Page 30 of Vows Forged in Blood

I love you.

-Enid

P.S.

If something does happen, you must tell me every single detail! Every single one, I mean it.

I shake my head, half amused, half disappointed. It didn’t matter anymore. I’d been wrong about what I’d thought might be between me and Alaric, and now he’s avoiding me completely. There will be nothing to tell. I ball my hands into fists, annoyed for reasons I can’t even explain. Annoyed and hurt and embarrassed and pissed off and so on edge I could scream.

I suddenly need to dosomethingto shove Alaric firmly from my thoughts and get over this strange infatuation. Anything.

And I know exactly what it is.

I storm through the camp,dodging vampires and humans as I go, barely offering smiles or nods of acknowledgment as I pass. I know Kane is somewhere behind me, probably thinking I’m insane, but I don’t care—and at least he’s giving me some space. The sun is setting and the sky is streaked with gold and pink, but I barely notice the beauty. I’m on a mission. I’m going to force a spark to life if it kills me. My old friend, Shreya used to say that the best way to get over one man, was to get beneath another.So, that’s what I’m going to fucking do. I’ll be beneath Wesley all night if I have to. I’ll let his glorious body chase all thoughts of Alaric from my mind.

I make my way past the meeting hall and bath houses, past First and Second Quadrant and through the training rings—but slow as I near the smallest ring, the one reserved for one-on-one combat drills. My lips part on a soft inhale as I watch, unable to pull my gaze away, all thoughts of Wesley and my plan vanishing.

Alaric is there, fighting with Elias, their blades crashing together again and again as they whirl and spin and seem to blur around the ring. They’re both shirtless and while Elias has one of the most beautiful bodies I’ve ever seen, I can barely spare it a glance. Seeing Alaric’s bare torso is enough to steal the breath from my lungs, to make my muscles tremble and belly tighten. His shoulders and back are broad, tapering to a trim waist, the muscles at the base of his spine forming a “v” that is intensely sexy. He’s all corded muscle and taut skin, ridges and planes that I long to explore. His skin is covered in scars, some large and jagged, others fine white lines that are barely noticeable, but they all make him even more attractive to me, all show that he’s fought to be where he is, that he’s fought for all of us, to keep us safe.

The way he moves was like lightning and smoke, streaking effortlessly around the ring in a fluid, graceful way that doesn’t seem to be possible for someone so big. Elias is good, but Alaric is clearly better, moving as if he and his sword are one being, the blade just an extension of his arm. Every movement is practiced and perfect, as if he’s done them a thousand times.

He turns as Elias lunges at him, giving me a full view of his front anddear gods. His chest looks as if it’s been carved from stone, and even slicked with sweat and smeared with blood and dirt, it makes my mouth water and my blood heat. No, not heat,boil. His stomach is lean, row upon row of chiseled muscles across his abdomen that I want to touch and taste. His leather pants hang low on his hips, deep indentions marking either side and seeming to point directly to…

“Gods,” I whisper.

His head snaps up and turns my direction, and when our gazes collide, his eyes blaze, like the gold has been melted down in the forge. Elias takes advantage of Alaric’s distraction—or tries to, anyway. He drives his sword forward, but Alaric deflects it without even taking his eyes off me, twisting his wrist in a way that sends Elias’ blade flying across the ring. I barely hear his mutteredfuckover the ringing in my ears.

Seeing him now, after so many weeks, hits me like the lash of a whip. I can barely breathe, barely think. He stands stock still, chest heaving and staring. Staring like he’s just seen a sunrise for the first time…or possibly a ghost. His lips part, but before he can say a word, I take a step back, then another, somehow a third, before I turn and run from the practice rings as fast as my legs will carry me.

I’m not going to let the sight of Alaric’s perfect body distract me from, well, my distraction. Seeing him again has only made me want to push him away even more, to forget him completely. Or at least that’s the lie I’m telling myself. Either way, I don’t dare slow. I run for all that I’m worth to Third Quadrant.

I bang on Wesley’s door, out of breath and heart hammering loudly in my ears, so loudly it sounds like thunder. He opens it a moment later, brow furrowing as he takes me in.

“Dahlia? Are you al?—”

I cut him off, throwing myself at him and slamming my lips to his. Literally. My teeth clash painfully against his, and I wince, hoping I didn’t break anything.

“Ow!” he cries.

“Sorry! Sorry,” I pant, and we both laugh. His lips pull into an easy smile, the one I remember from all those years ago—minus the fangs, of course. “Wesley, I just…I need a distraction,” I tell him honestly. “Please.”

“I amverydistracting…” he murmurs as he draws me back to him, closing the door behind us.

He leans in and kisses me again, softer this time, and it’s…nice.No. No, no, no. I need the spark. I need fire. I need Alaric erased from my mind. I wrap my hands around his neck and tilt my head, deepening the kiss…at the same time Wesley tiltshishead the same way. We both laugh again and try to correct, only to move in the same direction again.

“Ok, ok, you go left, I’ll go right,” Wesley says, a grin in his voice. We manage to get it right this time, but when I move my hands up the back of his neck and into his hair, my ring gets caught.

“Oh! Oh, shit, don’t move. Hang on…there.” I manage to free myself and let out a shaky breath. I lean forward again, running my hands over Wesley’s stomach and up his chest. He makes a low, appreciative rumble in his chest, and I kiss him again, more successfully this time around. We begin to move backwards towards his bed in the corner when?—

“Ow!” I yell when he steps on my foot.

“What—” Wesley trips then, stumbling backwards over his boots and tumbling to the floor, bringing me with him. We collapse in a heap, my elbow cracking painfully on the wooden floor. I wince but a moment later we break into an insane fit of laughter.

“What is wrong with us?” I groan, still laughing, and turn to bury my face in his chest. He chuckles. “We used to be good at this. Well, after that first time anyway. That was a little rough, I’ll admit, but we got much better after that. So, what the seven hells is wrong with us now?”

He sighs and wraps an arm around me. There’s nothing but friendship in the embrace, and I know then that that’s all there is between us: friendship. I’m glad for it, but it won’t exactly help me with my little problem.

“I think it’s just not meant to be. The same thing happened to me and Nova. We tried a handful of times but it was just awful and awkward every time. We’re better as friends and we both know it. That’s not to say that friends can’t havegreatsex, but sometimes it just doesn’t work out that way. Plus, she dabbles with males, but really has much more fun with females.”

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