After a long suffering sigh she gagged down the pills. “These things even leave a nasty aftertaste.”
“You’ll get used to it,” Roman assured her.
“So how old are you?” she asked again.
“Somewhere in the neighborhood of five‑hundred years old,” he said. “Now, eat your food.”
Lydia wasn’t much of a breakfast person, but it smelled too good to resist. It was crazy how much she’d been eating. Even if she hadn’t been hungry she would do anything to get rid of the aftertaste of those nasty vitamins. “Thank you for cooking breakfast. I still can’t believe you cook so well.”
“You’re welcome,” Roman said. “It was either learn to cook or have a live‑in staff. I prefer my privacy. Unfortunately, there was a full staff when Nathaniel was growing up and he never learned to do any domestic tasks. I regret that when I see how independent Noah is. Noah is the person who taught me how to cook.”
“You and Noah in aprons?” Lydia asked as she poured copious amounts of warm maple syrup on her pancakes.
Roman’s eyes narrowed in a comical way. “The boy did try to convince me to wear an apron. He said it was to keep my expensive clothing from getting dirty. My suspicions were aroused when he brought a camera to the kitchen.”
Lydia giggled and tried not to snort. One hand covered her mouth and nose, but sure enough the snort came out.
Roman’s lips lifted in the barest of smiles. His eyes, however, were alive with what she was sure was amusement. “I wish you wouldn’t try to avoid snorting when you laugh.”
“Why?” she asked.
“It’s an endearing sound,” he admitted and then focused on his breakfast.
“Wow!” Ivy said with wide brown eyes.
“What are you so surprised about, Ivy?” Roman asked cautiously.
“Nothing. I was just thinking about how good the pancakes are.”
“You suck at lying,” Lydia told her.
Ivy shrugged daintily. “My sister tells me the same thing. Well, you already know Roman called me over here because of your dream.”
Lydia set the fork on her plate and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I don’t want to talk about the dream,” she grumbled.
“How about what happened with Dominic?” Ivy asked. Her voice was so kind and soothing that Lydia could understand why Ivy was such a good shrink. Lydia hated talking about her past, but Ivy tempted her.
“What’s to talk about?” Lydia waved a slice of bacon in the air, forcing a light expression onto her face. Then she slid into her bimbo persona, the one she hid behind when she didn’t want to deal with reality. “The whole thing was pretty typical of my life. I met the wrong guy and let him use me. Been happening since I was twelve.”
Roman’s jaw clenched and he appeared to be grinding his teeth. Lydia watched in amazement as the fork he held started to bend in his grip. “Who touched you when you were twelve?” If one wasn’t watching him, they might think he was completely unaffected.
“Nothing serious happened,” Lydia said and attempted her favorite hair flip. With the long hair, she barely managed to avoid having it land in her syrup laden pancakes. “I’m the one who always has to be flirty and come on to the wrong guy. This has been going on my entire life. Just ask my mom and she’ll tell you that I was a slut in middle school.”
Ivy put a hand on Lydia’s arm. “This is one of those discussions we should have away from my grandfather.”
“Why?” Lydia asked with an unmistakable edge to her voice. “He’ll figure it out soon enough, if he hasn’t already. Hell, last night was probably a big eye opener.” She was trying to start a fight. Anything to avoid this conversation.
“We need to have this discussion away from my grandfather so he doesn’t start hunting down and killing every man you’ve ever met,” Ivy said with a hand on Lydia’s forearm.
“I want a list of names,” Roman said. He was still working that fork. It was now almost wrapped around his thumb. “Any other information would also be helpful. Isaiah will find them.”
“Why?” she demanded. “Why track down the men I seduced?”
“Seduced? At age twelve?” Roman practically roared. “Do you honestly believe that?”
“Yes,” she said. Her eyes were downcast.
“That’s even more of a reason to kill them,” he said. “Not quickly; I will make it last for days. They deserve to suffer.”
