Chapter 16 – Locheran
Iwake up an hour until sunset and check in with Farrah before showering and eating breakfast.
She responds to my text saying she had a good day at work and now she’s at her apartment, hanging out with Evangeline. She says she’s nervous about tonight but excited to see me.
I feel like a pup with a crush. Just the thought of seeing her excites my body. Any time Farrah crosses my mind, my cock jerks with need. I know part of it is the mating bond, which we’ve yet to fully satisfy. It’s why we can barely keep our hands to ourselves the moment we’re near each other.
I’m hoping this weekend we can take care of this… problem. Thorne has graciously taken over lead on any hunter finding business.
Once I’m fed and dressed, I take the stairs up one floor to Xander’s penthouse where Farrah will be examined by Rorik using his mind reading ability. She’ll be brought over by Evangeline and her bodyguards.
The first vampire is already here, standing in the kitchen with Xander, holding a glass of blood.
I sneer at him and the two abruptly end their conversation to turn and stare at me.
“What?” I spit out.
“You growled,” Rorik says, amused.
“I did not growl,” I seethe.
“You definitely did,” Xander says, equally amused. “The mating bond feels threatened by Rorik’s presence.”
“Good. I don’t trust the fucker.”
“Smart gargoyle,” Rory says and tips up the glass of blood to finish it off. He smiles, showing dark red teeth and lips.
Evangeline and Farrah walk through the door a few minutes later, talking and laughing all the way to the kitchen where the three of us stand.
“Oh, wow,” Evangeline says, eyeing us. “The testosterone is thick in here.”
Xander clears his throat and waves a hand at Rorik. “Farrah, you’ve met Rorik.”
She nods and holds out her hand. Rorik takes it but instead of a simple shake, he lifts it to his mouth.
Before he can press a kiss to her knuckles, I’m at his side, breaking his neck. He drops to the floor with a hard thud that fails to cover up the scream Farrah lets out.
“What the fuck,” she squeals. “Locheran! You killed him!”
“It’s fine. He can’t die.”
Xander gapes at me while Evangeline pinches the bridge of her nose.
“Why did you do that?” Farrah asks, a hint of hysteria within her voice.
“He touched you. He was going to kiss your hand…”
She scoffs. “Okay, and?”
“And… I didn’t like it.”
“It was a simple, innocent, greeting,” Farrah says, hands on her hips. “Are you going to kill every person I meet?”
My shoulders tense at the thought. Hands touching her, smiles being thrown her way, eyes on her body.
I just might.
“Locheran Perrier, did you growl?” Evangeline asks, amused.
“Okay,” Xander says, silencing the room. “It’s clear that Locheran’s protectiveness is a bit… overexaggerated right now because of the mating bond.”
He raises a brow my way and I shrug. I’m not even a little ashamed.
“He needs to scale it back,” Xander continues. “Because I won’t stop Layla from demanding your wings if you kill Rorik again.”
It's an empty threat. He’d never let the vampire queen have my wings.
Though he might allow her to instill other punishments.
Like busy work. Guard duty when she’s out and about.
Or worse, guard duty outside her penthouse doors.
Which means hearing her, Vara, and Thorne fucking while I’m forced to stay at my post.
Rorik gasps on the floor then stands, rubbing his neck as the bones shift back into place.
“Locheran, if you keep doing that, I'm going to assume you’re flirting with me and demand you buy me dinner before we fuck.”
“Oh,” Farrah says, shifting on her feet.
My body stiffens when the scent of her arousal hits my nose. Rorik’s fangs drop as well.
Xander’s hand around my throat stops me from walking over and snapping his neck again.
Rorik takes a step back, hands up. Though he still smirks because he’s a fucking asshole.
“Takes one to know one, Lochy.”
“First of all, get out of my head. Second, call me that again and I’ll rip out your throat with my fangs.”
Farrah steps in front of me and scowls. I take her into my arms, attempting to quell her disappointment by begging forgiveness. She melts against me, squeezing me tight.
All forgiven?
No, she responds, though I hear the smile in her voice. Stop being an alphahole.
“Anyone hungry? Thirsty?” Evangeline says, walking to her fridge. She opens the door and peers inside. “We have beer, cider, wine, water, soda…”
I take a beer, Farrah asks for water, and Rorik says he’s good since he just had a meal of blood.
