Crimson Bound (Blood Oath #7)

17. Kade

17

KADE

C alla doesn’t stop fighting or yelling at me the entire trip from the living room to the bathroom attached to her bedroom. I set her down and promptly pin her against the wall with my hand around her throat so she can breathe but not move.

“Keep talking,” I warn her, flashing my fangs, “and I’ll fuck you against this wall until you can’t speak.”

She falls silent as she stares at me, her heart hammering away and her cheeks turning a deep shade of pink.

I smirk at her. “Though that might be exactly what you want. Is that what you want, Calla?”

Still, she doesn’t speak, just shakes her head.

I steal every inch of distance between us. “Deny it all you want.” My nose touches hers as I brace myself on the wall behind her with my free hand. “Your body won’t lie about what it craves.”

Without warning, my lips capture hers in a searing kiss. She melts into me all too easily, moaning into my mouth and kissing me back with equal fervor. I release her throat to lift her up, and Calla wraps her legs around me as I walk to the shower. My lips move against hers, coaxing her to open to me, then I slide my tongue along hers as I reach for the faucet in the shower, turning it on without breaking the kiss or letting go of her.

“I don’t know about you,” she says when our lips part, “but I don’t usually shower clothed.”

My lips twitch, and I kiss her again. “No?” I set her feet on the floor before tugging my shirt off and dropping it next to the shower, then do the same with my pants, standing naked before her.

Calla’s gaze darkens, her pupils wider as she takes me in. And if that’s not a boost to my ego, nothing could ever be—especially when her gaze lingers on my cock.

“My face is up here,” I remark dryly, thoroughly enjoying the way her pulse quickens as she lifts her gaze, licking her lips and pressing them together.

I step into her, my voice softly demanding when I say, “Lift your arms up.”

She obeys immediately, and I pull her sports bra off, dropping it with my clothes. Her arms fall to cover her exposed breasts as my gaze drops there, but I catch her wrists and hold them. “Don’t hide yourself from me.”

Calla catches her lower lip, her cheeks flushing as I lift her arms again, draping them over my shoulders and capturing her lips once more. I kiss her thoroughly, taking my time to taste her, and the feel of her breasts against my bare chest sends blood right to my cock, making it stiffen.

She moans into my mouth, and my hands drop to her hips, pulling her against me so she can feel exactly what she’s doing to me. Breaking the kiss, Calla steps back and tugs her leggings down to her ankles, kicking them aside so we’re both completely bare.

Our eyes roam over one another as the shower runs behind us, filling the room with steam and warmth. Before the water can run cold, I guide Calla into the shower and grip her chin, tipping her head back as I lower my mouth to hers under the hot spray of water. She kisses me back, trailing her fingers along my stomach, and I reach for her, teasing and pinching her breast until she’s making soft noises and arching into me. I push my tongue past her lips into her mouth, switching my attention to her other breast as I press my hips into her, teasing her with my cock.

Calla bites my bottom lip, and I groan as my fangs descend before burying my face between her neck and shoulder, trailing my mouth along her heated skin. I taunt her, my fangs scraping along the crook of her neck, and her breath catches.

My fingers tease their way down her stomach, pausing at the apex of her thighs, where I desperately long to bury my throbbing cock.

“Kade…” Calla’s voice is low, her heart beating faster as I hold my fingers still.

“Hmm?” I lap at her skin.

“Do something,” she demands, and fuck if I want to obey without hesitation. But driving her mad is just so much fun.

I lean back enough to meet her gaze. “Tell me what you want.”

“You know what I want,” she says after several heated beats of silence as she stares at me.

I nod, barely containing the shit-eating grin fighting to curve my lips upward. “I want to hear you say it.”

Those beautiful eyes of hers narrow at me. “Fuck. Me.”

I smirk, bracing my free hand on the shower wall behind her as I lean in. “Come on, Calla. You can do better than that.” I pull my hand off her and grip my cock, using the tip to tease her entrance. I lower my voice, and my lips brush her ear as I tell her to, “Use your words and tell me exactly what you want me to do to you.” I pull back, meeting her gaze as my tongue glides over my lip.

Calla nods, letting her head fall back against the tile next to my hand. “I…I want you to pin me against this wall and drive your cock inside me.” Her heart races faster as she continues, “I want you…to fuck me so hard I can’t hold myself up, and right before I’m about to collapse…I want you to sink your fangs into my neck and drink from me while I come around your cock.”

My muscles tighten, and control slips through my fingers like the water falling around us. “Fucking hell.”

“Is that descriptive enough for you?”

The deprecating tone of her voice whips through me, and I lean into her, pushing the tip of my cock into her. “Yes, Calla.”

Her mouth presses into a thin line, her eyes darting between mine as her breathing turns shallows. Her pussy is gripping me so tight I can’t move any deeper without hurting her. “You need to relax.”

She slides her foot out, widening her stance as she says, “I’m trying.” She inhales slowly, her expression filled with pure concentration. “Keep going.”

