Ella's P.O.V.
I fought sleep the entire ride home.
While I wouldn't say I had been sleep deprived for the previous few days, I felt as though I hadn't been able to rest.
Cain radiated a sense of support and protection and I realized just how exhausted I was when I felt myself finally relax in his presence.
He drove home with one hand on my thigh. The intimate touch made my heart race, but I tried to put on a cool, relaxed exterior by leaning my head against the window.
Still wrapped up in the flannel blanket he had given me, I was finally content.
The only thing keeping me awake was the hunger rattling my stomach.
Maybe that's why I felt so weak...
At one point, Cain looked over after hearing my stomach growl, as it had been for the past few hours.
"When was the last time you ate something?"
I failed to answer immediately, trying to count the hours it had been since I ate the sugary scone on the train.
He took this silence as an answer and began to slow down so he could take an exit off the highway.
"Where are you going?"
"It's too late to have someone at the castle cook you something and I'm shit at making anything that requires more than a microwave."
I looked down at the clock that was on the dashboard.
"What do you expect to be open at this time of night?" I asked incredulously.
He ignored my question and picked up his phone.
"We're making a pit stop," he said to the person on the other line. "Go ahead home. We'll be there after a while."
I looked behind us to see the three SUVs containing my brother and everyone else continue to drive down the highway as we took an exit ramp.
Our car was the only thing on the road as we traveled into a small, sleeping town.
It wasn't until I saw the illuminated golden arches that I realized where we were going.
The lights inside were on as he pulled around the building, up to the drive-thru speaker.
"What do you want?" He asked me.
I leaned over the console to look at a menu I couldn't read. Seeing the menu, I remembered that I was in Germany. While I spoke enough German to hold a steady conversation, I couldn't read it. Ordering from memory was the only thing I could do.
"Nuggets," I said, sitting back down.
I figured that was a safe option and considering that I was to the point of starving, I didn't care what I ate as long as it would fill me up.
Cain turned back to the speaker and ordered the food, speaking German to the sleepy-sounding woman who was taking the order.
"Drink?" He asked.
"Water."
He finished the order and pulled around to the window.
The woman handed us the bag of our food as he handed her his card to pay for it.
Smelling the hot, salted fries made my mouth water instantly. I rummaged through the bag to find Cain had ordered two boxes of nuggets and ample amounts of fries.
He placed my cup of water into the cup holder and handed me the straw as the woman passed him his card.
Thanking her, he began to drive away.
I started to dig through the food and shoved a few fries in my mouth before I noticed that Cain made no effort to eat or drink.
Realizing that I was hogging the bag of food, I apologized and handed it to him to grab his food out.
He shook his head and pushed it back to me.
"It's all yours."
My eyebrows furrowed as I looked at how much food was there.
"You ordered all of this for me?"
Cain nodded as he turned the SUV back out onto the street.
"Food doesn't have a taste to me," he said.
I realized then what he was referring to and I spoke quickly to keep the conversation from going south.
"That's a shame. These fries are perfectly crispy."
I saw a slight smile tug at the corners of his lips.
With the way I ate, one would have thought the food was going to be taken from me. In the end, I had eaten both boxes of nuggets and nearly all of the fries.
"I'm going to be sick," I told him, holding a hand on my stomach like I was pregnant.
"I think you might have eaten a little too fast."
I looked at him incredulously.
"Well duh."
He laughed before pulling onto the narrow path that led up to the castle.
I observed Cain's home as we drove up to it, remembering that it had only been about two weeks since I'd last been there. Although, it felt like a lifetime ago.
I was yanked out of my reminiscing as the narrow and winding roads that Cain drove up the mountain began to make me feel like I was going to hurl.
He pulled up to a large iron gate and the two men standing outside opened it for him, earning a head nod from Cain as we drove through.
"It's freezing outside," I said. "Why do you make them stand out in the cold?"
Cain shrugged as if the thought had never occurred to him.
