Theo appeared in front of her and Millie bit back a small cry of alarm, he was always doing that, popping out of nowhere and nearly giving her a heart attack—that is, if she were prone to things like that. She pressed her hand over her heart feeling the way it stamped against her open palm—though it was no longer her surprise that set her pulse racing, it was the man standing in front of her.
His eyes carefully studied her face, looking for signs of tiredness that he knew she felt, his gaze lingering on her lips longer than necessary. Now that there wasn't the flush of anger in her cheeks he could clearly see the strain in her eyes.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his fingers reaching out and tenderly brushing back the hair that framed her face, his knuckles grazing her cheek.
Millie leaned into his touch, her body wildly aware of his mere inches from hers. It was alarming the strength of her attraction to him that only seemed to grow with his every touch, no matter how innocent. She wanted to crawl into his arms and never move. He was all strong muscle and incredible heat; it also didn't help that he just so blatantly handsome. "I'm okay," she responded though she didn't much feel like it was the truth.
"You haven't been sleeping," it wasn't a question. She shook her head, she really wasn't ready to get into all that, and she kept herself mostly sane by not thinking about it. She was putting off looking too closely at how things had suddenly seemed to spiral out of her control so quickly.
"It's not a big deal," she whispered quietly.
"Millie you can't keep doing this, you need to start—"
"I can't okay, I" she wrenched away from him, her hands running up and down her arms to ward off the cold trickling into her "I just can't. Every time I close my eyes he's right there waiting for me. Ready to... I see them," she didn't need to tell him who she was talking about "All of them. They haunt my dreams, reminding me that I couldn't save them. That I stood there doing nothing, watching as they died."
Tears ran down her cheek, her heart so heavy with guilt that sometimes she found it impossible to breathe. And it wasn't just their faces that haunted her; it was all the feelings that bombarded her when she thought of them. She would relive everything that happened to them, every fear, each pain and the void that always came when they died.
Theo's arms came around her and he pulled her into the safety of his arms. Millie went willingly, needing to feel the warmth of him. She pressed her cheek into the hard wall of his chest, rubbing against the material; there was comfort in the way he held her. It made her feel like as long as he was with her so could endure. She breathed in deeply, fully intending to push away from him but his arms just tightened around her his chin resting at the top of her head.
It was like a blanket of darkness fell on them and she clutched unto the front of his shirt in surprise, the floor shifting from under her feet. When she opened them again she was standing in her room. He had Teleported them both here. He wordlessly gave her a gentle push in the direction of the bathroom. She cast him a look over her shoulder. His eyes were on her, hungry raking her from head to toe in a way that made her feel sexy. In all her life, she had never felt sexy. Wanted, maybe it was coveted, but no one had ever looked at her with the same intensity that Theo did.
Vampires were drawn to her because of the scent of her blood that ran through her veins. Humans were drawn to her because of what she was, so their reaction to her wasn't exactly real. It was all a part of the lure, but with Theo's smoldering gaze on her she felt female and wanted.
Shaking her head at her thoughts, she moved into the bathroom. She had been looking forward to a long bath, but she could hear him out there, hear the steady beat of his heart, and his even breathing. It felt oddly intimate, him there waiting for her as she stripped and stepped into the shower.
She was done quickly not lingering too much inside the small cubicle, the thought of Theo on the other side of the door, too distracting. It made her feel things that she hadn't before. Micah desired having her as his possession. Others coveted the taste of her blood or her physical appearance. Theo wanted her. Broken, flawed and complicated as she was, he still wanted her.
She exited the bathroom, tossing her wet towel aside, but her steps falter when she saw Theo. He was lying bare chest on her bed, watching her watch him. Her eyes traced from his shoulders down to the taut muscles of his pectoral and the definite line of his abs. All she could really think was, damn. Theo was very sexy.
"Wh-what are you doing?"
He grinned and it just made him look even more handsome "Come here," he gently patted the space next to him. His eyes held hers, teasing, daring.
Millie's eyebrow shot up as she moved closer. "Wait a minute; you don't expect that you and I will possibly even—"
A small gasp escaped her lips when his fingers curled around her wrist and tugged her unto the bed next to him. He pulled her close, his solid chest against her back, and there was something about the way he held her that made her feel absolutely safe, and very aware of her femininity. She snuck a look over her shoulder at the dresser noting that only a flimsy t-shirt acted as a barrier between them.
He tucked his heavy thigh between her legs, his breath echoing on the shell of her ear. Despite herself she snuggled into the warmth of him, savoring the feel of the idle circles his thumb drew at the back of her hand. It was an intimate position but she didn't want to move.
"Isn't Kate waiting for you?" she wondered.
There was a smile in his voice when he answered. "I think we all could have used a break. She isn't waiting for me. Sleep," it was a gentle command from him but that simple word raced her pulse. "Don't worry. I will be right here with you."
"Promise," her voice trembled, but she didn't think that she could sleep without the knowledge of that promise.
"I promise," his voice was soft, but it was resolute.
