CHAPTER NINE

For a moment, I go numb.

 I stagger backward, and the site of Hendrix being bruised all gets blurry, all that's in my head is how... How did Dante know this place? I was discreet when coming here, that I'm so sure of.

Could it be Beta Xavier?

The cry of Hendrix pulls me back to myself as I charge forward again, the tip of the blade on Dante's shoulder.

"Get the fuck off him!" I order, my voice loud enough to cause a quake.

As stubborn as he is, he doesn't budge. Or maybe as stupid as he's, if he thinks I won't use the blade on him.

"Dante, don't make me repeat myself." I give a stern warning.

When he doesn't move, I push the tip of the blade into his shoulder, as it sinks further in his flesh and red fluid drips out, kissing the tip of the blade.

"Argh!" he yells and faces me now, temporarily halting punching Hendrix.

"Shush, get the fuck up and out." I reiterate.

Impatient, I kick him on the chest with full force, sending him tumbling to the door. I level down to help Hendrix catch some air, my sword still pointing at Dante as I don't let him out of my sight.

"What are you doing here? Lady Natalie?"

"How's that any of your business?" I retort.

"You better start talking, or I will sound a gong!"

"You might as well start now, for all I care, he's my mate!"

"What?!" Hendrix and Dante yell in unison.

I go mute... How the hell did I let that slip out?

"How?" Dante is not going to believe me, not now, not ever.

"You should ask the moon goddess, she surely has an explanation for this."

"I get that you're trying to save his head, but this is such an expensive lie." Dante spits.

"Well, don't believe it. Not like I care." I maintain my stance. In my defense, they would find out sooner or later.

Dante reaches for the door. "I truly hope it's a joke because it would put you and your pack in jeopardy." He steps out. "And I hope you know what you're doing." With that, he is gone.

I rush over to lock the door and heave a sigh of relief. Sheathing my sword back in its scabbard, and go to where Hendrix lies.

Hendrix remains on the floor, dumbfounded.

"What was that for?"

"Hendrix, you don't get it and I can't fault you. The thing is... you're my mate..." I sound stupid right now.

"What?!" He yells again, as though he's hearing it for the first time.

"What? Do you believe I would just let a random guy fuck me, say what... Twice in a roll, just because he's hot? You think you're so attractive I couldn't resist?" I try to believe myself.

He seems perplexed. I would be too.

"Yeah, and I can't explain why the moon goddess would mate me to a human."

"You sound racist." He makes a disgusted grunt.

"Pardon me. Just that I can't help it." I sigh. "You're human and you're my mate and we... they, hate humans."

"Jeez... This is getting worse."

"Were you even listening?" I clasp my head. "I said you're my mate! You think I would make this up?"

"I would prefer to let this slide."

I get it, he's in denial, but I need him to understand me. I can't protect him if he pushes me away.

"Hendrix..."

"Please." His voice is shallow. "How come I'm just finding out?"

"That was because I was trying to protect you."

"So what changed? You could have lied? You could have told him it was a slip of the tongue. So much for protecting me."

"You do know you sound selfish, right?"

"What would you have me say?" He shrugs. "You know we can't do this, yeah?"

"Because?"

"Natalie, look around you. It's us against them, they would come for us..."

"And we would be ready. I only need you to trust me." I try to convince him.

"We could surrender nicely, nobody has to die." He sounds defeated.

"And no one will, at least not us." I look at his flushed face, and I shrink farther into my shell. "I thought you said you loved me?"

I sigh. Humans. Weak, weird, unreliable.

"I did say that, but I never saw this coming. It feels like I'm being used."

I go for his hand, and when he doesn't flinch, I hold him tightly.

"No dear, I wasn't using you... And I'm still not using you, why would you feel that way."

"Can we not talk about this?"

I guess he's trying to avoid all of this, or better still suppress it... And he has every right to. There's a long silence afterward.

He pulls up and rests on the sofa, his distorted face is swollen and bruised.

"Are you okay?" My voice is shaky.

"Do I look the part?"

"That was a silly question." I resolve.

I would rather beat about than apologize or accept my flaws.

"It's not a silly question, it's just a silly approach." He sighs.

I look at him for a moment, he sure does make pissing me off seem sexy.

"What do you want me to get you?" I squat to his level.

Never have I ever been this confused, or scared to be scolded. Not like I've been scolded by anyone else aside from my papa.

And never have I had to worry about someone else's safety, not even a baby's. And now, I have to watch over a full-grown man. Hilarious and...

My train of thought is shaken when I feel a firm hand wrap around my waist and pull me forward.

Wet lips smooch mine, tenderly and softly.

