Betrayed: Breaking the Darkness Series Book Two

by Felicia Starr

  We each had a cup of French Press coffee; he took his black, I took mine light and sweet. We each had a blue corn muffin with jalapeño jelly on it. I had a lot on my mind, but we ate in silence. I mostly looked at my food, Graven mostly looked at me.

  Graven's bathroom was just as elegant as the one that joined my room with Maritza's. The shower was definitely made with couples in mind. There was a built in teak bench and the walls were tiled with long dark slate. They were stacked in a brick pattern, but no two pieces were exactly the same size or shape. It was rustic and elegant at the same time.

  The shower was encased in floor to ceiling glass. Graven turned the shower on. "There is a steam feature in here."

  "Cool, turn it on." That sounded perfect. I wanted nothing more than to enjoy a romantic shower with this man. The truth was that I was a little bit nervous and shy. Yes, he did just have me in the most intimate position I have ever been in, but to stand before him naked in my flesh made my knees weak.

  Legally and emotionally I had been an adult for a few years now, but this was the beginning of a new layer I had yet to experience. There was a part of me that felt guilt for taking time to enjoy myself when I knew that people I cared about were in danger.

  The shower started to fill up with white fluffy clouds making it hard to see past the glass.

  "Would you mind getting me a glass of water?" I asked Graven. "I'm thirsty and it looks hot in there."

  "Sounds like a good idea." He exited the bathroom. I felt more comfortable to disrobe.

  I climbed into the shower enclosure. I rinsed off under the water and gave myself a quick once over with the soap before Graven came back. I sat on the wood bench and put my head back against the wall. The water was angled so that it just hit the bottoms of my ankles.

  The moist air felt like it was both moisturizing and cleansing my lungs. I could feel the toxins escaping my skin. I heard the shower door open.

  Graven handed me a large wine glass filled with water. When I lifted it to my lips to drink I could smell a hint of cucumber in the water. I still had my eyes closed and enjoyed the refreshing liquid as it cooled my insides.

  Graven sat beside me. "Sit up, I will rub you."

  He didn't have to ask me twice. I sat up and turned my back to him. I felt his large hands grab at my shoulders. My skin felt like putty in his hands as he worked the muscles around my shoulder blades with his thumbs.

  "Are you ok?" he whispered against my neck. He worked his magic, kneading my skin as his hands traveled down my back.

  I moaned something that hopefully sounded like a yes.

  "I just wanted to make sure. That was beyond anything I have ever experienced with another person, Kasha." He brushed his lips across the backs of my shoulders. "Setting aside the extreme supernatural aspect of what happened; I think that you are magnificent. No matter the form you are in, you radiate an intensity that I would find hard to be rivaled by any other female."

  His breath tickled at my neck as he spoke. The muscles in my body unbound with each stroke of his hands.

  "We are going to have our hurdles to get past and our battles that need fighting. Know that I will fight beside you and fight for you. In all the in-betweens I will treat you like a queen."

  I took a sip of water to quench my thirst and wet my pallet. I turned to face Graven. There was a dim blue light that was coloring the steam around his face. I could see the tops of his broad shoulders. I wanted to look at the rest of him, but it was hard to see through the cloud we were sitting in.

  "When I am with you I feel like all my worries fade away. I forget who and what I am. I can feel you at the very center of my being, it's like you have always been there and I am just now seeing you," I said. It amazed me how when I was with him I wasn't afraid to say what was on my mind. I had no concern he would judge me. I knew he could see me for me no matter what I might be and that felt good.

  "When we kissed last night, it was more magical than any fairytale I ever read. Do you see that kind of stuff all the time?" I asked him.

  "I don't know if I can see things to the extent you are seeing things. When I am with you, especially when our emotions are heightened sexually, I can see things I have never seen before." Graven stroked the sides of my arms. "Give me your legs, I will rub them too."

  I leaned back against the slate, I expected it to be cold, but I think the hot steam had everything nice and toasty. I stretched my legs out across his lap.

  "What did you see when you looked at me?" I wondered if it was like the way I saw his gargoyle form or the receptionist's feline face.

  "It is hard to explain. It was like watching multiple movie reels each of different versions of you and other creatures spliced together flashing back and forth. It was unreal. I couldn't believe some of what I saw."

  "Someday will you tell me what they all were?" I asked because I wanted to know, but I wanted him to know I wasn't ready for the complete overload of information. I wondered if I would ever know where I really came from.

  "You will figure out everything you need to know when the time is right. It is one of the things I have learned over time. I have had faith in knowing that the universe would give us what we need at just the right time, even if it seems painful."

  "Speaking of painful, have you talked to Ziona?" Graven made it easy to forget in the moment about the gravity of chaos around me. But there was a grim reality that needed facing.

  "No. I plan to reach out to her before the next meeting. I would prefer that I bring information to her before she tries to extract it from me in front of a room full of other people that know nothing about who you are. I would like to keep it that way." Graven injected his fingers between each of my toes, sending waves of pleasure and relaxation to my brain.