"That's their job. They don't complain."
Maybe I was just dramatic, but I certainly would have complained if I had to stand outside in below-freezing temperatures, waiting for someone to drive up so I could open a heavy gate for them.
Cain drove up to an open garage door and pulled the SUV inside, parking between several other cars just like it.
He reached over me to grab the empty food bag and I stopped him.
"Thank you."
Cain nodded as he took the trash.
"You're welcome."
"Not for the food," I said.
His eyebrows furrowed and I shook my head, realizing how that had sounded.
"I mean, yes, thank you for the food but I was really trying to thank you for... you know, saving me."
"I know what you meant," he said. "But you don't have to thank me for that."
"I am, though."
I reached out and put my hand on the back of Cain's neck and pulled him towards me, letting my lips find his.
He let go of the bag and reached over the console to pull me over to sit in his lap, all the while maintaining the kiss.
I wrapped one arm around the back of his neck and placed the other on his bicep as his hands flattened against my back, pressing my body close to his.
Although the feeling of euphoria his kiss brought me was foreign, kissing Cain felt completely natural and made me feel as though we were made to kiss each other.
His hands slid down my back and, upon reaching the hem of my sweatshirt, slid underneath of it and traveled back up.
I gasped at the cold touch of his hands against my skin and he seized the opportunity to slide his tongue between my parted lips.
His fingers trailed along my back and up the sides of my torso before they reached my breasts. He broke the kiss and looked down as he pulled my phone out from underneath my shirt.
I laughed nervously as he examined my phone and looked at me, the question of why it had been stuffed in my bra written on his face.
"I didn't know where else to put it," I said, feeling my cheeks heat up.
Cain hummed in response before crushing it in his hand, turning the hard metal into a ball like it was merely aluminum foil.
My jaw dropped as he let it fall and roll into the floorboard. He wiped the shards of glass from his hand before turning his attention back to me.
"I'll get you another one," he said. "I just don't want them to have tracked that one."
Still somewhat shocked at Cain's display of strength, I didn't protest when he leaned back in to finish the heated moment where we had left it.
He did so with such a passionate enthusiasm that he pushed me against the steering wheel, causing the horn to honk and scare the hell out of me in the process.
I yelped and pushed back into his chest instinctively before realizing where the sound originated. I buried my head into the crook of his neck in shame as he let out an airy laugh.
I felt myself relax into his body and I closed my eyes, breathing in his scent.
"Tired?"
I hummed as I sat up and pushed myself back over the console into my chair, still trying to regulate my erratic breathing.
Looking at Cain, I noticed something odd.
"Your eyes are blue," I told him, leaning in to inspect their change in color.
"They've been doing that for a few days," he said. "I suppose it's because I've shifted quite a few times."
I nodded, still looking at the ice-blue color of his irises in wonder.
The entire time I'd known Cain, I was under the impression that his Lycanthropic ancestory was overpowered by the symptoms of Vampirism. Now I wasn't so sure. I wanted desperately to believe there was an internal struggle for dominance happening between the gene and the disease.
I found myself hoping that the Lycanthrope would win.
I followed Cain as he got out of the car, pulling the flannel blanket tighter around me as we walked through the cold garage and into the castle.
Cain was right when he said that no one would be awake.
The darkness that settled inside the interior of the castle was eerie but Cain was unfazed and walked through the castle like he had done it hundreds of times.
I could hear our footsteps echoing down the long hallway, making it sound like there were twenty people walking instead of just the two of us.
I stayed close by Cain's side, feeling much more comfortable with him as my guide as we made our way to the part of the castle that I recognized.
He led me to his room and opened the door for me to walk inside. Following me, he closed the door behind us and ventured into the room and over to the fireplace to light it.
"Sorry it's cold in here," he said, grabbing the matchbox. "No one's been in here since we left."
"It's not a problem."
