9. NASH

Melize had been banging on my door, furious with questions. She knew it was too late for me now. I'd found feelings in the arm of someone I was told to be scared of. Vampires weren't completely scary, but they were blood thirsty, and everyone else was seen as a natural resource to them.

"I'm pissed," she said once I let her in my room.

"I don't get why you're the one in your feelings," I grumbled.

"Did you—"

"What?"

"Your hat and necklace," she said. "You've been back there. After they told you to stay here."

"And so what if I did?"

She closed the door behind herself. "Mom and dad are going out of their minds. The other families in the compound are also not letting up on it. They want to know what happened. Everyone can smell you out there. One of the families has even offered theirs sons to bond with you, but they can't say that you've already been out there, fornicating with a vamp."

I just laughed, removing my hat and placing it over my chest as I laid my head on the pillow. "I can't stay here," I said. "The rules, the gossiping. It's all—" I grabbed a pillow from the stack and shoved it over my face to muffle a scream. I only gave it about fifty per cent, but it was feral and loud.

Mel sat on the edge of my bed. "You've got to tell them," she said. "They're going to be kicked out."

I glanced at her, her eyes filling with tears. "Is that the worst thing that could happen?" I asked.

"No—yes—who knows!"

"No, it's not the worst," I said. "Ever since we moved into this place, they've controlled everything. When we eat, when we practice magic, when we're allowed to leave. If we couldn't portal around, we might've done what Rhone did. In fact, I'm pretty sure that's why he left."

Melize grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "I don't want you to leave, because I wanted to leave, and—and—" she broke out into a gentle sob. "And we both can't leave."

Now should've been the moment I told her about Ara and his proposition. But everyone was so obsessed with keeping everyone distanced that it wasn't likely news that would sway their opinions.

"Mom and dad are used here," I said. "They'll have no trouble finding a new coven that doesn't rely on them procreating to keep each generation coming up through the families." I sighed harder. "And I was always going to leave, one day, I was never going to stay."

"But you're leaving for a vampire," she said in a hushed tone. "You have somewhere to go. I have—well, I can go to Rhone, but he's been keeping his distance, and he's been quiet."

"Maybe you can go to Brooklyn and find a nice boyfriend from the house of Lumen."

Melize punched me. "That family is cursed," she said. "I'd never."

Each of the five witching elements were said to come from each of the five families. There was Ember, Cascade, Gale, Terra, and Lumen. Each one coincidentally located in New York City because of old Nephilim prophecies and promises.

"Besides, isn't that like inbreeding?" she continued.

"Not technically, we're aether witches like them, but they got the most concentrated dose of it," I said. "You really need to read up on it. The five families have the most magic. Some sources say they were blessed by angels and demons themselves, and other sources say it was from a contaminated water well back in the middle ages when witches were hunted for sport, and five witches who lives near each other and practiced together, drank from this well and found untapped and unmatched magic. We don't descend from them, because then we'd all be inbreeding."

As I explained the theories, I watched her eyes glaze over.

"So, we're not related to the Lumen family?"

"If we were, we might not have had to settle for living in a compound where we could be kicked out at a moments notice," I grumbled.

"Why do they all live here?"

I got up out of bed and started to pack a bag. I needed to prepare to leave. It was inevitable. "Well, a couple hundred years ago, one of the Nephilim prophets, Rickard, basically told the five witches something about magic needing roots to grow, which they interpreted to mean they couldn't move. So they divided the city. It's in a book somewhere the actual wording, but some people now think how something a prophet says is so open to interpretation that anything can happen, and some people believe that when a prophet dies, so do their prophecies."

Melize threw herself across the bed and groaned. "So boring," she said.

"And this is why our teachers growing up always said you lacked focus." I stuffed folded shirts into a rucksack. "But prophecies are just words we're supposed to trust. And I guess the witches trust them most, because they stuck around, and look at them, all five families are living life full of power and money."

"Do you think they've killed for it?" she asked.

"Absolutely. There was an interpretation of the prophecy that actually said they were required to spill blood and bury their dead beneath their homes for the roots of their magic to feed from."

"I should read more, but—nothing keeps my attention," she said. "I finished watching Desperate Housewives for the sixth time. I just need what you said in the format of that."

As I continued to pack, I reworded my explanation to her, putting it in terms of Gabrielle, Bree, Lynette, Susan, and Edie as the house of Lumen, the so-called cursed house.

"See, I prefer that. Edie shouldn't have died the way she did either."

"I know, what they did to her character was the worst," I grumbled. "I think it went downhill after her death."

"Hard agree. And Susan, ugh. Least favorite character. I mean, was there an episode where she wasn't a victim or crying?"

"We're getting off track," I said. "So, all the families while living here are connected. They can't leave. Well, the head of the family can't, if they believe what they've been told. And if they do, they lose it all."

Mel finally realized what I was doing and grabbed the bag from me. "You're not leaving yet. Stop packing."

"I have to," I told her. "I'm in love."

"No," she snapped. "You might know more about the history of us, but you don't know love. And all you're feeling right now is a mix of the heat hormones and—a mate bond."

