Page 53 of Saving Destiny

Chapter 28

Avery

Idon’t taste the food, although the others claim it’s amazing. Even Garrett concedes that it might be better than anything he could have prepared. I can only manage one taste of the cherry pie. It’s too sticky-sweet and reminds me too much of the sweetness I’m really craving.

The amount of blood I took from Zosia should have kept me satisfied for a week’s time, but the need inside me isn’t simple hunger. Our half-finished bond is compelling me to complete it. I’m uncertain if, or how, sphinxes mark their mates, but I want this one’s mark. The image she showed me of the delicate lotus blares like a brand within my mind. The golden shine of it matches her aura perfectly and seems to carry a unique energy on its own.

The last few days have been hectic, and I haven’t asked if her mark is visible when she’s not in her sphinx form. The others haven’t mentioned it, so I doubt it. I want … need … it to be visible. My vampire nature’s primitive urges demand that I claim her as mine despite understanding that I’ll share her with three other men.

Companionable discussion follows once everyone recovers from the stir the book caused, but I speak little. Anger at Addington’s behavior still boils through my veins. I’d heard that powerful supernaturals take abominable measures to train their followers, but I’ve never encountered them firsthand. While Addington’s predecessor probably taught him in a similar fashion, it’s still inexcusable.

The brothers’ ability to remain focused on Zosia’s needs exemplifies their strength. I don’t have any horrible associations regarding sex, and the sphinx’s worry that she’ll bore me is ridiculous. She will please me regardless, but I’m concerned that my driving need might overwhelm her. The two days I’ve waited to complete the bond after biting her have been more challenging than I could have imagined. The scent of her skin and blood lingers regardless of the distance between us and touching her provides minimal solace.

I’ve taken to spending my nights on the roof because I’m unable to be so close to her yet so far away. I breathe the fresh night air and converse with the gargoyles, although they don’t have much to say in response. During the day, I absorb myself in our training until I’m as exhausted as the others are.

My assigned role is relatively simple when compared to the other guardians’ tasks. My main purpose is to remain at Zosia’s side for protection and assistance in the first few weeks. My inner knowledge of the campus, faculty, and students will be beneficial until she feels more comfortable. Bren and Kodi will roam the ground floor and Garrett will be stationed near the front doors for the beginning of the term. I’d been pleased when I learned of my assignment. It permits me to be close to my mate and ensure her safety.

Several yawns accompany dessert, but I feel far from tired despite my sleepless nights. My body and mind are wired with energy and unfulfilled desires. When Zosia unexpectedly leans toward me, I’m unprepared to conceal my inner feelings. I’m positive my eyes flash red because her quick intake of air resonates within my ears.

Her beast recognizes my pain first, and she speaks my name as a question. The predator within me registers the other occupants in the room while I appear to remain solely focused upon her. The brothers are in the living area and are currently debating whether to watch a movie or play a game. Garrett wants to relax but Bren is restless. The mage’s energy remains more volatile than any I’ve ever encountered. His physical, mental, and magical states always express turmoil, and I’ve questioned the ludicrous amount of energy he expends containing the wild energy within him.

Kodi has already fled into the main library. I imagine he’s wandering up and down the aisles because it appears to be a common pastime. I’ve often wondered whether he’s thinking or perusing the books, but his behavior doesn’t offer any clues. His aural energy calmed after we stumbled upon a plausible theory to support the possibility of his corporeal form. When I first met him, it was wispy like smoke, but now it resembles liquid silver. Both he and Zosia will be miserable if he never succeeds; they’re fated for each other. Being fated doesn’t guarantee happiness, but destiny would be cruel to deny them when they’ve both suffered through so much.

“Avery?” Zosia repeats my name, and the gesture startles me. It’s unlike me to be so distracted, but the blood is rushing through my veins and my heart is pounding faster than usual. Although I am different from other vampires in this sense, I’ve grown accustomed to the human quirks of my live body. Right now, however, they seem forceful and intrusive.

“Forgive me,mon trésor,my mind is restless.” How can I explain that my body hungers for her? That blood won’t sate my appetite this time? Mere minutes ago, she’d confessed her hesitation about pursuing physical intimacy, and her concerns are weighty enough that Gilly procured a book for her.

Although Zosia had been embarrassed, the book affected me differently, and I’m fairly certain that the shifter shared in my dilemma. It provided evidence that our mate was interested in having sex. I doubt either the shifter or I had thought about much else since its arrival. The ghost might be similarly frustrated if he could find his solidity. Bren desires her, but the pain and shame of his past tangles with his present feelings.

“Are you hungry?” Her scent embraces me as she leans closer and her whisper is a caress. Despite my best attempts at self-control, my gums ache and my groin throbs.

