I thought Olwen would go off on me, but instead, he worked his jaw. “Onyx, I will reconsider waiting to attack Vulthus. Remain in the mansion while I determine how we will fight back.”
17
Onyx
After Olwen left and after we choked down dinner, Atticus put me through another round of basement training, this one aimed at avoiding his ice magic. At first, I was allowed to use a shield, but after an hour of me dodging most of his attacks, he took the shield away.
“How am I supposed to protect myself? Can I counter attack?” I asked.
He shook his head. “No. I want you to learn to dodge. I’ll make my ice daggers dull so that they’ll leave nothing more than bruises.”
I sighed, hating that I had trained so hard earlier that day. “Isn’t it better if I practice attacking you while dodging?”
“No. If a vampire drinks a lot of your blood, you won’t be able to access your magic. Also, there are potions that can block it, courtesy of the Summer Court.”
I chewed on my lip. “If I was drugged or nearly drained, I doubt I could run and hide.”
Atticus’s face softened the tiniest bit before it turned to stone again, and I knew that unfortunately I was right. Powerful magic like a blood crystal or significant blood loss would be my undoing.
“Evading is the area we have worked on the least,” Atticus continued. “With Vulthus planning his attack, we need to have you trained in every aspect.”
I hated how I’d gone from warrior to a rabbit trying to escape the wolf, but arguing further with Atticus wouldn’t get us anywhere. I was already tired from our previous session, but complaining would only waste time, so I nodded.
Atticus began his chase, throwing ice daggers at me. Pain exploded on my back as I turned away. Atticus had a point. I sucked at dodging, which was a problem. Because while vampires didn’t have magic at their disposal and weren’t archers, they could be trained in knife throwing, and if Atticus’s ice daggers had been real, I would’ve been long dead by now.
I swerved, pivoted, jumped, and dropped around sandbags and tables to avoid his attacks, but didn’t feel like I was getting better as I was getting more tired by the minute.
Finally, Atticus called an end to the training. “That was a good start. Get a good night’s sleep, Onyx.”
I wiped away the sweat from my forehead. “Do you think we move tomorrow?”
“There’s a good chance that we will.”
My heart hammered in my throat despite the anticipation of revenge. Doubting I’d get any more information out of Atticus, I headed upstairs to my room, delighted to discover that a hot bubble bath had been drawn for me. I tugged off my clothes and sank into the hot water, my muscles relaxing instantaneously.
My eyes closed, and I must’ve drifted off, because a noise roused me. I shivered in cold water that no longer held bubbles and got out. Tying my silky bathrobe, I headed into my bedroom, ready to answer the door only to find a familiar figure levitating outside my bedroom window.
My heart hammered with excitement and a bit of trepidation. Thorsten. He was back. How long had he been floating outside?
I pushed open the window, and he entered. He gave me a quizzical look that turned into a scorching one as he took in my legs that were barely covered in my flimsy robe. My heart raced with excitement.
“Onyx, is now a good time?” he asked in a low voice that made me want to throw him on the bed.
Instead of replying, I pressed my mouth against his, channeling my need and relief through the kiss. He was alive, and he would stay so. How fortunate that Vulthus had made his move now.
I dragged Thorsten to the bed, pushed him down, and straddled him.
But instead of loosening the belt around my waist, he studied my face. “What happened?”
“Nothing.” I grabbed his hands, raising them to my hips.
He smiled. “Liar. I thought we were going to be honest with each other from now on.”
I sighed and sat back, still straddling him, but the passion cooled. “Vulthus discovered that I’m Olwen’s daughter. He turned on Olwen’s guards while they were hunting Petra. I don’t know how he figured out my connection to Olwen, but Vulthus wants his revenge. Olwen and I will finally move against him.”
Thorsten’s body tightened underneath me and not in a good way. He lifted me up and put me down next to him as if I weighed nothing. “When? Where?”
“I don’t know.” When he stared me down, I crossed my arms. “I really don’t know. Olwen disappeared and left me to train.”
