by L.H. Cosway
Whitfield’s voice cut through, breaking the moment. “Ethan, I hope you’ll bring Tegan to our celebration this week.”
“Of course,” Ethan replied, and I shot him a questioning look. What celebration?
A few seconds later headlights turned into the gravel path beside the lake and two cars stopped just short of us. Ethan guided me into one of them while Whitfield, Eliza, and their guards went to the other. Inside the car, Lucas grinned at us in his overhead mirror.
“Eventful evening, was it?” he asked with amusement.
I slumped back in my seat and let out an exhausted sigh.
13.
“What celebration was Whitfield talking about?” I asked a little while into our journey.
Ethan ran a hand through his hair, and I realised how exhausted he looked. “We’re close to persuading Governor Pamphrock to step down and pass leadership of the entire city over to Jeremy. We suspect it will only be a few more days before he gives in. Jeremy is planning a soirée at his home to celebrate the victory.”
I was so caught up in the mention of it being held at Jeremy’s house that I almost missed the reason for the party. Finn never mentioned that Pamphrock was planning on giving in to the vampires’ demands. Suspicion sat in the pit of my stomach. How exactly did Whitfield plan on securing this victory? Of course, I had to agree to go to the party. It was the perfect opportunity for me to get inside the mansion.
“Sounds like it’s going to be great fun,” I replied sarcastically, unable to help myself. Visions of vampires mingling and drinking wine glasses full of blood filled my head.
“I already planned on inviting you, but that was before you decided to disobey me last night,” Ethan’s voice hardened.
My hackles rose. “Disobey?”
He moved swiftly, pulling me close to him as he leaned over me. His eyes trailed up and down my damp clothing before he breathed, “We really should get you out of that wet dress.”
Instinctively, I glanced up and saw Lucas smiling widely in the centre mirror. “If you two want to get naked back there, don’t mind me. I promise not to peek.”
Ethan ignored his teasing, his eyes not leaving mine as he spoke. “Bring us to the house, Lucas, and when you return to the club inform Delilah that she will need to close up for the night. I’ll be otherwise engaged.”
“Might be a bit of a problem there, boss,” Lucas said. “Your sister went home a few hours ago. I think she might be losing the plot.”
Ethan seemed agitated as he leaned forward in his seat, eyes on Lucas. “What did you say to set her off? She’s been under a lot of stress lately.”
Lucas feigned innocence. “Me?” he asked, placing one hand dramatically to his heart. “I was nothing but pleasant to her.”
Ethan just kept staring at him, stony-faced.
“Fine, fine,” Lucas gave in. “I might have asked if it was her time of the month. She’s been going around with a face like a smacked arse for weeks. I’m tired of looking at it. Anyway, after I said it, she kneed me in the balls and stormed out of the club.”
I sputtered a laugh. Good on Delilah.
“You know she’s not coping well with the restrictions I’ve placed on her,” Ethan said. “She’ll get her freedom back as soon as Whitfield takes control of the city. Until then, go easy on her.”
“I’ll try.”
“This also means you’ll have to perform Delilah’s duties at the club tonight,” Ethan went on.
“Not a problem.”
I started to get nervous thinking about what Ethan had planned for us at his house, but I could hardly get them to drop me off at Finn’s place. Lucas pulled into Ethan’s driveway, and I remained seated in the car. Ethan took my hand to lead me out, but I pulled away.
“I’ll make my own way home from the club,” I told him, planning on staying in the car with Lucas. I just couldn’t stop thinking about Ethan snapping that warlock’s neck like it was nothing. I was also eager to get back and tell Finn and the others about my dad and the ritual the witch mentioned. The warning was too ominous. It sat like a brick of tension in my stomach.
“Come inside, and I’ll give you something dry to wear,” Ethan spoke softly, and there was something in his voice that drew me in. I was tired and still in a bit of shock. There was a part of me that wanted nothing more than to let Ethan care for me and that part won out.
