Chapter 9

Unkempt Hybrids

The ashen face of my passenger is devoid of all animation as he sluggishly slumps to the ground, his body still trembling. Uncle Grayson rolls his eyes as I swirl my keys around like an old western revolver, and then I playfully mimic tucking them into an imaginary holster on my side.

"You're incorrigible," Aunt Angelica mumbles. "What took you so long to get here?"

"I took a detour. There are some winding, wild roads that I love driving like Hale on," I joke, and she accidentally releases a laugh, which makes her disapproving gaze lose all merit.

I won't tell her I cut the lights off when it got dark just to make the poor guy piss himself. That might have been a little cruel, possibly even overkill. Still worth it.

I shrug to myself, my smug smile intact, as I make my way over to an isolated area with a chair set up all alone. My nonsocial full blood seems to be very social tonight as a group of female officers swarm around him, hanging on his every word that runs between his soft, luscious lips.

He grins about something, and then he shakes his head, though none of them have said anything worthy of that reaction.

I just flop down on the chair and pull out my sketchbook. I'm bored now. My fun has been had, my day has been long, and my brother has found his counter at long last. There's not a whole lot that seems stimulating enough to compete with that.

The giggly girls burst out laughing after something Jase apparently said, and his eyes look up to meet mine long enough to give me a cocky, in-your-face wink.

I'm sure he'll fuck them all. He's full blood. I don't know why I thought he'd understand what I was feeling for him. My Uncle Brazen is the only full blood I've ever known to feel such a strong, have-to-have it connection. I doubt I'll ever find anyone to feel that way about me.

I look again, though I'm trying terribly hard not to, and Jase's eyes seem a little jaded, stained with unexplainable pain. You'd think I had just said all that aloud. I doubt it would evoke such an emotion even if I had.

He leans back, his eyes continuing to burn into mine, and he ignores the drunken girl who has stood up to dance for him. She steps over him to straddle his body that is propped against the log while he sits on the ground, and I feel my face burning hot.

Oh I will rip you to shreds, bitch.

Her body blocks my view to him, though I'm sure he's leaned back and enjoying her fucking show right now. Her standing body starts to lower itself, and I accidentally use my gift to send her flipping forward. She lands in a large bed of ice water they are using to hold the drinks in, and water splashes out in a large gust, spraying some of the laughing bystanders.

She gasps while falling out very ungracefully and thudding to the ground. I cringe when I realize I could be reprimanded for that shit, but my eyes fall on Jase who is shaking from his suppressed laughter.

Surely he doesn't know that was me.

I can't ever seem to use my gifts when I need them, but I can accidentally throw a stupid slut into a tub of ice water. Great.

The other girls just laugh at the soaked fool, and she starts blaming one of them for pushing her.

Whew. My secret is safe.

Jase laughs all the harder, and he covers his face with his hands as he enjoys the comedy going on around him. At least I defused the harem's will to seduce him.

Another song starts playing, and I have to walk away when I see a girl sit down beside him and wrap her leg over his waist as she presses her front to his side.

"I so can't watch this shit," I gripe to myself while stalking to my tent.

I'd rather claw my eyes out than have them subjected to that crap. Suddenly I feel cool hands around my waist, and then I turn to face the pale eyes.

"I don't want them," he murmurs softly as his thumb strolls over my bottom lip, stealing my breath.

"You don't want them? It seems like you're enjoying the attention. It's not like it's my business."

He smirks as he pulls my body closer, and I don't fight him. I just let him reel me in and hold me to him.

"It is your business because you're what I want. I'm sick of waiting on you to tell me how you really feel, and I'm tired of getting groped by the relentless girls over there. Stay with me tonight. I expect you to," he says, a grin emerging on his delicious lips as he mocks me slightly.

I sigh out, shaking my head, and I push away from him. I'm already teetering on the edge of love's doorstep. I can't keep putting myself in positions like this.

"Maybe some other time. Go. Have fun. Be social," I mumble while walking away, feeling his eyes dropping as opposed to seeing them.

What's wrong with me? I want him so badly, so why am I holding my own self back?

