by I. T. Lucas
“It’s never too late for redemption, and you’ve turned a new page. Consider everything before as if it happened to a different person.”
“It’s not that simple. I’ve been a crappy sister-in-law to Vivian, and I’m reminded of that every time she does something nice for me. I can’t take it back, and an apology is not enough.”
“Did you apologize?”
“Yeah, I did. But I still feel guilty, mostly because deep down I still resent her and blame her for Josh’s death. If she hadn’t gotten pregnant, he wouldn’t have joined the Air Force, and he would have been alive today.” Eleanor lifted a pair of sad eyes to him. “He was a Dormant like me, and he could have gotten activated and lived forever. How can I ever get over that?”
“It’s tough, but you can’t blame Vivian for the unintended consequences of her marrying your brother or beat yourself up for something you had no control over. The Fates had a plan, and regrettably, he had to die.”
Her lips twisted in a snarl. “I hate those bitches.”
“Don’t say that. Especially given what you are up to tonight. You need all the help you can get.”
She waved a dismissive hand. “He’s just a human with a paranormal ability that has no effect on me. I can take him and three more like him without breaking a sweat.”
“Overconfidence is not your friend, Eleanor.”
“And fear is?”
“Yes. As long as you don’t let it paralyze you, fear will keep you from being careless.”
She cocked a brow. “Were you afraid last night?”
“No, but I was careful nonetheless.”
“Same here.” She sighed. “I let fear rule me in my so-called previous life. I was afraid of getting rejected, so I didn’t allow myself to get close to anyone. And a lot of the crappy things I did were motivated by my belief that everyone was out to get me, and that I needed to strike first to protect myself, which wasn’t really logical given my ability. Now, I also have physical strength and training to back up my mental tricks, and I’m practically indestructible.” She smirked. “I’m at the very top of the food chain, and I like the view from there.”
26
Richard
“We should make Thursday our family’s official dinner night.” Wendy leaned back and rubbed her belly. “What do you think, Richard?”
“Don’t ask me, ask the boss.” He winked at Stella.
She shrugged. “We can have a family dinner every day.”
Originally, Stella wanted to make Friday dinner a family event, probably because that was what Syssi and Kian were doing. But last week they had gone on a date, and tomorrow, he was taking her out on another one. Except, this time they were going to a popular restaurant that normal people went to, and not the hoity-toity By Invitation Only.
The food had been superb, but Richard had felt like the downstairs butler dining with the upstairs lords and ladies, and in some cases, the lords’ mistresses.
“Thursdays work for me.” Vlad started cutting the small marzipan-topped cake he’d brought from the bakery into wedges. “Who wants cake?”
Wendy lifted her hand. “I do.”
“I’ll get the coffee.” Richard rose to his feet. “Save me a piece before your fiancée finishes every last crumb.”
He still hadn’t talked with Vlad about paying Wendy’s father a visit, and he’d been debating the entire week whether he should.
“How are the designs for Mey and Jin going?” Wendy asked Stella.
“I have a bunch of new ones, and I also made more samples. Do you want to see them?”
“I would love to.”
“Come to my workroom.”
“No one dare touch my piece of cake,” Wendy warned before following Stella down the hallway.
When the door closed behind them, Richard put down the coffee carafe on the dining table and sat down next to Vlad. “I want to talk to you about Wendy’s father.”
Vlad’s eyes blazed with a dangerous inner light. “What about him?” he growled.
Everyone thought that Vlad was a sweet guy that couldn’t hurt a fly, and normally that was true, but Richard had no doubt that he was capable of killing Wendy’s father. The guy had hurt the woman he loved, and Vlad sought vengeance.
“We should pay him a friendly visit.”
“Who are we?”
“You and I. Wendy is doing great, and I don’t think bringing up the issue of her missing mother will upset her as much as you think. On the other hand, finding her mom before the wedding so she could attend will make her very happy. It’s the best wedding present you can give her.”
Running a hand over the back of his neck, Vlad regarded him with his mismatched eyes. “Why do you want to come with me?”
“To keep you from murdering the maggot. We just need to find out if he knows what happened to Wendy’s mom.”
“What if he killed her?”
“Then you will thrall him to walk into the nearest police station and confess. You don’t want his blood on your hands.”
Vlad’s fangs punched out. “But what if I do?”
“Let me rephrase it. Wendy wouldn’t want his blood on your hands even if he murdered her mother. You are a good guy, Vlad, and that’s what she loves about you. Revenge is not worth sacrificing your soul for.”
Letting out a groan, Vlad slumped in his chair. “You are right. The question is whether you will be able to hold me back if I lose it. I don’t look it, but I’m freakishly strong.”
“I’m pretty strong myself.” Richard flexed his arm. “Since I turned immortal, I can bench press three hundred pounds.”
Turning toward him, Vlad braced his elbow on the table and extended his hand. “Arm wrestle me, and I’ll prove it.”
“You’re on.” Richard moved the coffee cups out of harm’s way and then gripped Vlad’s hand. “On a count of three. One, two, go!”
