Page 19 of Eternally Owned

Pleasure raced through her veins, as though his hands were between her thighs, on her breasts, all at once. And those snapshot images once more of Emeline—her lovely face, broken by age, but still softly beautiful. Aleron lying with her in a field at night, beneath a starry sky, holding a cup of wine to her lips, pledging his love to her. Undying love, for he would not die. But she would. Sorrow flashed, dark and heavy in her heart.

But Aleron pulled away, a small droplet of her blood clinging to his lips.

“Do not be sad, Nissa. I have had love. And now, you shall have it too. Take Hex, and all I feel for him, all I feel for you. And know I will be happy that you two are together.”

He shifted, handing her over to Hex, who had sat quietly behind her. Now his strong arms wound around her. And as Aleron transferred her to Hex’s embrace, the two of them leaned in, and Hex kissed her blood from Aleron’s lips.

Her heart was thundering, her body aching with need. Hex pulled her in closer, kissing her harder, and she tasted her own blood sweet on his tongue, and a strange craving went through her. For Hex, yes, but also for blood. It was beginning already, as Aleron had said.

Hex kept kissing her, until she was breathless with desire, her body hot, her sex damp. His hands were on her, and so were Aleron’s. She was held by them both in a tight embrace, safe, loved. Then Hex pulled back.

“Are you ready, my love?”

“I’m ready.”

“I will make you mine, Nissa. We will belong only to each other after this. Forever.”

She nodded, swallowing hard, and Aleron’s arms tightened around her.

“I am here with you,” he whispered to her. “I will be here for you both always.”

Hex gave her one last kiss, a sweet brushing of his lips, and then he bent his head, kissing her throat, soft, sweet kisses, making her shiver.

“Say goodbye to the life you have known,” Aleron told her, “and prepare yourself for this final journey.”

She heard the low murmur of a hundred voices, felt a surge of energy from the audience, could sense them pressing in, closer to the dais. But all that truly existed for her were Hex and Aleron. Her lovers. Her mentor and the one who would be hers for life.

Eternal life.

She let her head fall back in surrender, and smiled as Hex sank his teeth into her neck, into the carotid artery.

There was no pain. Pleasure swarmed her as her blood pumped hot into his mouth and down his throat. Her mind spun, images of her own life flickering behind her closed eyes—her Nana’s sweet face, the smoking and neon-lit streets of London, her favorite childhood doll, the smoothed pile of dirt that was Nana’s unmarked grave, the dimly lit bar where she’d worked all these years, her first lover, her last lover.

And then she saw Hex’s life, the Arizona desert where he’d grown up, a priest trying to explain to him that his mother was dead, his father beating him, the strange images of all the places in the world he had seen, beauty and misery side by side. And she understood him completely for the first time. Understood that his truest nature was for him to remain sweet, free of bitter regret. Instead, he took on life as it came to him, was true to himself, no matter what, and she understood that this was why she loved him.

The pleasure rose, intensified, until she grew delirious with it. The images faded away, leaving her in a sensual pool of dark, liquid scarlet, glittering like a handful of jewels. Her blood was sharp and tangy in the air, and she could taste the scent of it in the back of her throat. And Aleron held her safe in his arms.

Finally, Hex pulled away, using a silk handkerchief to wipe the blood from his face. He was panting, breathless, as he moved in to kiss her once more. She was weak, limp in Aleron’s arms. Hex held his wrist to her lips.

“Drink, Nissa.”

But she was too dizzy, too warm and safe, with her beautiful lovers. She wanted to slip into the dream of Hex’s life once more.

“You must drink,” Aleron told her.

“I can’t…”

“Nissa.” Hex grabbed her face, holding it in his strong hand, and she smiled at him.

“I love you, Hex,” she whispered, and even saying the words was almost too much for her.

“I love you. And that is why you have to stay with me.”

She sighed, her body growing warmer. She wanted… what? She felt good, lovely, floating. And Hex was there with her, and Aleron. What more was she supposed to want?

She let her eyes flutter closed. Too lovely to move. To do anything.

“Nissa!” There was alarm in Hex’s voice. “Stay with me.”

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