#Alys
I awoke covered in sweat. It seemed that the mental wounds I had endured would last longer than the physical ones. My face was covered in silent tears and I wiped them away as my blurry eyes gained focus. I found Arden had fallen asleep sitting up, watching me, and empty bags of blood sat on the bed beside him. Slowly I got up and moved across the small space to him and gently laid him down onto the bed.
I stared down at him. I had watched him die so many times. Watched them all die over and over again. When Mark wasn't having me physically tortured, he was there... drowning my mind in pain and sorrow. My worst fears realized every waking or sleeping moment. It had become impossible to tell what was real and what was of his making. Right until the very end, I had had enough in body and mind. I managed to find my way out of one of his illusions, or so I had thought, and all I remember is being so weak I could hardly move. He had asked me yet again to reveal myself to the council, but no matter what happened to me I would not put my sister in that danger. The physical torture began again, though I couldn't tell with what or remember how long it took. The next thing I truly felt was whatever weapon they brandished, cutting into my still beating heart. I screamed and then everything went black leaving only the pain.
I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. I turned to find a towel and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I stopped dead in my tracks, seeing my body covered in freshly healed scars. A couple more hours and they would disappear and any evidence of them would be gone from my body forever. But that wasn't the worst part. When I looked into my own eyes, I could see the scars that Mark had left on the inside, the ones that would change me forever and never truly go away. I completely retreated into the shower until my back hit the wall and I sunk to the floor cradling my legs to my chest. I wish I was stronger right now, but it just wasn't going to happen. I cried quietly as the shower poured down on me.
I cried for long time until at some point I took off my dress and showered properly. The water was cold by the time I got out, but it had been refreshing. It gave me the chance to mourn fully for the person I had been only a short time ago and would never be again. For all that had been done to me and my family and now I could finally move on... we could move on.
I slipped on a white cotton robe that was hanging on the bathroom wall and took a towel to my hair, drying it. As I glanced into the mirror, I noticed Arden standing there in the doorway wearing only a pair of sweatpants. The lines of his toned body were accentuated by the light sweat that covered him.
"It should be illegal for immortals to look like you." I said, and bit my lip lightly while looking at his reflection in the mirror. I know I still looked a bit like hell, but those dungeons had done him no worse for wear. He smiled that sexy smile I love, the one that makes my legs go weak and took a couple steps toward me.
"You look much better. I hadn't expected you to heal so quickly, but I do understand why you didn't tell me...not many can be trusted with the secrets of the hybrid that we are. May I?" He asked, motioning to the back of the robe. I assumed he wanted to check on the scars.
"We are? Did I miss something?" I asked, as he pulled down the back of my robe and I grabbed the front of it to keep my breast covered.
"Half vampire, half witch and John is half vamp, half shifter and you...are complicated." He sighed, lightly brushing the tips of his fingers over the new scars. The fresh skin proving extremely sensitive to his touch. He carefully brushed my hair over my shoulder and as I could feel his warm breath against neck, my eyes involuntarily closed.
After everything that had happened and even with this intense attraction to each other, all we had ventured was a light brushing of lips...once. I desperately wanted to know the true feel of his lips on mine.
"Alys, I have to ask. Do you know what this is between us?" Arden asked seductively and brushed his lips against the vein on the side of my neck. I moaned softly and shook my head.
"As old as I am, I have never felt anything like this before, like you." I whispered, as he wrapped his arms around my waist. It all just felt so right, but so did it every time we got to this point when Mark was inside my head.
"Then you know what this must be. What we are, what I am to you?" He said, as more of a statement than a question. He continued to brush his lips over my shoulder, sending sparks flying against my skin as heat flooded my center.
Then all my suspicions are true... he is my mate and I am his. I can feel my possessive nature trying to rise up. I was possessive before, but with the darkness comes a need to claim and conquer which usually accompanies death hand in hand. It's been so long since I had a need to control this much power that it's going to take a while before I can gain full mastery over it. Before, I didn't control it, I just let it loose upon the world.
A single tear slips down each cheek as I turn in his arms to face him. He takes one hand and cups my face, sliding his fingers into my hair and wiping away my tear.
"This is real. I am here now and I am never going let you go." He assures, as he leans in slowly, his soft lips caress mine so perfectly. Tingles course through my veins until my entire body is practically vibrating. My hands on his hips pull him closer and he pins me to the vanity just as I feel his tongue gently probe past my lips, dancing with mine as he tastes me fully. The robe is still covering my breasts, but only because its squeezed between our bodies. I'm tempted to just let it go to feel his hard body against mine.
I moan softly, just touching him, kissing him, knowing that he is mine and mine alone. His hands slide down to my thighs and he lifts and sets me on the counter while settling between my legs. His warmth, his scent, wraps around me like a cloak pulling me deeper into the spell that is him. His kiss becomes possessive and demanding and my finger tips dig into his back. Both of us need this... need each other. I can feel my fangs start to elongate and I force them back, but not before one cuts my lip and blood drips down my chin.
"Damn!" I curse quietly, but the look he gives me is one of pure need as he sucks my bleeding lip into his mouth and tastes my blood for the first time since we saved John. But it heals too quickly and I sense he wants more. If he's reacting the same way I did to his blood, I understand why. He kisses me again, hard and bruising. He puts his hand on the tie to my robe and holds it there as if he's fighting an inner battle on whether to untie it or not. My hands find their way to the top of his pants and my fingers slide inside of the waist of them, slowly working their way around towards the front making his breath hitch in his throat.
He kisses down my chin and onto my neck as I lean, exposing my naked pulse to him, making him growl loudly. He wraps his arms around the back of my neck and shoulder, sinking his head into the vee at their junction. His teeth scrap my delicate skin and I whimper. Waiting has been utter torture, but for this to be real... for him to really be here... and not for this to be a dream, or Mark's doing. One thing that Mark never could muster was the vision of my mate biting me, or mating with me.
He makes a small cut and licks it, spreading his delicious venom into my system, relaxing me and setting me on fire all at once. "Arden." I breathe, and bite my lip.
"Alys!" Cadence calls from the bedroom. We both throw up a hand and the door slams shut instantly. "Funny, but you cant hide in there forever, that woman from the head of the council is here, she wants to talk to you."
"You can talk to her. You forget I'm not the only Ancient here." I responded, but don't move from my spot while Arden kept kissing my neck and shoulder and I can barely keep myself from moaning.
"We both know I'm not the Ancient she wants to talk to!" She insists again and I sigh deeply.
"Fine! Tell her we'll be out in a couple minutes." I snapped back. Arden stopped kissing my shoulder and looked at me with a frown. I hear Cadence walk off in a huff and I whisper, "I didn't say stop." And he grins widely, letting me see his sharp fangs. I shiver and he sinks his head again but this time he doesn't wait. A sharp pinch at my neck and then his fangs sink deep into my neck. I feel a pop and my blood gushes into his awaiting mouth. I moan loudly and he growls again, biting down even harder as my claws dig into his hip desperate for him to be closer. His hands slip down to my lower cheeks and he pulls me against him, pressing his length in me, making me moan again. "Arden," I say breathlessly and he growls again as he grinds himself into me.
