Commander (verb) to order

I was allowing myself to be consumed by this woman, mind, body, and soul. Muddling my duty to protect and honor her with the pull of the matebond. And now, I was feeling what she felt through our connection.

I could sense how desperate she was to be desired. And how deeply she desired me.

She was my moonflower, and I was her moon, allowing her to blossom beneath my fingertips, in her own time.

This connection between us, and the way I could feel what she was feeling, had never happened before. And now that I had severed the connection, all that was left for me to interpret was the way Claire was looking at me, with those big brown eyes, so wide and open.

I wetted my lips, remembering that I'd asked her a question. "Please tell me you wore a cloak. It's freezing outside."

She hesitated for a moment, he attention drifting to the tent flaps. "It's outside. I can grab it."

Hurrying over to the opening, she undid the ties and plucked a cloak from under a pile of newly fallen snow. But even with the material covered in thick snowflakes, I recognized the gold stitching and the royal blue color as Tysons.

My suspicions rose at the sight of it, and I snatched it out of her hand. With as much calm as I could muster, I slid a finger under her chin and lifted her gaze to mine.

"Claire, why do you have Tyson's cloak?"

Her chin trembled. "He-he gave it to me."

Is that so?

I found another desire rising inside me. The one to slay my own kin for daring to cloak my mate. A low growl sounded from deep in my chest, and Claire recoiled from me.

"Why did he give you his cloak?"

She swallowed hard, and I could tell she was nervous, but instead of letting it speak for her, Claire did this thing she sometimes did when I questioned her sharply—she rose to the challenge and answered with conviction.

"I was cold. It was the gentlemanly thing to do."

I didn't like the content of her statement, but I liked that she was speaking with confidence.

I let go of her chin and folded my arms across my chest. Tyson's cloak puddling on the floor. "You saw him before coming to see me?"

She shook her head. "No. He came to visit me."

As hard as I tried to hide my anger at this revelation, it was impossible. My voice shook with barely leashed fury.

"He was inside our tent? With you? Alone?" I gritted out.

Slowly, I fitted my hand around her waist, drawing her closer to me. She sucked in a sharp breath as our bodies collided. Nothing was more satisfying than having her warmth pressed up against me.

"And you were dressed like this?" I asked, letting my gaze trace the slope of her shoulder. "In nothing but a robe and a nightgown?"

"No," she said, shaking her head harder. "He was outside. The tent flaps blew open, and when I went to check to see if it was you, I noticed him across the way. And I asked if he'd seen you."

She was...looking for me? That knowledge satisfied something deep down inside me. Relaxing a tightness I didn't know was clenched until now.

But I didn't think the tent opened from the wind. I'd tied those ties. Tyson had wanted to draw her attention. He'd wanted to draw her out. But why? He couldn't be foolish enough to make a move on my sanguine partner. Could he?

Then, understanding dawned. 

"He's the one who told you I was in a feeding tent, wasn't he?"

She nodded. I let go of her waist and turned around, needing a moment to think without looking upon her face.

He gave her his cloak not to keep her warm but to mask her scent so I wouldn't sense her coming. What an obnoxious child.

I wasn't sure why my nephew had pulled this little stunt, likely to get my attention after not including him in council meetings. Or perhaps he wanted something to hold over my head.

Either way, he was smarter than I was giving him credit for. He wanted my castle, after all, and the prestige that came with leading forces into the Lawless Lands. Which I knew he couldn't handle.

It reminded me that I was getting far too close to Claire. I wasn't making sound decisions. What I'd done with her was not allowed. I needed to get a handle on this mate bond, and there was only one person who could give me any guidance.

Imogen.

I had to get back to Chateau Rose.

"I don't understand why you're so angry," Claire interjected, her voice cutting into my thoughts. She grabbed my arm, wheeled me around to face her, and somehow reopened the internal communication line between us, speaking to me inside my own head. "Explain it to me."

My mouth fell open, and I stared back at her in confusion. How had she done that?

It should only be one way, initiated by me.

With the connection between us reopened, I was experiencing all her feelings again. 

The confusion. The frustration. The desire.

I had to put more distance between us. I couldn't allow her to impose her emotions on me at any given time.

Then I had another thought—what if she could she feel mine? No. That couldn't happen. If she knew how desperately I wanted her or how difficult it was for me to say no to her, I'd be completely exposed.

If she could feel the mate bond as strongly as I did, what would she do?

This had to stop. There were other, more important things that required my attention besides her. I had to remind myself of that.

Gathering my strength, I replied through the connection she'd reopened. "I broke the rules for you once, but I won't be doing it again."

A harsh truth, but a truth nonetheless.

A whole new rush of emotions flooded into me, all hers, and the intensity of them was like being drowned. I felt...ineptitude. Or...a feeling like she'd never be good enough for anyone.

