Page 41 of V for Vilified (Hunter V #4)

In Bed With the Enemy

T he Season’s urges were manageable all through the weird Fae orgy court or whatever it was, but the minute we returned to Aram’s room after I made damn sure Kate was guarded and safe in hers, the lust was all-consuming. It struck me as hard as it had with Cash that first day.

I struggled in the mirror, hands shaking, as I worked the dress off my body. A little chemise number was set out on the counter, and I glared at it, close to demanding another outfit and setting this one on fire just to make my point.

My vampiric hearing picked up every movement on the other side of the door. I heard the gorgeous villain toss off his cloak first, then his suit jacket and shirt. He didn’t use magic. Something told me it was because he wanted me to hear it all.

I couldn’t hear his thoughts or feel his emotions as easily the farther we were apart.

At a certain distance, not at all. I’d discovered as much over the time we spent together.

It was the same with Cash. I couldn’t sense him or Jo at all now that they were far away from where I was. No tracking ability, unfortunately.

The soft sound of Aram’s zipper coming down forced me to the stone counter for support. I gripped the sink, white-knuckled and generally disappointed in myself for not being strong enough to keep the lewd thoughts at bay.

Thoughts like if his skin was silky smooth or covered in scars.

Or if he had any tattoos. Images of his pants sliding down powerful legs and his hair falling around strongly cut pectorals and shoulders.

He was so big it only made sense he’d be big everywhere . My thoughts were consumed with how big.

Fuck, this is insane.

Jaw clenched, I stared at myself in the mirror. “He’s your enemy, V. Don’t give him a goddamn inch. Everything could be some clever illusion.”

But even as I said the words, I didn’t believe them. What I’d seen, what I’d felt, couldn’t be anything but memories he never intended to show me.

I couldn’t explain how I knew without a doubt he wasn’t warping my thoughts, that he preferred not to use his coercion, especially on me—only that it was such a strong feeling I didn’t have any way of denying it.

Everything he did was simply to prove himself, and even if he hadn’t been bound by the contract we struck before he grabbed me and flew away, he would’ve still done it.

Aram wasn’t as he seemed. The discrepancies were adding up by the hour, but I needed more time. I needed to dig and ask the right questions: like if he knew Lux, or why he thought Hera wasn’t dead, or what happened to his clan the day his mother died.

A knock startled me, mostly because I hadn’t heard him walk over to this side of the house-sized bedroom. “Thinking of burning the nightwear I chose for you?”

I sensed his amusement through the door. My brows pinched together as I shot my eyes down to the outfit in question. “So you did choose it knowing I’d want to.”

“Guilty as charged, little mate. But I’d encourage you to try it on first before casting it into the fire,” he said, his voice thick and guttural, the sound of it close to unraveling the control I’d been holding together by threads.

“It’s rather…exquisite on the skin. I think you might like it more than you anticipated. ”

Unlike when he approached, I heard him head back over to the bed and get under the covers. I glared at the outfit. It was awkward enough to be getting into bed with my enemy and to be on a knife’s edge of jumping him in the name of Fae lust, but to wear this on top of everything…

Well, I didn’t want to look like I was asking for it.

I touched the rune on my neck—Cash’s—and closed my eyes.

I thought about why I needed to stay focused, why I couldn’t give in no matter if I thought Aram might not be who we thought he was, and what Phillip put in his note.

I had to be stronger than this. I couldn’t give in the first fucking day.

I couldn’t abandon everything I was because it was a bit difficult to combat the urges.

Then I put on the black chemise and left the bathroom.

Aram had a book in one hand, while resting his naked upper half against the huge ornate headboard, looking all kinds of criminally delicious to my thirsty girl gaze. It was all I could do to keep calm and shut the fuck up.

His eyes flicked up from what he was reading to where I stood.

His pupils were blown wide as soon as he caught sight of me.

A blush crept into my cheeks, hyper-aware of his sudden lewd thoughts of my white thighs wrapped around his waist and my tiny body pinned under his the way he’d thought about since first laying eyes on me.

It was so fucking unhinged to be party to the lustful thoughts inside his head. I’d sensed similar with Cash, but it was wholly disconcerting to actually see them. Images of what he wanted to do to me, how he’d worship my body, and what he’d do to make me moan changed one after another.

Kinky as fuck didn’t cover the feeling. The heat in my face was Defcon One.

Even with as much experience as I had, I didn’t know how to navigate someone else’s fantasies about me.

It was a whole new level of fucked up to see myself like that.

Mouth open, gasping, reaching out and begging him to fuck me.

I swallowed the complaint sure to make its way out of my mouth if I didn’t get his thoughts on something else and walked out.

I was annoyed by how he’d been right about the chemise.

It was unbelievably comfortable. I didn’t feel as exposed as I thought I would be in it.

