Struck (A Vampire Novel) ✔

Thirty-Nine

“I think jealousy doesn’t exist in our language,” Xander glanced at me, winking charmingly, “We love to share.”

Aveline sighed then. “Too bad Jacobi doesn’t feel the same. No more fun with our little tiger, I can guarantee it. Unless we want to lose our hands. But at least we can pretend, right Xander?”

Xander’s smile widened deviously. “Oh yes. Elysia’s a loud lover.”

“Yeah, if we time it right, we can pretend we’re right there with her,” Aveline stated happily. My mouth dropped in mortification as they laughed openly at me.  

“Does it gross you out, Elysia?” Wyatt asked me abruptly. I hesitated, momentarily confused if he was talking about what Aveline had said or something else entirely. “The fact that you belonged to Xander and Aveline, who are what? Forty or so years older than you? And now you’re basically having sex with Aveline’s great-great-great-great-great-great-great-uncle?” I blinked at his straightforward and personal question while Aveline laughed humorously.

“Stop it, Callum. You know she can’t tell we’re messing with her,” She scolded with a smirk. I released a breath of anxiety I had been holding, but still felt uncomfortable. It was true, wasn’t it? I was only nineteen years old and I had given myself to an ancient guy who was some generations older uncle of the woman who was groping me not too long ago. I had to admit, my life was beyond strange.

“Alright, but seriously, it’s interesting that he claimed Elysia,” Wyatt caught my gaze intensely, his face clear of all humor, “You should know, if you don’t already, that he has never claimed a human. He has never had a Mate. He’s only ever turned Aveline. Jacobi is one of the most picky, self-controlled vampires I have ever met and the best Master of any Coterie I’ve ever come across.”

I swallowed nervously. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because I know the only reason you’d agree to any of this would be to preserve your own life. But just know, if you betray him again, no vow of protection will mean anything to me. I serve him first,” Wyatt stated darkly. My chest tightened at the threat, but a burning anger began to rise in my veins at his words. For once, I couldn’t just keep silent.

“You don’t know anything, Wyatt Callum. I didn’t accept Jacobi’s claim over me to preserve my life. Not that it’s any of your business,” I snapped angrily, turning away from everyone to look out the window at the black night. I thought about how Jacobi had told me his darkest secret in the quiet of his bed and how he had told me that he was mine. I reached for my lips absently before muttering, “I’d never betray him. Never again.”

~…~

My mood had only gone from bad to worse on the return trip. I wasn’t an extrovert, so instead of taking it out on anyone, I just became quieter and quieter. I felt the further we moved away from Noland’s territory, the more lifeless I was becoming. It wasn’t as though I couldn’t survive without having Jacobi around. I wasn’t some master-less slave. Even when our jet landed on the airfield in New Jersey, I could still feel his spirit settled within me like a warm blanket. I guess, in my own way, I just simply craved him.

Xander, Aveline, and Wyatt appeared physically relieved once our ride arrived to the Bryant Coterie’s Headquarters. I followed behind their all-too-friendly group as they led me into what I had for so long considered my prison. Now, I looked up at the foundation with my own type of relief. Somehow, I had survived the disaster of visiting another coterie. I could imagine now why Xander and Aveline had been so moody after arriving from visiting Vincent’s territory.

We entered the headquarters slowly. As our group walked into the main lobby area, we were halted by a strange assortment of what looked to be piles of bags. It wasn’t a particularly huge pile, but it wasn’t particularly small either. I carefully moved around Aveline, trying to peek in order to see what it was about the pile of bags that made my company suddenly so… alert.