An Unwavering Promise--Completed

Chapter Eight

Eleanor’s POV

Peering around the room, I stared at one of the couch’s decorative pillows. It was tan in color with alternating light and dark blue stripes. Anything was better than looking at the two vampires before me. Both had pleading looks and were doing their best to get me to agree to their plight. It didn’t feel right to say ‘no’ to them; however, it also didn’t feel right to say ‘yes’. I could feel how badly they wanted this. And, I had to admit that the way vampires died, unless it was by a stake or other means, sounded awful. To just wait until you starved to death was a cruel fate.

“Why not just get staked?” I asked suddenly.

The idea had popped into my head, and since we were being so candid, I figured it wouldn’t sound too heartless to ask. I then laughed at my own pun and felt a jab of annoyance from Rae. She had never been impressed by puns. I, on the other hand, loved a good, punny joke.

Candy and Berty shared a knowing look. “Well, you see,” Berty began. “As lovely as that seems, I’ve heard it’s extremely painful. If our orc here can revert us to being human, it would be a painless death. Over before we can even blink. Candy and I here are averse to pain. So, we’d like the option that doesn’t involve it.”

“How do you know this process is painless?” Alexander then questioned.

“I suppose we don’t exactly know for sure. But the books we found in the Library suggest it,” Candy replied.

I pursed my lips. “You came to me with this knowing I couldn’t refuse you, didn’t you?”

Candy laughed. “Well, I had hoped we would garner some sympathy from you.”

Letting out a long sigh, I crossed my arms over my chest. “Ugh, fine. I’m mad knowing it worked. But,” I stressed, watching them smile in victory. “You will inform me of any and all your plans. There will be no shenanigans from you two, else I’ll do something drastic. Oh, and no running off either.”

Candy and Berty were all smiles and eagerly nodded along with each threat and demand I made.

“Of course, Alpha,” Berty said with a wink. “Whatever you say, we’ll do it. We’ll follow your rules and be the best vampires ever!”

I frowned. “You two seem way too happy to be talking about your demise.”

Candy only shrugged and a happy grin. “When you’ve been alive for as long as we have, death does seem like the perfect bliss.”

“Well, I suppose we should wait for the next hour and then be on our way. Excuse me while I claim a room and rest,” I said, standing.

I then walked over to my bag, pointedly ignoring Alexander, and then went up the stairs to stake out the bedroom situation. This house had many, so I peeked into each of the room options before settling on a mid-sized room. There wasn't much in it except for a queen bed, a dresser, and two bedside tables. There was a small closet to one side, but I figured I wouldn’t need it, since I only brought clothes that looked best wrinkled. The color scheme in this room was black, white, and a touch of red. It was fine.

“You’re interrupting me doing my best to ignore you by hovering,” I grumbled, pulling my eyes away from the wall art.

“I don’t want you to ignore me,” Alexander said, his voice strained.

Turning suddenly to face him, my eyes flashed in anger. “Then maybe you should have rethought your answers on the plane. Maybe you shouldn’t have been such a prick to me by forcing me to rise to your expectations and standards without following them yourself.”

“Eleanor,” he pleaded gently.

“No,” I shook my head in defiance. “I’m not going to fall for your good guy act right now. You’re not being a good partner, and it frustrates me to no end that you don’t see it.”

He took a few steps towards me and whispered, “What if by keeping this from you I am being a good guy? What if this is protecting you? Once you know, then it'll be over for you.”

“What?” I asked, exasperated. “You’re making even less sense than before.”

“Eleanor, I’m keeping you safe by refraining from telling you. I’m enduring these fights and your temper in order to protect you. Don’t you want that? Don’t you want to be spared the pain and agony of knowing something that may very well take your life?” he begged, seeking out my hands to hold.

“No,” I replied honestly. “I have told you everything, and I mean absolutely everything about me and what’s important. You’re the only one I’ve trusted like this. So, no. I don’t understand why you’d keep something like this from me. Imagine if I’d kept Nicholas from you, even after you implored me to tell you. Imagine if I told you nothing about the dragons and Nathan, and this orc. Wouldn’t that crush you? By telling you, I gave you the option of sticking by my side or leaving me in the dust. It was your choice, and I was going to accept whatever your decision was. I wanted you to make that choice. But now, now you’re withholding mine, and it’s breaking my heart. Not to mention killing my trust in you as well. How are we supposed to grow as a couple if you’re not willing to open up to me fully?”

