by Eve Newton
“That’s for me to worry about. We agreed but didn’t say when, so I think I reserve the right to determine.”
“I’m here to speak to CK,” I say in hopes of deterring him.
“He isn’t here. Do you think that if he was you would still be alone in that pool?”
Fair point. He sees me take that in and slides himself into the pool alongside me. “We agreed and I’m collecting.”
I move to the edge of the pool away from him and climb out. I lie down on the edge and turn my head to the side. He rests his head on his hands on the side and looks at me. Those eyes, the exact color of mine, unnerves me.
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-SEVEN
“L iv?” he queries as I just continue to stare at him. He trails his hand down my stomach, circling little patterns with this thumb as he waits for me to respond.
“Will you know the second he comes back?” I ask with a frown.
“Yes,” he says.
“Fine. It is, after all, your benefit for keeping your trap shut. Who am I to argue?”
“Now that is more like it,” he says as he cups my face now and helps me sit upright. I scoot to the edge of the pool and he stands, his unbuttoned wet shirt clinging to him in a very sexy manner has my eyes roaming over him. He kisses me and I place my hands on his chest in a reflexive motion to push him away, but he murmurs, “You agreed on kissing.”
I pull away again and he takes my head in his hands. “Livvie. I need this, please,” he begs me as he drops his mouth to mine again. He trails his hands down my sides and into the bows keeping my bikini bottoms together. He pulls on them and it falls away.
“Sebastian,” I start.
“I won’t touch you. I want to see you touch yourself. That’s all,” he whispers and continues to kiss me. He pushes my hand where he wants it and pulls away. He stares intently into my eyes and a flash of warning goes up, but I forget why as he murmurs something to me, which I don’t quite follow.
“Liv? Would you Shift for me?” he asks, pulling his gaze from mine as he plants little kisses on me.
“To what?” I ask.
“Xerxei,” he whispers wickedly.
“What?” I push him away. “No.”
“Please,” he begs. “Oh, gods, I want to feel her against me.”
I’m quite insulted now, not to mention a bad feeling I have about this. Something is off. Very off, but I can’t place my finger on it.
“No,” I say again and push him away.
“Please,” he whispers. “You are so sexy. Let me look into those beautiful blue eyes as you please yourself.”
I know I must be positively scowling at him by now. “No.”
He moves my hand back to where he wants it. “It’s okay,” he murmurs, and we are back on track. I push it aside as I just can’t get my head around why I am refusing so profusely.
I feel his hand against mine as I move, almost as if he was imagining doing it himself.
“Seb, no,” I protest as his fingers brush lightly over me.
He murmurs to me again, that intent look is back, boring into my eyes. I don’t understand what he is saying to me. I shake my head to clear it. “What are you saying?” I ask him.
“I want you,” he whispers and kisses me. He pushes his finger inside me, joining mine in bringing me pleasure and I don’t protest further. His touch is incredible, and I want it. I wrap my legs around him, knowing this is beyond a bad idea and he groans as he shoves another of his fingers inside me with mine. “Oh, gods, yes. I can feel you vibrating. I know you are close,” he whispers as I move against him.
“Bite me now. Quickly,” I say, and he complies without hesitation. As soon as his fangs sink into me, I come, and he bites harder as he tastes it.
“Fuck, yes,” he says as he pulls back. “Your turn.”
I push his hand to himself and pull away. He has no complaints as he strokes himself, his eyes on mine, growing ever greener and darker as he gets more aroused at me watching him. He pushes my head to his neck. “Feed,” he rasps harshly. I drop my fangs and drink deeply from him. “Oh, fuck,” he says as he comes and I feel the rush, tenfold, pouring into my mouth. Christ, but he tastes so good. I reluctantly pull back and retract my fangs. He cups my face with both hands and speaks slowly and quietly to me. I take in every word as he says it and then I forget it. “Next time, Liv,” he says, “I want you to come to me. I want to take you to my bed and make love to you. I want to show you what I can do to you, what I can make you feel. I want you willing and wanting. I want us to feed from each other as we come together. You will want this and do this with no guilt. You will not tell your husband and you will not tell our sire. Do you understand me?” I nod blankly at him. I don’t know what he has said to me, but it is something I must agree to.
