I Am Only One {Mature Vampire Romance}

Book 1|40. Promises

He held me even tighter and whispered softly, "No matter what happened, it will not change how I feel about you. You can't keep that pain bottled up, because if you do, somehow, someway it will explode. Let me in. Let me share it with you."

I worked on controlling my breathing. Finally, I said, barely above a whisper, "He fondled my breast. I tried to push him off, but he pinned both of my hand above my head and reached under my dress." Again, I had to pause, unable to go on.

Fury vibrated through Cage's body, but still he kept his voice soft as he asked, "Did he touch you there?"

I nodded against his chest.

"Did he cause you pain?" his voice was like steel.

"No...He wanted me to willingly open my legs for him, promising me pleasure. I refused and told him I would never want him. It made him angry. So he decided to discipline me by making good on his earlier threat..." I shuddered hard at the memory.

"Fuck!" he cursed angrily.

"No! He didn't get that far, but only because Keiran arrived and confronted him. If he hadn't..." Sobs took over my body again at the thought of what would have surely happened if Kieran had not shown up when he did.

Some of the tension released from Cage's body when he understood Vladimir had not been successful in getting what he wanted. He said through clenched teeth, "I killed him. I removed his head from his body, and wish I could do it a hundred more times for everything he has put you through."

I nodded again. I think I knew that. I had barely maintained consciousness after Vladimir staked me and hadn't seen Cage kill him, but assumed it to be true.

"Turn around and let me get your back," he said gently, changing the subject.

I turned.

He inhaled sharply and began to run his fingers along the small of my back. Panic crashed over me. I asked sharply, "What is it?!"

"I don't know. It looks like another family crest, but one I have never seen before. In the center, there is a tiger," he said in awe. I knew he was thinking about his term of endearment for me, Tigru. The coincidence did seem a little startling.

"Along with the tiger, there are wings, water and other features I can't quite identify."

I tried unsuccessfully to twist around to see it.

"When we get out, I'll take a picture of it," he murmured, still tracing the design with his fingertips.

"What do you think it means?"

He just shook his head. "You are unique...It could mean anything."

..........

I stood in the expansive closet, deciding what to wear. It would be my first high council meeting; at least one where I wasn't concerned about dying. I was having a hard time wrapping my head around all of the changes.

Cage noticed my distraction and murmured, "Come, love, we need to get going."

I was surprised at the sadness in his tone, but disregarded it a moment later. He likely felt the same aching tired that I did. It had been a long couple of days for both of us. I pulled on a pair of jeans and said, "Do you think Armand will try to find my mother?"

"Without a doubt," he replied simply.

"But if Felaern doesn't know where she is, how could Armand possibly find her? Given my inheritance, she probably has plenty of wealth to successfully hide." I bit my lip. She hadn't wanted to be found before now. Felaern said she missed me, but the truth was, she had never tried to make contact with me. Maybe I was okay with that. Maybe I wasn't. Right now, I just didn't know how I felt about anything.