Lust

by Alyssa Rose Ivy

  “I guess so.” I smiled.

  “Try to get some sleep.”

  “I will. You’ll stay here?”

  “I thought the kiss got everything across. I’m not leaving you.”

  “Good,” I replied sleepily. I let my heavy eyes close, and I yawned.

  He went back to rubbing my back. “Sleep well, my love.”

  “You too,” I mumbled as I drifted off into sleep.

  6

  Owen

  “Owen, what’s the matter?” Daisy’s voice was higher pitched than usual. She stood at the foot of the bed wearing only a t-shirt.

  “Nothing.” I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes. “You sound different.”

  “No, I don’t. You’re imagining things again.” She crawled up my body slowly before straddling me on top of the sheets.

  “Are you sick?” I studied her eyes. They were glazed over, as though she were high or something.

  “No.” She shook her head. “Stop worrying.”

  “I can’t.” I closed my eyes.

  “Yes, you can.” She brushed her lips against mine. “You can stop feeling anytime you want.”

  I opened my eyes. “Daisy? Is that even you anymore?”

  She laughed a laugh that wasn’t hers. “What do you think? Aren’t you the expert on me?”

  I woke up with a start, glad to see the first signs of sunlight through the sheer window shades. I ran my hands down Daisy’s back while she slept peacefully. She was still Daisy. We’d find a way to stop the change. I refused to believe the dreams were anything prophetic. They were only manifestations of my fears. They’d eventually go away once we got rid of the Allure in her once and for all.

  She stirred beside me.

  “Good morning.” I wanted her to wake up. I needed to hear her voice and see her eyes. I knew the dream wasn’t real, but it was difficult to shake.

  “Hey.” She opened her perfectly normal and beautiful hazel eyes slowly.

  “Sleep okay?”

  “Yes. You?”

  “All right.” I didn’t like lying to her.

  “What’s wrong?” She sat up.

  I pulled her into my arms. “A nightmare. Nothing to worry about.”

  “What kind of nightmare?” Her brow furrowed.

  “Nothing worth repeating.”

  She sighed. “We need to find Energo. We have no time to waste.”

  “I know.”

  A loud knock on the door had us both jumping.

  “It’s me,” Levi called. “Allie sent some clothes for Daisy. I’ll leave them out here. Georgina is already up and about.” Allie was good at making sure people had what they needed. She’d made a great impression on Daisy, and I hoped they’d have a chance to get to know each other under better circumstances soon enough.

  I waited until I heard his footsteps disappear before opening the door. I retrieved the bundle of clothes and set them down on the bed.

  Daisy looked through them while I hastily got dressed.

  She picked up a dress. “Why don’t you head on down? I’ll meet you down there.”

  I assumed she wanted privacy, so I didn’t argue. I kissed her gently on the lips before heading downstairs to wait for her.

  I paced the room while I waited for Daisy to get ready. I didn’t want to rush her, but I was anxious to get moving.

  “Leviathan, will you be coming with us?” Georgina floated into the room in the way only she could.

  “As long as I’m invited.”

  She swatted at his arm. “As if the king needs an invitation.”

  “To impose on you does require one.”

  “I want you to come. My feeling is these two will be leaving for a new destination once we are done at Mayanne’s. I will need you to escort me home.”

  “Of course,” Levi replied quickly. I tried not to dwell on it, but what kind of destination would Energo be? Why wasn’t it on any of the maps?

  “Sorry!” Daisy hurried down the stairs wearing a knee length blue dress.

  “Do not apologize. A lady never should when she takes the proper time to get ready, and you look lovely.” Georgina shot Daisy an uncharacteristically bright smile. “Allison’s clothes fit you nicely.”

  “I’m sure this dress is a little bit shorter on her, but it works.”

  “I went through the clothes before Levi delivered them, and I noticed she gave you several options. I am glad you chose the dress rather than the slacks for today, but you may need the pants where you go next.”

  “Does that mean you know where we’re going?” Daisy asked hopefully.

