Chapter 20 ∣  Please, Just Hold Me

-Eris

Now I'm just irritated...

First!

Maverick can't keep his hands off me...now...it's hard knowing he is trying to avoid contact with me as much as possible. Is his control wavering that much? He thinks he's going to kill me. He thinks he's going to lose it if he gives in and just let's go, allowing himself to fall into this confusing and sometimes annoying bond.

Unfortunately for me...

I'm losing control myself. Each time his skin just brushes against my own, the hairs stand on end, feeling a warmth traveling just below my skin. It begs me to get closer to him, even when I'm angry, it's still there. It's calling me to him, half of me honestly believe that he does have a hold on a part of my soul. It's forcing me, not unwillingly...so I tell myself, to want to just be wrapped in his arms, devouring that delicious and addicting vanilla and cedarwood scent that drifts from his skin. My senses get lost, hardly able to keep myself together and act like nothing is affecting me...how foolish I'm becoming, trying to grasp what he wants.

Does he want to be with me?

Can he be with me?

Is this some kind of delusion we are living now, to satisfy his want for me to be the person I once was? That may be, something that will change for the better? Maybe instead of remembering cruel memories mixed with complete bliss, I'll regain who I truly was. Maybe he won't be afraid of hurting me or worse...killing me.

He's killing me though.

Slowly.

My eyes glanced down at the black bag resting on the top of my bed, sighing as I flopped back down against the soft covers. Sighing, I let my eyelids slowly slide shut, breathing in and out calmly. So many thoughts running through my head made it extremely hard to find some type of inner peace.

Would I have been better left to die...remain dead? Is that not what fate planned for me?

Are we trying to defy fate and now we're being punished for even thinking about it?

When I did finally open my eyelids, it was because I was somewhat groggy. I rubbed my eyes, lifting up on one arm and slowly sitting up completely. I drew my legs crossed in front of me, searching around and seeing the clock next to my bed, resting on the stand. Rubbing my forehead and pulling my dark hair behind my shoulders, I still felt the ebony hoodie I was wearing, forgetting for a split second that I'd gone out with Maverick into town.

3:47 PM.

It's late. I must have fallen asleep. Jeeze, what was in that pizz-

My eyes fell away from the clock, passing over the room and to a shadowy figure. A pierced scream was ripped from my lungs, electric blue irises staring right at me. Fear spread through my body like wildfire, my heart pounding hard against my chest so hard that I thought it would burst.

All of this happened within the span of about five seconds because on the sixth one, the door to my room was thrown open and a very concerned...mind you shirtless and just wearing boxer briefs...Maverick stopped just short of a few feet inside. My eyes had snapped away from the ghost of a figure, darting to Maverick, my voice barely audible as I stuttered, "I-I-It...I-It, I- t-th-the-there...I-I-" there was just no way with how afraid I was that I could form any coherent sentence, just pointing in the direction that my nightmare had come from.

When Maverick glanced at where I was pointing...nothing was there. Nothing left behind.

A ghost?

A memory?

My wild nightmares taking over my subconscious?

I was breathing hard, my heart still beating erratically, reaching behind me shakily. I barely managed to grab the pillow, drawing it around my body and clutching it close to my chest. My eyes were wide open, flickering around the room like I was just attacked, that my attacker was still here, even though they were unseen by the naked eye.

"Eris? What happened?" His hazel blue eyes searched my face as I slowly look up at him. He knows I'm scared shitless because I can't even speak. He sat down at the edge of the bed next to me, feeling his hand against the center of my back made me flinch. I was still somewhat living through what had just happened and lost focus on the world around me.

Just like that, tears overwhelmed me, building, and instantly overflowing from my eyes as I drew in a shaky breath. I sobbed into the pillow, burying my face away from sight and clutching onto it like it was my last lifeline. Maverick hushed me, rubbing my back, and not prying further. My body heaving up and down against his touch, feeling his other hand touch my upper arm and wrap around me. I pulled away from the pillow, my blurry eyes locking with his filled with love. He'd tossed the pillow away from me, my arms reaching out and touching his warm skin.

I leaned my body against him, my cheek resting against his muscular chest. His arms held me with their gentle yet loving embrace, his strength keeping me from completely breaking down. The tears ran down my cheeks and onto his flesh, breathing him in and trying to calm myself.

