The Empath : The Alterealm Series Book 3

Two minutes later, we were alone. I looked at him. “We’ll be along shortly? I didn’t realize I was needed over there.”

He stood there for a moment. “I don’t think staying here is a good idea right now.”

“I don’t plan on going anywhere…”

“In light of everything we’ve learned today, there’s no way you’re staying here until we know they think you’re away.”

I looked at the window. “You think they know where I live?”

He shrugged. “We have no idea who is working with them.”

“Are you still worried about them tracking Ellis?”

“No,” he paused, “yes, but this isn’t about him.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I know some of those people you met with today—I’ve seen the carnage they’re capable of. They may seem reasonable when they spoke to you, but they’re not. Willis and his two sidekicks are responsible for more deaths…” In two strides, he was right in front of me. “The very idea that they’re here on this side,” he huffed out a loud breath, “let’s just say it’s a worst case scenario.”

I could feel fear from him and that shook me more than his words. “What if I called…”

He grasped my chin before I could finish. “You are not seeing them again. If they didn’t need you to help them make money, you wouldn’t have gotten off that island.” He took a deep breath and I felt him rein in his emotions as he gentled his hold. “I was fit to be tied, by the way, when I had to listen to that conversation. My brothers had to stop me from doing something stupid. Knowing I had no way of getting to you if you needed me…” He released my face and dropped his hand to rest on my shoulder. “I know you don’t understand mating and all that goes with it, but you are mine and it’s the single hardest thing I’ve ever had to do, to not mark you as mine.” Chase’s expression softened, as his hazel eyes searched mine. “I’m aware after what happened to your parents it’s everything wrong in your eyes, but it’s not like that.” He offered an understanding smile. “I don’t even know how to explain it so you’ll understand, but you need to know that I am struggling non-stop to not toss you over my shoulder and carry you away.”

I smiled at that. “That sounds like a caveman tactic.”

He smirked. “My twin would laugh if he knew that’s how I feel, it wasn’t long ago he went caveman on Daxx.”

“Yes, I’ve heard that story, or parts of it.”

Chase smiled. “I’m trying hard to not carry you around the royal chambers over my shoulder like he did to his mate.”

My mouth dropped open. “He didn’t.”

“Oh, he did. It was very amusing. However, I now understand what he was going through at that time.”

“He marked her but they didn’t do the blood bond?” I frowned. “Did I get that right?”

With a look on contemplation, he nodded. “Yes. I don’t know how your parents bared the mark, but didn’t complete it, Troy was a madman.” He shook his head. “How your father left your mother to return to our side without marking her… I can’t even…” He shrugged. “All of it would have ended differently if he had…”

“Are you saying my mother would have lived?” I hugged my arms around my waist. “I doubt she would still be…”

“That’s just it, if your father had of marked her, he would have been able to find her. Tying each together through the blood bond, with the mating mark, would have extended her existence…”

There was still so much about this I didn’t know. “Why… why would he have left her that way?”

His expression hardened. “I don’t know. Arius thinks he’ll be easier to talk to now that the doctor has him under control. The madness he was suffering was because his mate was gone, he’d have sensed it.”

“There’s so much I don’t know.” I said quietly.

“I’d like to help you find answers but, I’m not as impartial to mating issues as I once was…” He shrugged.

“Daxx just gets frustrated because her mate was a Neanderthal and Crissy isn’t much help either.” I remember the package from Mitz. She wouldn’t have? I looked around his large body to the island counter where the package sat.

Chase turned and followed where I was looking. “Ah, yes, the mysterious packet. What is it?”

“I’m not sure, and I must admit I’m a little hesitant to find out.” I looked back to him. “I still need to take you to task over this queen thing.”

He smirked, “I had hoped you’d forgotten.”

I shook my head. “As if I could.” I touched the pendant I still wore and paced away from him, having trouble finding clear thoughts when he was near. “I’ve spent my entire life living in the shadows, so to speak,” I glanced over my shoulder to see him watching me carefully. “Suddenly becoming a queen is the exact opposite of that. I’d be known.” I turned to look at him.

He titled his head and gave me an amused look. “Well, yes, being a queen is hard to keep a secret.”

“What if I don’t want to be one?” It wasn’t lost on me how strange this conversation was.

“You already are, duchess,” he waved his hand toward me, “we just haven’t gone through the formalities. You are my mate, so as long as I’m king, you are a queen.”

I frowned. “You do know, in all of the history of monarchies, the spouse is chosen?”

“Fate made the choices for my brothers and I… I will only have one mate and that is you.” He crossed his arms and studied me. “The only way out of being a queen is if I step down…”

“You can do that?”

He glanced at the floor for a second then back to me. “I have no idea. I suppose one of my brothers would get the title… since Troy and I were crowned, it was decided there would always be two rulers for Alterealm.”