Not any more than a t-shirt and pair of shorts, anyway.

His eyes followed me as I made my way over to the chaise lounge hugging the corner of the room.

He clicked his tongue and was suddenly in front of me.

I tried not to stare at how incredible his physique was now that nothing was obstructing it.

He was all muscle and girth. My lewd stare snagged on a few scars before I dragged it away.

So even a god like him could be hurt…

“You will sleep on the bed,” he commanded in a deep baritone that rolled over me with all the authority of a king. “I can’t keep you safe if you’re not near me.”

It was literally twenty feet from the bed. Talk about being melodramatic.

“You should be grateful I’m even willing to be in the same room as you after everything, so you’ll get over it, or I’ll go join Kate in hers.

” I scoffed, ignoring how amazing he smelled.

Like a fucking dessert. His blood was calling to me the same way Cash’s did.

“Besides, I don’t need your abrasive, big-and-bad villain protection, thanks.

I’m fully capable of protecting myself.”

He grabbed me by the chin, forcing our eyes to meet. “You are powerful, little mate, but you don’t know this realm or its creatures. You don’t know my brothers and…our enemies.”

Pretty sure one of those brothers was also my enemy, but whatever. I’d keep that little bit of uncomfortable truth to myself.

“Oh? Thought you said you weren’t hated like I was told,” I taunted, short of breath. Well, not breathing at all, if I were honest.

His self-derisive smile bothered me. I sensed his anxiety. “They’re your enemies too, trust me.”

“I don’t,” I whispered.

His eyes beamed a violent red. “I’m not your enemy, V. I never will be no matter what venom you spit at me.”

“Well, the threats you leveled against the people I care about so I’d agree to this contract with you beg to differ, asshole.”

My pulse was pounding, and the heat that had nagged at me earlier intensified this close to him. It made it difficult to sound as strong as I wanted. My voice was far softer than I intended it to be.

Other than a small pair of boxer-briefs, nothing stood between me and everything he could do to satisfy this growing lust. I expected him to touch me more, but he crossed his arms and his determined restraint echoed inside my head.

He didn’t want to touch me if I didn’t want it.

He didn’t want me to feel uncomfortable.

He only wanted to keep me safe, and that was easier if I was next to him.

He was afraid he’d be too late and lose me the same way he lost the people he cared most about, his family, but he couldn’t argue with anything I’d said.

I stared at him. “You’re afraid.”

His shock radiated through me. “What makes you so confident, little mate?”

“Is it Hera?” I risked asking. I might give myself away at this rate, but I needed more insight. “You think she’s still alive?”

Aram’s jaw tautened. I felt his frustration with our bond and its obvious imbalance. It was another confirmation that he couldn’t access me the way I could him, and it was driving him crazy.

“I don’t think,” he started, his muscles harder than stone. “I know. ”

Another memory floated to the surface, but unlike the others, I couldn’t fall into it. Only brief images flashed inside my head before disappearing.

Lyra.

“She’ll give her a reason to blame you. Hera will make sure of it.” It was Lyra’s voice. It whispered through my head, but I couldn’t make sense of it before it was gone. I didn’t have any idea who she was talking about.

Remembering something, I asked, “You said I had my own kind to thank for creating me. What did you mean?”

His muscles shuddered before he swept me off my feet and took me over to the bed. “How about we make a deal?”

I growled but didn’t fight him. “I don’t like your deals.”

“Every night you sleep with me, I’ll answer one question. You can confirm it through our connection however you’d like, but you get only one.”

I narrowed my eyes on him. “I won’t have sex with you for an answer to one question, asshole.”

His laughter surprised me. “As in the bed, little mate. Only that. Though, I wouldn’t say no to more.”

I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. “Okay, so I sleep in the bed, and in the morning, you’ll answer a question?”

What was with this dude and making deals? Was it a Fae thing? Cash was also sort of deal-driven.

“You have my word, and I’ve honored everything I’ve promised you thus far, have I not?”

As annoying as it was to admit, he was right. He’d done everything he said he’d do. Since it was only sleeping next to him, it wasn’t a huge sacrifice, and I could ask anything. I might even get more through our connection than a simple answer.

He laid me out and slid under the covers next to me, collecting his book once more. I noticed the title and nearly barked a laugh.

Fucking Fourth Wing .

Kate was going to eat this shit up.

“Just sleep?”

One arm was bent behind his head, several pillows under him like he was some human trying to relax after a long day at work. I didn’t know how to deal with it. I never thought a supernatural villain as formidable as Aram could look so…human.

“Just sleep,” he confirmed with a fanged grin. “Unless you were hoping for more?”

I flipped over, afraid if I stared at him any longer, I’d give in. “No, thank you. Not interested.”

His chuckle was paired with his confidence I wanted him. I hated that I couldn’t refute it without giving myself away again.