Unbound (59 page)

“Don’t keep her away too long because she needs to relax and have fun, not worry about people that make her sad.” JR eyed Chase cautiously.

“Well said, JR. Very well said.” Griffin patted his boy on the back.

“I promise to
return her to you promptly.” H
e bowed politely to her little protector.

Chase put his arm out for Dani; she rose from her seat with the grace of a goddess and followed his lead to a room overlooking a garden, and a view of the city lights off in the distance. She said nothing. She crossed the room and looked out over the scenery, as he knew she would. It’s why he had picked that room.

“I’m sor
ry for the pain you’ve suffered,” h
e started, but she cut him off.

“I don’t want to talk about Cayden. I already had a run in with him outside and I’ve reached my bullshit quota for the week,” she quipped.

“I don’t want to talk about him, Lovely. I want to talk about you and me.” She didn’t say anything but she rolled her eyes in a way that meant she had heard this line before, too. “I just need you to hear me out. After that I swear, I will leave you alone.” She huffed out a reluctant agreement.

“The other night I realized what an ass I have been. I have wasted precious time and caused us both undue
sorrows
. I listened to my sense of duty instead of my heart. I can’t stand being away from you and I want the chance to repair the damage I’ve done. I know that you may need time to get over the past and I am willing to wait as long as it will take for you to allow me into your heart again.” He was quiet for a minute expecting her to respond. Pacing behind her, he could not be still.

“That isn’t going to go over very well with the family. Your newest fiancée may not appreciate the gesture. Nothing has changed, Chase,” she said flatly.

“Oh, but it has, my Lovely. After the nightmare of the other night, I met with Griffin and my father. I told them I’m in love with you and will not take a mate I don’t love to satisfy their need to fulfill a prophecy. I told them to disown me if they must, but my heart belongs to you. I refuse to suffer without you any longer, unless you don’t want me. But I won’t bond to one of the Vaughn girls. I want you and only you for my mate.”

“How did they take it?” she asked quietly.

“Better than I thought they would, actually. I was expecting Griffin to lose his mind and my Dad to disown me but they didn’t. My Dad hugged me like he was proud of me and Griffin asked if I am as big a fool as Cayden. I told them that there was nothing about you that could change my heart. Griffin said that’s what Cayden thought, too. He said if you accepted me, it wouldn’t be long before you tested my sincerity. I just wish you guys would let me in on the big secret,” he pleaded.

“It isn’t just mine to tell, Chase. There are other people I have to think about.”

“Just like me, you have worried about others for too long. When will you allow yourself to focus on your future happiness?” he encouraged. She was still looking out the window into the distance.

“I’m not ready to tell you yet, but you should know that it is life-altering stuff. It could make you change your mind about me in a hurry.”

“I wish you could trust me enough to let me in again.” He brushed her shoulder with the pad of his thumb and delighted at the chills it sent down her arm. “You can tell me anything.”

“How about we make a compromise? I’ll tell you a small secret today and work up to the big stuff later. Is that acceptable?” she bargained.

“Does that mean you will give me a chance to make this right? Will you consider being my mate?” His heart kicked harder. She was considering forgiving him. Danielle turned around and Chase saw the tears in her eyes. He took her face in his hands.

“Lovely, please don’t cry. I’ll leave you be if that’s what it will take to make you happy. You have cried enough for a lifetime. I won’t pressure you,” he promised.

“Shut up and kiss me. I will be your mate if you can love me for who I am. It’s all up to you now, Chase.” She pulled his head down to hers so she could claim his mouth with the hunger she had felt for him all this time.

“I know who you are already. You are my Lovely and I wouldn’t have you any other way.” He growled at the taste of her. The sweet floral scent of her sent his body to a place it shouldn’t be going. He felt her passion for him pierce him deeper than he ever thought possible. All of the pent up emotions flowed between them. Chase gasped when he felt h
er open the mental block she
built between them and she began to pour all of her longing and need for him through the connection. He hadn’t expected such an immediate physical response from her. Hell, he’d just hoped she would listen to his plea for forgiveness but she was rubbing against him, and purred softly. The sheer fabric of her gown slid sensually over her luscious curves. How could he not respond to her passion and obvious need?

He was overwhelmed and a bit dizzy when she pushed him against the wall and began to unbutton his pants. He tried to still her hands, but she was ferocious.

“You don’t need to do this, Lovely. We have plenty of time to love each other.” Dani slid her hand down to cup him, and hummed appreciatively. Like a starving man, he devoured her lips, her jaw line, her neck and back up to the spot where he desperately wanted to sink his fangs and lap at her blood.

“I may not live to see tomorrow, Chase. Just being here is dangerous for me and everyone around me. You want to talk about the future, but I need your love today, right now. Love me while I’m here, Chase. Take me before it’s too late. You just gave me the one thing I’ve been waiting for. All this time I’ve been waiting fo
r you to choose me. I needed
to
know you
love
d me enough to
choose me over all the expectations others had of you. Now that you have
,
I need the rest of you. All of you.” She was panting and stroking him.

Dear God, yes, he wanted to have her but was this the way their first time together should be? On the other hand, if this was what she needed from him, and he turned away from her today he could lose his chance at winning all of her tomorrows. He gave in and let her have her way with him. Not a shy bone did she have when she slid his pants and underwear to his knees and forced him down in the sofa. She was so damn sexy and the scent of her arousal made him dizzy with lust. She went down on her knees before him and wrapped her hand timidly around his shaft, examining him curiously. He panted and prayed for the power to resist spilling in h
er hand. Chase could tell she’
d never done this before and that somehow made it even hotter. Her head lowered and that hot pink tongue lapped at him, exploring the flavor and texture of him, teasing but not quite giving him what he needed until he begged for her mercy. Rising slowly, she pulled up her dress to reveal a total lack of panties. He stiffened and throbbed. She straddled his hips.

