T
haddeus
Sitting on the balcony of my penthouse apartment, I look over the city. My eyes scan the street below as I watch the crowds of people go about their night, unaware of the monster watching them.
As the sliding door opens, the sound of movement behind me makes my eyes snap to the glass doors. Bianca steps out and hands me a smoke. Taking the lighter from her, I light it, breathing in deeply, enjoying the burn in my throat from its harshness.
“When do you intend to return home? Haven’t you punished them enough? They did it to protect you. It is time you stop doing this, whatever it is that you are doing.” She says while leaning on the railing as her blue eyes watch me with caution.
“And what am I doing?” I ask her, looking back toward the city.
“The destruction. What are you trying to prove? Who are you looking for?” She asks, and I sigh.
Only she can get away with questioning me like this. I have always had a soft spot for Bianca. She listens and doesn’t judge, no matter how much I fuck things up.
“I am not trying to prove anything. I don’t need to.”
“Then why, Thaddeus? Why all this?” She asks, motioning with her hand toward the city below.
“Because I can, that is why,” I tell her.
Bianca shakes her head. Tears brim in her eyes as she looks away from me, folding her arms across her chest. “Your mother said there was still good in you. We just had to find it. She claimed that we could pull you back from the darkness, but I am not so sure anymore. I can’t watch you destroy yourself, destroy everything you put your hands on. Sorry, Thaddeus, but I can’t do it anymore. I am going home. Come and see me when you see sense,” she says, as she pushes away from the railing and moves toward the door.
“You’re leaving already? You just got here,” I ask.
In an attempt to hide my disappointment, a painful growl tears out of my throat. As much as I don’t want to show any weakness, her rejection hurts. Bianca is leaving me. She is leaving me like the rest of them did.
Frightened by my reaction, Bianca steps back. “I’m sorry, Thaddeus, but please just go home. They will forgive you,” she says, before turning her back on me and opening the glass sliding door.
“Tell mom I am not coming back,” I tell her, peering over my shoulder at her.
A sad smile spreads across her lips as Bianca nods, acknowledging my words. Then, I just listen to her walk inside, closing the door behind her, leaving me all alone.
A few minutes later, the glass door opens again. I don’t pay attention until Orion appears at my side and plucks the smoke from my fingers. He leans against the railing, looking at the main street of the city. In the meantime, my eyes run the length of him.
He is wearing dark blue jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt. His muscles tense as he turns his head to look at me. He runs his fingers through his dark brown hair before drawing back on my smoke.
“What did you say to your Aunty Bianca that upset her?” he asks, passing my smoke back to me.
“I told her I am not going back,” I tell him the truth.
Orion sighs loudly and looks over the railing again. I move behind him, press myself against him and reach around. My hand slips into his pants while the other roams over his hard-muscled chest. At my touch, his dick twitches in my hand. That’s all it takes for a lewd groan to leave me as I tug at his belt.
“Not tonight, Thaddeus,” he says, smacking my hand away.
All I can think of is his obvious rejection. Hence, I can’t help but voice the hurt and frustration with a growl. If this is how he is going to act, fine by me. I shove Orion away from me and he actually has the gall to glare at me.
“Fine,” I snap at him, turning on my heel and heading back inside. Bianca is gone, and only her faint, lingering scent remains as I step into the living room. “Ryland?” I yell but get no answer. “Hurry up; we’re going out,” I add.
Ryland walks out with a mischievous grin on his lips. He is dressed in a gray shirt and black jeans. He grabs his leather jacket and tugs it on as he approaches me. His eyes flicker black, and his excitement smacks into me at the invitation.
Ryland stops beside me just as the sliding door opens and Orion steps inside. He curses under his breath, shaking his head at us before strolling over to the couch. Ryland growls and rolls his eyes at the look of disgust Orion is giving us.
“Where are we going?” Ryland growls and leans into me.
I grip his belt, tugging him closer. My lips crash against his and he groans, shoving me against the dining room table I stand next to. His tongue fights mine for dominance, and I growl at him before gripping his arms and reversing our positions. He laughs as I pin him against the table and his arousal presses against my stomach. I pull my lips from his and grip the front of his jacket. “I just want out of this house, and I need blood,” I tell him.
Ryland nods and I let him go. I won’t risk feeding on him. My hunger is insatiable and as intoxicating as his scent is, I know I won’t stop once I start. Marking him was a nightmare. I nearly killed him, nearly killed my mate. Orion was different. He is a vampire, so I didn’t struggle as badly with him.
Ryland looks over at Orion expectantly, but Orion wants no part of our endeavors, as usual. I turn and walk toward the elevator. Ryland is quick to follow.