B Positive by Jewel Killian

Twenty-Nine

In a flash,Julian was clear across the room, shredded shirt still hanging from his arms.

This time, it wasn’t my fault. I hadn’t pushed him away.

He’d blurredaway all on his own, leaving me horny and panting against the wall. “What the fuck, Julian? Why are you—”

“Eden, listen to me very carefully,” he said as the dominance in the room swirled back to him. “I cannot be with you. Not yet.”

And to my complete horror and utter embarrassment, Julian turned to leave.

I stared at his back for a split second, trying to decide between letting him go and getting my feelings hurt, or confronting him and demanding that he explain himself.

A bit of my cheek found its way between my teeth.

“Hey, dickhead! Where I’m from, gentlemen don’t just leave their ladies high and dry like that.”

I blurred beside him, putting myself in his space.

“Eden, please. Don’t misunderstand. I want to. Truly. You have no idea how much. But we have to wait.”

“Why? Make this make sense, Julian. Don’t just disappear and expect me to be okay with it.”

Julian let out a long breath before turning to me. He cupped my face in his hands. “Eden. Mate. We must wait before going to the next phase of the bond.”

“Why?” I asked again. “I’m getting real tired of asking the same questions over and over and not getting a real answer, Julian.” Plus, a small, insecure part of me figured that if he wanted to, like really wanted to, he would. He wouldn’t let anything get in the way.

“A certain amount of time has to pass between each stage before the next one can occur and if we rush that, we risk the bond not taking. I’ve already stated how important protecting you is.”

Fuck.

That was a really good reason.

“And what happens if the bond doesn’t take?”

His gaze pierced through me. “I hope to never find out, Eden.” He brushed the hair from my forehead, laid a quick kiss on my cheek, and headed to the stairs.

Leaving me standing there, gaping, hurt, and still so goddamn horny.

After some time, enough that I was sure Julian had made it to wherever he was going and I wouldn’t run into him in the hall, I headed upstairs too. I stripped out of the indigo dress, necklace, and Dior heels, and took the coldest shower I could handle.

As it turned out, vampire skin is too sensitive to handle anything below lukewarm and the spray did nothing to alleviate my raging hormones.

Damnit! I need some relief.

I glanced to the showerhead, regrettably not detachable.

Guess I’d have to do things the old-fashioned way. I pressed a forearm against the tile wall, laid my head on it and arched my back and hips away from the wall so I could get to everything I needed. In this position, I could imagine it was Julian’s fingers on me instead of mine.

His fingers sliding between my lips to find my folds dripping with need for him. Swollen and waiting for him to make me scream his name. His fingers circling my clit and teasing at my opening.

I imagined all of that while touching myself, and came so fast and hard my knees shook under me. I actually had to sit down in the shower so I didn’t fall.

When I finally got out and dried off, I slid under the covers, nude and sated enough for the time being, and fell fast asleep. Orgasms had that effect on me.

The next morning I woke super early, since I went to bed super early. I shot a text to Sunny to see if she was up and got myself ready for the day.

We met a little while later in the great room for breakfast.

She’d laid out a spread of pastries and cheeses as well as cured meats and some nuts along with a Starbucks cup. I piled an unladylike amount on my plate and we settled into the honey-colored sofa. “Something strange happened last night,” I said, hedging.

But, just as I suspected, Sunny went stiff as a board. Even the lines of her aqua dress seemed more rigid than normal.

I sighed and shoved a dried apricot in my mouth. “I’ll tell you like I told B. I’m not trying to get you in trouble with Julian. I only want to know what’s going on, okay?”

Sunny nodded stiffly and tried to bring her croissant to her lips. Three times. She didn’t once take a bite.

“If you’re not comfortable, we don’t have to talk about it, Sun.”

Sunny, shook her head. “It’s not that, Eden. I want to tell you everything you want to know. Really.”

I squished the muffin I held into a doughy mess. “Tell me that control freak doesn’t have you compelled against sharing details he doesn’t want shared.”

“Oh, no, it’s nothing like that. Julian doesn’t compel his vampires. Any of us. We’re all here out of loyalty. And that’s why it’s difficult for me to open up. Or tell you anything he’s expressly told me to let him handle.”

“You’re not compelled, then?”

“Not even a little bit.”

I eyed her suspiciously. How would she know if she were? And if she were compelled, she certainly couldn’t admit to it, could she?

“I see those jaded gears of yours working overtime, Eden. I promise, I’m not compelled. Julian offered me asylum from Titus. That’s why I’m so loyal to him. He took me in when I broke free, and instead of putting me to death for being on his turf, he made me his assistant.”

My fingers went icy. “You were one of Titus’s vampires?” I asked, voice wobbling on the king’s name.

