"How much longer, Master?" The newborn asked the dark-eyed vampire whose crimson eyes were narrowed into slits.
The ancient vampire pursed his lips as he stared at the newest addition to his coven. "As long as it takes," his voice was stern.
"We can't stay here forever," a melodic voice spoke up, appearing from the shadows with a grim frown. "This territory has already been claimed."
Charlotte met her Master's furious gaze and didn't even flinch. Out of all the vampires he has created, she has the one he cherished the most. Many have mistaken the pair for mates, but in Wilkin's eyes, that was the furthest thing from the truth. Charlotte Ferguson was a gorgeous creature—With shiny black hair that hung like silk down her back and the body of a goddess. But, despite her best efforts, she never caught his eye. Still yet, she was the only one of his subjects that was able to get by with having a sharp tongue.
"No one knows we're here," Wilkin assured her, meeting her ruby red eyes with a sly smile. "And I plan on keeping it that way." His gaze flitted to the sad-eyed boy who was leaning against a tree. "As long as no one has any more slip-ups." His voice was as sharp as a blade as he shot daggers at the young vampire, who visibly cowered in fear.
"I didn't mean to," the boy spoke softly, hanging his head in shame. "It won't happen again."
"You're right—It won't." Wilkin's voice was firm and unforgiving.
"Still yet," Charlotte continued, hoping to draw attention away from the traumatized boy. "What I said remains true. We can't stay here forever."
Wilkin paced the small area with his hands behind his back. "That coven is no threat, I assure you. I'll make our presence known in the area in due time. No harm will come to us by their hand." He appeared thoughtful for a moment before he added with a smirk, "Even if they tried."
She shook her head, her jet-black hair rippling down her back as she did so. "It's not the coven I'm worried about. You and I both know that if we stay put for too long, she will find us."
Wilkin's eyes flashed with undaunted fury. "You leave that demon to me. We aren't leaving until she's ready."
A heavy sigh escaped from the depths of her soul. "What if she never is? What if you're doing all of this for nothing? A lot is at stake here, Wilkin. Everything you've worked so hard for could be lost. And for what? A girl?! A human girl!"
Despite his frustration, a flicker of a smile flitted to his lips. "Aye," he breathed out.
Charlotte let out a light scoff and folded her arms across her chest in frustration. "I hope she's worth it. I really do."
Stars were dancing in Wilkin's eyes as he responded automatically, "She is."
The young vampire was unable to stop himself from speaking up as well. "She definitely is," he agreed, wearing a forlorn smile.
Charlotte narrowed her eyes at him, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she said, "Of course you'd say that, Grayson."
(Lynna's P.O.V.)
His cold lips pressed against mine in a devastatingly gentle manner that made my knees weak. Lately, I've noticed that his kisses were far more hesitant and restrained. Before he had a chance to pull away, I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my body against his greedily. Heat flooded my core and settled between my legs as I felt the coolness of his solid body contour against mine as if I could melt right into him.
I opened my mouth against his and lightly traced my tongue along his lower lip, desperately begging to deepen the kiss. He groaned in response before pulling away abruptly, leaving me standing there completely dumbfounded.
"What the hell, Cullen," I spoke breathlessly, folding my arms across my chest.
He offered me a small smile as he reached over and began playing with my hair, wrapping a loose curl around his finger. "We need to be more careful, you know. Set some boundaries."
My jaw dropped at the word. "Boundaries? What sort of boundaries?"
He pressed his lips into a thin line before dropping his hand to his side, my curl bouncing as he released it.
"You realize we can't go further than kissing, right?" He asked with an edge to his voice.
"Kissing?" My mouth fell open in disbelief. I was well aware of that fact and I despised it. "Yes, Edward. You've made that perfectly clear."
His frown turned into a full-blown scowl. "Not clear enough, it would seem."
I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "I can't help how my body reacts when you kiss me."
His scowl quickly transformed into a smirk as he processed my words. "And I love how your body responds to me. I just worry about how I respond to you," he spoke in a low, husky voice that sent a delicious shiver down my spine.
