Page 33 of Starlight Mates

“You’re a bad influence.” I raise an eyebrow. “Thank the Gods we are both on the same page because hell yes!”

He laughs and looks to Annie and Kos. “Do you both want to come? I won’t tell the academy if you don’t.”

“Partying with you? Fuck yeah,” Kos blurts, and Annie squeals, nodding her head a million times. “I’ll drive. I don’t drink, so I can get us there and back,” Kos offers.

Rhodes grins. “Thanks, man. I never drink at the parties, so I’ll be able to tonight.” I almost feel bad we are leaving Alek here, but he is a big moody guy, and I’m sure he can scare someone into giving him a lift home.

“Happy to help.” Kos is fangirling like a pro right now. We all get into Kos’s car while Kos and Annie run a hundred questions by Rhodes, who happily answers all of them while holding my hand the entire time. We drive for about twenty minutes before we come across a huge house right on the outskirts that looks over the stadium in the distance because it’s on a hill. It’s a brown brick mansion with a private electric steel gate and pretty white-framed windows. It’s packed full of people and cars lining the road to the house, but we find a space not far from the gates before walking up together.

I lean into Rhodes. “I thought you said small party.”

“It was meant to be.” Rhodes frowns. “The team doesn’t usually invite this many outsiders, but whatever, we’ll have fun either way.” Alek is waiting in the doorway like an angel of death, and I almost stop and run in the other direction. Rhodes’s hand tightens on my hip. “Don’t worry. He came ahead to check it out, made sure it was safe for you.”

Annie and Kos go inside without us as we stop in front of Alek. Alek frowns at Rhodes’s hand on my waist. Rhodes doesn’t notice or doesn’t care, I’m not sure which. “Everything alright in there?”

“No Vian in sight. She still shouldn’t be here,” Alek growls low. “Let me guess, you didn’t tell Onyx about this party and her?”

“He isn’t her owner,” Rhodes snaps. “And I’m fucking tired of his demands ruining everything. I care about what is good for Gwen and getting to know her. Fuck anything else.”

“You’ve made that clear enough when you punched your brother. Am I next?” Alek leans into Rhodes’s face. “Since when are we fighting with each other?”

My heart pounds. “Maybe we should leave?—”

“No.” Rhodes drags his eyes to me, and they soften. “Alek is a jealous fucker who can’t let go of the past. I’m not and I want a future with you. Fuck them.”

Alek laughs. “You’re betting on the girl that, given half a chance, is going to run away.” He waves a hand at me. “Go on, ask her what she would do if we removed those runes and gave her a choice? Stay or leave?”

Rhodes tugs me forward, past Alek who is still laughing. It hurts, the way he looks at me like I’m nothing to him. “We both know it would be leave. She wouldn’t even look back for you, you fucking fool!”

I wince because he is right in a certain way, but he doesn’t know the reason why. If I could leave, I would without looking back because I care about them and I’m a walking bomb. One day, my Nexus will get out, and she will take everything I care about away. For now, she is happy hunting in the city, but every death is a step closer to us being found out, and I doubt she will be happy with just that for long. Being around her mates makes her remember that they are hers, and makes her want more.

It does the same to me, but when my heart breaks, I know it will be me broken, and my Nexus won’t be. She will just go on a hunting spree to calm herself down.

Rhodes leans into me. “Ignore Alek.”

“I’ll try,” I mutter. I always wanted to go to a party as a teenager, but my parents never let me. This is my first chance, and Alek is not ruining it for me. I made friends throughout our travels who always invited me out, but my parents said it was too dangerous, and usually they moved once I got close enough to someone who would invite me to a party, anyway.

People are dancing and jumping about, laughing like they have nothing to worry about. I don’t know what that feeling is like. It’s just relaxing and happy in here. Things that I’ve always craved for nearly my entire life. Rhodes gets me a fruity but spicydrink that I sip on as I take in the room. I swear Rhodes watches me the entire time.

He tugs me closer and takes the empty drink out of my hand. “Mate, dance with me.”

I don’t think he’s ever called me that before. Mate. Something about it sounds right, even if it’s completely and utterly impossible for us to be true, bonded mates. Maybe we can pretend for one night. His hands sink around my waist, just above the tiny little shorts, and he pulls my body close to his before controlling how my hips sway to the music playing. Something about his dance is way too sensual. I like it way too much.

I press closer and look up at him, my arms wrapped around his neck. His eyes trace over my face before he leans down and kisses me, just softly, once, twice, and the thump of the music is nearly as loud as the thump of my heart as his lips slowly part mine, slowly take what they want. I moan into his mouth as he deepens the kiss. He breaks it after a while, kissing at my jaw instead until he whispers in my ear, “If I keep kissing you like that and anyone else hears those moans, I’m going to have to immediately kill everyone in this room. You’re mine.”

I chuckle, and my Nexus preens in happiness. “You could always put your hand over my mouth.”

His eyes darken, and he tilts his head. “Would you like that, mate?” He leans in and my breath hitches. “Because I’d like to swallow every moan of yours. Say the word and I’m yours.”

I can’t. We can’t cross that line because I don’t know how to have sex with him and not bond our Nexus. Sex is usually the beginning of the bond link, and our Nexus would take over after saying the words and sharing blood. It’s a dangerous game we are playing, but Rhodes is playing for keeps. I let myself sink into his arms though, to avoid his question, and he doesn’t push me because, if anything, Rhodes is a good guy. I look over Rhodes’sshoulder to find Alek nearby and watching like a stalker. He’s furious. I can practically see the green shining in his eyes as he glares at me.

He pushes two people out of the way to get closer. “We need to talk, Rhodes. Now.”

Rhodes grits his teeth and turns. “What the fuck do you want? Haven’t you said enough tonight?”

“Come outside. Alone,” Alek demands before walking off, parting the dancers with his huge body and making several people fall over.

Rhodes looks frustrated, but I lean up and kiss him softly once. “Go, I’ll be right here. I’m not leaving.” Not yet anyway. I shouldn’t have said that, because the way he smiles only makes me feel like an awful person.

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