by Hayley Todd
“We should let her sleep,” Kellic said. I glanced at her through my hair, feeling uncomfortable under her gaze. She still had her arms crossed over her chest, her hair pulled back in a pitiful ponytail. Her lips were twisted in a grimace but her expression seemed to be warring between fury and sympathy.
“But—” was all Anton managed before I cut him off.
“Yes. I want to sleep,” I sighed, sagging. Carson clutched me, holding most of my weight for me. He gazed down at Anton, knelt beside the bed. It was as though he were challenging him to disagree.
“Fine,” Anton replied, watching me carefully before rising to his feet. He leaned forward, squeezing my shoulder and pressing a kiss to my hair. “Sleep tight, Lucius,” he said, grinning at me as he made his way back to the door. I caught him pressing a soft kiss to Kellic’s lips as they stepped out, slipping the door shut behind them.
Carson made quick work of laying me back down in bed. He disentangled me from the sheets, letting my bare chest get exposed to the air again.
“Tell me about her,” he said, getting up and moving around the bed to lay with me again. I didn’t answer until he had tucked himself back beneath the covers and rested my head on his chest.
“She...she could do what I do, Carson. She and Achillia both. What does that mean?” I asked him, puzzling in my head. Right now, we only knew of two Magicks who had lightning abilities, myself and my mother, Naomi. It was a rare ability.
He nodded slowly in response, his chin brushing my hair. “Maybe that’s part of what binds you,” he replied.
There was a long silence, both of us endlessly quiet for several heartbeats.
“We should tell your dad,” he said at last. I knew he was right. Or some part of me did anyway. I worried, though because my dad could be a tad overbearing and overprotective at times. I’d grown to love his habits over the years—though was there really a question in a girl loving her doting father?—but sometimes I just wanted to be my own person, unabated by my father’s influence.
Carson read the expression on my face like an open book. His brow furrowed in frustration that he was trying to bite down on.
I pressed my palm to his chest, fingers splayed, enjoying the warmth beneath my skin. “If it becomes relevant, I’ll tell him. I don’t want to worry him right now. We’ll see how the council meeting goes,” I told him, stiffening in anticipation of his response. Like my father, Carson too had good intentions for me, but sometimes he too would sacrifice my freedom if he thought I was threatened. I appreciated the concern but I didn’t see much to worry over yet. I was almost eager to learn more about Sage.
I lifted my head, staring into those fathomless green depths. “Please?” I asked him. “Just let it go for now.”
Several heartbeats past, slamming nervously against my rib cage. But finally, his expression softened and he nodded.
“The moment it becomes relevant, we tell him,” he demanded.
I glanced up at him, unable to take him seriously when I noticed the playful grin on his lips and the hungry glint in his eyes. He peered at me, his gaze searing down my body, a heat exposed everywhere his vision touched.
I sat up on my arm, letting the blankets fall away from my bare chest and scooting closer to him. I hadn’t realized that I was still drunk until the movement sent my head spinning. I blinked hard, trying to make the two worlds dancing in front of me coalesce back into one.
He was tense, the solid muscles of his chest clenched tightly. I ran a fingertip down the ridge between his abs and he shivered beneath my touch.
“Am I cold?” I asked him, peering up at him through a sheen of my long messy hair.
His smile widened, mischievous. “Right now, you’re anything but. Not that it would make me lust for your touch any less,” he replied, running his hand down my arm gently.
His warm touch made it hard to focus for a moment. I froze, exalting in it. He moved his fingers to my chin, his thumb rubbing playfully against my lower lip. I breathed a pleased sigh across his skin and I knew what effect it had on him. He stiffened before relaxing into me, pulling me astride his hips and bending me to press my lips feverishly to his.
My world exploded into an array of emotion. He wanted me. I knew it without a doubt. And I wanted him. Our bodies shook with the need for one another.
