Chapter 21 – Layla
The past week went by quickly as SUC made final preparations for the conference. There weren’t any more attempted attacks, no more cryptic letters or even suspicious beings hanging around.
Thorne is convinced their next target is tonight at the opening of the International Supernatural Conference.
I don’t doubt it either.
Vara walks out of her massive closet in a sleek red dress with thin straps and a neckline that dips all the way down to her navel. The fabric falls over the curves of her hips like liquid. She turns to give herself a once-over in the mirror and my fangs drop.
Fuck.
Her ass is so juicy, I want to bite it.
“Patience, Lollipop. You can bite my ass when we get home tonight.”
I’ve rather enjoyed the shared thoughts part of the bond. Mostly because Thorne blushes anytime he hears me think about him or Vara... those thoughts are never innocent either.
She flutters her wings behind her and adjusts the headdress she’s wearing—it has matching red diamonds and gold spikes banding around her skull—and she fluffs her blonde hair styled in a braid that hangs over her shoulder.
I want to fist my hands in the mane while she has her nose buried in my—
She turns to me with a heated smile.
“Behave yourself, Queen. We’re already running late, and I can’t fuck you in the car on the drive to the venue either. I will not have an entire room of supes smelling that sweet cunt after I make you come all over my fingers.”
She moves me toward the mirror.
“Beautiful,” she says, skimming her palms over my arms.
Tonight’s attire isn’t meant to be formal, but Vara wears whatever she wants.
For me, I went with a black jumpsuit with short sleeves and a gold belt around the high waistline.
My hair is down in soft curls around my face.
Vara broadcasts an image of Thorne wrapping the locks around his wrist while she orders him to fuck me.
Wow. We’re all horny as fuck.
Vara presses her soft lips to my shoulder, then grabs her clutch and offers me an arm. “Ready?”
We walk out of her bedroom and find Thorne standing before a few of my security team members, going over procedures for tonight. I’m sure they’ve heard them about a million times already.
When a few of the guys on the team widen their eyes, spotting Vara and me walking into the room, Thorne stops talking and turns to face us.
“Out,” he growls, and the team doesn’t think twice, filing out the front door.
“Our gargoyle guard is so jealous, isn’t he, Layla?” Vara purrs, taking Thorne’s face and placing a gentle kiss on his lips. She doesn’t linger, making sure not to mess up her lipstick.
“I will be struggling all night trying not to stab out the eyes of every creature that looks at you two.”
Thorne kisses me softly, careful not to smear my lipstick either.
“You two look absolutely stunning,” he says and with his arms around our waists, he leads us out the door.
The drive from Lower Manhattan into Brooklyn where the conference is being held takes nearly thirty minutes because of Friday night traffic.
We pull up to a back entrance of the arena in Prospect Heights. The door opens and we exit to a team of bodyguards waiting to escort us in. Thorne is behind us as Erebos leads.
We weave through hallways that are meant for staff until coming upon a holding area where speakers for tonight will gather before going up on stage. Thorne veers off to talk to Locheran about security measures and leaves Erebos to wait with us.
Cyrus and a team of vampire elders emerge from a hallway that house a few conference rooms.
“Queen Aldana,” he says, approaching and offering a slight bow.
It’s such a formal greeting from a man who months ago criticized me for fucking two beings at the same time.
Vara growls beside me, obviously hearing my thoughts.
I forgot about that. Let me kill him, she thinks back to me.
Before I can tell her to forget about the prudish elder, Thorne returns to my side.
Cyrus narrows his eyes at the gargoyle, and Thorne bares his fangs in return. The elder vamp quickly looks away.
Coward.
“Any issues?” I ask Thorne, ignoring the elder vamp. He gasps at the dismissal, turning on his heel and stomping off.
Fucking baby.
Thorne leads Vara and me away to a corner. “No. It’s quiet. Too quiet. I don’t like it.”
“Queen Aldana,” a production assistant for the conference says, approaching us with a tablet.
Vara and Thorne both give her a look that causes her to stumble back slightly. She’s a young fae, possibly fifty years in age, who hasn’t quite come into her powers, whatever they might be. The tips of her pointed ears redden, and she lets out a small puff of air.
“Ignore them,” I say, stepping closer to the woman. “What is it?”
“The room is at capacity. They’d like you to start early.”
“No,” Thorne growls.
“Okay. Give me two minutes, and I’ll head out.”
The fae nods and nearly runs off.
“This is when they’ll attack. They’re changing the schedule to throw us off,” Thorne says.
“Sounds like you’ve already figured out their diversion so you can intervene.” I place my hand over his heart, which thrashes violently against his chest. “I guarantee that scared fae girl is just doing her job. She’s not part of some elaborate attack plan.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Fine, I don’t, but it doesn’t matter because you’re ready. We’re ready.”
I lift on the tips of my toes so I can cup his cheek, and his eyes close at my touch.
My heart responds with a single beat. Ever since we completed the bond, it’s been slowly coming back to life.
The first time I felt it beat, I cried. My tears are no longer bloody either, more of a light pink, which made me cry even harder.
And the sun.
While I no longer burst into flames during daylight, the sun still burns my skin. I’m hoping that will lessen over the years. Thorne was curious, too, and he stepped out underneath the bright sky.