Sunny nodded, her expression going still and neutral. “I come from a long line of vampires, all loyal to Titus. I fled four years ago. Titus still holds a grudge. He refuses to acknowledge me at incursions. Not that I mind. I’m glad he doesn’t pay attention to me. Titus’s attention is…” She let the words trail off and my heart ached at whatever horrific details she couldn’t or wouldn’t bring herself to say aloud.

I placed my hand on her knee. “We’ll get him, Sun. Don’t you worry.”

She smiled weakly at me and once again brought the croissant to her lips.

That time, she actually took a bite.

I pressed my lips together, hoping she could use the distraction of hearing about my flailing attempts at seducing her boss. “So, Julian said we couldn’t bone because we hadn’t done the marking stage yet, but then when I offered, he said we needed to wait a certain amount of time, and maybe I’m just being silly and letting insecurities get the best of me, but I’m of the mindset that if a man really wants to bone, he’s gonna bone no matter what.”

This time, when Sunny smiled at me it was full and genuine. “Are you telling me badass Eden Vaughn, safecracker and Ms. Confidence herself, is doubting whether or not the king wants to get jiggy with it?”

“Blech. Ew, Sunny, never say that again, please. I’m begging you.”

She laughed. “Fine. But I can assure you, the king wants you. The only reason he hasn’t christened the entire compound with your combined fluids is because the mate bond is more important that a fleeting orgasm.”

I laughed, a full, loud, belly laugh that echoed through the great room. “You know, I didn’t think it was possible that you could say something worse than ‘getting jiggy with it,’ but you tried your best and proved me wrong.”

She shrugged and crossed one leg over the other. “I’m not wrong, Eden,” she said primly as she dangled her ankle.

I glanced down at today’s shoe selection. “Oh, Louboutins, huh?” I cooed when I caught sight of the red bottoms.

My shoe collection had nothing on hers.

“In truth, I don’t much like the shoes, but I couldn’t pass up the aqua and peekaboo red combo.”

“Makes me miss my shoes,” I said wistfully.

“After the incursion, you can get all your shoes and keep them here.”

“Well, I don’t know if I’m quite ready for that yet. But we’ll see what happens after the incursion.”

We finished up breakfast while talking about the compound and all the things the witches were doing to ready it for the incursion in five days and then I headed to the basement to continue safecracking.

The morning flew by. I was in the zone, and one safe after another just melted for me. It seemed hardly any time at all had passed when my pocket buzzed with a message from Sunny inviting me upstairs for lunch.

I met her in the courtyard, where she sat at one of the small wrought iron tables, a tray of sandwiches and a bottle of sparkling wine popped open.

“How are the safes coming?”

“Really well, actually. The morning just breezed by. At this rate the incursion will be here in no time.”

Sunny’s bottom lip disappeared between her teeth and I instantly regretted my phrasing. “I’m sorry, Sun. I know seeing Titus has to be really hard for you.”

She nodded. “It is. I try to keep my distance as much as I can, but as the king’s assistant, I’m required to make an appearance at every incursion.”

“Jeez, that sucks, Sun. Do you maybe want to resign from your position, just temporarily? Then you won’t have to follow any stupid rules because of it.”

She sighed into her champagne flute. “It’s not a bad idea, but the king really does need me there. I’m in charge of the catering and rental equipment, plus all the temporary hires to beef up security report to Rory and me. Believe me, I’ve thought about it. It just not possible though.”

“Can you tell me about past incursions?” I asked, hoping to get her mind off the subject of Titus and back on to what she actually seemed to enjoy—her work.

I was mistaken.

Sunny’s complexion paled to a sickly gray. “The last incursion was when he killed Odette in front of all of us,” she whispered.

I sucked in a breath. “I’m sorry, Sun. I was trying to distract you with work, not bring up even more bad memories.”

Sunny nodded, gaze locked on her lap. “It’s not your fault, Eden,” she murmured and topped off my champagne flute.

I sucked the whole thing down and poured myself and Sunny another.

By the time we’d finished eating, we’d also finished off the entire bottle of Italian sparkling wine and were both giggly. “How much better are your senses than mine?” Sunny asked on a whim.

“Eh, if I had to guess, I’d say…” I replayed her whizzing through the apps on her tablet, fingers flying, but not quite blurring. “I’m probably twenty-five percent faster than you.”

She nodded, deep in thought. “I don’t think I want to die for a twenty-five percent return and an addiction to blood,” she whispered.

“First of all, I support your decision, whatever it may be. But don’t let my blood addiction tip your scales because you probably won’t rise addicted to blood. It happened to me because my circumstances were really fucked up.”

“Yeah. I know. Honestly, I just don’t see myself as a vampire. I never have.”

I nodded. “Well, we’ll just have to get you the best skincare routine out there. That way you won’t look like an old hag next to me.”

That earned me a giggle followed by a pretend dirty look.

“We’ll figure it out, Sun. Whatever you want to do, we’ll figure it out,” I promised.

Sunny squeezed my hand and nodded.