His arm was pinned to the table before he finished the count.
“I wasn’t ready.”
“Fine.” Vlad let go. “This time, I’m just going to hold still while you try to push my hand down.”
“Let’s do it.”
Putting all he had into it, Richard couldn’t move the kid’s arm even a fraction of an inch, which was ridiculous given that he had nearly double the body mass.
“You are very strong.” He shook out his aching arm. “Maybe I should bring a taser gun with me. I’ve heard that they are effective even on immortals.”
“Yeah, you probably should.” Vlad dipped his head, his long bangs falling over his left eye. “What are we going to tell my mother?”
“The truth.”
The kid shook his head. “She’s going to throw a major tantrum.”
“Then I will calm her down and explain why it needs to be done for Wendy’s peace of mind, as well as yours. We can’t go without telling her what we are doing, and the same goes for Wendy. If you want, I can speak with your mother, and you’ll speak with your fiancée.”
Vlad pushed his bangs back, raking his long fingers through the black strands. “I’m afraid to do that.”
“Wendy is not the same girl she was in the cabin, and she can handle this.”
“I hope you are right. I would hate for her to get depressed again. I love seeing her smile. She’s so incredibly beautiful.”
The boy was in love, but he wasn’t wrong. When Wendy smiled, she was transformed from a pretty girl into a radiant beauty. Which reminded Richard the other thing he needed to tell Vlad.
“Did you buy Wendy an engagement ring?”
“It’s a human custom.”
“Weddings are a human custom as well, and Wendy still wants one. You need to get her a ring.” Richard leaned closer. “I need to get one for Stella as well, but I’m saving up for a decent-sized rock.”
“You want to buy my mother a rock?” The look of confusion on the kid’s face was funny.
“Diamonds are rocks, and so are emeralds and rubies and all the other precious s
tones. I plan to buy Stella a diamond ring.”
“Oh, now I get it. Calling them rocks is an expression.”
“Correct.”
“Good luck finding something she likes. She has very particular taste.”
“That’s why you should come with me and help me choose. You are an artist, and you know her better than I do. You can get a ring for Wendy at the same time.”
27
Eleanor
Despite herself, Eleanor had put some effort into looking good for her so-called date with Emmett.
After all, she had a role to play, and showing up dressed in what she had on during the day and her hair in a messy bun would have been counterproductive. As someone who had actively sought an invitation from Emmett, she should appear interested and eager.
Or at least that was the official excuse she’d prepared in case Peter teased her about it.
The truth was that Eleanor wanted Emmett to desire her. It wasn’t because she wanted him, she definitely didn’t, and she wasn’t going to allow him anything but the bare minimum required to pull the charade off. It was because she was still a woman, youngish for a human and very young for an immortal, and wanting to be desired was hardwired into her female psyche.
She took another look at her reflection in the mirror.
The form-fitting red sweater and a pair of tight, black leggings she’d dug out of her suitcase wasn’t a fancy getup by anyone’s standards, but it accentuated her athletic build and her dark coloring. Black eyeliner and lash-elongating mascara created the illusion that her eyes were bigger, and a red lipstick called attention to her second-best feature after her perky breasts.
Or was it the third? Her long legs were not bad either. A bit too muscular for a woman, but still sexy.
A pair of black knee-high boots completed the badass look.
The knock on her door came at quarter to ten sharp, and the staffer who was on the other side was someone she hadn’t met before.
“Good evening.” He gave her an appreciative once-over. “You may want to grab a coat. We will be going outside the lodge.”
She looked too good to cover it up with a bulky coat.
“Is it far?” Eleanor pretended not to know where they were heading. “Because if it’s nearby, I’d rather brave the elements than bother with a jacket.”
“It’s a very short walk, but it’s really cold out here at night.”
“That’s okay.” Eleanor walked out the door. “I’m hot-blooded.” She winked at him.
“I forgot to introduce myself.” He offered her his hand. “Thomas.”
She glanced at his chest, but his name tag was probably hidden under his coat.
“Marisol.” She shook his hand. “I didn’t put my name tag on. I hope that’s okay.”
His eyes shifted to her breasts and got stuck there for longer than was considered polite, but she couldn’t fault the horny bastard for getting distracted by the outline of her stiff nipples.
She wasn’t wearing a bra.
“As it’s not a group activity, I’m sure it’s fine.”
That was a relief. She hadn’t expected Emmett to invite a newbie to an orgy, but he might have.
“I’m excited,” she admitted. “I’ve only seen Emmett once when he welcomed our group to the retreat, and he left quite an impression on me. I can’t wait to meet him in person.”
“It’s an honor to get an invitation for a private audience with Emmett.”
As they passed the common room, she scanned the place for Peter, who was going to hang out there tonight. She spotted him flirting with a staff member. He lifted his eyes to her, nodded, and then got back to the woman he was with.
Eleanor usually didn’t notice when men looked at her, mostly because she didn’t expect them to, but tonight she looked exceptionally good, and the appreciative looks she was getting were a welcome boost to her confidence.
