Page 18 of Worse Fates (Soulmates Suck #1)

I grab the table lamp beside me and hurl it at the blonde bellend who fucking bit me. But instead of smashing into his face, he ducks with vampiric speed. It explodes on the door frame and shatters into a thousand pieces.

“For fuck sakes,”

the blonde grumbles, as if I’m the one being unreasonable.

“You fucking bellend!”

I shout, kicking away the blankets piled at my feet and reach for another lamp.

“Golden, love, before you throw something else, let me explain,”

Lucero says gently, but handing over the lamp I’d been reaching for.

The lamp goes flying into the blonde's face, who dodges it again, leveling Lucero with a glare.

“What’s happening?”

Ramy demands as he rushes into the room, his shoes crunching on the broken ceramics, with Kai close behind.

Thrusting my finger at the blonde, I snarl.

“That bastard tried to kill me!”

“He what?”

Kai shouts.

“We should all talk before—”

Ramy doesn’t get a chance to finish as Kai jumps on the blonde's back, trying to hook his arm around the vampire's neck.

“Fucking hell. Lucero!”

The blonde grunts, attempting to grab hold of Kai.

Lucero shrugs dismissively.

“I don’t know what you want me to do about this.”

“Everyone calm down!”

Ramy cries.

But while he’s distracted, I charge forward, aiming a kick to his balls. But the vampire dodges just in time, throwing Kai onto the sofa. Growling, the vampire takes a step towards me.

Before his foot can land, Lucero appears in front of me, seizing the vampire’s neck. A pained bark shoots from the blonde as Lucero rams him into the wall.

Getting in his face, Lucero bares fangs.

“If you touch him, Rurik,”

he snarls, voice sharp as a knife’s edge.

“I’ll fucking kill you.”

“God you’re an asshole,”

Rurik chokes out, rolling his eyes.

“Wait,”

I say, breathing hard.

“That’s Rurik?”

Kai scrambles from the sofa, his fists ready.

Rurik slaps at Lucero’s arms, but with barely a flex of his powerful bicep, Lucero’s hold remains. In no world should that be attractive.

And yet…

“Bloody hell,”

Ramy marches over and pushes at Lucero.

“Rurik got the message, and your mate is thoroughly protected. Let. Go.”

Grunting, Lucero unclenches his hand then moves forward to circle me in his arms.

“Fuck sakes, brother,”

Rurik spits out, voice raspy.

“I wasn't going to hurt your little mate.”

“What the hell is going on?”

Kai shouts.

I raise an eyebrow at Lucero.

“I may have forgotten to mention some things,”

Lucero admits.

***

Perched on the kitchen stool, I shoot daggers at Rurik with Lucero at my back.

Seemingly uninterested in Rurik and everything else, Lucero rests his chin on my crown, wrapping me in his powerful arms.

I’m pissed, but being the centre of Lucero’s world is a heady feeling, making me dizzy, like a shot of vodka on an empty stomach.

My vampire radiates comfort and safety, and in his embrace, I soak up every watt.

“I already apologised,”

Rurik grunts, arm thrown over the back of the chair he’s lounging in. He’s trying to act bored, but there's a bite to his words and I bet he’s anything but.

“You can stop glaring any time.”

His accent has a touch of Russian, but it’s melded seamlessly with a posh London accent like Lucero’s.

“Besides, Lucero is the one who ordered me to kill you. Direct your anger at him, I have no time for it.”

“Lucero’s my…”

Glancing at where his hands rest above my belly button, I realise our fingers are entwined. It’s like I’m touched-starved for this vampire, needing his skin on mine in as many places as possible.

“I’m your?”

Lucero’s breath tickles my ear.

“...Boyfriend?”

His teeth graze my sensitive skin and I shiver.

“Soulmate,”

he corrects.

Blood rushes south so fast I swear a few brain cells follow.

“Whatever, he’s…he’s mine, alright? So I forgive him.”

Lucero purrs happily, Rurik grunting.

A crunch sounds to my left and I turn to find Kai and Ramy, Kai noisily eating an apple while staring as if I’ve grown a second head.

“Watching you be all cute with your vampire is crazy.”

Kai takes another loud bite.

“I’ve never seen you behave this way, Lucero.”

Ramy smiles, flashing his pearly whites.

“It’s nice.”

I flush.

“Who cares about that? Aren’t there gross blood mages we need to worry about?”

Rurik rolls his pale blue eyes.

“They’re assholes.”

Lucero kisses my cheek.

“Don’t worry about them, beautiful. Soon they won’t be a problem.”

“But what are you planning?”

I twist around to make eye contact with Lucero.

“What if you get hurt?”

The idea of mages hunting Lucero down for his powerful vampiric blood sets my teeth on edge. But there’s a small voice in my head that worries about Jace, too. Lucero is going to find and kill Jace, that I know without question. But Jace and I were family once.

And how much have I changed, if knowing Lucero is going to kill someone doesn’t bother me?

Rurik scoffs. But I’m too busy caught in Lucero’s magnetic intensity; his blue gaze like being struck by lightning.

“I promise to be safe.”

My breath catches as Lucero’s low murmur slinks deep into my ear, my blood electrifying. Behind me, Lucero draws in a long breath, as if he’s tasting the air. Then, so quietly only I can hear, he says.

“So sweet.”

And I tremble.

“You know, you do have a perfectly good bedroom, Lucero. Why don’t you go there so I don’t have to watch you eye fuck each other,”

Rurik complains.

“Rurik, why don’t you and I get some food?”

Ramy’s voice is gentle, meant to sooth his brother’s ego.

