Author's Note: A little calm before the big storm. The next couple of chapters will kick off the final arc of this story and it's going to be intense. But always keep in mind, my lovelies, that this story is absolutely, without a doubt, a HEA story :) Happy reading!
Bonnie knocked softly on the door and waited patiently to be let in. After almost fifteen excruciating seconds, she sucked in a calming breath and tried to keep herself from kicking down his door. She rapped again, this time a bit firmer.
"Kai, please let me in. We need to talk." Again, silence, even though she could hear him move around on the other side. "Kai, I've left you alone for most of the day, but I will burn down this door if you don't let me in."
An audible sigh could be heard before his footsteps moved closer and he threw the door open. Leaning against the frame, he met her gaze with one of indifference and scoffed derisively. "In case you weren't listening to your little friendship powwow before, I need to get everything prepared and sorted to head to the Prison World."
As she shimmied through the small opening next to him, he pivoted to face her. Bonnie glanced at the door and silently spelled it shut. Holding up the sage she brought with her, she magicked it to light up and placed it on a decorative dish on the dresser to catch the ashes.
"You're mad, I get it."
Kai merely rolled his eyes and placed his attention back on the load of spellbooks and paraphernalia he had on his bed. Rifling through the pile, he pulled out an ornate metal object with several cogs and gears that seemed to weave in together. He ran a hand along the top until the ascendent lit up momentarily before mattifying again. Kai laid the mechanism gently on the dresser before he went back to the other items.
"I don't really have time for this, Bonnie. The lunar eclipse is tomorrow and I need to make sure I harness the energy properly to travel to the Prison World."
"Tomorrow being the operative word. Make time." Grabbing onto his hand, she tugged at him until his body was inches away and facing her. "About what I said…"
"I was there, no need to rehash it." He was monotone, expressionless. This version of Kai was decidedly much more disconcerting than the man with the flared temper and the reckless tendencies.
"I didn't mean it," she blurted out loudly, startling them both. Now that she had his full attention, she cleared the bed and sat, bidding him to join her. "You have to know I didn't mean what I said. I was pissed, trapped, on edge. I'm sorry, Kai. I really am."
"But you said it. That's the point. You said it." His countenance dark, his eyes bored into hers and if looks could kill... "I'm on your shitlist and I get that, but there's very few people in the world I trust, Bonnie. You're one of them and you just threw that shit back in my face like it was nothing."
"Kai…"
"You know how it is for me. You know what I had to spend my whole life hearing. And for you to tell me they were right? After all I've done to show you I'm all-in when it comes to you? How the fuck do you think that makes me feel?" The lights in the room began to flicker as he started to lose control, his hurt and his anger consuming him.
"And how do you think it makes me feel to find out that you've been hiding this from me? To find out from Liv that you left this poor boy to rot in the Prison World? We've been together almost non-stop, Kai. You agreed to try to get along with them, to make peace. And at no point during this entire thing did 'hm, maybe I should let Bonnie know about this' ever cross your mind. I said a fucked up thing, I'll admit that. But it in no way dismisses what you did." She stopped to suck in a breath in an attempt to calm herself. It wouldn't do well for them to blow up the house with so many people currently in it.
"Well, I'm trying to fix it, aren't I?" He stood abruptly and began to pace in front of her. "I'm going back to bring that little brat home, so that your friendship circle agrees to help me wreak havoc on the fuckers who hurt you." Exasperated, he ground his teeth together. "Look, I never thought about the kid, okay? And fine, that makes me a dick, but it's not like I was consciously walking around thinking, 'how can I pull one over on my girlfriend, today?'" Spinning around to face her, he crossed his arms over his chest with an annoyed sigh. "You said what you did specifically to hurt me, Bonnie. That's the part that hits hard. I would never hurt you intentionally...sans the first time we met." He quickly amended himself when she raised her eyebrow in question. "You, however, seem to have zero issue with hurting me."
