Page 29 of Blood Ties (City of Blood #1)

Bash

My girl is mind-blowing. I am absolutely in love with her and I couldn’t hold it in if I tried.

I don’t know if telling her I love her was the right choice or not, but it’s out there now and I simply couldn’t hold back.

After what happened on the ride there, I’m overwhelmed with how I feel.

What she said in the bar, about sex meaning something to her, makes that incredible act of service feel an awful lot like love.

The sun is forcing me to rest too soon. I just want to be near her.

Maybe now that she is off on Mondays, we can spend the night and the day together.

Even knowing that she is changing her schedule seems like she is making a sacrifice for me—I know how important working and taking care of her grand-mere are to her.

Approaching my door, ready to succumb to sleep, I find a note tacked to it.

Sebastien,

Come meet me when you rise.

-Mother

I roll my eyes. This could either be very good or very bad. My money is on bad.

“Mother.” I incline my head as I walk into her office at moon-rise.

“Sebastien.” Ok, still upset with me then. “Thank you for coming. You were out all night last night, again, so I assume you were with that woman. How long do we have to wait for you to get over her? Get her out of your system?”

“Mother, I advise you now to get used to her. She isn’t going anywhere as long as she wants to keep coming around. Please listen to me. Elina is what I’ve been looking for.”

She gasps and looks at me in shock. “Bash, do you intend to offer her the Legame di Sangue? A fragile, aging human. Have you discussed her turning?”

“Again, the dramatics, mother. You have got to be the most dramatic thousand year old vampire I have ever encountered. We have not discussed the legame beyond me telling her what it is and why it’s necessary to continue the bloodline.

I do not know her feelings on it. I don’t believe, at this time, she intends to turn.

” I watch her look at me doubtfully as I try to explain.

“It's only been a few weeks, and humans are easily spooked. She isn’t ready for these discussions yet. Would I offer her the legame? In an instant. Would she accept it? I’m not sure.

Right now, she believes its entire purpose is to sire the next bloodline children.

I haven’t explained the rest. She isn’t ready.

” I can tell she isn’t satisfied with my answer.

“The problem, Bash, is while you wait for her to ‘get ready’, she is aging. You don’t have a decade or a century to convince her.

She is young now, but she won’t be for long.

Time moves differently for us. A year for her is a long time.

A year for us is nothing. Bash, I want nothing more than for you to be happy, but you can’t be running all over Ville de Sang with a mortal woman who isn’t going to stay with you for eternity. ”

“Why can’t I, Mother? Even if she decides she never wants the legame.

That she never wants to turn. If she wants to stay with me the way she is, then, in less than 100 years she will be dust in the wind.

Why do you begrudge me even 50 years of happiness?

You want me to bind to someone else in 50 years?

Fine. I’ll say the words—I’ll spill the blood.

But I will never love another the way I love Elina. ”

“Fifty years.” She concedes. “Take your time with your human. And in fifty years, you’ll kneel before me, a man in mourning, and accept who I choose. And I will tell you I told you so. Go get something to drink before you head out tonight. I haven’t seen you feed in days. Unless-”

“No unless. I’m not feeding on her. Good night, Mother.”

Pulling my phone from my pocket, I send Jack a quick text, inviting him to meet me at the bar.

Walking into the bar, a half hour later, her head snaps up as soon as I am visible.

A look of obvious relief on her face. Did you think I wasn’t coming, Tesoro?

I smile at her and get a bright one in return.

Just like that, the tension from the meeting with my mother eases.

She is my center, my home, my sun. Sitting at the bar, a whiskey appears in front of me immediately.

“You’re late, Prince.”

“Sorry, Beautiful. Had to visit my mother.” I roll my eyes at her and she laughs. Studying her face, I notice her eyes are red and a little swollen, like she has been crying for a long time. “What's wrong, Elina? What happened?”

“It’s nothing,” she tells me while tears well up in her eyes.

“Tequila!” Sarah shoves a shot glass in her hand, holding the other herself, and they both drink them back, quickly. Oh, well isn’t this a revelation.

“Well, well. Drinking on the job, Elina? That’s dangerous.” She laughs tearfully. I don’t mention the tears. I drink my whiskey and watch in amusement as she gets tipsy while trying, mostly successfully, to tend to a full bar on a Tuesday night.

“What’s up, Bash?” Jack says as he takes the empty stool next to me. “Hey, little black cat,” he says to Elina, leaning across the bar to kiss her on the cheek. “And Sunshine, good to see you,” to Sarah.

“Hey, Jack,” Sarah looks at him indulgently.

He leans over, saying, “What are we doing?”

“Elina’s drinking…a lot,” I whisper.

“Now listen, King Bash.” She uses a shot glass to gesticulate to me—its contents sloshing over the sides as she continues to wave it—the words and actions causing Jack to snort out a laugh at her.

“I like you a lot. So, no going off with a pretty bronze vampire. K? K.” A pretty bronze vampire? Talia.

“You’re the only one for me, pretty girl. Even drunk.”

She laughs, loudly, which causes me, Jack, and Sarah to erupt with laughter too.

“I think I love you Bash.”

“Well now,” Jack responds, whistling low.

“Awe!” Sarah squeals behind her, pantomiming a swoon.

“Why don't you reserve declarations of love for sober Elina?” I kiss her forehead and she pulls me against her, half across the bar.

“Ok, but I’ll still love you in the morning!” And she dances away, swaying provocatively to the music in the bar. I hope she does still love me tomorrow.

She dances back to me, spinning a little.

“I forgot, we have a datal dub…no a dating dub...no a double-date on Sunday with Sarah and Ethan.” With that, she’s gone again.

I am so entertained by this version of her, this new twist on Elina that I am excited to try and bring it out of her when she’s sober.

