Chapter 5

Sex and Candy

"She's still asleep right now. She heals very slowly," Jase says in a near whisper.

"She does heal slowly, but she always heals. How bad were the rest?" I hear Rex ask, and now I realize Jase is speaking into a phone.

"Not good. We lost several. The Morris captains proved to be the saving grace duo."

Rex laughs lightly.

"Yeah, my aunt and uncle are tough. I'm glad I saw the vision when I did, but I wish it had come to me earlier. I would have never forgiven myself if something had happened."

"This shouldn't have happened," Jase growls into the phone.

The soft bed beneath me shifts as my aching body tries to rise. His eyes widen and flash over to me before he takes in a relieved breath.

"She's awake. I'll have her call you soon," Jase says before hanging up.

I look around to see a white, decadent room full of lavish touches and a huge spacious area just outside this grand, master suite.

"Where the hell are we?" I grumble through my dry, cracked lips.

I touch them when I feel their soreness, and he hands me a pack of blood while joining me on the bed to inspect my yellowing bruises on the exposed parts of my body. That's when I realize I'm wearing a man's shirt instead of my clothes.

"What the hell?" I gasp while staring down at the white, soft fabric covering me.

Oh damn. Where are my panties? Did we blood fu-

"We're at a hotel in Singleton," he says to interrupt my inner panic attack. "I had to feed you several packs of blood to get your body healed, and then I decided to wash you up a bit before putting you in the bed. Sorry if that crossed a line," he murmurs softly while waiting expectantly for a reaction from me.

"You saw me naked?" I mumble while flopping back down and pulling the sheet over my head.

Great. No mystery left in my corner.

Jase lets a laugh escape, and then he pulls the sheet down to expose my blushing cheeks, his body leaning against mine as he lies down beside me.

"Only briefly. I liked what I saw if that makes you feel any better," he says with a salaciously tempting grin on those fucking incredible lips.

"Ah," I murmur awkwardly while looking away. "At least now I know how you knew we were in trouble."

"So you heard me talking to your brother then?" he says while pulling me closer to him.

"Yeah."

Crap. I wanted to end up in bed with him, but this isn't what I expected.

He lets a grin cock up as his cheeks blush, and I tilt my head curiously.

"What?" I ask while gauging his odd reaction.

"Nothing. You're cute when you're frustrated," he says while letting his hand graze the side of my bare leg.

Holy hot full blood. Fuck me now.

He smiles bigger, and then those tempting, soft lips kiss my forehead before he brings his body all the closer to mine.

"So, this is one hell of a room for a lieutenant," I say to deter his patronizing touch.

He doesn't want you, so stop acting like you can have him.

He frowns a little, and then his lips slide free from my head.

"I've been around a while. It's not like I'm destitute or anything. Besides, I needed somewhere big enough for you to stay with me. Everyone is doubling up since the hotel ran out of room due to our overwhelming numbers. People needed to heal, and the commander has requested we stay here until we find out what is going on back at the woods. Whatever nest you walked into, it was one hell of a buzzing. There shouldn't have been so many of them in one place."

I wince as I sit up, and he motions for me to drink more blood as his arm rests around my waist.

"How many did we lose, and when am I going back out there?"

"We lost fifteen; which it's a miracle it was so few. You're not going back out there until you're completely healed and rested."

I laugh a little at his tone. He reminds me of my brother.

"You can't decide that, lieutenant . I probably need to call Mr. Hedin and find out what's going on."

An angry glaze passes over his eyes, but he blinks it away before I can analyze it.

"Not necessary. Hedin was fired today - decommissioned actually. He's no longer with the United," he says through gritted teeth, his eyes bearing some secret burden.

"What?" I gasp. "Why?"

"Because he ignored you when you told them it was a trap. Everyone there spoke of the confrontation that went on minutes before the ambush. If your group had turned back when you warned them, you would have safely fled the kill zone. You would have been able to call for backup and gained the upper hand. Captain Hollis is no longer a United official either. The commander doesn't agree with ranking men who freeze in the field and risk the lives of their crew."

I drop back down and cover my head with a pillow.

"Crap. Now everyone is going to be gunning for me once they feel like this is my fault," I huff, my voice muffled through the soft fabric covering my face.

His cool hand slides over mine as he pulls the pillow away. His eyes show more concern than my mom's usual groupies.

"No one, and I mean no one , will be gunning for you. I won't let that happen," he says with such conviction that I almost believe him.

"Jase, no offense, but you can't make that promise."

He smirks, and then those soft lips find my forehead again.

"I can make that promise. Don't worry about anyone gunning for you, besides, it was the others who ratted them out, not you. Most people don't appreciate someone risking their safety to keep their pride intact."

I smile lightly, and his fingers intertwine with mine as our hands hover over my body. A hunger sends my lower half into a desperate need to feel more of him, and I can't help but let my leg find its way between his as I angle my body up on its side. In a brave, brazen maneuver, I lock both of my hands behind his neck.

"You're supposed to get the captain out first," I murmur softly as my mind thinks back to his cool hands pulling me from the earth and clutching me to his chest.

"I wanted the girl," he says with a smirk, and then his lips almost reach mine before someone buzzes the frustrating little door bell.

"Damn it," he grumbles, and I stifle a grin as he disengages from our close contact to go find out who has interrupted us.

Was he really going to kiss me? Does he see me like that? Surely not.

