Reina takes the booth across from me. On the other side of the aisle Row takes up an entire booth himself, sprawled out napping again. It appears to be his default reaction to travel.
Carver sits across from him, fussing with his phone, still trading details with Lucian.
"So," Reina says, quietly enough that Carver won't hear unless he's listening. "You met Lucian's future father-in-law."
I sigh, not sure I'm ready for this line of questioning.
"The good news is the fiancé didn’t show up, right?"
"Right, thank god," I mutter. "I'm not sure I could have handled that."
"He seemed nice from what I could see."
"He was nice enough, I guess," I say, shrugging. "He was a Kresova, which probably shouldn't have surprised me, but it did."
"Oh, yeah, I didn't really think about that either," Reina says, sitting back and sipping her drink. "I guess he's her sire, not actually her dad?"
"Maybe? I don't really know how it works." I shrug and swallow half my bloody mary, extra bloody, to avoid having to say more.
"I mean, at least now when you and Lucian hook up you can explain the whole vampire destiny thing to her without freaking her out," Reina says idly. I nearly spit out my drink.
"Lucian and I are not going to hook up," I say, flustered.
"What, you're not into him anymore?" Reina says with a frown. "I thought you got the whole destiny buzz?"
"Yes, I'm still into him," I groan into my hands. "But he's committed, okay? He's in love with someone else. I'm not going to fuck that up for him."
"It seems like he's pretty in to you too," Reina says, raising an eyebrow. "If he's really that into fiancé-whoever, why's he making goo-goo eyes at you?"
"First of all, he's not making goo-goo eyes," I correct her, my face red. "He's been a perfect gentleman. It's not like he's trying to hit on me. Half the time he seems afraid to even touch me. I don't think he'd even consider me if it weren't for this whole destiny mess. Which is... unfair? It feels like I'm forcing him, like he doesn't have a choice but to fuck up his relationship and his life to be with me. I don't want to do that! I don't want to be that person!"
I groan again, dropping my head onto the fold down table between us.
"So what's the plan, hun?" Reina asks, petting my hair. "If you can't be with him while he's engaged and you won't ask him to break it off, what are you going to do?"
"I don't know," I say, my voice muffled by the table. I turn to lay on my cheek instead so she can hear me. "Avoid him until destiny gets the hint and picks someone else? Someone single, and more in my league?"
"Dude…," Reina puts her head on the table in order to look me in the eye. "You're the fated Queen of Vampires who's going to overthrow an evil tyrant and shit and destiny thinks you're worth not one but three hot guys so, you know, I'm pretty sure Grumpy McStoic-face is in your league. If not like, beneath you."
I snort. I can't help it. Reina knows me too well.
"Fine, he's perfect for badass destiny me," I say. "But I'm not badass destiny me yet. And our house just burned down, so I'm also technically homeless now. And that's without even taking into account, you know, this."
I gesture vaguely at all of my generally unimpressive self.
"What?" Reina leans over to look me up and down. "The fact that you're unbelievably hot? Totally smoking? Gorgeous beyond words? The envy of millions? Fucking magazine worthy? A god damn angel walking the earth?!?"
She leans a little closer to me with each word until she's practically yelling it in my ear and I'm leaning away from her, laughing and trying to escape the booth.
"Honestly, bitch," Reina says, settling back into her seat after she's tickled me to the point of tears, Carver watching from across the aisle with a grin and a scotch and completely ignoring my cries for help. "I'm jealous as hell of you sometimes. You know that, right? You have nothing to be ashamed of. If vampires had body snatching powers I’d demand you swap with me in a heartbeat."
"Nah, you don't want me slumming around in your body," I say, still breathless from laughing. "I'd never have the patience for the whole goth thing, and I couldn't do that make up if I had a gun to my head. You'd end up in jeans and t-shirts."
"On the other hand," Reina says. "I'd finally get a chance to vamp you out like I've always wanted to. The goth lolita thing could suit you so well."
I have a sudden mental image of myself in an enormous frilly dress and a bonnet and shudder."No thank you."
"You're going to let me dress you up one of these days," Reina insists, grinning.
