I Don't Need You

Denial

William

I watched as Elizabeth straightened her back before wiping the last of her tears away. She looked at me with determination and then she spoke.

“I don’t need you”, she announced and turned to open and slam the door behind her. I blinked as unwelcome tears stung my eyes. My chest felt strange as I clutched at it through my clothing. I fell to my knees and shut my eyes. If I could rip my own heart out I would. I shook myself before climbing back to my feet. My movements were wooden as I bent to pick up my bag I headed for her bathroom and slammed the door. I turned the shower on and quickly undressed. My body felt heavy as I stood under the sprays of steaming water.

I deserved her rejection. I did pretend she didn’t exist and I was going to wait this mate thing out as long as I could, but I didn’t mean to hurt her. I washed in deep thought and quickly dressed pulling a sweatshirt on over my naked chest. After I was done getting myself together I made my way to the fourth floor preparing myself for seeing her again.

As I entered the interrogation room I knew she wasn’t inside. I didn’t smell her anywhere, my eyes shot to James who was watching the three vamps through the mirror. He looked at me twice before turning away.

“You look like s**t,” he said shaking his head.

“Thanks,” I said stopping to stand at his side.

“Where is Liz? We need to get started” he asked. Just the mention of her caused my body to rock in agony. I hissed silently.

“I don’t know”, I grated through my teeth. His eyes looked over me again before handing me a vanilla folder. I quickly skimmed through the papers, it was my official transfer forms and a detailed report of the mission I was going on with..Her.

I placed the folder on the table and took a seat. My head was killing me, I was just about to put my head down when an enticing scent clogged my nose. My head shot up and turned towards the elevator just as it dinged and my mate walked off. Her eyes were shielded with thick sunglasses, and she held a silver cup in her hand. Her tight leggings showed everything those baggy pants were trying to hide last night. I could smell the blood in her cup and my mouth watered. Being part wolf I could eat human food but I still craved blood I could survive on both really.

“Good morning!” she chirped in a voice that was not her own. I watched as she made her way to James with her hand extended. James looked at her with a pained expression, I could tell he wanted to give her the same greeting I received but he didn't say a word, just handed her the other vanilla folder. Smart man, I thought to myself. She hesitated before turning to walk over to the table, she sat in the chair furthest from me. Seeing as there were only four chairs at the table it didn't give us much space. I noticed her skin looked paler than normal and her hands shook visibly. I growled at what she was doing to herself. She didn't look up from her papers as she adjusted her glasses.

“We can get started on the interrogation whenever you are ready Liz” James announced from the mirror.

“I'll let you take the lead on this one..men are more likely to yield to another man anyway,” she said without looking up.

“Will? How about it?” he asked I didn't take my eyes off her as I answered.

“Why not,” I said and pushed myself away from the table. I entered the room with the three vamps, they were huddled together like small children.

“Start talking, make this easier for yourselves,” I said rolling my neck.

They each looked at each other before the one with the missing hand spoke.

“We work for Iris h-h-he paid us to do it!”, the vamp yelled causing a few drops of spit to hit the glass beside me. I took a step to the side, he was holding his disfigured wrist to his chest.

Eliza f****d this guy up.

“Where is Iris located?” I asked flatly, they all whimpered and turned into each other. I folded the sleeves on my hoodie, then thought about it and pulled it off it was one of my favorites after all .

“I could always get my redhead friend to step in here?”, I threatened and the one with the missing hand came forward again and began spitting words at me.

“We don’t know! T-t-they blindfolded us! W-w-w-we didn’t see the location or what Iris l-looked like!” He stuttered, I took a step back. What the f**k? Say it don’t spray it, s**t!

Although this room was soundproof I felt a fuzzy sensation in my stomach and realized it was my mate's happiness and amusement over the spitting vampire. I turned to flip off the mirror behind me before facing the spitting vamp again.

“Unfortunately that information means nothing to me! I need something!” I shouted causing the vamps to cower again.

“Royals! Royals! He’s targeting royal descendants!” The vamp with the buzz-cut shouted. The spitting vamp gave the buzz-cut vamp a silencing look.

“Ohhh, I promise what I’ll do to you will be a million times worse than this guy!”, I growled feeling the shift in my eyes.

“Almost ten years ago Iris took out the last queen of fire..he thought he destroyed the last descendant which would mean the prophecy wouldn’t come true” buzz-cut whispered nervously. My eyebrows shot up.

“What prophecy?” I asked taking a step forward.

“N-nothing!” The spitting vamp spat right as my fist connected with his chin, knocking him out.

“A fire descendant is the only one powerful enough to destroy Iris’s master. Iris thought he killed the last descendant almost ten years ago, but it was foreseen that she still lives. Iris has been targeting royal descendants since. He won’t stop until he’s killed them all.” buzz-cut finished and backed into the corner again. My head was pounding even more now, royals?, it had been over three hundred years since I thought of the royals.

I heard a knock on the glass and turned to walk out. My eyes instantly went to my mate. Her glasses were on the table forgotten about and her bloodshot eyes gleamed strangely. I rushed to her side pulling her face towards mine.

“Elizabeth! What is it?” I asked stroking her cheeks with my thumb. She tried to shake her head and her mouth formed the word “No” but no sound came out.

James was suddenly at my side. “Elizabeth’s parents were killed almost ten years ago. It was the first fire on a clan of vampires with no enemy. It started this whole operation we are trying to end now”. James spoke fast but he seemed to be focusing on Elizabeth more than I liked.

