to a nearby bench, and spread her legs so he could wrap them around him.

“Wait.”

“They’re gone. We’re alone,” he said against her mouth, then pulled back. “Is that what you were asking?”

She nodded.

Suddenly, her eyes clouded. Oliver cupped her cheek. “Stay with me.”

Bright blue eyes met his.

“How Oli? I don’t understand how I can feel like this, knowing what I know.”

“Sweetheart, it’s just the unknown. You know me. Your body knows me. Will you trust me?”

“Stupidly, yes.” She nodded and tears glossed her eyes. “I want to run, but if you walked ten paces from me right now, I’d probably chase after you.”

He smiled.

“You’re my mate,” he said, surer now than ever. He kissed her gently. “I want to take you to my bed.”

Oliver needed so badly to sink deep into her. To claim her. To dominate every inch of her. Having her safely in the mansion was one thing, but the bond was pulling at him. At both of them.

He knew Piper was feeling this, too.

Ari had been right. He knew. He knew Piper was his mate, above and beyond everything in his life.

If he lost his job, if he had to leave the mansion, he would.

Piper was his life.

Now he hoped she’d choose him.

She blinked away her tears and nodded.

Thank fuck.

He wrapped her legs around his body and lifted her. Piper looped her hands around his neck and played with the ends of his hair as she did every time.

“Close your eyes,” he said and teleported into his bedroom.

When they arrived, he held her for a moment waiting to see if she felt ill, but all she did was blink and then gaze hungrily into his eyes. He lowered her onto the bed and lay over her. Fully clothed.

He was in no hurry.

“Your eyes,” she gasped, reaching up to his face.

Oliver grinned. His eyes must have the mating ring around them now.

Holy shit!

“Piper Roberts,” he croaked out, his voice thick with emotion. “I fucking love you.”

She drew in a nervous breath and placed a finger on her lips. “Don’t say anything. I just need this moment to revel in its perfection. God damn, I love you.”

He knew they weren’t out of the woods yet, but regardless of what happened from here, Oliver was taking the damn moment.

“Oli,” she finally said, her eyes glistening as he peppered her with kisses.

“It’s okay. You can say no at any point.”

“Will you—”

He lifted his head. She thought he would change her, and that hit him hard in the chest.

“No. Never without your permission.” He spoke firmly.

“Okay,” she replied, touching his face.

Piper wrapped her legs around him and tugged him down for another kiss. Slowly he removed their clothing until they lay side by side, touching, kissing, licking. It was so intimate and intense, but soon his need to be deep within her began to take over.

He lifted her leg over his thigh and his cock nudged carefully at her entrance as he watched her respond. Oliver wasn’t going to push, even though he was holding back his natural need to take, to own and to dominate her.

When she pressed her hips against him, he slid the head of his cock inside and let out a low curse. Her hot, moist body welcomed him in a tight grasp that set his body aflame.

Piper clung to his chest; her mouth parted as her own cries rang out.

Thrust.

He went deeper, and they moaned out their pleasure into the room together, fingers digging into flesh.

“Oli.”

“I’ve got you.”

Thrust.

Desire turned into desperate need. Oliver lifted her hips, going harder, deeper.

Thrust.

Piper gripped his shoulders, and her eyes demanded his mouth. He slammed his lips on hers as her pussy clenched around him, pulsing. Intense feelings flowed down through the bond, taking their pleasure to a whole other level.

He wasn’t sure he would last. Or if Piper would come with him.

“Fuck,” she cried, tossing her head back.

No!

Her neck, her pulse, the need to mate were overwhelmingly powerful.

Shit.

Oliver squeezed his eyes shut, knowing it wouldn’t help.

Sharp nails dug into his chest, and Piper began to scream. “Oli, fuck me, Oli.”

Just one small bite...

Her body demanded more from his cock, tightening as he thrust, desperately fighting to ignore his natural instincts.

Fuck.

