Midnight Whispers (The Midnight Duology #1)

Chapter 14

14

I pin Cedar to the ground, my hand gripping his throat. Vampire regulations prohibit killing another of our kind without cause, and this would not be a reason they’d consider worthy. If I were to kill Cedar right now, I’d be forced to change someone of the Counsels choosing. I could run away, evading them for centuries again...

But I couldn’t do that to Asher again.

I couldn’t leave Lillia.

The Counsel would not consider protecting a mortal to be a good enough reason to kill one of my own.

“Can’t do it, can you? You really are a sad excuse of a man.” Cedar’s lips curl into a smile. “It was such a shame to hear about Wren’s death.”

“I knew that was you,” I snarl. “He did nothing wrong, you sick fuck.” I tighten my hold on his neck.

“Except have a pussy as a maker.”

“Don’t go anywhere near Lillia again, or I will kill you. The same way I killed Evelyn.” His eyes fill with hatred at the mention of her name .

He’s right, though. I am weak, but I can’t be a maker again. Losing Wren quickly became one of the most painful life experiences I’ve ever had, and I refuse to go through it again.

Cedar struggles to get out from my grip, and I relent and let him go. In the blink of an eye, he flees. I dust the dirt off my pants and turn in the direction Lillia went. Even if I hadn’t watched her walk away, the scent of her blood is like a pathway that leads me directly to her.

“You’re hurt, love , ” I say as I swoop her up into my grasp.

“I can walk.” She crosses her arms in front of her chest and lets out an exasperated sigh, but I can feel her body soften against me as she lowers her shoulders.

“Yet, you aren’t fighting against me.”

“There’s really no use, is there?”

“No.”

I can sense the questions bubbling beneath her surface. She bites her bottom lip and my dick hardens at the sight of her lip rolling between her teeth.

I clear my throat. “If you ask, I’ll answer.”

Lillia raises an eyebrow. “Anything?”

“Mhmm.”

“You’re a vampire, aren’t you?”

“Yes. I am”

“And Cedar?” I dip my chin in confirmation. “But why are you here? In Emolyn Cove, I mean.”

“My maker was a founder of this town, many lifetimes ago.”

“And you?”

“Not me.”

She lets out a humph and furrows her brow.

My eyes register light in the close distance, and I quicken my pace. “Do you need to go to the hospital? ”

She shakes her head vehemently. “No. I’m fine. I’ll just take some ibuprofen or something.”

I fight against my desire to heal her. Blood-sharing is a very intimate act and creates an unbreakable bond that I don’t think either of us are ready for. She nestles into my chest, and I inhale her scent deeply, hoping for it to become woven into the coils of my mind.

The road is empty as I carry her across it. I quicken my pace and within a moment we arrive at her cottage. The house is empty, so I enter the back door and cross the kitchen to head toward her room.

Gently, I place her on the bed and go into the bathroom, rummaging through the medicine cabinet and drawers for bandages and things to clean her wound. Once I’ve found everything, I gather it all into my arms and walk back into her bedroom.

“I can do it myself,” Lillia protests sleepily.

“I’m sure you can, but it’s okay to let me help.” I pour some alcohol onto the wound; she winces as it begins to bubble. Wetting a cloth with more alcohol, I gently clean her leg. Once it’s clean and dried off, I wrap the bandage around her leg.

I look up to where her head is resting on her pillow, only to find her sleeping. I want her to be comfortable while she sleeps so I go to her dresser and look for something more comfortable.

First, I check the top drawer, and my body stills when I see my note and the portrait of her there. Glancing over my shoulder at her, the moonlight shining down on her face, I release a sigh.

I close the drawer and look in the one below it. I find a sleep shirt and place it on her before I take my place in her armchair. I’m on high alert to attack anyone who may threaten her safety.

The sun is beginning to rise. Her roommate came home but went to her own room. The sound of her insistent snoring now echoes throughout the house. I helped myself to one of the books on Lillia’s bookcase, a very well-loved copy of Dracula.

Ironic.

Lillia’s sleepy voice takes me by surprise when I hear, “There are darknesses in life and there are…”

“Lights, and you are one of the lights, the light of all lights,” I finish the quote, cutting her off and closing the book.

“It’s been one of my favorites since I was a girl.” I look at her over the top of the book.

“Funny.”

“Seriously!” She sits up. “Vampires, fairies, you name it. I’ve always loved fantasy books the best. I was even Team Edward.”

“Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t sparkle.”

“Damn, I am very disappointed.” She laughs, but winces as she tries to get off the bed.

In a second, I am by her side. “What can I do? What do you need?”

“To use the bathroom. Can I go alone? Or do you want to carry me?” She raises a brow.

I think about it for a moment. “That was sarcasm, wasn’t it?”

“Yes.” She laughs and rises to her feet, limping out of the room and into the bathroom.

I pace her room as I await her return .

“You didn’t have to stay, you know,” Lillia quips as she closes the door to her bedroom.