But I don’t give a fuck.

“Piss off, you bellend, and stop looking at me like I’ve pissed in your cornflakes. You were the one who nearly killed me. I get to not be your biggest fan.”

Rurik looks as if he’s about to stand, but Lucero’s voice, loud as a thunder clap, stops him. “Brother.”

I jolt, not expecting his loud rumble, and Lucero presses a kiss into my neck in apology.

The two powerful vampires lock eyes, an unspoken conversation passing between them. An emotion, too quick to catch, flashes behind Rurik’s gaze; resentment, maybe? After a beat, a tired exhale drops at Rurik’s feet as he slouches back into the chair.

“Let’s find this blood mage and be done with him, then,”

Rurik says.

“Golden believes he may have a partner.”

Ramy glides like a figure skater between his two brothers. But the way he keeps trying to smooth a nonexistent wrinkle on his shirt gives him away—Ramy’s more stressed than he’s letting on.

“Rurik and I will go hunting for them tonight,”

Lucero tells the room.

One of Lucero’s big hands runs up and down my stomach, and I have the completely insane urge to ask him to go lower and stroke my dick, open my legs and… Jesus. It’s no wonder half the battle plans in movies sound stupid. If everyone’s busy fighting off random bouts of horniness, then there isn’t enough blood in people's brains to fill a cup.

“What about me?”

A wrinkle forms between Ramy’s eyebrows.

Lucero shakes his head.

“You stay here. I won’t leave Golden undefended.”

“And what am I?”

Kai cocks an eyebrow at Lucero.

“Obviously you, too.”

I elbow Lucero.

“Yes, of course,”

Lucero adds.

Kai snorts.

“Nice to be appreciated.”

He holds his hand up for Ramy, grinning.

“Boys night.”

Ramy watches the offered hand like it’ll turn into a snake, then after a moment smiles and gives Kai the stiffest high-five I’ve ever seen.

“Boy’s night,”

he agrees, almost shyly.

Grinning, I hold out my hand, and Ramy gives me the same stiff high-five in return. Kai cackles and slaps his palm to mine.

“Alright! Boys night!”

I call out.

“Oh, and Lucero, I wanna meet Vidar.”

All humour drains from his face.

“Out of the question,”

Lucero says, leaving no room for argument. Which is too bad for him. I might wanna sit naked on his lap, but I’m no pushover.

“But—”

I’m turned in Lucero’s arms and surprised at his stern, unforgiving features. Even when we fought he hadn’t looked this uncompromising.

“I visited Vidar last night and while he may be doing better, he remains apathetic and bitter. He wanted you hurt once, and I am never purposefully putting you in a dangerous situation. So no, Golden, you are not meeting him.”

Lucero doesn’t budge when I attempt to push away.

“You said he’s your family, right? I’ve now met that dickhead.”

I motion a thumb over my shoulder at Rurik, and get a grunt from him in reply.

“Now I want to meet your Maker, properly this time”

Lucero’s gaze stays hard, unchanging.

I get that I can be pretty oblivious when it comes to guys flirting with me, but I’d have to be a stone-cold corpse not to notice the effect I have on Lucero. I place my palms on his chest, and look up at him through my curls.

“Please, Lucero. I want to.”

I make my voice soft, almost a whisper. Lips almost a pout.

Jaw ticking, mouth a thin line, Lucero’s eyes darken to the deepest blue.

“I know you’re manipulating me.”

Then, with his thumb and forefinger, he takes hold of my chin.

“Is it working?”

I ask mischievously—until he runs his thumb under my lip. Becoming boneless, I fall into his chest, ready to be shaped by his talented fingers into whatever form he pleases.

Alright, maybe I’m a bit of a push over.

I feel his deep rumble more than hear it.

“You will listen to my every word, you will not agree to anything he asks, and you will not move from my side unless told otherwise.”

Grinning, I say, “Deal—”

He tilts my chin back further, Lucero taking up the whole of my vision, his arm squeezing around my middle.

“Say ‘Yes, Lucero’.”

I don’t understand my own body lately, and the ache tunneling deeper with each second only makes it worse. Shivers travel up and down my skin and I crave Lucero in a way I’ve never wanted anything. I want to sink to my knees for him, and open my mouth wide.

Whatever shows on my face causes him to tighten his hold, and that ache rises every hair on my skin, so attuned to this man. My mouth goes soft, my nipples hard and my dick harder.

“Yes, Lucero,”

I whisper.

“Good boy.”

A sudden pleasure nearly rips me in half but I fight it back, back, back, becoming a fucking shaking mess. Lucero’s nostrils flare, his arms becoming nearly painful.

“Not to interrupt…”

Rurik starts.

Lucero’s head snaps to him. I clamp my mouth shut so hard my teeth hurt when a needy whine threatens to escape. This must be insanity, how can I be so desperate for Lucero—so fucking greedy for his attention—that jealousy twists like a knife when he looks away for even a moment?

“Brother, we need to make a plan for these asshole blood mages,”

Rurik says, sounding as if he’d rather be anywhere but here.

Kai circles the island.

“And I wanna chat with Golden, sooo…wanna untangle?”

Not really. But reluctantly, I pull out from Lucero.

“Make your plans with Rurik.”

Lucero grabs my hand and kisses my knuckles.

“Come back when you're done with Kai.”

“I don’t wanna interrupt the big battle plans.”

Lucero’s smirk is lazy, eyes liquid, but before Lucero gets a chance to speak Rurik is storming out. Frowning, I glance at my vampire but he simply shakes his head before I’m whisked away by Kai.