His comment sent a thrill through me. Throwing caution to the wind, I placed my hand on his clothed stomach and started rubbing circles on his solid abs of stone. He inhaled a shaky breath and caught my gaze. His eyes were the color of midnight when he looked down to my hand that was trailing closer to the hem of his jeans. His jaw clenched in response, but he didn't stop me.
My heart was gyrating as I reached his jeans. Just as I was about to reach for the button to undo it, his large cold hand wrapped around mine, stopping me.
"I can make feel you good, Edward. So so good," I whispered, staring up at him from beneath my lashes. "Please let me."
He visibly gulped, his onyx eyes somehow managing to darken even further. I stared down at the large bulge in his pants, causing me to squeeze my thighs together in a desperate bid to relieve some of the pressure.
"I can't," he breathed out shakily.
I wasn't ready to give up just yet. Before he could say another word, I fell to my knees. His jaw dropped as he loomed over me. My face was directly in front of his erection that was clearly straining against his jeans. I swore I could see it throbbing through the thick material. I bit my lower lip in a seductive manner and tilted my head to the side.
"Please," I begged, batting my lashes slowly. "I want to taste you. Just one little taste."
He inhaled sharply. I watched, extremely aroused, as he reached for his bulge and started rubbing himself through his jeans. My heat flooded with desire; I was aching for him. A low rumbling sound came from his chest as my eyes locked with his. His dark eyes were lit with hunger and desire, causing me to release a shaky breath.
Using a speed invisible to my human eyes, he went from standing to kneeling down on my level, putting him eye to eye with me. He placed his hand under my chin and tilted my head before he lightly grazed his lips against mine, causing me to shudder. His cool breath fanned across my face as he pulled away.
"You're playing with fire, Holloway." His voice was thick with desire, causing goosebumps to erupt all over my body. "You will get burned."
"Or maybe I'll just get a really good tan," I whispered, pulling my lower lip between my teeth.
His hardened expression appeared to soften before he breathed out a low chuckle. "That doesn't even make any sense."
I was starting to get frustrated. "Just fucking kiss me, Edward!"
A devilish smirk sprung to his lips before he stood up and held his hand out for me. I narrowed my eyes at him and ignored his outstretched hand, standing up on my own and brushing by him as I went to sit on the edge of my bed. I grabbed a pillow and cradled it against my stomach. Edward leaned against the wall and folded his arms across his chest as he stared at me with a look of amusement.
"You're upset," he stated with a crooked smile.
"I just.. don't understand," I breathed out, blinking rapidly at his confused face.
"Understand what?" He questioned with a quirked brow.
"What the point is." I stared down at the floor, nibbling on my lower lip anxiously.
I could feel him studying my face intently. "Care to elaborate?"
With a sigh, I looked up and locked eyes with him, allowing myself to drown in his honey-gold eyes before I gestured between the two of us. "This. Us."
A small smile flitted to his lips as he knelt down in front of me once again. "Well, I for one, certainly enjoy this little arrangement we have going on. Don't you?"
I pressed my lips into a thin line and nodded. "I mean, yeah. But how long can this go on for, Edward?"
His brows knitted together. A look of worry fell across his face before he quickly recovered, flashing me a crooked grin that made my heart stutter. "For as long as we want. No one's going to find out about us. I'll make sure of it."
My heart dropped to my stomach at his words. Is that really what I wanted? As much as I loved the thrill of sneaking around, did I really want to remain his dirty little secret? Deep down, I was starting to realize that I wanted him to want to be with me— And not just behind closed doors. I wanted him to want others to know about us. But is there even an us? We had never actually discussed our 'relationship', if that's even what it was.
Edward quirked a brow at me, evidently waiting on me to respond. I knew I wasn't ready to discuss my rampant thoughts with him just yet. I was nowhere near ready to admit my feelings for him. Do I have feelings for him? Does he have feelings for me? I knew he 'lusted' after me, but he had never mentioned anything else.
"Okay," I breathed out, forcing a smile his way.
A glorious grin spread across his face, highlighting his all-too-perfect features. In one swift movement, he stood up and was at the window— Seeming to teleport before my very eyes.
"I'll see you tomorrow. Sweet dreams." He flashed me a wink before jumping out the window, leaving me speechless.
