Page 35

35

Ride

NYX

“ S o… Was I hallucinating, or did I really drink your blood?”

Jed laughed from in the shower. “It was as real as the day is long, baby. We’re bonded for life now.”

I rolled my eyes, but he wasn’t wrong. Blood sharing was once a sacred ritualistic practice, due to its healing and power-strengthening abilities. But like all powerful tools, it started to be misused and was ruled as forbidden a century ago.

Like I gave a fuck. Jed had saved my life.

And today was my fucking birthday. A new decade, a new me. I was turning a new leaf. No more wallowing around in self-pity. Life had given me shitty lemons lately, so I was throwing those lemons out and picking my own damn fruit.

My hair fell in thick waves, my eyes smoky. Whoever the mortal lady was that owned this place—she had immaculate taste. Everything was up to my extremely high standards, and that was rare. I’d rooted through her entire vanity and every drawer here in the bathroom, finding all her best beauty products. She was like me when it came to lipsticks, favoring reds and nudes. I found the bloodiest shade, holding up the tube to read the name on the bottom. Roses are Red . I snorted, unimpressed as always. Then I focused my magic and watched the letters change.

Wrath .

I applied the lipstick, and for the first time in way too long, I actually looked like myself. The haze closing in around me seemed a bit ominous, though.

“Ugh! You’re steaming up the place! I’m losing my reflection!”

Jed shut off the water and opened the shower curtain.

I went still and stupid like a deer in the headlights.

His long, tanned, naked body—glistening with cascading water—made my stomach fall out of my ass. My cheeks went fire hot.

And I just stared at him. The planes of his chest and abdomen. The lightning bolt scars marking his torso which I had always found delicious. The V that led to his—

Oh, Goddess .

It wasn’t like I hadn’t seen him naked before. But—like this ? I suddenly felt pathetic and juvenile. It didn’t help when he started laughing.

“You got a bit of drool there.” He tapped the side of his lip, teasing me.

I yanked a towel off the rack and threw it at him violently. “Shut up !”

He boomed more laughter, wrapping the towel around his waist, and stepping out of the shower. “Relax. Anyone would be starstruck by all of this. Nothing to be ashamed of.”

“You are such an asshole.” I turned back to my reflection, grimacing at the blush tainting my cheeks.

He came and stood behind me, all wet and half-naked and tall. My heart was doing a ridiculous pitter-patter against my ribs. He locked eyes with mine in the mirror, the softness in them surprising me. “You look stunning, Nyx. You look like you.”

I swallowed. Tipped my chin up. “Thanks. You’re still an asshole.”

He chuckled and leaned down to kiss the top of my head. “Yeah, yeah.”

His expression darkened the longer we stared at each other in the glass. He opened his mouth, then shut it again.

“What is it?”

He shook his head. “Nothing.”

I cocked a brow. “Do you think I don’t know you by now? You have something to say. Spit it out.”

“Nah.” He waved me off. “Finish getting ready, then meet me out in the garage. I have a surprise for you.”

My face crumpled. “What in the seven hells could you possibly have for me in a garage ? I hate all things that involve garages. If it smells like gas, I’m out.”

He snorted, unoffended. “Brat.”

Once I was finished in the bathroom, I went and raided the lady’s walk-in closet. I already knew everything in here was glorious. I sifted through the hangers of dresses, and though they were all beautiful, nothing felt right to wear on my birthday. I wondered if she had any leather. I opened some drawers, pouting when I didn’t find any.

Jed apparently had a whole day planned. Somewhere far out of the city, where no one would recognize us. The idea both thrilled and frightened me.

“Oh, this is cute!” I gushed to myself, finding a crimson-red bedazzled bodysuit. It was a tight, shapely piece that made my waist look tiny. I found a pair of loose, flouncy trousers to wear over top, and completed the look with a set of black stilettos since this woman didn’t seem to have a thing for combat boots. Ah, well.

Checking myself out in the full-length mirror, I felt alive. My gold tattoos whirled excitedly. Finally. I didn’t look like a dead girl walking.

As promised, I ventured out into the garage, wondering what could be in store. A car? Obviously, we’d need one, but I’d never been the kind of girl to get hot and heavy over a hunk of steel on four wheels.

But once again, this crafty motherfucker took me by surprise.

Jed, grinning like a Cheshire cat, stood proudly next to the coolest motorbike I’d ever seen. I knew nothing about bikes, but I could tell just by looking at it, that the thing absolutely ripped.

“What is that?”

“An Aprlia RSV4. This baby will shoot us to the moon.”

My brows jumped. “Do you even know how to ride a motorbike?”

He scoffed. “Please. This is a superbike.”

“Oh, right. Of course.” I went and stood beside him, admiring it. “It looks dangerous.”

“So do you,” he said, raking those stormy eyes over me slowly. Heat sprung in his gaze. For a moment, I thought he’d fuck me right here. The thought sparked all sorts of riff-raff in my lower belly. But instead, he reached into his leather jacket and pulled out a small velvety box. “I have something else for you.”

