Our faces are inches apart. My right hand is in his, my left hand now resting on his chest. Our fingers are intertwined and I'm suddenly keenly aware of the contact, of flesh on flesh, of his breath mingling with mine, of all my senses responding to his.
"What are you, Eve Oliver?" he asks, sliding a finger down my cheek.
"I don't know," I say honestly. "I just know that everyone deserves a fair trial and a strong defense. So I’m fighting for you and Sebastian and Derek and Elijah. Even if you won’t fight for yourselves.”
The mood in the room has shifted. The tension between us is visceral.
Every nerve in my body is on fire as he moves closer to me, his head bending down, his lips brushing against mine.
The kiss starts softly, gently, a teasing only. When I move in closer, I surprise us both.
My arms wind back around his neck and he pulls me against him, his hard chest pressed against my breasts, his nails digging into my back as his lips claim mine again, this time with all the heat and power of a Druid turned vampire.
He tastes of warmth and honey and my body responds to his with all the desire that's been pent up in me since starting this job.
I moan into his mouth as I feel his body further harden against me, in clear evidence of his excitement.
My mind clouds with the passion and I know where this is leading. And still, I don’t pull away. I have fought against my own desires for so long, out of fear. Fear of being hurt. Fear of losing another person I love. Fear of getting too close.
I can’t live in fear any longer.
Liam gazes deeply into my eyes. “You look oceans away,” he says softly, his lips so close to mine I can feel them moving, our foreheads pressed together.
“I was just thinking about the nature of love,” I say, and then I kiss him again.
Our passion moves us across the room, where he presses me against the wall and moves his mouth down my neck, his teeth gliding against my pulsing vein, my pains and aches forgotten for the moment.
My breath hitches, and I can’t tell if what I’m feeling is fear or excitement as pleasure wars with past memories of a violent Liam tearing into my neck.
He pauses, lips brushing against the flesh of my ear. “Is this okay?” He asks breathlessly. “Tell me to stop.”
“Don’t. Stop.” I say.
And he wouldn’t have, had Matilda not come to the door at that precise moment.
The Oath
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. ~ Plato
Liam and I pull away from each other like guilty teenagers caught making out in the basement.
Matilda gives us both knowing looks and smiles. "It's good to see you two getting along with one another at last,” she says, in the understatement of the year.
Liam coughs and I hide a smile, my body still buzzing with need for him. It's almost painful to not be touching him right now.
"I came to tell you the verdict.” She pauses dramatically, letting us both compose ourselves. “Dracula was found innocent of all charges.”
Liam and I both exhale at the same moment, smiles playing across our lips.
Matilda continues, looking directly at me. “Eve, the Van Helsings are beyond mad with anger and grief. I expect Moira will want to see you punished for Jerry’s death, but the law is on our side in this matter. You have nothing to fear in this regard.” She says it in that way she has about her. As if she knows things the rest of us don’t.
She turns to Liam. “Your brothers had a final meeting with Dracula at the courthouse. They should return shortly.”
He nods, and her lips curl in a smile. “Very well then. I shall leave the two of you to your…celebration.” And with that she walks out the door, Moon meowing as she does, then winding around my legs and purring. As soon as we are alone again, Liam steps closer, pulling me back into his arms, a wide grin on his face. “I can hardly believe it,” he says. “We won. We…we could never have done this without you, Eve. I hope you know that.”
“I know.” I lean in to kiss him once more.
Then suddenly, Liam does something I have never seen him do before. He loses his balance.
And topples towards me, and I catch him as best I can, both of us falling into the wall.
“Are you okay?” I ask. “What happened?”
He raises his head, rubbing his forehead with his hand, when the door bursts open, and the rest of the Night brothers rush in, still dressed in the fine suits and vests they wore to the courthouse, but looking rather disheveled. “Have you felt it too, brother?” asks Sebastian.
Liam nods, his eyes widening in awe. “He’s released the sire bond.” He smiles at me, the broadest smile I’ve ever seen on his face. “We’re free!”
Elation wars with fear in my gut, and I hold Liam close and look to all of the brothers. “Does this mean you will…” I can barely say the words. “Does this mean you will go through with your plans? Will you—”
Sebastian rushes towards me and grabs my arms gently with his rough hands, studying me with his forest-green eyes. "Are you well? I would have stayed at your side, but Liam vowed to look after you while I was needed at court.”
“I’m fine.”
Before I can add more, Derek stands in front of me, his five o’clock shadow a little more beard and a little less shadow than usual over his dimpled chin. “I’m so sorry,” he says. “We swore to protect you from that monster, and yet we failed.”
“I kept myself safe,” I say.
“Indeed,” agrees Elijah, running a hand through his blonde hair, joining his brothers around me. “The evidence you procured also won the trial. We are in your debt, Miss Oliver.” He bows dramatically, with a flourish of his silver cape.
I chuckle despite myself, then sober quickly. “So…what about your oath?”