"The gala is going to be extra extravagant this year. My mom is pulling out all the stops." Tyler said to me and Paige as we walked into history.
My eyes drifted to Edward, who was sitting at our shared table with a solemn expression.
"Doesn't she every year?" I teased with a smile.
Tyler's mother, Sharon Caldwell, was known for going over-the-top with any event she hosted. The gala that she hosts every year was no exception.
"Yeah, but this year my Great-Aunt Martha will be there, and she really wants to impress her," he explained.
"I'm sure she will be more than impressed," I assured him.
Tyler shook his head. "She's not easily impressed, believe me."
Before any more could be said, we each found our way to our seats. The second I sat down beside Edward, his dark eyes locked with mine.
"You're late," he spoke through gritted teeth, shooting a non-threatening glare my way.
I shrugged half-heartedly. "Tyler and I were talking. And class doesn't even start for like five minutes."
His jaw was clenched, his eyes glinting angrily. "Tyler. I see."
I rolled my eyes playfully and leaned towards him slightly. "Jealousy doesn't suit you, Cullen," I whispered lowly, in a bid to be seductive, before I pulled my lower lip between my teeth—Knowing the effect that doing so has on him. His eyes darkened dramatically; the anger in his eyes gave way to a look of hunger that caused my lower stomach to tighten deliciously. "I take that back," I breathed out shakily. "It totally does."
Now, it was his turn to roll his eyes. "I'm not jealous," he dismissed the idea with a wave of his hand.
"Sure you're not," I chuckled, leaning back in my seat.
With a speed indecipherable to my human eyes, his hand found its way to my knee where he gave it a gentle squeeze. The simple gesture set my entire body on fire. Desire swept through me and settled in my core. My heart was beating like a hummingbird's when I met his lustful gaze.
"I'm not," he stated sternly, in a deep voice that was thick with desire.
I opened my mouth to speak but was interrupted by the sudden coldness that swept through me when his hand fell from my knee. That could only mean one thing—Emmett and Alice were approaching. As if on cue, they waltzed into the room with a gracefulness that would make a ballerina cry and made their way to their seats directly behind us. Alice's eyes were lit up with excitement.
"Do you know what you're wearing to the gala?" She asked with a knowing smile.
I was impressed that she already knew about the upcoming event, but then again, this is Alice we're talking about.
I spun around to face her, laying my arms on top of their table. "I'll probably just wear the same dress I wore last year."
She gasped in faux horror. "No niece of mine shall wear last year's dress," she said in disgust.
Edward was staring straight ahead, turned away from his siblings so they couldn't see that he was fighting back a smile.
"Oh, the horror," Emmett teased sarcastically, earning a giggle from me and Alice.
As I studied Alice's giddy face, an idea occurred to me. "You know—Every year, my family helps the Caldwell's set up for the gala. Would you like to—?"
Before I could even finish the sentence, Alice was squealing with delight. "YES! Duh!" She exclaimed.
A moan flew through my lips as Edward placed soft kisses along my neck, his cold lips leaving a fire in their wake. My hands entwined themselves in his hair, tugging forcefully as I was overcome with the sensation of his lips against my skin. Anytime he touched me, I melted. And when he wasn't touching me, he was still all I could think about. I longed for him in more ways than one. A low, rumbling sound came from his chest as I pressed my body against his, yearning to feel his solid body of stone.
His lips were quick to find mine, capturing mine in a heady, passionate kiss that made my head spin. He panted against my lips, breathing heavily. My ragged breaths matched his before he pulled away, ending the kiss far too soon for my liking. The second I no longer felt his touch, a coldness washed over me, causing me to shiver.
"Tyler doesn't make your heart race like that," he said with a devilish smirk.
I didn't bother trying to stifle an eyeroll. "I thought you said you aren't jealous."
His porcelain face seemed to glow against the darkness. The only light was filtering through the crack at the bottom of the door, creating a comforting ambience. Everything felt right when Edward and I were alone, as if the outside world could never harm us. We were in a safe, protected bubble that was all but impenetrable.
"I'm not," he scoffed as he leaned against the wall, folding his arms across his chest. "I was just stating a fact."
I pursed my lips, fighting back a smug smile. "How do you know he doesn't? Maybe he does make my heart race."
