“Well, what?”
“What happened?” he asks suspiciously, inhaling deeply and narrowing his eyes at me.
“Nothing you need concern yourself with,” I snap.
“Did you fuck him?” he asks bluntly.
I glare at him. “No, not that it is anything to do with you,” I growl.
He growls back, a low feral sound and pushes me slowly back against the wall with his hand at my throat. His eyes catch sight of the necklace and he gets an angry look on his face.
“Everything to do with my sire is my business. That means anything you do to hurt him is to do with me,” he says menacingly.
Whoa. This is the scary side of Sebastian. I wondered if one lurked underneath his fun-loving exterior. No one can be as old as he is and not have a dark side.
“Sebastian. I won’t hurt him.”
He tightens his grip. “But you are whether you mean to or not,” he whispers closely.
“Get your hands off her,” Devon says from the doorway.
Sebastian turns slowly, with a predatory air about him and I see his dangerous side in full bloom. I see the warrior he once was. He is no longer the easygoing Sebastian. He is Vincentius. Roman warrior. First Charge.
“Protecting your sire,?
? he sneers. “It’s only what I’m doing.”
“Difference is, your sire is also her sire. Don’t think he would take too kindly to your current treatment of her,” Devon says in his perfect offhand way.
With a final squeeze, Sebastian releases me. “Well, you have me there,” he says with a laugh and I see the fun-loving Sebastian again. But I can’t forget the other side to him. He is every bit as scary as CK, and I would do well to remember that in future.
“I like you, Liv. A lot. But I won’t stand by and watch you hurt him,” he says quietly as his hand tightens over the pendant. He hisses and draws back quickly.
“I won’t,” I say just as quietly, and he nods briefly.
“Go and find him now,” he orders. “It’s his time.” I mock salute him and he grins, that easy-to-please persona back in a flash.
Devon watches him go and then he moves closer to me, studying me intently. “Everything seems different,” he mutters to himself. I remain quiet as he continues to just look at me.
Eventually, I speak quietly, “This is the longest we have been apart in two hundred and sixty-seven years.”
He looks sad. “I know.” He steps closer. “Christ, Lizzie, it’s only been a week and I miss you so much, my heart is breaking.” He swoops down on me, cupping my face as he kisses me. He picks me up and I wrap my legs around him as he pins me to the wall. His hands work first to push the hem of my dress up over my hips and then to pull the top of the strapless dress down so that my breasts pop free. He runs his hands over my nipples, tugging gently. I moan in delight. I quiver under his touch, feeling his cock pushing hard against me through his sexy black jeans.
“I need to taste you,” he murmurs and drops his fangs. I tilt my head to the side, eager for him to penetrate me. He sinks his fangs into my neck with a desperate sound, filled also with anguish and then pleasure.
“I need you, Dev,” I gasp. “Please, baby, I love you, I need you.” I push his head closer to me, causing his fangs to sink deeper into me. He growls, sending a vibration all the way through me.
“Devon?” a woman’s voice interrupts our bliss and causes him to release his bite. He turns to the doorway, fangs still down, my blood in his mouth.
“Jess,” he hisses and retracts his fangs.
She runs from the room and with a desperate, apologetic look at me, he releases me and follows her quickly, choosing her over me this time, leaving me unfulfilled and alone. He turns back to me with a furious look, and then he’s gone. A wave of sadness washes over me. I sink to the floor, adjusting my dress in the process.
I sit with my head on my knees for a few seconds but then I resolve myself to my fate. I stand up, making a decision. Well, two, actually. Both to protect myself. I quietly leave the conference room and make my way to the elevators. I see Devon and Jess in the corner a little way from me. They are arguing but I can see she’ll get over it quickly. She’s playing him like a fiddle. I’m filled with sorrow because he will end up turning her and I have to let him go.
Decision number one: accept that Devon will sire and no longer be just mine. Once I accept that, it will be better.
Off to face decision number two. I stab the button, stepping into the elevator as it arrives and I push the button for the top floor.