I'm careful enough not to be too hard or rough, to not hurt him further. The taste of metallic substance and salt, definitely his blood and fluid, fills all of my taste buds and I swallow hungrily, begging for more.

He pulls away and assesses my face, those beautiful sea-blue eyes that are now encased in red and swollen eyelids.

I sigh, angry at myself for not protecting him sooner. Regardless, I still get pulled by his charm, no matter how horrible he looks.

My eyes wander to his lips, tracing the lines of it. The urge to run my fingertip across it, makes me quiver.

"Do it." His lips part as he speaks.

I look at him for clarity.

"Do it, what's on your mind. Now."

And like a child, I obey without arguing. The tip of my index finger trails the fine line of his lips as I arch forward to smell the fresh breath of bloodied mint when he parts them again, but this time, with a smile.

I pause and look at him, my lips curl up in a smile too.

"They call on you?"

I let my hand drop and don't respond.

"So you know, yours call me too. Every inch of you." He places his finger on my lips and traces them.

I smile, enjoying the feel of it.

"Come on, sit." He pats a spot on his lap.

Not hesitating, I sit.

"You don't seem angry anymore." I state my surprise.

"And I also know this is just the tip of the iceberg."

I giggle. "It's not funny, you could die."

"I thought you said nobody has to?"

"Silly." I slap him gently. "That was just me being optimistic."

"I may not be strong, but I'm not an easy kill." He plays with my hair. "And when I drank from your forbidden waters, I knew it wouldn't all be rosy. To be honest, I knew this wouldn't be easy, especially if your mate found out... I never knew it was I."

My cheeks flush with embarrassment, did he just liken my bud to a forbidden stream?

He tugs a strand of my hair behind my ear. "You should go and meet your enraged lover...if I were him, I would kill me." He chuckles.

I frown. "This is not funny, Drix... Hendrix."

"Shush." He runs his hand along the length of my arm, gently and smoothly.

I go rigid. How he knows how to make me need him.

"Call me Drix, break a rule for me...one more rule." He continues trailing while his eyes hold mine.

I swallow hard, shaken and reshaped by just one man in less than one month. Undoing all that I've mastered for years.

"Drix." I whisper.

He presses a soft featherlike kiss on my neckline.

"Are you insinuating that I'm cheating?" I focus on my anger.

"I'm good, so long as I don't get cheated on."

I scoff. "You're just being goopy. So long as he's my lover, he has the right to make out with me, and that means me cheating on you."

"I dare you to cheat on me." He cups my breast and reaches down to press a kiss on it.

"And cocky too." I stiffen for a moment, my eyes are closed and my senses heighten.

"Who wouldn't want to claim a sexy demi-goddess as yourself?"

My eyelids fly open. "Are you with me because you want to make me yet another experiment?"

He lets go of my breast and I cuss beneath my breath.

"Not exactly. I'm with you because I get this pull by nature's strings. It's so strong."

I smile, knowing exactly what he's doing.

He pulls up my garment, exposing my thick thighs.

When he places his hand on it, I spread it helplessly and chew on my bottom lips.

His hand travels up to my bud, that's free on display.

He rubs on my soft flesh and parts the thick lips to stimulate my nerves by rubbing on my clit.

I arch forward, resting squarely on his fingers and urging him to plunge it in.

Rather, he parts my lips wider and taps on the orifice of my vagina, transparent and slimy fluid follows his fingers.

I get wetter, as I watch him play with my pre-cum.

He stops and pulls down my dress. "Now, go iron this issue out."

I freeze, unbelievable. I'm hungry and horny, and he can't just show me food and take it away, not for the second time.

"Hen...Drix, you can't possibly send me away like this." My voice is shaky and I try not to beg for his touch.

"You have more pressing issues."

"I get it..."

"Do you?" He funnily looks at me.

Fine. If he isn't going to pleasure me, I would myself. He taught me the act of sinful pleasure and I would make him know I'm a fast learner.

I pull up my dress and run a hand along my thighs when he stops me, his coarse hand on mine.

"Don't you do that. Not here, not anywhere until I tell you so."

"Please." I find myself begging, almost sobbing like a starved child.

"You should go home and sort things out and come back to take your reward."

He removes my hand from my thighs and gives my bud a tender pat before pulling my dress down.

I gasp, getting all the more wetter. To worsen things, I feel his bulge in between my ass.

How is he exerting so much self-control?

Losing it, I begin to rock my bum cheeks on it.

He gently gets me off his lap against my wish and stands up. "The earlier, the better."

Damn!

I stand up and let my wandering hand drop on my pelvis.

"Don't." He warns. "And make sure you come back here the same."

So much guts from a mere mortal. I scream in frustration and stumble, in need to heap this hot coal of fierceness on Dante, Beta Xavier, and anyone who storms my way.