My lips pressed against his eagerly, my world entirely encompassed in this man that I loved so dearly. He was everything to me and I could only hope that he knew the half of how much he meant to me. He pulled away and the look in his eyes spoke volumes. He seemed to know my thoughts without me having to speak them. It was possible that he did.
“I love you, Kyra,” he whispered huskily, the words emanating from deep within his chest. “I love you so very, very much,” he gasped. He snuggled closer to me, his hands falling to my hips perched over his own.
“I love you, Carson,” I replied, disrobing the meager articles of clothing that remained and taking him into me. He gasped as pleasure writhed through us both and I became part of him, and he of me. Our bodies danced liquidly, far into the day, until sunlight attempted to breach the UV treated window of my bedroom.
A burning, yearning thrum of ecstasy built within me, and I could feel it mirrored in him until we crested a hill, exploding into one another. I curled into him, dragging myself back to his chest and he tucked me nearer, protectively. I loved this man, more than my own life. Every moment with him was a gift in and of itself.
“I love you, Carson,” I said again, feeling exhaustion sweeping over me in the absence of explosive pleasure. He ran his hand over my hair, pressing a kiss against my forehead. His warmth enveloped me, pulling me nearer to unconsciousness that I hadn’t realized I had been avoiding.
“I love you, too,” he replied, tugging me closer until we might as well have been one being. With the warm press of his skin beneath my cheek, I faded, if slowly, into a realm of darkness and with it, undisturbed, peaceful oblivion.
Chapter Seven
The next night, as the sun sank below the horizon, I awoke, stretching across the massive California king bed. It was cold. I blinked hard, clearing my eyes to peer into the darkness. Carson wasn’t in the room. I lifted myself, swinging my legs over the side of the bed and made my way to the bathroom.
A quick glance proved that he wasn’t there either. I shrugged to myself, climbing into the shower and sending hot water cascading across my skin. It didn’t take me long to scrub the night of fun away, clearing dirt and grime from my skin. I found a fresh scar beneath my rib cage and realized I hadn’t walked away from my encounter with the Vampyre unscathed. It didn’t hurt when I poked it but it was definitely fresh. I wondered momentarily how bad the damage to my shirt had been.
I climbed out reluctantly, shutting off the warm water and scattered about the room, gathering jeans, a shirt, panties, and socks. I found my knee high, black, high heeled boots tucked neatly at the base of the bed and slipped them on too. I stepped out into the main living area, finding a shirtless Carson before the stove, flipping eggs in a pan.
The smell of fresh coffee swelled in the room and I realized, much to my surprise, that there was a dull ache behind my eyes, throbbing in my head. Was I hungover? I had yet to experience something like that as a vampire. As I neared Carson, the thumping increased, making me happy that this was a first.
I wrapped my arms around his hips, startling him. He stiffened for a moment before relaxing into my hold, pressing his warm palm against my forearm.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he said, glancing down at me with a soft smile.
“Good morning,” I replied, staring up at him. I lifted onto my toes, pressing a kiss to his lips. His grin widened.
“I see you’re in better spirits this morning,” he responded.
“Well, I awake to see my handsome boyfriend preparing us breakfast. What more could a woman ask for?” I said with glee. He pressed a kiss into my hair before I retreated from him, moving to the bar and taking a s
eat in a stool there. Kellic, Anton, and Will were nowhere to be found as of yet. It had to be early for us if Will wasn’t up yet.
As if on cue, the door at my back swung open and Will sauntered past, heading directly for the coffee. “Mornin’,” he grumbled, pulling a mug from the overhanging cabinets and filling it with steaming dark liquid from the pot below. “Coffee?” he asked me, glancing over his shoulder, already sipping from his cup.
I nodded, smiling. Will was always putting other’s concerns first. It was almost funny to see his need for caffeination in that moment. He pulled another cup down that changed colors as he filled it. He went for the refrigerator without much of a word, pulling French Vanilla creamer from its shelves. He doused the cup, sending it from a nearly black liquid to a warm mocha color and placed it in front of me on the table. I warmed from within, taking my first sip of sweet deliciousness. Will had always known that I liked a little coffee with my creamer. It left me feeling almost nostalgic.