“Très bien,” he says. He chucks me under my chin, and I blink at him. “He is a lucky man,” he says as he climbs out of the pool and helps me stand, “I envy him.” He bends to retrieve my discarded bikini bottoms, redoes the bows loosely and hands them to me. “He is home.”
In a flash, I have them back on and turn with a smile as I feel his presence myself.
His gaze goes from Sebastian, wet while still clothed, to me in my tiny bikini. His eyes harden as Sebastian looks back at him innocently, but he smiles at me. “Enjoying the pool, my love?”
I nod silently. Is that all he has to say? Can’t say this looks altogether innocent even though we haven’t been caught doing anything but standing here. He walks over to me and kisses me. He must taste Sebastian’s blood in my mouth as he swishes his tongue over mine, but he doesn’t mention it.
“You should go and have your conversation with Jess. We can talk later,” he says, indicating that it is now nearly dark, and she will want out of the magick room.
Again, I nod silently and switching my bikini for my dress again, I slip into my shoes and squeeze his hand as I walk past. I attempt nonchalance as I walk further away. They are both silent and watching me go. Once out of ordinary Vampire earshot, I use my advanced hearing to eavesdrop.
“Well?” CK asks him brusquely.
“Phase one complete,” Sebastian replies and that is the whole conversation. What the fuck are they talking about? Phase one of what? I don’t have much chance to ponder it any more as I have reached the entrance to the room and pull on the book lever to open it. I step inside and see Devon sitting on the sofa, glaring at nothing,
“Hey,” he says, lighting up when he sees me. “She’s sleeping.”
“Hey,” I reply softly with a nod. “You okay?”
“No,” he scorns. “I am the worst. I hate this. I should have just killed her mother and that prick that raped her instead of trying to find someone else to sire her.”
“What?” I roar at him, and he shushes me. “Devon! Why didn’t you say that was the problem? I would’ve killed him myself,” I add vehemently, slamming my fist into my palm.
“I know you would have. That’s why I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want you to have to do that because of something I got involved in,” he says, taking my hand as I sit down.
“It’s not your job to protect me!” I say fiercely and them slam it shut. I know that’s exactly what CK says to me all the fucking time. I get it now why he gets so mad with me.
“Not that I am condoning this behavior from you either, but why didn’t you?” I ask after a hefty pause.
“A hundred years ago, fifty years ago, I would’ve without a second thought. Now, I dunno, it’s not as easy as all that,” he shrugs. “I should have. I wouldn’t be in this mess if I had.”
“You say you were trying to find someone to sire her?”
“Yeah, she wanted it, but I didn’t want her. She has a way…” He gives me a look that says it all.
“Because she looks like Elizabeth, you felt compelled to help her?” I inquire in a whisper so quiet, he has to lean forward to hear me.
“Something like that. What can I say, sexy blue-eyed brunette
s are my weakness.” He rolls his eyes at me and squeezes my hand. “What am I going to do?” he whispers back.
I heave a sigh and take him in my arms. He drops his head into my lap, and I stroke his hair. “We have to deal with it now. There’s nothing else for it.”
“A small part of me wishes that I’d left her to die,” he murmurs to me.
Yeah, me too. But I can’t say that to him. He feels awful enough as it is. “You are a good man, Dev. You couldn’t do that. Uhm, when did she…”
“Before I met her. She approached me while I was waiting for you one day. I took her on, but I should’ve dismissed her. She is way too young for a start…”
I snort with agreement, and he gives me blue-eyed glare. “Your sire is more of a pervert,” he points out.
I stifle my laughter, but refrain from bad-mouthing him. He saved me. I will never think bad about him for doing that.