Carver's attention has wandered by now so she leans across the table again.
"So, have you talked with Carver about the whole you-and-two-other-guys thing?"
I nod, glad that at least had gone well.
"Yeah, it doesn't bother him," I tell her. "I think it's weirder for me than him. He's been around so long and done so much that nothing really surprises him."
"Well that's a relief," Reina says. "At least they won't be like, fighting over you. That could get bad fast."
"Agreed," I say, not liking that mental image. "I mean, it isn't going to be easy. There's going to be adjustments and compromises and a frankly exhausting amount of talking that I'm kind of embarrassed just to imagine? But I guess we'll figure it out."
"Are you excited about it?" Reina asks. "Finding Mr. Three? Being with all of them?"
"Kind of?" I admit with a sheepish smile. "I didn't think I would be at first but... It feels kind of right. Maybe that's the destiny talking." I shrug, flustered.
"Nah, it's you," Reina says with a fond smile. "You've always had too much love for just one person."
She boops me on the nose and I go back to hiding my face on the table.
“So,” Reina leans close, her tone conspiratorial. “Once you’ve got all three of them. Do you think you’ll convince them to, you know… all together?”
I stare at her in confusion.
“You know,” she repeats, though I clearly do not. “At the same time?”
She accompanies this with a crude hand gesture and I turn scarlet.
“Oh my god, Reina!”
“What? It’s a valid question!”
“Reina.”
Carver clears his throat and we both look up in surprise. Carver nudges Row with his foot until the other man wakes with a snort and sits up, looking slightly confused.
"Lucian has helped to get us a lead," Carver says. "He found Lavinia's last contact. If we can have a conversation with them once we land, we may be get a better idea of where she is what the Dakvahar are planning."
"If they can tell us where to find her that would be even better," I say. "Our allies are starting to look pretty thin on the ground."
"It may not be a good idea to go looking for the Daks while Morana's eyes are on us," Carver suggests, frowning. "We wouldn't want to lead her to them."
"If she hasn't got them already," Reina points out.
"Then what do we do?" I ask. "Just wait for them to come to us? We can't find Abe without them. And without Abe and the Daks we've got no rebellion."
"I have a few allies in the area," Carver says. "I'll reach out to them see what they know. We aren't out of luck without the Dakvahar. It makes things more difficult. But not a lost cause."
He smiles at me reassuringly, and I try to believe him, wishing it were easier. I stare out the window as we begin to descend below the clouds. France stretches out verdant beneath and, in the distance, Paris glitters like a fallen gem. I used to love the idea of Paris. I wanted to go there more than anything when I was younger. It had been this magnificent romantic ideal in my mind, full of art and music and suave, attentive lovers. Morana had spoiled that. Now I looked at Paris and saw only enemy territory.
Chapter 8
Carver’s estate outside of Versailles looms into view.
I’ve spent countless hours crammed up, first in a flight over the Atlantic and then with a winding drive thr
ough the French countryside. It’s everything I imagined it would be when I used to daydream about traveling. Most girls do, but with work and school and the cost of living in New Orleans, the thought that I’d actually see Europe any time soon was about as realistic as planning a trip to the moon. My knees are stiff and my legs would be full of pin pricks if I were still human. It’s one of those advantages of being a vampire. Of being Kresova. Tilting my head, I lean over toward Reina and smile.
“Are your legs killing you, bitch?”
She pushes a strand of long black-blue hair over her shoulder and leans in closer to Row. “I’m tired of traveling too and, okay, maybe my ass fell asleep a few lilac fields ago.” She scowls at me. “And if you say that your ass is fine, I will kick you in the box the minute I can feel my legs again.”
I laugh and roll down the window. Turning my nose toward the wind, I let the scents of the countryside sweep over me---the sweet tinge of the flowers, the crisp water of a brook babbling not too far from the road, and even the hints of fresh-grown garlic and bread, baked today, from the nearest village waft toward me. New Orleans is messy, a city of contradictions and energy, which is why I’ve always loved it. Versailles is quiet, restful, and I can understand why Carver has kept his estate here over the centuries. With the attack back home fresh on my mind and the shadow of Morana’s insanity and cruelty over all of us, who wouldn’t need respite?
