Raven's P•O•V

Alec's eyes widened as he looked at me.

"Are you serious?" He asked, disbelief plain in his voice. I could tell his eyes were tinted a brighter red.

"Yes, I'm serious." I said, looking him dead in those ruby eyes of his. His face formed into one of anger. He gripped my wrist and forced it away from him.

"You're insane to think that I'd drink from you. You could die-" Alec started to argue, but I cut him off.

"I'm not going to die. You wouldn't let that happen to me." I countered, my tone serious. I believed everything he didn't at this point. I believed that he had control.

Surprisingly, Alec was quiet. I expected him to snap at me, but he just studied my eyes, trying to find some answer.

He sighed and looked away, cupping his hands behind his neck.

"You shouldn't think that." He muttered.

"But I do." I said quietly. Alec looked up at me, his eyes making him vulnerable.

"I can't Raven. I can't hurt you." He murmured. I reached out and laid my hand on his bare shoulder gently. He felt familiarly cold underneath my fingertips for a second before he grew warm.

"Alec..." I sighed, my voice soft. "You won't hurt me. I know you won't."

"You don't know that." Alec said sharply. I dropped my eyes and rested my forehead on his shoulder.

"I know that I trust you." I whispered against his skin.

Alec's P•O•V

Her breath against my skin melted my ice cold feeling. I looked down at her coffee brown hair and let out a small sigh. I looked away from her and placed my gaze on her bathroom door.

"No one should trust a monster." I murmured, not intending to say that, but I did. Raven pulled away from my shoulder and I could feel her eyes on me. I glanced out of the corner of my eye to see her incredulous expression.

"You're not your brother." Raven retorted, tone firm. I turned to her now and studied her. She had this look of defiance about her. Strong.

The woman I chose as my Soulmate...

It was quiet for a second. I looked at her and she looked at me. We didn't need to talk.

This time I kissed her. I held her neck, my fingers lacing through her silken hair. Her lips were soft against my own. Passionate and gentle, but it was lingering on the edge of something more...

I could feel Raven's gentle touch on my chest and shoulder. I pulled away from the kiss and opened my eyes, now close enough to see every little fleck of amber in her dark brown eyes.

She breathed against my lips,

"I want you to." Her voice was barely a whisper. I looked down at her lips as she spoke. I could hear her heart pounding louder than I'd ever noticed.

I swallowed hard and brushed my thumb against her cheek. She leaned into my touch and held my hand there.

I gazed back up into her eyes and studied them for any wavering fear in them, but all I was faced with was her want and trust in me.

So I nodded against her forehead and picked her up.

♱

Raven's legs wrapped around my waist as I carried her to her bed. Her arms wrapped around my neck as well as I felt her pressed against my bare torso. No longer cold, I could feel myself grow sensationally warm. She kissed me, going over the edge of soft and gentle.

Her kiss was hungry like it was the day she drank from me to heal her concussion.

I could feel my canines elongate from the sound of her pulse against my chest. I kissed her back, my fangs brushing against her bottom lip. She gasped in surprise, allowing me into her mouth.

I parted from her and laid her down on her bed. I hovered over her and could feel her shiver as I started to kiss down her jawline. Her heart raced as I got closer and closer.

I could barely control myself when I kissed right over neck. Her pulse raised against my lips. I forced myself away from it, knowing not to go too quick.

I trailed kisses away from her neck and she huffed, flustered. She ran her hands through my pitch black hair as I kissed her collarbone, then down her chest.

I skimmed my lips over Raven's covered breasts, knowing my limits. She huffed in protest.

I felt her curved waist as I palmed at it, her skin so soft. I pushed her tank top up over her stomach and kissed down her abdomen. She let out a breathy moan. This sent shivers through my nerves.

I grew hungrier. I couldn't stand it. I raised to kiss her.

I pulled away and looked down at her. She looked up at me.

"Are you sure?" I asked her, not knowing if I wanted her to say yes or no.

She nodded, but I could see in her eyes she was nervous. I brushed the hair away from her eyes and ran the back of my fingers across her cheek, caressing her.

"I meant it when I said I trust you, Alec." Raven reassured me, knowing I was still wary. I nodded and kissed her softly.

She kissed me back, lingering there for a moment before I parted from her lips and trailed back down to her throat.

I left soft and slow kisses, dragging it out until I neared the soft spot. I could smell her. Her scent mixed with vanilla and AB blood. I took a moment to take it all in.

Her blood pulsed beneath my lips. I ran my fangs over it, barely scraping the surface of her skin. She sucked in a sharp breath. At this it took everything in me not to snap down into her carotid artery.

"Please." Raven whimpered breathily.

I did as she asked and punctured through the soft skin of her neck and the thick vein. Blood pooled into my lips and I moaned at the taste.

She tasted like nothing I would've expected. It was the purest I'd ever tasted. I'd heard of how extraordinary it was to drink from your Soulmate, but this was something more.

Raven gasped and gripped me tight, embedding her nails in my back. She arched her back and held me. I dug myself deeper into her neck and kept drinking.

"Alec." She murmured. The sound of her voice only made me hungrier, wanting more of her.

I gripped her waist hard. She whimpered but I barely noticed it.

"Alec." She said louder this time, trying to pull away. I pulled her closer and gripped tighter, feeling the surge of uncontrollable want fill me.

I pulled myself out of the trance and parted from her neck, my fangs leaving a bite mark on her neck. It took all my strength to lick the blood away from her neck and close the bite mark instead of clamping back down to taste more of her.

The taste of her was still there. I pulled away from her, making sure there was distance between us.

"I'm sorry." I apologized, my breath short. I felt sick knowing that I had taken too much.

"It's alright." She said quietly, her voice wavering.

I looked over her, scared of what I had done. Her tank top was pulled up, still showing her stomach that was now bruised from my grip.

"It's okay, Alec." She breathed, tugging down her tank top to cover them. She put her hand on mine.

"I hurt you." I remarked, hating myself for hurting her. I turned away and sat on the edge of her bed.

"I'm alright Alec." Raven reassured me and rubbed my bicep. "I know you would never intentionally hurt me."

"That's just it, I never realized I was hurting you. I could've lost control if I hadn't stopped when I did." I groaned. She sighed and I felt her chest pressed against my back, hugging me from behind.

"But you didn't." She said and laid her forehead on my shoulder.

"You trust me," I told her, "so just trust that I need time to gain more control."

Raven nodded against my back. "Of course," she mumbled and I could tell she was fading from the blood loss.

I helped her lay back down and pulled the duvet over her. I sat against the head board beside her, waiting for her to fall asleep. Her eyes soon closed and I couldn't help but admire her peacefulness as she slept.

I quietly got out of her bed and went to the door.

"Alec?" Raven mumbled sleepily.

"Yes?" I responded, not knowing if she was somewhat awake or just sleep talking.

"Don't leave." She murmured, half-awake. I nodded reluctantly, even though she couldn't see me. I walked back over to her bed and pulled up the duvet.

Her taste still lingered in my mouth. I lied on my back, looking up at the ceiling until she moved closer and was laying against me with her arm around my torso. I sighed in content although I initially was wary of her being so close.

I knew she was asleep this time. Her body was limp against mine and her breathing was louder. I don't think I'd ever get used to the warmth in my body when she was around, but I didn't mind.

After a couple minutes, my eyes grew heavy and I found myself drifting off beside Raven.

😉

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