Chapter 5
Rummy
The feasts were my least favorite parts of life in Scarlata.
I understood the concept, of course. A kingdom full of starving vampyres needed to eat something.
But to me, it served as yet another reminder that I wasn’t one of them. That I didn’t belong here.
Even Huntyr and Wolf could be themselves here.
Though it’d been two years since I’d learned the truth, I was still wrapping my mind around the concept of Huntyr being one of them.
My presence at these events wasn’t exactly optional, though.
Trust me, I’d tried. And typically, I’d end up sneaking into the woods to hide until the loud celebrations of the feast fizzled out and the quiet of the night returned.
Occasionally, I tried to drink myself into oblivion on one of the roofs here in Scarlata, but Huntyr found me every time.
You’re part of this kingdom, she would say. It’s not the same without you there.
She tried her best to include me, though sometimes I wondered how much of that was for me, and how much was because she wanted this tiny piece of home in her new kingdom.
My presence reminded her of everything she accomplished since she’d left Midgrave. It helped quell the loneliness she felt after leaving so much behind.
Tonight, though, I wouldn’t hide. I adjusted my leather jacket, zipping it to just below my tits, and flipped my blonde hair over my shoulder. Then I made my way outside.
The sound of the feast immediately flooded my senses.
Like the other night, vampyres laughed and danced and drank.
A massive fire lit up the center of the city, drawing in all the inhabitants of Scarlata.
The feast was more than just a large dinner for those with a special appetite.
It pulled the people together. Huntyr and Wolf never wanted the vampyres to feel like they needed to hide and sulk for their meals ever again, so instead, they celebrated.
A few hunters gathered enough animals to feed the entire community, and the bond that formed over the last two years was one that would live on for centuries.
A pair of teenagers ran past me, one bumping my shoulder, heading for the center of the city, giggling and mumbling half-assed apologies.
Damn. What I would give to go back in time, to be that young again, to forget that any of this shit ever happened.
Though maybe that was a terrible idea. I wasn’t an exceptionally happy teenager, either. But there was a certain bliss that came with the ignorance of the widespread misery around the world.
“There you are,” Huntyr said from behind me. I turned and let her loop her arm through mine. “I was coming to get you. I figured we could walk together.”
Irritation tried to bubble up, but I forced it back. Most of it, anyway. “I don’t need a babysitter, contrary to what you might believe.”
She rolled her eyes and squeezed my arm tighter. “Maybe not, but have you considered that I might want the company of my best friend? Is that so absurd?” Her voice dropped to a teasing tone.
“Yes, it is absurd, but I will allow it this once.” I gave her my best attempt at a smile and fell into pace alongside her. Huntyr drew the attention of every individual we passed, every one of them smiling and waving at her. She was a damn goddess around here.
I choked down the jealousy that crept up my chest. The last thing I wanted was to envy my best friend. But sometimes?
It was hard not to crave what she had. Everyone we met cared about Huntyr. They wanted her to be happy.
Me? I was invisible.
“Have you seen Jessiah?” Huntyr asked as we approached the feast.
She scanned the crowd, and I quickly followed, looking for those ridiculous white wings.
“Not since this morning,” I replied. “Why?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. He just seemed… off when he left. More tense than I expected, even if he didn’t agree with us.”
Groaning, I tossed my head back. “Poor little Jessiah not getting everything he wants. I think he’ll survive.” I straightened. “You’re making big decisions for the sake of Scarlata. You don’t need to consider his feelings on top of everything else.”
“I know, but even if we don’t see eye to eye, he has Scarlata’s best interest in mind, too. I’d hate for him to think we’re on opposite sides of this whole thing.”
“Aren’t you, though?”
Her features stiffened, and she came to a stop. “Can I ask you something?”
Tension radiated from her, putting me on edge.
So I did what I did best. I went with humor. “Of course, my queen.”
She smiled and elbowed me in the ribs. “What happened between you two? Why do you hate each other so much? If you believe one thing, he’ll believe the opposite just to get a rise from you. It’s unlike him.”
My first instinct was to lie. To joke it off. To make a sarcastic remark and change the subject.
But the pain and confusion in Huntyr’s eyes made me reconsider. She never looked at me that way before. Not since we’d left Midgrave, anyway. She looked desperate.
“I don’t know, Hunt,” I started. “We’re just very, very different people.”
Her eyes narrowed. “That’s a bullshit answer, and you know it.”
