Roses Wither: Into the Darkness

Chase

I had told myself for months, that I was here to help the Queen, but I had been drawn to her instantly and it was getting harder to control myself. I wanted her in every sense of the word. I cracked her.

Rosa was smart, even though she pretended not to be. She was kind to everyone who returned her sentiments, and she had a shine for mischief. She loved to tease her father at any given turn, but it was her soft spot for the rough man that she now called Bunic, that intrigued me.

The two of them had breakfast together in his quarters every morning before their spars. No one knew what was spoken, but she appeared to with men that knew the pain of war. Perhaps that was why I had been drawn to her.

She made me feel, she made me look at the finer details and realize that there was more in life than the hunt, war and battles. She made me laugh and, all-in-all, she made me come to life.

“Are you just going to read all night, while she galavants around with that caster?” Matthias marched into my main room, wearing a sports coat and slacks.

“She’s a witch,” I slammed the book shut and looked up at him from where I sat on the sofa,“Casters are only Earth born, witches are demon and Earth born. You should know this, having wed a caster.”

“A caster who is pissed that I have been gone for so long.” He sighed heavily, “Did you learn about that in your reading?”

“No, I can feel it in her essence. Her mother was full witch, and her father was an original shifter, human before her birth.” I looked at the books on the table, “I did learn that her father was an original shift through the books though, and because she is of his line, she was given the shift as well.”

“She’s part wolf and vampire?” He looked confused now, “How did that even happen? I thought Rosa was the only one.”

“Rosa is the only natural born.” I cleared my throat and leaned forward, “Nitala turned the witch, I am not sure why, but apparently she thought it was necessary to have the witch by Rosa’s side.”

“And you failed to mention this?”

“I was not there,” I shrugged, “It was not my memory to share. Perhaps if you picked up a book, you would know these things.”

“What are you reading now?” He looked at the books on the table.

“This is a different kind of research.” I grinned at him, holding up the book.

“Very funny.” He rolled his eyes at me, “I do not like this Chase. I miss my old Chase.” His brow furrowed, “The one hellbent on ridding the world of witches and demons. Since when do you research?”

“Since I’ve been waking up every morning in a pool of sweat,” I told him dryly. I didn't bother to add the fact that my phallus was stiff as a brick every time I woke. The fact that I had to please myself daily was none of my brother's business.

“You can sweat?” He tilted his head in thought.

“According to this book I can,” I sighed, holding it in my hands and looking down at it, “It’s because her wolf wants her to mate. She apparently is in heat and I can feel it.”

“She doesn't shit anymore though. She hasn't for months." He grabbed the book and began thumbing through it.

"It doesn't mean that it's not there," I shrugged, "It's a part of her. It makes up half of her DNA."

"Is it stronger since the mutt ended it?” He asked curiously.

“Tenfold,” I gave a nod, “And it gets worse by the day. Apparently, the only one who can feel the effects of her heat is her destined partner. How was it when you met Emilia?”

“Instant.” He snorted, staring at the floor with a small smile playing on his lips, “All my senses came alive and I knew I had to have her. She was weary though, thought I would leave her.”

“Of course she was.” I huffed a laugh, "You have had a lot of women your bed, brother."

My brother had always had a way with women. If we were our sins, he was lust, and he played his cards better than myself and any of our brothers ever had.

“I can’t help it if the ladies like me, brother.” He chuckled, “But, I looked into her eyes and I couldn’t resist every little temptation behind them.” He shot me a contented look, “I miss her.”

“Go home to her then.” I shrugged.

“You need me here.” He lifted a hand and pointed around the book, "I'm shocked that you have the willpower to fight off the lust. Emilia wasn't in heat and I wanted her more than anything."

“I am millennia old,” I snorted, "Controlling myself is what I do. I have to use my brain, not my cock. With Rosa, I have to be calculated, presise. Especially after what that wolf did to her.”

“This is a battle you will loose, Chase." He told me as he closed the book and held it up," This is mating, binding, or whatever you want to call it, it isn’t war, brother. This is not your area of expertise and waiting, prolonging it, is only causing the both of you pain.”

“That is why I am reading.” I looked back to the book in his hand.

“You’ve been studying mating rituals,” He gaped at me, "There is nothing to study, brother. Just do the deed. You crave her, take her."