His onyx eyes widened, flashing angrily. In a flash, he had me pinned against the wall. His cold body contouring against mine caused desire to burn straight through me, settling in my core. He used both of his hands to grab my face in a restrained yet furious manner, forcing me to investigate his vivid midnight orbs. I inhaled a shaky breath as my heart rate accelerated in response to his dominant display. To say I was turned on was an understatement.
His jaw was clenched when he spoke in a low, threatening voice, "He. Doesn't."
His possessive tone sent a delicious shiver down my spine. I bit my lower lip with such force that I was surprised I didn't draw blood. He exhaled sharply before crashing his lips against mine, causing me to go limp in his arms as my eyes fluttered shut. God, how I wanted him. He wrapped an arm around my waist, pressing me firmly against him. I could feel his hardened desire against my stomach, causing a strangled moan to escape my lips as my stomach clenched in yearning. I instinctively bucked my hips against his, desperate for some sort of friction to relieve the growing pressure in my heat, earning a throaty groan from him in return that only added to my frenzied state. Unfortunately, as quickly as the kiss began, it ended. He pulled away and reclaimed his previous position against the opposite side of the wall.
He was wearing a cocky expression as he stated casually, "You are you going to be the death of me, Lynna Holloway."
"You're indestructible," I breathed out in annoyance.
I was a bundle of nerves. It was a struggle fighting against my growing desire for him. I craved release, which was something that he flat out refused to provide. I suppose I would have to take matters into my own hands—Literally and figuratively, but it was his touch I yearned for.
"Be that as it may," he chuckled lowly before stepping towards me. He pressed his face against my hair and inhaled deeply, pulling away to flash me a smug smile. "I'll see you in chemistry."
I was lying on my bed watching SpongeBob when Edward emerged from my window. Butterflies engulfed my stomach as I jumped up to greet him. He wrapped his arms around me as I threw my arms around his neck before pressing my lips against his in a heated kiss, which he was more than eager to return. Per usual, he was the one to pull back, smiling down at me tenderly before he stepped away from me.
"Watching SpongeBob, I see," he said with an eyeroll.
He trailed his fingers across my bookshelf, caressing the spine of each book.
"Don't hate him cause you ain't him," I teased as I sat down on the edge of my bed, watching him closely.
My comment earned me another amused eyeroll. "I still haven't forgotten about you calling me Squidward."
I chuckled at the memory. "You are Squidward."
He quirked a brow and frowned, turning his body towards me. "And Emmett is the buff lobster, right?"
I threw my head back and laughed whole-heartedly. "Larry. His name is Larry."
"Larry the Lobster. How original," he mumbled, shaking his head.
An idea occurred to me as I stared at his grumpy face. "Do you want to watch it with me?"
He picked up one of my Amish books and flipped through it before locking eyes with me. "Me? Watch SpongeBob?"
I nodded excitedly. "Yes. What else are you going to do all night?"
He shrugged, his frown deepening. "Same thing I always do."
I was curious. "Which is?"
A half-hearted smile flitted to his lips as he flipped through another book. "Well, I visit you every night, don't I? Then, when you kick me out, I just.. find something else to do."
"I don't kick you out," I was quick to say, grabbing a pillow and throwing it at him.
His eyes were glinting mischievously as he caught the pillow with one hand. "Well, you don't ask me to stay. So, same thing."
Does he want to stay? The thought had never occurred to me. He's an immortal vampire. Surely, he has better things to do than watching me sleep at night?
"Do you.. want to stay?" I asked skeptically, tilting my head to the side to study his perfect face.
He put the book back in its rightful place and flashed me a dazzling smile. "That depends.." He trailed off before continuing, "Do you want me to stay?"
Without realizing, I found myself nodding. "I mean, yeah. Of course, I do." I was putty in his capable hands, it would seem. Who would have thought? "But if you get bored, you can always leave."
"I won't get bored," he blurted out, sitting down in the blue chair beside the window.
"Oh, yeah?" I challenged. "I would. What if I snore?"
He chuckled lowly and shook his head. "You don't snore, Lynna."
I quirked a brow before narrowing my eyes at him. "How would you know?"
