Vulnerable: Book 1 of the Magic Mutations Series | ✓

37: Kiss and Make Up

He had showered and was sitting in bed, scrolling through his phone when I walked back into the room. The moment I opened the door and his eyes met mine. He put his phone down, looking at me with a sad, apologetic gaze.

I so desperately wanted to walk over there, cuddle up into his bare torso, and ask him to bite me. But as much as I wanted to admire the curly locks and dazzling blue eyes from up close, I couldn't let his looks woo me again.

It was time I stood up for myself otherwise we'd wind up down a dangerous path.

With Lukas's words ringing in my ears, I immediately looked away and went to grab some clean clothes.

"Can we talk?" Ben asked as I rummaged through the suitcase. He shuffled forward in the sheets to look down at me by the foot of the bed.

"I don't know. Can we?" I asked bitterly.

He sighed. "Are you going to be snappy forever?"

That comment made my eye twitch. I looked up, shooting daggers at him. "I'm going for a shower. Then I might talk to you."

As I walked out of the bedroom and to the bathroom, my heart twinged at his upset gaze that lingered in my memory after my last comment. I didn't want to be mean. But being nice was clearly making me a pushover. Clearly showing him that I was a weak human. I had to show him I could stand up for myself.

Even if he ended up falling out of love with me.

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Towel over my head and in my pyjamas, I walked back into the room, avoiding his stare once more as I put my dirty clothes into a plastic bag and back in the suitcase. I then hung the towel over the radiator and climbed onto my side of the bed, under the covers.

I could feel his blue gaze burning into my head, but I continued to avoid eye contact.

After repositioning my pillows, I rolled onto my side, away from him, and turned my light out.

"Really?" he asked.

I didn't respond.

With a sigh, I heard him throw his legs out from the bed. Noise of pants zipping caused me to turn to look at him out of the corner of my eye.

"Where are you going?" I finally asked as he began to put socks and shoes on.

"To feed."

"Why?"

Tired, he looked into my eyes. "Because I need to eat and you're obviously not ready to work things out."

I shimmied out from the covers and into a sitting position, bringing my legs close to my chest and wrapping an arm around them. Turning my head away from him, I thrusted out my free arm—an invitation.

"What's that meant to mean?" he asked.

"Bite it."

He continued to make noises, causing me to glance at him once more. He was shrugging on his jacket.

"Ben," I said. "You don't have to go out."

He came around and sat on the bed, staring at me. "Will you talk to me?"

"What's there to say?" I asked.

"Tell me why you're mad at me."

"You know why."

"Because I want to protect you? Is that really so bad?"

My jaw clenched tight, and through gritted teeth, "It's not the protecting part. It's that you think I'm weak."

"You are!"

"How am I ever supposed to believe in myself and my potential powers if all you do is put me down?" I half shouted.

He went quiet, eyes boring into mine as he took many steady breaths. The emotions circulating his face were indistinguishable, but he continued to look at me, the silence stretching on forever. "Is that really how I'm making you feel?"

I nodded, burying my head into my knees.

"I don't mean to, Olivia," he said softly, arms coming around me. "I'm sorry."

"Are you though?"

He pulled back, hand slipping between my legs to my chin, tilting my head up so I met his gaze. "I do think you're weak right now, but I don't think that's a forever thing. But there's also the fact that you don't know anything about my world."

"Our world."

He sighed. "Our world."

"Then teach me. Tell me everything I need to know. Help me be stronger. Don't just keep telling me I'm not strong enough and that you can leave me out of it. Because if I can't defend myself then that's just going to put me and you at risk."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. Just do better. Believe in me and teach me."

He nodded slowly. "Okay. I'll try my best."

"Will you help Lukas again?"

He went quiet.

"Ben."

"Is that really what you want?"

I nodded. "He's our friend."

"Okay. But you're not going near his uncle."

"Benjamin—"

"You don't know him, Olivia. You don't know what he's capable of. He's a very old and powerful vampire and many who have tried to mess with him before have gone missing overnight. No one alive is allowed to disagree with his ways. And if our assumptions are right, he's the reason your kind had to go into hiding." Ben shook his head. "I can't lose you because I didn't put my foot down on this."

Sighing, I shuffled forward, closer to him, resting my head on his shoulder. "Can we discuss it again later? After I have my magic? After I know what I can and can't do?"

He thought about it for a moment, which I appreciated. He didn't outright reject me and that was more than I could ask for so far. "Maybe. But I'll probably still say no."

"Thank you," I whispered.

"Do you forgive me?" he asked.

"I'll think about it."

He breathed a laugh at that comment.

I don't know how long we sat there, my head on his shoulder, his head on mine, but eventually I distrubed the stillness.

"Now get undressed and bite me," I said.

Chuckling, he got back to his feet, kicking his shoes off, slight smirk on his face. As I watched him slowly shed the layers, my eyes went up and down over him, my teeth biting my lip.

He began to climb into the bed, but my brows furrowed. "That's not all the clothes off," I said.

Playfully, he rolled his eyes but kept coming towards me, mouth landing on mine. "I might let you take my boxers off later," he mumbled against my lips.

His arms hooked around me, pulling me on top of him as he deepened our kiss. Breathless, I pulled my mouth away from his, but he hadn't had enough, lips moving down my jaw, neck, along my collarbone. And then he licked the delicate skin and clamped his teeth down into me.