I walked over to bathroom door and opened it, my eyes gazing longingly at the large freestanding bathtub.
"I'm going to take a bath to warm up," I told Cain, placing the blanket over the back of the couch.
He nodded as he poked at the logs in the hearth, urging them to catch the flame.
I bathed quickly, delighted to finally feel clean but anxious to go to sleep.
Watching in the mirror, I towel dried my hair before combing through the tangled mess with my fingers.
It wasn't until I looked down at the towel wrapped around my upper body that I realized I had nothing to change into. All of my luggage was still at Zak's house.
I looked around nervously, seeing if I could find anything to cover myself with other than the towel.
Sighing in defeat, I walked out of the bathroom slowly to see Cain sitting on the couch, staring into the fireplace. He looked as though he was lost in thought.
"Do you have anything I could change into?" I asked him.
My voice pulled him away from his thoughts and he looked over to me. I barely caught the fleeting glance he gave my towel-clad body before he stood to his feet.
"Are you okay with a t-shirt?" He asked.
I nodded as I followed him to the wardrobe on the other side of the room.
He opened the door before pulling out a neatly folded gray t-shirt and a pair of navy blue sweatpants.
I turned to go back into the bathroom to change but he stopped me.
"I'm going to shower really quickly," he said. "You can change out here."
I nodded and placed the items of clothing on the bed as I watched him walk into the bathroom.
I kept waiting for the bathroom door to close but it never did. It stayed open even as the sound of the shower turning on echoed into the bedroom.
Someone isn't very bashful, I thought.
I dropped the towel and pulled the large shirt over my head. It covered my butt, which I was thankful for.
I pulled on the sweatpants but huffed as I noticed they were far too big. I tried pulling the drawstring as tight as I could get it but they still hung loosely on my hips.
I huffed before taking the sweatpants off and walking back over to the wardrobe to find something else.
Pulling out a drawer, I found a few pairs of boxer briefs. I took a pair out and pulled them on. After rolling the waistband over a few times, they stayed put and fit comfortably.
"Mind handing me a pair?"
I nearly jumped out of my skin hearing Cain's voice behind me.
I hadn't even heard the shower turn off.
Cheeks flushed, I grabbed a pair of the boxer briefs and turned around to hand them to him.
Cain held a towel low around his hips with one hand and he reached out to take the underwear with the other.
I felt my breath hitch in the back of my throat at the sight of his exposed muscular chest and abdomen.
I began to get a lump in the back of my throat as I watched a few beads of water roll from his shoulders and down his chest and abs.
"I would turn around if you don't wish to see me change," he said.
I couldn't make myself move.
"I'm not shy."
I caught the amused look in his eyes as he let the towel fall away from his torso.
I had lied to him. I was extremely shy. The sight of his naked body, in all its glory and righteousness, in front of me made my cheeks burn and stomach twist.
I swallowed the knot in my throat as I turned my attention to the ceiling, unable to boldly gaze upon his nakedness any longer.
I heard him let out an airy laugh before he reached around me to grab the sweatpants I'd put back into the wardrobe.
The close proximity of our bodies as he did so caused me to take a step backwards, running into the wardrobe.
"What was that about not being shy?" He asked sarcastically.
"I'm not shy-"
"You're lying." he said, letting the sweatpants fall from his grip onto the floor. He placed his hands above my head to lean against the wardrobe.
"It was your blushing that gave you away," he told me, his face dipping closer to mine.
I could feel the tickle of his warm breath on my lips.
"Are you embarrassed?" He asked teasingly.
"Impressed," I blurted.
He drew back slightly, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
I felt myself sink further back into the wardrobe, trying to escape the embarrassment of my blunt revelation.
"I can't say that I'm able to return the compliment," he said. "That baggy shirt doesn't give me much to go on."
"You've seen women naked before," I said, finding my voice. "I'm sure you can use your imagination."
"Women come in different figures, Ella. You should allow me the pleasure of familiarizing myself with yours."
