Chapter Kellan

After finally finding someone to tell me where the fuck to take this passed out hybrid, I push through the door, trying to hurry up and get back to Aria before that fucking full blood tries something on her.

I'm trying so hard not to push her. I'm still waiting for her to catch up to the way I feel. With her emotions reaching extremes, she's confused right now. She doesn't love him the way she thinks she does, but it's hard to press that issue without seeming overbearing.

I've searched for her so long though, and I'm not giving up now. Especially not now that I know she's already told him she feels our connection too. That's a huge step, and it was hard not to jump up and down like an excited child when I realized she confessed such a thing aloud... or even in her mind.

As I go to unravel myself from Simone's death grip, her lips find mine, startling the fuck out of me. Her tongue slips into my mouth, and for a foolish second, I return the kiss, feeding off her passion for me.

I wish Aria would kiss me like this. I know she will one day, but right now it feels good to be this desired by someone.

I grab her short hair in my hand and press her to me, holding her tightly in my arms the way she wants to be held. She moans, her legs spreading as she invites me to fall between them.

Fuck. What am I doing?

I jerk back, finally feeling sane again, and Simone starts crying instantly, wailing loudly as she buries her head in her hands. Has she lost it?

"Oh shit! I'm so sorry," she sobs out, losing her breath when she starts to hyperventilate.

What the hell am I supposed to say? I've never... this is just too much drama. It's been a while since I've had to interact with people on a regular basis. I'm not even sure where to start.

"It's fine. You were just... I'm not sure to be honest. Look, I need to get back. Aria is probably wondering where I am," I lie, knowing Aria is probably still asleep in her ex's arms.

She sobs harder, coughing on her guilt as she rolls over to press her face to a pillow. I'm not sure what her deal is.

"It's just... fuck!" she says in exclamation, her sobs making the rest of what she says nothing more than an unintelligible ramble I can't cipher.

I start creeping toward the door, unsure of what else to say. It's possible she's more jealous of Aria than I even realized, and I almost fucked up. I can't be that guy I was if I want to keep Aria. She'll never forgive such a sin, and I've worked too hard to get her.

"I'm just gonna..." I pause, hesitating when she starts crying louder. I want to comfort her, tell her it will be okay, but instead, I duck out before feeling tempted once again.

One thing Simone Jude has perfected over the centuries is how to be seductive. No wonder Clay never introduced me to his daughter. Can't say I blame him either.

If I didn't have Aria, I would have done unspeakable things to the late commander's daughter. She would have liked them too.

I round the corner just as Aria enters the compound, and I tilt my head when I see her wearing sunglasses instead of contacts.

"What happened? I was just on my way back to get you," I murmur breathlessly, feeling guilty and fucking stupid.

I stopped it, so why do I feel guilty? This is all so new to me. I don't even know if I should tell her what happened or not.

Not. Definitely not. She'd flip out.

She shakes her head gingerly so as not to aggravate it.

"It's nothing. Where did you go?" she asks, checking over her shoulder as she pulls her shirt lower.

I roll my eyes, exaggerating exasperation as I wrap my arm around her shoulders to lead her down the hall.

"Simone latched onto me like a leech. I had to carry her to her room before I could even disentangle myself from her. That show of power thing back at the bunker really did a number on her. I got us a room too. Apparently we'll be staying here until the children thing is sorted out. They're planning a meeting. It should be five hours from now."

I feel like a lying ass right now. I can't tell her Simone woke up in time to surprise me with a kiss - a damn strong kiss I barely escaped before fucking up.

"Is your head hurting?" I ask, stroking her cheek.

I ignore the fact she tenses under my touch instead of leaning into it the way she does when he touches her.

Fucking full blood. I hate him. I hate him more than I've ever hated anyone.

"Not too much right now. My temp is cooler too. I suppose I might should have thanked Jase for that."

I snarl, letting my distaste be known. She has no idea what a smug son of a bitch he was the whole time she was in his arms. I barely came out of the front. It was pissing me off too much to see her wrapped around him like she was his instead of mine.

"I'm sure he knows you're grateful," I murmur, not mentioning the fact she said his name during her sleep.

I'm so glad that asshole didn't feel it necessary to tell me what she was dreaming. Judging by the grin he proudly bore, I don't want to know what it was.

I have to find a way to make her pay more attention to me and less attention to him. I'm sick of the way she constantly looks at him, knowing I can't say anything about it without possibly pushing her away.

He says whatever the fuck he wants to say. He tells her exactly what he's thinking, and she takes it, still loving him no matter what. She gets pissed, but she always gets over it.

