“Do you accept?” Jacobi asked me. His form of apology was a lot more straightforward and almost angrier than those I was used to. Still, just from what I knew over time, I knew what he was offering me wasn’t something he offered a lot of people. In fact, using his spirit to heal the same person twice was probably completely unheard of. That wasn’t what stopped me from accepting, though.

I frowned deeply. “It makes you less powerful,” I said weakly. I wasn’t sure why this would bother me. He would get his strength back, but I felt like… it was similar to taking money from someone to me; like charity. I knew I would heal on my own eventually, so this wasn’t necessary. It made me feel… wrong.

“Yes,” He answered simply. When he noted that this wasn’t changing my mind, he frowned as well. “That’s why I ask for your forgiveness in return.” This explanation didn’t help me understand anything. In fact, as time was passing, I was thinking more clearly than before and my thoughts were becoming more confused with each piece of clarity.

“But… why do you want my forgiveness? You hate me.”

Jacobi looked away briefly before glaring at me. Similar to his words when I arrived at his door, I felt like he wasn’t directing his rage towards me. “You saved my life. In return, I had to beat you for it,” He growled, his anger taking my breath away. It stunned me to know even if I hadn’t been claimed to two of his coterie members he still wouldn’t have wanted to hurt me. He had played very convincing at not actually caring about me during the trial. Maybe he really didn’t care about me, but rather about his “honor”. He promised me a quick death, which meant no more torture, and then was forced to break that promise. I didn’t know if I could exactly forgive that, but I didn’t exactly blame him for the beating. After all, I had agreed to it in the end.

“Fine,” I said finally, “I accept.” It didn’t hurt that this would ease some of my pain as well.

Jacobi looked down the hall both ways as though making sure nobody was nearby and then he pulled me into his room. It was colder in here than in the hallway. Chills moved over my skin in response as I looked around. The lamp on his desk, where he was working on small projects, was the only light on in the room. Jacobi moved to his bed, sitting down on it before looking at me expectantly. I hesitated. Maybe I should really start asking what things involve before I agree to them…

I pushed myself to walk over to the bed and then onto it on my knees. I winced when bending stretched out the flesh of my raw back. Jacobi moved onto the bed on his knees as well and grabbed my elbow, lifting so that I was kneeling in front of him. I raised my face to look at his at first with fear, but then as he peered at me with a look I couldn’t quite identify, I became increasingly curious. His eyes moved down to my body and he pinched the fabric of my slip lightly.

“This helps,” He mused huskily before clearing his throat and hardening his expression. I would have blushed madly knowing what inappropriate nightwear I was currently in, but again my cool skin was too weak to allow my embarrassment to show. Instead, I looked away, ducking my head shyly. He reached to lift my face back up to his. “I have to be careful after… my spirit keeps responding inappropriately to you. If you feel uncomfortable, just tell me and I’ll stop.” I nodded wordlessly, stunned by this new man before me.

He raised his hand just inches from my face as though he were going to cup my cheek and then paused. I felt that steady hum rising up and then the electricity sparked through me as whatever it was caressed some unseen part of me.

“No,” He warned deeply, once again not actually addressing me. The cool caresses dimmed, though the electricity was still there. That power wanted me, I knew, and I very much wanted to reach for it even though I didn’t understand what it was or what it meant. I held very still, afraid of setting off something Jacobi was obviously trying to control. He moved his hand over that untouchable part of me, sending a small gasp through me at the resulting shock of pleasure I felt in response. Again, he cautiously said, “No.”

I was beginning to pant now, heat pooling through my body as he moved that invisible force over mine. His frustration was growing over his strained features each moment, as though it were becoming more difficult to say that word ‘no’. Whatever it was that called to me suddenly jerked forward in such a manner as if trying to snatch me completely. I inhaled sharply, nearly falling from the force of need that rushed over me.

Jacobi closed his eyes, pulling back forcefully and I knew he was trying to rein his spirit in. That’s what I had to be feeling all this time; his spirit. I tried to recall what the books I read said about spiritual life forces in order to compare it to what was happening between us. I myself couldn’t manipulate my spirit, being that I was human, so none of the options made sense to me. The only reaction to a vampire’s spirit I would be able to have would only be one-sided, which was only that of being claimed or being healed.

Jacobi opened his eyes, his breathing harsh, before looking at me with hunger and lust. A deep blush was now set in my flesh, which told me his spirit had obviously been healing me at least partially in this time. He wrapped an arm around my waist and I felt his heated palm splay across my lower back. Besides the flames that erupted by his touch, I only felt the slight sting of my wounds, letting me know I had definitely had my healing accelerated. I felt more awake than before, my heart pulsing throughout me in unidentifiable emotions.

“Don’t consent,” He told me, abruptly pulling me closer to him so that my body was aligned with his. I gasped pleasantly, enjoying the feel of his bare chest burning through my thin slip. I absently reached up to touch him when I felt that trace of power; his spirit. It wasn’t the flesh he wanted me not to consent to. It was the spirit… it wanted me to consent more than anything. It wanted me to grab it, to connect, and let it wash over me completely. I was breathing hard, sweat beginning to dampen my skin. I’d never felt anything like this before. Again, he warned, “Don’t consent.”