His words caused her to deflate slightly as she took on a less defensive stance. "You're right. You hurt me, so I...made a choice to hurt you back."
Kai nodded and sat back down again. "Look, I'm new to this whole feelings thing, but I'm pretty sure we're not supposed to do that when we love someone."
"Yeah," Bonnie sighed with a slight smile. "No, we're not supposed to do things like that. I'm sorry." Before he could respond, she pressed a finger to his lips so she could continue. "But I need you to understand why I was so upset." Dropping her hand back down onto her lap, she situated herself so that her body was facing him and her knee leaned against his. "First-time meeting and date notwithstanding, our relationship has been really, really easy."
"And that's a bad thing?"
"No, no, I love how compatible we are and how we grew together so quickly. It's just...I think it caused me to make too many assumptions about us. That we were on the same wavelength, that we were completely open with each other. I'm not saying I thought I'd changed you, Kai. But…"
"But you thought you'd changed me," he deadpanned with a smirk.
Laughing softly, she shrugged her shoulders in slight defeat. "Yeah, in a small way. Not the inherent you, but at least the super reckless part of you who seemed to kill without needing justification," she added facetiously with a grin.
Grabbing her hand, Kai brought it up to place a soft kiss on her knuckles. "Bonster, I can't promise that I'm not going to do things you don't approve of. And I'm also gonna fuck up sometimes. This is an example of one of those times. But it wasn't really on purpose; I just happened to be able to use my mistake as leverage." He looked to her to respond, but she stayed silent and willed him to continue. "And okay, that decision didn't make me the best person. But you were the one that told me things can be muddled and gray when we're immortal beings...and we need to protect the people we love from our enemies." He leaned in a bit to stroke her hairline. "I wasn't fully evil when I met you, Bonnie, and I'm not fully good now that we're together. I'm just me." He let out a tired sigh. "But I am sorry if anything I do makes you feel like I'm not 100% about you or this relationship. I love you."
Bonne felt a pleasant warmth in her belly from his words. "I love you, too."
"And I am trying to make things right, here."
"I know you are." Removing all the space between them, Bonnie wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed forward to meet his lips. The kiss was slow and gentle, a reconciliatory kiss that cleansed them and washed away the remains of their anger. She pulled away and rested her forehead against his, a hint of a smile gracing her features. "So, need a companion to the Prison World to bring Jeremy back?"
"Why, Miss Bennett, you worried about me?" he asked, nuzzling his nose against hers.
"Always." She curled her fingers to rub the nape of his neck and gave him another soft peck.
His expression sobering, Kai dragged out a breath and fiddled absentmindedly at the pendant still around her neck. "I hated fighting with you. Especially when I almost lost you." Eyes flitted upward until he met her gaze. "I can't go through that again, Bonnie." The admission came out strangled and earnest.
"Fighting?"
"No, almost losing you. I was a mess. When you kept begging me to kill you, I…" He grabbed her hands from his neck and squeezed them firmly in his own. "Never again, Bonster. I am going to destroy every single one of the fuckers involved in this."
For once, they were on the same page. "I'll be right next to you." Leaning up, she caressed his forehead with a soft kiss. "They almost tried to take you from me, too, remember? They clearly don't understand who they're fucking with."
A shit-eating grin plastered across his face, Kai captured her mouth and laid his hand on the back of her head, pulling her in to deepen the contact. "Hybrid power couple. I like it."
Smiling against his lips, Bonnie tugged at him until she was on her back, his pelvis nestled between her legs. Her tongue peeked out to lick a slow line from the bottom of his neck to his jawline. She could feel him begin to harden against her and tilted upward to rub against his growing erection. Her hands ran down his sides until she reached the hem of his tee. Pulling at the fabric, she tugged the offending garment over his head and tossed it to the floor.
Kai cupped the side of her neck and tilted her head back with his thumb under her chin. He placed open-mouthed kisses along the sensitive line of her jaw as he put his full weight on her, sighing at the contact.