“Something smells good!” Anton erupted from behind me, sending me leaping out of my chair and nearly toppling it entirely. His hand pressed to my back, making sure that I didn’t completely lose my balance. “Sorry, Lucius,” he said, though the grin on his face made him seem anything but.
He and Kellic made their way around the counter just as Carson was dumping eggs onto plates already steeped high with bacon and toast. He had been busy. Five plates lined the counter and Anton and Kellic made quick work of grabbing theirs and joining me at the bar.
Will approached Carson, actually paying attention to him, unlike the lovebirds beside me, already fully encompassed in their conversation. “Thank you for making breakfast,” he chimed, grabbing another plate from the countertop.
“Anytime,” Carson replied with a smile, scooping up the last two. He deposited one in front of me and stood with the other, opposite my position.
The food looked fantastic. It smelled even better and my belly growled with desire. I caught Carson grinning at me from the corner of my eye. I stabbed a forkful of eggs and lifted them, plopping them into my mouth. A burst of exquisite delight filled me. They were actually amazing. I had to double check to make sure that it was indeed only scrambled eggs that I was eating.
“These are delicious!” I giggled excitedly around a mouthful of food.
Carson’s grin widened. He looked extremely pleased with himself. He ate with us but there was a curious eye perusing the room. He seemed eager to have delighted our palates. It was an adorable expression on him. He had the look of a preteen seeking praise from his elders. I did have to admit though, the food was excellent.
We finished eating and I began gathering plates, washing them by hand rather than wasting an entire load on the dishwasher. Carson, Will, Kellic, and Anton scattered, preparing themselves for the day. I wasn’t entirely sure what was planned but I had an eerie gut feeling that there was something we needed to do. We were one night away from delving into the world of Magick politics again. I could only hope that tonight would be epic.
My bedroom door opened to the side and Carson crept out, carrying a long garment bag. I shot him a curious glance and finished rinsing my last dish, adding it to the drainer. He smiled fondly at me, watching me for a moment before carefully unzipping the bag, revealing a gorgeous red fabric beneath.
“Your father sent you a gift,” he said revealing the dress. “He wants to meet all of us in Stratsburg at some restaurant for a family dinner,” he continued. “I assured him I would only bring you if you wanted to come but he’s definitely eager for your presence.” He grinned at me, waiting for an explosion of one emotion or another, but I thought the sentiment was kind’ve sweet.
I had had limited contact with my family since being reunited. I mean typically, we spoke every day but the coronation tour had required a lot of my time and attention and I was still adjusting to the supernatural world at the same time. It hadn’t left much time for catching up with my once thought dead mother, and my estranged father. Before I was born, my father had been forced to leave my pregnant mother for both her and my safety. When I was around six years old, Henrick, one of the former leaders of the Magick Council, had attacked my mother, trying to get me away from her to further his own agenda in taking over the council and inciting war amongst the vampires. We had all thought he had killed my mother, and my grandmother had then hidden me away protectively until she passed away.
We had come to find out two years ago, however, that he had not killed her. He had been obsessed with her. He had taken her, and my aunt, Gabrielle, who had been with her during the attack and imprisoned them for over a decade. It was myself, Carson, Kellic, and Damien who had found them in a prison here in the city. They had been laced with numerous cloaking spells and had been imperceptible until Henrick had allowed Liam--a Magick who could detect human magic--to show it to us. I still wasn’t entirely certain on his motivations but my father had theorized that he had intended to hold her--not Will--hostage to force my marriage and bearing of children with his son, Anton, who had thankfully refused.
Once recovered, however, my mother had been kept under severe watch, my father unable to bear her being far away. It had been impossible to apprehend her again, so Henrick had chosen to go after Will instead, capturing and beating him. He had seen their allure to me as interchangeable but truly, I think he had chosen the more enticing option.