Something snaps as I crawl into my tent. Something odd and vaguely familiar stirs inside me. I feel the taste of seduction burning on my lips as if I own its power. I feel my body wanting, needing Jase, and in an instant, I lose all my inhibitions.

I pull on my sexiest ensemble before reemerging from the tent. Drunken fools laugh, and I tilt my head from side to side as I taste the lust in the air that only seems to empower me, driving me to the one man I want.

"Holy fucking shit," a guy coughs out when his eyes fall on the shirt that is barely hiding my secrets.

The red, sheer fabric only hides my breasts with a darker red fabric, and the back is completely out until it dangles at my waist - connected at the sides.

My tight dark leather pants suction to me, as the black shares space with red streaks. My daring heels glide across the ground without sinking in, their uranium tips threatening anyone who dares cross a line.

I feel powerful right now. I feel desirable, and I feel unstoppable.

Jase has a girl hanging on his arm, though he's completely ignoring her as he speaks to another guy. Suddenly the guy he's speaking to coughs on his whiskey, sputtering it back into his cup when his eyes fall on me.

Jase laughs lightly before turning to see what the hell has choked him up, and his breath leaves his lungs in one gust. The girl on his arm tightens her hold, but he shakes free from her while standing to meet me.

"I changed my mind," I whisper, and I feel his arms around my waist and his lips on mine before I can even blink.

He pulls me so tight, it almost hurts. My hands tangle in his hair, my lips own his, and his body becomes my servant.

His lips devour mine with a fervency I hadn't thought possible. I feel his firmness pressing against me, making me ready to fuck him in front of all the eyes staring at our passionate entanglement.

He smiles behind the kiss, and I jump up so that my knees rest on his hips. He grips my ass as he starts walking away with me, his smile only growing behind our kiss.

I feel the wind swishing against my back as his slow walk becomes a sprint, and then I feel the lush, soft grass replacing the touch of the wind. We're so far away from camp I can't even hear the music.

He pulls back to rip his shirt over his head, and the moonlight casts a glow on his incredible body that no image could capture. That salacious smile spreads as my hands start jerking his pants open, and he stands to remove them before returning to me.

His lips start their heavenly trails against my neck, and then he slides my slinky shirt over my head before finding my lips once again.

Mmm. Damn, he tastes so fucking good.

His smile returns as his lips trail down my chest, lightly stroking my breasts before heading down farther to find the top line of my pants. I moan as his tongue dances around the band of my leather before he very slowly begins pulling them down, drawing out the suspense as his divinely soft lips trail down with the material.

My breath hitches when I feel the cool breeze of his breath against the heat of my sex, and then I feel his lips pressing firmly against me through the lace of my underwear. My hands tangle in my own hair when my back arches from the suspenseful torture.

He smiles against my inner thigh as his teeth graze it, biting down just slightly and leaving me hungry for more. I want to feel his bite - his real bite. I want my blood to flow into his mouth, and I want to feel the erotic ecstasy I've only ever dreamed about that follows it.

I hear the tearing of my underwear as he rips them away. His composure has lost the fight with his desire to have me. Then I feel his tongue, his soft lips, and his delectably incredible cool breath working in unison on the most sensitive spot of my body.

I squirm under the feeling that is almost too surreal, and his hands grip my hips to pull me tighter to his face. I moan out louder, a girly squeak lacing itself in my rasp breaths.

My eyes roll back in my head before my lids shut over them. His touch is heaven to me. If I was ever going to taste the afterlife, I'd pray it felt just like this.

I grip onto his hair, pulling him to me, prompting his motions to quicken, and then I squeal out a cry of release as I find the climax my body has been begging for.

Slowly, he trails back up, his lips grazing every stimulated piece of my body they can before finding mine again. His wicked tongue forces its way into my mouth, making me heat up all over as my body begs for more.

Breaking free from the kiss, my lips find his shoulder, and I surrender my control as my blood bringers emerge. I want him in every way.

They scrape his shoulder, and I wait for him to do as he normally does. He always tells me to bite.

He smiles as he pulls back shaking his head, and I worry I'm about to fall apart from the rejection.

