someone tell me where to find this outfit
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"This kinda feels... psychotic..."
"Don't be silly, Corbear. It's not psychotic, it's manipulative."
"Silly Corbear."
Jake and Tara shook their heads in disappointment as we stood outside the abandoned-looking building where one of Aiden's clans had been holed up. I was genuinely shocked when we'd arrived less than an hour ago, but considering the vampires inside who now lay dead in a pile a few feet away, I could understand it.
They hadn't been very strong or difficult to defeat. The perfect adversaries to get me back into the groove of fighting. All that training I didn't participate in was definitely worth it.
My eyes scanned over the heap before us in wonder, searching for anyone we might not have killed during our raid. Colby was crouched down with his back to the rest of us messing with something. I couldn't quite see what it was but it'd had his attention for a short while now.
"Brother, you good?" Sam called, and his head snapped back. He nodded silently, raising to his full height before he zipped over to us. I almost jumped when I felt his cool hand through the thin fabric of my top.
I looked up at his face, happily tucking into his side. "What were you doing? Please tell me you aren't a necrophiliac."
He rolled his eyes. "Isn't that technically what you are?"
I opened my mouth to respond when I realised that he was right. Technically. Was I... Could I be called a necrophiliac for sleeping with a vampire — who was a dead person — on multiple occasions...?
His lips twisted up in the corner as I went through a mental crisis in front of his very eyes. His hand ran up from the small of my back to my neck, pulling me closer. I automatically reached out for his torso, my palms flat to his stomach. I couldn't tear my gaze from his, completely lost in that stunning shade. What had been his intention when grabbing me? I couldn't even remember what we were meant to be doing here anymore.
Only when he glanced away — down at my chest — did I finally blink out of my sudden trance. I flicked his nose to get him to look me in the eye again and glared at him full-force. He gave me a sweet little smirk that almost spiralled me back into a trance, before circling his hand around my back so he was holding me unapologetically against his body.
"How long is this kid gonna be? I can't stand being around them anymore," Kevin complained as loudly as he could from across the group.
"He should show up any second," Sam assured him with amusement in his voice.
Given we had probably a few minutes, I raised my hand to Colby's shirt and dragged him down for a short kiss that lingered for half a second longer than I intended.
It just so happened that the clan of vampires we were waiting for arrived as I pulled back. I turned my head to see a familiar face on the other side of the body pile, his expression hesitant and his companions already half-turned ready to sprint off. Only one of them — the guy who'd suggested using me as a blood bag — looked scared, though, as he stared directly at me. He knew I knew.
I glanced up at Colby, encouraging him silently to be the bigger man and greet them. I genuinely didn't think he'd actually do it, but he turned in their direction. I only realised his hidden intentions when his arm 'subtly' stretched before me.
"Thomas," he said in a flat, uninterested tone.
I rolled my eyes. "Hi, Tom. Ignore him, he's still annoyed about the other night. How are you and your clan holding up?"
Tom cast a questioning glance at his allies before edging forward, closing the distance between himself and what he could have become if it weren't for my genius plan back then. It felt like ages ago now, and to be honest, it was. So much had happened since then. I could admit I'd changed a lot.
"Uh... hi," Tom replied. "We're fine, I guess. Surprised."
"It wasn't easy deciding to get in touch with you, but you're here now so that's what matters, aye?" I gave him a polite smile hoping to ease his nerves but he looked like he could shit himself if he were human. "I doubt I properly introduced myself before. Amira Andrews, formerly a lone wolf but as you can see... it's a little different now."
"Unusual for a werewolf to join a clan on their own," one of his companions muttered, eyeing me up from a distance.
I crossed my arms over my chest as I lowered my voice into a demanding, stern tone. "Yes, it is unusual but it's special circumstances. And it doesn't mean I don't still dislike vampires, especially those who encourage others to take advantage of women in need of help."
His eyes widened, the realisation that I recognised him and had heard everything he'd said before settling in. He quickly backed up a step and looked away as if that would absolve him from my stare.
"Ignore Ellis," Tom said quickly, holding out an arm. "Please. He's... new to the idea of respect. The clan who turned him were cruel."
"Where is this clan now?" I questioned.
"Dead by my own hands. It's how Ellis joined us."
I slowly nodded, though knowing Ellis would side with whoever kept him alive wasn't particularly comforting.
Colby's presence wrapped around me as I felt him come up to my side ahead of the rest of the clan, his analytical eyes locked on the opposing leader. "What did Aiden think of your little break up?" he asked, shifting his weight onto one foot.
Tom scratched the back of his neck. "He seemed to take it well until... well..."
"Until we started getting randomly attacked even in the day," Ellis finished for him, his spirit returned. He was glaring at his leader. "I told Tom it was a terrible idea but he didn't listen."
"It wasn't a terrible idea," I scolded, "but I'll admit we should have supported you as soon as you made that decision. If I'd known you would actually heed my advice, I would have pushed for some sort of protection."
Colby shook his head silently, and I completely ignored him. As far as I was concerned, this was my ally. Someone I had to bring in to help us, in exchange for helping them. If I needed to completely overshadow everything Colby felt to do so, I would, only because I knew it was all coming from a stupid place rather than that of a calculated leader.