Liam looks to each of his brothers, an understanding passing between them. Then he turns to me with his amber eyes and runs a hand softly across my cheek. “There are more important things now,” he whispers. Finally, he lets me go, standing straight and speaking to all his brothers. “We have all done heinous things. And we all carry that pain differently. But I think the time has come to stop seeking an end to our lives and to instead search for ways to atone for our sins."
They all nod somberly.
All except Elijah, who lifts up one finger thoughtfully. “So what you’re all saying is…you agree with me? And I was right all along?”
A contagious laughter takes us all.
As day-time approaches, we are all tired beyond imagining and yet none of us feel inclined to be alone.
An idea sparks in my mind, and it's so silly and stupid that I love it instantly. "Let's do a sleepover," I say.
We’ve all relocated to the library and are sitting on plush red chairs talking. The four of them look at me as if I've gone mad.
"Hear me out," I say. "We'll pull some furs over to the main hearth, light the fire, grab some of that whiskey Derek keeps hidden in his desk," I wink at him and his shocked expression, "and we'll tell stories until we fall asleep."
Liam grunts. "Fine, but there will be no braiding of hair."
I nearly choke on my own laughter, and I tug at a long strand of his auburn mane. "But you'd look very fashionable in a fishtail," I say.
Now Derek is laughing, and that giddiness spreads to us all. Elijah nearly falls off his chair, chuckling so hard he’s holding his stomach.
Matilda and Lily come in just as we’re settling down, bearing a plate of food for me and goblets of blood for the boys. The old woman is all smiles as she hands me a dish full of baked greens and ripe cheeses, then gives a hug to each of her grandsons.
Lily places a hand on my shoulder, beaming proudly. “I knew you could do it,” she says.
“Save the trial?” I ask in between bites, feeling ravenous after such a long and grueling night.
“Save my uncles,” she says, her eyes a
tad watery as she looks at the Night brothers. Then she wraps me in a tight hug and I almost drop my plate, putting it down beside me.
“I couldn’t have done it without you,” I say. “Your delay of the court proceedings was perfect.”
She shrugs, and when she pulls away, Matilda takes her place. She hugs me long and hard. "You did it my girl. I knew you would. You brought light back into my boys."
“In lumen et lumen,” I whisper.
I feel wet tears on my neck and then she stands to leave, wiping her face with her hand. I invite them both to the slumber party, but they graciously decline. Lily will sleep in her tree as usual and Matilda says she is too old for such ways, but I think she secretly wants me to spend more time with the boys alone. She's a crafty one, that old lady.
It doesn't take us long to set up everything, and Sebastian surprises me with two gifts. "Tomorrow is the Midwinter Festival," he says. "And…well, here."
The gifts are both wrapped in gold and purple ribbon and I open the first, finding a book of poetry within. My eyes light up. "You remembered."
He nods. "You aren't the only one with a good memory," he says with a shy smile.
The second box contains my heart's desire. Gourmet chocolates.
I throw myself into his arms. "Thank you. This is perfect."
He holds me tightly, and I rest my head on his shoulder, enjoying the solidness of him, the assurance of having him in my life. He is my rock. My mountain. I know he will have my back no matter what.
There's so much to explore with him. With each of them. I'm rather overwhelmed by it all, but there's time.
Now that they've decided to stay, to give life a second chance, there's time for it all.
Derek is telling a story about a great serpent that wraps around the entire world when sleep takes me. My dreams are not easy things. A wolf devours a lamb, spraying blood on the golden bell of the Broken Cathedral. And the wolf has a face I would rather forget.
When I wake, it is with a gasp, my body covered in sweat.
And I find four men on the alert, ready to comfort me, to hold me, to let me cry.
"It's not your fault," Sebastian assures me, pulling me back into his arms as Liam uses his power to give a fresh blaze to the fire.
The flames steal the chill from the air, and I scoot back under the furs, enjoying the feel of Sebastian and Liam close to me, with Elijah and Derek on either side of them. I could stay like this forever. Perhaps I will.
Something moves at the corner of my eye. A fire iron poking at the fireplace, igniting the wood into brighter flames. But no one else is here, The fire iron moves mid-air on its own. I freeze, clutching Liam’s hand.
“What’s that?” I ask, pointing at the fire-iron. “More of your magic?”
Liam follows my gaze. “What, them? They’re just the castle ghosts.”
“Ghosts? You mean, there’s ghosts in the castle?”
“Yeah, who do you think cleans and cooks and does all the work around here?” He says it so casually; I can’t help but laugh.
“I had wondered about it,” I say. “But this wasn’t what I was expecting. Who are they?”
“These two are called Mable and Cili,” says Liam.
Derek rolls his eyes. “You call all of them Mable and Cili.”
“True, but only because we don’t have a great way to communicate. We can share general ideas, but not specifics.”
Elijah sighs, elaborating. “They are ancient beings. Ones who worked for this castle for centuries before we took residence. It would have been rude to kick them out, so instead we made a deal. They keep the castle tidy, and in exchange we maintain their unmarked graves on the grounds. As well as light candles for their souls once a year when the veil is thinnest, allowing them to join the living for a night and celebrate the pleasures of the flesh, as it were.”
