"Maybe it is. We won't know until we try."
She looks at me, as in really looks at me, then parts her pretty lips. My cock twitches at the sight, even when it's something so ordinary. Fuck, I need her so bad. My body misses her, misses the taste of her, the feel of her against me. I had one taste, just one taste, and she got me addicted.
I stroke a thumb across her lips, down her chin and jaw. "Say it, baby girl. What's on your head?"
She looks away. "Do you think I'm rotting?"
I chuckle. "What?"
Cassandra lifts a hand to show me her dark-tinged fingers. "I'm rotting. This power is eating me from the inside."
I grip her fingers. "Have you seen rot? This is not it, baby girl."
"Then what is it?"
"I don't know, but it's not rot." I tug her fingers close and kiss each of her fingertips. "Your fingers are still yours. Do you feel it?"
Her lips part, breath coming out in soft pants. "Yes."
"Good. Then your fingers are fine. It might be some side-effect from the use of the power, but I don't think it's consuming you." My fingers stroke down her wrist, where I feel her heartbeat pumping. My thumb touches the cold metal of the bracelet she now wears. "What are these, anyway?"
She looks down at them, then shrugs. "The Collector's shackles. They're magnetic, I think. He separated them when I was put in the cell, and then I ran but didn't have the time to take them off."
I nod, brushing a finger down the smooth metal. "Alright. I could heat it so it would melt off, but you could get hurt. Let's see if either one of us can break them. We might have to find some pliers."
"You know," she says, raising an arm and letting the bracelet dingle down, "I'm getting used to them. They're pretty. Look like silver bracelets."
Shaking my head, I pull her hands to mine again. "Then I'll give you real silver bracelets. These are shackles. They can go."
Cassandra smiles that soft, gentle smile that has my heart thundering inside my chest. I should tell her she has me mad in love for her. She should know, just in case. We never know what will happen, and I'd hate to die without telling her how fucking amazing she is. How brave and strong and smart, and how proud I am she is my mate.
Fate chose well. She's amazing, and I know she's still growing. Something inside me swears this woman will be impressive to watch. I'd stick around even if she wasn't my mate, just to see the places she will go, the people she will conquer.
Cassandra presses a soft kiss to my lips. I hold her close, feeling her warm core against my cock, dying to bury myself deep inside her. Fuck, all the things I want to do to her. I want her on all fours, my hand on her hair as I hear her moaning my name. I want to lick her cunt until she creams my face, and I want to paint her cheeks white with my load. I want to twist her nipples until she mewls, and I want to bounce her on my cock until I fill her womb with my come. And I don't mind if Ren's with us or if Tristan's watching. I don't give a fuck. All I need is her.
She pulls back, and there's something in her face that tells me there's something nagging at her. "Say it, baby girl," I urge her on, because I need her. I missed her so much, and I need her, but I won't fuck her with her head somewhere else. I need her attention on me. "There's something else, isn't it?"
"You won't like it."
I try to keep myself from visibly tensing. "Doesn't matter. Just say it."
It takes a moment, but she licks her lips, meeting my eyes. "Call me an idiot, it's alright, but I miss Don."
The knot in my throat is so freaking hard to swallow. "Weird, isn't it?" I say, touching her nose with mine. "I had just gotten used to the Ninja Turtle."
She laughs, and it's the best sound in the world. "Ninja Turtle. I can’t believe you didn’t think of that one earlier.”
“It’s a great regret.” And I grin because finally, someone gets it.
“The two of you arguing was so cute." Her smile falters. "Do you think he was betraying us all along? I never felt him lying."
Gripping her waist, I stroke my thumbs against her soft skin. "Look, baby girl, there's a... Myth."
She pulls back, arching a brow. "Myth?"
I release a sigh. This thought crossed my mind a couple of times the past few days, but it's just a rumor. I'm not even sure I should share this with her. "Some say if you're transformed by a particularly old vampire, he may have some mind control over you." I shake my head. "As I said, a myth. A rumor. I don't know if it's true, and I wouldn't count on it. Let's not get fooled twice."
Cassandra chews on the corner of her lip for a moment, eyes wide and glinting with hope, but she nods. Once more I wonder if I should have told her that. Donatello hasn't shown his face around, but I don't want him to come out of his lair and convince her he was mind controlled, only to betray us again.