Undying Thirst (Crimson Coven #2)

26. Catalina

TWENTY-SIX

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I’d gone upstairs to sleep and woken an hour before sunset then come back down to settle in the living room. Peter sat on the settee with his computer in his lap while I’d sprawled across the long couch, wracking my brain on how to get Peter out of here with the minimum amount of drama. It wasn’t like he hadn’t built a life for himself over there. Only his worry for me kept him here.

His fingers rapidly swept across the keyboard.

The quick slap of footsteps thudded down the hall. A harried Maddy rounded into the foyer.

“Hurry up, Sid,” she shouted. An apron still hung around her neck, swaying with her ragged breaths.

“Everything okay?”

“I lost track of time.” She brushed her messy strands back. Strain tightened the corners of her mouth. “I need to drop Sidney off at my parents. Hopefully, I’ll be back before they rise.” She chewed on her lower lip, shiftily looking at the screen of her phone.

The lowering sunlight reflected golden light from the window sill. If her attempt was to get back before they rose, I didn’t think she’d make it. Peter continued tapping away at his computer, hyper-focused.

“Peter can take her.” Anything to keep him out of the way.

“Are you sure?” Maddy scratched her arm, not really looking at me as she swept a finger over her phone screen.

He shot me a narrowed eyed look from the corner of his eyes. His lips parted, but I scowled at him. He sighed and stood. Sidney ran up, smoothing her hand down her hair and her eyes rounded on Maddy handing Peter her car keys.

“You’re doing me a huge favor.” Maddy continued her thankful babble. Sidney’s lips parted and a flush crawled down her neck as she shot furtive glances at Peter. “Sidney can direct you there.”

“Let’s go, kid.” He was too busy sending me a look to notice her lips purse at his command.

Yet, she didn’t say anything and followed him out the door with her head slightly lowered. I couldn’t see any bit of her spunk which seemed to have dissolved under the flush overtaking her face.

As soon as the front door slammed shut, I closed the distance between Maddy and I.

“If you have any other errands to run. Have him do it.”

“Oh, I couldn’t—” Awareness dawned on her face and she slowly nodded. “Will do, I need some things from the store, I’ll have him pass by for me.”

Good, by the time he gets back I wanted him too tired to stay up and get more involved with the vampires than he was.

I smiled at her, putting as much gratitude behind it as I could. I headed down the hall to get to the first level. The metal door hissed shut, encasing me in silence.

I approached the vampire laying stiff on the couch, he was the only one that hadn’t stayed in the bedroom. Like a magnet, my fingers hovered over his face. He wouldn’t know . . . his silky cheek was cool to the touch. He had such long eyelashes, I’d never noticed because he was always glaring at me, but they fanned out, golden and glinting in the low light of the living room.

I liked him better like this, sleeping and soft. He was rather beautiful. Even though he was Asher’s twin, there were hair strands slightly darker interwoven with his eyebrow.

I dragged my fingertips to the edge of his never smiling mouth. The only time I’d seen it curl up was when he made some sly, sarcastic comment.

His eyes flung open, and I gasped, yanking my hand back. From one moment, he’d been utterly still—stone-like, to the next, his gaze glinted with awareness. He said nothing, which was stranger than him speaking. I brushed my hair behind my ear, retreating through the bedroom door with quick steps.

Asher was sprawled out, arm flopped across Ren’s torso while his hand hovered near his face. Bastien lay face down, arms under his head and long white hair spilling over the edge of the bed.

Giving me a space of my own, their reactions to Peter showing up . . . none of it was expected and I was too weak to not be moved by it. And the possibility of having such protection? It buckled my knees.

Who knew not living in fear felt so good?

The rustle of clothing dragged my attention to Tobias. He’d been sitting at my desk chair to the side, and I hadn’t seen him. He smoothly stood and approached me. I tilted my head up to keep eye contact.

His finger swept across my lower lip and I tamped down my smile. I’d been standing here, grinning like an idiot as I stared at them. I offered no comment and cleared my throat.

Ren’s eyes popped open and he jerked his head, causing Asher’s hand to plop on his chest. He flicked the arm off him. Asher groaned and rolled to his side, invading Bastien’s space, who didn’t appreciate it based on him rolling off the bed and hitting the ground. He sprang to his feet with a hiss.

Tobias resting his palm on my lower back cut off my muffled snicker.

“We’ll be attending a gathering tomorrow night,” he murmured. I was less focused on the words than on the way his breath fluttered hair around my ear. A shiver coasted down my spine. I stopped my hand halfway to his chest and curled my fingers into my palm, dropping it to my side. Their effect on me should be normal to me by now, but I feared I’d ever get used to it.

“You’re welcome to touch me,” he said huskily, grabbing hold of my wrist, rubbing it to smooth my hand onto his chest. The soft fabric tickled my palm. I sank my teeth into my lower lip, shyly looking up at him. I swayed closer to him, like he had some sort of gravitational pull.