Until she reaches that plane with me, I have to tread lightly. I sure as fuck don't want to give her a reason to go back to him.

Most certainly not telling her Simone kissed me now.

"Do you want to go lie down? With me?" I ask, reaching down to take her hand in mine.

Her touch is soft, not at all fiery hot the way it would be if she was touching him. I have to stop making this a competition. He's had more playing time. I'm just getting warmed up. She's here with me right now. Not Jase. She's going to stay with me. Not Jase.

"Actually, I think I want a shower. I still smell like lake," she says, laughing sweetly while motioning to her slinky bottoms that she wore all night and day.

I frown, thinking back to how those sexy legs were wrapped around him on that small bed. It was as if she couldn't get close enough. I wipe away the irritation that is clearly etched in my face, and then I give her a devious wink.

"How about we make that a shower for two? I may not can cure you with a touch, but I can give you blood, and that makes you feel better too."

She laughs lightly, though it feels as though her mind is a thousand miles away.

"Sure," she murmurs, not sounding as enthused as I was hoping.

If I want her to fall for me the way she has for him, then I really have to step up my game. I have to make it me she dreams about. First, I have to give her something that makes her think about me.

We've had incredible sex, but we haven't had the kind of sex that would make her desperate to spend all day in bed with me. It's hard to find my swagger when it always feels like she's thinking of him.

I'll have to put it out of my mind today though. Counters are known for their bedroom-breaking, earthshaking sex, and I want to make that happen. If I make myself more desirable, she'll stop thinking about him eventually.

I push her through the door as I turn into a man on a mission to evoke passion from her. She smiles as I rip the strings off her tiny, torturing little ensemble, and she giggles when I throw her against the wall.

She seems amused more than turned on. She always does. I don't know if that's good or bad.

I try harder, crushing her lips with my powerful, desperate kiss. She returns it, but she lacks the desire Simone had for me.

Her body bare and in my control, I decide it's time to show her how much better I am than that fucking full blood. I'm hybrid. I'm full of sexual draw. Surely I can impress her to the point she forgets him completely.

I toss her to the bed, getting a little rougher as her shades fall off. Her laughter stops as she lies there waiting for me, raking her eyes over me as I pull my shirt over my head. I smirk when I see her draw her lower lip between her teeth.

She doesn't cover up or blush the way she normally does when she's bare beneath my eyes, which is good... I think.

Damn, I hate this guessing game. I wish I knew what she was thinking right now. That's one more reason to be jealous of that mind reading bastard.

Aria is a complicated ball of frustration. I can sometimes guess what's on her mind, but usually, she's a complete mystery, leaving me feeling insecure. That's sure as hell not a feeling I generally have.

I fall on top of her, cradling her naked body against me as I let my tongue slip into her mouth. She moans, though it's weak. I kiss her harder, overcompensating possibly, and she turns away, letting my lips fall to her neck as she starts unclasping the belt to my pants.

My lips ravage her delicious, sweet neck. She bares herself to me, offering me any piece of her body I want. I smile as I stare at her supple breasts, deciding one is going to be my mark, and I let my blood bringers emerge.

She gasps as I tease her with what's to come, and her hands tangle in my hair, pulling me closer to her as she wraps her legs around my waist - my pants left undone and dangling after her forgotten quest.

I smile when she huffs in frustration, pulling me tighter to her as she tries to force the skin to break. I finally clamp down, making her head jerk back and her back arch as erotica crashes through us both.

She moans out this time, feeling the burning ignite with force as the primal senses we share take over. As I climb back up to find her mouth, I'm greeted with her small, but sexy little blood bringers.

She avoids the kiss and goes straight for my shoulder, breaking the skin and making the need to be inside her all the more unbearable. She takes in my blood, a lot of it, lapping it up to cure her pain.

I can't help but release a strangled moan from the painful pleasure of her bite. I don't bother trying to take my pants down. I rip them free from me to keep from interrupting her, allowing her to continue bleeding me, taking all she needs.

I hold her head, pulling her closer to the bite as I guide myself to her entrance. Her moans come out as she continues drinking me, and I drive into her with enough force to kill a human.

She clasps onto the back of my neck while keeping her lips sealed around the wound. I pull back and surge in just as hard, smiling when her head bobs off my shoulder from the force.

Her lips find mine, savagely kissing me the way I wish she would all the time. I feel her muscles inside as they tighten around me, making my eyes close shut as I release her lips to grunt out my ecstasy.