Tom looked even more awkward than before as he shifted his weight between his feet, rocking almost on the spot. "You never explained why I'm here," he muttered. "Is that... protection on the table now?"
"It doesn't matter where we run to, Aiden's secret little agents always manage to find us," Ellis continued.
I happily looked at Colby to reply, allowing him the honours. Really, I just wanted to hear him offer an alliance to someone he disliked.
"Of sorts," was his short answer.
Tom frowned. "Of sorts?"
"Yes. Given your... former ties to Aiden and current war with him... my One and a couple of my clan think your group would make for... good allies."
I slid my fingers between Colby's subtly, thanking him for being a man. "The difference is that when you need help, we'll actually show up, unlike Aiden."
"I..." Tom trailed off as Ellis placed his hand on his shoulder. A silent beckoning to look at him, but the two men didn't need even eye contact to communicate. "Can we think on it? We definitely need help right now but that's kinda the problem. We'll be too much work for you, too high maintenance."
I was already nodding. "Take your time and get back to us when you've decided."
"Thanks... Amira."
"Of course."
Tom and his clan disappeared so fast we didn't get a chance to say goodbye to them. I stared at where they had been, wondering how they really got mixed up with the cruelest vampire I'd ever met. It had to be some kind of leverage over Tom or one of his clan members, or maybe some kind of specific support like resources. Maybe it was just the benefits of going into one of Aiden's many properties to enjoy themselves. Whatever it was, it most certainly wasn't worth risking their morals, not anymore.
I casually turned back round to Colby with a small smile on my face. "That went well. He's definitely going to agree, it's just this Ellis guy he needs to convince."
"Mhm."
Colby was glaring at me. I kept up my expression as I slid passed him and over to Mike. It was a much bigger height difference. "What do you think? Good clan?"
"They look... good, yeah. I think it's still a risk to gain any new allies right now who have backgrounds starring Aiden, but... yeah. Good guys, by the looks of things."
"Aside from Ellis," I muttered through a sigh. Something about what he'd said was bothering me, though; lingering in the back of my mind. "How is Aiden attacking them in the daylight?"
Mike shrugged. "All you need is a vampire with a higher tolerance for the sun — so the opposite of Sam — and have them hastily get into whatever base they're attacking." His eyes shifted to Colby over my shoulder, who was probably still scowling. "Come to think of it, sounds like Aiden's violating the honour code. I'd say his lairs are fair game."
"No," Colby snapped back. "If we do that, we're setting ourselves up for the exact same targeting. Besides, we don't have to violate the honour code just because he has."
I couldn't help the smile that stretched across my lips. I wasn't even looking at Colby but a part of me felt almost proud to know that my boyfriend, my mate, was secretly so honourable and just. No one ever would have thought based on the rumours alone about him, or my first meeting when I hated his guts. But he really was a good guy hidden behind a wall of anger issues that weren't his fault.
I ended up back by his side with our fingers intertwined at our sides. He didn't mention it or even look at me, most likely still annoyed, and Mike begrudgingly accepted what he'd said about attacking Aiden's clans directly. We all agreed to go home now that our emotional manipulation was complete.
The bodies had served as a threat to Tom to show him what we were capable of. Wasn't necessary, perhaps, but fun.
Colby placed me down in our room, causing me to glance at the time in wonder. Was it already approaching dawn — time to sleep?
"Ames..." His hands spun me around by my hips, slowly sliding over the curve and into the dip of my waist, as he stared directly into my eyes. I was instantly lost.
"Y-Yes?" I replied.
Instead of saying anything, he swept down to kiss me so passionately that my head filled with air. It wasn't a hot kiss, it was just soft and gentle and slow. I felt like I was being preserved somehow.
Amidst the whirlwind of emotions surrounding me, I was able to discern that he had taken his hands from my waist, but I didn't know where they'd gone until something cool wrapped around my neck. I opened my eyes and forced myself to pull away from the knee-buckling kiss, looking down at my cleavage where a silver chain led down to an intricate black metal dragon. When I looked up to question Colby on where the hell he'd gotten it, I caught sight of a silver version of the dragon, inverted, sitting on a black chain wrapping around his neck. Like Yin and Yang.
"Why?" I whispered to him, hoping this moment was ours and ours alone. I wanted the others to be minding their own business tonight.
He sighed softly and bumped his forehead to mine, eyes closed. "Words I can't say yet."
"Can't... or won't?"
He didn't respond for a couple of seconds as I memorised every feature that gorgeous face had to offer. My hands came up to cup his cheeks, thumbs running along his cheekbones and holding him totally in place. He wasn't going anywhere until I got an answer.
"Colby," I muttered, "can't or won't?"
"Can't, I think," he told me in a reluctant tone. His eyes flashed open to the purest blue, and his arms crushed me impossibly close to him. He hid away his face into my neck, squeezing me so tight I forgot how to breathe. "Yet."
I found myself scoffing quietly. "Well, you just let me know when you can, because it's a real pain in the ass having something heavy on your chest. Speaking of which..."
He stood straight and I nodded, grasping his face once more. I stood up on my toes to press the same passionate but innocent kiss to his lips, before giving him my brightest smile. But... he had other ideas.
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