A palm cupped the side of my neck and I twisted to see who gripped me. Bastien’s nose grazed my temple, his big body crowding me and forcing me closer to Tobias.

“Oh please continue,” Asher said huskily from where he sprawled on his back with his hands behind his head. His gaze burned with heat and a bulge lifted the front of his linen pants, obvious, intimidating, hypnotizing.

It felt different being with them . . . butterflies encased by my ribcage wouldn’t stop flapping their wings.

My brain chose that moment to switch on and process his comment.

“Where are we going tomorrow?” The usual tension in my chest expanded. Eighty percent of the time I’d stepped out into the city, something went wrong. I wasn’t looking forward to another event.

“We’re going to Calliope’s,” Ren said from his sitting position at the end of the bed. He was in the process of pulling on his tan boots.

“Why?” I gasped. “Didn’t you think she’s the one trying to kill you guys?”

Ren waved his hand around. “And?”

I could only blink at the oddity of these males. I let myself get carried away way too much. They weren’t human. I should get it tattooed on my hand.

“What, you’re not excited to meet up with your friend?” Jax drawled, smirking. I clocked the jab. I squeezed my lips together until they flattened.

“He’s joking,” Asher said.

I wanted to retort but it was pointless, so I ripped my attention off Jax, not giving him a reaction. My goal was to ignore him. He could be a lamp for all I cared.

“We’ll answer any questions on the way to the shopping center.”

“You mean, you’ll answer,” Jax interjected. If I wasn’t mistaken, a hint of petulance was woven into his tone.

“Shopping?” I asked, again ignoring Jax, focusing on the twin that never failed to answer my questions.

“Yes and after, you will have a visit from another Coven’s Pet who can put your behavior into perspective.”

My behavior? I scowled.

“That’s exactly it, you can’t scowl at your master, human.” Ren approached, his eyes searching my face.

“Master?” I blustered, at a loss for words. Heat flooded my cheeks. Outrage and shock trapping words within me.

Asher reached into his pants, and he very obviously gripped his cock. He shuddered and moved his girth into the waistband so the stiffy no longer bounced.

Ren continued, getting in my face. My eyes widened until he was a finger’s length away from touching his nose to mine. “You must keep yourself to a standard appropriate as a belonging of Crimson Coven.”

Asher elbowed him back.

“What he means is, your behavior will be a reflection of us. If there is weakness, it will be exploited.” Asher cupped the back of my neck, getting so close I almost went cross eyed. What was with them stepping all up in my face? It reminded me of when Peter was young and he wanted me to give him my undivided attention. “So when around other vampires, you must behave in a way we do not expect you to behave in the comfort of our homes.”

“What does my behavior have to do with going shopping?”

“Well, Pet, you need something suitable to wear since you complain about wearing anything in storage,” Asher said with a smug grin. I couldn’t disagree. All their ‘storage’ consisted of what belonged to Imogen. “Your first show by our side must be done in style.”

I harrumphed, not liking the spiel. “And how exactly are we going? Everything is closed.”

“A Coven Sire we know owns a shopping center,” he said, his nose practically touching mine. I wasn’t sure if he was trying to overwhelm me into just going along with whatever they said, but it was working.

“A Sire that runs an escort service and now one that owns a mall. Vampires have their fingers in a lot of pies.”

“We mold ourselves into society. It’d be stupid of us not to evolve and build wealth,” Jax said. “Money equals power.”

Asher straightened and I clawed myself out of the cobwebs he conjured whenever he neared. And a small part of me, the smallest, teeniest bit, craved going shopping. Such a silly desire considering the dramatic shift my life had taken . . . but I couldn’t change anything. And I’d decided to accept this new life. Tentatively accept it.

“Fine, when are we leaving?”

“Now,” Tobias said, withdrawing his palm from my back. The absence left a cold spot on my spine.

“We’ll have to chain Bastien up again.” Every follicle in my body fought against that sentence. I nudged past Asher to swing my glare at Ren.

“No.”

“No?” he repeated, eyebrows raised. “She’s failing at her role.”

“He shouldn’t be chained up, he hasn’t done anything. And it’s not like there aren't four of you that could stop him from doing anything. Plus, didn’t you say they’re opening the store, that means there won’t be any humans, so he should be safe to come with us?—”

Asher smirked, placing his finger across my lips. “Take a breath.”

“We shall bring him, Love.”

Well, that was easy. There was no bluster from Jax, either.

I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. They were giving into what I wanted so quickly. They had been giving in with suspicious ease.

“I can’t go out like this,” I huffed, raking my hand over my clothing.

“Your new clothing should be in my wardrobe. Maddy unpacked and organized them there since we hadn’t completed your room,” Asher murmured in my ear.

“You had clothes for me the entire time?” I scowled, plucking at the overlarge top draped over me.

“I don’t see the problem.” Asher dragged his gaze over my form and settled on my breasts. I could feel my nipples stiffen under his gaze. I crossed my arms over my chest and shook my head, then turned on my heel.