She digs her nails into my back, pulling me tighter to her as she arches and meets my thrusts. Our bodies clap together, brutally bashing each other's in a way that is too divine to keep up.

I'll never last if we keep this pace. I'll blow my shot at making her mine if I blow too early.

That's a lot of pressure on a guy.

"I love you," I mutter, not having meant to say that aloud.

Instead of speaking, she jerks me to her, forcing my body to come too close, and that's all it takes for things to explode too soon.

I groan and moan at the same time, feeling both pleasure and frustration, which makes her giggle slightly.

"Five minutes," I murmur against her lips as I move in for a kiss, hiding my bit of embarrassment. "That's all I need."

She smirks, rotating her hips with me still inside her. "Then carry me to the shower so we can multitask."

Her sexy tone is enough to damn near make me fuck up and explode again. I smile, giving her a playful kiss while picking her up, keeping myself tightly lodged inside her hybrid heat.

It's too warm inside her, which makes it harder to last longer than five fucking seconds. I swear, she's terrible for my ego. I look like a damn rookie right now.

She leans back, making my eyes scour her body as she turns the water on, the chill of it rushing out just before the heat. She pulls herself back up, keeping her body wound around my waist, and her lips graze my shoulder with her blood bringers.

"Time's up," she says, making me throb and pulsate inside her.

Her teeth break the surface, turning the heat up in the shower just by forcing me to feel the desire once more. This time. This time, maybe she'll tell me she loves me too.

Aria studies the tablet in her hand as she scrolls through all the information she could find on hybrid emergents and the hybrid full bloods. She groans in frustration, gripping her head as she drops the screen to the bed beneath her.

Her shirt is low, showing a great deal of cleavage that makes my mouth water. With her hair falling in soft, dark, large curls, she looks almost angelic on the bed. Her tight jeans make me smile, thinking of our past few hours, though it took a while to make her have as much fun as I was having.

Fucking fever. She was way too warm for me to show any stamina. I hope this headache and fever thing gets cured quickly. Perhaps then I can blow her mind with my skills enough to get her to fall in love with me.

"You ready?" I ask, proffering her my hand.

"Sorry," she murmurs while bypassing my hand. "I'm burning up already. Touching you anymore will just make me hotter, and the hotter I get, the more my head hurts."

She grips her head directly after, and I frown, feeling helpless.

"We'll figure this out," I murmur, refraining from trying to comfort her with my heated touch.

She forces a smile, seeming distant now that my blood is out of her system. I thought it would make her feel better, but she acts as if she feels worse.

"Will you go up north with me? I think we should be able to hide the kids there," she says, grabbing her purse and bringing her bag along.

"Of course," I murmur with a shrug. "What are we going to do about the scorpions and destroyer monster out there though?"

A furious glaze passes over her eyes momentarily, and she speaks with a touch of anger.

"They can deal with it themselves. If the United issues a death sentence for innocent children, I'll root for the bad guys to fuck them up."

I let a laugh escape. She's right. If they're willing to take the life of an innocent child, then they deserve whatever is coming for them. I just worry about what will happen when a greater evil reigns in charge.

I follow her, walking toward our backdoor escape to load up the van we've wrangled free. It'll hold all twenty-five of the hybrid children, though it'll be a little cramped.

"How are we planning on getting the kids out?" I ask, knowing full well how outnumbered we'll be.

"I called my mom. I didn't have a choice," she sighs out. "I told her what's going on... somewhat. She'll help us. She's got a knack for putting people to sleep."

I laugh, finding that humorous. "I'm not sure a boring mom will come in handy, but her powers will."

She laughs, shaking her head as though she's amused. "I didn't mean she's boring. Come on. The meeting starts in twenty minutes and I want a good seat."

We head outside, load our luggage, and she avoids any skin contact with me as we head back in.

"Will you touch me once we reach the cold?" I ask, pouting involuntarily.

She grins, her fake hybrid blues coming to meet mine as she nods. "I have a feeling I'll feel much better when I get there. You can tie me up and touch me all you want."

I stumble, accidentally running into the wall and cracking it before I can recover from her surprising comment. She laughs salaciously, and then she grips her head directly after.

"Punished for being funny," she mumbles, shaking her head lightly.

I smile, leaning over and barely grazing her lips with mine before quickly withdrawing so as not to let her feel my heated breath.

"Any chance you're as susceptible to the cold as you are the heat?" I seduce, keeping the banter in play.

"Incredibly susceptible," she says with forced humor, her pain killing the life in her eyes.