“Liz wasn’t home at the time of the fire she came back to discover her whole clan was murdered..her mother was the last fire vampire, that is until Elizabeth tapped into her gift five years ago..what I’m saying is-“

“I’m the last fire descendant but my mother wasn’t a royal” Elizabeth said snapping out of her trance. I pulled her to a chair and sat her down. I had never comforted anyone before but I found my movements came naturally as I sought to calm my mate.

“Elizabeth what is your last name?” I asked moving my hands up and down her shoulders. I spent almost two hundred years fighting for the royals maybe I could put some things together.

“Annora”, my head snapped to James as I stood.

“Annora’s were the strongest royal family they possessed gifts, unlike any other clan. Because of this, they were the first to be attacked. They were thought to have all been destroyed in war three hundred years ago” I said in a daze thinking about how messy that war was and how many innocent lives were lost. It made sense. Elizabeth was stronger and faster than any immortal I fought. She possessed the gift of fire but there was something else about her. Something that was yet to be unleashed.

“If this is true..” Elizabeth's eyes glossed over with unshed tears and she swallowed loudly.

“If this is true then so many have died because of me..it’s my fault”, she whispered before dropping her head into her hands. I could not bear to watch my mate in this much agony, her despair radiated from her in waves. I bent to lift her and walked to the elevator “I’ll be back down”, I said over my shoulder before entering the elevator.

“This isn’t your fault. Please don’t do this to yourself”, I pleaded with her as the elevator ascended. My chest was soaked with her tears as I stepped out on her room floor. I quickly carried her to her room and opened the door. I sat on the bed with her in my arms and began to rock her. I would kill Iris and whoever or whatever else was trying to take my mate away from me. Elizabeth cried until she fell asleep I gently laid her down before debating with myself if I should get in the bed with her. She made it clear she would not join me in our mating bond but she needed me right now.

I climbed into the bed beside her and pulled her up on my chest. Her arm encircled my waist and her head fit perfectly tucked under my chin. I thought out how upset she would be when she woke. I didn’t care as I let my fingers trace circles on her back. It wasn’t long before I drifted asleep myself.

Elizabeth

A warmness spread through my body and went straight to the junction between my legs. I was confused as to why my body felt like it had been electrocuted until my hand brushed flesh as I moved. Light snoring drifted down to me and I opened my eyes, tilted my head back, and saw a square jawline. I gasped and tried to remain as still as possible trying to recall how I got in this position.

Memories rushed back to me and tears threatened me again. It was my fault. All these fires over the years were because of me. Someone was looking for me and killing innocent families just to find me. If it’s me they wanted then it’s me they’ll get. I had to turn myself over to stop all this senseless killing.

I would make sure I was prepared when I turned myself in. William stirred pulling me into his body more. I could never complete the mate bond now even if I wanted to. If I was going to sacrifice myself William could never mark me, it would only mean death for him if I died. If we didn’t complete the bond he could move on eventually. These thoughts broke my heart as I cuddled closer to my mate. I knew I couldn’t have him but at least I could have this moment.

I had never cried as much as I had in the past twenty-four hours. I knew it was the mate bond that was causing my emotions to be all over the place. I was disappointed in myself but most importantly I was mad that my mate found me, no matter what the circumstances were, and I couldn’t have him. Fresh tears fell and I felt William tense beneath me.

His arms tightened around me, “Elizabeth please don't worry, I won’t let anything happen to you”, he vowed while stroking my hair and rubbing my back. I groaned and tried to pull away from him. He was going to make everything ten times harder. He didn’t release me for a few minutes until I eased back into his body. I was throbbing in all my sensitive places. His hand traveled from my arm and waist before coming back to my hair. A small moan escaped my lips causing William to release a primitive growl. My breath was coming in pants as his other hand lifted my chin.

I met his eyes with hesitation, “I am sorry for the hurt I’ve caused you Elizabeth. I was a fool to not have come for you sooner”, with each whisper his lips moved closer to mine. I tilted my head more as his lips captured mine. My eyes closed and it was as if I weighed nothing, like I was floating in space. His mouth opened and I allowed him entry to my own. My heart jumped as his tongue explored every inch of mine. I followed his movements with my own as my body heated with pleasure. His movements we soft and gentle at first but then quickly became more demanding as another growl filled my mouth. His hand gripped my waist pulling me tighter and I felt something hard and throbbing on my stomach. I pulled away and gasped locking eyes with him. His eyes burned brighter than I had ever seen them I could feel my eyes as well, we were both too out of control.

You have to let him go, I reminded myself as I shoved against his chest and climbed from the bed.

“We can’t do this, I don’t want anyone else getting hurt because of me,” I said turning away from William, trying to get my breathing under control. I heard William rustling behind me before cursing under his breath.

He spun me to face him anger flashing in his eyes.

“The only way you could hurt me is by continuing this denial of our bond, we are mated we will be stronger together” my eyes darted to the pillow he held over his midsection and I raised an eyebrow before quickly looking away.

“You will be in danger if I complete the mate bond with you and I won’t risk it. You need to be able to walk away after all this is done” I said looking at the fish tank by my small sectional, I forgot to feed my fish.

I could feel his anguish through our bond.

“I could never walk away from you now, I know I messed up but I’m not going anywhere” his words caused more tears to form and I begged my eyes to hold them back, I was sick of this emotional roller coaster.

“Let’s talk about this later we need to train. I assume you remember where the training floor is” I said avoiding his hand as he reached for me and walked towards the door.

“I’ll meet you there in fifteen minutes” was all he said in a defeated tone.

As the door closed behind me I closed my eyes and brought my fingers to my lips picturing our kiss all over again, my first kiss.