The castle--because that’s what it effing is--comes into view over the crest of the next hill. The white brick is as pristine as the surrounding countryside and stretches out into a building that would easily take up a city block or two in a city as big as Philadelphia or Baltimore. As we drive up, there are at least four stories that I can count, leading to a roof with spiked turrets and huge, ornate dormers. I’m sure there’s an extensive basement. Dungeon? Probably not, but I wouldn’t be shocked if Carver’s retreat is snaked through with hidden passages as well. To the far left is a huge tower. It’s huge and fat and reminds me vaguely of the one from Tangled. It’s not the type of spindly, winding tower I’d expected from fairy tales but it’s definitely awe-inspiring and takes up half the horizon.
Reina chuckles. “Hey, Aura, you want to close your mouth there? With the window open and that slack jaw of yours, you’re going to end up swallowing bugs.”
I flip Reina off and turn my stare to Carver, who hasn’t said anything as he pulls the rented Audi up to the main entrance. It’s in no way shocking to see a cadre of servants slip from the expansive oak doors and bustle out to meet us. Of course, Carver has a castle and full-time staff and never mentioned them. What else is he hiding from me? A pang bites into my heart as sharply as any vamp’s fangs would have. Carver and I are drawn to each other. Destined. I’m serious when I say it feels like I was always searching for him, that a part of me felt him out there, especially from the moment I was turned. But fated harem or not, it doesn’t mean I know him and all the ins and outs of his four hundred plus years much at all. I intend to fix that.
You know, if his crazy bitch of an ex and the bloodiest queen out there doesn’t figure out I’m a Dria and all the treason I’m trying to pull off.
If everything goes well with finding my third and finding the other queens, then Carver and I will have forever to figure each other out. For right now, I’m trying to assimilate this new side to him with everything else I know. Lord of Pleasure, check. An assassin of Morana, regrettably so. One of the bravest warriors I’ve ever met, hell yeah. Now, apparently, lord of far more than just a manor.
“Ahem,” I fake-cough as Carver slides out of the parked car and crosses around to open my door. I give him a hard stare. “Seriously, you’re fucking loaded.”
“There’s a lot to be said for having half a millennium to invest carefully,” he says, his arctic eyes twinkling back at me. “It didn’t seem to be an important thing to share when we were rushing around to consult with Harlow or tangling with Lavinia.”
“Or,” Row added as he and Reina hopped out of the car after me. “With all the general ambushes and supernatural shit brewing in New Orleans.”
Reina eyes Row. “So, are all vampires completely loaded?”
Row laughs, a good-hearted chuckle. As he does so, Reina’s face brightens. If I still breathed normally, my breath would have caught in my throat. All the bonding they’ve done is shining through. Again, I wonder what the future could possibly hold for a human infatuated with a vampire. I wonder how safe any of this is for Reina, especially after Lavinia stole her. Eventually, she’ll grow old. Even though she makes jokes about me buying her knitting yarn, it has to be playing with her mind to be thrust in with immortals. I mean, fuck. It’s screwing with my brain and I am immortal. At least now I am. No matter what happens, I want Reina happy and safe, and I hope that Rowland can do that for her.
“What?” Reina demands, putting her hands on her hips. “That’s a very important question. Inquiring minds want to know. Are all vampires like secret venture capitalists? Maybe they all invested in diamonds back before the Plague?”
Row shakes his head. “Not all, no, but what I have back in my own home…well…you’ll have to wait and see.”
Reina pouts as she threads her arm through his. “You say that because you love torturing me.”
“That’s just part of the fun,” Row says. He winks at me and Carver. “Now, we’re off to get settled.”
“Say that more like a euphemism,” Carver adds, feigning exasperation.
Row shrugs. “Don’t come looking for us right away.”
I roll my eyes but still click my tongue a bit at Reina. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Bitch, our apartment has the thinnest walls. There are so many things you have done that I’d love to sign up for!” With that they hurry off, following a few servants to the far corner of the west wing of the estate.
