The door opened up into the dark room. Lola had been restless, laying on the bed for the past two hours, waiting for Jax to return with news.
All the ways that this could unfold were paved out in her mind. If her blood worked, it meant that she could not only heal vampires but also other supernatural creatures. Jax now knew she withheld a piece of the truth from him, and with the latest attack on Ember, she began counting her days in Wild Cliff.
Jax walked in. His shirt was seared with blood, and his face had fallen in front of his tired face.
He marched over to the bed with heavy steps and slumped down on it. Jax turned his body. He grabbed Lola's ankle and pulled her to him, he moved her legs, so she was positioned on top of him, straddling his waist. He buried his face in her chest, and she wrapped her arms around him.
Jax was, for the first time, vulnerable around her. Her heart was beating out of her chest in anticipation. Had it not worked? Had her blood made it worse and sped up the death? She didn't know what to think because he wouldn't speak. Jax sat quietly, pressing his face onto her for a brief moment.
"Thank you," he said against her shirt.
Lola released a heavy breath of relief and slumped against Jax's body. He was now holding her up and leaned back to see her.
He grabbed the side of her head and tilted her head back.
"It worked," he said. His brows furrowed. "This is bad," he whispered hoarsely.
Lola watched him in confusion. How could it be bad when Ash's sister would live to see another day? She didn't understand why he suddenly looked so defeated. He saved his cousin. Lola's mess had been undone, and she felt the burden of her choices washing off her, but why wasn't he relieved?
"Your blood heals the supernatural," he stated the obvious. "If word gets out, vampires won't be the only ones coming after you."
She sucked in a breath and swallowed the lump that formed.
That was something she hadn't thought about. She only ever considered the implications of her actions in regards to how Jax would react, if she would be kicked out or forced to run. None of the problems were bigger than the ones she already had, but this escalated everything. Suddenly, the existing problems doubled in size.
"If this gets out, everyone will come to Wild Cliff in search of you."
Her heart clenched. Jax didn't look afraid, but the worry was evident on his entire face and the way that his thumb caressed her cheek. She felt her heart slowly breaking. It was crazy. She hadn't known him long enough to be feeling like this-like she was losing him. He was never hers, not really, only legally. So why did it feel like he was saying goodbye and that she was losing an integral part of her being?
Jax dragged his fingers through her hair, placing it behind her ear.
"I don't know much about what you are. Everything I know is from the Story Of The Doe, but there has to be more information. A way for us to learn more about who you are, what you are."
Lola's breath hitched.
"Us?" The cries in her throat were heard in that one word.
Jax turned his head and straightened his posture.
"Us," he said. "I told you, I'm never letting you go. We will figure this out together. You're mine, Lola, all of you."
Not a single thought crossed her mind at that moment after hearing those words. He wasn't going to leave her. She leaned in, her lips pressed against his in a kiss that thanked him in a way that her words never could.
He wrapped his arms around her and held her as close as possible, and even then, it wasn't enough. Jax stood up with Lola straddling his waist. He turned around and placed her on the bed. He lifted the shirt over her head and continued kissing her while undoing her pants. Jax stood on his knees on the bed. He pulled her pants down and threw them on the floor. Neither said a word because now wasn't a time to talk.
Jax removed his shirt and leaned over Lola. He placed his hands on the bed beside her head, and as their tongues moved in unison, Lola began unbuttoning his jeans. She pulled them down, and Jax let them fall to the floor. He grabbed her waist and lifted her further up on the bed.
Her head rested on the pillow. They gazed into each other's eyes, and Jax dragged his thumb over her lips. Lola reached out her tongue and slid it over the tip of his thumb. Jax leaned back and removed his boxers. He scanned every inch of her naked body before positioning himself over her. He spread her legs and kissed down her neck, tasting her skin as his fingers explored every inch of her body. The electricity that pulsated through him ignited the mate bond and set it on fire; he pushed away the fact that she couldn't feel it. Though she couldn't feel the mate bond, Jax saw in her eyes that she felt something, and that was all he needed for now.
Her eyes were hooded in lust, and she grabbed his head, pulling him down to meet her lips.
Jax rubbed the tip of his length between her wet folds before pressing it against her opening.
Lola gasped, and Jax hovered with his lips over her mouth. He kissed down her jaw and moved her hair from her ear as he whispered huskily, "Remind me." He pressed a kiss to her earlobe. "Who do you belong to?" He entered her slowly.
Lola's nails dug into his back, and she held her breath as he stretched her walls.
"Lola."
She pushed her pelvis up toward him in hopes that he would thrust into her, but Jax stopped. He grabbed her hips and pressed her down toward the bed.
"Lola," he repeated and leaned up to look at her.
Lola's hand came around the back of his head. She stared as deep into his eyes as she could, enjoying that he let her see everything with no walls between them. "You," she said with a dead certainty.
Jax leaned down. He pressed his hand down on the pillow, and with one swift thrust, he entered her as deeply as he could.
Lola's head flew back into the pillow. With each thrust, she dug her nails into his skin, and her moans filled the room.
Jax lifted her leg, and his fingers wrapped around her throat. His eyes circled over her shoulder where his mark would go, and his wolf was pushing to mark her at that moment. Jax's eyes shifted their color, and his canines extended. He thrust harder as the urge grew and consumed his senses.
He closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. His canines retracted, and he leaned down, thrusting deeper into her and grabbing the back of Lola's neck. He watched her disappear into the pleasure and listened as she screamed his name.
He couldn't mark her yet. It was too soon, and he didn't know the effect the mark would have on her human body and mind.
For a werewolf, it would tie them together. Their senses would entwine and connect them, and they would send signals as though they were one.
He surpassed the urge to mark his mate and focused on being with her here and now. The strong urge was instead focused on taking her body and making it his. Every inch, every crease, and every nerve would know whom they belonged to.
Lola's moans grew louder. Her back rose from the bed when she came, and her nails dragged against his skin.
Jax didn't stop. He leaned back and grabbed her waist. Flipping her over on her knees, he pulled her hips up against him.
"Mark her," Landon growled.
"Not yet."
Only after she came three more times did Jax press harder and hold it as he came deep inside her.
They fell next to each other. Jax wrapped his arms around Lola's tired body and pulled her onto him. They lay there with each other, close and embraced for the rest of the night.