"I want your first time to be a little more planned out than a grass bed a few miles away from a shady campsite," he murmurs softly, his lips finding mine immediately after to assure me he still wants me.

"Don't be mad," he whispers. "I want it to be special."

My legs wrap around his bare waist, the skin on skin igniting the fire within me.

"I just want it to be with you," I murmur against his lips, and that ignites his fire, almost literally.

His body feels to be heating up, but it instantly cools the moment the thought crosses my mind. His tongue finds mine as his hips thrust forward, and I feel him inside me, owning me. I gasp out, relishing the incredible feeling of being joined to him once again.

He makes me feel so different in so many ways. I feel so alive, so divinely connected when I'm in his arms. I feel a place of belonging in those pale eyes, and I feel so… incredible.

His lips consume mine as he thrusts in harder and harder, making the muscles in my stomach tighten in anticipation. My hands are pinned above my head by his as he angles me up to slam into me all the rougher, and I moan each time his thrusts hit a place so perfectly that my body begs to jolt forward.

But he holds me down as he fills me with his incredible touch. His chill cools my heated core in a way only the divine could understand. Each stroke is perfectly executed, pushing me closer to the edge of ecstasy, making my toes curl and my breaths grow coarse.

In one swift motion, he's on his back, and I take over as I sit straight up and move my hips against his. His mouth parts in a way that only sends me into more of a passionate frenzy, and he tilts his head back as he absorbs the euphoria I want to inflict him with.

He grips my hips to control my movements as he closes in on his moment, and I feel his body begging to release itself inside mine… to join us all the more. Right now, I feel that connection I seek. Like this, I've never felt closer to anyone. In his arms, I feel as though I have a place to belong.

My head falls back as I gasp out my release to the vacant air above us, the leaves on the trees wilting from my body's secreted, blistering heat, and then I feel him filling me with his life, his warmth… him. And it feels so damn good.

I don't just think I'm falling in love with him. I am in love . And that scares the hell out of me.

He jerks me down, his lips finding mine again, and he pulls me to his bare, sculpted, incredible body as his dampened hair folds over his brow. I smile as I curl into him, and then I pull back to let my fingers stroke through those dark strands that are asking for attention.

"You're incredible," he murmurs softly before leaning over to kiss me again.

So are you.

There are so many things I want to say to him right now. I can't tell him the truth about what I feel, because my fucking emotions are so screwy. But I can tell him the path I'm on.

"Jase, I like you. I want to know we're at least somewhat in the same vicinity of feeling the same way towards each other," I murmur, possibly being a little too honest.

He smiles a little bigger, and then his hand begins tracing imaginary lines on my bare back.

"See? Was that so hard?" he teases, his playful pale eyes alight with excitement.

I roll my eyes while scooting in closer, and his lips stroke mine gently before he leans back and sighs.

"Aria, I can swear to you there's nothing I want more than to hold you, kiss you, feel you this way all day everyday. I'm completely obsessed with you, and I don't know how in the hell you think otherwise."

Obsessed? Hmm. I like that word.

I grin a silly, goofy grin, and then I snuggle into his chest. I feel his smile on my forehead, and my fingers begin tracing my own imaginary lines over his heart.

"Good. Then we're almost on the same page," I murmur softly, omitting the early confession of love.

I feel his smirk, and then he tilts my head up so my eyes are forced to stare into his.

"We're completely on the same page," he murmurs as his cool breaths mingles with my scorching ones.

That would be nice.

The glowing beauty outside was once feared by people like my full blood. Now it's almost a forgotten piece of marvel. People never appreciate something when it's too easy to take for granted.

I wonder if that's what happens to all the couples without a hybrid connection such as the counters? Though, I suppose that can be refuted, given my Uncle Brazen's love and devout loyalty to my mother.

"There you are," Jase says with a smile as he joins me on the balcony outside our hotel room in Sugar Port.

"Hey," I say with a girly grin spreading, and he pulls me from the chair and into his lap as he sits and stares into the glow of the sun with me.

His lips stroll over my shoulder, and his fingers trace the lines of my sparrow - my gifted promise.

"Why do you always play with that?" I ask curiously while turning to meet his incredible gaze.

