Blood Mountain (BWWM)

Cold

A soft slap to the cheek yanked Cade from his spiraling thoughts and he focused on Halia as she pulled him into a tender kiss. He didn't resist, or reciprocate. He stood rooted to the spot, stiff under her touch.

That wouldn't do.

Halia tugged on his lip with a short growl and glared.

"Cade. I wanted this. I asked for it. This was sex between two fully consenting adults." Her thumb pressed at the corner of his mouth, poking at a lethal fang as she added with a murmur. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. If I'd wanted you to stop at any point, I would have told you."

Cade held her gaze with a pained look, his lips moving against the finger held to his mouth. "I shouldn't have been so rough. I hurt you." That time, his fingers did flutter over her hips. They skirted across the marks and darkening bruises branded into her skin and another flood of self-loathing filled him. It was bruises this time, minor flesh wounds that could be healed with relative ease. But what about next time? What about when he couldn't stop? Halia was strong enough to beat him back physically should the need arise, but his magic wasn't something she could fight against.

And he was terrified that he might lose control of himself and do more than leave a mark on her.

With a sudden flash of gold, Riel pushed to the surface. "You think we're weak, Caedus?" Her palms landed on his stomach, guiding him step-by-step until he was backed against the edge of the pool, their positions reversed.

"N-no," He immediately stuttered and braced a hand on her shoulder when she surged onto her toes to butt her forehead to his. "Of course I don't think you're weak. You can kick my ass any day."

A rumbling chuckle vibrated in her chest and molten gold stared back. "Then why are you so upset? Halia told you before; you can't make us do anything we don't want to do..." Riel tapered off and a furrow scrunched the bridge of her nose. Reaching a hand up, she scooped the fringe of brown hair from his brow and smoothed it back with the rest of his mop.

"Hey...stop pouting. You know I'm weak to that look."

The aforementioned 'look' was of downcast eyes and a quivering lip. So. Cute.

Cade raised his head and blew out a ragged breath, leaning his full weight into the craggy rock at his back. He didn't care that it dug into his spine. He deserved more than a little discomfort at this point.

A timid palm slid up the back of her neck, cradling her close as he reeled her into his chest. "Sorry," He murmured into her hair and kissed her brow, feeling her shudder in his arms. "You're right. I know you're right, love. I just—I know how my kind are. I've seen what we're capable of." Cade cut off Riel's attempt to vouch for his honor. "It would kill me if I hurt you."

Warm lips ghosted along his in a brief kiss until she drew back, gold melding to brown. Her mouth tipped up in a reassuring smile and she gave his jaw a gentle nip. "You won't. I've never met a tamer creature than you." It was true, and the statement brought a tiny grin to his lips.

"...If I'm tame, it's only because you tamed me."

Halia scoffed in disbelief and caught his ear in a soft pinch, dragging him close to whisper. "That's a big fat lie. You've been like this from the start." She kissed his cheek and a furl of affection warmed her belly when he sank into the caress. "Don't discredit yourself, babe. I won't let you."

Cade felt his lashes flutter at the tenderness of her touch and it was a test of his strength that he didn't immediately melt into the water. Instead, he grabbed her by the hips—careful of her bruises—and set her out of the bath, quickly following after. Halia was pliant to his coaxing and allowed him to bundle her in a plush towel before he cuddled back into her heat, his own towel wrapped around his waist.

Stars glistened in the green pools that lovingly stroked along the familiar planes of her face. Cade drew both hands up to cup her chin and murmured close enough for their lips to touch. "You have my heart, Lia. It's yours."

She couldn't contain the 'd'awww' that left her throat and Cade blushed hotly, ears turning pink as he tried to hide his face. A small giggle and chaste kiss later, Halia soothed his fluster.

"I love you too. More than I have any right to."

Her vampire leveled her with a painfully bright smile, almost too much to bare. He opened his mouth to no doubt lavish her with compliments and Halia shushed him with a quick nibble to his chin before the conversation could devolve into a mush fest of how much they loved each other.

Not that they could continue in the next moment anyway.

The rapid pounding of feet on hard stone was the only warning given before Ray burst into the bath, eyes wide and searching.

Cade whirled on the blonde with teeth bared and pushed his way in front of Halia, protecting her with his body. He didn't let his confusion distract him from pinning his friend with a furious glare.

"What—"

Ray cut him off with a frantic whine, clutching the loose strands of hair that hung around his face. "B-Biron's gone."

The defensive slant of his limbs didn't change but he dropped the scowl, concern now pinching his brow. "Gone...how?" It was possible that the older vamp left for a walk around the perimeter...

"They took him," Ray snarled in frustration and Cade blinked in surprise when he saw a wet streak roll down his friend's cheek. "I smelled them at the gate, Cade. The wolves took him."