Thorsten nodded. “I’ll return tomorrow, and then you can tell me everything.”
I shook my head. Tomorrow might be too late. “No, this is my fight.”
“I understand, but I can still help you.”
“I need to do this by myself.” I was shaking. I would not get anyone else killed or hurt.
Hurt flashed over his features. “You could use backup.”
I hesitated. I wanted to dive into Thorsten’s offer, let him take care of me. But I was a warrior now. I didn’t want to have to rely on Thorsten the way I had been forced to at Nocturnal Academy. I wanted him to see me as an equal. Having him close would only distract me as I worried what Olwen would do to him.
“Please, stay away.”
Thorsten must’ve seen in my eyes how much it meant to me that he didn’t interfere, because he nodded slowly. My shoulders dropped. He’d he safe, and I could finish Vulthus.
“Did anything else happen?” Thorsten’s arctic gaze drilled into me, as if he could see right through me.
“Isn’t that enough?” I tried for a light tone. Thorsten didn’t need to know that my father had nearly made me kill him. At least, not now. I didn’t want to ruin the mood. I didn’t know what would happen tomorrow, but if I died, I was determined to not die as a virgin, and not die with Vulthus’s scent on me.
Thorsten nodded slowly. “I’m sorry. That must’ve been terrifying to find out that Vulthus knew—”
I cut him off, pressing my lips against this. “No more talking. I need you.”
Thorsten pulled me against him, our limbs turning to a tangled mess. He slid my robe off. I helped him with his shirt and pants. Our skin touched and where it did, I lit on fire. However, when I tugged on the elastic band of his underwear, he stopped my hand.
“Onyx,” his throaty voice only made me more desperate. “What are you doing?”
“Something I wanted to for a very long time,” I breathed.
He shook his head. “It’s too early. I don’t think you’re ready—”
“Let me decide when I’m ready, okay?”
He sighed. “I don’t want to mess this up.”
I smiled. “You won’t. Please, I need this.”
Before Thorsten could protest further, I pulled down his underwear, exposing all of him. I gulped, and then I let my hand trail over his shaft. At first, my touch was soft, but then it grew firmer. Thorsten moaned, and it drove me wild, knowing that I could give him this much pleasure with my touch.
I rolled on my back and pulled him on top of me. His eyes shone with the unspoken question, and I nodded, then wrapped my legs around his hips. He entered me deeply, and the tightness turned into a sharp pain. I gasped, but it was gone a moment later.
“Are you okay? Do you want me to stop?” Thorsten kissed my temple, panting.
“No.”
He began moving, and soon we found a pleasant rhythm. The pain melted away to be replaced by the best feeling ever. What Thorsten had done the other night had been magical, but this was out of this world.
Once again, I had to keep quiet as to not alert any guards. Yet despite us having to be careful, I wouldn’t have changed anything about my first time.
“Let me be on top,” I rasped, and Thorsten rolled off me with a smile. I straddled him and adjusted, surprised at how different the position made it feel. On top, I was fully in control of the tempo and depth, which felt really good.
Soon, my core clenched harder and harder, letting me know I was very close. I leaned forward and kissed Thorsten, and then I moaned my release, riding each wave as it crashed into me. Thorsten came soon after.
We collapsed against each other. I lay in his arms, not saying anything for a long time before rolling on top of him again. “Want to go again?”
“Are you sure? You’re not sore?”
I smiled. “I’m feeling good.”
And so we did it again, this time with both of us on our sides, him spooning me from behind.
As much as I wanted to remain in Thorsten’s arms after, I knew I couldn’t. Time stretched out as we lay in silence, Thorsten tracing shapes on my back. What if he accidentally fell asleep and didn’t wake before sunrise?
“You have to leave,” I whispered, turning over and brushing a kiss against his throat.
He groaned. “I wish I didn’t.”
“Me too.”
“We need to find a way to have this relationship out in the open.”
