Chapter 32: Chapter 32 - Yours and Mine
The corridors of the castle were dimly lit, the flickering sconces casting long, uneven shadows on the stone walls. Eira's footsteps echoed softly as she trailed Caius, the heavy silence between them like a taut wire.
He moved quickly, his long coat sweeping behind him, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. The air around him practically crackled with restrained fury, but he didn't slow or acknowledge her presence.
"Caius," Eira said, her voice steady despite the storm she could feel radiating off him.
He didn't stop.
"Caius!" she repeated, louder this time, her pace quickening to catch up to him.
He halted abruptly, spinning to face her so quickly that she nearly stumbled. His golden eyes burned with a dangerous intensity, his jaw tight as he glared down at her.
"What?" he snapped, his voice low and sharp.
Eira crossed her arms, refusing to be cowed by the force of his anger. "Don't 'what' me. I'm not the enemy here."
His expression faltered for a moment, but the tension in his frame didn't ease. "You shouldn't have followed me."
"And you shouldn't have stormed out like that," she countered, her tone unwavering. "You're not going to fix anything by avoiding it."
His laugh was bitter, a short, humorless sound that made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. "Fix it?" he repeated, his voice dripping with disdain. "Do you think anything in that room is fixable? Do you think they'll ever stop looking for cracks, for weaknesses, for any excuse to undermine me?"
Eira stepped closer, her gaze steady on his. "I think you're letting them win by losing control."
Caius's eyes narrowed, a low growl rumbling in his chest. "You think I care what they think? What they see?"
"Yes," she said simply, her voice cutting through the rising tension like a blade.
For a moment, Caius was silent, his gaze locked on hers. The air between them was electric, charged with unspoken conflict.
"You're wrong," he said finally, his tone softer but no less tense. "What I care about is them seeing you as a liability. As something they can use against me."
Eira's chest tightened, her frustration and anger giving way to something deeper. "Is that what you think I am?" she asked quietly.
His expression darkened, and he took a step closer, his presence overwhelming. "No," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "But they do. And it doesn't matter how strong you are, how resilient—if they see you as a way to hurt me, they will exploit it."
Eira's fists clenched at her sides. "Then let me prove them wrong."
Caius exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair in a rare display of frustration. "You don't understand, Eira. This isn't just about proving yourself. It's about survival. And every time I let them see how much I care about you, I give them more power than they already have."
Her breath caught at his admission, the raw vulnerability in his words taking her by surprise. But she refused to let him shut her out.
"Then stop pretending you don't care," she said, her voice firm. "Because you're not protecting me by hiding it. You're only making it worse."
Caius's gaze softened slightly, his shoulders slumping as if the weight of her words was too much to bear. "You think it's that simple?" he murmured. "That I can just stop hiding it and everything will be fine?"
"I think it's better than this," she said, gesturing between them. "Than letting them see you like this—on edge, trying to bury everything you feel. They already know you care. What matters is what you do with it."
He stared at her, his golden eyes searching hers as if looking for answers he couldn't find.
"Eira," he said finally, his voice raw. "You don't understand the risks."
"Then help me understand," she said, stepping closer until there was barely any space between them. "Because I'm not going anywhere. And neither are they. So we either face this together, or you keep pushing me away and let them win."
For a moment, neither of them moved, the tension between them coiled so tightly it felt like the walls themselves might shatter.
Then, in a sudden, fluid motion, Caius closed the distance between them. His hand cupped the back of her neck, his fingers tangling in her hair as he pulled her closer.
"Eira," he murmured, his voice a low growl, his breath brushing against her lips.
Before she could respond, his mouth was on hers, the kiss fierce and unrelenting. It wasn't gentle—it was raw, fueled by frustration and desire, a collision of emotions too powerful to contain.
Eira gasped against his lips, her hands flying to his chest, but she didn't push him away. Instead, she gripped the fabric of his shirt, anchoring herself as the world seemed to tilt around them.
Caius's other arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against him. The heat of his body seeped into hers, the bond between them thrumming to life like a spark igniting a flame.
His lips moved against hers with a desperation that took her breath away, his fangs grazing her lower lip in a way that sent a shiver down her spine.
When they finally broke apart, Eira's chest heaved, her pulse racing as she stared up at him. His golden eyes burned with intensity, his breathing uneven, his grip on her still firm.
"You're too stubborn for your own good," he said, his voice low and rough.
"So I've heard," she shot back, her voice trembling but resolute.