“I wanted to make sure you were safe.”

“But it’s daylight. I thought vampires couldn’t go into the sun?”

“A rumor we started a long time ago.”

“Garlic?” I shake my head and sit back down in the chair. “Silver? What about crosses?”

I let out an amused chuckle. “Well, now you're just being silly.”

“So, what you’re saying is that none of the stories are true?”

“There are a few that are or at least close.” She arches her brow, and I smile. “The one about drinking blood is the most truthful of them all.”

Lillia stops at the foot of her bed and turns to look at me. After a moment, she hesitantly asks, “Do you want to drink mine?” Her eyes meet mine and she doesn’t blink while she holds my stare. The vein in her neck shares the quickened pace of her heart, giving away her anxiety.

“More than you will ever know.” My venom pools on my tongue as I imagine the sweet nectar that fills her veins sliding down my throat. “However, I won’t drink from you.”

“Why is that?” She crosses her arms and cocks her hip.

“Let me rephrase; I won't drink from you until you ask me to.” I place my elbows on the top of my knees.

“What makes you think I’ll do that?” She bites her bottom lip to hide the blush creeping up her cheeks.

“Oh, you will, love. As a matter of fact, I think you’ll beg me to.” I stand and move toward her, beginning to close the vast space between us.

I run my hand along the side of her face, only stopping once I get to the base of her neck. Her hair is woven between my fingers and I grip lightly, pulling slightly so that she looks up at me. The breath hitches in her throat and the scent of her arousal fills the space around us.

“Are you trying to scare me or seduce me, Finn?” Lillia makes a valiant attempt at steading her voice, but the shakiness is still there and gives her away. The sound of my name on her lips, however, threatens my own undoing.

“Perhaps a little bit of both. Though, if you were smart, you wouldn’t tempt me. You should stay as far away from me as possible.”

“And if I don’t want to stay away from you?”

I bring my face closer to hers, hovering just over her mouth. Her eyes dart down to my lips and back up again. “Then I’d say you’ll grow to regret your choice.”

“I don’t think I will,” she whispers and I lose every bit of self-control I was holding onto.

In an instant, my mouth crashes onto hers. She lets out a throaty moan that causes my dick to harden as if she commanded it. It was almost like she wants this, she wants me , as much as I want this. As much as I want her. I tighten my hold on her hair, pushing her mouth harder into mine. Her lips part open in invitation.

She lifts her arms up and places them around my neck, straining to hold herself up against the height difference. I release my hold on her hair and drop my hands to just below the hem of her oversized shirt, cupping the bottom of her ass in my palms. I lift her and she wraps her legs around my waist. I deepen our kiss further, our tongues dancing together. She winces as her tongue glides against the point of my tooth, the faint taste of blood filling my mouth.

It was the exact way I thought it would be. The metallic sweet tang is unlike anything else I’ve ever tasted, like the desperation for air when you are stuck beneath the waves of the ocean. It taunts me to take more. I can feel the frenzy beginning to build in my gut and I immediately toss her onto the bed, breaking the kiss.

“I’m sorry,” she pants. “I’ll have to get used to being careful.”

I shake my head. “You did nothing wrong, Lillia. It was me. I shouldn’t have let it get this far.”

“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since you drew me the portrait. It only got worse at the party. I want this. I want you, Finn.”

I groan and run my nose along her haw. “You have no idea what you’re asking. The things you would have to give up being with me...”

“Then tell me, so I can understand.”

Both our heads turn toward the door when Flora knocks on it.

“Hey, Lil. The cops are here to talk to you. Something about Parker, but they won’t tell me anything else. Also, why is your door locked?” She wiggles the doorknob.

“I’m coming right now, Flo,” Lillia says, her voice thick with frustration. She turns back to look at me.

I rush to stand. “That is my cue to leave.”

Lillia turns to me with pleading eyes. “Will you come back? Please.”

“If that is what you want.” She nods and crosses the room to the dresser, opening one of the bottom drawers and pulling on a pair of black leggings. I find myself staring at how well they hug her hips perfectly.

Lillia lingers at the door for a moment, tapping her finger on the frame, before turning to look back at where I stand. She lets out a deep breath and the feeling of her anticipation makes the room thick. I focus my attention on the police officers at the door, listening closely to the communication between the two of them. Lillia lets out a gasp when they inform her that they found Parker’s body in the ocean. His last known whereabouts was the Halloween party and people reported seeing them have an argument. She, however, wasn’t a suspect because people witnessed them separate and she remained at the party while he left. They were only asking her to see if she knew anyone who would want to hurt him. The bigger and older of the two officers informed her that they were ruling it a homicide.

I can hear her heart beating from here.

Taking this moment as my way out, I jump from her window and land with a thud at the base of her cottage. At full speed, I move to the woods behind the cottage. I know if I don’t contain my hunger before tonight, Lillia will be in danger.