  “Not necessarily, but I do understand a dress isn’t suitable for all occasions.”

  “You look beautiful.” I took in how she looked in the form fitting dress. It was the type of dress Allie wore a lot, and by how comfortable Daisy looked in it, it was probably her style too.

  “Thank you.” She beamed and walked over. “It’s definitely nice to be in clean clothes.”

  “I will make sure you have everything you need for your trip, but let’s see Mayanne first.”

  I wanted to question Georgina about the trip, but I kept my mouth closed. She’d tell us when she was ready, and rushing her would only get us on her bad side. We couldn’t afford that.

  “Did you sleep well?” Georgina asked.

  “Yes.” Daisy smiled. “Thank you for the hospitality.”

  “My pleasure. You are a guest in my home. I hope next time you are visiting under different circumstances.” Georgina seemed to be trying to bite back a smile. She wasn’t the type to smile so much. Maybe she’d mellowed out now that Levi was king, and he and Allie had had an heir.

  “Leviathan, if you don’t mind, I would prefer you drove. I don’t want to trouble my driver.” Georgina would have never been concerned about troubling an employee. That was her excuse for not wanting the driver to see where we were going.

  “Absolutely.” Levi took his grandmother’s arm. “You know how much I hate letting someone else drive me around.”

  “It’s your mother’s fault. She didn’t properly expose you to genuine royal life.”

  Levi let out a heavy sigh. “Could we please avoid any criticism of my mom today? I thought you two were finally getting along.”

  “We are.” Georgina adjusted the strap of her purse on her arm. “But that doesn’t mean I won’t point out her inadequacies.”

  Daisy gasped. Georgina turned to her. “Do you disagree?”

  “No. Sorry.” Daisy looked away.

  “Very well, let’s go.” Georgina headed for the front door. Once out on the porch she handed me the key to lock the door. I did it without complaint. I wasn’t surprised by any of Georgina’s idiosyncrasies any more. I handed back the key.

  Daisy and I settled into the back seat of the car, as Levi pulled back out onto the long country road.

  “Did you talk to Mayanne?” Daisy asked as soon as the house was out of view. It was as though she waited until it would be difficult for us to cancel the visit.

  “Yes, and she’s expecting us.”

  “Does she know anything about Energo?” Daisy asked. “Did she have any solutions to my problem?”

  Georgina didn’t turn around. “She knows something about it, and she thinks she can delay the change.”

  “Really?” Daisy asked excitedly. “That’s awesome.”

  “She can’t stop things completely, but it appears that your biggest obstacle right now is time. If we can get you more of that, you will have a far better chance of success.”

  “Absolutely.” Daisy’s entire body relaxed. She wore a real smile on her face for the rest of the trip. I hoped Georgina hadn’t gotten her hopes up for nothing. How disappointed would she be if it turned out Mayanne couldn’t help? I kept my concerns to myself, or I tried to.

  “Stop.” Daisy put a hand on my leg.

  “Stop what?”

  “Getting discouraged. I can feel it, which makes me angry, and that’s not a good t
hing.”

  “I’m sorry.” I quickly apologized.

  “I’m going to bundle myself back up in the happy, relieved thoughts.”

  “Focusing on the good doesn’t get rid of the bad.” Levi kept glancing at her in the rearview mirror.

  “Let her have her comfort.” Georgina patted Levi’s arm. “She deserves it.”

  “You don’t have the urge to manipulate, do you?” He asked suspiciously.

  “You think I want to mess with people?” Daisy laughed dryly. “You think I want to hurt them?”

  I touched her leg gently. “It’s okay. Ignore him.”

  “Ignore me? Ignore the king?” Levi slowed the car. “If she can’t handle me asking questions without getting upset, she’s bound to go off if you guys hit any real trouble.”

  Daisy sighed. “You think I don’t know? I wish I could stay calm.”

  “Try harder.” Levi’s hands tightened on the wheel.

  “She’s trying as hard as she can.” I ran my thumb over her hand.

