Chapter 7

Orion leads me through the place and past a lounge room into a kitchen before walking me to a sliding door. He slides it open, and I am blasted by the cold crisp air of the night. Stepping onto the balcony, Orion points to some chairs. I sit on one, peering over the side. I see we are very high up, the lights below look like fairy lights against the snow covered rooftops. "Don t ever run from him. Thaddeus is more predator than human," Orion says, making my eyes snap from the view to him. I watch as he lights up a smoke, and my mouth falls open. He lectures me every time he follows me out for a smoke at work. He chuckles softly. "What?" I raise an eyebrow at him, and he passes the packet to me and I pull one out, Orion flicks the lighter cupping the flame so I can light my smoke. "Such a bad habit, you really shouldn t smoke," he says, his lips turning up slightly. "You smoke," I tell him. "I m immortal, it can t kill me," he says, but the way he said it, he sounded sad. "What s Thaddeus deal?" "He hasn t got good control. Don t run from him again like that. I know you re scared but we really won t hurt you. Not intentionally, anyway." "Why am I here?" Orion looks at me, his eyes softening and twinkling in the light. "You know about shifters?" he asks. I nod. I kind of do, about as much as anyone else. "Well, all supernatural creatures have mates, you re ours," he says matter-of-factly. "What s that mean?" How could I be theirs? I don t want to belong to the dark ones. "You are ours and we are yours. We are bound together." I shake my head when something rushes over me, making me gasp. Orion s eyes watching my face, a seductive smile on his full lips. "You feel that?" he asks, and I nod, a moan escaping my lips and I clamp my hand over my mouth. Arousal flooding into me. "The mark on your neck, it makes you feel his emotions. It will get stronger. Eventually you will go into what we call a heat." "Heat?" "Means you will want to have sex with him." I choke on my smoke, coughing at his words. He chuckles. "Don t panic, not yet, but once we all mark you, you will still feel what he feels and he can feel us, so in return right now your picking up on both of them," he says like this is a normal conversation. I just nod, not really understanding. I wasn t sure how long I sat on the balcony for eventually falling asleep, only to be awoken by Orion as he placed me on the couch inside. My eyes fluttering open to him leaning over me. "Go back to sleep, I will be back soon." "Don t leave me here with them." I sat up in panic, looking around. Orion, noticing my panic, stops before sighing. "I m just going to have a shower. They re asleep they won t hurt you, Evelyn," he says brushing my cheek with his hand. I nod and watch as he leaves walking into the bathroom. I sat there for a few minutes waiting for him to return when a thought hit me. If they were asleep and Orion distracted, this was my chance to escape. I look around for my shoes and found them next to the lounge. My heart was pounding, my body buzzing with adrenaline at the thought of escaping them. Getting up, I walk to the bathroom door and can hear the shower running still. Quietly walking up the hallway, I find the front door and open it. The door creaks and my breath hitches, getting caught in my throat. I look down the hall to see if anyone is coming. I pull the door open more when suddenly a hand hits the door right beside my face, closing the door. "And where do you think you re going?" His voice is next to my ear as he leans down, his chest pressing into my back. I gulp, my heart pounding in my chest. Turning around, I come face to face with Thaddeus. His green eyes watch me as they sparkle brightly. Flickering oddly between green and black. "Were you trying to leave me, Evelyn?" he asks, a cold shiver running up my spine as he presses me against the now closed door. I shake my head, words failing me. Thaddeus s hand moves, brushing my cheek softly before he grips my face. "I would hate to see you get hurt because you disobeyed me," he says, watching my face closely. He then straightens up before stepping aside, motioning with his hand to walk back down the hallway. He waits for me to move and follows close behind me. I can feel his eyes roaming over me and I fight the urge to run. When I see the bathroom door Orion went in, I quickly open it stepping inside, preferring to be in his company then that of Thaddeus. I lock the door, stepping backwards into the bathroom, my eyes not leaving the door, wondering if he would come in after me. When he doesn t, I turn around before quickly averting my gaze as I see Orion standing in the shower. "Looking for me, little one? Care to join me?" he asks, making me look at him. He has a smirk on his face as my eyes roam down his toned body. A blush creeps onto my face as my eyes catch a glimpse of what sits between his legs, making me look away. I shake my head before sitting on the sink basin. "So why have you invaded my shower if you don t want to join me?" "Thaddeus," I tell him. "Argh. Let me guess, you tried to leave." I nod, when suddenly I hear the shower turn off. Orion opens the glass door before reaching out and grabbing the towel next to me on the sink. He wraps the towel around his waist. He stands there for a second before pushing my legs open and standing between them, making me look at him. "You re safe here, Evelyn. You don t need to run. Thaddeus isn t so bad once you get to know him," he says. "He destroyed the world. How can you say that? He has killed innocent people, Orion," I ask him. Orion sighs before suddenly the door handle twists and snaps off, landing on the tiled floor with a loud clunking noise. Thaddeus steps in before leaning on the door. I hold my breath as his eyes watch us and the position, we are standing in. "We will be leaving in the morning; you should get some sleep before sunrise," he says, watching me. He looks to Orion, his eyes roaming over his mate s body, and I can see the lust in his eyes. Was he insatiable? He had spent all night in the room with Ryland. Orion steps back, grabbing my hand and pulling me off the sink. Thaddeus doesn t move from the doorway, just turns so we can walk past. Orion tugged me toward their room, and