“Okay,” I allowed. “But I’m not staying the night.”
“Of course not,” Ethan replied like the thought never occurred to him. Yeah, right.
Once inside I hung my wet coat over the banister at the end of the stairs and slipped off my boots. Ethan motioned me up the stairs. “You can shower up here. When you’re finished, go into Delilah’s room. She’ll give you something to wear.” He stopped and pointed to a doorway at the end of the long hall. “Then come up to me and I’ll take you home.” He gestured to another set of stairs leading to the top floor. I was suddenly very intrigued to see what his bedroom looked like.
“If you think I’m going to fit into anything Delilah owns, then you don’t know shit about women’s clothing.” I was at least two sizes bigger than Ethan’s sister.
There was a glimmer of flirtation in his gaze. “Perhaps I want to see you in something skimpy,” he teased.
“You know, some would say wanting to see a woman wearing skimpy clothes that belong to your sister has some kind of Freudian connotations,” I shot back.
Ethan smirked. “Let them say it. Freud was an imbecile.” He opened the door to a lavish bathroom. “There are towels and robes in the cupboard. Take off your clothes and hand them out to me. I’ll put them in the dryer.”
He left and closed the door over most of the way. I kicked it shut with the heel of my foot, an action that was met by a quiet laugh from Ethan on the other side. First, I turned on the shower, then I slipped out of my clothes, balled them up, and handed them out the door to him. He took them from me, still laughing gently.
“I thought modern women had no shame about their naked form.”
“Call me old fashioned,” I answered before quickly slamming the door shut and turning over the lock.
“I’ll be waiting upstairs,” he said, his voice getting farther away. I breathed a sigh of relief as I stepped under the spray. I planned to wash quickly, but Ethan’s shower was state of the art and my muscles melted as soon as the water hit me. He also had some really nice shampoo that smelled exactly like him. I couldn’t get enough. When I finally managed to climb out, I dried off and put on a fluffy white towel robe that I was certain had to be brand new. The fabric felt like some special blend, designed for maximum comfort.
Ethan Cristescu certainly had an eye for luxury.
Hesitantly, I made my way to Delilah’s room, but before I put my hand on the door handle, I paused. Faint sobbing noises came from within. Was she in there crying? The sound ceased a moment later, and the door flew open. Delilah stood wearing a fancy red dress, but it was all rumpled as though she’d been sleeping in it. Her eyes were swollen. Yeah, she’d definitely been in there crying, and I was pretty sure Lucas’s dickhead comment about it being her time of the month wasn’t the main cause for her upset.
“Tegan? What are you doing here?” she asked, surprised to see me.
“Ethan and I ran into a bit of trouble,” I explained. “Well, actually, we crashed into a lake when two warlocks and a witch ran Whitfield’s car off the road. So, he brought me back here to clean up.”
“And you’re standing outside my room because?”
“Oh, right. Ethan said you’d loan me some clothes.”
One scarlet eyebrow rose. “You’re not my size.”
“That’s what I told him,” I said on a sigh. “Do you have anything, I don’t know, stretchy?”
Delilah stood back and motioned for me to enter her room, which was elegantly furnished and reminiscent of a Hollywood starlet’s from the 1950s. She disappeared inside one of those fancy walk-in closets that I
’d only ever seen on TV shows about celebrity homes.
I followed her in, wondering if I should bring up the crying I heard. “Are you okay? Lucas mentioned something about upsetting you back at the club tonight.”
Delilah was focused on searching through one of her drawers. “I’m fine,” she sniffed.
“Are you sure?” I said, softening my tone.
“Of course, I’m sure.”
“It’s just that … I thought I heard you crying when I was outside your door just now.”
Just like that, her entire posture sagged. “I suppose you’re one of the few people who might understand,” she whispered.
“Understand what?”
“What it’s like to be different—to not belong anywhere.”
“You belong,” I told her. “I mean, you have Ethan, right? I can tell he’d do anything for you.”