It was moments like these, that stripped me of my personality...leaving behind the shell of someone who was merely existing. After all, I'm supposed to be dead.

Everything rushes back though, my cries coming softer when I just hear Maverick's voice hushing me gently while his chin rests on the top of my head. My forehead pressed against his chest, pretending I am fading away and escaping the fear that has taken hold of me.

"It's alright sweetheart," Maverick's voice is noticeably light, his concern for me shining through. He slowly lays down on his side, taking me with him so I am now resting against the covers of the bed. He drew me closer to him, running his fingers through my long hair while his other hand holds me with security. My sobs ended, just barely hiccupping every now and then. Maverick gently asked me, "Are you alright my little vixen?"

I shake my head no, but also then nod right after.

"Oh, what's that supposed to mean?" He asked, his fingers still running through my hair and making me ease my stress and worry.

"I-I'm al-alright wit-h you," I finally form a clear sentence, and Maverick's muscles relax the tension that had built the moment he came through that door.

Maverick lifted up from his side, startling me when I found myself being clutched in his arms while he stood from the bed. He whispered, "You're sleeping with me."

"Bu-"

"It'll ease my mind, knowing I'm close enough to protect you..." His voice trailed off, holding me against him as he slowly left the open door to my room, walking across the hallway and to his own. There was a coolness to it, a shiver running down my spine as he closed the door behind him.

His room was much larger than my own, curtains drawn shut to prevent the sun from burning his flesh. After all, life must suck as a vampire...I wonder if he'd ever see a sunrise or sunset in his life, maybe behind the safety of a shadowed building. His large king-size bed appeared very comfy, and my body relaxed further when he set me down on those plush covers.

"Take your clothes off," he stated, turning away from me, and going to his walk-in closet.

I furrowed my brows and crossed my arms in front of my chest, "You could have just said you wanted me to sleep with you."

He scoffed at me, taking from a hanger one of his black shirts and tossing it to me. I rolled my eyes, lifting my hoodie and long sleeve shirt away from my body. I slipped my jeans off and Maverick grabbed them from the bed, dropping them onto a chair near the bedroom door. Just as he turned around, I'd unclasped my bra, letting it fall onto my thighs while I gathered the shirt in front of me. Maverick froze, his eyes roaming my exposed body, my pink nipples hardening from the cool air.

There was something hidden in his eyes that sparked for a moment, but in the next second, it was gone. He shook his head sighing and glancing away from me.

It hurt.

Pulling the dark shirt over my head and letting it fall over my body, stopping just at my mid-thighs. My eyes had fallen to the bed covers, hearing Maverick as the bed dipped just slightly beside me. He pulled the covers back, my eyes lifted when he said, "Come here and sleep a little easier."

"Will it really be easier?" I narrowed my eyes at him.

Without a reply, he reached toward me, taking hold of my arm and I slowly began to crawl next to him. He had settled under the covers, letting the blanket cover the two of us as I breathed in and then out with uneasiness.

Here we were, in the same bed together...

"Maverick?" I asked.

He just reached his arms around me, pulling me against his warm body again. It felt nice, sighing when I snuggled against his chest, finding my own hand resting against his arm. His hazel blue eyes gazed at me, lifting my chin up to see them better. It was nice, his hand cradling the side of my cheek, the pad of his thumb brushing against my skin.

"Eris, I love you too much, I don't want to accidentally hurt you..." his voice was low, feeling his warm breath fanning my face.

"You already have," I whispered back.

He was genuinely shocked, his eyes blinking a few times to figure out what I was talking about. His gripped tightened on me when I helped him out, "Please, just hold me."

"Eris, I could kill yo-"

"But you aren't going to," I smiled at him, reaching my fingertips up and touching each outline of his defined chest, his muscles hard against my touch. "I believe that you have more control than you think possible. You're not going to kill me," his lips inched closer to mine, his head leaning down until we were just centimeters apart.

The warmth seeping through my body continued to heat, pooling down into my abdomen. There was an ache, the need to be with him, to fully be one. It would really never happen though. That didn't stop him from capturing my lips with his own, a small gasp coming from within me. His hand that cradled my cheek, slid down back into my hair, his fingers lacing into the strands. Maverick's tongue demanded entrance; my surrender complete as I felt his tongue dance with my own. His arm wrapped around me, his hand slid up and down my back, my body yearning for so much more.