I stopped, Thaddeus running into the back of me nearly knocking me over. "What s wrong?" Orion asks when I refuse to go any further. "I m not sleeping in there with them." I hear Thaddeus growl. It was a guttural sound, primal. My hair stands on end, and I shivered. "You will be sleeping in the room, Evelyn. I won t have you trying to run off again," Thaddeus says pushing me toward the door. "No, no, please I won t run" I tell him as he drags me in the room. Orion chucks a pair of pants on before walking over to Thaddeus and placing his hand on his shoulder. "Let her sleep in the lounge room, I will watch her," he says, reassuring Thaddeus. Thaddeus eyes me before letting me go. "She escapes, I will hold you responsible," he says his voice held warning and Orion nodded before pulling me out of the room. "What time is it anyway?" "A little after two. Go hop on the couch, I will get you a blanket and pillow." I walk over to the lounge before flopping down on it. Orion walks out, chucking a duvet over me and handing me a pillow. I feel a fog roll over me as Orion sits on the couch, flicking the TV on. He scrolls through the channels before settling on some movie in a foreign language. "Sleep, I won t leave, I promise," he says, placing my feet on his lap and covering them with the blanket. My mind gets foggier and my eyelids heavy as I feel exhaustion come over me. My eyes close and I am plunged into the darkness of sleep. Thaddeus Pov When the sun rises, I am awoken by Ryland moving in his sleep, his hand reaching out for me. Sitting up, I rub my eyes. I can hear Orion rustling around in the kitchen. Throwing the blanket off, I open the bedroom door. Orion puts finger to his lips, making me look over at the couch. I can see Evelyn still fast asleep with the duvet wrapped around her. Moving to the lounge, I lift her head gently before sitting down and removing her pillow. Her scent is making my mouth water, and longing fills me. I just want to hold her, yet the idea of actually doing that scares me. Evelyn is so fragile, and sometimes I forget she merely human. I can practically smell her humanity. At first, I had my doubts that she was human, never in history has a human been mated to a supernatural being, yet here she was living proof that nothing is impossible. I listened to her breathing and heart rate, brushing her hair from her face she turned rolling in her sleep, her face rubbing my crotch. I tried to shift, but she continued to move trying to get comfortable. I could feel my dick becoming hard as it twitched under her. This delicate little thing does not know the effect she has on me, even while sleeping. Orion walks over, leaning over the back of the lounge to check on her. Looking up, he kisses me softly. "You won t break her. She isn t as fragile as she looks, Thaddeus," he tells me, and I nod, looking back down at her. Leaning down I inhale her scent she shifts her eyes fluttering open and I find myself lost in her hazel eyes mesmerised by them. I hear her heart rate rise, hear the blood pulsing through her veins, and practically see the cogs turning in her head. She sits up, alarm on her face, but yet she can t pull her eyes from mine, like she is unsure if she should run or freeze. Ryland walks out snapping her attention to him. I knew he woke from feeling her fear. She would feel the bond they were forming slightly, while he feels her completely and I can feel her hear through him. "I won t hurt you, I just wanted to be near you," I tell her. She looks at me curiously. I watch as she gets up, instantly missing her contact. She walks over to Orion and I feel jealousy surge through me. I understand she has been around him more, used to his presence in a way. Yet it doesn t stop me from feeling anger at him. Orion hands me a plate, raising an eyebrow, and I shake my head, shaking off the feeling that comes over me. Getting up I sit at the table next to her and she goes to get up. It angers me how she doesn t want to be near me. I grip her wrist, making Ryland and Orion stare before she sits back down. Orion watching her gives her nod and slides her plate in front of her. "Eat," I tell her, Evelyn picks up the fork, pushing her food around but not eating any of it. I can feel darkness clouding me, telling me to force her, feel it licking at skin urging me to make her submit to my demands. "If you re not hungry, why don t you have a shower," he says, his eyes not leaving mine. I instinctually go to rip her back down when Ryland reaches over the table, grabbing my wrist. The alarm in her eyes entices me, and I know she can feel my aura giving off a deadly vibe. Forcing the darkness down, I speak through clenched teeth. "Go," I tell her, and she moves quickly, darting into the room. Ryland waits a few seconds before letting my wrist go. He sits down and I spear a piece of tomato with my fork, not realising how much force I used as the plate splits in two. I shove the plate away before getting up and tossing the broken pieces in the sink. "Here, I will make some more," Orion says, about to hand me his plate. I shake my head, walking toward the bedroom. Ryland stands, making me look at him. "Thaddeus, you will only scare her more," he says. "I don t care," I tell him, walking off. I just want to touch her, feel her soft skin under my hands. "Thaddeus," Orion warns me as I open the door. Walking over to the ensuite, I turn the knob but it is locked. Twisting the knob, it falls apart in my hands. The door opens slightly, her scent wafting to my nose. I can t help the growl that escapes my lips, and I push it open before stepping in. Her scream resonates and echoes through the bathroom when she notices me standing there watching her. She turns her back to me, trying to shield herself from my eyes. I notice a large burn on her back that runs from her shoulder to her hip. "Orion," she screams, her heart pounding in her chest so hard I worry she might give herself a heart attack. I just need to touch her, just touch her. In a trance, I open the shower screen. Orion steps into the bathroom and leans against the door. "Thaddeus," he growls, and I growl back at him. I feel the darkness creeping in as rage bubbles in my veins. How dare he tell me I can t have what s mine.