The Almost One Night Stand

Chapter 89

"What are you doing to her?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice even. I needed to get Mara away from her before I killed the two of them. "She's not ready to be turned," I said, feeling sick to my stomach at the words as they left my mouth.

Nimue shifted and whimpered as Mara tried to soothe her, "Shh my love, it will be better soon." The Dearg-due began to lengthen her fangs, turning to me, "She's given birth. I'm going to sedate her so you can finish your part of the bargain. Delilah will accelerate the pregnancy and by this time tomorrow, you will have an heir, and I'll have my love." Holy shit, how was I going to get out of this - how was I going to get her out of here?

Delilah put her hand on my forearm as Mara sank her fangs into Nimue's neck. "We'll be outside," she said, then motioned for the vampire to join her. The two women walked out, closing the door behind them.

I walked to the bed and sat down next to her. I ran my hand along her cheekbone and sighed, "Oh beautiful, what are we going to do?" She whimpered at my touch and leaned into me, making me groan. Fuck, she smelled amazing. I laid down next to her, whispering in her ear, "Nimue, please wake up. I need you to call out to your husbands."

She moaned slightly as her eyelids fluttered, then opened fully. Her gaze locked on to me and she shuddered, "Balor." Her voice was soft but filled with desire and it took everything in me not to kiss her at that moment. She reached her arms up and wrapped them around me, Mara's venom driving her actions, as she ground her hips against me.

I moaned, tugging her arms down, "Please beautiful, don't do this. This isn't what you want."

She pressed her mouth to mine, kissing me deeply as she continued to writhe against me. When the kiss broke, we were panting and she tugged at her blouse, revealing my mark. "I thought you wanted me," she whined, "please Balor," I swear the fates are taunting me right now. I let out a low growl as she began to unbutton my pants.

She giggled and I snapped - grabbing her arms and pinning them above her head. I locked my eyes onto hers, trapping her body underneath mine, and flooded my magic into her. "Nimue, you need to stop this, now! This isn't you, call out to your Merlin - go home to your children."

Her eyes went wide and she began to shake, "B...Balor, wh...what is going on?"

"There isn't time, now call out to him, call out for Luke." I could see her reaching out with her mind and felt the air in the room shift as not only did he appear, but half of the others as well. It was at that moment that I remembered the position we were in.

For a brief moment, no one moved, then I slowly released her hands and stood from the bed, backing away with my hands up in surrender. "Mara bit her," I told them, "I had to compel her to break the dearg due's hold."

Luke pulled her into his arms as Sean stepped forward checking her over. Her eyes never left mine. "He's right, there's still venom in her system, but why?" Sean asked, looking at me.

"When I heard Jerron's call, I sensed Nimue here. I found her with Delilah and Mara. They wanted me to impregnate her so that I would have an heir and then Mara would turn her." I heard a small cry break from Nimue's throat as she buried her head into Luke's chest. He stroked her hair and shoulders as he whispered to her.

"That still doesn't explain the venom," the Oak King reiterated. "Was this part of your plan all along?"

I shook my head. "I had no idea she was attacking. Mara bit her to subdue her to let me..." I couldn't finish the sentence and looked down in shame. "I had to play along, at least until they left the room. She was holding Nimue - I didn't want her to get hurt."

"Where are they now," Owen demanded.

I pointed to the door, "They said they would wait outside. I don't know where they are exactly. I just needed to make Nimue snap out of the spell enough to call out to Luke." They all eyed me with caution as the Oak King and another large blond - Brandon, I think, moved toward the door. They opened it, but the two women weren't there. "You shouldn't chase them down here. I don't even know this terrain - it's bánánach territory. Delilah was working with them as well as the pookas." I shifted my gaze to her, "Take her back to her children. I'll see what I can find here."

When I mentioned the children she panicked, "Aisling, Declan - are they safe? She didn't.."

Luke cut her off with a finger to her lips - lips that just moments ago had been against mine. "Shh, little one, they're fine. Gabe stayed with them along with Jax and Victor. Umm, your dragon has the entire temple surrounded and won't let anyone except those three inside."

Her eyes went wide, "Jerron?" Luke nodded. I felt a pang of jealousy at the way she spoke his name. I guess he wasn't trying to hide his bond any longer. "How...how did he know?"

"The bond," I said softly. "He sensed your danger, just like I did when he called out. He must have already been topside and could feel it more than me. The underground can dampen connections that aren't, um, fully bonded. That's why you had to call out to your husband, your bond is fully connected and unbreakable."

She took a step towards me, tilting her head, then walked up to me stopping mere inches from me. To my surprise, she hauled off and slapped me across the face. "That's for all the shit you've pulled. I thank you for your help today, but I don't trust you, and I'm not really sure you did help. Part of me thinks this is just a piece of the plan, a redirect." She put her hands on her hips, eyes glowing, "Stay away from me and my family, Balor. I don't want this," she spat as she showed the mark. I was speechless and could only walk as she went back into Luke's arms. His eyes met mine in an almost apologetic look, then they vanished leaving me alone in the room, feeling the full weight of my decisions.

I'd lost my ordained mate - the only one I'll ever have.

Author's Notes: Well damn...I swear these characters are just doing their own thing...