Alexander took a step back, dropping my hands. “So, you don't trust me again. Is that it?”

I fell backwards onto the bed, feeling utterly defeated. “Out of all I said, that’s what you took from it?”

“You said and meant it, didn’t you?” he countered.

“There’s no need to get so defensive.”

It was his turn to act exasperated. “The love of my life just said she didn’t trust me any longer because I’m trying to protect her! And I’m not supposed to be defensive?”

“I just think you’re missing the point!” I shouted back at him.

“Fine. What point are you trying to make?”

My face softened as I looked back at him. I didn’t actually want to fight, and I knew he didn’t either. I just couldn’t understand why he didn’t trust me enough to share his burdens. I had done that, even though I thought I was strong enough to handle it, and it turned out to be the best decision. No one in a loving, healthy relationship should have to bear their burdens alone.

“Alex, I’m here for you. I’m not going anywhere. Although I appreciate the sentiment of wanting to keep me safe and out of the loop, I just don’t think I need to be there. You’ve seen me. I can take care of myself and others. You don’t need to be worried. Your mate is a f*****g badass, if I do say so myself,” I said, tacking on a weak smile at the end.

Alexander returned my smile with a similarly small grin. “I know all that. But still. If I can prevent any harm coming to you, I’ll count that as a good day.”

“You can’t protect me from everything.”

“I know. I understand that.”

I tilted my head to the side, studying him. “And these things have a tendency to come out on their own. You know that, right?

“It’s stayed put for this long,” he stated. “My odds are looking pretty good thus far.”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “We’re going to have a lot more to talk about whenever this comes to light, just so you know.”

“But we can shelve the argument until then?”

I nodded.

“So you won’t be mad at me until it comes to light, as you said?”

Biting my lip, I waited a second before nodding again.

“So this now means that we can pass the time in a more exciting way?” he asked, his eyes darkening in lust.

I couldn’t hide the thrill of the thought from Alexander. He sensed it immediately through the bond and hurriedly seized the opportunity. He captured my lips with his, circling his arms around my body, and pressed me close. We toppled onto the bed so that my back was now pressed against the comforter. Half lying and half sitting on top of me, we kissed passionately, losing our clothes in the process.

“I will do absolutely everything in my power to protect you, my love. Surely you know that always,” he mumbled into my hair after breaking the kiss.

His hands slowly crept down my stomach, and I started to squirm. This man’s skill never ceased to impress me, and now was no exception. His fingers began to tease me, making me moan softly.

“I love it when you moan for me,” he whispered. “I love watching you wiggle and squirm and enjoy every moment.”

“Then you must love when I do the unexpected,” I challenged, flipping us over, so now I was on top.

I then stroked his hard d**k, making sure he was ready. Seeing the delight in his eyes, I eased down on top of him and began pumping at a slower pace, teasing him as much as he had me.

“You must know, I like being in control. And I like to have all the information beforehand so that I can assess the situation,” I said.

I started to pick up the pace, hearing his breath hitch. He helped by thrusting into me, causing me to moan in return.

“You use dirty tricks,” Alexander grunted.

After a few more thrusts, he used my momentum to slide out of me, his hands on my waist to pick me up. Throwing me down onto my stomach, he crawled on top of me and entered me from behind. I let out a chuckle that was mixed with pleasure as the new sensations washed over me. I could feel the same waves crashing over him through the bond. Focusing on the emotions and pleasure in the bond turned me on more, and I quickly climaxed. My body shook, but Alexander wasn’t done with me, and as I came down from my o****m, he picked up the pace. This sent me over the edge again in a matter of minutes. Bending my knees and getting onto my hands, I let him pound into me until I came again, followed by him. We collapsed onto the bed and just laid there for a little while.

Not that we always ended our arguments in s*x, but it did bother me slightly that my mate tended to want to be intimate as soon as we were done fighting. I would have to ask him about it at a later date. Now didn’t seem like the time. I looked over at him and saw that he was already fast asleep. Brushing some of the hair off his face, I placed a small kiss on his forehead.

“I will find out about whatever you’re hiding, Alex. I always find out,” I whispered before climbing off the bed to go wash up before we headed out.