“Not exactly,” I reply with a grimace and extend both of my hands toward her. She understood the first time I did it that the gesture means I want to hold her hands. She complies without hesitation. My body overreacts to the heat of her skin against mine and the pulse of her blood tempts me like a siren’s song. My cock swells in response; thankfully, the table hides my embarrassing lack of self-discipline.

“I’m afraid that the mate mark is having some kind of effect on me,” I begin carefully. Although my words are barely more than a whisper, I know Garrett will hear them. His enhanced senses are impressive even in this form. My intention isn’t to hide from the others, but I don’t seek to cause Zosia stress regarding their reactions.

“How?” The question somehow forms within an adorable gasp of surprise. The sweet scent of cherries smells more enticing upon her breath than it did in the pie.

“The bond has been started but not secured, and my primal instincts feel as if something important is incomplete. I apologize if I’m not explaining well. I’ve never experienced anything like this.” I fear pressuring her into intimacy, especially after she voiced her concerns, but my contract demands honesty. Layer upon layer of difficulty makes this more challenging, however. There are four guardians. Why should I receive the honor of being her first? The privilege seems like it should belong to Kodi, but we don’t know when – or if – he’ll have the ability to touch the woman he loves.

I shift in the wooden chair and focus on my discomfort to dampen my desire. I need a distraction from her soft skin and sweet breath. “Is the mark upon your wrist present while you’re not a sphinx?”

She twists her hand in mine as she examines the inner side of her arm. “If the mark is supposed to be in the same spot, then no, it’s not there.” Her tone conveys confusion, so I wait before speaking. “It’s strange. There are two tiny indentations, which I assume are from your teeth when you bit me. They don’t look like scars or wounds, though, and they’re nothing like the tattoo on my sphinx’s front leg.”

When she speaks of the marks, my cock aches with increased desire and presses insistently against my pants. I war with myself about whether I should stay or leave. Should I remove the temptation she presents or stay and risk disturbing her further?

“What do you need to complete the mark and make you feel better?” A heartbeat passes after she asks the question. “Actually, I probably know the answer. The most efficient way is to have sex, right?” Her voice feigns sarcasm, but her energy alternates between desire, begrudging amusement, and concern. I hate causing her more worry.

“I’ve changed my mind,” Garrett grumbles. “I’m going to work out.” The shifter stomps from the room and each step is punctuated with a thud. The more upset he is, the less control he has over the noise he makes.

Bren sighs in the wake of his brother’s departure. “He just needs a little time to deal with his beast. He’ll get over it, but I’ll go talk to him. You two have fun!” Bren says in a cheery tone and passes by Zosia on his way out of the room, giving her a brief kiss somewhere on the top of her head or face. It’s apparent he doesn’t suffer from the jealousy swamping his brother. In fact, the opposite seems true – the progression of any of our relationships seems to please him and ease his worries.

Zosia’s discomfort remains once we’re alone, and I curse my body’s insistence. “The last thing I want is to pressure you,mon trésor.” I hope she hears the honesty in my words. “Sex doesn’t seal bonds between typical vampires. If we were both vampires and you agreed to be my mate, you would just have to bite me after I bit you. Fated mates are rare among vampires, though, so I’m answering your question with the little I know about chosen mates. Among the hundred-thousand vampires currently roaming the world, only a quarter choose to mate. There are several reasons for this. Vampires are encouraged to have several sources of blood; it provides better nourishment and prevents a single source from illness. Mates generally maintain that even once bound as vampires cannot sustain one another, but they’re more likely to deal with jealous in this arrangement. Vampires also live for centuries and think it’s short-sighted to promise themselves to one person for that long.”

Zosia doesn’t say anything as she considers my words. “I suppose this is yet another example in which the normal rules don’t apply? You are a born vampire and a sphinx’s guardian, and both have different customs. I wish I could verify this, but I can’t access the details regarding guardians and previous sphinxes’ mates without a trip to the top floor. Since knowledge is so easy to get when I need it, this might be a sign to stop overthinking.”

I’m scared to move or speak lest I disturb her thought process or unwittingly force her to make a decision. The sound of her teeth worrying her lip fills the silence, and her golden aura displays threads of a rose-gold hue. I’ve noticed this happens when she’s concentrating on something important. Her energy shivers with its own pulse as if she’s generating energy with her thoughts. I’m uncertain whether this is a sphinx’s ability or my imagination.

“The library and the goblins have encouraged me several times to complete the binding. If it’s making you uncomfortable, perhaps it’s destiny’s way of getting my attention.” She pauses meaningfully. “Do I … am I … a stranger to you? Do I feel like someone you just met?” The hesitancy in her tone indicates that my answer is important, so I take a moment to consider before providing her an honest answer.

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