I nudge my cock inside another inch, reaching between us to work her clit. “You’re so fucking tight.” I lean in until my forehead touches hers. “I love it.”

Her back arches, and she takes me deeper.

“There we go,” I murmur, kissing along her jaw as I push in another inch, “just a little more.” Holding still for a moment, I let her adjust and guide me the rest of the way in until I’m fully sheathed. I continue strumming her clit with my thumb as her breathing quickens, then I pull back before thrusting back into her heat. She feels fucking incredible wrapped around me, and I already know this is going to be over too soon.

“Holy shit,” she breathes.

I grin at her. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

She roll her eyes. “Even when you’re fucking me, you are insufferable.”

My response comes in the form of a hard thrust, making her clench around my length. She grabs the back of my neck and pulls me down until our lips meets again. I thrust into her as we kiss, changing the tempo each time I feel her pulsing around me and getting closer to release. I’ll drag this out, edge Calla toward climax and then back off, as long as I can to keep my cock buried between her thighs.

She picks up on my tactics quickly, making a sound akin to a growl against my lips as she tries to meet my thrusts. I’m not having any of that. I shove her back against the shower wall, holding her there so she can’t move as I continue my teasing, tortuous pace.

I trail my mouth to her neck, kissing and sucking on the delicate skin there. “Do you want to come?”

“Yes,” she grumbles, her pulse ticking faster as I hold still inside her.

I roll my hips, hitting a deeper spot that has her gripping me tighter. “Yes what?”

“What, you’re going to make me beg for it now?”

I hold her gaze, soaking in the power I hold over her in this moment. “Hmm, no. But you would if I asked, and we both know it.” I thrust hard and fast into her pussy, making her gasp. She moans as I slam into her, and when I return my attention to her clit, circling it with expert precision, she tenses, her pleasure cresting. I sink my fangs into her throat as she clenches around me, drinking deeply as she’s rocked with an orgasm she announces with a sound I’ll not soon forget. I catch her when her legs shake so hard they refuse to hold her up any longer, my cock pulsing inside her as it seeks its own release.

Calla keeps her eyes shut as her chest rises and falls fast, and I pull out of her—my cock and my fangs—moving us under the water to wash away the blood before guiding her to sit on the stone bench, putting her eye level with my very hard cock. Insanity grips me when she reaches for it and I turn my hips, snagging her chin and tilting her head back to look at me.

“But you didn’t?—”

“That wasn’t about me.” I give her a once over. “Can you stand?” I release her chin, offering her my hands.

She slides her palms along mine, and I guide her upright, kissing her softly as I reach for the bottle of shampoo behind her. Surprise flickers across her face when I put some on my hand, then turn her around and run my fingers through her hair, massaging the shampoo into her scalp.

I’ve never taken care of someone like this. Well, not since that one night Lex got violently drunk and puked all over himself so I had to clean him up. Those were different circumstances. This is…nice. Dangerously so. I didn’t expect to get so damn attached to this human, especially not at this point. I don’t think she clings to the initial hatred she felt toward us, but that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t flee at a moment’s notice given the chance. She’s making the best of a situation she loathes, and I shouldn’t let myself get into situations with her that allow me to forget that.

I may have a major case of blue balls, but at least Gabriel made my favorite roast and potatoes for dinner. It’s one of Calla’s favorites too, an intentional move on Gabe’s part in an attempt to encourage a better mood in her.

Humans can be just as food motivated as vampires, I’ve found.

Once we’re all seated around the dining room table, Calla pipes up with, “Are we going to talk about what happened earlier, or what?” She pours herself a glass of water, setting the pitcher on the table and glancing around the table as the rest of us turn to Atlas, who sighs.

It’s Gabriel who speaks up, though, earning Calla’s attention when he says her name. “There’s a vampire in New York who is looking for you.”

Her reaction is delayed as she blinks at him, shaking her head. “I don’t understand.”

Gabriel’s mouth turns down. “There’s a lot to it, but we aren’t the only vampires your family was associated with years ago. This particular vampire was involved in the business deal we helped your ancestors out of.”

I fight the urge to reach for her as her heart rate climbs. I’m worried she’ll lose it if I do, despite the moment we shared it the shower.

“What’s that got to do with me?” she demands, her voice wavering. “From what I’ve been told, the oath was only made between my family and the four of you.”

“That’s right,” Atlas assures her. “There’s no merit to Dante’s claim to you, but that doesn’t eliminate the threat. He wants something to make up for losing out on that deal with your ancestors. He wants your blood in exchange for what he lost. He also has a bone to pick with us, for some shit that went down decades ago, but that really isn’t what’s important here.”

Her eyes widen, anxiety rolling off her in waves. “And this vampire—Dante—he was here earlier?”

“No,” I cut in. “That was Marcel. The arguing you heard was the result of the less than ideal information he provided us.”