  “I hate what’s happening to me. I have no control.” Daisy grazed her lip with her teeth.

  “We know.” Georgina turned around. “But hating something doesn’t make it go away.”

  “Don’t I know?”

  “Leviathan will hold his tongue until we get to Mayanne’s.” There was a warning in her tone.

  Daisy closed her eyes. I unbuckled my seatbelt so I could move closer to her. As much as I liked to pretend I was doing it for her benefit, I was also doing it for my own. I wanted to be near her. I needed to know she was real and right there next to me.

  “Turn right up ahead, Leviathan.” Georgina pointed at the windshield.

  “Has Mayanne moved?”

  “No, but we need to stop for breakfast.”

  “Stop for breakfast?” Levi asked. “You can’t be serious.”

  “Of course I can be, and I am. We can’t start a busy day without a good breakfast.”

  “But we’re running out of time.” Daisy spoke softly, as though she were worried about upsetting Georgina.

  “A good breakfast is worth the time. You can’t face today without it.”

  Levi turned right as directed.

  “What if you dropped me off at Mayanne’s and then had breakfast?” Daisy sounded desperate.

  “Nonsense. You need the nourishment more than any of us.” Georgina shifted in her seat. “There is a lovely diner right up this street. You will see it on the left.”

  “A diner? You eat at a diner?” Levi laughed dryly.

  “Is there anything wrong with that?” Georgina turned to look at him.

  “Not specifically, but it’s surprising.” Levi was one of the few people brave or stupid enough to talk to Georgina that way.

  “The food here is up to my standards.”

  “If you say so.” Levi pulled into the gravel lot of a diner that seemed to be called exactly that. Diner. The lot was packed full of cars and trucks. That didn’t bode well for quick service.

  “It’s going to be okay,” I reassured Daisy. She hadn’t said anything since asking to be dropped off, and I knew that wasn’t a good thing.

  She waited until we were out of the car to reply. Levi and Georgina went on ahead and disappeared inside the building. “How is eating breakfast going to help anything? The thought of food makes my stomach churn. I need to see Mayanne. We have to find out what the heck Energo is.”

  “I know.” I was tempted to fly off with her myself, but Georgina usually had her reasons. If she was insisting we stop for breakfast, she probably had a purpose. Besides, it was broad daylight. Flying would be risky. “Let’s eat something to make her happy. After that we can leave ourselves if we have to.”

  She kissed my cheek. “Thank you.”

  I pulled her close and kissed her lightly on the lips. “I’m here with you. Don’t forget that.”

  “I won’t.” She gripped my arm.

  We walked into the diner where Levi and Georgina had already disappeared. I glanced around. There wasn’t an empty table in the place.

  “Great,” Daisy mumbled. I didn’t bother replying. She had every right to be annoyed.

  “Excuse me miss, may I help you with anything?” A grinning waiter walked over. It was the bellboy all over again.

  “We’re waiting for a table.”

  “For two?” He ignored me, and let his eyes rake over her. If I hadn’t known about the magical rationale for his response, the guy would have been in trouble.

  “For four.” Daisy glanced around. “We have two more with us.”

  “I can serve you at the bar if you’re hungry. You don’t have to wait.” He licked his lips.

  Magic or not, I was ready to pounce.

  “I’m sure you could serve all of us.” Daisy smiled back. “Wouldn’t you like that? To make me happy?”

  “Uh sure. Of course. I would love to make you happy. There is room at the bar for four.” The guy gestured to the completely full bar. His vacant expression and glassy eyes said it all.

  I touched Daisy’s arm. “You don’t want to do this.”

  She shook me off. “Thank you. We’d prefer a table. I’m sure you’d like to find one for me? A booth maybe? It would make me really happy.”

  “I’ll take care of that right away.” He walked away.

  I took both of Daisy’s hands in mine and looked into her eyes. “Daisy, stop.”

  She said nothing at first, but then she blinked as a look of horror and fear spread across her face. “Oh my god. I manipulated.” She leaned forward and hugged her knees. “Where’s Georgina? We have to go. I can’t handle this.” She blinked back a few tears.