"Good. Finally. I won't feel so impotent," I mumble, and she laughs again.

"Impotent? I think we had an afternoon full of fun that proves you're anything but impotent."

That'd be easier to believe if she had climaxed half as much as I did.

"It was a joke," I murmur softly, hiding my insecurity from her masked eyes. "It'd be nice for my hybrid heat to come in handy though."

She smiles, offering me something to prove she cares... I think.

"It usually snows here at least once a week, but the second I need it, we go into a heated drought. Imagine that," she grumbles. "Up north it snows pretty frequently though. I think that's why my body is so desperate to go. It's only hot once a week there."

Snow. Fuck. She was dreaming about snow... about Jase and her in the snow, since she said his name while dreaming it. It's odd that she's saying her body wants to go.

"What do you mean by that? Your body wants to go?"

She shrugs, treating it as though it's not as odd as it sounds. "I don't know. It just feels like there's something calling to me, begging me to head north."

That's... not normal. Is it? Should I be worried, or am I being overprotective?"

I get sick when I see Simone in the hallway, her eyes scouring the crowd for someone. I should have called to tell her I never spoke to Aria about her kissing surprise.

"Aria, I have to tell you something," I whisper, dreading my timing.

"Okay," she says, not really seeming all that interested as she focuses on massaging her temples.

Before I have the chance to pull her away, Simone is in front of us, her eyes shifting to meet mine for a fleeting second before moving back to Aria.

"Aria, I swear I didn't mean to kiss him. It was... I was half asleep, half awake, and dreaming about-"

"You did what?" Aria interrupts, fury in her tone. "You said you just slept beside him, you fucking lying whore!"

Simone's eyes grow wide, turning to meet my exasperated, dreadful ones. I cover my head, feeling the reluctance in my tone as I murmur, "She's talking about me."

Aria's mouth falls open, clapping shut as she shakes her head in disbelief.

"Unbelievable, Simone. I can't believe you'd really do this. You're pathetic."

Aria shoves by Simone, making it her mission to escape her.

"Aria, please stop. He stopped me. Okay? I didn't mean to."

In a blur, Aria has her by the hand, jerking her into a room and shutting it behind them. Should I go in there? Will Simone tell her I lingered? Fucking shit. Why didn't I pull away immediately.

I pace back and forth, finally deciding I have to listen in just as Aria blasts her.

"What the fuck is your deal, Simone? Why'd you really go after Jase, and why did you pull this shit with Kellan?"

Simone is whimpering, holding back her sobs. "I'm sorry. I don't know. It sucks to see everyone finding their counters lately. Everyone in my damn lab has found their counter in the past five years. Then Rex. Now you. On top of that, you've got the sexiest hybrid I've ever seen as your counter, yet you barely offer him a glance. You have the sweetest, hottest full blood pining after you, and yet you're already committed to another. Do you have any idea how fucking torturous that is to me?"

Sexiest hybrid ever, eh?

Shit, Kellan. Don't focus on that .

"So what does that mean? You thought I didn't deserve my counter so you kissed him? You thought you'd... you tried to kiss Jase too, didn't you?"

Simone whimpers, probably shying away from the fury in Aria's gaze.

"He pushed me away the second he saw the thought. Told me I could cool down, but if I had that thought again, he'd let me burn up like the other girls begging him to cool them down. He told me he loved you and I didn't stand a chance. It hurt. I don't know what's wrong with me, Aria. It's like I feel something... something so fucking strong driving me mad right now."

Aria snorts derisively. "I know what's going on. You're jealous, and you want to prove you're better than me. Go ahead. Neither of them want you. Get the fuck over yourself, Simone. You've had guys upon guys. I've never once gone after any of them - not even your one night stands. How could you?"

"Kellan kissed me back, Aria. I'm not some pathetic loser you can trample all over, so stop acting like an imperious bitch right now. You're my best friend, and you know I'd never intentionally do this to you. There's... something's wrong. I don't know what it is, but I think someone has done something to us. You and me."

Fuck!Fuck!Fuck!

Now I look like the fucker who kissed her friend while that prick looks even better for pushing her away. I can't read minds. I couldn't see it coming. I had no idea it was going to happen, so I was caught off guard. It surprised me. That's all.

"There's definitely something wrong with you, Simone," Aria's chilly voice murmurs in a deadly tone. "The thing is, no one is making you be a sorry ass piece of shit. Go to hell. I hate you. I hate you!"

