Chapter 293: Drive Me Insane
"Besides," I continued, "this was your decision. You and Blaise were the ones who decided to chuck me here to learn how to be a luna and to keep me away from the vampires and the hunters. You can’t just change your mind now that there’s been a minor inconvenience."
"That inconvenience you’ve encountered can hardly be regarded as minor," Damon said with a snort. The storm that swirled in Damon calmed down significantly, but there were still lingering strands of doubt.
I didn’t blame him. After all, I didn’t exactly have the cleanest, safest track record. For someone who had so little power compared to those around me, I often found myself in the most dangerous of situations. It was no wonder Damon got so worried.
"I made quick work of the wendigo," I said with a playful huff, pouting my lips and trying my best to lighten the situation.
Damon raised a single eyebrow, his expression dead and flat as he stared at me with doubt.
"You were lucky," Damon said. "With your current strength, it’s a miracle you managed to defeat the wendigo. If you didn’t have your weapon with you, you would’ve died immediately, much less save that pup."
"I suppose I have you to thank for that, then," I impishly said. With a bright grin, I fluttered my eyelashes, trying my best to steer the topic away from me leaving Thunderstrike. "That weapon is much more helpful than I initially guessed."
"A weapon is not enough," Damon chided. "What’s more important is that you can train your body to become one. What if you lose the rod? What then?"
"I am not entirely helpless," I tried to argue. Flexing my fingers, I looked at them, watching as my muscles moved. "I am at least stronger than a human."
And it was true. Ever since I had spent time with my mates, I could physically feel my body growing stronger. Even my senses had been greatly enhanced, and while it was no match for a fully grown werewolf by any means, it was at least better than an average human’s.
Damon read my mind immediately, and a small smirk began to stretch his lips. He leaned his weight on one leg, folding his arms across his chest as he watched me with slyness in his eyes.
"You’re on borrowed strength," Damon said. "It’s entirely because of the mating bond that you have heightened senses and physical prowess. But eventually, without constant upkeep, it will just fade away again. If you’re not spending time with us back in Fangborne, who knows when you might become as useless as Darach Elrod?"
I scowled at the jab at Darach but made no comment about that. Seeing my silence, Damon took it as a chance to continue.
"But you know what would ease my worries about leaving you here alone in Thunderstrike?" Damon asked, leaning forward just a little. Using just his index finger, he propped my chin up so that our gazes met, and his lips curled into a devilishly handsome grin. "Have sex with me."
If I were sipping on a drink, the liquid would’ve no doubt already been spat out on Damon’s face. My eyes bulged as the words oh-so-casually slipped out from his lips, his expression unflinching. On the other hand, red crawled up my neck and cheeks, and I could feel my skin heating up at the mere thought of it.
"W-What― Damon, you can’t just say that out loud!"
"Am I not supposed to ask, in that case?" Damon questioned, tilting his head to one side, smirking knowingly. "Do you want me to tear off your clothes and take you on the floor without any warning then?"
I swallowed, my mouth suddenly turning incredibly dry as my eyes darted down to look at his lips for just one second. That one second was all it took― Damon easily caught the action, his smile widening to showcase a set of pearly white teeth.
He was handsome― too handsome. And it didn’t help that he knew that and was willing to use it to his advantage. My own thoughts weren’t kept secret from him as well, and he would’ve no doubt felt the embarrassment and desire that shot through my body when he had dropped such an explosive statement.
"But we’re in public!" I hissed. "What’s more, this isn’t even your home. This is Thunderstrike, for crying out loud! If anyone heard us―"
"Am I not allowed to have sex with my own mate?" Damon asked, taking a step closer. His voice was low, barely even above a whisper. There was no one around us, and even if they were hiding just barely out of view, I doubt they would’ve been able to hear what he had just said due to how softly he had spoken.
"No one here knows that," I hissed, scowling. "I am Blaise’s mate, and by extension, your sister-in-law. I thought you wanted to keep everything else a secret."
"I am starting to wonder if I should," Damon confessed.
He brushed his fingers against my arm, trailing from the back of my hand up to my elbow, then to my shoulder and neck. When his skin brushed against the tender spot where his mark was left in me, I shivered, unable to conceal the thrilling rush that coursed through my body despite how I tried to keep it contained.
"I know I said not to push you, but it drives me mad," he said.
He gently pressed down on the mark, and with his action, I felt pleasure seep into my veins from where the mark was. Butterflies rushed through my lower belly, the coiling sensation forcing me to clamp down hard on my bottom lip to prevent myself from making a sound.
I could already feel the spot between my legs pooling, the sensation growing mildly uncomfortable because of how wet I was getting. I mentally chided myself for being so weak and defenseless against his touch― how was I supposed to stand my ground when my body could so easily betray me?
However, I wasn’t the only one who felt such a growing desire. Damon could no doubt feel whatever I was feeling, and when my eyes landed on his pants, it was impossible to miss the bulge that had grown despite the constraints of his jeans.
Damon leaned in, pulling me close as his hands gripped my hips. All care for secrecy seemed to have been chucked out the window.
"I want you, Harper," he murmured against my ear, his breath fanning against the tender skin of my neck. "I can’t bear to see you hanging on another man’s arm all the time. It drives me fucking insane."
