Blood Deception
ROYAL COVENS BOOK TWO
Copyright Belongs to Kaylin R. Peyerk
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Chapter One
My blood is frozen.
At least that’s what it’s felt like for the past twenty four hours after learning that Carden lives with Raphael. He’s here, I felt his skin, heard his voice. Jade had slept in my room last night, holding onto me the entire time. I hadn’t slept at all. Just as I thought I’d be able to move one, here he is, graduating from lurking in the shadows of my mind to real life. He looks the same, sounds the same, feels the same. But he isn’t. The man I met yesterday wasn’t the Carden I knew and loved. He’s someone else, a snarkier quick to judge version that just might be a side effect of being a vampire.
A soft knock echoes on the bathroom door and I sink lower into the bubbles in response. Eden and Scarlet can go to hell for all I care right now. I’d much rather sit in the bath for the rest of my life than brave a breakfast table I know Carden will be sitting at. The door cracks open and my irritation spikes until Raph pokes his head through the door, his eyes covered with one hand. The sight makes me chuckle softly. He’s seen every part of my body naked, and yet he’s covering his eyes to respect my privacy. I guess chivalry isn’t dead after all.
“Good morning Blair. May I come in?”
“I suppose so,” I reply, sitting up in the bath. “Did you draw the short straw of coming in to gauge my shit mood this morning?”
He laughs, hand still over his eyes. “Maybe I did, but I don’t mind. It’s my fault anyhow. I meant to warn you, even tried to several times, but then. . . well, you know what happened.”
Yeah, I think sarcastically. I had a mental breakdown about Carden and wouldn’t let him speak, even to utter that very important detail about us going to see Carden. The entire day was a mess before I even rolled out of bed. So no, I don’t blame Raphael or any of the other lords. I know that he meant well by taking Carden in and helping him acclimate to his new vampire lifestyle. I just didn’t think it’d hurt so much to see him again.
“I’m not mad, really. I was already in shock, and then I saw him and. . . well, you know what happened,” I reply, mimicking his words. “And would you take your hand away from your eyes? It’s nothing you haven’t seen before.”
His cheeks color, telling me that he’s had blood already today. “No can do, I’m not sure I could resist you when you’re dripping wet and naked in the bath.”
“What kind of dripping wet are you referring to?” I purr, thighs clenching at my own words.
My eyes take him in hungrily as he shifts from foot to foot, that being the only sign that he’s uncomfortable. Uncomfortable, or turned on? I’m not sure because I can’t see his eyes. His fangs are slightly longer than usual which is as good of an indication as any. But I shouldn’t tease him, shouldn’t egg him on. Now isn’t the time for it, not if all I want is a distraction from the reality waiting for me downstairs. I move to the edge of the tub and lean my arms against it, hiding my breasts and body from view.
“Okay, okay, I’m sorry. I’ll stop teasing you, you can look now. I’m covered, I promise.”
He peeks out between his fingers before sighing in relief and dropping his hand. “For being a human woman, you’re quite alluring.”
I narrow my eyes. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He holds up both hands, eyes widening. “It wasn’t supposed to offend you. As you know, vampires have magnetism magic, it’s literally in their blood to lure a human in. I just meant that it feels like you have the same qualities, is all. Much like the other women we’ve been with. . .” He trails off lamely, knowing full well that he’s rambling.
I smirk at him. “Right.”
“Right, well, I’ll wait out in the sitting room for you to get dressed, then we can head to breakfast together,” he replies, the tips of his ears turning pink.
Before I can say anything else he slips out of the room. Sighing, I pull the plug from the drain and let all of the water rush out as I sit there, watching it swirl around and around. Minutes later I’m cold and shivering in the polished wooden tub when Eden pulls me up and out, wrapping a plush cream towel around my body. Her face is full of quiet worry, but she doesn’t voice it aloud as she leads me into the closet.
“Pick out what you’d like to wear, these are all Scionset style clothes. I think they’ll suit you,” Eden says.
I step forward and run my hands over the tunics. All of them are in the rich colors of fall. The dresses are the same but have interesting fauna designs etched into the hem and cuffs. I finger the material and am surprised to find it soft and warm, a complete contrast to the dark itchy material of Divian royal clothing. Eden’s right, this style will suit me just fine. I pull a deep orange tunic from a rack at the end of the closet and she helps me into it before twisting my hair into a French braid down my back.
Scarlet enters then, sitting me down at the rustic style make-up table. I close my eyes and tilt my face toward her, allowing her to smear sparkling eyeshadow onto my lids to match the outfit, and paint my lips a flattering orange. When she taps my chin once, I open my eyes to study the finished look. If fall were a person, I’d be it right now. That seems to be the theme of Scionset with its cobblestone streets and rustic buildings kept in good condition. Plus, the grand castle I’m in right now is made entirely of mahogany and polished cedar.
“Alright, go and face it,” Scarlet says in a no nonsense tone, ushering me out of my seat.