I hated that I was making her feel that way, or that those pious sisters even put the idea in her head, but there was no way around it. This had to end.

"Didn't you enjoy yourself?" she asked.

I knew she must not be able to sense my emotions, otherwise she never would've asked that question. Pleasuring Claire was more than just enjoyable, and it did more than satisfy the carnal desire I had to please her.

I'd always felt detached while being intimate with a woman. It was all transactional. But this... Feeling her desire cresting inside me while I was touching her had been the complete opposite. I was engrossed in her. Invested in her. Breathing in tandem with her.

My train of thought broke off, and I chastised myself for my weak mind. It was happening all over again. I was losing myself in her, and I needed to focus. I couldn't give in to my desire again. Or hers. She would need to find satisfaction somewhere else.

"Whether I did or didn't is of little consequence. Rules are in place for a reason. When we get to Roselyn, your harem can pleasure you all day and night if you wish."

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wished I could take them back. But I couldn't. It was her right to be pleased. It just couldn't be with me.

Her brows knitted together. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I couldn't be the one to explain this to her. If I tried, she wouldn't need to feel my emotions to know how I felt about it.

"Go back to our tent," I told her. "I'll have supper sent to you."

I closed our connection, and it immediately shut off the flow of emotions coming from her, allowing me to breathe again. I opened the tent and stalked off toward my horse, who had been tied up for the night.

Claire followed after me, not abiding my command. Which wasn't surprising.

I forced myself to face her, intent on demanding she return to our tent, but when I did, I found myself speechless. The moon was almost full, and under the glow, she looked otherworldly.

She was the song inside my heart. The beat that brought me back to life and made me feel almost human again.

But I wasn't human, and I never would be. I was a vampire. And I had a job to do.

"Bastien, where are you going?" she demanded. Then, more quietly, "And what in Diana's name is a harem?"

Gods, I couldn't do this.

"Natalia!" I called over my shoulder.

A few moments later, my niece was at my side, looking rather annoyed at being summoned. "Yes?"

I cut a glance between Claire and Natalia, then began untying my horse. My decision made. "Pack up the camp. We leave for Roselyn immediately."

I mounted my stallion and fitted my feet firmly in the stirrups, avoiding Claire's gaze. If I looked down at her beautiful face, illuminated by the moon, I might not have the strength to do what needed to be done.

"But Bastien," Natalia argued, "everyone just got settled."

"Then get them unsettled!" I snarled back, baring my teeth. "We can move quicker at night anyway."

I didn't wait for her to reply, knowing she'd follow my orders, and whirled my horse in a tight circle, intent on putting more distance between my mate and I, but paused, needing to say one last thing.

"Natalia!"

"Yes?" she said with irritation. One hand landing on her slim hip.

I kept my gaze trained on her. Not wavering to Claire. "Don't let Claire out of your sight until she's safe inside her room. And make sure she eats before you leave."

"Why can't you babysit her?" Natalia asked. "Wait, are you leaving now? Alone?"

"You have your orders."

Without another look, I tore off, encouraging the horse to race into the night. If I didn't get away as fast as I could, I was worried I'd lose my nerve and return for my mate.

I assumed distance would help dull my need for her, but it didn't. In fact, the opposite happened. Thoughts of Claire consumed me, plaguing each inch between us.

The few hours it took me to make the trek up to Chateau Rose were painful. And I knew it would be half a day more before I saw her again. The coach and the other riders would slow them down over the rocky terrain.

I dismounted my horse outside the gates and tied him to a tree, knowing Natalia would bring him inside when she arrived.

I didn't enter through the front gates, choosing instead to use the secret entrance on the south side of the castle that was designed to allow no one but the prince of Chateau Rose passage.

When I reached the entry point, I freed the gold chain hiding inside my shirt and regarded the bloodstone dangling from the end.

All vampires were gifted a bloodstone at birth. The magick inside was from centuries past, when light and dark witches created the Blood Treaty. With this accord, they used their magick to create creatures who were strong enough to keep the peace between them.

Twelve of us were made that night. Six from families of dark magick, and six from families of light magick. We were warriors, gifted in our craft. Brothers not in blood, but bound together, destined to protect the balance of magick on earth.

I pressed my bloodstone against the outer wall, then stood back as bricks morphed into an archway, welcoming me home.

Once I crossed under the arch, the wall reformed behind me.

Now, all that was left was to wake Imogen and seek guidance on how I could break the mate bond between Claire and I before it ruined everything I held dear.

Are these two just as frustrating as they are adorable to you? Or is that just me? 🤣

I got to inject some more vampire lore into this chapter, and I hope you found it interesting to the story! The vampires were created by witches, and they were former witches!

Who thinks Bastien was a Witch of the Light?

Who thinks he was a Witch of the Darkness?

(And before someone asks, yes I know he doesn't have white or red hair. None of the vampire princes do. The magick that turned them into vampires stripped them of their original color.)