“That’s true, but it’s not the same as belonging. I’ve always been different. Never accepted by the vampires because of my mixed parentage and never given the chance to know my own kind because my father kept me away from them. Now with the war going on, my difference has been highlighted even more. To the vampires, I’m a dhampir who should be among her kind, and to the dhampirs, I’m a spoiled bitch coddled by her powerful vampire brother.”
“Well, I suppose when you put it like that,” I said, suddenly feeling very sorry for her.
She offered me a weak smile. “The restrictions are suffocating me. I can’t go anywhere at night other than the club because the vampires in this city don’t believe I have a right to live on the south side. If they managed to get me alone.” She paused, and a shudder went through her. “I’m not sure what they might do.” Now she looked at me. “I understand why you ran away, Tegan. It’s not nice having everyone out for your blood. In your case, literally.”
“Ethan would never let anyone touch you,” I told her.
“Yeah,” she replied dejectedly. “So long as I never leave his fucking side.”
“Have you ever thought of going to live with the other dhampirs?”
She shook her head. “Even if I did, they’d never accept me. I might as well be a vampire as far as they’re concerned.”
Silently, I wondered if Gabriel could help Delilah, somehow convince the dhampirs to open up to her. But that would mean uprooting her whole life, and I didn’t know how far she’d be willing to go to gain the freedom she wanted back.
“It will be okay,” she went on. “Soon Whitfield will be the sole governor of Tribane and the vampires will settle down and forget about the dhampir living among them.” She closed the drawer and handed me a pair of black leggings and a navy wool top. “These are the most elastic things I own.”
I took the offered clothes and began slipping the leggings on underneath the robe. Delilah turned around and I pulled on the top. I’d have to go without underwear for the time being.
“Do you really think Pamphrock will just hand over his power like that?” I asked, curious about her opinion.
“You don’t know how ruthless Whitfield is, or the lengths he’ll go to get what he wants.”
“What do you mean?” I questioned, hoping she might give me some indication of what he planned to do with Rebecca.
She shook her head. “Nothing. Forget I said anything.”
I sat down on Delilah’s bed for a moment. “Tell me something, just how close are Ethan and Whitfield?” A part of me wished I could convince Ethan to sever his ties with the governor and get out while he still could. It was probably futile, but I couldn’t help wishing.
“Why do you ask that?”
“Honestly? I don’t like Whitfield, not even a little bit, and I’m wondering if I should even have anything to do with Ethan if he’s friends with a man like that.”
“Well, I get what you mean about Whitfield. I’m not his biggest fan either, but he and my brother go way back. They met in Romania before I was even born,” she said, and I remembered the story Ethan told me of Whitfield saving his life in the forest. “They even fought in the American Civil War together. Historically, vampires have gravitated towards war since there’s lots of bloodshed.”
For a moment, I pictured Ethan in battle and a shiver ran down my spine.
“Well, that’s not at all disturbing,” I commented dryly.
“You need to stop thinking of vampires as human, Tegan. Their lives are so much longer. It means their priorities are less … moral. They don’t feel certain emotions as intensely as humans, especially guilt. The world is a more cutthroat place for them.”
“What about you? You’re half-vampire, and I think crying in your bedroom because your brother is being strict with you is a fairly intense emotional reaction.”
“Yes, but I’ll only live half the lifespan of a vampire, and I’m relatively young by supernatural standards.”
My interest piqued. Finn had mentioned Delilah was around eighty. “When were you born, if you don’t mind me asking?”
She shot me a sidelong glance. “I was born in 1933. My mother was a Swedish ballet dancer with whom our father, Alin, had a short affair. When she gave birth to me, and he heard she’d had a girl, he came and took me from her. He’d only ever had boys up until that point, and it seemed to fascinate him that he should be capable of fathering a female.”
1933. That made her eighty-seven years old. “So, your father’s dead then?”
She folded her arms. “You’re very inquisitive tonight.”