Millie, settled into his hold and closed her eyes thinking of nothing but his scent invading her nostrils and his arms keeping her body to his, holding on to the promise that he wouldn't leave.
She was strangely aware that she was dreaming.
She stood out on the balcony overlooking the large expanse of garden that encompassed most of the backyard, a large white mansion at her back. She only came here in her dreams. The air was crisp with the fragrance of night and flowers, the moon casting a silvery glow on everything, the sky looking almost blue-black, sprinkled heavily with bright stars.
Her feet hurried down the stone steps among the bursting with colours in shades so vivid, the world all looked to be in Technicolor. Her fingers brush against the softness of the petals as the trickle of water caught her ears. She large white fountain stood around a soft bend, a goddess holding an urn with water pouring out of it greeting her eyes.
She felt movement behind her, but she wasn't alarmed. A familiar feeling warming the back of her neck.
"You know," she started quietly looking up a the large pearl moon hanging in the sky "For a guy who says he can't read my mind, you sure to show up in my head a lot."
A small smile curved on his lips, a secret in his gaze "This is the first time I've been actively trying to get in your head, well second. If I'm here often that's because you think about me more than you dare admit. And I'm only here because you let me in."
Did she? She didn't remember exactly doing so. She had strong mental shields in place that protected her from most intrusions. It was one of the protections that she actively kept in place at all times. A skill that she developed out of necessity. He stood quietly, his golden eyes unblinking staring at her in a way that made her feel cherished and beautiful. Interesting shadows played over his face and she found herself looking, memorizing everything about the way he looked right then.
"So how is it exactly that you're in my head?"
"I projected myself here. With your barrier down it was easy."
Easy. She doubted that anything had been truly difficult for him to do. It was scary the amount of Talents that he had, but somehow it didn't feel the same as it did with Micah. Micah felt tainted with power, unstable in a sense. Theo wore the power he had; it clung to him in a way that was as natural as breathing.
With a soft intake of breath she turned away from him, unable to keep looking at him for fear that he would see everything she felt reflected in her eyes. She knew she felt something. Actually she felt quite a lot, and when he was near—even in her head—it was much to intense for her to handle. Millie didn't turn to see if Theo was following her, but she instinctively knew that he did, she could feel his presence crowding her.
He was a few paces behind her, matching her meandering pace, content to just watch her. Her hair was a dark curtain spilling over her shoulders, she was casually dressed, the clothing molding to her petite body. There was a silent beauty in the way that she moved, unhurriedly, quietly inspecting the things around her. She didn't obstruct, rather she blended into the beauty of nature, a part of it all.
"I'm not really asleep am I?" she looked up at him, her violet eyes framed by sooty lashes looking darker, more sultry beckoning him in, her hair framing her face.
He shrugged lightly, even as his body came alive with awareness. "In a sense," she quirked an eyebrow at him and he had to smile, she was a fascinating mix of innocence and compelling sensuality. "Your mind is working, producing this, dream if you will, but your body is resting. I'm just here anchoring you to yourself so that he can't call to you when you are most vulnerable."
She nodded gravely but didn't think to much on the mechanics of things, she thought that if she lingered too much on it she would just end up with a headache.
"So," he started casually "Where exactly are we."
A small smile curved on her lips and he had the sudden need to kiss her. She so rarely smiled, but when she did the heavy sadness that shone in her eyes melted away and she seemed like any other carefree woman. "This is one of Kate's Villa's in France. When she found me after I escaped from Micah I was so scared, unsure of what was happening around me, whom to trust but I could always remember feeling safe here. Truly safe. A place where he couldn't find me."
His hands caught her fingers, lacing them together, he hated the tremble in her voice, or the fear in her heart whenever she thought of Micah. He brought their intertwined fingers to his mouth and brushed his lips over her knuckles. Her lips parted and her cheeks heated, even when she was detached from their bodies she still responded to him.
He moved closer to her, his body hard and solid brushing against her softer one. His free hand smoothed along her jaw, she was all warm satiny smooth skin. Millie leaned into his touch. She always garnered comfort in his simplest of touches.
"I won't let him harm you," he whispered, the low cadence of his voice dancing over her skin covering her in a warm blanket. "As long as I am here I will protect you."
"I don't need protection you know," she teased well aware of a need spreading low in her belly "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
He knew she was. He had seem first hand just how strong she was, physically and that didn't count the strength inside of her that managed to survive the horrid things that he could sense she had endured. He just needed to take care of her. "I know you are," he answered truthfully.
Theo bent his head and captured her lips. Millie sank into him, his tongue tracing the line of her lower lips eliciting a moan from her. His kiss was slow, leisurely, teasing as he tasted her. He was in no real hurry to deepen the kiss into something more, all he really wanted was to feel her. Feel the softness of her skin under his hands, the way her body molded to his as she pressed her body closer, her arms loosely wrapping around his neck.
He knew how to kiss, Millie has to admit that. The way he held her made her feel wanted, needed and the taste of him drove her crazy. She was okay to let herself be swept up in the emotions and wanton feeling that he brought out in her here, they were after all only inside her head.