His eyes widened exponentially as another frown staked its claim, pulling down his marbled features. "Um. Well—I," he was clearly at war with himself before he sighed in defeat. "Sometimes I.. watch you."
My jaw went slack as pure horror washed through me. My stomach was in my throat as I asked in a hoarse voice, "You.. watch me?!"
His mouth opened and closed, seeming to be at a loss for words. "N-Not not like that. Not in a perverted way. I would never—" He breathed out sharply, visibly gulping as he studied my dumbstruck face.
I blinked rapidly as I attempted to sort through the many emotions coursing through me. I was horrified. When I said nothing, he took it upon himself to continue.
"I just.. watch you sleep sometimes," he breathed out, running a hand through his bronze hair in the process.
I was highly upset with him, but a part of me couldn't help but feel slightly flattered? Still, his actions were not okay. I shook my head in disapproval.
"Edward, that's not okay. You can't just spy on people like that," I scolded him like a child.
"I don't spy on people," he was quick to say. "Just you."
I breathed out a scoff. "Just me, huh?"
He nodded, a crooked grin playing on his lips. "Just you," he repeated.
I was fighting a smile and losing the battle. "That's still not okay, you know. I didn't consent to being spied on."
He breathed out a chuckle and leaned back in the chair. "I'm sorry. I guess I just.. get bored at night." There was a heaviness behind his words that caused my heart to stutter.
Just like that, all was forgiven. I had a feeling there wasn't much this boy couldn't get away with as far as I was concerned.
"Well, if you stay here all night, you won't have to resort to spying on me, will you?" I teased.
A breathtaking smile spread across his face, causing his ember eyes to dance and my breath to hitch in my throat. "That's correct."
"It's settled then." I patted the empty space beside me which he claimed in the blink of an eye.
He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me against him before laying the both of us back against the bed. I was lying flat on my back, staring up at him intently, mentally tracing his face with my mind. He was lying on his side, hovering over me with a look of pure adoration playing on his features. He gingerly grasped a curl and wrapped it around his finger as he gazed into my eyes. The emotion swimming in his golden orbs caused my heart to skip a beat. Surely, he feels something for me besides lust, right? He wouldn't look at me so tenderly if that wasn't the case. My mind started going a mile a minute—Does he have actual feelings for me or not?
As if he could sense the internal battle I was fighting against, he gently placed his lips against mine. I sighed against the kiss, willing it to never end. If he was kissing me, everything was okay. Who cares if he cares for me or not? Just as long as he kept kissing me. He hesitantly cradled the side of my face with his hand, causing butterflies to flutter about violently in my stomach. He was being so tender with me—So gentle. There wasn't the usual burning hunger behind his kiss, but that didn't stop my body from responding to him. My heart was pounding against my ribcage, my breathing shallow and hastened.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. His tongue traced my lower lip, sending a shiver down my spine that caused my toes to curl. I couldn't stifle the moan that escaped me when his tongue darted into my mouth, exploring my mouth with a newfound hunger. My lower stomach clenched in yearning. Passion and desire burned brightly in my veins, blinding me to everything besides the god-like man that my core was aching for.
He broke the kiss and pressed his forehead against mine. I was panting with desire as I stared into his midnight eyes that were lit with lust.
"I want you," I whispered breathlessly.
His eyes somehow managed to darken even further as he clenched his jaw. I reached up and lightly trailed my fingers along his jaw, feeling the electrical current flow through my fingertips and straight to my heat.
"Touch me," I pleaded in the faintest of whispers.
His entire body stiffened. He was as still as a stature as his burning eyes continued to bore into mine. I took his hand in mine and placed it on the side of my face, kissing his palm, before I guided it down my neck and towards my breasts. My skin was on fire against his icy touch as I stopped just shy of my left breast, not wanting to push him too far if he wasn't comfortable. A rumbling sound came from deep within his chest as he clutched at the fabric of my shirt. His knuckles were turning white; he was clearly at war with himself. The hunger in his eyes told me he wanted me just as badly as I did him, so I knew I was reaching his limits—Testing his self-control. He moved his hand so it was hovering over my breast—If I so much as breathed too deeply, I would feel his touch; I could practically hear the internal battle he was having with himself in that moment. We stayed frozen like that for what felt like ages, but in reality, only seconds had passed—Before he dropped his hand to the bed and shook his head sorrowfully as he pulled away from me.
