Page 17 of Awakened and Betrayed
“What is it sweet Vinna? Are you wanting something you’re not getting?” Knox teases with a chuckle, as he sidles up to me. He runs the back of his knuckles across my cheek, his chest brushing against mine, and I’m suddenly very aware of every part of me that’s deliciously close to every part of him.
Slowly I lick my lips, and then I widen my eyes innocently and blink up at him. “Yes. Sex.”
At my response, Sabin starts to choke on nothing, and Knox laughs even harder. Bastien forcefully pats Sabin on the back a couple of times, trying to hide his smile at his friend’s reaction. I look at Sabin.
“What? You can kiss me like that in front of all of them, but the word sex freaks you out? Captain, you knew this was going to happen at some point.”
A small smile sneaks across his face before he hides it. I give Valen’s hand a quick squeeze and look at the others in turn.
“I don’t want to force anyone to do something they don’t want to. It’s just, this pull you guys have over me has gotten a hell of a lot stronger since your runes showed up. It’s driving me mental. And, you’re all fucking hot. Like, drool all over myself, my brain no longer works, hot.”
They chuckle, but the smile falls from my face as my thoughts grow more serious.
“You all have been amazing. All the shit that’s gone down with Lachlan, the lamia, and losing Talon. I’ve never felt more connected to anyone than I do to you guys. I’m ready. I want you; all of you. If any of you want to take things slower than I do, I respect that. I just want you all to know where I stand.”
Valen’s grasp slips out from my fingers and the next thing I know I’m being swung over someone’s shoulder.
“Knox, where are you going?” Valen shouts after us.
“What? She’s ready. I’m ready. Carpe diem, fuckers.”
I laugh and slap Knox’s ass, encouraging him.
“Knox, come back here with our female. You can wait until we have a house and a proper bed.”
I press up against Knox’s lower back and playfully glare at Sabin. “Captain, mind your own business! To the trees Knox, I scoped out some soft looking grass earlier.”
Knox chuckles but then starts grumbling to himself.Fucking hell.It looks like Sabin’s admonishment hit its mark. After another minute he huffs and changes direction, heading back towards the guys.
“Knox, the grass is that way.” I point behind him and pull on the back of his shirt as if I can direct him like I would Darcy with reins.
“The Captain’s right, you deserve a bed for your first time,” Knox grudgingly admits. “But after that, Killer, it’s an anytime, anywhere free for all. You got me?”
I clench my thighs and stifle the moan that wants to sneak past my lips. Fuck yeah, I am definitely on board for that!
10
Enoch’s house sits dark and ominous as I approach the front door. I hesitate as I reach for the black door knob, my hand dropping to my side. I take a step back and stare at the darkened entrance, like somehow my glare will change what sits on the other side. I hear the shuffle of faint footsteps on the other side of the oversized wooden door, and I’m surprised that anyone is up this late.
I purposefully stayed out as late as possible, hoping to avoid anyone who might be waiting here for me. Images of the elders pouncing on me as soon as I set foot back inside this house and binding my magic have played in my head from the moment Ryker navigated his car in this direction.
I watch as the oversized door swings open quietly, revealing Enoch on the other side. I can’t read the expression on his face, and he says nothing as he takes me in. Our eyes meet, and I see relief and frustration swimming in them. His eyes soften when he looks over my neck, but that disappears as he watches the red tail lights of Ryker’s car disappear through the gates of his property.
The air between us is heavy with concern, and a part of me feels bad that I caused it, while another part doesn’t want to care. We stare at each other silently for what feels like forever before I step through the threshold and walk past him. I go still when I find the rest of Enoch’s coven sitting stoically in the living room, clearly waiting for me. Fuck. There goes my plan for sneaking in and trying to avoid everyone until I can get the hell out of this house.
I spot Pebble in an armchair. He’s conscious and injury-free. I try to discern how he’s feeling about me, my arrival, and the fact that I almost ended his existence today. His face is expressionless, but his eyes spark with some unidentifiable emotion as he runs them down and back up my body. I stand and wait for someone to break the silence. Enoch passes me and steps down into the living room reclaiming his place on the couch.
“You okay?” Nash asks, his eyes scanning my neck for injuries.
“Ryker healed me.”
Becket snorts and shakes his head. “We figured that’s where you ran off to.”
I want so badly to ask what happened with the elders after I left, but I bite down on my tongue and swallow all the questions sitting on it.
“Caster Sawyer, Elder Balfour, and Paladin Ender are all okay, in case you were wondering,” Pebble tells me, his hands tightening as they grip the arms of the chair he’s sitting in.
“I wasn’t,” I respond, my body language automatically tensing up to mirror Pebble’s.
