The Bloody Masquerade

“He can contact you when you sleep now?” Alexis asked as we sat quietly in the lounge.

I had told him of my short conversation with Eugene and his apparent wellbeing although truly shocked that Eugene could navigate conversations telepathically as long as the witch was asleep.

“Yes, he is growing very quickly. I suppose his situation of being hunted forces him to adapt rapidly.”

“You don’t sound convinced.”

I glanced up at him and observed his matter-of-fact expression. “He seems far more gifted than other warlocks of the past, yes.”

“Augusta,” Franca interrupted sharply. “I am just going to Romana to make sure everything is ready on her end.” I smiled in acceptance. “Efisio sleeps at the moment but he will be ready for tomorrow evening. Emilia will be tagging along to ensure he remains safe.”

“Is my outfit ready?”

Franca grinned. “Of course. It’s in my room currently. It is light enough to move about in it with ease but please remember you won’t have your witch suit. It will just be skin underneath and no defences.” She warned.

“I’ll be as careful as I can.”

Franca nodded and gave me a worried glance before darting out of the door. I glanced across at Alexis and noted the tired yawn.

“Should you not be sleeping too?” I pointed out lightly.

He grinned lopsidedly at me and nodded wearily. “I am not used to this nocturnal thing.” He admitted.

I stood and stepped forward then let my mouth swoop down and press against his forehead. “Then go to bed.” I said laughing gently.

He caught my head before I managed to pull away and kissed me lightly a few times. “I’ll go.” He said and let me go.

I pranced away and smiled after him as he wandered away to the stairs. After he had left me I strolled about the lounge in search of something to do. The last couple of nights had revolved around planning and scouting. Now that had been completed and we all knew what we were doing and where we were going, I was to remain indoors. As a way to kill time I took one of the books from Franca’s shelves and snuggled up to read. I was sad to say boredom quickly settled in. I had read many books in my time so I wasn’t surprised that I couldn’t find one in Franca’s tiny and ancient collection that I had read through at least five times. While waiting for the Crone to give me something to do, reading was probably the only thing that kept me entertained. I preferred writers back when I was a child though. I couldn’t find many that kept me entertained for hours.

I placed the book back on its shelf before I ambled upstairs. When I stepped lightly into my room, Alexis was asleep. I still couldn’t get over the fact Alexis appeared far more dangerous while he was asleep than he was when he was awake. It confused me as to why he looked so harmless while he was at his most threatening. I watched with my head tilted in interest only for a moment before I very carefully clambered over the bed and curled up at his side. With my head resting on his stomach and enjoying the sensation of his arms slipping around my waist, I closed my eyes in hopes that time would move faster. I wanted this night to pass and tomorrow to come. I wanted Eugene back.

I frowned and narrowed my eyes. I knew that as soon as I got Eugene back I would have him taken away again. Romana was going to be a major problem when this was over. Not only was she going to take Eugene back with her to the Family but she was going to ensure Alexis stayed away from me. A sudden twist in my stomach suddenly caused me to feel a little sick.

I didn’t want to lose Alexis, to death or to Romana. Yes I was a witch and that made it against the laws of the Families but I wasn’t a true witch. There was the other vampiric side of me and fluctuation of Matter. I could shift too, albeit into limited shapes, but I could. I wasn’t normal. I wasn’t completely human so the law might not apply to me. And I didn’t want Romana to chase of Alexis and neither did I want her to kill him. I would defend him to the death but I couldn’t stop her from forcing him to leave me. If it was to protect me he might. He was easily influential when it came to protecting those he cared deeply about. It didn’t help when I knew that I wasn’t tied while I very much wanted to be. The idea of lying with him caused me to curl tighter in a ball as my body began to warm and tingle at the images in my head. Not only that, but my mutating teeth were reacting.

I pushed myself into a sitting position and stared at Alexis. I could feel my teeth throbbing in a gentle pleasurable sensation while my body practically sang with warmth. I wanted him to be part of my life until I died. Slowly I leaned over him and let my nose stroke his cheek before trailing kisses to his mouth. At first I kissed him lightly, waiting for him stir, but as soon as he began to react I became far more demanding. I let my fingers trace his jaw while slipped over him and straddled him. Pressing myself against his firm frame and letting myself mould again him, I felt the strange burning that licked at my skin grow, causing the thin clothes I wore to become uncomfortable. I let my mouth leave his and latched onto his neck, letting my aching teeth scrape against his skin.