Lydia tuned out the rest of Roman’s violent ramblings. The man had a scary imagination and apparently a very impressive collection of weapons. “I’m going for a walk,” Lydia said, leaving most of her breakfast untouched.
Chapter Eight
Lydia went out the door by the kitchen and into Roman’s expansive yard. She needed space.
“Wait up,” Ivy said as she jogged after Lydia. “Sorry that was brought up so tactlessly. In the month that I’ve known my grandfather, I’ve learned that he’s used to giving orders. Roman wants you to stop having nightmares and is determined to make that happen. The whole thing is a little amusing because I’m not sure Roman knows what to do with you. From his thoughts, I know what he wants to do to you and I wish I didn’t.”
Lydia froze. “Wait, you read minds?”
Ivy shook her head. “Not really. If someone projects their thoughts, like the Draksel men tend to do, I can pick up on some of those thoughts. Don’t worry; your mind is like a brick wall. Even your emotions are hard to read and I’m a strong empath.”
Lydia shrugged. “I’ve had years of practice hiding my thoughts and feelings from people.”
“I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing,” Ivy said dryly.
“Just understand up front,” Lydia said and bent down to touch the shrubs at the beginning of a newly planted maze, “every shrink I’ve ever had has hated me, and there were a lot of shrinks. My mom was determined to fix me.”
“Would it help if I promise not to pressure you to talk?” Ivy asked.
“Yes,” Lydia admitted. She stood but didn’t look at Ivy. “Sorry about acting like a bitch. Nothing makes sense right now. The first thing I should have done when I woke up in a stranger’s home was demand to see my cousin and friends. No one could blame me for preferring a stranger to my mom. The woman has the parenting skills of a panda. Still, I haven’t tried to call a single one of my friends. What would I even tell them? I’m not even clear on what all of this means. Okay, you’re good. None of my shrinks have ever gotten that many details. Maybe the key is telling me I don’t have to share.”
“Try not to think of me as a shrink. Honestly, I’m here as family. As for the confusion, you have good reason to feel that way,” Ivy said. “Vampires were a shock to me too. Give yourself time to adjust to everything.” Ivy’s gaze drifted to the shrubs Lydia had been touching and her eyes widened. “Did those shrubs grow in the time we’ve been standing here?”
Lydia looked at the shrubs and her own eyes widened. “I guess my talent with plants is a little stronger now. Seriously, could my life get any crazier?”
Ivy took her hand and Lydia felt soothed. “You’re strong and you’ll get used to the changes.”
“A big chunk of my memory is gone. Things are coming back, but the time with Dominic almost seems like a dream. No, more like a nightmare. There is this big part of me that doesn’t want to remember what happened. Even though I totally get that I need to remember for my own sanity, part of me hopes those memories never come back. Ugh! This whole thing is so frustrating.”
“Just take your time,” Ivy said.
Lydia was surprised by how much she liked Ivy. She started to reach out and frowned when she realized she was once again tied up in her hair. The hair twirling habit had to go. With a sigh, Lydia began the process of freeing her hand. Ivy’s lips twitched, but she didn’t laugh. “Like I already said, I’m not even sure what happened with Dominic so how can I talk about it? That bastard stole part of my life.”
“I run a center for abused women
with my sister and two of my cousins,” Ivy said. “A lot of women need time to come to grips with what happened before they deal with it. Sometimes the mind blocks out things we can’t handle yet.”
Lydia finally managed to free her hand and shook her head. “It’s more than that. Dominic stole my ability to think. When I remember that time, it’s almost like watching a movie.” Lydia had no idea why she was opening up to Ivy. She hardly knew Ivy and hated shrinks. When the hair twirling urge returned Lydia gave herself a mental smack. “Am I pouring my guts out to you because you’re an empath?”
“Probably,” Ivy said. “I can absorb some of the pain people feel so they like talking to me. That’s why I have to be careful about how many patients I see.”
“It must suck trying to deal with everyone else’s crap.”