“I just want to get to know you better. I’m a little fascinated that you’re in your eighties but barely look a day older than seventeen.”
“I guess a human would find that interesting,” she agreed. “And yes, to answer your question, my father is dead. He died about twenty years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
Delilah eyed me, her expression contemplative. “Ethan mentioned your father has gone missing.”
I slumped at the reminder. “Yeah, I’m still pretty much clueless as to where he might be.” Again, the idea of him being used in a ritual entered my head and I felt like being sick. A part of me refused to believe it was true because if it was it didn’t bode well for Dad. Humans used in rituals were rarely anything other than sacrifices.
Delilah lowered to sit beside me. “I’ll keep my ear to the ground at the club and let you know if I hear anything suspicious.”
“Thanks,” I said. “That means a lot. I better go find Ethan.”
She gave a little smirk. “He’s probably in his room upstairs. Just remember that being a dhampir means I have excellent hearing, so please keep that in mind when you go up there. I don’t wish to hear my brother having intimate relations.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Doesn’t he bring women back here all the time?”
Delilah’s face was aghast. “To the house? God, no. He has other places to go for that kind of thing. Then again, I don’t think he’s been with anyone for a while. You managed to leave quite the mark on him.” She smiled at me knowingly.
Embarrassed and somewhat touched by the idea of Ethan remaining celibate in my absence, I stood and walked to the door, changing the subject. “You know, you should think about getting in touch with Gabriel. He’s your half-brother and a really good guy.”
Her expression turned cynical. “Gabriel despises me.”
“He despises Ethan. You, I think he might just have some time for. After all, you’re both dhampirs.”
Delilah shook her head, though I did notice a spark of longing in her eyes. “I’m not getting in touch with Gabriel, Tegan.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, I think you should. What have you got to lose?”
I slipped out the door, my bare feet sinking into the plush carpet as I made my way up to the next floor. My heart sped when I spotted a door cracked slightly open. When I peered inside, Ethan was sitting in a fancy velvet armchair with a hardback book in hand. His eyes scanned the page, but he clearly sensed my presence because his gaze flicked up to meet mine.
His hair was damp, and he wore dark lounge pants with a grey button-down shirt that was currently unbuttoned, revealing his toned, muscular chest. I did my best not to gawk.
Ethan snapped the book shut, placing it on the table beside him. I took a look around his room to keep from gazing at him in shameful lust. His bed was large with simple dark green sheets. All of the furnishings were dark wood, and there was a massive bookcase lining one wall full of hardback volumes. It wasn’t exactly a tidy room, more casually clean like he only bothered to do housework when it suited him.
Ethan didn’t breathe a word as I surveyed his belongings. When I finally turned back to look at him, there was a satisfied smirk on his face. Both of his arms were splayed on top of the rests of the chair, his legs hanging slightly apart.
“What?” I asked, feeling self-conscious.
“Nothing. I just never have women in my bedroom. It’s … different.”
“Different good or different bad?”
“Different good.”
I scanned a few book titles, wishing the butterflies that suddenly filled my stomach would give it a rest. “So, where do you take them then?”
“Where do I take who?”
“The women.”
One eyebrow rose as he tilted his head a little to the side. “Elsewhere.”
“And have you been taking many women elsewhere lately?” I went on, wanting to know if what Delilah said was true. Ethan’s possible celibacy gave me all sorts of ridiculous, fluttery feelings in my chest.
A smile touched the edge of his lips. “Are you asking me if I’ve been with anyone since you?”
I folded my arms. “No, because we were never together.”
His gaze intensified. “Weren’t we?” I didn’t answer. My throat had suddenly become sandpapery dry. “I haven’t been with anyone since you left,” he finally said, putting me out of my misery. Why did that make me feel so triumphant?
“And when you feed,” I went on shyly. “Is there ever a sexual element?”
At this, he grinned. “Sometimes, but not always. Personally, I’ve not mixed feeding with sex in quite some time.”
