Page 56 of Fighting for Her Heart

“Now, we must bid you adieu.” Anna smiles, then turns away, and Timur follows her from the room.

I return to Nora, and she turns over on the sofa to face me. “What you told that princess,” she says softly. “What happened to you was terrible. And based on your story, I’m nowcertainabout who helped Octavia and gave her magic. As soon as night falls and we can leave here, I will take you to the witches who are responsible.”

Chapter Eighteen

Ember

Holding the lengths of rope,I look into Zuben’s eyes. Before they left, Axe showed me how to bind Zuben, like he did before, but I don’t want to tie him up—not like that.

I drop the ropes onto the mattress beside us. “This isn’t necessary.”

“If you do not bind me…” Zuben’s eyes fill with shame. “After I feed, I fear I might injure you beyond repair.”

“Come on. You know you can’t do that. I’m a vampire.” I rub his arm. “It’s not like you to exaggerate.”

He draws a long breath and then speaks on the exhale. “You are correct. I am unlikely to kill or irreparably harm you—physically—but I might do things to you that make youwishyou were dead.”

I shudder. “I don’t believe that, either.”

Zuben looks away. “And there is something even worse that I fear.”

“What?”

“I fear I will do something that will cause you to decide that you never want to see me again.”

“That won’t happen. Not ever.” I embrace Zuben, shocked at how quickly his heart is racing.

He still won’t look at me. Axe, Ryker and Mom have been gone for almost twenty-four hours, and to keep up with Zuben’s experiment, he needs to feed before the sun comes up, even if the others aren’t here to have sex with me.

“It’s okay,” I tell him softly. “We don’t need to have sex.”

He glances up. “But to continue our experiment, it is imperative that I feed from you before sunrise.”

“I know… I’m not saying you shouldn’t feed, I’m saying that I can control my needs more easily now.”

He seems skeptical. “You will not want sex after I feed?”

“I’m not saying I won’twantit, just that I won’tneedit.” I touch his fingers lightly, loving how they flex under my touch. “And we both know thatyoucan abstain if you want to.”

He nods, sharply.

But in spite of my bold claim, Iwillneed sex after Zuben feeds. In fact, I want it right now even before his feeding and I am terrified that I’ll beg him to do something he’ll regret. In spite of the high emotional barriers that surround him, my heart is so drawn to Zuben. If only those walls could be shattered.

“I have an idea,” I say softly. “Do you want to hear it?”

“I am interested in everything you say.” He looks into my eyes and his words and expression are filled with truth—and love—even if he will never admit the latter.

“Tonight…” I slide my hand up his arm softly and then start to unbutton his shirt, one Ryker bought for him to replace the one that lost its buttons. The new one’s nice, but not nearly as fine or well fitting as his old shirt. “Tonight, I’d like to try something different.”

“What do you want to try?” he asks so softly I can barely hear him.

“I want you to experience pleasure without pain.”

His head snaps up. “You think I have not tried that?” He shakes his head. “For me, pleasure without pain, sex without pain, that is not possible.”

“Will you at least let me try? Will you do it for me?” I know I’m being manipulative, but I hope the results will compensate for my questionable tactics in getting him to agree.

He nods, stiffly, barely perceptibly, and then my hand slides onto the bare skin of his chest. He inhales sharply, his chest muscles tightening under my touch.