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“Oh, you do!” Aurora purred, ground herself against me. “Ooo but poor baby, you can’t fuck her, now can you?” She had her lips back on my neck, pushing all the right buttons. “All those yummy bonds. Tie you together forever, make you feel whole and complete.” she pressed a fang to my earlobe, not hard enough to puncture, but close, my eyes rolled back in my head.

“But then you’d have to give up Warren. Last scrap of him left on this planet, your Scion bond, your grief, would just poof.”

I grabbed her by the throat, pain mixing with my anger, bringing pleasure right to the surface. She laughed, it was sexy and bitter and she leaned into my hand, making it choke her harder.

“But then she might leave you, betray you like Saint.”

I tumbled us to the ground and ripped the front of her shirt open. She fumbled at my belt buckle, making just enough space to get her hands on me, stroke me softly, the contrast with the hate swirling between us taking me to the edge.

I looked up at her face, just as I was ready to enter her. Bitterness lingered on her lips, victory in her eyes. She twisted her head to face towards the door, a half second before it flung open.

“Oh, my god!” Tiffany stood stock still, looking down at our obscene mess on the floor. Her eyes scattered everywhere, like she didn’t know where to look. Her cheeks flushed. She backed out of the room with muttered apologies, leaving the door not quite closed.

I looked down at Aurora. I’d been fucking her forever, and… I just didn’t want to anymore. I made to push myself off her, she grabbed the front of my shirt to keep me there.

“She can’t come,” she said softly, “for you. But I can.” She snaked her free hand between us and moaned loudly when it hit her clit. I pushed off the ground and stood over her. And felt… nothing. Aurora had kept me together, going, for the last couple of years, ricochetting from despair to fucking in some insane pinball machine. I made her a habit. No, she made herself a habit. She used my pain like a key to unlock treasures, to make herself important. Tiffany might hate me for what I’ve done, but she didn’t use that to achieve an end.

Aurora made a show of sliding two fingers in her cunt slowly, gasping the whole way. I looked up at the door, not knowing if Tiffany was still there. I rearranged myself, my hard-on fading, tucked my shirt back in and fixed my belt.

Aurora had both hands involved now, one slowly fucking herself, the other toying with her clit, the deep red of her nails shiny with her own juices. She was maybe the only friend I had. The sex was a distraction, always knew that on some level, didn’t I? Her gorgeous body pushed out all the things I didn’t want to feel. My chest tightened, I used her, too, used her body as a barrier, hid behind it, got more than my dick lost in it. Used her as the tool to keep safely wrapped up in my pain. She would whip out fang and claw to keep everyone away, and that kept me from drowning alone.

She drew her two fingers to her lips, sucked them deep into her mouth, pulling them out slowly, scoring them with a fang. Blood and come spoiling her lips.

I exhaled a sharp laugh to myself at the realization. Veronica kept me in line with status and grief. Aurora used sex and blood.

“I’ll go to Ruelle.” I said. I’d buy myself some time by doing what they both wanted. Aurora perked up.

“Oh goodie. We can go get a snack then. Club Mondo is wet with Molly right now. Maybe Hustler?”

“You’ll stay here.” She made a disgusted noise and collapsed back into the floor, all dramatic, like I killed her puppy.

I walked over to the dresser, pulled open a draw. The first day we were here, Aurora had fetched a few things from my apartment, clothes, some cash, one of my watches. She got me a new phone. All I had was the contents of my pockets when we got here, the empty vial of drug tainted blood, my wallet, a silver dagger. I picked up the wallet and watch, snapping it on, listening to Aurora masturbate. I slid the burner phone she got me into my back pocket. I didn’t even know if it was charged, I had refused to look at it.

I walked back over to Aurora and stood by her head. She made a pretty picture, in ripped clothes, writing and arching her back, getting herself off. For me.

“You’ll stay here and make sure nothing happens to her.” I said flatly.

She pouted her lips and drew her fingers to her mouth again. I kicked her hand away.

“Aurora.” She knew I wanted her to voice her compliance.

She raised herself on her elbows.

“Say it.”

“Fine.” She flopped back, defeated. “I’ll stay here and look after her.”

Satisfied, I stepped to the door and pulled it open.

“And I absolutely promise I won’t let her come.” Aurora said to my back with a hint of laughter in her voice.

THIRTY-FOUR

TIFFANY

I busted into the common space, Aurora’s moans ringing in my ears. My face was flushed. I could feel it. I had been trying to avoid Lachlan, which was insane given I was confined to such a small space. I felt awkward. I didn’t know what to say about last night,or was it day?Whatever. I just couldn’t process his standoffish, sometimes aggressive behavior and the absolute vulnerability he showed. And now this?

Shaw was here, along with Zinnia and one of the other guys. They had their heads together, muttering over some papers. They didn’t look up. Good. The room was big enough we could all have our own personal space.