He smiles while shrugging, and then his hands slide to my hips as he pulls me closer.

"I suppose it's because I like touching a part of your body that holds great meaning to you and so many others. Honestly, I like touching any part of your body though."

I laugh lightly at his playful ending, and then I tug his hair as my fingers tangle in it. I straddle him in the chair, and his breath hitches slightly as the light moment becomes a little more intense.

"My body likes being touched by any part of you," I seduce, my inner hybrid stirring.

Someone buzzes the annoying little box beside the door though, and our promising moment's fire gets doused by the frigid world outside. He smiles against my lips, and then he picks me up as he stands. I huff when he puts me down, and his soft lips find my pouting ones.

"You're cute when you're frustrated," he teases, and then he leaves me sulking.

I must be cute a whole-fucking-lot.

He laughs for no reason at all, and then he opens the door to invite our intruder in.

I stand and walk over to the balcony doors, and his sexy, shirtless body makes me regret my decision to accept a new detail today. I just want to stay here with him, lie in his arms, and do unspeakably dirty things for hours on end.

Jase walks back in first, his eyes seeming to show the same frustration I'm feeling now, and then I see my brother and Melania walking hand-in-hand behind him.

"Hey, big phase three brother," I say with a grin.

He rolls his eyes, and then he takes a seat at the bar. His hair is tousled as though he has just been thoroughly fucked for days on end, and it's apparent he needs a shower. Poor Melania's pants are ripped, singed, and her shirt barely remains on her body.

Ew. My brother went savage in so many ways.

Her blond hair is tangled, and it's covered with numerous pieces of nature - twigs, leaves, and so much more. The two of them look as though they've been trapped in a tornado for five days.

"So, for the record, don't tell Mom," he huffs out, and I burst out laughing.

Melania blushes, considering everyone around knows what she's been up to for the past several days. Jase stifles his own grin as he walks over to me and pulls me into his lap while sitting on the couch across from my brother and his counter.

"Well, you're welcome to stay here if you want. I rented the room for three days, but Aria signed up for a detail that is taking her on the road today. I'll be leaving out with her, so it's paid for, and as you can see, it's one of the best they have here."

I turn to face him, my smile growing, and I tilt my head curiously. "I didn't know you were going."

"If you're going, I'm going," he says with a devilish, cocky grin that makes me want to wave my brother out of the room.

Jase smiles as my lips find his, and then he shakes his head while moving my hair from my face.

"How long were we gone?" Rex asks while clearing his throat.

"Five days," Jase answers. "We stayed on the road a while, trying to catch a break with the tracks, but the rain washed away all of our leads. We finally decided to call it quits, and after several very exhausting hours, we got here early this morning. All anyone wanted was a clean bed to crash in."

I wanted to blood fuck my full blood. Never got that chance... not yet anyhow.

Jase coughs out as if he has just strangled on something, and his face goes red. Melania stifles a laugh as if she's part of some inside joke, but Rex looks just as bemused as I do.

"Did I miss something?" I muse, my eyes staring expectantly at Jase whose pale eyes almost seem to be scolding me for some reason.

Melania giggles a little more, and he rolls his eyes at her while shifting uncomfortably under me.

Oh damn. I can feel his erection now.

His eyes widen, and he tries to shift me again, but I refuse to be moved. He grumbles under his breath, and Melania smiles again while moving into my brother.

I smile when his lips brush her forehead. My brother has never shown a girl such sweet affection. He's always been a playboy without any real concern for the girl who fell in love with him. I hope that's not the way Jase is.

As if he feels my insecurities seeping out, my full blood's arms wrap around me, pulling me closer to his body, and my head falls to rest in the nook of his neck.

"So you and my sister are back together, I see," Rex mumbles, his eyes checking mine to see how I'm faring.

"She finally got tired of being mad at me for asking her to stay with me," Jase teases, but my brother doesn't find it humorous.

He's seen the connection I want. It's the reason he never bothered to get serious with anyone. Melania stiffens when she feels my brother's rigid posture and shallow breaths. He just shakes his head and looks away.

Jase's humor leaves, and then he pulls me even tighter.

