Chapter 8: Regrets

How could he do that? He knew how emotionally fragile Alexinia was, what had brought him to do that, obviously his little witch had been dreaming when she started things. Now he had clearly messed things up. When he had jolted to his senses realizing exactly who was underneath him he had ran, knowing if he had stayed any longer he would have taken her, the lust that had been clouding her mind would have made her a willing participant. Yet afterwards things between them would have been ruined. Nik knew she didn't see him that way, she had seen him naked and masturbating often enough without any reaction. She had smelt so good, and the light hesitant touches of her tongue against his tattoo betrayed her inexperience. That was no way for her to lose her virginity, it was supposed to be special for her, not something brought on by a cloud of lust from a dream.

So he ran trying to clear his head, needing to be clear headed before he went back to talk to his little witch. He couldn't allow this to ruin what they had. Alexinia had been the best thing that had ever happened to him. Without her he would still be the same ruthless bastard who only cared about his family. He wouldn't be willing to follow along with anothers plan, thinking he knew best. She had brought back who he remembered being as a young man before his father had ruined everything.

When he had finally calmed down enough he had raced back to the house, praying Alexinia hadn't bolted like he had, needing to fix this. She broke his control. But if he wanted a life with her he needed to make sure when they finally took that step she knew it was him she was taking it with. Alexinia would need to want it as much as he did. To be willing to take the risk of becoming something more.

Jen and her had spent the rest of the time just having a girl's night. Alexinia kept finding things they could do to prevent going back home. Worried about facing Nik. Not only about what happened this afternoon, but about him taking her job and talking to Jen about Elena and the ritual. If it wasn't for the clear lust he felt for her, she would think he still saw her as that scared little girl from the cabin he had met all those years ago. But Nik hadn't started showing any sexual interest in her until she had turned 20.

She felt so uncomfortable wearing something so revealing. The red dress had long v in the front and was close to showing her boobs, was clingier then anything she had worn in her life, and was so short it only just covered her ass. Jen hadn't taken no for an answer when Alexinia had tried to get out of this stupid frat party. Convincing her it was a part of normal college life. The conniving woman had even called Nik to get him to convince her to come, the two hadn't met yet but they were already like two peas in a pod. It would be interesting if Nik and Jen got together when they finally met. Although she wondered if Nik would have helped convince her to go to this party if he had known what Jen was planning to make her wear.

All night guys had been hitting on her trying to lure her away from the party for a quickie. It was disgusting. Especially when some of the more stupid idiots decided to try to steal a kiss, although that always ended up with her nutting them. Coming here had been a mistake, just like she had thought it would be. She had lost Jen in the crowds ages ago, and knowing how promiscuous Jen could be she was probably hooking up with an idiot who would later break her heart.

"Nik can you come get me?" she didn't even give him time to answer when she called.

"Is something wrong love?"

"Just bored of this party. I can't see at all how it's fun, I would much rather be dancing at a nigh club, then ever come back to a college party."
"I'll be there in a few minutes. Does your friend need a ride somewhere?"

"No. Guess you two will just have to meet another time."

It felt like something was conspiring to keep Jen and Nik from meeting. Every time she had tried to get the two of them to meet, something came up with one or both of them. It was strange. She wanted her two best friends to meet. Especially since she had never been able to invite Nik to Ron and Hermione. They were great, but she felt like they wouldn't understand this side of her life, and might think Nik was manipulating her.

A hand on her back had Alexinia spinning around thinking Nik was closer then he had implied, but instead if was another drunken idiot. She could smell the booze on his breath and it made her want to retch. Alexinia had never met him before and could never understand why people seemed to think they could act so familiar with someone they had never met. Although maybe it was because this guy looked like the typical college Adonis and was used to getting what he wanted from life.

"Hey baby, are you here with someone?"

"Yes, and he'll be back shortly. I would highly suggest you take your disgusting hands off of me, he would not take it lightly to find you touching me." Nik had tried to allow her to make her own decisions when it came to her romantic life, but if she gave him permission he could get very protective. Especially when some guy tried to touch her when she wanted nothing to do with him.

"Aw don't be like that baby. I'm certain I can give you much more then he could. Let's have some fun," he purred against her. Pressing his disgusting erection against her, as if thinking feeling it would change her mind.

Grabbing his arm she twisted it behind his back and spun him away from her. Glad Nik had convinced her to learn self defense all those years ago. It made it much easier to deal with horny drunks. "I told you no. Now unless if you want me to break your arm I would suggest you leave. If you don't my date will be much less forgiving then me." The guy paled and nodded his head. And she let him go watching as he ran away. Idiot.

Clapping made her spin around a big smile coming to her face as she saw Nik, although the moment she faced him she saw something she had never suspected to see in Nik's eyes, well at least not directed at her. Lust. His eyes raked over her body lingering at the v of her dress before, they came to rest on her lips again. It made her shiver slightly seeing that look directed at her. But she tamped those emotions down. It probably wasn't even her dress that was making his eyes linger, he was probably just checking her over to make sure the idiot hadn't hurt her. And what happened with the idiot was why she was probably imaging that look in Nik's eyes.

"So I'm your date am I Xinia, love?"

"It seemed the easiest way to get the idiot to leave, well that and threatening him when he wouldn't take the first no, probably thought I was playing hard to get."

"Well if I'm your date, I might as well honor you with a dance before we go home."

Giggling she took Nik's hand. He always knew just what to do to cheer her up. The idea that he was sexually attracted to her fled her mind, as they spun around the room. Drawing a crowd as they danced. Instead of just being one dance they spent most of the night within each other's arms, just dancing along with the music, enjoying the carefree nature that being together always gave them.