Bonnie's nerve-endings were completely inflamed, stimulated by the electricity from his fingertips. Gasping in recollection, she locked her legs behind him and used him as leverage to flip them over. Now on top, she placed her hands on his chest to still his movements.
"I did some reading about this when I was in the library yesterday," she offered up in response to his quizzical expression.
"Bennett witches have pornographic grimoires? Kinky." He laughed when she smacked his chest in offense.
"I meant this." She let her magic pour into him. Instinctively, as it had always been, her power moved of its own accord, easily merging with him. The tendrils weaved around his core essence and pulsed, causing him to groan her name. She shuddered in pleasure and glanced down, eyes crinkled as she took him in. "Don't you think this connection we have is a little weird?"
"Your sexy talk is really floundering right now, Bonster."
"Shut up. You can't tell me you've never wondered why we're able to feel each other's magic on such a deep, physical level." She punctuated her words with another jolt that caused Kai to jerk with a slow hiss. "I mean, witches can always feel the presence of magic, but when it comes to you...it's another level, you know?"
He sent a spark to her hips and the heat coiled around her, thrumming a gratifying beat against her core. "I would definitely agree, yes."
Bonnie rocked against him, soft mewls escaping her lips. "And at first, I figured, maybe it was a hybrid kinda thing? But I came across one of my grandmother's grimoires and she wrote a lot about root magic." She stilled her hips to allow him to focus on her words. "How all witches have unique magical signatures."
Kai seemed stricken, as though the last thing he wanted was a magical history lesson, considering the state they were in. However, he offered a smile and bid her to continue.
"And your signature can be more attracted to one witch's magic versus another. More compatible." She bent forward to press her mouth against his in a sweet, loving kiss. "And I kinda like the thought of that. That maybe our magic brought us together, you know? Well, that and you accosting me like a creepy psycho."
Choosing to ignore the last part, he reached up to cup her face. "Kindred," Kai said softly, his thumb brushing the skin under her ear. "Kinda like a soul mate, right?"
She bit her tongue to keep from saying anything sarcastic that could hurt his feelings and let out a long sigh. "Yeah, maybe. Something like that."
"I figured as much," he responded with a casual air. "Glad you're finally on board, though."
"You knew about this already?"
Kai sat up and traced along her sides, clasping his digits behind her waist. "Those books have been in Gemini possession for years, Bonster. My father used to keep a lot of them at the house in Portland. I had nothing but time while I was in the Prison World."
Gripping his shoulders and shoving at them in a playful manner, Bonnie let out a tinkle of a laugh. "Why do I have the feeling me finding that book was no coincidence?"
"I'm offended you'd think I'd be so dastardly and manipulative." He gave her a quick peck, the adoration practically emanating from him. "I told you, Bonnie. We're meant to be. But I had to wait for you to be okay with it."
"You knew we were meant to be because our magic connected and you showed it by being stalkery and then trying to maim me?" One eyebrow quirked towards her hairline. "How lovely, Parker. Be still my heart."
"It worked, didn't it? You're literally in my lap, grinding on me and you're doubting my romancing skills?" A lingering kiss pressed to her lips, he hummed softly and skimmed her spine with his fingers. "Speaking of…" He tugged on the flowy silky tank she tore and dipped to latch on to her clavicle.
"How to convince my sexy partner-in-coven-crime to take this off?" A soft lick at the dip between her shoulder and neck. "Maybe some naughty sweet nothings in your ear?" A sharp bite where his tongue had been.
Preening at his touch, Bonnie's laugh came out breathy as she pulled his head away. A sweet smile lighting up her face, she shook her head at his question. "You saved my life. It gives you a pass to remove everything I'm wearing." She expected his playful banter, the possibility of him spelling her clothes to shreds. What she didn't expect was his earnestness when he gazed at her.
