Bless The Beauty - By Stacey Kennedy Page 0,23

heating up the sheets and sharing blood was not one easily forgotten.

He glanced down to the table again, picked up the pen and continued to spin it between his fingers. Many silent moments passed, as he remained thoughtful, then he finally said, “I am oddly jealous.”

“You?” The idea sounded ridiculous. Kellen had nothing to be insecure about and never had I seen that emotion come from him. “Jealous of a mortal?”

He raised his gaze to mine, stern and unwavering. “You have never loved another but me.”

Then I knew what he was grasping at. I hadn’t considered this might hurt him. I suspected he’d be annoyed or disgusted even. That he’d tell me to forget him and move on. I hadn’t expected that he would have his heart broken because of my relationship with Chase.

Guess it was time for me to explain, not only to myself but to Kellen too. “It’s totally different.

With you, it’s boundless. You know me like no one else could. I am completely and utterly myself around you.” Then, I sighed deeply, hoped my words came out right.

“With him, I just want to keep him.”

Kellen’s sigh equalled mine as he dropped the pen, leaned back in his chair and laced his fingers behind his head. “Luckily for you I am not unwilling. Not all would be so.”

Wasn’t that the truth! But that is the reason, Kellen was Kellen. So unselfish and I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about that. What I did know was that it made me a selfish bitch. The worst part, I couldn’t have it any other way. I needed them both. I leaned forward and gave him a kiss I hope displayed what my heart felt. “It’s why I love you.”

He laughed a soft sound when I backed away from his lips. “And so you should.”

Then, he gave a stern look. “How do you wish to proceed with this?”

I thought we already sorted that out. “Proceed with what?”

He leaned forward in his chair, his face close to mine. “Are you going to treat him like a consort?”

Shit! I hadn’t really thought of that. Now, with Kellen back in our lives things had changed. With him working for the Mistresses, we needed to follow the rules by the book. I sighed at the idea of giving Chase such a title. “He doesn’t feel like that.”

“Hadley.” Kellen gaze chastised. “It will pose a problem if you will not declare him your consort.”

I understood. I’d been putting this off since I lived more like a mortal than a vampire. It wasn’t really necessary. But if it was discovered that Kellen was breaking vampire law, he’d be killed for it. Not an ideal situation. I wasn’t concerned about the meaning behind it, I knew Chase would be all right with declaring his knowledge of the vampires’ secret and would see to keep it that way. It was the ceremony I worried about.

I doubted Chase would want to be declared under their command.

Our situation was so different than most. Mortal consorts were addicted to their vampire—to the high they got from the vampire drinking their blood. With Chase, it wasn’t that way in any regard.

We loved each other and he was addicted to me. Sure, he enjoyed the rush of sexual satisfaction that came with the act of my feeding on him, but it was me he wanted—not the high.

If I didn’t declare Chase as my consort then he would be targeted as a threat. A means to expose the vampires to the world and that was something that went against our laws. My choices were limited.

“Have you shared blood with him?” Kellen asked, breaking me away from my train of thought.

I shook my head, as if I’d ever be that stupid. “I know better than to do that.” If I had, I would have defied the Mistress by not bringing Chase before her immediately. It was one of the reasons I never offered it to him. The other reason was that I just didn’t know how he would respond.

“Good girl,” Kellen smiled, approvingly and gave my thigh a pat.

My options were dwindling down to only one. Kellen’s stern eyes said I couldn’t manoeuvre my way out of this one. “I suppose there is no choice here.”

“Not if you want this mortal to remain with you.” His gaze turned curious. “Unless you want to turn…”

I stopped that line of thinking by raising my hand. “That is not an option.” No, I didn’t want to give Chase immortality.