“It’s not easy at times,” Ivy said. “Luckily, my family is familiar with my gift and I had training on how to block things out when it’s too much for my own sanity.”
“And now Roman is trying to get you to absorb my pain?” Lydia asked.
Ivy laughed. “No, it’s not like that. I’ve been begging to meet you since I picked up that you were upstairs. Again, the males in the family project their thoughts. I heard from Justin that you were awake. By heard, I mean he was thinking about you and your hair while I was in the room. When my grandfather called to ask if I could help with your dream, I jumped at the chance to meet you.”
“Wait,” Lydia said as a crazy thought occurred to her. “Does this mean I’m your grandma?”
Ivy giggled. “Are you planning to stay married to my grandfather?”
“No,” Lydia admitted. “Roman married me to protect me. He already admitted that the legality of the whole thing is more than a little questionable. Once Dominic is no longer a threat, we’ll go our separate ways. Of course, I’m addicted to romance novels so there is this part of me who wants to fantasize about some great romance with a lot of sex.”
“It could happen,” Ivy admitted. “Roman isn’t very good at letting people in. Okay, so I haven’t known him long, but my newly discovered cousins have filled me in. Everyone has noticed changes since he’s been taking care of you. I don’t know where it will lead, but Roman’s feelings are complex. I have a hard time reading them. Trust me, there is a lot going on in that man’s head right now.”
“Does everyone know I’m here?” Lydia asked.
Ivy shook her head. “Just me and Justin. Tempest, my sister, knows that someone is here which means Aiden probably knows too, but neither know your identity. The others have no clue why Roman is acting different.” She paused. “I shouldn’t tell you too much about Roman’s feelings. What I do is kind of intrusive. I can tell you that Roman has very strong feelings for you.”
“There is no way he fell in love with a woman in a coma, Ivy. That would be pretty creepy.”
“Fell in love? No, but he is absolutely fascinated with you,” Ivy said.
“That still sounds creepy,” Lydia added.
“True,” Ivy admitted, “but be patient with the man. My grandmother, Claudia, was the love of Roman’s life. After her death, he closed himself off from the world. He is just starting to open up again. His feelings may be a little unconventional, but he’s not going to hurt you.”
“You want me to be with Roman?” Lydia was more than a little surprised.
“You both need each other right now,” Ivy explained. “There’s also some connection between you. I sense the energy surrounding people. There is this part where yours is merged with Roman’s. I’m sure some of it has to do with the energy he shared with you during your recovery, but it’s more than that. The place where it’s merged is growing. I saw it with Roman a month ago. Now, it’s larger and practically hums. The same is true for the energy surrounding you. It’s part of the reason you’re so drawn to each other.”
Lydia wasn’t sure how to respond. That explanation sounded unbelievable. Then she had to wonder why it was so hard to believe with everything else she’d learned. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to be with Roman,” she said and hastily added, “at least for now.”
Ivy shrugged. “Why worry about more than now? Enjoy his company and work on the memories of what happened to you.”
“Thank you,” Lydia said. “I’m still not sure I want to talk about everything that happened, but if I do, can I call you?”
Ivy’s smile was brilliant. “You can call me for anything. Even if you aren’t ready to talk about what happened, I’m here as your friend.”
Chapter Nine
Lydia was feeling much better when she returned to the house with Ivy. There had been no more talk about Dominic, much to Lydia’s relief. Instead, they talked about the great books that had come out while Lydia was in a coma. Hearing about the new releases made Lydia regret skipping the book store during her shopping trip with Roman. Of course, she could always place an order online. For someone who loved paperbacks, online ordering didn’t hold the same appeal. Lydia loved going down the aisles of the bookstore and touching the books.
A short uncomfortable silence followed Ivy’s departure. Roman obviously wanted to say something, so she waited.
“I’m sorry about losing my temper earlier,” Roman said. “I didn’t mean to upset you or frighten you.”
Lydia couldn’t help it, she laughed until she started snorting.
Roman smiled and shook his head. “You are something else.”
“Because of my ladylike laughter? It must get you hot.”