"I needed to tell you...you were willing to give up your life for me, Bonnie. When they said they'd trade you for me...you didn't even hesitate to say no," he said softly, his lips hovering over hers. "You don't know what it means to me." His voice caught in his throat and his mouth slanted against hers in a hard kiss. She could feel his magical pull and she poured her magic into him freely, moaning as tendrils of heat wrapped around her. The warmth made her feel protected and safe.
Their merges always felt intense, but this time felt altogether different. While the usual passion was there, the sensations were more profound, more meaningful.
Considering the events of the last few days, Bonnie should not have been shocked that everything was more substantial. But a part of her was overwhelmed by this new knowledge. Of knowing that they were supernaturally linked on a cosmic level, not just based on their similar life experiences.
It was heartening, to be sure, but it was staggering nonetheless.
She didn't respond to his words verbally. She wanted, instead, to show him how much he meant to her. Forcing him back so that he lay atop the pillows, she quickly removed her top and threw it to the floor.
Kai reached up a hand to roll a hardened peak between his fingers. When she sighed in satisfaction, he held her gaze, his demeanor devout, reverent. His touch purposeful and slow. Their usual escapades were often frenzied and wild. This time, everything was deliberate, as though they had to imprint and memorize each moment. Gently prying his grip from her, she moved until her chest was flush against his. Arms resting against him, her tongue darted out towards his bottom lip and then worked its way in once he granted access. Angling her head, she deepened the kiss and let herself drown in his aura. Their collective magic had started moving of its own accord, seeming to shroud them with a euphoric buzz that heightened their senses.
Breaking away, she started to slither down, licking a trail from his neck to his chest and torso. When she met the waistband of his sweatpants, she looked up with a seductive smile and tugged at the ties with her teeth. Bonnie nipped playfully at his clothed erection and received a hum of approval. Fingers delving into the elastic, Kai took the hint and lifted his hips, allowing her to drag the clothing off of him.
Now that he was completely naked, she had to take a second to appreciate the vision before her. Sinewed muscles under smooth, unblemished skin. A perfect face accented with mesmerizing, pale eyes that always made her insides dance when he looked at her. Eyes that were now darker and partially hidden behind heavy lids. And his smile...the one he gave solely to her.
He was beautiful.
And he belonged to her and only her.
Shifting her focus, her hand gripped at his length as her thumb slid over the wetness that had begun to form at the tip. She replaced her fingers with her mouth and sucked gently at the head, tongue peeking out to taste the sensitive skin on the underside.
Kai's throaty moan filled the room and he gently gripped the soft wisps of hair framing her face. "Bonnie, yes."
She moved slowly and with precision, taking her time to lavish attention to every inch of him. Her head bobbed at a languid pace, teasing him and drawing out his pleasure. His grunts were dragged out, peppered with swears and nonsensical words.
She'd just started to develop a rhythm when, in a sudden movement-damned that vampire speed-Kai had pulled her off and flipped her over so that he was back on top.
"Hey," she squeaked in protest, "I had a whole thing going."
"And you know how much I love your thing," Kai said, tone jestful. "But I need to be inside of you." The second part came out as a low grunt and whatever other protests Bonnie had died in her throat.
He moved his hand down her abdomen to push under her shorts. Dipping his index finger inside her, he used the wetness to glide over her clit, rubbing at the tip of her nub. Bonnie raised her pelvis, both to meet his touch and to get rid of the rest of her clothing. He offered a wolfish smile now that she was completely bare to him. Movements measured and slow, Kai hooked his other arm beneath her bent leg and shifted it up until her knee practically touched her underarm. Without breaking contact, he shuffled until he was stretched out to the side of her. He placed a slow kiss against her lips and then fixed his stare her mound, his hand cupped against it once again.
Bonnie continued to hold her leg at the same angle, feeling completely open and exposed to him. His expression was carnal as he continued to massage circles around and on her clit. It made her feel unbelievably sexy, seeing how entranced he was with her body.