“Marcel?”

“He’s an informant of ours,” Gabriel explains, taking a drink from his glass. Leave it to Gabe to drink blood from a crystal wine glass.

I stab my fork into the meat on my plate, slicing off a piece and lifting it to my mouth. It’s cooked to perfection, tender and juicy, and I thank the universe not for the first time that Gabriel cooks for us. “Apparently Dante has been sniffing around a few of our buildings in the city since word spread that we fulfilled the oath.” I swallow, adding, “Guess he figured we’d be keeping you there.”

“You have properties in New York too?”

Lex shrugs. “Real estate is a good investment.”

Calla nods, pushing her food around her plate instead of eating it. “So what exactly does this mean?” Her pulse is still racing, her posture rigid with discomfort and tension.

“Calla,” Lex murmurs, “We’re not going to let anything happen to you while you’re with us.”

“That’s your plan? Guard me twenty-four-seven? I have school and a life I built before the four of you came around and screwed it up. This is insane, I—” She gets up mid sentence. “I didn’t sign up for any of this.” Her eyes fill with tears she tries to blink away before they can slip down her cheeks.

Atlas reaches for her, making contact with her arm as his voice turns silky with glamour. “Sit down.”

She complies instantly, though her lips are twisted into a scowl as Atlas takes his hand off her. “I’m allowed to be upset.”

“Of course you are,” Atlas agrees in a level tone, then adds, “What you’re not allowed to do is run away from us.”

“Certainly not before hearing our kick-ass plan to ensure your safety,” Lex says, dousing his food with gravy.

Calla inhales slowly before releasing a heavy sigh. “Okay, fine.” Her gaze moves around the table. “What’s your brilliant idea?”

I take a drink, setting my glass down before saying, “We’ll send the bastard on a wild goose chase. Make him think we’re keeping you somewhere else.”

Her brows lift, her tone reasonably filled with doubt as she asks, “How do you plan to do that?”

“Marcel has a large and powerful network of people,” I tell her. “If we need to send a message, he’ll ensure it gets where it needs to go.”

Calla sets her fork down, leaning back in her chair. “And what happens when this vampire who thinks he owed a piece of me discovers this rouse?”

“Well, Dante’s really not that bright,” Lex chimes in, carving his piece of roast. “And even if he eventually figures it out, it’ll buy us enough time to track him down and deal with him before he can get anywhere near you.”

She folds her arms over her chest, her tone taking on a defiant edge. “Or I could just call him and ask him to come pick me up.”

Gabriel chokes on his sip of water, coughing into his hand as he sets the glass down, while I exchange a glance with Lex, who shrugs, shaking his head.

“You want to make jokes?” Atlas says in a firm voice, his jaw sharp and his expression dark as he glowers at her. “Go ahead. You’ll find out just how quickly we can turn this house into a prison and keep you locked up. You’ve enjoyed a semblance of freedom since you arrived. Perhaps you need to be reminded that your freedom can be taken away at any time.”

“Atlas,” Gabriel says in a low voice, encouraging to back off a bit.

I drum my fingers against the table, leaning toward agreeing with Atlas. Locking Calla up would be much easier than this cat and mouse game we could be getting into with Dante.

Calla doesn’t back down. “Go ahead,” she echoes his words. “Keep threatening me. What I meant was that I could bait him. Let him think he can get to me and then you guys can?—”

“We can’t, angel,” Gabriel interjects calmly. “Dante would have to take you from us for our retaliation to go without severe scrutiny.”

She frowns at him, sinking in her seat. “Never mind.”

“You’re safe,” I reiterate to her. “I know you don’t trust us, but please try to trust that. We’ve been navigating this world for decades, while you’re brand new to it.”

“So what?” she snaps back. “It’s not as complex as you’d have me believe. The big bad vampire thinks he can take me from the other big bad vampires like I’m fucking property. It’s bullshit.”

Lex whistles under his breath, which doesn’t help ease the look of annoyance on Calla’s face.

“You want to feel in control of something,” Atlas says, stealing her attention. “I understand that. Work with me. I’ll train you to protect yourself against my kind.”

“Dante won’t stand a chance,” I offer with a grin in her direction.

She finally uncrosses her arms, reaching for her water glass and taking a long drink. “Fine. Send this Dante creep searching for me all over the states while I train. And when the time comes, I won’t hesitate to drive a white ash stake through his heart. Like you said, I’m brand new to your world.” Her gaze sweeps around the table so she looks at each of us. “To be clear, I don’t give a damn about whatever scrutiny killing a vampire invites. The way I see it, that prick is bringing it on himself.”

I glance toward Atlas to gauge his expression. It’ll be him facing the most backlash from his parents. They’re the unofficial leaders of our world and have spent many decades crafting a reputation that demands equal parts fear and respect. Their son playing house with a human already looks a certain way. If Calla somehow manages to take out Dante…I can say with much certainty that things would go very badly for all of us.