Sadness filled my chest, and I quickly hid it behind pressing a kiss to Thorsten’s lips. “First, we need to get rid of Vulthus.” Maybe after that, I could convince Olwen that the Steinbergs were good allies. But even if we were allies, I doubted he’d ever be all right with me seeing Thorsten. According to him, I needed to stick to my own kind.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Thorsten got off the bed and dressed, his eyes shining with longing.
I forced a smile. “Tomorrow.”
Thorsten opened the window, then ascended into the sky. I watched his moonlit form disappear, my heart heavy. I was glad we had been together, but I couldn’t deny the aching in my chest. I didn’t want to sneak around with Thorsten. I wanted a real life with him, by his side, out in the open. But if I thought that a happy ending was possible for us, I would only be lying to myself. Even with Vulthus gone, Olwen would never allow it, and probably neither would Griffin Steinberg. Thorsten and I were on borrowed time. Sooner or later our relationship would come to light and then there would be hell to pay.
18
Onyx
Though I knew Thorsten was long gone, I reached across my bed, feeling for his sleeping form, and came up empty. Then I opened my eyes to see that clouds had moved over the sun today. I couldn’t tell if it was early morning or later.
A knock on the door made me jump.
“Onyx?” Atticus asked.
“It’s us,” Lily added.
Lily never arrived at my door with Atticus. I knew she was checking up on me in the only way she could. I only hoped that Atticus wouldn’t tell Olwen about her interest.
“Your father wishes to see you in the Solstice Room,” Atticus said.
My heart sank even though I had expected a meeting with Olwen. I dressed and hurried down the stairs, Lily on my left, Atticus on my right. Worry filled me as I neared the Solstice Room, which I was beginning to hate. The ice furniture and walls greeted me when I opened the door to find Olwen standing at the end of the table, both hands splayed out on the bluish ice. He did not motion for me to sit.
“Are we moving against Vulthus today?” I asked.
“That depends on whether we can discover his whereabouts.” Olwen let no emotion slip into his voice. “The issue is that I can no longer get close to him or the other vampires. Word has spread that I may be helping my daughter, who attacked Vulthus.”
I gulped. Rumors in the vampire world moved quicker than a wildfire. “We need to find out where Vulthus will be before he moves against us.”
“Yes.” Olwen remained unreadable. “It is risky for you to talk to any vampires, even in disguise, as they are all on alert. However, you might get some information from fae servants that used to be your previous classmates. You used to associate with Virgie, correct?”
Some of the tension eased out of my shoulders. “Yes.”
“Very well. You will go to the Magical Museum of the Plant Arts where I am told your former classmate Peony works and where Virgie often goes during the day, running errands for her master, Griffin Steinberg. If you go there now, you will minimize the chances of running into any vampires. They are two very well-connected fae and should know where Vulthus will be over the next few days.”
I had no time to laugh about the silly name of the museum that had bought Peony’s contract following her graduation from Nocturnal Academy. The thought of meeting her again turned my stomach. Virgie, too, but not to the same extent. She had turned her back on my friendship and help, but she had come through for me when I pressured her to help me at the end of my second semester at Nocturnal Academy. Also, the more I thought about her on the drive to the museum, the more I became convinced that Virgie had probably abandoned me due to pressure from Peony. The controlling bitch would definitely stoop to threats to keep Virgie under her thumb.
I had to make up with Virgie. Even if we would never be friends, I needed to get information about Vulthus. And while she might hesitate, I sensed she hated his kind. Virgie was a business woman who didn’t ally herself with sadistic tyrants.
Atticus drove me to the Museum of Magical Plant Arts. Like many of the places where vampires hung out at night, it turned out to be behind a basement door in downtown Denver. Unmarked and in an alley, the museum masqueraded as a creepy storage area from the outside.
“Good luck and don’t stay too long,” Atticus said as I slipped out of the car. He was remaining behind since Olwen and I agreed that his presence would make Virgie and Peony less likely to talk to me.
