They Rise at Dusk (Book #1) ✔️

Chapter 25: Unanswered Invitations

How would you like to see your family again?

How would you like me to smash your head against the pavement, Dorian? You manipulative, conniving son of a bitch.

As soon as the thought crossed my mind, I squeezed Jax's waist tighter, ashamed I was thinking about Dorian's invitations while being pressed against my smoking hot vampire hunter lover on his motorbike.

Jax wouldn't let me give him the helmet, and the weird obsession that we'd end up flying through the air made me grab him impossibly tight. At one point, he even separated my fingers from his ribcage, making me realise some of my vampire strength came out.

Air slammed in my face as we drove through the streets, my heart rapidly beating. By the time we've reached Jax's apartment, I was dizzy, nauseous and overwhelmed. Light-headedness followed me up the stairs, through Jax's bedroom, and through the terrace door.

"You okay?" Jax dropped the keys on the table and entered the terrace after me.

Cherry's t-shirt felt too tight around my chest, causing the inability to fully breathe in.

"Yeah." I whispered. "I think I need to get out of this shirt, though."

Jax squinted, "I still can't believe you're not cold."

A brittle laugh left my lips, "Me neither. Do you mind if I take a shower?"

"Go ahead." Jax moved from the door, allowing me to enter.

Once in the tight neon-lit bathroom, I slammed the door shot, took my clothes off: Dorian's mother's jeans and Cherry's t-shirt, grabbed the sink with both my hands, and stared into the mirror. There was a weariness to my expression that wasn't there when I was younger.

Maybe the bullet that pierced my lung also pierced through some old wounds that never properly healed. All the anger I've harboured, that festered and spread, finally morphing into need for vengeance, now dried up into something numb and sad, something resembling guilt.

With a heavy heart, I stepped into the shower and let the cold water slam into me, freeze every single nerve ending in my body, numb it all into nothing. The droplets sizzled against my skin, evaporating around me, and I breathed in the cold, sharp pain.

Shivering in the shower, I closed my eyes and let the pain overwhelm me, but what hugged my waist instead were two strong arms, one twisting the faucet to the warmer side, and the other sliding down my thighs, and curving inwards between my legs.

I leaned against Jax's strong torso as the warmer water poured on my body, enveloping my body in a snug, comfortable hug. Jax's lips fell on my neck, right as his hand travelled around my thighs and to my right butt-cheek. A moan slipped from my lips and fire began to wake up in my gut.

"I'm proud of you." Jax whispered against my ear, then lightly nibbled the soft skin.

Warmth churned inside me, "Why?"

"You're brave." He kissed my shoulder blade, and leaned against me.

I felt his naked cock press against my butt, and his hand slid between my legs again, his fingers briefly touching my clit. Desire exploded inside me sharply.

"You're caring." His other hand went to my boob, and he squeezed the tender flesh.

I leaned further back, needing him between my legs. Jax grabbed my waist and turned my around quickly. The shower looked impossibly small with him inside. His tattoos took on a dark blueish hue, and his eyes finally revealed their dark brown irises, almost black in natural light. I kissed his jaw, enjoying his scratchy stubble against my lips. Jax's held my waist and me in place as he pressed the tip of his cock against my pussy. I moaned out loud, my knees turning wobbly at the touch of him against my clit.