His gaze darkened, a flicker of something raw and vulnerable passing over his expression. Slowly, his hold on her softened, his hand brushing against her cheek.
"I can't lose you," he said again, his voice quieter this time, almost broken.
Eira placed her hand over his, her fingers curling around his as she held his gaze. "Then stop trying to push me away."
The silence between them stretched taut, heavy with unspoken emotions. Caius's golden eyes flickered, the vulnerability in them raw and unguarded for a fleeting moment.
Then, as if a decision had snapped into place, he scooped her into his arms in one swift motion.
"Caius!" Eira gasped, her arms instinctively looping around his neck as he turned and strode purposefully down the corridor.
He didn't answer. His expression was unreadable, his jaw tight as he moved with a speed and determination that made her pulse race. The air around him seemed to hum with restrained energy, the intensity in his eyes locking her words in her throat.
The winding corridors blurred past them, the flickering sconces casting shifting patterns on the stone walls. Eira's heart pounded, each step he took reverberating through her body as she clung to him.
When they reached their chambers, Caius didn't pause. The heavy door swung open at his command, and he crossed the threshold with an ease that belied the storm of emotions still simmering between them.
The room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of moonlight streaming through the high windows. Caius moved to the bed, lowering her onto the dark linens with a gentleness that contrasted the fire in his gaze.
Eira stared up at him, her breath catching as he hovered over her, his golden eyes blazing with intensity.
"When you said you could take it," he trailed off, his voice low and rough, sending a shiver down her spine.
She nodded, her voice trembling but certain. "I meant it."
His lips curved into a faint, dangerous smile, the edges softened by something deeper. "Good."
The bed dipped as he leaned closer, his hands bracketing her shoulders, and Eira felt the weight of his presence settle over her like a storm about to break. The bond between them was suffocating, alive, and thrumming like a pulse. Eira could feel it in every breath, every inch of her skin that Caius's presence seemed to dominate. Her heart thundered against her ribs, but she refused to look away from the intensity burning in his golden eyes.
"You don't understand, Eira," Caius said, his voice low and ragged, as though the restraint he was clinging to might snap at any moment. "You've forced yourself into a world where I can't afford weakness. Not in front of them, not in front of you."
"I didn't ask you to protect me," she shot back, her voice trembling but sharp. "You made that decision. You chose this."
He growled low in his throat, the sound reverberating through the air like a storm about to break. "I chose survival. For me. For you. But every second I spend holding this together, I'm drowning in it." Eira's breath hitched as he leaned closer, his words laced with barely suppressed fury. "You think you can stand in the fire with me, Eira? You think you can shoulder this? Then tell me—what will you do when it consumes you?"
The air between them cracked with tension, a volatile mix of frustration, anger, and something darker. She clenched her fists, her pulse hammering as she stared up at him. "I'll burn if I have to."
Something inside him snapped. In a blur, his hand caught the back of her neck, pulling her against him in a way that was neither gentle nor cruel—but primal. The suddenness of it stole her breath, and before she could think, his lips crashed into hers.
The kiss was fire and fury, a raw collision of emotions too powerful to contain. His mouth moved against hers with desperation, frustration bleeding into every movement. It wasn't about control—it was about release. Eira gasped, her fingers clutching his coat as she fought to keep up with the storm he'd unleashed.
Caius's hand tangled in her hair, holding her in place as if afraid she might vanish. His other arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her flush against him, his strength grounding her even as the world spun. The bond between them flared hot and electric, a searing connection that made her gasp into his kiss.
Every brush of his lips, every scrape of his fangs, was a demand, a confession, and a warning all at once. Eira's body responded before her mind could catch up, her hands gripping his shoulders as though he were the only thing keeping her tethered to this earth. Her thoughts dissolved into sensation—his heat, his strength, the way his breath mingled with hers like a whispered threat.
"This is what you wanted?" he growled, his voice thick with something she couldn't quite name. "To take the full weight of what I am?"
Eira nodded, her chest heaving as she met his gaze without flinching. "Yes."
He laughed darkly, the sound bitter and filled with disbelief. "You're reckless. Stupid. And you don't know when to quit."
"Maybe," she said, her voice steadier now. "But I'm still here."
Caius's jaw tightened, his hands flexing as though he were fighting the urge to pull her closer—or push her away. His frustration bled through every line of his body, the weight of it pressing down on both of them. "You don't get it," he muttered, his voice low. "You can't."