Sweat beaded on his brow, and he pressed his eyes tight, but he could hear her pulse, he could see in his mind’s eye that large pulsing vein. Piper’s body convulsed around him, and he couldn’t look away any longer.

Their eyes met.

Her orgasm rang out and when she began to relax, he gave her a painful smile. “I’m sorry.”

Her eyes widened, and then he ripped out of her and flung himself across the room. “Oliver!” she cried.

He turned and flashed into the bathroom, slamming the door. Then sunk to the floor.

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

He dropped his head into his hands. He’d been so fucking close to biting her.

And losing her.

So damn close.

“SHOULD I LEAVE?” PIPER asked. She’d been sitting on the other side of the door for the last twenty minutes. If he said yes, she wasn’t sure how she could leave as she suspected Oliver’s door would also be locked.

She hadn’t forgotten she was a prisoner.

She just wasn’t sure how much she wanted to leave now.

“No.”

Relief spread through her, and it didn’t go unnoticed.

“Was it something I did?” she asked. Oliver had pulled out of her with such speed and while it hadn’t hurt her, it had given her a hell of a fright. The bang as he had hit the wall only added to that. Then he’d disappeared behind this door.

She didn’t understand what was going on.

“I nearly bit you.” He growled. “I told you. It’s nothing you did.”

Yes, he had told her that, but why was it a problem now and not any of the other times they had made love? Or fucked. Or whatever was going on between them.

She tucked her knees up against her chest. He sounded angry with her, but he hadn’t bitten her, and she was grateful for that, but she wished he would come out and talk.

“But you didn’t,” she said again.

“No, but I wanted to. I still want to. Just give me a minute.”

Piper wasn’t a patient person, but no part of her could move from this space. Separating so quickly after she’d come had been emotionally disturbing more than anything. It was good she didn’t have teeth, or rather fang, marks on her neck, but there was an empty feeling simmering within her.

She needed his arms around her.

She needed him.

It was beginning to dawn on her that even if she could get her head around him being a vampire, it wasn’t going to be that black and white.

“Oli, could we be together if I’m a human?” she asked.

There was silence and after a long moment, the door opened. Piper fell backwards, and in a flash, Oliver caught her and lifted her to her feet.

Finally.

She fell into his chest, and he gripped her face a little hard and kissed her lips.

“It’s complicated.”

“How?” she asked in a whisper, not really wanting to hear the answer.

“I will not be able to restrain my fangs for long. The bond is calling me. It’s our nature. I’m a strong alpha, so the pull is even more powerful than perhaps a less dominant vampire. I know I won’t be able to hold back for much longer.”

Piper’s eyes dipped. Her mind was struggling to grasp what he was saying. What he wasn’t saying.

“I want to say I’m sorry, but you’re my mate. This is my nature.”

“So you will have to turn me,” she said, fear lacing her words.

Oliver nodded. “Yes.”

Could she go through with this?

On one hand, she was horrified by the concept, but on the other, as she stared into Oliver’s eyes full of love, desire and total possession, she felt... blessed that someone loved her enough to want to be her soul mate.

It both scared her and thrilled her.

“And what happens if I don’t want that?”

“We will wipe your memories and you can live out your life. You won’t remember me or any of this.” He stepped away. “I won’t stop you. You have my word. The choice is yours.”

Piper stood there, naked and vulnerable before him, and nodded.

His eyes were dark, hiding something. They may not have known each other for long but it was if she knew him more intimately than she had before. She felt him. She felt deception but not toward her.

Oliver wasn’t telling her something.

“And you? Will you just carry on with your life and meet another mate?”

His eyes flashed.

“No.”

Piper’s eyes widened at the harshness of his tone.

Then he shook his head. “You don’t need to worry about me. You won’t worry about me because you won’t remember me.”

If he wouldn’t tell her, she’d find out. For that she needed to speak to Sage. She still loved Oliver despite knowing he was a different species, and he’d told her he loved her. Soon she had to choose what life she wanted.

A human one.

Or an immortal one.

To make a decision, she needed all the information, not just the bits he chose to tell her.