I knocked on the door of the museum thrice as I had been instructed. Olwen had told me that the vampires were almost never in the plant museum during the day, but Peony would be on staff as she lived and slept there. Virgie had been sighted going in and out of the museum almost daily, and I hoped she was here today. Teasing information out of her or making some kind of deal would be much better than torturing Peony for intel, who’d probably attack as soon as she saw me.
Footsteps slowly approached the door, and I looked straight at the peephole. Though I wore a hoodie that covered my purple hair, I had done nothing to disguise my face.
The door opened seconds later. Two familiar faces greeted me. Virgie was stunning as always. No worse for the wear, and despite being Griffin Steinberg’s newest courtesan, she wore an elegant pantsuit I figured must be for the daytime hours.
And Peony was...Peony.
“What just crawled onto the doorstep?” she asked, doing her trademark gesture of twirling a blond curl around her finger. Her amber, catlike eyes trained on me. She wore an elegant green dress no doubt meant to complement the stunning plants beyond my two former classmates. I stood on the threshold of a magical jungle.
“How original.” I glanced past Peony at Virgie, whose eyebrow was raised with interest. “Business. Can I come in?” Even though I would most likely negotiate with Virgie, I planned to keep a close eye on Peony, who would probably jump on the first opportunity to report my presence to Vulthus.
Peony didn’t make another snarky comment, and Virgie too remained silent, even though her eyes burned with questions. She must’ve heard about my connection to Olwen and that had probably piqued her interest, so that’s where I would start.
“King Olwen needs information. His guard is waiting.”
“So you are his daughter.” Virgie stepped aside to allow me in and so did Peony, whose eyes widened. Apparently, Olwen’s name brought fear that I too could use to my advantage.
Inside, I inhaled the scents of various exotic plants and studied the room for dangers. There was a wide cobblestone path through the museum, which went past a welcome desk and split through the jungle. No vamps, but lots of plants I had to stay a safe distance away from. I eyed some vines with blue flowers hanging off a tree and knew I had to lay down another threat before Peony got any ideas.
I caught her looking in the same direction and said, “Don’t make me use my ice on your creations. I don’t think the vamps will appreciate seeing t
heir museum decimated.”
“Onyx has a good point.” Virgie was siding with me. Our gazes met. Something more than curiosity burned in her eyes.
“How’s life?” I asked.
“Fine. For the most part.” Her tone darkened with each word. Things were not completely fine then, and she’d be open to making a deal.
“Well, you shouldn’t have put yourself on display,” Peony hissed to Virgie.
Even though I had no idea what the two were talking about, my fists balled. Peony was being a shitty friend as always. But why was Virgie still putting up with it? We were out of Nocturnal Academy, and Virgie had Griffin Steinberg now. Then again, it never hurt to have as many people as possible in one’s corner.
“Vulthus visited a couple of nights ago,” Virgie said. “He’s been all over the Steinberg mansion, trying to see if they mess up.”
I shuddered, not wanting that asshole anywhere near Thorsten. The nervous shine in Virgie’s eyes told me that maybe Vulthus had tried to do something to her too.
“Funny you should bring that up,” I said, taking the opening. “Olwen needs to know where Vulthus will be during the next few days.”
Virgie hardened her features and squared her shoulders. Her eyes sparked with need for revenge. Yes, Vulthus had tried to do something to her. Maybe he wanted to remind her of her place, as the twins had back in Nocturnal Academy. Or maybe he wanted to get information about me out of her. Either way, I sensed she didn’t want to talk about it.
“Really? It’s pointless to get in his way,” Peony said, and not without a hint of joy. She wanted me to fail, and for Virgie to remain scared and at her side.
Ice filled my veins. I advanced on Peony, but kept my voice sugary sweet. “It must suck to constantly rely on manipulation to keep friends around.”
She opened and closed her mouth, and a tingle of satisfaction raced up my spine.
Virgie’s mouth turned up at the corners. “I’ve been at Griffin Steinberg’s side often,” she said, masking her emotions with a businesslike tone. “He has been tracking Vulthus every night, anticipating an attack. I’ve made mental notes of where he’s going to be.”
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