He sat up and ran a hand through his hair, causing it to stand up on end. His shoulders were slumped forward in defeat, as if he had lost whatever battle he was fighting. I was quick to sit up alongside him. I leaned my head against his shoulder in a bid to comfort him. It was instinctual for me—I didn't want him to hurt in any way and clearly, he was hurting.
"It's okay," I breathed out. "I shouldn't have pushed you. I'm sorry."
He hesitantly leaned his head against mine before he wrapped an arm around my waist. I leaned into his touch and closed my eyes. Being in his arms always felt so… right; like I was at home. It didn't make any sense to me, but I didn't question it. This man was able to make me feel things I had only ever dreamed about, so I wasn't about to ruin things between us by asking silly questions that I was sure he didn't have an answer to.
"I'm the one that's sorry, Lynn," he said in a low voice that sent shivers down my spine. He pulled back just enough to look down at me, his dark eyes gazing into mine with the force of a thousand suns. "I'm not a very good 'friend with benefits'."
My heart dropped to my stomach. Is that still all he considers us? My face fell, but I was quick to recover—Not wanting him to see the sorrow in my face at his comment. "You mean 'friend with benefits without the benefits'," I teased, nibbling on my lower lip anxiously.
He chuckled lowly. "That's just a friend, Lynna."
I pressed my lips into a thin line before I adjusted myself so I was sitting directly in front of him on the bed. "We're not.. friends with benefits, Edward."
He quirked a brow in confusion, causing me to giggle before I continued, "We're just 'friends that kiss each other on occasion'."
He breathed out forcefully before a half-hearted smile flitted to his lips. "Right. My bad," he mumbled.
I laughed airily. "I'm only teasing."
He frowned and shook his head ruefully. "Regardless, I'm not a very good 'anything' to you."
I tilted my head to the side and studied his stoic face, my heart lurching in my chest as I did so. "Well, for what it's worth, I think you're pretty amazing."
His lips twitched at the corners before a full-fledged smile spread across his face. "Really?"
I nodded fervently. "Absolutely. And not just because you're an amazing kisser," I teased.
His smile was quick to transform into a taunting smirk. "Oh, you think I'm an amazing kisser, do you?"
I rolled my eyes playfully. "Do you want to watch SpongeBob or not?"
He threw his head back and groaned. "Do I have to?" I could hear the amusement in his voice.
"Yes," I stated sternly, fighting back a smile. "If you're going to start staying the night, then you have to fall in love with SpongeBob SquarePants. That's the deal."
His brows flew up his forehead as if to mock me. "I'm not falling in love with anyone." His words nearly took my breath away, cutting straight through me. Thankfully, I had my head turned so he couldn't see my crestfallen expression. When I didn't respond, he continued on his own accord in a teasing tone, "Especially not an incessant talking sponge."
I reached for the remote and went straight to Paramount Plus. "Maybe the dimwitted starfish will capture your heart then," I teased, trying to hide the bitterness in my voice.
He scrunched his face up in faux disgust. "Doubtful."
I started with the very first episode, chuckling at his reaction the entire time. When it was over, he turned to me with an amused smile.
"I don't really see the appeal," he taunted.
"I'm sure you will after a few more episodes," I said as I went to the next episode.
"How many episodes are there?" He wondered, pursing his lips.
"Two hundred and ninety-two," I blurted out.
His eyes widened in surprise and horror, causing me to smirk.
"And we are going to watch every single episode. The only stipulation I have for us being friends is that you have to understand my SpongeBob references. So, this is absolutely necessary, Edward," I explained sternly, wearing a solemn frown to get my point across.
He sighed dramatically before leaning back in the bed and holding his arms out for me. "Well, if I'm going to be subjected to torture, then you can at least let me hold you."
My heart melted. Gah, why does he have to be so.. so.. him?! Without any urging, I was quick to snuggle up against him, laying my head on his solid chest. He wrapped his arm around me and held me close. My heart was soaring. In that moment, I knew nothing could compare to being in his arms. Nothing.