“Wow,” I say simply. Sometimes simple words are best.
We lie quietly then, all of us bundled up together, gazing into the fire, none of us ready to leave. After a while, I feel Liam tensing beside me, something painful building within. His voice is fraught with nerves when he speaks. "I have something to tell you all. Something you should know about me and Mary.”
The truth is hard for Liam to admit, especially to his brothers, but to their credit they remain quiet as he tells his story. "By the time we found out she was pregnant, we were no longer having an affair," he says. "But I had to stand by her to the end. And now, I must stay and stand by my daughter, whatever might come."
"So you’re a father," Derek says, with a small smile. "Imagine that."
“Who is taking care of the babe now?” asks Sebastian.
“The Ifrits,” says Liam. “Ifi and Elal.”
Of course, I realize. They’re granting Mary’s last wish.
Eventually, the natural urges of waking take effect, and I excuse myself to use the bathroom, and we all begin our day. I’m pretty sure it would be night in the mundane world at this hour. But here, in the Otherworld, the schedule of the sun matters little and I've lost all sense of that rhythm. I'm finding a new rhythm in the Otherworld.
As I finish freshening up, Lily bounces into my room, insisting we go shopping for new dresses for the Midwinter festival. I agree, and we make plans to meet the Night brothers at the festivities. Four am sharp.
Lily offers to take me in the carriage, but I insist she refrain from driving people around on the holiday. Besides, the weather is lovely today. Though snow covers the roads, the air is gentle and warm, the Dragon’s Breath burning bright in the sky.
Lily guides me to a nearby market full of odd trinkets and food. Together, we find a deep blue gown with tiny rhinestones sewn in around the collar and cuffs. "This,” she says eagerly. “This is perfect. You'll look like the sky at twilight."
I smile and buy the dress, using Otherworld money my job at the Night Firm provides. Gold and silver and copper coins.
Lily buys a dress for herself as well. A leaf-green gown adorned with white flowers. She guides me to the changing room where we can both dress ourselves and then we head out to the center of town.
We can hear the festivities before we see them. Live music filling the streets. Fireworks filling the sky. The smell of freshly baked treats in the air. There are carts and stalls set up along both sides of the street, a hundred different merchants with wares for sale, and I'm practically overwhelmed by all the choices that confront me. We move from stall to stall, taking in the dazzling displays before moving quickly on to the next. My cheeks hurt from so much grinning as I pull Lily ahead faster, excited to let off some steam and party like it's 1699.
We arrive earlier than planned, and the brothers are nowhere to be seen as Lily walks off to grab us drinks. I do notice some familiar faces though.
"Look who we have here," Ifi says. "If it isn't the little mundane who isn't."
Ifi and Elal walk over hand in hand, sipping on purple drinks, their skin aflame with golden fire that they let fade into nothing as they approach.
"I was worried I wouldn't know anyone,” I say. "It's so good to see you.”
"Elal here thought you'd be long gone by now, but I assured him you're here to stay, isn't that right?" He winks at me.
Elal huffs at that. "I said nothing of the sort. Stop your nonsense, love, and just play nice."
I chuckle at them both. "I am here to stay it seems," I say.
"Consider us your first friends in the Otherworld then," Ifi says, but he's interrupted by another voice, this one low and booming and coming from the sky.
"I believe that title belongs to me." Okura descends from the sky, her stone body massive compared to ours. And near her belly, in a solid pouch that wasn’t there before, sits a baby gargoyle. Her mate lands beside her, while Ifi and Elal stare at the youngling, jaws hanging wide open.
"She's beautiful," I tell the doting parents, who are clearly smitten with their creation.
"Thank you for your blessing on her," Okura says.
I still don't know what exactly I did, but I nod and smile, glad it could help them at any rate.
Ifi turns back to look at me. "You're quite full of surprises, Miss Oliver. Working with you will no doubt be entertaining." With that, he takes Elal’s hand, and the two of them wonder off to refill their drinks. The gargoyles depart as well, walking to admire the great glowing tree at the center of the square.
I look up, checking the massive iron clock that hangs on a nearby tower. It’s four am now. The brothers should arrive any second.
Lily returns with cups of golden liquid, and the drink tastes like warm honey with a touch of brandy. We explore the festival, watching as a group of gnomes participate in a challenge of strength, smashing a hammer into a golden disk for points. Five minutes pass. Still the brothers do not arrive.
“They’re late,” I say.
Lily shrugs. “Liam probably just saw a pair of shoes he couldn’t resist."
I nod, and we continue, walking past an Ifrit, burning brightly, sitting above a tank of water, as human-looking girls throw balls at a red target connected to a mechanism which would make him fall.
“Are they young werewolves?” I ask.
Lily shakes her head. “Young dryads.”
A light rain begins to fall, and another five minutes pass with no sign of the brothers. I start to get irritated. Then worried. “Do you know where they went?” I ask.
Lily shakes her head. “No. But Uncle Liam did mention they had something important to do. I suppose he was a bit more secretive than usual.”
I Am the Wild (The Night Firm Book 1) Page 21