He experienced something similar. He didn’t turn to stone immediately, but his velvet skin started to harden after half an hour.
“I love you, Thorne.”
His eyes widen, because technically, it’s the first time I’ve said it to him. He leans down and gives me a quick peck. His mouth lingers, tickling my lips as if debating whether to mess up my lipstick with a devouring kiss. Instead, he pulls back with a goofy smile.
“I love you too.”
I turn to Vara.
“I love you, my sphinxy pie.”
“Absolutely not. Remove that from your vocabulary immediately.” She laughs, despite her disgust with the nickname, then her face softens because it’s also the first time I’ve said those three little words to her. “And I love you. More than life itself.”
“So dramatic,” I say with a giggle because I wouldn't have her any other way.
Vara doesn’t do simple. She keeps her emotions to herself, only allowing Thorne and me to see her compassionate side. For her to say such a vulnerable thing, especially in public, has my heart beating twice in a row.
Vara’s kiss is more consuming and when she releases me, she licks her thumb and fixes my smudged lipstick.
With a wink, she sends me off.
I walk to the stage and wait in the wings for the announcer to welcome the guests and introduce me as the first speaker of the night.
When my name is called, the crowd erupts in cheers.
I might have heard a few boos, but I push that out of my mind and lift my head high as I head to the center of the stage.
“Esteemed guests, thank you for joining us on this first night of the International Supernatural Conference.”
I pause for cheers and glance to the side of the stage at Thorne. He meticulously scans the crowd for threats. I know Locheran and his security team are doing the same at different vantage points around the room, which is packed with hundreds of supes.
When the applause subsides, I continue.
“This is my first time at the conference in my new role as vampire queen of New York City, and I have been hard at work on a huge project. One that might seem terrifying, but I truly believe it will benefit us in the long run.”
A few heads turn and chatter arises as the supes in the room question what I’m talking about.
“Now, I want you to have an open mind tonight and the rest of this weekend. This is only a plan and plans can change. We want input from you before anything is finalized.” I turn to welcome my guest to the stage. “I’d like to introduce you to Senator Virginia Faraday from New York.”
The noise in the room rises and a few supes take a fighting stance, ready to protect themselves and those around them as the human walks out onto the stage and stops beside me.
“Please,” I say, raising my voice above the chatter. “Senator Faraday knows of our kind. She is an ally.”
Shocked faces stare back at me. A few angry ones too, but mostly curious ones leaning forward, eager for me to continue. The senator is the first human to attend a supernatural conference. Even human mates are not allowed.
“For the past eight months, I’ve been leading a committee for a supernatural unveiling plan. Our members have been making human connections and gauging their reaction to our existence. Senator Faraday is one of those humans who will be advocating for protections for our kind.
“This weekend, we will be hosting panels where we discuss the unveiling plan. We'll hold public forums so you can voice your concerns and ask questions. This is not something we will do if the majority of our community is against it. But we believe the time to emerge from the shadows is now. With technology advancing, it’s only a matter of time before our kind is discovered, and we’d rather be the ones in control of that discovery. ”
A few mumbles of agreement wash over the crowd.
“I know one of the main concerns is the rise in hunter attacks on supes. That’s where Senator Faraday can help.”
I nod and switch places with her. The human isn’t intimidated at all. She holds her head high, looking every bit a politician with her perfectly shaped bun at the nape of her neck, and her black pants suit with a dark blue blouse underneath.
“Thank you, Queen Aldana. I’ve been working with the queen and other committee members about the safety concerns involving the unveiling.
I promise to work with my colleagues in Washington to make sure laws are passed, one’s that would deem it illegal to harm a supernatural being unless it is in self-defense.
This will also protect supernatural beings who rely on humans for life sustenance like the vampires.
Layla has informed me they already have rules in place that require consent for blood donations.
Similar rules will need to be implemented so humans are protected as well.
We must reassure humans and supernaturals alike that we are of no harm to each other.
“I know there are also concerns that supes will be captured and experimented on. That will be another piece of legislation I construct. Humans will be banned from nonconsensual testing on supernaturals. However, you are welcome to offer yourself for testing voluntarily or for a fee. I look forward to speaking with you all this weekend. I will be around at every panel, every forum, to answer your questions and hear your concerns. Thank you.”
She steps away, and I return to the microphone.
“I know that there will always be bad apples amongst our kind, but there are bad humans as well. Humans have laws as we do, but if we move forward with an unveiling plan, then our laws will combine with theirs.”
A low hum falls within the crowd as people turn to their neighbors to discuss and process the announcement.
“Now... over the next hour we’ll have more guests, both humans and supernaturals, to talk about the unity plan. I’ll be back soon for more discussions and announcements and later tonight, there will be a human/supe mixer. Thank you for your time.”
The conference host returns and thanks me and Senator Faraday.
When we’re out of view from the crowd, I shake hands with the politician, and she’s escorted away with her own security team to a green room somewhere in the back.
I turn to find Thorne standing next to me.
“I think that went well!”
He leans down and kisses my forehead. “You were amazing.”
“And no attack!” I glance around him. “Where’s Vara?”
“What do you mean? She was just...”
His voice trails off when he realizes our mate is no longer standing behind him.