Busted. Of course there was a reason. We had gotten along at first. Back then, he’d been my best friend here, my refuge from all the other shit in my life.
Obviously, something happened. But my chest tightened at the thought and my instinct to protect myself forced the memory from my mind before I could even consider spilling the truth to Hunt.
“He’s a bit of a prick, okay?” I rolled my shoulders back. “He’s everything I hate in a person. He’s self-righteous and entitled. He walks around here like he’s owed something just because of who he is.”
She cocked a brow. “Maybe being the son of the archangel did that to him.”
“I really don’t give a shit about who his daddy was. I have family issues, too. We all do. But mine didn’t turn me into a grade A pain in the ass.”
That brow rose higher on her forehead.
“What?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “It’s true!”
“You and Jessiah used to get along. More than that, even. When we first came to Scarlata, you actually liked him,” she said. “So what happened to change that?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know what to tell you. It’s been two years. People change. Feelings change. After two years of having to put up with his arrogant ass, I’m just tired of it. Okay?”
She stared at me for a second longer, and dammit, it was like she could see straight into my soul. “Okay,” she answered. “But one day, we’ll all get along again. Just wait.”
A woman called her name, and suddenly, my alone time with the Queen of Scarlata Empire was over.
“Don’t hold your breath,” I whispered. “Now, go. You have queen shit to take care of. I’ll be at the bar.”
“I love you, Rummy.” She didn’t move, her focus never leaving my face.
Not until I responded. “I love you too, Hunt.”
With that, she turned and was instantly swallowed by a crowd of her friends and citizens of Scarlata. My shy, awkward, anti-social best friend.
I laughed to myself and turned toward the bar.
Drinks. Lots of drinks. That was the only way I’d make it through tonight.
I kept my head down as I made my way to Soph. “Another great night,” I joked as I pulled out the closest seat. “Give me the strongest thing you’ve got.”
With a laugh, she pulled out a mug and filled it. That was one of the things I loved most about her. No bullshit. No therapeutic stream of questioning.
Just drinks.
“It’s going to be a long night,” she warned. “Tonight’s feast is one of the biggest I’ve seen.”
Great.
When a presence appeared beside me, I turned, finding Xavier sliding onto the wooden stool to my right.
“I’ll have what she’s having.”
I rolled my shoulders back and pushed my chest out, knowing that would catch his attention. “I’m sorry,” I purred, “that seat’s taken.”
He looked over his shoulder, wearing a look of mock confusion. “Oh, right. You mean by all the friends that have joined you tonight.” He picked up the drink Sophie set in front of him. “I’ll keep that in mind, Rummy, thanks.”
Asshole.
“I thought you were off gallivanting with your boyfriend,” I fired back with a roll of my eyes.
Besides Hunter, and after things soured between Jessiah in me, Xavier was the closest I had to a friend in Scarlata. He was Jessiah’s right-hand man, which was a fatal flaw in my opinion, but when he wasn’t following Jessiah around like a lost puppy?
He was almost funny.
Almost.
“Aww.” He bumped my arm lightly, nearly causing me to spill my drink. “You were worried about us?”
“More like celebrating your absence.”
“Don’t pretend like you didn’t miss us, Rum. You can even smile if you want. I won’t tell anyone.” He leaned in until his ridiculously handsome face was inches from mine.
Xavier was one of the best-looking men in Scarlata. He was tall and sculpted, with dark skin and ridiculous perfect features, and carried himself in the most confident of ways.
He had this magnetism that drew pretty much everyone here—male or female—to him.
But I couldn’t bring myself to care. I’d marked him as off limits as soon as I realized we would be working together for Wolf and Hunt.
He’d probably be great in bed, but it would be messy. So friendship—or whatever the hells you’d call this—was as close as we got.
“Why would I smile when you’re spoiling my peace? I’m here to drink in solitude, thank you very much.”
Xavier took a long breath, his bullshit smile slipping. “We need to talk. Our insane sexual tension aside, this is serious.”
I ignored the sexual tension comment and put my drink down, finally facing him fully. “You’re scaring me.”
He scanned the crowd, eyes sharp, before focusing on me again. “Do you know where Jessiah took me today?”
Keeping my expression neutral, I shrugged. “I don’t often wonder what you two idiots are up to.”
“He took me to The Golden City.”
Of its own accord, my spine straightened. Okay, that interested me. “What does he want with The Golden City? We haven’t been back there in years.”