"I care about her, more so than you realize, if that's your concern. Despite the rumors, I don't exactly find refuge in just anyone's arms."

Rumors? I haven't heard any rumors. What rumors are out there?

I can't stifle my grin, and my brother relaxes slightly. I can tell he's worried. He thinks I'm fragile, which I sort of am. It's the curse of being me.

Everything is heightened at all times. All my senses, my emotions… my pain… it all reaches extreme levels. A small breakup could leave me crying in agony for days, and Rex has had to witness such a thing before. If I ever lost Jase forever, it'd damn near rip my heart out.

His cool lips stroll over my shoulder again, and then I curl up so that my body is lying against him. He smiles as he wraps me up, and then my brother stands.

"If it's alright with you, I need a damn shower," Rex groans, his eyes moving away from us to find the girl he loves.

"Yeah. Knock yourself out. When I leave, I'll send someone up to bring you guys some clothes and stuff."

"Thanks, Jason," Melania chirps while coming to kiss her brother on the cheek, and then she walks out with her love to join him in the shower.

Ew.

Jase laughs, and then he picks me up before kissing my forehead and standing.

"That was a little uncomfortable," he grumbles out.

"What? Seeing my brother all over your sister, or his interrogating eyes silently grilling you?" I tease.

"All of the above," he says with his nose turning up.

I laugh lightly, and then his arm wraps around my waist as we head into the bedroom to change and pack. My eyes light up as I stare at his half naked body.

"You're exhausting, you know?" he playfully exasperates when he catches my gaze, and I just shrug. "I need to run ahead so I can have someone procure our siblings some clothes. I'll be back in a minute though," he says sweetly while pulling on a shirt.

"So, just a question, what happens if things go wrong between us, and then we have to see each other? Because my brother will end up marrying your sister."

His eyes sadden almost, and then he walks over to pull me into an incredibly delectable kiss - sex and candy flooding my mouth.

"I don't want to think about anything going wrong because I really, really want us to be right together. Just don't keep second guessing or worrying about everything."

I smile lightly, and then I nod in agreement before he kisses me again. He offers me a wink before disappearing out the door on his way to be Mr. Responsible.

I slip into my clothes, and I tune out the animal sounds coming from the bathroom when I pop in my ear buds and crank up my music. I scroll down the screen to find the loudest, most adrenaline-filled song I can, and then I let it carry me outside of my world for a minute as I finish getting my stuff together.

I squeal when I turn around and Aunt Angelica is in the bedroom with me. She shoves a brown bag in my hand, ignoring the fact she just scared the hell out of me. Her eyes dart from side to side like this is some sort of drug deal, which I find humorous, especially when I check the contents to see two vials of a foggy liquid.

"What's this?" I ask while disengaging from my music, turning it off.

"Contraceptive," she whispers in a way that makes it sound blasphemous.

I laugh lightly while shaking my head, and then I roll my eyes while dropping the bag to the bed.

"Aria, you have to take this seriously. You're dating a full blood. It's illegal for a hybrid to fall pregnant to one."

"It's also illegal for an emergent's daughter to live and have a child of her own," I whisper back, and her eyes burn their scolding into mine.

"I'm serious. If you-"

"Chill, Auntie. I've been on birth control for centuries now," I chuckle out. "I don't want to fall pregnant to anyone . Besides, he's not the first full blood I've ever been with. Why the sudden panic attack?"

"Because everyone is talking about the two of you. I somehow missed the little show you put on the other night, but it's a big deal. I just wanted to make sure you were covered. In the past, I always assumed we could lie our way out of it and keep the child a secret if such a thing happened. This is too public though."

I smile at her genuine concern, and then I loop my arm through hers.

"It's crazy, you know? All the laws we have. No hybrids and humans are allowed to conceive together, and no full bloods and hybrids are allowed to conceive together. We're so scared of evolution that we're going to the extreme to prevent it."

"Just be thankful hybrids are allowed to reproduce. Thank goodness for Clay bullying the damn council on that one."

I smile as I think back to my sweet uncle. Then I shrug.

"I think it's all ridiculous. You should be allowed to love and have a child with whoever you choose."