“You would do that? Step down?” I found that had to believe.

“I don’t know, honestly. Troy and I have always known who we were and what our place was, but as I’ll never have another chance to not spend eternity alone, I think one of the others could help rule the realm if it was what I decided.”

“See, I don’t even know how big Alterealm is? Are we talking a small country size, or bigger?”

Grinning, he shook his head. “Does size matter? Would you agree to be queen to a small population?”

I scowled at him. “It doesn’t matter, I’m just saying there is so much I don’t know.”

He sighed. “I know and I wished I could fill in all the blanks for you, but its taking all the focus I have to stay this far away from you, so I may not be the best option for twenty questions.”

I studied his face for a moment, he didn’t look like he was struggling. “It’s really that difficult?”

“You don’t feel inclined at all to be near me? I don’t enter your thoughts?” His hazel eyes locked on mine while he waited to answer.

“Mainly when I’m thinking things such as ‘he’s not going to be happy with this’,” I paused when he gave me a hard look, “I’m drawn to you, I just—my past relationships haven’t been…”

“This isn’t a relationship that may last a few months. Simply put this is the relationship, the only one for us.” He moved closer, but stopped when he was a few feet from me.

“That didn’t exactly work out for my parents.” I reminded him.

He exhaled slowly. “I know. There’s something there that we’re unaware of, your father leaving your mother without completing the bond, there’s got to be a reason, Alona.”

I hugged my arms around my waist. “I need to know it. I’ve spent my life thinking one thing and now, to find out there is a chance it’s wrong,” I took a ragged breath and let it out quickly, “it would mean a lot to me to know.”

“And we will find out the answers, as soon as your father is well enough for you to visit.” His eyes searched my face. “We can go see your grandparents as well, that may shed some light.”

“I thought it was too risky…”

He stepped over, so he was right in front of me, a serious look on his face. “If it helps you, then we will.” He smirked, “you’ll be surrounded by guards, but we…”

“We?” Each time he said it I felt a part of me inside wanting that, but not at the same time.

“Yes.” He gave me a soft look. “There is no more you or I, only we. I told you I’m not going away.”

“I’ve never had that before.”

With a gentle touch, he pulled my arms apart, so I wasn’t hugging myself. “I know. In this sense of the word, neither have I.” His voice was soft, barely more than a whisper. “I’m so completely distracted by you,” he cupped my cheek with his hand, his touch warm against my skin, “so completely lost in you.” Hazel eyes watched mine. “I should be with my brothers finding out what Ellis knows, but I can’t drag myself away from you…” His thumb brushed over my lip, “you should really put me out of my misery.” He stared at my mouth.

I licked my suddenly dry lips. “How so?” Whenever he touched me, my heart sped up.

“Kiss me, bite me, agree to be mine…” his eyes moved back to mine, “I have a list if you’d like to hear it.”

What was it about this man that prevented me from logical thought when he was this close. “I don’t think I need the list.” I answered in a whisper.

“Is that a yes?” The color of his eyes were closer to yellow now.

I felt my mouth fill with fangs. “No. I just don’t need your list.”

He growled soft in the back of his throat. “Before you lie to yourself, remember I can feel what you do. Your desire, your needs…”

I found myself watching his mouth as he spoke. “Something else I’m not used to. Usually I am the one that feels everything.”

“We’re wired differently, most of us can control our emotions. I struggle near you though, so we’re both in a new territory.” His eyes moved all over my face, but kept going back to my mouth. “I think I need you to bite me more than you need to feed.” He smiled. “Can one become addicted to that I wonder?”

“I don’t think so, most wouldn’t enjoy fangs in their throat.” I found myself wanting to lean into him.

“Mmm, must be a mating perk.” He mused quietly.

“You shared what you felt, I don’t think it’s the biting, but more the possibilities.”

He leaned closer, his breath on my face. “So many possibilities, all of them X-rated.”

I bit my lip for a moment. “How do you know this isn’t just a draw because of being mates?”

His eyes were on my mouth again. “Oh, a large part of it is. Imagine being mated to someone you weren’t attracted to. Rest assured, my sexy duchess, I wanted you before I realized we were mates, more than I’d ever wanted another.”

“Really?”

“Mmm, then you threw me to the mat and stepped on my chest. I fell in love at that moment.”

I smiled, something I’d never remembered doing while my fangs were present.

With a growl, he grasped the back of my head and kissed me, his mouth anything but gentle. Flames traveled through my body and a moment later feelings of desire and lust swamped me, I didn’t know where his ended and my own started. I wanted to give in, just let this go where it may, but I was afraid of the repercussions.

Despite clinging to his neck and drowning in him, when he lifted his mouth to take a breath, I leaned my head back. “I need to know more.”

He gave me a heated look, “I’d be happy to show you as much as you want, duchess.”

