“What’s Kraft like?” She pulled back to watch him, not content to just hear his words, apparently.
Orion liked this. A lot. Sitting and talking with his female, basking in her attention. He would have told her anything she wanted to know, great secrets of the Water Cleave and Night Bloode clans. Yet she asked about him. “Kraft is an asshole. I mean it.” He chuckled. “He’s a nachzehrer, and they’re a lot like my tribe, the vrykolakas. We’re both larger than our other kin and try to solve problems with our fists instead of magic. He’s also the youngest of us. His wolf is a fierce thing.”
“Wolf?” She looked at him with curiosity. “Are you a wolf?”
“I shift into a raven.”
“Really?” She blinked. “Can I see?”
“You want to see me shift?”
“After you’re done talking.”
He couldn’t resist the shine in her eyes. They were dark brown, almost black, until she powered up or came, he recalled with fondness, when her eyes turned a neon blue and glowed. “I’m done talking now.”
“No, tell me about Kraft. You like him because he’s like you? Does he make you feel not so alone? Or do vampires not feel emotional pain?”
“You ask a lot of questions.”
She blushed. “I work at ADR, the Alister Doctrina Repository. We’re the biggest magir library in the Pacific Northwest. I like knowledge.”
“A female as smart as she is beautiful. I like that.” He liked her pink cheeks even better. “Vampires do float through life on the wings of affection, like so many of the lesser magir and humans.”
“Orion.”
He grinned. “We possess. We hate. We anger. We also laugh and enjoy life, but our way of enjoying isn’t the same as most magir. We’re not a soft society, Kaia. So it’s not easy for us to find friends. Or mates.”
“Do you want a mate?”
Was it weak to admit the truth? “I’ve wanted a mate since I was forty years old. I can’t explain why. I’m not dying to procreate or anything. I guess I just want someone who wants me. For sex, for a respite from constant battle. It’s probably stupid, but I can’t be upset I found you. No matter the circumstance.”
She bit her lip.
“Kaia, don’t do that.” He leaned close and kissed the bite away. Nothing too deep, because he didn’t want to scare her off. He wanted to give pleasure and comfort, and if answering her questions made her feel better, then he would keep talking until he grew hoarse.
“Sorry. I just... Orion, I have to be honest with you. The sea witch damaged you. She had you under her control.”’
“I know. And I’ll make sure she doesn’t do that ever again.” An oath. He’d kill the sea witch. Period.
“Yes, but in controlling you, she tampered with your will. I tried to undo her magic, except now my will has replaced hers, and that wasn’t my intent. I want you free. But I can’t figure out how to undo the spell. That’s why Macy is helping us. We can’t take you back to your kin yet, because they might find you a danger.”
“Ah, Kaia? I know all this. I heard Macy and you explaining it all back at your library.”
“I know you did, it’s just... I’m afraid you think we’re mated because of the magic tampering. Right now, I can get you to do whatever I want. I won’t, but I can.” She twisted her hands together, obviously nervous but brave enough to admit the truth to him, and began pacing. “I’m so sorry. I’ve done my best to try to free you, but until Macy comes back with help, we’re stuck together.”
“So you think we’re mating because of a spell, and not because we’re compatible mates? Is that why you don’t want to fuck?”
She turned red, as she did when he spoke frankly. He found it adorable. “I’m allowed to say no.”
“Sure, but your body says differently. You get wet for me.”
She blew out a breath. “Fine. You’re attractive in a rough kind of way. But that doesn’t matter. I won’t take advantage of you. It would be wrong. I’d hate for you to regret being with me later.”
He couldn’t believe she would say such a thing. “Really?”
“My blabbermouth sister told you I’m a virgin. I am. Not that I don’t have needs, I just want to trust my partner, to feel affection for him. And I don’t know. None of my past boyfriends felt right.” She swallowed hard and lifted her gaze to meet his. “You feel right, but I’m scared. I don’t either of us to be hurt.”
“And you think by giving me multiple orgasms, you’d be hurting me?” He laughed so hard he lost his breath. “Woman, you’re as nutty as your sister if you think I’d forego sex with you for any reason.”
“I think you’re complimenting me, but I can’t be sure.”
He laughed again. “Oh, I am. I’ve never been so hard in my life. And I rarely come in my pants after fingering a woman.”
“That’s crude.”
“It’s honest.” He walked to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “I know what I want. Look, we have time together, alone. You say you want to help me. I believe you. I’m happiest making you happy. I’ll leave the matter of fucking your brains out to you.”
“What?”
“I’m yours, sweetheart. We have days to spend together staying safe while we wait for Macy to figure things out. Whatever we do is up to you.”
“But your opinion matters just as much as mine.” She looked so sweet with her concern. Worried she might be hurting a vampire’s feelings. She really was too naive for her own good. Kaia needed a strong mate to protect her.
Someone like Orion.
She did have a point though. He didn’t normally care what others thought so long as he was happy. He did the killing or fighting then relaxed however he wanted. Right now, he cared for nothing but making the pretty sea nymph happy. The way a vampire might see to his mate.
What harm could sex do but give him—and her—plenty of hours of mindless pleasure?
“I’m happy just being with you,” he said plainly. “Focus on what you want and I’ll make it happen. Now, are we going to fuck or would you rather watch TV?”
Sadly, she opted for the television. But she sat in his lap upstairs. The large, upholstered chair fit him perfectly, and feeling her breasts against his chest, her heart beating in time with his, made the world right.
She fell asleep against him while they watched a murder mystery. It ended, and he turned the channel to a rerun of one of his favorite animes while he stroked her hair, the long, black stuff like silk. He remembered the sight of it floating in the water, a dark halo framing such beauty. She sighed in her sleep and curled closer.
Definitely a snuggler. He smiled and realized he’d never had more peace with a female he hadn’t even bedded properly. Such an odd happenstance that he wondered what it would be like when—not if—they had sex. Would he feel more for her or less? Was all this fascination for the nymph a need to conquer? Or because he had in fact found his mate?
He noted the time and realized Kaia would be a mess when she next woke, her sleep cycle off kilter. But no matter. He’d wait up here with her until the sun forced him to seek alternate accommodations.