I shook my head, pushing past the dominating spirit and connecting my flesh with his. I hesitated for only a moment before I traced my touch over his muscled shoulder and across his collarbone tenderly. This action alone set flame to the both of us. Jacobi suddenly lunged forward, claiming my mouth with his, an animalistic force behind it. It wasn’t only him that was affected. With a high needy whimper, I instantly rose up to meet him. I grasped at his neck and then his hair, pulling him against me as though I could inhale him. His tongue plunged into my mouth the second my lips parted, assaulting me with fire and desperation. His hands grasped at my body, tugging and pulling me against him.

I felt the sharp points of his fangs just brushing against my lips and tongue. My mind was blank with uncontrollable need. As if on instinct, I bit down on his bottom lip drawing a deep rumbling growl from him. With supernatural speed, he pushed me down against the bed, pinning my gasping form so that he could continue his assault on the flesh of my neck and collarbone.

His fangs brushed against my skin teasingly, causing a very uncharacteristic moan to erupt from my throat. With strength I didn’t know I had, I shoved him off of me and pinned him down roughly. His expression mirrored my surprise, but I quickly ignored it to begin my own assault on his chest, licking and biting my way down his stomach.

I was about halfway down when Jacobi gripped my upper arms and shifted me, pushing me back down under him except on my stomach. I assumed he was preventing me from being able to pin him down again. He pressed down on my lower back, holding me against the bed, and grasped a handful of my hair before moving it to bare my back to him. Instantly, he was trailing his tongue over my slightly raw wounds. I moaned in pleasure, moving underneath him in response. As if to punish me for my writhing, I felt him bite down on one of my wounds; all teeth and no fang. I yelped at the sensation it sent through me, pooling pain and ecstasy into one. The call of his spirit rose with renewed ferocity, grasping for me. I squirmed at the overwhelming sensations bombarding my body. I consented. Oh yes, I consented.

Jacobi pushed away from me abruptly as if he had heard my thoughts himself, taking his spirit with him. I was left breathing hard on the bed, my slip barely hanging on anymore. My body hummed all over from leftover pleasure. After a moment, I lifted myself up to look in his direction. He stayed just off the bed, leaning forward so that his hands were gripping the edge of the mattress. His eyes were watching me hungrily.

“We can’t do that again,” He suddenly stated, though I could obviously tell he very much enjoyed it. I remembered exactly how much I had enjoyed it and a feeling of complete mortification rushed over me. Oh God, I’m a slut. I’d never thrown myself at someone like that… and to do that with a demonic creature that had abducted me and was planning to kill me? Had I completely lost my mind?!

“Yeah,” I agreed wholeheartedly. “I should go.”

I stumbled from the bed without waiting for him to say anything else, nearly falling in the process but correcting myself without losing all my grace. I practically bolted for the door, but faltered when an image flashed across my eyes. I hesitated, reaching for the doorknob. And then I turned partially to address him.

“She… wrote you a letter,” I said breathlessly. That was about all my courage allowed me to say before I went to leave. I should have known saying something like that wouldn’t be enough. The minute I partially opened the door, an arm flashed across my vision and firmly shut it in back in place. I hesitated, but then turned to face Jacobi who was now leaning his hand against the door behind me to ensure I wouldn’t escape.

“What did you say?” He asked intensely. I couldn’t really think right with him so close to me, but it wasn’t because I was afraid of him. Something was making me intoxicated by him and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it.

“I have… dreams,” I told him, frowning, “And I keep dreaming about… her. Your… the woman who…” I struggled to put it in words that wouldn’t infuriate him.

“Adelaide,” He stated simply. His face was guarded at the mention of her, but he wasn’t angry yet. I shifted uncomfortably under his stare.

“Yes,” I confirmed hesitantly, “It’s not the normal type of dreams. She…” Again I hesitated, feeling extremely anxious to actually explain the strange visions I’d been receiving. “She keeps telling me to tell you something. I-I don’t know exactly what it is.”

“She’s dead. She can’t tell you anything,” Jacobi narrowed his eyes.

“She’s real!” I exclaimed bravely, “She likes the phoenix. She wrote you a letter; I don’t think you saw it or she wouldn’t be so persistent for me to tell you about it. She put it behind the phoenix figurine, her favorite. She called you Cobi…” He slammed his fist against the door behind me dangerously, forcing me to hold my breath in renewed fear. For a moment, I thought he would threaten me again as he did the last time I had mentioned her. But after reining in his rage, he turned and moved determinedly to one of the areas where the carved figurines were settled upon.

There in the middle was the phoenix figurine that I had seen in my dream. He picked it up, turning it in his hand almost affectionately, and then looked at me.

“She didn’t leave a letter,” He told me quietly. I blinked, confused. Maybe my dreams were just that: dreams. Maybe they didn’t actually tell me anything useful. “Go to your masters.” I hesitated. I understood that he meant Aveline and Xander to be my ‘masters’, but I didn’t agree with the term.

“They’re not my masters,” I huffed defensively. “They’re my…” What were they? My companions? My friends? My captors and guards?

I turned and left without finishing my sentence, nothing halting me this time. It was only when I reached Xander and Aveline’s door that I finally paused, breathing hard and thinking absently about what had happened. I touched my lips curiously. What was wrong with me?

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Added a pic of another cover I made for the story just because.