The Dark Edge Chronicles - Clan War

A Dangerous Secret

"Got room enough for a third?" she asked, earning herself a head shake and a wry smile from Cassie and a chuckle from Lash.

It was nearly forty five minutes later that found Lash crouching beside Cassie's bed, now sporting fresh linens and blankets thanks to the base's automated services. Watching her slow, even breathing mark a deep, restful and healing sleep, he nodded in satisfaction before carefully standing.

Where Isla's arms slid around from behind him to curl around his body.

"Thank you, Lash," she whispered as she snuggled into him. "She so needed that reassurance from you. And to work off the anxious energy that was keeping her from reaching a good, healing sleep."

"Mmm. I'm just glad we got to her in time to prevent the implant from doing to her what it did to Gabriella," Lash said and Isla's arms convulsively tightened around him. Which prompted him to look over his shoulder at her.

"You okay?"

"With you now here, yes," she admitted. "I needed that reassurance, too. That we truly are safe from Romanescu and his monsters."

Pulling Isla's arms loose enough to turn and face her, Lash put his hands on her buttocks even as she drew her arms back to put them around his neck. And in doing so, they snuggled back into each other almost intimately, Isla wearing the same t-shirt and shorts Cassie did and little else.

With her leg curled around his to keep him close, they kissed, a slowly and intense thing that far out-did any of the passion they had shared in the shower. For several long moments they let the emotion and the passion lead the way to the point that Lash had his hand down the back of Isla's shorts, her t-shirt was pulled up and his shirt open so their bodies could move against each other as they worked their way through their simmering energies.

Isla let out a long sigh of release and passion as the big vampire kissed and bit his way down her neck, his hand and fingers helping her get there. Then, as he drew back, she looked up at him with eyes heavy with desire.

"You are making it hard to not drag you back to my apartment for a proper rogering," she moaned. Lash smiled.

"Sorry," he began to say before her hand came up to cover his lips.

"Never, ever be sorry, my Lash," she said in a hoarse whisper. "I am yours forever."

Lash smiled and leaned in to kiss her again.

"So, if that's true, please tell me: how long have you been in love with Cassie?" he asked when the kiss broke.

Isla's eyes flew open in shock and surprise. After a quick look over to make sure Cassie hadn't stirred with Lash's question, she went on her tiptoes to clap a hand over his mouth.

"I'm a lilith, Lash!" she said in a much clearer whisper than a few seconds ago. "I am responsible for the reproductive health of the vampire people. I would never ..."

She stumbled to a verbal stop as his brow slowly lifted in silent question. Then she sighed in quiet resignation, looking to the side without moving away from him.

"Ever since she Ascended in Sydney and we roomed together for the event," she admitted, a hint of misery in her voice. "I found myself looking at her more and more with desire, wondering what it would be like to make love to her, even as I delighted in her company. The humans call it being bisexual, since I want to be with both. I would be executed if any Conclave found out I also like girls. Well, not just any girl. Just Cassie." Isla looked back at him. "You're ... not going to tell anybody, are you? Not even Cassie can know!"

She paused to look back at the Maori lilith sleeping peacefully for the first time in days.

"She is not even close to feeling the same," she said, the misery becoming sadness. "She's a girl that prefers men all the way. To be more precise, she prefers you. And if she can't have you, she'll take the chems. You saw how she didn't like the idea of sharing you on the flight going to capture Anna because she thought it would be weird for both of us to be naked in bed with you. Like our naked bodies might accidentally touch or something. I had to ambush the two of you in the shower just to see her, and touch her."

"Mmm. I thought you were being just a little too thorough with the soap," he dryly noted. Isla looked quickly back at him, her eyes wide.

"Oh bloody hell, I was too obvious, wasn't I!"

Lash chuckled quietly.

"I don't think so," he said. "She certainly didn't say anything about it."

Isla's expression softened and she managed a small smile.

"I think she was too distracted by the big vampire she had in her hands to even notice!" she said, lifting her hand to tenderly touch his face. "I just knew I was in heaven with my two favorite people with me, enjoying every touch and caress." Her smile faded.

"Lash. You didn't answer when I asked before. So I'll ask again: will you tell the Conclave about who I'm attracted to?"

Lash's smile broadened slightly.

"I'm sorry you haven't come to know me well enough to have your answer already, Isla," he said gently. "You are not just Embraced into my House, you're embraced into my heart. I will protect all that you are with everything that I have. You have nothing to fear."

Isla let out a long sigh of relief then slowly and carefully snuggled into him, shifting so every naked part of her was touching every naked part of him.

"Thank you, Lash," she whispered against his chest. "Just another reason why I love you so much!"

Lash kissed the top of her head and held her close. But not for long; before a moment had gone by, she was drawing back to take him by the hand and pull him towards the apartment's small living area. As she did, she looked at him, her face both filled with desire and firmly serious.

"Just don't make me moan so loud it'll wake Cassie up!"

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