I couldn't bring myself to resist as his hands moved from their place above my head to where the t-shirt skimmed against my thigh.
The pad of this thumbs slid up under the hem of the shirt and found the rolled waistband of the boxer briefs.
I fought the urge to gasp as his fingers hooked themselves around the elastic and pulled the underwear down to fall at my ankles.
I felt my face blaze like the fire burning in the hearth behind him as his hands slid back under the shirt to travel up my waist.
"Does that blush go all the way down?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper as his nose skimmed against mine.
Unable to answer, I could only focus on the way his feathery touch danced up my stomach. Chill bumps erupted across my skin.
His mouth covered mine and I moaned into the kiss as he pressed his body firmly against mine.
My eyes fluttered shut and I felt myself go weak.
Cain's hands were tucked away under my shirt, gripping my waist and pulling my hips closer to him.
My hands entangled themselves in his damp hair as his hands began to slid farther up my body.
His mouth pulled away from mine and I gasped at the loss.
"Only one way to find out, I guess," he said slowly, his hot breath dancing across my lips.
He lifted the shirt up and over my head, receiving no protest from me.
Throwing it to the side, he took a step back to admire me.
I felt like I was on fire as I watched his eyes trail up my exposed body, taking in every visible inch.
"It does," he confirmed with a wink.
He stepped towards me again, this time taking my face in one hand and wrapping the other arm around my waist to pull me flush against his chest.
Our bare chests pressed together firmly as he lifted me up and pushed me against the wardrobe, our faces now at an even level.
My tongue danced with his as the kiss deepened. I ran my hands through his hair, pulling him closer.
I let out a gasp as a knock sounded from the bedroom door.
"Cain, I'm sorry but I need to talk to you."
Daniel's voice effectively knocked me from my trance. I pushed Cain away and covered myself with my hands.
"You should see what he wants," I whispered breathlessly.
I noticed then that his eyes had grown dark, the shadows under his eyes were just barely visible.
He looked at me with an indecipherable expression before running a hand through his tousled hair and bending down to pick up his sweatpants from the ground.
"Give me just a second," he told Daniel, still watching me.
I tore my gaze from him and picked up the shirt from where it had landed a few feet away. I threw it over my head quickly as he walked over to the bedroom door.
He opened it slightly and spoke to Daniel for a few moments.
I put on the boxer briefs and rolled them back up, still trying to steady my racing heart.
Cain closed the door and turned to face me as I ran a hand through my hair, attempting to regain composure.
"What did he say?" I asked.
"Something that could have waited until morning."
He watched me with a wary gaze, his eyebrows drawn together slightly.
"Why did you pull away so quickly?" He asked slowly.
"You said we couldn't have sex," I told him honestly.
"That wasn't sex."
"It was foreplay," I countered, "which, by definition, leads to other things."
He let out a long sigh, a rather angry expression still plastered on his face.
"I need another cold shower," he said, beginning to walk back towards the bathroom.
He stopped when he got to the doorway and turned to meet my gaze again.
"Just so we're clear," he said. "it wasn't my gratification that I had in mind."
I let out a shaky breath as he walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him that time.
When he came back out, I was in the bed pretending to be asleep.
I felt my heart begin to race as I heard him walk over.
To my disappointment, he grabbed the two pillows from his side of the bed and took them over to the couch.
I sat up and watched him try to fit his large body on the awkwardly small couch.
Sighing, threw back the covers and walked over to him.
He stubbornly refused to look at me, keeping his eyes glued to the dying flames in the fireplace.
"You are more than welcome to sleep in your own bed," I told him. "I'll sleep over here."
"Don't worry about it."
When he made no effort to say anything else or move from his spot on the couch, I turned to go back to the bed.
It didn't take long, despite my thoughts of Cain, for me to fall fast asleep.
Little did I know that Zak had been right.
I wouldn't see the sunrise.
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