Seriously, it’s kind of badass that Carver has a palace with literal wings. It shouldn’t matter, and I’d be drawn to him, love him no matter what. He delivered me from the darkness, protected me from Morana when I was first presented to her, and kept me from hurting anyone when I turned. That said, it’s still some weird mix of sticker shock and disbelief to see the castle before me. Somewhere in the last bit, my life became both a terrifying horror movie but also filled with wondrous possibilities I never could have imagined.
I slide my hand into his. “It’s beautiful. I wish I’d known.”
Carver leans down and kisses my soft, blonde hair. “There’s a lot about me to share, and I promise to do all of that with you. For right now, ma belle, this is my home so you should consider yourself the lady of the manor. Anything you want, you only need to ask.”
One of my lips curves upward as if under its own volition. Even though servants scurry around us and help prod us toward the east wing, I feel as if we’re the only two souls around. “Well, I was wondering what the sleeping arrangements were going to be.”
Carver waits for me to ascend the stairs and then through the large oak doors in front of us. Perfect gentleman, as always. Lucian is harder to read. When I do see him, he’s self-contained. Carver gives, wants to guide me. It doesn’t make either of them less appealing to me, less a part of my very souls. It’s just so different. I can’t imagine what the third is like or where he is.
I have to remind myself not to gape at everything I see, at the gorgeous gold leaf on all the furniture, the thick velvet curtains than hang from windows close to fifteen feet high, or at the vivid portraits and oil paintings arranged throughout the entry hall. It’s like entering a living museum where everything is an exquisite work of art. I’m not worthy.
“Holy fuck.”
Those arctic eyes are brimming with mirth now. “So, I take it you like my humble abode.”
“Now you’re just playing with me, Carver.” Humble my ass. How about humble for Marie Antoinette.
He leans close so that his velvety voice is low and hushed in my ear. It sends passion and need fla
ring straight to my cunt. “I plan to, chérie, but for tonight, it’s your choice. I’ve set aside a room for you.”
“One of the roughly two hundred available.”
“Yes, but I wasn’t sure if you needed to rest tonight, to have some space.”
“From you?”
“We were in transit for over a day, all told. It’s been a rough time.”
“It’s always a rough time.”
“Well, yes,” Carver says as he strokes my hair back from my face. “I have a room that you’re more than welcome to sneak into, but I still felt that giving you as many options as possible was the best idea.”
I grin. “I think that’s the biggest change in being a Dria, everything I’m trying to adjust to. It’s all about choices.”
Carver’s expression goes wary. “I had not intended to invite Lucian in with us.”
“Well, he’s not here.”
“Walk-abouts and brooding. I hope you like that part of his personality---if you can call it that, ma belle.”
My grip is firm over his hand. “Don’t. It’s all hard, and we all have to learn to live with this. Humans…okay most of them don’t do anything like a harem. Add on that you and Lucian agree on exactly nothing, and this is complicated for all of us.”
Carver nods. “I know. I shouldn’t have poked there. Mainly, for the centennial and all the preparations. You’ll need a place to dress and get ready for Morana’s inspections.”
I snort as we turn a corner and pass by an actual suit of armor. Of course, he has those too. “Don’t remind me. First, I don’t trust that psychotic bitch as far as a human could throw her.”
Carver frowns. “That doesn’t make sense. She’d rip off the head of any human who got anywhere near her.”
“It’s an expression.” I refrain just barely from rolling my eyes. That’s the one thing I can’t quite get about all the vampires around me. Morana, Charles, Carver…they all tend to mangle English expressions. Then again, give me a couple hundred years and ask me to pick up German or Japanese or a completely different language and see how well I do. I took two semesters of Spanish in college to get through core requirements and, well, I wasn’t exactly about to go to Mexico and set up a life by the gulf any time soon. “Anyway, my point is that, second, she’s scary as fuck but also has the weirdest taste. That dress was an Anne Boleyn costume. It wasn’t for a real party.”
Tempt (The Kresova Vampire Harems: Aurora Book 2) Page 5