"Stop trying to push me away," she said fiercely. "Let me in, Caius."
His eyes darkened, a flicker of raw emotion flashing across his face before he crushed his lips to hers again. This kiss was fiercer, hungrier—like a dam had broken, and everything he'd been holding back came rushing forward. His fangs grazed her bottom lip, drawing a gasp from her, but he didn't relent. He couldn't.
Eira's body melted into his, her fingers sliding up to bury themselves in his hair as the heat between them intensified. She could feel his frustration in the way his hands roamed, rough and desperate, as though trying to ground himself in her.
Eira trembled, her breath hitching as she looked up at him. His gaze was feral, the mask of control he wore for the world utterly gone. "I don't care if this destroys us," he murmured, his voice hoarse. "I don't care if it breaks me. But I won't let them take you."
Her wrists were caught in an instant, his fingers circling them and pinning them above her head against the bed. His grip was strong, unyielding, but never cruel, the restraint somehow more intimate than any touch. Caius hovered over her, his golden eyes molten, locking her in place with a heat that burned through every inch of her.
Eira's pulse thundered beneath his hand, her body arching beneath him as his weight pressed her into the bed. The air between them was stifling, crackling with tension so thick it felt alive. She couldn't move. She didn't want to.
His hand moved down her side with a deliberateness that made her breath catch. His touch was rough and searching, like he was memorizing her, every curve, every vulnerable line of her body. Eira gasped as his palm dragged over her hip, his fingers tightening possessively, leaving no doubt that she belonged to him.
His lips claimed hers again, fierce and unrelenting, his desperation bleeding into every movement. This wasn't just a kiss—it was a battle, a storm, a need that neither of them could contain.
Caius's kiss deepened, his tongue sweeping into her mouth with a demand that made her toes curl. Her pulse pounded in her ears, her body arching instinctively into him as the bond between them flared, raw and electric. His hand roamed lower, sliding along the curve of her thigh before fisting the fabric of her dress.
With one sharp pull, he gathered it up, the thin material bunching in his hand as it rose higher and higher, baring her skin to the cool air. Eira shivered, the contrast between the chill of the room and the heat of his touch almost too much to bear. Her thighs trembled as he gripped her leg, dragging it up to hook around his waist, his body pressing roughly into hers.
The hard, unyielding line of him made her gasp, her head tipping back as his lips left hers, trailing hot, open-mouthed kisses down her jaw. Every inch of her skin he touched burned, the sensation heightened by the bond pulsing between them, alive and insistent. His breath was hot against her throat, his fangs grazing but not yet piercing.
"Caius," she murmured, her voice trembling. The pressure of his body against hers, the rough grip of his hand on her thigh, sent a flood of heat rushing through her.
Caius growled low, the sound reverberating against her skin. His hand slid up her leg, his fingers gripping the bare flesh of her hip with a desperation that bordered on pain. "Eira," he rasped, her name breaking from him like a plea.
"Caius, you drive me insane." She breathed.
With a feral snarl, Caius's fangs grazed her skin, teasing her, before sinking in. The sharp, exquisite pain stole her breath, a jolt of fire racing through her veins. Eira gasped, her back arching against him as the bond between them erupted, pulling them together in a way that defied explanation.
His hand on her thigh tightened, his body pressing harder against hers as he drank deeply, the pull of his mouth both relentless and intoxicating. Eira's vision blurred, her senses overwhelmed by the heat of his body, the strength of his grip, the raw, primal connection thrumming between them.
Her blood rushed to him, a lifeline, a surrender, and she could feel everything—his hunger, his desperation, his need to possess her utterly and completely.
Her wrists strained against his hold, but not in resistance. She wanted more. She needed more. Her free leg Joined the other and wrapped around his waist, pulling him closer as her fingers dug into his shoulder, her body trembling beneath him.
Caius growled again, a low, guttural sound that sent a shiver racing through her. His hand slid higher, his grip possessive as he pressed into her with a roughness that stole the air from her lungs. Every nerve in her body was alive, the bond between them pulsing like a living thing, pulling her deeper and deeper into him.
Caius's fangs were out of her neck in an instant. His mouth crashed against hers in a kiss that was rough and consuming, his fangs grazing her bottom lip before trailing back to her neck. He bit down lightly, the sharp sting of his teeth making her gasp, her fingers tightening in his hair.