I turn on my heel, making a dash toward the wall while keeping my back turned to the door. Aria walks by me, not acknowledging me at all on her stalk toward the auditorium.

I cringe when I see her heading toward Jase, and I intercept her before she reaches him.

"Sorry," I quickly mutter while leaning down to kiss her. "She caught me off guard."

She turns away, batting my hands down from her face. "It's fine. I know how Simone is. You didn't stand a chance."

Okay... wasn't expecting that. The fight is already over?

"Are you sure you're-"

"Hey," the full blood says as he interrupts us, his hand touching Aria's back as he steps too close.

My teeth clench, but her eyes roll back in her head from the moment of reprieve he offers her from the pain. He smiles, delighting in the fact he can make her feel better when I can't.

"I was hoping the pain would stay gone longer," he says, pretending as though I'm not standing right here.

Her eyes turn to him, a twinge of pain shining through.

"Why didn't you tell me Simone tried to kiss you?" she asks, surprising me a little.

Why is she asking him? She never asked me that question.

He sighs out, keeping his hand on her to subdue her pain.

"I didn't want you to get hurt. She's your best friend... more like your sister. She never acted on it. She just thought about attempting it. You're already in enough pain as it is. I didn't want you to suffer the loss of your friend as well."

Fucking smooth talking asshole. What I wouldn't give to rip his head off his shoulders. A tear threatens to fall from her eye, but she blinks it back before it can as she brings her eyes to the ceiling.

I start feeling like a third wheel at this point. She's either really pissed at me and not saying it, or she doesn't give a fuck at all. This doesn't make any sense.

"You're already sweating," he murmurs to her, his hand sliding up to cup her chin as he blows a cool breath against her face.

She lets out a moan, making me sick. "I'll go get you something to drink. Maybe it'll cool you down," I grumble, feeling ridiculous right now.

It's obvious I've fucked up and she's punishing me. She's doing damn good at punishing me. At least I hope that's what she's doing.

They've got this place set up like a party instead of a hearing for children. Lines of concession tables are laid out with food and drinks. Laughing people host the tables, acting as though small lives aren't hanging in the balance.

The council is arriving late, per the usual. Everyone else will sit and observe like the loyal servants we're expected to be.

That's fine though. If this goes bad for the kids, my girl and I can leave. - be alone and away from that fucking full blood as we get the little ones out.

I hear Aria's chuckles as I turn around, seeing him raise back from whispering something in her ear.

The glass I just acquired shatters beneath my grip, so I replace it with a new one. As I turn around again, I see him leaned over once more, speaking in a whisper too low for me to overhear.

Her eyes grow wide, her cheeks redden, and she covers her face with her hands, which makes him laugh before kissing her forehead the way he always fucking does. He needs to keep his lips to himself before I cut them off him.

She leans into him, hiding her face in his chest while shaking her head. His face goes to her hair, and he kisses her again, this time he does it through her hair.

This is ridiculous. I shouldn't be having to fight this hard against a full blood. I've never had this problem.

Just as I reach them, I see him kissing her hand before turning to go. She smiles, one of pure, genuine affection. I don't ever see that smile for me.

Simone walks in, making me sick. Aria is pissed. She has to be. That's why she's doing this.

I'd blast Simone for selling me out, but that'd be wrong. I shouldn't have ever kissed her back. I shouldn't have held her the way I did even if it was for just a couple of seconds.

Simone wipes her teary eyes while passing me, never once glancing up to meet my eyes. Hell, she's acting like it's my damn fault. Fucking hybrid women. My headache is going to rival Aria's at this rate.

I walk back, my eyes meeting the full blood's temporarily as he shakes hands with one of the generals. He gives me a smug smirk before turning his attention back to the war hero, and I roll my eyes.

Fucking prick .

Aria's eyes are glued to him when I return, and I almost startle her when I speak.

"Here," I murmur, biting back my fury while handing her the drink.

As pissed as I am, I know she's just acting out. She can't possibly be that infatuated with him. This is payback, and I probably deserve it.

"Thanks," she murmurs dismissively as she walks in front of me on her way to a back row of seats on the lower level.

We sit down on the row that is mostly empty. Everyone else seems to be trying to get closer to the front so they can suck up to the commander as he passes them, shaking hands in his obligatory fashion.

Aria's eyes drift to his back, and he turns to wink at her, letting her know he can hear her thoughts amongst the crowd. I don't care if I do make her temperature rise uncomfortably.

I wrap my arm around her shoulders to cut off his ability to read her mind, sealing the door to the silent conversation they were having just as he takes his place behind the podium.