“I said know, not do.”

Exhaling slowly, he frowned and looked down at me. “I believe you are trying to drive me mad. Know more what, exactly?”

“Everything. Feeding, mating, expectations I suppose. I don’t understand all the details.”

His hands continued to knead my hips, but he didn’t pull me close again. “Don’t suppose I could fill in all the details after, while recovering in bed?” His mouth twitched.

I smiled and shook my head. “After may be too late. I’m not sure how this works…”

He hunched down and looked into my eyes. “I can assure you that works just the same as with a normal human.”

“I didn’t mean sex.”

Sighing, he dropped his hands and stepped back. Tucking his hands in his pockets, he studied me for a moment. “I’m trying—clear thought is a struggle right now.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to keep leading you on.” I motioned up and down his tall body. “I just can’t seem to help myself.”

Nodding, Chase smiled. “Then we’re on the same page there.” Closing his eyes for a few seconds, hazel ones looked at me when he opened them. “What is it you need to know?”

I sat on the arm of the chair. “Feeding to start. What are the ramifications if I’ve already fed from you and you feed off my emotions, and then we have sex?”

He crossed his arms over his large chest. “We’re both satisfied in more than one way?” He smirked.

“That’s it? There’s nothing more binding?”

He shook his head. “Nothing. I’m sure we’ll feel a further connection, but it’s not a bond.”

I sighed. “There needs to be an instruction manual for all this.” I looked down at my left palm and studied it. “A blood bond is just temporary unless marking is involved?”

Chase moved over and knelt in front of me. “Yes. We can have a blood bond, it will wear off if I haven’t marked you.” He gave me a tender look. “I won’t do what your father did to your mother, Alona. I will not, unless you consent.” He shrugged. “I may follow you around like a mopey puppy, but I would rather die than do what your father did to your mother.”

I could feel the emotions attached to his words, and he meant every word he said. That was another check for him on the plus side. I was too used to others saying one thing while their emotions told me differently.

Chase gently grasped my chin, so I would look at him. “What else do you need to know, Alona?”

“There’s so much,” I sighed, “feeding. You said you couldn’t feed from me or you’d lose control. I don’t understand. Daxx told me you prefer women, but Crissy said you’ve been feeding from prisoners.”

He frowned. “Seems people have been saying plenty where I’m concerned.”

“They were only trying to…”

“Help you understand.” Standing, he grasped my hand and pulled me to my feet. “I’m beginning to regret being part of a large family.” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “If I don’t call Troy my brain may very likely burst.” With jerky movements he tapped the screen. “This better be something important that will allow me to hurt someone, brother.”

I watched his eyes move over my face as he listened.

“Can we confirm this before we go charging in?” With a gentle touch, he brushed the hair back from my face, the hardness in his eyes fading briefly as he did it. “There’s still a few hours of light left today, I suggest you all go get some rest and I’ll send someone to scout the possible locations.” He nodded, a bored expression on his face. “We’ll meet at next dawn and make some decisions then.” With a quick grin he rolled his eyes at me. “They’re not going to take over the world in the next twelve hours. and you are too tired to be of use. I know this because you haven’t called me that since we were kids. Go rest brother king and send our siblings to bed as well.” He sighed, giving me a brief appraisal. “I will be back shortly.” Chase gave an abrupt bob of his head and ended the call.

“Ellis knows where he was?” I wrapped my arms around my waist.

“A few potentials.” He rubbed the back of his neck, a look of indecision on his face. “I really want to stay and talk, answer some of your questions…”

I shook my head. “I will survive a day without having them. You may possibly have the location of a meeting, Ellis said VIP, it could be who is working for their cause on this side… you need to focus on that.”

He gave me an exasperated look. “You always toss logic at me when I’d prefer you didn’t.” Grasping my hips, he pulled me against his body. “Feed. Then go soak and take the evening to rest and relax… at least then I’ll have an image of you naked in the tub to entertain me.”

I smiled. “Your entertainment at a moment of such dire consequences is first and foremost on my mind.”

“As it should be, you sassy woman.” He kissed my mouth lightly. “Now feed, before I’m otherwise distracted, or worse my brothers show up here looking for me.”

“What about you? Did you want to feed—from me?” Butterflies filled my stomach when I thought of it.

“Mmm, I do, but I won’t, yet.” He gave me a heated look. “I’m sure mutual feedings between us will not end at life sustaining sustenance, and I’ve promised you I’d behave.”

I felt slight disappointment, yet excited at the same moment by his words. “I feel you could be very bad for me.”

Chase chuckled, “Oh, I plan on it, in many, very good, addictive ways.” He grasped the back of my neck lightly. “Now put those fangs in me, so I can go focus on being a king in charge again.”

My fangs filled my mouth, I smiled. “Yes, your majesty.” I bit into his neck.