"So?"

She grabbed my arm and gestured to slap me. "I will," she said. "You can't make a life decision on a one-night stand."

"But my heart and soul don't think of it like that," I told her. "It knows. I think we were meant to be together. I really do."

"But I don't want you to leave just yet." She let go of the bag. "Nash. Please think about the family for once. You need to warn them."

"Are you going to warn them?"

Melize gave a reluctant nod. "Obviously. I can't imagine what they must think or feel, for all of their kids to leave. We should give them the opportunity to leave with us."

Now that was the right time I should've told her about Ara's offer, and still, I couldn't bring myself to do it.

"Oh god. He's marked you," she whispered, touching my neck. "Have they seen this?"

"No."

"Jeez, Nash. Well, for what it's worth, they should see it, and they should know what's going on. If it was me, I'd tell them."

I knew my sister well, and her lies were obvious. This lie in particular stung. I knew she'd never tell our parents if she was in my shoes.

As much as she tried to stop me, I wasn't going to le her. There was a lot of new feelings happening within me right now, and this was all new to me. The only thing I could think about was Ara. I had to be with him, no matter the cost.

Melize didn't leave my room once, trying to quietly convince me to stay. The same arguments again and again. I didn't know where I was going, but I knew I couldn't stay here.

I took a portal back to Ara's apartment while my sister was at the furthest point of my room. I ended up in the bedroom as a man was on his knees, puling the wooden posts out from beneath the broken bed. I dropped my heavy bag on the ground with a thud, startling him.

"Ah, you must be Nash, Mr. DeMauriel's mate," he said, standing upright.

"Hi, yes, I'm Nash Cavanaugh. Where's Ara?"

"Mr. DeMau—"

The bedroom door opened with a breeze of cool air and with it, Ara strutted in with the air swishing through his shoulder-length golden hair. It delivered a sweet scent with it

"You're back," he said, racing to me. "I mean, I knew you'd be back." He glanced to the man on his knees. "Horatio, could you please leave us alone. There are things that need to be packed in the other room."

Once we were alone, I could've dropped to my knees in front of him from the emotional explosion running through me. "I just left, I didn't even tell anyone."

"I've sent two of my staff up ahead to Maine," he said, bridging the gap between us. He took my hand to caress his soft shaved cheeks with it. "I don't want your family sending people to us. You should've told them."

The tangled touch of my fingers tingled against his skin. "You don't have to worry about it." His worry was bittersweet against my magical tendrils. "I just want to be with you."

"I want to be with you as well," he said. "But I've lived a long life, and I don't want to have people with pitchforks prodding our relationship. I feel like there's going to be so much of that already."

And at the juicy core of my touch to his skin, I could feel a secret hidden deep inside. "You're holding something back," I said, looking up into his eyes.

"I'm still getting my bearings," he said.

"That's not it. You're not telling me something."

He sighed, taking my hand and pulling it away. "You felt that through magic or through our bond?"

"Both?"

"There is something, and I want to start this on the right foot together," he said. "The vampire elders went into more detail about why we couldn't be together. And maybe why everyone keeps to themselves. There's a prophecy."

I burst into laughter. "Everyone is so scared of a prophecy lately. I'm not one of the five families. It shouldn't matter."

"This is about ending a bloodline," he said. "And they were specific about the location, which makes sense why Manhattan's supernatural scene runs scared. Everyone is out to make a family and put down roots."

"Roots," I repeated quieter. "That's also part of the other prophecy with the witches, b like I said, that doesn't even involve me. I'm not from a fancy bloodline."

Ara's eyes flickered from side to side, making sure to look at me in each one. "If we leave, continue finding out what this is, and come back, that prophecy won't have legs to stand on."

"For a vampire, I didn't think you'd be superstitious. Nephilim words, they could've said anything, and people run around eating it up." I touched his face again, reconnecting ourselves. "That was your secret."

"I didn't want to scare you," he said. "This bond has me in a way I've never felt before. It's infectious."

"Love is infectious. And you've poisoned me with it." I gave him a kiss. His sweetness on my lips. I licked them and went in for a second kiss.

"Maybe I should suck it out of you." He extended his tongue, opening his mouth slightly to reveal his pointed incisors. "Again."

I nodded. "Uh-huh."

"Once more before we hit the road," he said, sweeping me off my feet. My hat falling to the ground. In lightning speed, he carried me across the bed and laid me down. "I wanna rip them off you again. But—I guess we've got to conserve some clothes." His fingers unbuttoned my shirt with expert precision.

I tried to unbutton his for him, but he didn't have the same approach, tearing his shirt off and throwing it. "Taste me again," I said, turning my head to reveal the unmarked side of my neck. "Please."

Each time he bite even the slightest amount, I felt power surge through me, it was quick and electric. The gentle zaps tensed me. I wrapped my arms around his head, encouraging him to latch onto me.

"I can't do it all the time," he said, licking the side of my neck. "You need that sweet, precious crimson resource to keep you darling body going." He kissed me and nuzzled his nose into me. "But I need another taste, especially with all those hormones."