  "I am still trying to schedule a meeting with her at the compound. That way I can try to investigate what is going on with your mother. I still can't believe the woman in white is your mother. Assuming that she knew that you were the one she told me I would need to protect, she was worried about you. Did you know that your mother was a Seer?" Graven asked moving his grip up my ankles and rubbing my calves. If we weren't talking about Ziona and my mother I would have been in absolute bliss.

  "I don't remember that much about her. She made the best sugar cookies. I remember making cookies with her a few times. It was so long ago most of my time with her is a blur. Gram only shared happy stories with me, she never told me anything disparaging or anything that would have led me to believe that there was anything different about her.

  "My gram did say that we had a special connection. Oh, and you know when she came to me as a spirit she said that we are all connected or something."

  "Do you think that your Gram had visions too?" Graven asked.

  "Oh no, she mostly just made holistic medicines like herbal salves and teas," I said as if this was a common thing that people did.

  "Was she a witch?" he asked.

  "Not that I know of. But it is possible that she made things for witches. She had a very eclectic clientele. I never really made too much of it."

  I sat up and pulled my legs back and kneeled on them. I took Graven's right hand and kissed at his fingertips, turning his hand. I kissed the palm of his hand and let my lips leave a trail of subdued kisses up his arm until I reached his shoulder.

  "I really like the way you touch me, Graven," I whispered into the base of his earlobe. "You set me on fire."

  "You mean you set the place on fire." We both laughed. Graven turned his face so it was pressed along side of mine. I felt his hand come up and cradle the side of my face.

  I kissed the edge of his ear, working my way across his surprisingly soft skin until my lips found his mouth. I wanted to taste him again. I wanted to be mesmerized by the impact his lips had on my psyche. I also wanted to know I could kiss this man without being a danger to myself or anyone that might be nearby.

  He kissed me back with delicate precision. Our tongues made contact and I tri
ed to stay as present in the moment as I could. I savored each pass and swirl. Our mouths collided causing an avalanche of pleasure that radiated down to my extremities. Graven eased back away from my lips as slowly and calculated as the beginning of the kiss.

  "You see, we are going to be just fine. You will learn to control whatever changes you are going through. But don't think I am not looking forward to us losing control with each other again." He kissed me quick and hard. "Let's get cleaned up so we can get to our lunch."

  Chapter Fifteen

  LUNCH WAS TASTY AND UNEVENTFUL. Graven and Maritza caught up on some of the club details. I tried to pay attention to what I could. I knew I would need to learn more about the industry so I could manage my job working for him, but at this point I barely knew my way around the club scene. At least I would have a one up on some of the staff at the new club. I had one of the first tours of Red Reign, how many people could say that?

  Graven paid the waiter and threw a twenty on the table for a tip. I don't know how much the check was, but lunch was not that expensive. It made me smile that Graven tipped the waiter more than twenty percent. I had a few friends in college that were restaurant servers. I knew how hard they worked for their money. Contrary to what some people might think, they do not even make minimum wage.

  "The main shopping area is a short walk from here. Would you ladies care to walk or would you prefer I drive us?" Graven asked as we walked out of the restaurant.

  "Walking works for me. The weather is perfect today," I said

  "Sure, whatever works for me," Maritza replied as her big brown curls bounced over her shoulder.

  She didn't walk, she promenaded. I enjoyed watching her as her hips swayed back and forth in her form fitting slacks. If I walked around like that I would feel like I looked like I was trying too hard. But, it was effortless for her, I'm not sure she knew what she was doing. I watched as men turned their heads to gawk at her as they passed.

  Graven wrapped his arm around me and pulled me close to him. "This morning was really nice. Very relaxing," he spoke softly, but his voice resonated in his throat and it tickled at my senses. I looked up at him, smiled and nodded my head in agreement.

  "We don't need to make a big stink about this shopping thing. I'm easy, I just need some jeans and a top or two," I said.

  Maritza turned her head, "I heard that. We don't have to make a day of this, but I will make sure that you have the proper attire. You are a woman and a sexy one at that. I get that you are a bit of a naturalist, but I can help you find a happy middle ground. There is a high-end store that caters to the rich artsy hippy type. They have a lot of organic and hemp clothing. The difference is the clothes are meant to flatter your body and look professional."

  "Okay, that sounds like an interesting place to start," I answered her.

  "There are actually three stores in a row that should have whatever we need. Don't look so frightened, it will be fun." She slowed her step and locked her elbow with mine and stole me away from Graven's embrace.

  "Do you want to get coffee? Or we could stop and get a drink first...Graven, maybe you can get us a bottle of champagne to drink while we shop." Her chest heaved up and down with a soft giggle.

  "Maybe in a little bit. I am stuffed from lunch." I couldn't fit anything else.

  Before we knew it we were in a chic clothing boutique. The floors were made out of what looked like slices of cork glued together and shellacked. There were racks of clothing filled with clothes ranging from yoga pants to summer dresses. I was surprised the clothing had a new age nautical feel.

  "Here is the plan. You go pick out three outfits, I will scoop up some outfits for us meet you in the back of the store where the fitting rooms are located," Maritza directed me then turned her attention to her boss. "Graven, there is a small men's section on the right side of the store if you want to check it out."