Don’t get me wrong, I loved my mother, but she had been a loss I had already accepted and recovered from. I was ecstatic to have her in my life again but her presence was still new and unexplored. Will, on the other hand, was a solid staple in my life and one that had nearly destroyed me to lose. I owed Lucas the world for bringing him back.
I stepped into my bedroom with the dress, pulling it from its garment bag and pulling it on. It hugged my form in a way only a perfectly tailored outfit would, swooping over my hips. The dress was deeply red, nearly crimson. It came to my knees on the outer sides, with a V-shape dipping upward in the middle. Its sleeves hung from my shoulders, draping its smooth and soft fabric around my arms. It’s neckline swooped low but was still pretty modest.
I traded my boots for a pair of black pump heels. They accentuated my calves and thighs peeking beneath the dresses hem and seemed to fit better than knee high boots would have.
I rejoined the others in the living room and Anton immediately let out a low, rolling whistle.
“Damn, Lucius, you clean up nice,” he said and my skin lit like fire beneath his gaze.
Carson swooped an arm around my back, pulling me close to him and pressing a kiss to my lips. The warmth in me seemed to center there, where our mouths met.
The five of us made our way downstairs, and the club was already in motion. It hadn’t been dark for long but the room below was already filled with staff, dashing from one opening task to another. A low thrumming bass pulsed from the speakers, DJ Sean’s apprentice behind the turntable. I thought her name was Kara. She was fully enveloped in her task, her fingers anxiously dancing across settings on the system before her.
Tyler was speaking to two individuals behind the bar who I hadn’t seen before. He glanced over long enough to spare us a wave and dart a narrowed gaze at Carson,who only pulled me closer, pressing a kiss into my hair.
I wasn’t entirely sure when Carson and Anton had become less a rivalry and more an easy relationship of friends and Tyler had taken up the distaste for the men in my life but it was prevalent in his body language. It bothered me a little. I wasn’t around Tyler much these days but he had been a crush of mine back when we were in high school and even a bit in college. Once Carson had appeared in my life, however, all others had fallen away. He was the man I wanted to be with and I didn’t like to see him entangled in such vitriol from who I had considered a friend.
I waved back to Tyler but passed the bar to the entrance without a word. He could be petty on his own time.
Bouncers already swarmed the door, a line curving out from the entrance and down
the block. Fortunately Isaac and another bouncer who had begun when we opened, Tony, flanked the outer section of the doors. Tony held the door open while Isaac ushered people away, giving us an opening to walk through. We headed to my car which sent a thrill of eager excitement through me.
With all the traveling we had done, I hadn’t had much opportunity to take it for a spin and it was nice not to be in the back of some SUV identical to the last twenty. I swung my keys free of my pocket, handing them off to Carson who was the only one to know where we were actually going and started to climb in the passenger seat. Will climbed behind me but Anton and Kellic hesitated. I halted and watched them carefully and Carson shot them a questioning glance.
“I acquired a rental car for the week that I’d like to take for a spin,” Anton explained just as a sleek blue Ferrari made its way around the street corner.
It was decorated to the nines, blue lights fanning the road beneath it. The man behind the wheel stepped out, approaching Anton and dropping a set of keys in his extended palm. The man then headed farther down the road where a simple black sedan had pulled behind the Ferrari. He climbed in without a word.
Anton’s expression was that of a child on Christmas morning. He climbed into the car with a wave to me and Kellic climbed in on the passenger side. He waited there then, in the middle of the road until Carson and I swung ourselves into my car and Carson pulled out, easing the vehicle over the pavement and out of the city.
Chapter Eight
Carson pulled the Evora in front of a building with an eloquent shop front. A dark red canopy spread out above the door like an autumn sunset. The front of the building consisted of a wide row of glass, separated by a set of glass double doors with swooping script reading “Amo La Cucina” in black lettering. The inside of the restaurant was foggy and difficult to see through.