I see her talking to a man with a hat and coat on, handing him a glass of chardonnay.

He is speaking quietly and seriously. I intentionally start to listen in.

He has a French accent.

“You’re in a good mood tonight, crepuscule.” Twilight. Why is he calling my girl a nickname?

“I am.” She smiles at him and he leans in, like he is trying to get closer to her light. I don’t want to overstep when I’m not invited.

“And that’s a beautiful pendant you have on,” he tells her, pointing to the protection pendant I gave her.

“Who the fuck is this guy?” Jack asks me, eyeing the stranger.

“I’m not sure, but it’s not the first time he’s been here.”

“You’re the second Frenchman this week to comment on it. Isn’t it gorgeous? My boyfriend got it for me. He’s over there.” She waves in my general direction. Second Frenchman? Boyfriend? I'm so distracted by this new title that I forget everything else. I spiral into hope. Maybe she will have me.

“Is that so?” He doesn’t look in my direction. “See you soon, little crepuscule.”

What the hell is going on?

“Elina, get away from my customers. I can’t believe you’re drunk behind my bar,” Rian tells her lovingly, putting a steady hand on her back. “Sebastien, can you take Elina home—I can’t have her here like this.”

“Oh no, we’re in trouble.” Jack laughs at Rian’s interruption, looking like an innocent choir boy.

“Of course, Rian. Come along Tesoro. Let's sober you up.” Since it is still early in the night, right after midnight, we have most of the next six hours to ourselves. I intend to make the most of them. “Do you want to come to the loft or go somewhere else?”

“Let’s go dance, Prince!” And off she dances into the night.

“Bash, you realize you’re one lucky man,” Jack tells me, watching Elina’s ass bounce in her skirt.

Despite the fact that vampires are pretty free with our sexual encounters, I would normally be pretty defensive, jealous even.

But Jack is different. If she wanted him, I don’t think I would stop her.

I know his commentary is harmless unless she indicates otherwise.

I throw an arm over his shoulders, “That I do, my friend, that I do.”

“Well, I’m going to go find some sort of trouble to get into tonight, since you’re busy and I don’t think you’re going to share.”

“You know I don’t make the rules, brother. And I don’t think she’s interested.”

“Bye, Elina! You look gorgeous baby!” And Jack disappears into the night. Her laughter at his parting words fills the space around us.

Following behind her, I feel spellbound by this precious human.

In the distance, there is a roll of thunder as lightning illuminates the sky above us.

Just ahead of me, Elina squeaks in surprise, then laughs.

A sudden downpour soaks us in minutes but instead of running for cover, Elina runs to me, taking my hand and tugging me into the street.

“Dance with me!” she yells over the rain.

Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pull her against my body until we feel like one person.

We dance to the rhythm of the rain and I feel her heartbeat hammer against my chest. Looking down, I capture her lips with mine and kiss her with all of the feeling I have in my body.

Her kiss is like electricity surging through me.

It’s love. It’s summer rains and dancing in the street.

It’s warm nights and home. I surrender myself to her mercy and give her all there is of me.

If this were the last moment of my life, I would gladly flame out in her arms.

As the rain subsides, our dancing slows and our clinging arms relax.

I feel like there is a shift between us—like we just crossed the point of no return.

Spinning her slowly to hear a little more of her laughter, my senses sharpen.

A shadow in the dark alley shifts and my head snaps up. My entire body tenses.

“What is it, Bash?”

“We need to go. Now.” I take off, walking quickly, practically dragging Elina behind me. I don’t know who that was but I don’t intend to find out, not with her here. The rain covered more than our laughter tonight and I should have known sooner.

Climbing the stairs to my loft, Elina follows me quietly. Once inside, I turn and hold her close. “You must be freezing.”

“I’m fine, Bash.” She swats my hands away. “What was that?”

“I’m not sure. There was someone in the alley. It was probably nothing but I didn’t like that they were watching us. I’m sorry if I scared you. Let’s get you warmed up.”

I walk through my bedroom into my bathroom with its large shower that takes up a whole wall, with multiple shower heads.

Gesturing to her necklace, I ask, “Can you remove that?”

Pulling my shirt over my head and kicking off my shoes, I walk toward her and unzip her leather skirt, letting it fall to the floor.

Circling around behind her, I begin to unlace her corset until I can slide it from her body.

Walking in front of her again, I study her standing in nothing but knee-high boots and tiny black panties with vampire fangs that say ‘bite me’.

I chuckle and she shoots me a wide smile.

Grabbing the material at her hips, I draw them down her legs and off her booted feet.

Her boots follow quickly behind her clothes, and she is a goddess standing in front of me, with me kneeling at her feet like a man at worship.

Pressing my face against her stomach, I lay a kiss on her belly button, followed by her pelvic bone, and finally on her clit just visible between her thighs.

Standing, I usher her to the shower and turn the water on high.

Staring into her eyes as she stands under the spray, I unbutton my pants and slide them down my thighs, taking my socks with them.

Not moving my eyes from hers, I grab my cock through my boxers and rub it.

Her lips part and I can faintly hear her quick inhale.

Grinning, I put my thumbs in my boxers at my hips and push them down until I am standing there, my erection standing proudly between us.

She cocks a sassy eyebrow at me and beckons me into the shower where I press my body against her back, my cock between us.

Leaning down, I kiss and suckle at her pulse point, rocking my hips into her back.

She moans deeply when I reach around and tweak one of her peaked nipples.

Spinning her, I wrap a hand around her throat and back her up against the wall murmuring, “What do you want, baby? Tell me.”

“I want you, Bash. So much it hurts.” I push my hard cock against her hip, her skin slick from the water.