It must have been the red sweater and the way it stretched over her bra-less breasts. It was like waving a red flag in front of a herd of bulls.
“To be frank, I wasn’t chosen. I asked Tammy to put in a request for me.”
Thomas cast her an amused sidelong glance. “You weren’t the only one who did that, but you were the only one whom Emmett invited.”
This was news to her. “What can I say? I’m flattered.”
“Why are you so surprised? You are a looker, Marisol.” He leaned closer. “Sexy as sin. I would gladly accept an invitation from you.”
“I’ll keep it in mind.” She gave him a tight-lipped smile. “Any pointers on how I should address Emmett? Your holiness? Your eminence?”
Chuckling, Thomas opened the door to Emmett’s office. “Given his attire, you would think so. But no. You can either address him as teacher or by his first name.”
“Teacher?” She raised a brow.
“That’s who he is at his core. He is our teacher and guide, and we all follow his way, each to his or her best ability.” Thomas opened the door leading to the outside. “It’s only a couple of minutes of brisk walk.” His eyes shifted to her stiff nipples and got stuck there again. “But it’s going to be cold.”
28
Vlad
Wendy lifted the blanket, slipped under it, and snuggled close to Vlad. Her feet were freezing as she tucked them between his legs.
“Thank you for warming up the bed for me.” She kissed his cheek. “I don’t know how a skinny dude like you throws off so much heat, while I, with all my padding, am always cold.”
That was why she was wearing flannel pajamas instead of sleeping naked like he did. Not that they were going to stay on her for long. As soon as she was all warmed up, he was going to get her naked and do all kinds of wicked things to her.
Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her closer. “What padding? Despite all the treats I bring you from the bakery, you are still getting too skinny.”
Her smile was radiant. “You say the nicest things.”
“I mean it.” He ran his hand down her spine, reaching her bottom, which was much less plump than it used to be. “Do you eat at all during the day?”
“Not much,” she admitted. “Being surrounded by food smells all day kills my appetite. I guess that being on my feet for so many hours helps me lose weight as well. I’ve already reached my goal of fitting into a size six wedding dress, and I think that I can go for four.”
“Those numbers are meaningless to me, and they shouldn’t mean that much to you either. It’s not like you need to order a dress from a catalog and specify a size. My mother is sewing it for you.”
She threw a leg over his. “I want to look beautiful on my wedding day.”
“You are already beautiful.”
“To you I am, and that’s sweet. But I need to look good for me.”
That was always the final argument she used to shut him up when he complained about her obsession with weight loss. How could he argue with that?
Besides, he had more important things to talk with her about. Things that were sure to upset her way more than his complaining about her butt getting too skinny.
The question was how to bring it up gently.
“I was thinking,” he started, and paused.
“Go on.”
“I bet that finding your mother before the wedding would make you very happy.”
She lifted her head and regarded him with a frown. “Have you been investigating her disappearance without telling me?”
“I asked Roni to do some digging around, but he didn’t find anything. Our only source of possible answers is your father.”
She recoiled. “That asshole is not going to tell me anything even if he knows where she is.”
“I could get into his head and get the information without his consent.”
“I thought that it was against clan law to thrall humans unless it was to hide the existence of immortals or to protect the life of a clan member.”
“It’s open to interpretation. Since your mothe
r is a Dormant, finding information about her could be considered clan business. Besides, after I’m done talking to him, I’m sure I will have to thrall the memory away because there is no way my fangs will not make an appearance.”
Her fingers traced a pattern on his bare chest. “Are you going to hurt him?”
He arched a brow. “Do you care if I do?”
“Not really, but I don’t want you to kill him. Not because I care for the scum, but because I love you, and I don’t want you to become a murderer to avenge me.”
“I’m not going to kill him.”
Wendy looked doubtful. “Normally, I wouldn’t think you capable of hurting anyone, but the murderous expression you get every time you talk about my father gives me pause. I’m not sure you’d be able to stop yourself from hurting him. Especially if he did what you suspect, or even if he didn’t, and he starts mouthing crap about my mother and me.”
“That’s why Richard is coming with me. He’s going to make sure that I don’t tear the bastard’s throat out.”
Nodding, Wendy lowered her head and rested her cheek on his chest. “Did you ask Richard to come with you?”
“He suggested it.”
“That’s nice of him.”
Rubbing slow circles on her back, he hesitated a moment before asking, “Do you want to come with us?”
“No. I don’t want to ever see him again.” She lifted her head. “What if you find out that he killed my mother?”
“Then I’ll thrall him to walk into a police station and confess it.”
“What if they don’t do anything about it? It happened a long time ago, and no one investigated it even back then.”
“I’ll make him tell them all the details, including where he buried her.”
“If they let him go anyway, can you thrall him to kill himself?”
“How is that different than me tearing his throat out?”
“It’s different. His blood will not be on your hands, or rather your fangs. Just make him feel so guilty that he wouldn’t have a choice but to end his miserable life. I don’t want him to hurt anyone else.”