“Who did you have in mind?” I ask as he turns his baleful glare away from me.
He sighs. “She was very specific. She wanted me and refused to entertain anyone else. I left it too long, but you know me…”
I do. He’d rather brush unpleasant topics under the rug for as long as he can. It’s his ‘thing’.
“Oh, Dev,” I say and lean down to kiss his cheek. “You are going to have to go with it now.”
“I know. I just don’t want to. I love you. I want to be with you. I don’t want to be with her. I used her to make myself feel better when Cole first arrived on the scene, and then I got too involved in her life when she found out what I was. What an ass,” he says with a massive sigh.
“I’m sorry,” I say quietly. “I feel like this is all my fault.”
He turns back to look at me and sits up. “It’s not. You tried your best; you have been doing your best to juggle everyone in your life. I get it. I understand it. It was a difficult transition for me from having you all to myself for so long, and then every man showing up to claim you. But I’m okay, Lizzie. You don’t have to worry about me. I had a tantrum in New York, but instead of talking to you, I ran. Also, my ‘thing’,” he says with a smirk.
I knew he would know that’s what I’m thinking.
“You know,” he says, changing the subject, “I have some very good ideas about how you can make up my missed day to me.”
I raise my eyebrows at him. “Oh? Care to share?”
“Not yet. I just want you to know that I haven’t forgotten,” he says pointedly.
“Neither have I. I may have a few ideas of my own,” I say mysteriously.
“Oh, now don’t be a tease,” he murmurs against my lips as he pulls me close by the deep ‘V’ of my neckline, his fingers dipping into my cleavage, giving me goosebumps. He pushes his tongue into my mouth, and I cling to him, my hands going up to the back of his head to pull him closer. He pushes his hand up my dress, things getting very heated, until we both hear a muffled whimper from the doorway and remember Jess. Fucking girl. I really wanted him then. It has been too long since we have been together properly. I understand his need for us to spend more time together than just a quick fuck.
I huff in frustration, as does he, but we pull apart, mindful of how we both felt about our sires when we were so new.
“I’ll leave you two to talk,” he says stiffly and just leaves without saying anything to Jess, clearly pissed off with her for interrupting – or more likely in that moment – just existing.
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SIXTY-EIGHT
I glare at her, daring her to say something about what she saw but she lowers her eyes and stays silent. Good. At least she has the sense to stay quiet.
“I want with him what you have,” she says softly.
Or maybe not then, I sigh.
“You will never have what we have,” I say.
“I know. Tell me how to make him love me. Tell me what to do, what to be to make him love me.” She is on the verge of tears as I think nastily, ‘be me and maybe you’ll have a shot.’
“I’m not going to instruct you on how to gain his affections.” The thought is most unappealing, and not what he wants.
She flexes her shoulders and I can see she is about to pounce on me again. “When is the last time you fed?” I ask.
“Four hours ago,” she manages to get out before she goes feral. She launches herself at me and I grab her by her throat. Gripping her wrist, I turn her, arm behind her back and frog march her to the blood bank. I get her a glass and feed it to her. I give her a minute to regain herself and then let her go.
“Sorry,” she mumbles. “I am feeling…”
“Murderous?” I offer up.
She looks startled but nods just the same. “Is that normal?”
“Yes. Especially in your situation. This is why I won’t allow you to drink straight from a human yet. Have you spoken to Devon about these feelings?”
“Yes. He says I’ll get through it.”
Gee, great advice there, Dev.
“You will. I will help you. Have you fed from him yet?” I ask casually.
She shakes her head and tenses up again.
Fuck’s sake. I can’t say I blame him though. “Now what was what it you wanted to talk about?”
“Oh, yes.” She focuses on me again and says, “I thought about what you said about readjusting my priorities.”
I nod encouragingly as she stops speaking.
“I thought that with Scott now doing your job, you no longer have an assistant. I would like to be your assistant,” she says quickly and bravely.