“Where should we do this?” Rory asks, glancing around the space.
Xander and Evangeline’s penthouse is open concept, so the kitchen morphs into the living room.
One wall is floor to ceiling windows that provide an amazing view of the Empire State Building.
The furniture is modern and expensive with comfort in mind.
The living room has been renovated after it was destroyed by Xander’s brother who attempted to steal his reign over New York City.
He blew out the windows and nearly every piece of art, the couch, chairs, and bookshelves were damaged by the impact.
Before, Xander’s penthouse was a cliche bachelor’s pad. Now it has colorful walls with bright art pieces and other nice touches that were clearly because of his mate.
Xander and Evangeline turn to Farrah. I have my arm around her waist, and she attempts to burrow deeper into my side at the question.
“Um…”
“How about the couch?” I offer. “I’ll sit right next to you.”
She nods, and I lead us into the living room.
Farrah sits at one end with me next to her. Rorik pulls over a chair. Evangeline sets our drinks on an end table and steps back to stand with Xander at the edge of the living room.
“How does it work?” Farrah asks.
“If I take your hands in mine, I can read your thoughts more clearly. Would that be okay?”
He directs the question at me more so than her, but she agrees and only when I give him a terse nod, he takes her hands.
“Just relax, little mouse,” he says with a smirk.
I will kill you, I think at him.
“You might sense me in your head, but it won’t hurt. Some people describe it as an itch that can’t be scratched.”
Farrah nods and inhales deeply before letting it out slowly.
Rorik closes his eyes. After a few seconds, he tilts his head and frowns.
“You have some serious shields in here. Your current thoughts are easily heard but your memories are well protected.”
Likely from what her hunter family taught her.
“Do you know how to drop them?”
Farrah chews on her bottom lip; her brows pinched. “It’s been a while since I’ve done that.”
“Take your time,” Rorik says.
The gentleness in his voice surprises me. He’s being careful with her. I’ve only known the vampire to be vulgar and lacking compassion.
He sighs, clearly hearing my thoughts.
My nerves are on high alert right now, and I’m not focusing on my own shields. I’m likely broadcasting my thoughts directly into his head.
You are. So, shut up and let me focus.
I mentally flip him off, which brings a smirk to the vampire’s face.
“Okay,” Farrah says. “Try now.”
The room is quiet while Rorik digs around inside Farrah’s head. The tension is thick. Xander watches with his arms crossed and a concerned look on his face. Evangeline twists a piece of her hair, nervous for her bestie.
We all know there's nothing to worry about with Farrah, but I think it’s the anticipation of what he’ll find that has us all on edge.
“Oh,” Rorik says, that annoying smirk returning to his face. “You two have been busy.”
Farrah’s mouth opens to form an ‘o’ while her face darkens to a deep red. I fist my hands in my lap, digging my claws into my palms to stop me from shoving them inside Rorik’s chest.
The vampire hums, delighted by whatever he’s seeing.
“It’s like a movie. Crisp, clear, artsy. Oooo. Naughty. And… hot.”
“Okay,” I say, standing at the same time Rorik releases Farrah’s hands.
He uses his vampire speed to hide behind Xander, peering around the gargoyle king’s side with a mischievous smile.
“That’s enough, children,” Evangeline says to us. She turns her attention to Rorik. “You’re 3,000 years old—”
“3,032 to be exact.”
“Fine. Maybe act like it then?”
He pouts. “Maturity is so boring, though.”
“What did you see, Rorik?” Xander asks, stepping away from the vampire who was still hiding behind him.
“Oh, nothing crazy. I mean, I saw A LOT.” His smile quickly drops at Xander’s scowl.
Rorik clears his throat. “They don’t tell her much, only informing her when there’s been a death.
The man you captured after the explosion and shootout was her cousin, Beau.
She wasn’t close to him. However, one of the hunters killed during the attack after Vara was kidnapped was her younger brother, Ethan.
They told her that the warehouse in Queens where they took Vara was their new headquarters.
Obviously, that’s not the case anymore since the gargoyles cleared it out.
I didn’t see anything in her head about where they’ve relocated.
Other than that, she knows nothing about her family’s operations.
Though, they’ve repeatedly asked her to reconsider joining despite her refusing every time. ”
Farrah has already told us most of this.