I do as I’m told and stride into the sitting room. Raph rises from his perch on the edge of the couch, eyes roving over me. Does he like me wearing the colors of his coven? Is he weary of it? Did the previous woman wear it better? I want to ask him, but I’m not sure I’d like to know the answers.
“You look amazing, Blair,” he replies, winking.
Damnit, I think. It’s still unbelievable that they can read my thoughts. He didn’t answer the question about the last girl, but I guess that’s understandable. They never directly asked about Carden or any of my past relationships. It would be rude for me to do it. That’s probably what he’s trying to subtly tell me. I follow him down the hall, worrying my lip the entire way. Will Carden be there? Probably. Will I act weird because of it? Definitely.
“You’ll be fine,” Raph soothes, falling back to put his hand on my arm.
“I still hate that you can read my mind. When are you going to teach me to stop shouting all my thoughts at you?”
“As soon as you face what holds you back the most, my dear,” he murmurs.
Instead of responding and embarrassing myself further, I walk ahead of him again. It’s easier to say nothing to him, to any of them.
We have this bond that I’m not sure I understand. How did I go from hating them to wanting them so badly? And is it all carnal desire? Or something more? I want to believe that it could be something more, and I want to believe that I can move on from the man I’m about to meet again for the first time.
Even if loving him and holding him feels like it all happened yesterday.
Voices drift in from the dining room around the corner, and Jade’s high boisterous laugh rings out down the hallway, reaching for me and pulling me in. I’m excited to see her. If nothing else, she can calm me right now. I rush into the room, eyes darting around to take in the seating arrangements. As always, the lords are seated at the head of the table with one seat open between Uriel and. . . Michael. Of course, Raph will sit at the head of the table as it’s his castle. The heavy presence of carved wood, along with the smell of white pine and leather proves it. As if Raph’s very essence had been built into the walls.
“Look who’s decided to join us,” Gabriel drawls, a sardonic smile on his face.
“Good morning to you too,” I mumble, taking my seat between Uriel and Michael while looking only at my plate.
A part of me knows exactly where Carden is sitting, two seats downright next to Jade. Before I came in, they were talking as they always had, jovially, easily. Like they were made to be best friends, or perhaps something more if I weren't around. That thought had always crossed my mind when watching them joke around and tease one another. Perhaps I was always destined to fall for the lords, leaving Carden to fall for anyone he wished. That may even be why Jade agreed to come with us so easily, as if she’s being dragged along a path against her will.
“Did you sleep well?” Michael murmurs close to my ear.
His question spurs me out of my thoughts, and I look up across the table. Gabriel is there, smirking around a crystal glass full of ruby blood. I refuse to show him how much it angers me, especially when he can probably hear my angry thoughts. You’re an ass! I think, glaring at him. His smirk widens, but he doesn’t say anything in rebuttal.
“Yes, I slept like a baby,” I reply while spooning various foods onto my plate. I turn to Jade. “Do you like your room?”
She straightens, smiling. “Yes, I never knew I’d like a rustic setting so much. But I guess it is as elegant as woodwork can be.”
“I think that was supposed to be a compliment, Raph,” Carden says from beside her, pulling my eyes to him.
His face is set into an easy smile, and no tension lines his shoulders. It must be nice to have no memory of me, no love left in his heart. But him forgetting makes me feel even more overbearing grief, as if I’m being forced to haul it for the both of us. He smiles at me then, lifting two fingers in greeting. The familiar gesture stabs an arrow through my heart, but I manage to smile back.
“So, Blair. I’ve heard so much about you,” Carden says, leaning in and steepling his hands together on the table. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you face to face.”
Without meaning to, I give him a strange look. Does he not remember writing that short letter to me? It has been two years since then. Perhaps vampires have a different sort of memory than humans, allowing them to float away like stray feathers. I can’t blame him for it, not this version of him, anyhow. All this grief, all the loss. It can stay with me forever, so I can choose to set myself free. It’s time that I let it go.
If only it were as easy as saying the words.
“Same to you,” I reply, plastering a fake smile on my lips. “I mean, I’ve heard things.”
His brows flick up as he glances at Raph. “Only good things, I hope.”
A part me squeezes with grief once more, but I refuse to let it rule me. Instead, I begin shoveling food into my mouth like I haven’t eaten in a week. The lords watch me do so with sly smiles on their faces, knowing full well that I’m both embarrassing myself and trying to avoid having to tell Carden the truth. Will he want to be reminded? And why doesn’t he remember the note?
Unless. . . .
Could Raph have sent it to me in his stead? My head whips toward him and I narrow my eyes. Raph sits back in his chair, looking unaffected by my glare. But he can’t fool me, I’ve begun to learn things about them after spending days upon days in their presence. Raph has a nervous tick. He taps his third and fourth finger against the table when he’s worried or upset, and he’s doing it right now.
You asshole! I spit at him with my mind.