Roman had no idea what possessed him to move across the room to Lydia. When he was almost touching her, he stopped. The laughter faded as she stared up at him. “It doesn’t matter what you do,” he said. “From the moment you opened your eyes in the hospital, I’ve been drawn to you. That may seem strange, but it was the same with my first wife. Don’t worry; I’m not planning to pressure you into sex. I just want you to know how amazing you are.”
Lydia nodded and her cheeks flushed. Great, he’d made her uncomfortable. Under his gaze, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other.
“Sorry about embarrassing you,” he said and stared at her through his lashes.
She laughed again. “Aroused, Roman, you aroused me. A normal person would probably be embarrassed, but I’m not. For some strange reason, I feel drawn to you. Ivy might be right about the energy thing. For whatever reason, I like being with you.”
He couldn’t help it, he grinned like an idiot. This woman had made him smile more in one day than he had in the last century. “Well, that’s good, but I still want to assure you that I’m not going to jump you or anything.”
“How many times have you been married?” Lydia asked.
“Good subject change,” he said with a grin. “Twice before you. Doesn’t make me sound like very good husband material does it?”
“My mom is on number five or six,” Lydia thought for a moment. “What difference does it make? This one won’t last either. You shouldn’t feel bad, I mean my mom is much younger than you and . . .” Her voice trailed off. “That wasn’t my most tactful moment, was it?”
Roman laughed.
“What’s so funny?” she asked.
“The only time you were tactful, was when you were in a coma.”
She looked down at her toes, pretending to study the pink polish to hide the flush on her cheeks. It was true. She had a tendency to speak without thinking. Initially, she’d gone out of her way to be obnoxious to get attention from her mom. As she got older, it just became second nature. The inner voice that warns people when they shouldn’t say things must have gotten tired of being ignored and shut down. Most days Lydia was fine with that part of her personality. People knew where they stood with her. Admittedly, she did miss the inner voice in moments like these.
Roman put one finger under her chin to bring her head back up. One innocent touch and Lydia was so aroused she considered jumping Roman. Then she remembered it would be a bad idea. Roman’s finger
stroked along her jaw line and then dropped to his side.
“I apologize if that sounded like an insult.” His voice was rough. “Just about everyone is polite and reserved around me. Most people are afraid me. You don’t fear me and you don’t hold anything back.”
She shrugged and flashed her most brilliant smile. “That’s me, take it or leave it.”
He leaned forward until his lips barely touched hers. Breathlessly she waited to see what would happen next. “I most definitely want to take it.” The heat from his seductive whisper teased her lips.
Her eyes widened, and she stared into Roman’s icy blue eyes. She really wanted to throw her arms around him and lean into his hard body. Instead, she took a step back and cleared her throat. “Two wives?”
His sexy smile told her he knew just how affected she was by his presence. “Yes.”
“I can’t imagine you getting a divorce,” she said cautiously.
He shook his head and let out a sigh. “No, I didn’t divorce either of them. I’m sure telling you the story of my wives won’t make you favorably inclined toward me.”
“Everyone makes mistakes,” Lydia assured him with a self‑depreciating smile. “I certainly can’t be judgmental when it comes to relationships.”
“What happened with Dominic wasn’t your fault,” he said.
“Even if that’s true, he’s not the only man I’ve been with. I’m just saying, neither of us have perfect pasts so don’t worry about me passing judgment.”
He started to reach out again but pulled his hand back and shoved both hands in the front pockets of his pants. “Claudia, my first wife, was like you in many ways. She was a strong woman and it wasn’t easy convincing her to marry me.” He cleared his throat. “We had to run off together because of my father. He saved Claudia from being executed as a witch and considered her his property. My father was a cruel man.” His eyes closed. When they opened he let out a helpless sound of anguish. “My father found Claudia when I was away. He described Claudia’s death in horrible detail. She was pregnant at the time.”
Vampires Prefer Blondes (Psy-Vamp Book 3) Page 5