I grinned. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” He handed the box to me and nodded, encouraging me to open it.

What awaited me inside had my eyes welling with unintentional tears. I gasped a little.

A brilliant gold dragon pendant, dangling off a thin chain.

“Jed,” I whispered.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it.” My voice was quiet, gravelly. It was the most beautiful necklace I’d ever seen. The gold dragon was carved to perfection, its wings splayed and realistic. I wanted it on immediately. I removed it from the box and offered it to him. “Will you?”

“Of course,” he murmured.

I turned around, my heart thumping as he did the honors. The pendant was perfectly heavy, resting right above my cleavage. I lifted my hair for him, his fingers brushing the back of my neck. Then I turned and let him see it on me. I loved the proud look in his eye. He always knew how to make me feel special.

“Gorgeous,” he breathed, reaching out to push a lock of my silver hair over my shoulder. “Looks even better on you than I imagined.”

“Thank you. Really, I mean it. Thank you.”

He leaned down to be closer to my face. When he kissed my forehead, I thought I might die. The soft, warm feeling inside of me was so foreign. “Happy birthday, Nyx.”

I beamed, my eyes still watery.

Then his hand wrapped around my throat, so abruptly that I gasped. His sudden change of demeanor had my stomach in free fall. He forced me to look at him, his eyes dancing with something playful, but dark. “Alright. That’s enough softness.”

Goddess .

But, of course, I played along. A smirk slithered across my blood-red lips. I cocked a brow, erasing the emotion in my eyes, until I knew they shone with aloofness. “Agreed. That was disgusting.”

“We’re going to go have some fucking fun. Then we’re going to commit some war crimes. Sound good?”

I choked out a laugh. “Sounds perfect.”

“Good.” Jed squeezed my throat harder. I whimpered a little at the pressure, my heart thudding. He leaned closer as if to gobble up the sound before he released me. Then he reached into his jacket.

This time, he pulled out a gnarly dagger.

“This is for you, too, Princess.” The wicked smirk on his face made my throat dry up. He went to hand it to me, but I didn’t take it.

I crinkled my nose. I did not like this present.

“That thing looks like it’s going to possess me with an evil spirit that wants to destroy the world. Goddess, what are those runes?”

“Come on,” he scoffed. “Don’t be scared. You need a blade, Nyx.”

“ This blade, though?” I grimaced. “It’s creepy.”

“It’s powerful,” he countered sharply. The fact that he was annoyed with my lack of excitement and gratitude was not lost on me. “We’ll get your flaming dagger back. But for now, take this. It won’t do anything to you. I promise.”

I sighed. It felt like a bad idea. What did it matter at this point, though? My life had become one big bravado of bad ideas. Plus, I…I kind of wanted to make him happy. Turning his gift down surely would not. “Fine.”

He smiled, satisfied. “I have a holster too.” He pulled one from his jacket, making me cock a brow. Shit, how much stuff did he have in there? I thought I even caught a glimpse of more blad—

He dropped down to one knee and ripped me from my train of thought.

The world went dead silent. I stayed trapped in his gaze while he slid his fingers into the waist of my pants and yanked them down.

My heart tripped over itself, my lower belly in knots. His focus wandered, scorching a path of heat down my body. He admired the red bodysuit but favored where it ended. He grabbed my thigh, his touch slow and gentle like he wanted to savor the feel of my skin. My head swam, the same way as when I slammed a stiff drink. His fingers brushed down my leg until he was holding my calf, maneuvering it so that I stood with my foot between his legs.

And fuck if he wasn’t the most magnificent creature I’d ever seen, kneeling before me. He pressed a kiss to my thigh before he wrapped the holster around it.

The pulse between my legs made it hard to breathe. He was at eye level with my pussy. He could pin me to the bike behind us, push my body suit to the side, and devour me. I imagined it vividly, almost whimpering.

He thought about it, too. I could see it in his eyes. My chest rose and fell in anticipation.

But he slid the dagger into the holster. Rose to his feet slowly, pulling my pants back up too.

A heavy, suspended breath escaped me. He released one too. “Not yet,” he whispered, voice hoarse.

Why the hell not?

He chuckled darkly at my expression. Then he slid a blacked-out helmet over his head and passed a matching one to me.

I made a face. This would wreck my hair.

Fuck it . I put it on and climbed on the back of the bike, wrapping my arms around him. He revved the monster bike to life, teasing the ache between my thighs even more. It vibrated against me just right, the sound shredded the air to ribbons. My heart thumped with a thrill, and seconds later we were tearing out of the garage at warp speed.

The rush…it was incredible .

No holds barred, he weaved us in and out of traffic, passing every vehicle in our way. I screamed and laughed while the motor swallowed up my voice.

Okay. I could get used to this. Riding fast, riding recklessly. Running away.

I closed my eyes and imagined I was on dragon back.