She arched her back and moaned loudly, palms kneading softly at her breasts. "I..thought...you wanted to be...inside." Her words came out stunted and clipped. Kai stopped rubbing and let his magic flow into her nub, causing her breaths to come out in strangled puffs.
"I do. I was just going to dip in to see if you were ready for me. But you looked so perfect and I couldn't stop myself." He smirked and punctuated his statement by sliding his index and middle finger into her.
She practically squealed as he jerked his hand up and down over and over, hitting the spot deep inside her. "Oh God, Kai." She was hungry, desperate for him as she clung onto his hand, her teeth biting down hard until her lip bled.
He was unrelenting, battering and abusing her pleasure point. She threw her head back, so close to orgasm that her legs began to shake in anticipation. Her breaths were labored as she repeated his name again and again.
The pressure began at the base of her spine and wrapped around her hips. She could feel herself reaching the precipice and bucked against his hand frantically. Knowing she was close, Kai stopped abruptly and pulled away. Before she could even hint at an objection, his body had moved to hover over her, his length already entering her slick heat. He pulled back and raised her legs to rest against his chest and shoulders, pulling at the juncture of her thighs so she could take all of him in.
Her cries nearly echoed off the walls as he stretched her, filled her to the hilt. Thumb immediately finding its way to her clit, he rubbed in tandem with his strokes. Her muscles started to spasm, clenching as he pumped into her.
"Cum for me, Bonnie," he whispered, his head turning to place a kiss on her ankle. "I wanna feel you come undone on my cock." Tresses of his magic slinked along her body, drumming a beat in tandem with his thrusts.
The ecstasy was almost unbearable as it wound its way through her entire being. Kai leaned forward, bending her back so that her legs practically touched her shoulders. The new position allowed him to drill even deeper into her.
The tension in her core, as her muscles tightened, was so intense that it was almost painful. The moment he ceased his thrusts to roll his hips and grind into her, she completely lost it. Her walls clamped down onto him, her body convulsing uncontrollably. She gripped onto his arms as she rode out the waves, vulgar profanity falling from her lips like a mantra.
Kai reared back slightly so that she could relax her legs and wrap them around his hips. He picked up his pace again, driving into her as he gave her a bruising and heated kiss. She returned in kind with urgency, her fingers clenching the hair at the nape of his neck. She dug her calves into his back so that she could raise her hips to meet his thrusts.
Groaning fervently, he tore himself away from her. He swore loudly and, with a final thrust, emptied himself inside her. Working to catch his breath, his head drooped as his forehead dropped on hers. Kai nuzzled her nose with his and slowly pulled out, making her sigh wistfully at the loss. He fell next to her and reached to grab his tee from the floor. Taking it from his fingertips, Bonnie smiled gratefully and pulled the shirt over her head. She made sure to take a deep inhale of the fresh, masculine scent embedded in the fabric.
Bonnie leaned back against the headboard and Kai-after putting on his boxer-briefs-immediately curled into her, his head resting on her chest. She weaved her hands into his hair and ran her nails soothingly over his scalp.
"Everything good for tomorrow night?" she asked conversationally, glancing over at the objects Kai had been preparing.
"Yeah," he answered softly, humming in appreciation at her head massage. "Once the full moon hits its highest peak, we can start the spell." His eyes fluttered closed. "And to answer your question: I'd love for you to go with me." Sagging down, he burrowed further into her warmth and comfort.
Realizing that Kai probably hadn't slept at all in the past couple of days, Bonnie shimmied until both of their heads hit the pillows. She nudged him to roll over, wrapping her arm around his chest. His hand laced through hers and she sighed in contentment.
The feeling was new, foreign. But she cherished it.
Bonnie listened as Kai's breaths evened out and his chest fell at a slower rate. Placing a kiss onto his shoulder, she pressed herself into his back and closed her eyes. With him next to her, sleep came easily.