The more his mind caught up with what was happening, the more active Alexis became. His fingers became tangled in my hair and he wrenched me away from his neck so he could fasten his mouth onto my puffy lips. Hungrily, almost savagely, he kissed me, robbing me of air and refusing to let me pull away. I could sense something animalist rising within him as his wolf instincts stirred. The woman he had been waiting for, his rightful mate, was calling to him and that wasn’t something he could ignore.

Letting out a soft lustful grow, he pushed me back as he sat up, letting his free hand cup my bottom. I could feel the sign of his desire and need pressing through his jeans now, hard and thick, and gently I bucked my hips slowly, pouring oil his lust. I breathed heavily, inhaling air, when his mouth suddenly left mine, letting me pant hard to try and slow my pounding heart. It didn’t help much as his mouth trailed down my neck, his lips kissing and his teeth biting. When he reached the top of my shirt he simply ripped it open, letting my breasts spill out of the thin shirt. I arched back as his mouth continued to roam, making me moan gently when his tongue swept over the swell of my breast.

I wanted this very much. I hadn’t realised how much. Romana was wrong to keep me away from this. Contact with men is fine but contact with a man I loved was different. It felt different. My body reacted far more sensitively to Alexis’s touch than any other. It was bliss. I realised and mourned that it might be the only time I would feel this. Alexis didn’t realise how much the odds were stacked against me. Romana spoke about it plainly but Franca was concerned. The likely hood of me dying tomorrow was very likely. Something switched on in my mind then. Alexis wasn’t tied to me yet so he would feel mild pain at losing me. He could find another and continue to live and watch over Eugene. Alexis was the only one I trusted enough to do so. Alexis may choose to die at loosing me but only if I was connected and completely his. I didn’t want him to feel the pain Lucius felt at losing his loved one. I didn’t want Alexis to die because of me.

Suddenly I pushed him back with effort and jumped off of him. Without looking at him, I wrapped my open shirt around me tightly then made a run for the door. I managed to grab the door handle and was just about to wrench it open when there was a loud thud as Alexis’s palm slammed against the surface, sealing it shut.

“You’re not running from me now, Augusta. Not after what you started.” He growled darkly behind me.

I shivered slightly. His wolf instinct was ruling him. Right now he wasn’t completely human in nature and I knew he wasn’t going to let me simple run off after causing that rare instinct to rise. In his eyes, his mate was running from him, rejecting him. He didn’t like that.

“I changed my mind.” I said coldly and tugged at the handle. Not surprisingly it didn’t budge.

His hand grabbed my waist and roughly pulled me backwards then wrapped his arms around me, trapping me against his chest. Burying his face in my neck, he breathed in my scent, trying to calm himself down. While his voice lost its dominating edge and returned his normal calm tone, I could still feel his hard lust pressing against my back firmly.

“What’s bothering you?” He asked softly and pressed his mouth against my head.

“Romana.” I blurted out. “She has reminded me of things I am not meant to have and why.”

He sighed. “We went over this. You don’t have to follow your laws so rigidly.”

“I know but that wasn’t it. Witches can’t mate with immortals.” I said lamely. I didn’t feel I quite fit into that law completely and Alexis seemed to pick up on my doubt.

“That’s not what made you back off.”

I squirmed as I decided whether or not to tell him. I realised he wasn’t going to let me go however if I didn’t.

“I am most likely going to die tomorrow and I don’t want you to lose your chosen mate within twenty-four hours. If I die without mating with you, at least you won’t be too torn up about it and can find someone to replace me. You won’t be heartbroken.”

“All the more reason to mate with you.” He said with a little steel to his tone. “If you’re so concerned of causing me pain and heartbreak, you’ll try harder to keep yourself alive if you’re mine completely.”

“But-”

He gripped my shoulders and forced me to face him, getting the full attack of his warm loving gaze.

“No buts. I am not having you die on me, whether or not you are mine. I will feel heartbreak if you die Augusta.” He said sharply. “You won’t be easy for me to get over.”

I smiled weakly. “Romana will also be very upset if I accept you completely. She has already told me she is going to ensure you stay away from me, even if it means killing you.”

He raised his eyebrow and smiled in silent laughter. “She won’t succeed in getting me away from you, Augusta, and neither will you. I am going to make you mine right now so I know you will keep yourself safe tomorrow and return to me alive.”

I laughed lightly as he kissed me and dragged me back over to the bed, feeling far more comfortable at practically marrying myself to him. I just hoped he made the right decision in mating with me on the eve of my possible death. And I hoped I had made the right decision at turning my back completely against my laws and Romana’s warnings.