“I was just curious.” I shrugged, “I have never craved a woman before."

"I don't understand how," His brow furrowed, "You've had countless women in your bed."

"They were there," I told him, "They served their purpose and that was it. Rosa is different. She draws me in, opens my mind and I feel her."

"The whole point is that you aren't feeling her, brother." He sighed.

"It's complicated with Rosa though," I explained, "Vampires bind, it intertwines their souls. They meet that person’s eyes and instantly feel compelled to complete the binding, which is basically a shared bite and willing your power into them. It's more of an emotional attraction and connection than physical. I felt that, but there was so much more.”

“Due to her shifter half?” He wagged his eyebrows.

“I believe so," I nodded, "The book explains that it is more physical with shifters, they scent their mate, and are drawn to them sexually. Their body craves the other. The male bites the female first, so no other man can claim her, and they have intercourse to complete the process. Their inner desires decide for them and their bond isn’t like a binding. No minds or memories entangle, and it can be broken and reforged.”

“As we know.”

“My first encounter with her, she was a child. I felt drawn to protect her, but she was so little and I was so... Closed, that I didn't know what to do. When I returned I began researching, looking for any clue I could, because I began to think for myself and wonder why I felt so compelled to help the infant."

"You were waking." Matthias gave a lithe smile.

"My second encounter with her, was right before I turned Marcus. He was talking to her on one of the computers in the library and she laughed. It did something to me," My brow furrowed, "Something that I can't explain. It made me... I had a feeling in my spine, not painful, but different. Then, when could feel the texture of the books when I reached for them, I knew something was off and it had to do with her. Marcus sensed it. It was why he wanted me to turn him, not his father."

"When I did turn him, I saw her in his memories," I smiled now, "I saw his love for her, his fear for her safety and her compassion and acceptance of who she was and what she was destined to become. I saw private conversations between the two and her determination to end the suffering of those she loved. She was so beautiful."

"You saw her beauty." He mused, "Through the eyes of someone else."

"When I arrived to train her, I could feel her presence in the castle before I even stepped from my bike. I felt drawn to the sparring room, where I found her. Then my eyes met hers in that and I could smell her. All I wanted to do was feel her. Pull her close and feel the softness of her body under mine... It makes no sense. I am not a shifter, so how could I feel a physical pull toward her? It had me wondering.”

“Wondering about what exactly?”

“Why me?” My brow furrowed.

“Why not you?” He scoffed, “You are the strongest of us all. She is a rarity and needs protection, something that you have perfected over millennia.”

“That’s just it,” I thought aloud, “I saw Marcus's visions. Rosa may be full of mischief and curiosity, but she is pure and has a free heart."

“You are going to allow these visions to ruin what could make you happy in the present?” He glared now, "This is a daily battle for you, brother. The silver never leaves your eyes. You don't just want her, you need her. It is why you cannot leave here."

“I have sinned repeatedly, Matthias!" I hissed, "As have you. Do we truly deserve happiness?”

“Is that what this is about?" He scoffed, "We sinned unknowingly, brother. Now we repent. We make up for our wrong we did in the good we do for others. It is all we can do. She spends her days with Dracula, she will understand."

"She cannot know what I have done. She would never see the light in me." I leaned forward and pulled on my hair, "I want her so badly though, that I can feel her heat even now, and it's driving me mad.”

“He who is always in control.” Matthias chuckled, "I have to admit, it is rather different, watching you crave a woman so badly."

"It has to be her heat." I sighed, "I am not a shifter though, so why would I feel it?"

"Perhaps because you were Earth born, like the shifters." He shrugged, looking away and out the window.

"You were there." I scoffed, "You would know better than anyone."

"I was..." He gave a nod, his voice sounding distant.

We never spoke of the night I was taken from my mother. I was just an infant and he had been a young boy, ordered to take care of me.

He was more than a brother to me because of it, he was like a father. That was why I put up with the ridiculous comments, the teasing and testing. He had raised me.

"You must be curious as to know where your little mate or whatever is off to tonight, with the witch?" He mused now, looking down onto the grassy fringe of the woods, "Get dressed, brother, we’re going dancing.”

“What?”

“She just left, so we don't have much time," He turned to grin at me, "She is going to Davide's club with the witch.”