The next day had been the first time Alexinia had caught Nik in a state of undress. Originally she had thought it had been an accident, that maybe Nik's nose had been plugged up from all the perfume from the frat party the night before, and hadn't heard her getting up. And she had walked into his room the second he had dropped his towel. It had been the first time Alexinia had ever seen a naked man, and she had squeaked running into her room, slamming the door shut behind her as she had yelled apologies from behind the door. Ignoring how Nik had laughed and told her it was no problem at all.

It took her a few months to realize Nik was toying with her. Having found him in various states of undress, and even catching him pleasuring himself well watching porn. Instead of confronting him about it though, Alexinia acted like nothing out of the ordinary was going on. Fearing if she asked him to stop that Nik would realize he was affecting her, and turn it up even more. Instead she tried to act like they were accidents and that he did nothing to her libido, it had caused her to have to cast a lot of wards around her room at time, the lust getting so bad she needed to slate it.

"Ali I think it's time you head home, Nik's given you time to process everything, but you two need to talk about this before it becomes a wedge between you both."

"Alright, take care Jen, call me if anything weird happens."

With one last smile at Jen she apparated out of the house, glad Jen knew the extent of what a wand wielder could do. Deciding she would get comfortable before she faced Nik she reached under her shirt unbuckling her bra and shimming out of it, throwing it behind her and spinning when she heard a chuckle. Nik was standing there her lacy red bra in his hand.

"Is this your decision now that your fully awake love?" he asked stalking towards her, a predatory lust gleam in his eyes. It almost made her spin around on the spot to apparate away once more. But she knew she had to act like she had no idea what he was talking about. Things needed to be like they had never changed.

"What are you talking about Nik? I always take that torture contraption off when I get home, although I didn't expect you to be in here. Jen and I had a great girls day. Thanks for telling her by the way, but I could have handled it myself." It took a lot of will power to control her breathing and act amused and thankful at the same time. It was cowardly of her, but she couldn't risk Nik knowing exactly how he affected her.

When Alexinia had popped in Nik had been surprised when she had immediately reached behind her back and had slipped out of her bra, quicker then he could have stopped her, he wondered if she had used magic to get it off so quickly. He was so distracted thinking about that that he hadn't realized she had flung her bra away until it was draped on his face and he chuckled as he took it off. Fingering the red lace wondering how it would look upon her body, wet from him suckling her nipple through it. He was already becoming hard and it was only the look of shock on her face when she spun around to face him that had him controlling his urges.

He couldn't risk spooking her too much, although at the same time he couldn't resist teasing her. Stalking towards her allowing some of what he was feeling to show in his eyes, although maybe it was less allowing it and more that he couldn't really censor himself around her. "Is this your decision now that your fully awake love?"

"What are you talking about Nik? I always take that torture contraption off when I get home, although I didn't expect you to be in here. Jen and I had a great girls day. Thanks for telling her by the way, but I could have handled it myself."
If he hadn't known her as long as he had it probably would have worked. But her words were a little too clipped and he could feel her terror. Not of him, but rather of her feelings. It had surprised him when he had realized that Xinia and he were linked. That when her emotions got too high he could feel them. It was how he had known when she was in danger.

A sharp stabbing pain went through Niklaus's heart. He suddenly lost the ability to breath and felt empty as if all joy had left him. The terror he had felt for the last few months, as Xinia looked for the artifacts to destroy the man who killed her parents, was gone, replaced with a gaping hole.

"NO!" he screamed in pain, rage, horror taking over him. The howl of his wolf ripping through him, despite the barrier between them. She was gone! His Xinia was dead. And it was all his fault! He should have stayed in Scotland by Hogwarts when he found out what was going on, but he had thought the guards would be enough to protect her. Xinia was strong, she could fight without him, was what he had believed. Leaving her to deal with her own demons, as he searched for the answers and pieces he needed to finish the ritual.

He need to get to England. Find out who killed her, and burn it all to the ground. And then just as he almost entered into the abyss he had lived in for so long before meeting Xinia, he felt it. Determination suddenly flowing through the bond that had become stronger. He could feel her very heart beating within his chest, as she took a breath. She was alive, and Nik was going to her. Never again would he leave her alone. Something had granted her life and he would not waste it.

But if that's how she wanted to play and deal with this he would allow it for now. He knew she was confused about her feelings and he wasn't going to push her, Nik wouldn't risk her pulling away. After almost losing her once he was never going through that again. He had vowed that day that he would be anything she needed of him. And that was before he had fallen in love with her. Nothing would let him lose her.

"It's nothing love, besides Xinia you were worrying yourself sick over Jenna. I handled it. And she took it well. Just proving how true a friend she is to you. Showing your fears were just irrational emotion taking over. Now let's get some supper, and you can regale me of the stories Jenna must have told you."
The bright smile she gave him and the wave of relief flowing through the bond made him certain he had made the right decision. One day he wouldn't allow her to run from this any more. But for now she wasn't ready and he wasn't going to push her. He loved and respected her too much for that.

Jenna would be angry that he didn't take this chance to change his relationship status with Xinia. But if she knew everything he did about Xinia, she would have understood. The men in her life had hurt her, in one way or another, either betraying her or leaving her. By death or as they drifted apart. Nik would never be in either category and he would prove that to Xinia, even if it took him centuries to finally win her heart.

AN: What's this another chapter already. Well it's due to your inspiring reviews, not that reviews make me update otherwise the writers block wouldn't have affected me for a year with how loyal you all are and how much you've been awaiting this chapter, but some of the reviews really helped make this chapter come into being. I hope you like the slightly longer chapter. Thanks for following and reading.