He flinches, blood sloshing from the goblet and onto his tunic. His brothers look from him to me and back again like they're watching a tennis game, their eyes wide as saucers. That alone tells me they weren’t in on it. It’s one thing for Raph to take Carden in, to teach him and become his friend. But this? Manipulating me? Sending fake messages that have plagued me with horror ever since?
“It was meant to give you closure,” he whispers, face stricken.
“It didn’t,” I spit, my hands shaking with so much rage that I have to ball them into fists. “It would have been better not to know, I think. At least then I wouldn’t have spent two years pouring over a fake letter and trying to figure out why a man who loved me, who cherished me, suddenly couldn’t care less!”
Raph stands, throwing out his arms. “We told you that he lost his human self!”
“But I didn’t know that!” I nearly scream, voice shrill and grating.
Uriel flinches beside me; one hand close to my own clenched fists sitting on the table. As if he’d love nothing more than to comfort me but was too afraid to try. It’s probably for the best. My emotions are all over the place right now, and I don’t want to hurt his feelings with my rejection. Gabriel looks at me then; that steely faraway look in his eyes that I’ve seen so many times before. Letting me know that he’s thinking about his former lover, the woman he had been so close to. Does he feel what I feel, I wonder?
As if I had screamed the question at him, his eyes snap to mine. But they’re unreadable pits of darkness, full of a despair and rage so unending that I shrink back in my seat. The feeling is gone from one blink to the next, and I wonder briefly if I had imagined it. No, it was there. A terrifying reminder of just how old these men sitting around me are, of how many human life spans they’ve lived. It must be truly tiring to be immortal; I think.
“It is,” Michael whispers, voice low, responding to my thoughts.
Raph is still standing, blood sprayed across his shirt so much like that night we shared together. It sends a pang of sadness through my chest, but I brush it aside. Now isn’t the time to forgive and forget. I can’t help but feel that he has caused me an insurmountable amount of pain. Pain that can’t be wished away or cured. Despite it, the look on his face draws me in. So much agony and regret are twisted into his features. I sway forward, wishing that I could comfort him before snapping myself back again. Stupid ancient curse forcing me to like him even when I hate him. I rise to my feet, pushing the chair back. It screeches across the floor, the sound echoing across the silent room. My eyes flit to Carden and Jade to see them both gaping at me in surprise. It would be funny if it were about anything else.
“I’d like to go on a ride,” I murmur. “Gabriel, will you take me?”
Chapter Two
“I have to say, I was surprised when you requested my company over my brothers,” Gabriel drawls while fastening on his horse's saddle. “Uriel would surely be a better choice to cheer you up.”
I raise my eyebrows at him, checking my own horse’s saddle to make sure it’s on correctly. “Cheer me up? Really? Do you even understand what happened back there?”
He gives me a look so full of disdain that I grit my teeth. “Of course, I do. What I don’t understand is why you’re making a mountain out of a molehill. While it may have been a little misguided, it’s obvious that my brother meant well. Plus, it’s all in the past.”
Without waiting for my answer to his very condescending explanation, he swings onto the back of his horse and urges it out of the barn. I follo
w suit, steam practically coming out of my nostrils at his insinuation. Making a mountain out of a molehill? That alone might make me kill him. I’ve never felt so belittled in my entire life!
“You know, you’re right,” I grind out as I pull my horse up alongside his.
“About what?”
“I should have brought Uriel.”
Instead of being offended like I wanted him to, he laughs. Even while actively wanting to hate him for it, his deep baritone makes me smile. I hide it by looking away from him, but I’m pretty sure he isn’t fooled. Gabriel is so different from his brothers. They fawn over me, show me obvious affection. And while that’s amazing, and I feel a deep pulling connection to them, Gabriel pulls me in an entirely different direction. We share a kinship together. One birthed out of the shared feeling of grief. It makes me wonder why the others aren’t more like him.
“They are older than me, and I was closest to Amara,” Gabriel replies, his voice hitching on her name.
Amara. Her name rings through me like a bell, the feeling of familiarity there. I never knew her, but she gave me blood out of the kindness of her heart. Plus, we’re connected by a centuries-long curse that has played with all of our emotions. That had to count for something. I give Gabriel a sidelong glance, trying to gauge whether or not I can ask him questions about her. Would it be rude? Does he care? He’s made of ice half the time anyhow. At that thought he turns to look at me, a crooked smile on his lips.
“You know that I can hear everything you’re thinking, right?”
My cheeks flush. “Then teach me how to avoid screaming my thoughts at you at all hours of the day.”
“Is that really what you want to do?” he asks, giving me a knowing look.
He didn’t say it outright, but I know that he’s giving me permission to ask about Amara. And while it’s nice of him, great of him even, I’m suddenly feeling a bit uneasy. I have so, so many questions about her, most of them a bit selfish in nature, I admit. But I want to ask them all. Is she painfully beautiful? Kindhearted? Selfless? A better lover than me?
Blood Deception: A Reverse Harem Paranormal Romance (Royal Covens Book 2) Page 1