"Captain Morris, Captain Morris," he says in repetition and I laugh lightly as I stand up from the bed and pull the shirt a little lower.

"Where is she?" my aunt worries. "Her mother has been calling me almost every five minutes.

"She's in the bedroom," Jase softly offers, and within a breath, everyone has joined me in the room.

"I swear I'll rip that fucking asshole apart if I ever see him again," Uncle Grayson growls while wrapping me up in his arms.

"Who? Hedin?" I muse while Aunt Angelica rips me free to hug me in her embrace.

"Yes... Hedin," he snarls.

"He's no longer a part of the United," Jase chimes in from behind, and they both turn to face him, their eyes looking at him differently than what I'm used to seeing from them.

They're captains, but they're staring at him like he has more authority - or a man with two heads.

"That's good to hear. It doesn't change the fact I'll still rip him in half," my uncle continues.

"Couldn't say I'd blame you if you did," Jase says with a bit of anger resonating in his own tone, his hands fisting at his side.

"How pissed is Mom?" I worry.

"Very... more so at the captain and the lead tracker than at you," Aunt Angelica answers.

" Ex captain and ex lead tracker," Jase corrects while walking out of the room.

"Either way, the wrath of Araya isn't something to be taken lightly. They'll have their reckoning. What I left out was the big finale."

I swallow hard as I think back to the intoxicating power that exuded from me. It wasn't anything like I had ever felt before, and it caused instant death.

"Was I-"

"No. Your pupils were still normal, which is why I was the most scared," she whispers, her eyes looking for the absent Jase.

"I don't know what to say. It just came out on its on, and it did exactly what I needed it to."

Jase returns with a bottle of whiskey and four glasses he passes out. I smile as the amber liquid finds my lips, and my worrying aunt and uncle revel in the slow burn of the alcohol as well.

"We can discuss this later," she whispers too low for the full blood to hear.

I just nod as I sip lightly, and then I feel Jase's arm slinking around my waist. My uncle scowls at him, but he doesn't throw the fit I was expecting. Jase just smiles behind his glass, and I can't fight my own stupid grin.

"You can stay with us tonight," Uncle Grayson chirps, his eyes still studying my full blood's.

Hmmm… My full blood. That sounds good.

Jase's smile grows, and he pulls me closer.

"Actually, I think I'll just stay with Jase... if that's okay with him," I murmur less than subtly, my eyes turning to meet his.

"Very," he says with a salacious grin spreading.

Uncle Grayson takes a step toward him, and Aunt Angelica puts her hand on his chest while stifling a laugh.

"Come on, babe. Let's get back to the room and call Araya. I'm sure my phone is going to be ringing any minute now."

He grumbles under his breath at her ushering remark as she pushes him back toward the door. Jase stifles a laugh, and my uncle's eyes move to mine once more.

"Call me if you need me," he growls.

I playfully salute as Aunt Angelica drags him out the door, and Jase walks over to lock it shut before returning to me. I sip the whiskey very slowly, and he takes it from my hand while turning on some music.

"What are you doing?" I ask, suspicion lacing my tone.

He grins bigger while putting down our glasses, and he reaches for my hand, which I have no qualms about giving him. I feel his cool body suddenly pressed against mine as we rock back and forth to the music, swaying in rhythm, and my head moves to rest on his chest as his arms tighten around me.

"I got all dressed up to dance with you at that banquet, and you never showed up. Now I'm getting my dance," he says, his breath cooling the top of my head, and it just makes me get all the closer to him.

A thousand fantasies swirl around my head at once, and the most vivid one is of me taking his blood in my mouth. His breaths grow rasp, and I look up to see his eyes closed as we dance to the soft song.

"Thoughts?" I muse, and he almost jumps.

I laugh lightly and he rolls his eyes while blushing.

"My thoughts or yours?" he asks, his eyes burning into mine.

"Yours please," I giggle out like a fool. I certainly don't want to share mine.

He smirks before shrugging, and my body just inches all the closer as my arms stretch up higher around his neck. I can feel the draft reaching my lower area as the shirt slides up, and I'm praying his gentlemanly hands stop staying in the safe zone and slide down.

He smirks again, and then those soft lips meet my forehead.

"Hmm… well, I was thinking you need clothes, since all of your stuff was destroyed in the fight and Seminole is too far away."

I frown, and he instantly looks confused. "What?"

" That's what you were thinking... just then?" I grumble, and he stifles a grin.

I knew he wasn't in to me. I just don't get why he keeps flirting. Hell, maybe this isn't flirting to him.

His lips form a thin line now as I release my hold from around his neck the second the song ends.

"Did I say something wrong?" he muses as I walk away.

"I just need a shower," I huff out. "There's still dried blood in my hair."

I just need something cold to douse the flames you obviously don't feel.

The water shoots free from the faucet overhead, and I grumble under my breath as I revel in the chilly water. Now I'm wishing I had gone to sleep in the room with my aunt and uncle. I feel like such an idiot all the time with him. Either he's sending mixed signals or I can't read signals at all. Either way, I'm sick of it. He's an Arayan, so it's not like it was going to go very far anyway.

I'd still like to find out how he is in the bedroom though. It'd be hot to find those soft lips in places less innocent than my forehead.

I hear glass shattering from inside the kitchen area, and I roll my eyes.

Damn he's clumsy.