Caius didn't hesitate, his body bearing down on hers with unrelenting force. His hips pressed into hers roughly, the motion drawing a sharp gasp from her lips. The hard line of him against her sent a jolt of raw pleasure through her, her thighs trembling as he rolled his hips again, harder this time, leaving no space between them.
Eira clutched at him, her nails digging into his shoulders as her head tipped back. The bond between them burned brighter, a living thing that coiled tighter and tighter, demanding release. His grip on her thigh tightened, dragging her leg higher around his waist, holding her in place as he moved against her with a roughness that stole the air from her lungs.
Her breaths came in short, shallow gasps, her chest heaving as the intensity of him overwhelmed her. Each deliberate thrust of his hips sent her body arching into his, her fingers clawing at his coat in a desperate attempt to anchor herself against the storm he was unleashing.
Caius growled low in his throat, the sound vibrating against her skin as his lips trailed along her jaw, her neck, the sharp scrape of his fangs teasing her with every movement. His free hand slid up her body, rough and possessive, his palm tracing the curve of her waist before gripping her hip. He held her there, pinned beneath him, his strength undeniable as his hips moved harder, more insistent.
Eira cried out softly, her body responding instinctively to the rough rhythm he set. The hard press of his body, the heat radiating from him, the sheer force of his need—all of it consumed her, leaving her trembling beneath him. Every motion sent sparks racing through her veins, the bond between them flaring hotter, brighter, until it felt like her very soul was caught in the fire.
"Caius," she gasped, his name a broken plea on her lips. She could feel the restraint fraying in him, the raw desperation in the way his hands gripped her, the rough grind of his hips that left no room for gentleness. And she didn't want gentle. Not now.
He pulled back just enough to look at her, his golden eyes blazing with something dark, unrelenting. "You're mine," he growled, his voice guttural, shaking with the force of his need. His hips drove into hers again, harder, a motion that made her breath hitch as her body arched into him. "Say it."
"I'm yours," she whispered, the words trembling but certain, "I've always been yours."
The last thread of his restraint snapped. His fangs pierced her neck again, the sharp, exquisite pain sent a cry tumbling from her lips. It wasn't just a bite—it was a searing connection that ripped through her like a wildfire. Her blood rushed to him, and with it came everything—her heart, her breath, her soul.
Caius growled against her skin, his hips driving into hers with a force that left her trembling. His hand slid lower, gripping her thigh tightly, holding her in place as he drank deeply, the pull of his mouth rough and insistent. Eira's legs wrapped tighter around him, anchoring him to her even as the storm between them raged.
The sensations were overwhelming, a blinding mix of pain and pleasure that left her gasping, her body straining against his as the bond between them erupted, pulling her deeper and deeper into him. She could feel his hunger, his desperation, his need to claim her completely, and she didn't fight it. She couldn't.
Caius's hand tightened on her waist, his fingers digging into her skin as his hips pressed into hers again, rough and unrelenting, his movements a reflection of the fire burning between them. Her cries mingled with his growls, the sound of their connection raw and primal, echoing through the chamber like a storm breaking loose.
When he finally pulled back, his lips stained with her blood, his breathing was ragged, his golden eyes blazing with a wild, feral intensity. He stared down at her, his hand still gripping her thigh, his chest heaving as though he couldn't catch his breath.
Eira's vision blurred, her body trembling as she looked up at him. Her throat ached where his fangs had pierced, the sensation lingering like a brand, a mark that bound them together in a way that went far beyond the physical.
"You're mine," he growled again, his voice hoarse and filled with an unyielding promise. "No one else will ever touch you."
"I'm yours," she whispered back, her voice trembling but steady.
Caius didn't relent. His hand slid higher, gripping her waist as his hips ground into hers again, rough and desperate, leaving no doubt that this was more than a connection. It was a claiming, a bond that neither of them could escape.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
JadedButCute
JadedButCute Well, that escalated quickly, didn’t it? Caius and Eira really said, “Let’s crank the intensity up to eleven.” Caius’s whole “You’re mine” vibe is giving feral protector energy, and I’m not mad about it. But poor Eira—girl is out here trying to get through his stubborn walls while simultaneously not combusting under all that heat.
What are your thoughts on their dynamic? Are you team “Caius, chill for five seconds” or team “Eira, keep poking that bear”? And let’s not forget that moment—it’s getting spicy! lol Let me know in the comments what you loved most or if you’re ready to throw Caius a chill pill. (Or not. He probably wouldn’t take it anyway.)
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