It was obvious, the growing wetness between my thighs, my heart accelerating as his teeth drew my lower lip into his mouth before releasing it. Moaning and gasping lightly, he tilted my chin back, his lips kissing down the front of my neck, the softness lingering as I whispered, "Maverick."

The tips of his fangs scraped against my neck while I felt him hardening against my thigh through his boxer briefs. It wasn't helping, trying to rub my body against his own, rocking and moaning as the temptation was growing too much to handle.

"I-I ne-need yo-you," I begged him, his lips touching my collarbone when he pushed down against the neckline of the shirt.

"Eris, I can't..." his breath tickled my skin, his eyes lifting to gaze into mine. I no longer saw the beautiful hazel orbs, but black rose irises staring back at me. There it was, that side of him everyone was so afraid of, ready to turn away and make him believe he was the truly evil monster, that he had absolutely no control.

"Please!" I whined much more than I thought it would come out, but Maverick just gazed at me for a moment, contemplating...debating...fighting with himself.

The air rushed from my lungs.

Before I could blink, he'd flipped me around, pulling my back flush against his body as we lay on our sides. I struggled in his arms, angry that he'd turn me away from him, tears starting to form in my eyes again.

"Shh," his fangs grazed the outer shell of my ear, my heart racing when one of his hands slid up over the fabric of the shirt between my breasts. His hand took a firm hold of my neck, his thumb brushing my flesh while he held me in place against him, his hardened cock pressing against my ass.

His free hand moved over my hip bone, lowering itself under the shirt fabric and touching my underwear with his fingers. My eyes slid shut, gasping when his hand dove down the front of my underwear, his fingers running along my wet slit, the ache for him growing with each passing second.

His thumb rubbed circles around my clit, my body arching into him further while I continued to moan. The warmth of his tongue licking and then drawing my earlobe into his mouth made my skin heat further, the pressure he used to hold me against him was...dominant.

I guess this is his way of staying in control.

My ass wiggled against his cock, rocking my hips when his two middle fingers delved into my wet and needy core. I cried out and he shushed me again, releasing my lobe and saying, "You want to wake everyone else?"

"I-I th-thought m-my scream di-did earlier," I was panting, my hand snapping down and clutching the back of his hand, his fingers thrusting in and out of me.

"Yes, although there are two different types of screams," his fingers stroked my core, biting my lower lip to stop the string of moans leaving my mouth. Maverick withdrew his fingers for a moment, knowing my peak was building and I protested in frustration. Instead, he stated, "One, you have screams deriving from fear. Two, screams of pleasure," his fingers fucked me with full force, his thumb pressing against my clit and making me meet his thrusts with my hips.

"Please...please," I moaned over and over again, trying to keep my voice from rising further, Maverick's breath felt against the side of my neck. I knew he was inhaling my scent, my body quivering, trembling under his touch as it begged for release.

"M-Maverick!" I gasped, shattering, and coming completely undone as the wave of pleasure finally crashed over me. My walls tightened around his fingers and coming on them, feeling the hand that kept me in place around my neck slowly loosen. His voice was hazy, panting hard as my body tried to steady itself, Maverick whispering, "Sleep my vixen." A soft kiss touched my temple, my body relaxing.

I felt his touch leave me behind, hearing just barely the sound of a door opening and a light shining into the room. My ragged breathing was evening out, my heartbeat coming to a gentle rhythm. I pulled the covers to me, under my chin and sighing against the softness.

The sound of running water was soothing, slowly drifting back to sleep. It almost sounded like he'd dropped something, my eyelids opening slowly. When my vision adjusted, I inhaled sharply, not able to find the voice within me to even utter a single sound.

Piercing electric blue irises locked onto me, the shadowy form still hidden.

"We have unfinished business to take care of."

Published on Amazon as an ebook and paperback.

To Seduce a Mortal by K. A. Young and Laisha C. Gardner

If you don't have a Kindle and can't purchase the book off Amazon, you are more than welcome to join my Patreon page and receive downloadable PDFs under the Pack Tracker Tier.

Please click on the link on my bio.

https://www.patreon.com/SerenityR0se