Beyond the Border | ✔

39 | rule 15

    His arms held me strong against his body, our lips falling in line with one another. This kiss was not like our last; no, this kiss held more intensity, more desperation. The wear and tear of the past couple of days were forgotten as we melted into each other. I nibbled on his lip, pulling him closer to me.

    He rested my back against the steady branch, kissing me from above. We continued to kiss, never breaking away for too long. Our breath was hot in the cold atmosphere, labored pants surrounding us. It was like we were the only two people in the world.

    After a short while, Theo's lips loomed over my exposed neck, planting a trail of kisses. My back arched as the delicate skin of his lips trailed my skin. In a husky voice, Theo asked, "may I?"

    He wanted to mark me.

    Did I want him to?

    My thoughts were not clear, my voice disappearing into my throat. Is this what I wanted? It was what my body needed, as I squeezed my thighs tight. Without another word or thought, I nodded my head.

    On cue, Theo elongated his incisors and plunged them into the side of my neck, his sharp teeth breaking through my skin. I could feel the slow trickle of blood slide down my neck. It was pure pain. A white, hot flash of intense pain radiated from my neck, traveling down my spine. My hand instinctively flew up to where Theo bit me. Theo held me close, comforting me as the pain turned to pleasure and the pleasure morphed to exhaustion as I blinked slowly to sleep.

    Nightmares evaded my sleep these past couple of days from sheer exhaustion. But tonight must have been different. I heard screaming. There was screaming all around me, but I could not see anything; everything was black.

    "Wake up!" Someone hollered as I slowly pried my eyes open.

    "What the – oh shit!" A groggy voice exclaimed.

    Theo and I looked at one another, confused as to why Mina and Heath were making such a commotion, but then it happened: an arrow – or what I could make out in the dim lighting – whizzed past our heads, barely missing by an inch.

    I went stone cold as Theo shielded my body. With me in his grip, he quickly took hold of me and descaled the tree. Mina and Heath met us a couple feet away from our tree. I cautiously held onto my neck – it was still sore from being bitten.

    I couldn't believe I succumbed to the power of the bond last night. Caught up in the passion of our many kisses, I agreed to let Theo mark me; it was like I was not in control of my body – the only option in my mind was to give in and allow Theo's mark to claim my body.

    "What was that?" I asked, zipping up my coat as tight as it would allow.

    "No," Mina's eyes widened. "What is that?"

    She pointed toward my neck, and I blushed. My hair was not long enough to cover up the mark, so I shielded my body as I put the hood of my coat on even though I knew it was too late – she had seen my mark.

    "Nothing," I smirked at her.

    "Let me see," she trudged towards me, but Theo stopped her before she could get too close.

    "We have bigger issues on our hands than what is on Sage's neck right now," Theo said as another arrow came flying by, hitting the tree beside us.

    Without another word, we all went scrambling. Theo came along and swept me off my feet, carrying me bridal style. He did not want me to have my body displayed as an easy target, and he also did not want me to pull the group's pace down.