  I helped her up to standing. “You’re crying, and that’s a good thing. You’re feeling guilty.”

  “I manipulated that guy.”

  “Not on purpose.” I glanced around. Where the hell were Levi and Georgina?

  “Your table is ready.” The waiter returned with a huge smile. “It’s a booth by the window.” A family rushed toward the entrance angrily.

  “Did you kick those people out?” She asked, horrified.

  “Yes.” The waiter appeared confused. “I did.”

  “Daisy, Owen!” Georgina called from a table tucked to the side of the bar. “We’re over here.”

  “I’m so sorry,” she whispered to the waiter before hurrying over to where Georgina and Levi sat with an older couple.

  “What took you so long?” Levi pulled two chairs over to the small table.

  “We were talking,” I answered quickly. Telling Levi about the manipulation wouldn’t be smart. I wanted his help, which made it worth keeping him in the dark.

  “Daisy, how nice to meet you.” The older woman seated across from Georgina smiled. “Very pretty name.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Are you all ready to order?” The same waiter approached us.

  Daisy looked down at the table. I waited as everyone else ordered before taking a guess and ordering her what I was ordering myself—pancakes.

  She nodded, but still refused to look up.

  The waiter stared at her way longer than necessary.

  “Is there something else you need?” I tried to subtly get him to walk away.

  “Do you want anything else?” He looked at her, as though that would make her turn. He still looked confused, although his eyes had returned to normal.

  She shook her head. “No thanks.”

  He ducked down and peered around to see her face. “Are you sure?”

  “She said no.” Levi turned his finger around in a circle by his face. He was wrong, the guy wasn’t crazy. He was enchanted.

  “Please put in our orders.” Daisy finally looked up. “Thank you.”

  The waiter nodded and hurried away.

  The other woman at the table smiled. “I haven’t seen that in years.”

  “Seen what?” I asked.

  “A woman affect a man that way. I had an old friend. A lovely girl.
She had a flower name too. Violet.” She rubbed her forehead. “I always wondered what happened to her.”

  Daisy and I exchanged looks. There was no way this was a coincidence.

  Georgina smiled. “My friend Myrtle here worked with me when I was queen. She often stood in for me at affairs when I couldn’t make it.”

  Myrtle laughed. “She means she took pity on me and let me have some excitement in my life. It’s how I met Bob.” She touched the arm of the man next to her.

  “That’s great.” I looked at Georgina. What was the end game? What did Myrtle know?

  “Is Violet the same girl you told me about? The one who disappeared into thin air one night?”

  “Yes. She’s the one.” Myrtle’s face fell.

  Bob patted her back. “It’s all right, Myrtle. You tried everything you could to help her.”

  “Help her with what?” Daisy asked.

  “She was looking for a man. It’s why I invited her to the Applerose Gala. I’d found him and knew he was coming.”

  “Did they meet? She and that man?”

  Myrtle shook her head. “No. That was what I’ll never understand. Violet spent the night watching him but never approached.” Myrtle turned to us. “And if you knew Violet you’d understand she wasn’t shy. There was something else holding her back. She seemed so sad and vulnerable in a way I’d never seen her look before. Usually she was the happiest girl in the room.”

  “What happened next?” Daisy pressed.

  “She was there one moment and gone the next. She never said goodbye, and when I went by to see her at her home, she had left. Vanished really. We filed a police report, but that was that.”

  “I remember the disappearance. They must have interrogated half-a-dozen men afterward.” Georgina seemed lost in thought.

  The table fell into an uncomfortable silence. What was the significance of this story? Georgina must have known Violet was an Allure.

  Before I could ask any questions, our food was brought to the table. Daisy only picked at her plate, and I knew it had nothing to do with what I’d ordered.

  7

  Owen

  Levi turned down another side road, and I knew we were getting close. I braced myself. I hoped Mayanne would know how to stall the effects, but there was a chance she couldn’t. Was there also a chance she could make it worse?