First things, how does she know Scott is doing my job and secondly that I don’t have an assistant? A chatty charge is clearly getting on better with his little girl than he is letting on.
I remain impassive, expecting her to give me more of spiel than just that.
“I know you think I am just some stupid little girl who tricked Devon into turning me but I’m not. I am a straight-A student, I was going to go to Harvard on a full scholarship. I am disciplined. A dancer. Co-captain of the cheerleading squad. I am highly organized, and I have worked summer jobs in similar roles, not quite so grand, obviously.”
Grand?
“It will help me stay focused. I know I can do this. I know I can be responsible and organize your…”
I glare at her through narrowed eyes, hands on my hips as she trails off. My what?
“Week,” she says.
Humph. I will let her off. So, Harvard, eh? My old alma mater. Or at least one of them.
“A dancer?” I query.
“Ballet,” she says, and I am mildly impressed. “I will miss that the most, I think.”
Oh, now I know Devon has been telling stories about me as she tries to hide the hopeful look on her face. It becomes clear that this offer has come from Devon, and why. He wants her attentions focused anywhere but on him. They must have discussed it today before she fell asleep. He has given her all the ammo she needs to break through to me, as he knows exactly which buttons to push.
And, well, in all fairness, it hadn’t even occurred to me yet to replace Scott. Probably because Scott hasn’t told me to do it. Devon knows what I’m like and knows what I need. I clearly do need someone to organize me. Maybe this is a better idea than trying to convince her right off the bat to go find someone else to play with.
“It won’t be easy with your…limitation,” I tell her.
“I know. It is a challenge and I’m ready for it. I will prove to you that I’m good enough to be a part of your family,” she says boldly.
I am now a bit more than just mildly impressed with her confidence. That is, until she lowers her eyes and steps back a bit, hands in front of her. I know it is because CK has entered the room. It pisses me off. Where the Hell is the fear of me? No one seems to take any notice that I can incinerate them with my bare hands. So, I don’t actually know if I can do that as I haven’t been able to test it (obviously), but it is a working theory I have based on the collar I burnt to ash. Incinerate them with my t
rusty sword then, I amend to myself. But in swoops my sire, all intimidating and commandery and everyone starts to quake in their boots. I will have to ask him to teach me some of that. Although, I am sure I will be met with the response of him not knowing what I’m talking about.
“My sweet? Are you going to offer the girl the job or not?” he asks, kissing me chastely in front of her.
I turn back to her. “One week trial,” I say. “I don’t tolerate mistakes so if you make one you are out. And I think it goes without saying that everything you see, hear, read, learn, notice, glean, suspect, or otherwise, is to be dealt with in the strictest confidence. You say nothing to nobody, not even Devon. If anything gets leaked, I will know it is you.”
“Of course,” she says quickly, catching onto to my unsaid threat.
I smile and say, “Good.” I pull my sire down for a lingering kiss that he responds to with ease. I look back at her and she stares back at me innocently.
“I didn’t see anything,” she says.
I smile a genuine smile now. “Good girl. Go and get my iPad from Scott. He will fill you in.”
“Thank you, Mrs. O’Dell. I won’t let you down,” she says before she moves with Vampire speed to the door, desperate to be let out, but CK reaches out and grabs her, pulling her to a halt.
“Not so fast,” he says. She looks like she would rather be staked than stand there under his steely gaze. “I also think it goes without saying that if you do anything to jeopardize the safety and security of Liv, or any of us in any way, you will deal with me,” he says it quietly and matter-of-factly but she is petrified and nods stiffly. He grips her tighter.
“Yes, sir,” she stammers. He relaxes his grip but doesn’t let her go.
“I will escort you next door. There are too many humans between here and there.”
As in a whole world full, I frown at myself. Silly me. I should have remembered my own rule that I placed on her. See? I am useless. I need someone to help me. I’m going to miss Scott. Maybe I should rethink giving him my job.