"You're right, you should be, but we're not allowed to. Just be careful and inject yourself monthly like you're supposed to."

"Yes, ma'am," I say while saluting, and she groans while walking with me out of the bedroom.

The screaming moans exuding from the bathroom start making the bile rise to my throat, and Aunt Angelica twists her head in confusion.

"Who the heck is that?"

"Rex and Melania," I grumble, and she turns puce the moment she realizes it's her nephew in there.

"Oh good grief," she gags out, and I laugh as we both hastily retreat the room of horrors.

"At least now I know why your ears were plugged," she huffs, her sweet, angelic cheeks burning a crimson hue.

"If you're referring to my sister and Rex, I'll send someone else in to get my stuff," Jase gripes as his cool hands slide around my waist in the hotel hallway.

I laugh lightly, and then I hand him his bag.

"I thought I'd save you the torture," I murmur against his lips that have found mine.

"Oh you're incredible," he says with such relieved exasperation while kissing the top of my head.

You're the one who's incredible.

He smiles as if he heard my little endearment, and then he kisses my forehead before taking my bag in his hand and throwing it over his shoulder with his as his free arm snakes around my waist.

"So you're going on this detail as well?" my aunt asks, her eyes smiling pleasantly but secretively at him.

"Yeah. Fortunately, I'm allowed to float from one thing to another," he says casually with a one-shoulder shrug.

"This is a pretty high profile lead. You're getting those pitched to you more and more. At least you're finally getting recognized," my aunt says to me with a smile, and I can't stifle my own grin.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool."

"She should have been recognized sooner," Jase sighs out. "The commander had far too much faith in Hedin."

"The commander is only full blood. You can't expect him to know all and see all at all times," my aunt defends.

"I can expect it if that's his reasoning for keeping his identity quiet. If the whole purpose is to make sure he has good, trustworthy people in place, then he should step up his game," Jase counters, his grip tightening on me. "Something could have happened to Aria if her brother hadn't caught that vision."

"Aria would have found a way out of that one way or another. She's like her Mom and Dad in that aspect. She just doesn't realize her own strength because everyone is constantly stepping in to save her. She's stronger than we give her credit for."

"Aria is right here," I huff while raising my hand, and they both let out a laugh, their argument ceasing.

"I need to go find Grayson. He's supposed to be setting up a surveillance team. I'll see you at our next rendezvous point."

I wave as she darts off, and then I lean against my full blood.

"That was weird. My aunt isn't usually so defensive of the commander."

"Oh? How is she normally?" he says with a smirk.

"She's usually just neutral. She doesn't agree or disagree with anything said."

"So you've had debates over the commander before? Care to elaborate, Ms. Banner?" he says with a devilish grin.

I shrug indifferently.

"Well, I'm usually the one starting the arguments. I don't think he's right to keep his identity a secret. It's important we have a face leading us instead of a phantom. It's rather irritating, and it makes me question his reasoning. If there's no name, no face, nothing to know about him, then how do we know what kind of job he's actually doing? He could be anywhere, doing anything, and we could lose this war because of it."

He nods, acting as though he's heard this argument before.

"And what does the rest of your family think?" he pries.

"Rex wholeheartedly agrees with me, but Mom argues in defense of him. That means he's cute," I grumble, and Jase laughs ridiculously loud.

"Why would you say that?" he chuckles out.

"Because my mom is a sucker for a cheeky grin. She sees the good in everyone, but especially smooth talking Romeos. That has me worried he's out prowling for women instead of doing his job."

He smirks, and his lips press over my forehead before his hand slides back around my waist.

"I can assure you he's not quite the lady-lover you think he is. My sister knows him, and she says he's very hooked on just one girl - one girl who he intends to keep safe while very thoroughly doing his job."

"A girl could just be a distraction," I argue.

"Not the right girl. She's actually been good for the United from what I've been told. As it turns out, she helped him get rid of some very pathetic people in command," he says with what seems like a sour taste in his mouth.

"Well, I hope you're right," I murmur through a sigh, my head leaning on his shoulder.

He grips me tighter, his cool breath washing away the thick heat of the sun as we step out into the courtyard.

"I know I'm right."