"All yours."

His lips were anesthetic, numbing my skin from the initial pain to his bite. A moan came out of my mouth, unable to control myself, as if he was pressing on a nerve that forced me into action. Magic continued to surge through me. I didn't know if this was heat, or the bite, but either way, it was the most power I'd felt fill up my body in a long time.

After a single bite, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me on top. "I want your kisses now. All of them."

Slowly, I made my way down his body with my mouth. I summoned threads of magic and wrapped them around his wrists and arms, keeping his body confined to the bed.

"Oh, I see what you're doing," he said, struggling against my magic. "As long as I get to eat that ass and taste your slick, I don't care if you tie me down. It's always nice to see a little omega flex themselves."

I gave his chest a little smack and pulled on his nipple. "A little omega," I scoffed. "I—I'd usually be mad about that."

"You can't be mad," he said, his hand attempting to pull at the thread. "You're bonded to me. If anything, you're getting a kick out of it."

It was a slow bubble in my belly. He was right. I was getting a kick out of it. He was my first Alpha, and my last. And nobody was going to get in my way. I went back down on him, giving his body some returning bites, not breaking through the flesh, but enough for him to give me the satisfaction of him writhing around and pretending it hurt.

Reaching his waist, I yanked his trousers and underwear down by his ankles. His thick cock flopped back up against his belly button. Precum leaking out, making his skin all glossy. I lapped it up, tracing the length of his cock with my tongue and watching as it throbbed, letting more sweet sugary precum out of his tip.

"Good omega," he said with a little chuckle. He knew exactly what he was doing, forcing me to act a little more aggressive with the oral. I went down on his cock as deep as possible, knowing it was going to bruise my soft palette on the roof of my mouth. "You better not do any of that witch stuff on me. I'm not gonna cum so quick this time."

As I continued to suck his cock, I pulled my trousers and underwear off. It was only a couple of hours ago that I was dumping his lying on his chest and then dumping his load out. In a matter of hours, everything had changed, and I had zero regrets.

Once we were both naked, I turned around on his body and sat on his face. His one request was to eat my ass and he did it so well. I almost didn't let him breath as I leaned back on his face and jerked my cock. He'd broke free of my weak magical threads, his hands at my ass cheeks, prying them apart so he could get a better angle.

He bucked his legs and knees, forcing me down to suck his cock and giving him some breathing room. Quickly, hetook control, picking me up, my face in his crotch. He stood with me and flipped me around like I weighed absolutely nothing.

"We've already ruined the bed," he said.

I wrapped my legs around his waist. "Where do you wanna ruin now?"

"My dresser. The door. I would say the wall, but I don't want to compromise the integrity of this place."

I stuck my tongue out, closer to his face and licked his nose. "I wanna break everything with you."

"Except you, I'm scared of breaking you," he whispered before licking me back. His cock jumping up and hitting my ass, searching for my hole.

"Don't be scared of that. I don't think you're all that strong."

I might not have mated with an Alpha before, but I certainly knew how to play on the emotions of one. Especially one threatening to break things in a sexually frustrated rut.

"Fuck me," I whispered. "If you think you can do it better this time."

"Better." He raced across the room with me, sitting me on his dresser. He threw the mirror and all the products on the dresser off, most of them smashing. He had a big grin on his face. "That's a good sound." He lifted my legs up, pressing them as far back as they'd go.

"Now you're just teasing me."

"You're mine to tease, and mine to please," he said as I held my legs up and he whacked my cock and balls with his cock. "But if you want something, tell me, and I'll do it."

As he slowly inserted his cock inside, opening me and going deep, he stared deep into my eyes. The red blood stained lips with saliva dripped down his chin. It was feral. I wanted to be sat on his face again, but my lips would do.

He pulled me away from the dresser and pushed me against the wall to the side, my legs unable to keep bending that way as they fell by his side and I got a hold of him once more, wrapping them tight around him, not wanting his cock to slip out of me.

"I love you," I let out.

"I love you harder." He slammed his hips deep into me, causing a rumble against the wall.

We didn't stay in one position too long, but I was always in his arms, as close to his body as possible. His cock knotted deep in me, he wasn't letting go of me, and I might've been fucked to the point of almost gaping, but I wasn't letting him go.

Stumbling and dropping back to the bed, he moaned in my ear.

The moment he came and filled me up, I shot cum between our bodies, more liquid and clear than the first time, but that was usually the case with a second orgasm in close succession to the other.

Ara cock kept throbbing in me as my stomach swelled, pressing against him. I laid on his body and listened to the faint rhythmic pound of his heart.

"You meant what you said?" he whispered. "Saying you love me."

"I don't know what it is, but we're bonded."

"I've never bonded before," he said. "And that's not to say I hadn't been with—"

I pressed a finger to his mouth, hushing him. "I don't want to know about your exes." And slowly, I eased myself off his cock. "And you won't know about mine." Although, just the connection of our skin, I could feel images of the omegas he'd been with in the past. His history was vast, I could never immerse myself in it all fully.

But I loved him. Or maybe it was lust. Either way, it ran deep.