  "I actually need to make a few phone calls and check my email. I will be right outside the front door if you need me. You girls have fun." He winked at me and excused himself.

  When I turned around I saw Maritza piling up clothes on her arm. A tall woman dressed in an all white matching outfit made of what looked like gauze approached her. She looked like she was maybe forty, but her short hair was silver. The only pop of color she had was the bright red lipstick that tinted her pencil thin lips. The woman took the clothes that Maritza was holding to the back of the shop.

  I rummaged through the store and picked at a few random things. I was a little bit uncomfortable about someone buying me things. I couldn't remember how long ago it was when someone actually chose my clothing for me. Based on Maritza's enthusiasm on the way over, there was no way I was getting out of it.

  I saw Maritza waving me to the fitting rooms. At least I could hide out for a few minutes while I tried on some of the clothing. When I got to the back of the boutique they had a homey seating area that was u-shaped around the curtained off changing areas.

  "Let me see what you picked out." She sifted through the limited articles that were draped over my forearm. "I like this top, it will look great with the cropped pants I grabbed you. I had the nice sales lady fill our rooms so we can try on at will."

  I tried on clothes and mixed and matched things that I assumed should go together. I could tell that Maritza was trying hard not to laugh at me. It felt like I was at it for hours.

  When we came out to compare outfits we actually both walked out donning the same outfit. A camisole topped with a cropped shirt that was bedazzled to the max with fringe hanging from every free edge and leopard print leggings. We looked at each other and burst out laughing.

  Pointing at each other, "Did you pick this out?" we asked each other in unison, which only had us rolling. My ribs were starting to hurt we laughed so hard.

  The woman in white approached us, "Oh I see you both tried on our outfit of the day."

  We looked at each other and back at the woman. "Each day there is a staff pick that gets left in each fitting room. Fun, huh?"

  "Oh yeah." Maritza giggled

  "We have refreshments. If you want I can bring you water, tea or coffee. You girls look like you could use a break."

  "I would love a water," I said.

  "If you have any decaffeinated tea, that would be lovely," Maritza said. After the woman walked off, Maritza turned to me and whispered, "They do that to keep you in the store longer hoping that you will buy more."

  "Let's sit while we wait. If I had a phone I would take a picture of us. Are they for real? Do people really dress like this?" I didn't understand where someone would wear an outfit like that.

  "I guess. It's a bit wild for my taste. I like to always look professional, even if I am pressing the conservative edge with ultimate sexiness." Maritza pushed her full hair over her shoulder.

  "That cop seemed to like what he saw at your meeting at Black Reign the other day. I think he is sweet on you. Has he asked you on a date?" I asked her while we waited for our drinks. Frankly, I didn't know what to talk to her about. I hoped I wasn't being rude asking about her social life.

  "You think so? He hasn't said anything to me. He's just investigating a fire at the club, some guy died in Graven's office," Maritza informed me. I wasn't sure if I should act like I didn't know what happened or if she knew that I knew.

  "Oh, yeah you mentioned that briefly?" I decided to play it cool.

  "The guy was a total scum sucker. I'm not sure who will miss him, even if he had something of value to offer, it came at a steep price. Let's just say he wasn't very nice."

  "Oh, so how is the investigation going? Shouldn't a fire chief or something be handling an arson investigation?" I asked

  "Maybe, but I don't mind dealing with Detective Ryan. He's nice and not pushy. He is a human, so we have to be careful how much they look into things."

  "I noticed the body language between the two of you at the club. Maybe there is something worth exploring," I suggested.

  Maritza looked down
at her hands and I could feel the spike or drop in her emotions. The same way that Graven had explained feeling it with me. The sales associate came back and brought me a small bottle of water and a hot to go cup of water and an herbal tea bag for Maritza. "I'll just leave these here for you, this was the only decaf tea, I hope it's ok for you. Just let me know if you need anything in a different size."

  "Ok, thank you." I smiled at her and she walked toward the front of the store to help another shopper.

  "Gargoyles are forbidden from mating with humans or any other supernatural being. It just would never work, besides he wouldn't want to be with me if he saw me in my true form."

  "Why do you say true form. Are you not truly you as you are before me now? We all have parts of ourselves that we don't show others freely. That doesn't mean that other people will think ill of who we are as a whole. Look I don't know him, or your customs. It just seems like you guys were really vibing with each other. Have Gargoyles ever been with humans?" I asked her. Wondering what her answer meant for me and Graven.

  "Yes, a long time ago. Sure, gargoyles date or have flings with humans, but at this point it is very taboo to actually be in a relationship. I don't know what is going on with you and Graven. I know he has said that he intends to bond with you, but from what I understand it is because of whatever is going on with Ziona and the Taker. I have never questioned anything of him. He has given me everything and kept me safe when no one else cared to." I don't think she realized how insulting her comment just was.

  "Honestly, I don't know if or what is going on with us either. Whatever his intentions are, I don't know him well enough to make any assumptions, so I am just going with the flow." I fiddled with the frayed tassels hanging off my shirt. "And I have a lot of things more important to deal with right now than to worry about the romantic nature of our relationship. I only just met you and his brother, other than that I don't know a lot about Graven."