“Are you sure about this, Lovely?” Her answer came in the form of the slick sliding of her body against his eager erection, over and over. Yup, she was very sure. He was so close to her core, but damn, not quite close enough. She was torturing him with slippery, mind-numbing friction until finally, she reached between them and slowly, inch by inch she drove him home. It was too much. The physical and the telepathic connection between them made it possible to feel their lovemaking from both sides. He felt his pleasure and hers; he felt his body stroking hers and her body gripping around his all at once. He tasted himself on her tongue and her delicious sugar on his own tongue. She panted and moaned her pleasure into his mouth. At that moment the most possessive and primal urge to claim her for his own bubbled up in his gut. He turned to place Danielle beneath him on the sofa. He stroked her, proving to himself in the most intimate way possible that she belonged to him. He rode her to climax whispering to her over and over, “You are mine, Lovely. You are mine.” Her body gripped him like a tight rippling fist and they tumbled over the abyss together. Holding on tight to one another, they spun out into oblivion and came back, changed forever.

Time passed wordlessly while she lay peacefully across his chest, sated and relaxed after their first joining. He was actually nervous about how things would be between them now. Would she be willing to show the world their love? Would she need more time to herself? Then there was the matter of the big earth-shattering secret she was hiding. He didn’t want to ruin the moment with questions she might not be ready to answer so instead he asked, “So, what was the secret you were going to share with me?”

She nuzzled his neck. “My name isn’t really Danielle.” His head popped up.

“What?” he snapped.

“You see, if this is your reaction to the small stuff, the big stuff is going to make you run, screaming.” She pulled away and he instantly missed the warmth and intimacy of their contact.

“I’m sorry, Lovely. Please come back. I promise to behave myself,” he pouted.

Just then, there was a knock at the door and Dani scampered into the bathroom to freshen up, muttering about nosy, damn vampires. Chase hurriedly tucked in his shirt, buttoned his pants and opened the door. It was Darren.

“Is she in there with you?” he asked. “Never mind, I can clearly smell her.” He pushed past Chase and began pounding on the bathroom door. “Let’s go! Griffin is waiting for you to make his announcement.”

“You need to relax and back off. We’ll be out in a minute.” Chase pushed him away from the door he was beating on.

“I was sent to retrieve her and I’ll be taking her with me.” Darren pushed back.

“You are not her warrior anymore. You are no more than an invited guest at this gala. She is safe with me and you will leave this room or I will have you removed from the building! Take your pick. I vote to toss you out on your ass for interrupting our privacy, but the choice is yours.” Chase was good and tired of the warrior’s power trip and bully tactics with Danielle.

“Leave now, Darren!” Dani said from the other side of the door.

“The lady has spoken.” Chase opened the door.  Darren stomped off down the hall.

Several minutes later they walked hand and hand back to the ballroom. He hoped she wouldn’t drop his hand and move away when they reached the ballroom, but he tried to prepare himself for the possibility. Their connection was still forcefully humming with the flush of passion. “Are you going to tell me what your name is or are you trying to kill me with suspense?”

“My birth name is Soleil,” she giggled.

“Soleil? Like the sun?” he asked.

“I knew you wouldn’t like it. It’s a stupid name, right?” She flushed pink.

“I love it, actually. It’s just unusual. Do you know its origin? Maybe it’s a family name?” He was curious.

“My father named me Soleil because he was sure the world would revolve around me.” She lowered her face and flushed even darker.

“Don’t be embarrassed.” He lifted her chin and kissed her nose. “That’s very poetic. I assume your father was precognitive, because he was exactly correct.” Dani stopped to show him her necklace.

“My father gave this to my mother the day of their bonding.” He looked it over and smiled. “Your parents gave me these today. Aren’t they beautiful?” She pointed out her earrings.

“I wonder where they found such a similar design. They’re lovely on you, Soleil.” He loved being able to use her given name. It was much more fitting than that boy’s name she used.

“I think they had them made. Please be careful with that name by the way. It’s a secret remember?” she poked his side.

Chase was so happy to be able to touch and play with his Lovely the way he wanted to he didn’t think twice when they entered the ballroom with his arm wrapped around her waist to keep her close. She didn’t pull away. In fact, she nuzzled his chest with her sweet face.  They earned several dirty looks and Cayden came up out of his chair at the sight. The band was playing so Chase playfully danced with Soleil across the floor. Yes, he would be using that name as often as would be allowed. Before they reached their table, Griffin got up from his seat. Sarah followed and grabbed his arm, obviously frustrated. She gave Dani an irate, sidelong scowl. They were arguing and suddenly it dawned on her that the world was about to shift. Sarah continued to hiss under her breath at Griffin.

* * *

“Chase, I need you to stay with me okay? Whatever Griffin says, no matter how you feel about it, please stay with me. I may need you to hold me up.” She actually broke into a sweat.

“Lovely, I will never leave you again if you let me stay close. What’s going on?” He dragged her chair closer to his so she could lean against him. She looked ill. He handed her a glass of ice water. Was this the big reveal? Chase assumed he would hear the secret from her in private.

Griffin shook off his mate and went to the podium. He asked the room to be seated for some announcements.

“You’re about to get your second secret of the day. Please don’t be upset with me.” She looked at him with a plea for mercy on her creased brow.

“Is this what upset Cayden?” he whispered, as the room got quiet.

“No. He has no idea about this. Don’t be surprised if he jumps out of his seat again.”

That actually made Chase feel better. Cayden was in the dark right alongside him. Chase caught Sarah glaring at the back of Soleil’s head. She was obviously not in the dark, and she was pissed off.