Yet something Rorik said has piqued Xander’s interest.
He hums, one arm over his chest while one hand strokes his smooth jaw.
I don’t like this look. I know this look. He has an idea, and he’s working through it. He’s concerned though, which is why his tail swings back and forth behind him.
“This could work in our favor,” he finally says.
“How so?” Evangeline asks.
I glance at Farrah, and she sits with her back straight and hands twisting in her lap. I return to her side and wrap my arm around her shoulder. She leans her head on my chest and sighs.
I kiss the top of her head and give Xander my attention.
My best friend regards me for a few seconds before turning to Rorik and Evangeline.
“She could be our spy.”
“Absolutely fucking not,” I say within a growl.
“That’s not your decision,” Xander says. His eyes trail to Farrah. “If you help us, we can potentially avoid further deaths and injuries. We could possibly stop a war. Dismantling the O'Hern hunter cell is vital before we reveal ourselves to the human world.”
“No pressure, huh?” Farrah laughs, though she’s far from amused. “What if they already know that I’m… compromised. What if they’ve seen me with Evangeline or…”
Evangeline shakes her head. “My mother has a protection spell on me so I can stay hidden from hunters when I’m out in public.
Xander, and the rest of his soldiers, have shields that hide them as well.
We’re 99% sure your family has no idea where any of us live.
If they did, they surely would have attacked by now. ”
Or they could be doing recon. Planning their attack.
“I guess we won’t find out until we send her in,” Rorik says, answering my thoughts.
“I uh…” Farrah sits up, and I already miss her warmth at my side. “Sure. Yes. Okay.”
I slip my palm to the side of her neck and caress her jaw with my thumb. “Are you sure?”
She nods. “I’m tired of all the death. If you can safely stop them from doing more harm, then I need to help. I want to help.”
She turns her attention to Xander.
“What if I ask my brother to come to my apartment? I could tell him that I’m ready to join. Lie about something I saw here in the city. Maybe Rory can be there to dig inside his head.” She turns to Evangeline. “Could your mom shield him so my brother can’t pick up on him being a supernatural?”
“She definitely could.”
“If Rorik’s there, then I am too,” I growl, hating the idea of just the two of them being alone in a room together… and with a monster hunter.
“Okay, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. We can discuss this and other options at another time,” Xander says and I shoot invisible death lasers his way. “But if you invite your brother to your apartment, we should set up a dummy unit. I don’t want your home compromised.”
“Better idea. Farrah moves in with me,” I say.
“Already?” Farrah frowns. “Isn’t that a little fast?”
“Not for me. I want you safe. I can protect you better if you’re living with me.”
She crosses her arms, determination filling her face.
“I can protect myself.”
“I know,” I say. “Of course, you can. But… Farrah, please.”
She furrows her brows while locking eyes with me. Can she see my desperation? My sincerity?
She lowers her head into her hands and groans.
“Is it crazy that I kinda want to move in with you?”
“A little,” Rorik says at the same time Evangeline and Xander say, “Not at all.”
Despite the urge to punch the smartass vamp, my entire body relaxes.
She wants to move in with me?
“I know it’s the bond making this decision but okay. Yes. I’ll move in with you.” When I smile and lean in to claim a kiss, she holds up a finger. “But I’ll need my space. I’ve never lived with a man so this will be new to me and overwhelming.”
“Good thing I’m a gargoyle and not a man,” I say.
She rolls her eyes and continues. “If I don’t have a place to go when you’re being…” she waves a hand up and down my body, “too much, then I will lose my fucking shit. I won’t hesitate to move out.”
Rorik snorts, covering his mouth with his hand. Xander stands next to Evangeline, the two appearing impressed that she set boundaries with me.
I want to take her hands in mine and reassure her, but she needs me to be serious right now. Her raised brow also lets me know now’s not the time for touching.
I sigh, my shoulders sagging. “Of course, I want you to be comfortable. I have a guest room that you can have all to yourself.”
Farrah nods, allowing her tense body to relax. She grabs the glass of water from the end table and takes a drink.
“She’s totally not going to use that second room,” Evangeline says out of the side of her mouth to Xander, low enough that only supernatural hearing can decipher.
Xander chuckles in agreement. Rorik beams at me.
They’re all assholes.