Chapter 25
Chapter Twenty-Five
I waltzed into the manor and hugged an unsuspecting Mateo, who was manning the door. “It’s so good to be home. Did you miss us?”
Mateo had a quick wit, and with a pleasant smile, said, “Were you gone? We hardly noticed.”
I gave him a good-natured punch in the arm. He didn’t flinch or move. Vamps. I was still smiling as I ran up the steps, barely reaching the second floor before I was stopped cold by a chilling voice, almost tripping over my feet.
“You’re expected in Devon’s office. Now.”
I turned and smiled down at the frosty vamp staring up at me. She was in her Wonder Woman stance, hands on hips, and if she had the superhero’s Lasso of Truth, I would have been hogtied and dragged to Devon’s office. Thank the stars magic wasn’t a thing.
“No one told me.”
“I’m telling you.”
“Aah. Can I at least pee?”
It was fun to poke at Simone when I thought I could get away with it. When she scowled, one side of her lip lifting as her fangs dropped, I had to admit I might have gone a bit too far. But nature was calling. And since she didn’t want to chance it, she nodded—stiffly.
“Five minutes.” She didn’t move, and I took that as a sign to skedaddle while I could.
I raced to my room, slammed the door, stripped off my sweater and pants then dropped onto the toilet. I wasn’t lying about that. We hadn’t stopped once since leaving San Francisco. We’d been greeted by a security lead car, two extra vamps in the limo with us, and a second security team close behind. With two cadre in the limo and a copy of the De f?rste dage , there wasn’t any chance of stopping before we reached the manor. I shouldn’t have drunk so much coffee on the plane.
I was in such a good mood, even Simone couldn’t dampen my spirits. Lucas hadn’t stopped smiling since leaving Chicago. He was pleased to return from a successful mission with a copy of the book, but his visit with his sister trumped all of that.
All I could hope for now was that five minutes with Sergi and Simone wouldn’t dampen his joy. Bella and Jacques had looked at him strangely when we met them at O’Hare and then proceeded to tease him all the way home, including the almost three-hour drive from San Francisco. The traffic had been horrid.
One thing about visiting one’s family—whether a great trip or the worst ever—it sticks with you. And there was no doubt Lucas’s visit with Rosalynn would erase all the bad memories.
I slipped on black leggings, a long-sleeved, oversized bright turquoise shirt, and my ballet flats and raced down the hall then stairs, skidding to a stop in front of Devon’s office door. I took a couple deep breaths and finger-combed my hair before opening the door and stepping inside.
Simone sat at Devon’s desk with the cadre around her. Jacques sat in a corner by the unlit fireplace, Lyra on a chair near him, and Decker on a barstool. I dropped onto the sofa near Lyra and turned to face Simone.
She glanced around the room and seemed satisfied everyone was present. “Before we go over the results of Lucas’s mission, I would like to extend a thank you to Ginger from Devon and the cadre for saving Lucas’s life. He told me his wounds were severe enough that he most likely wouldn’t have survived without your quick thinking. If not from his wounds, then certainly from the next wave of vampires.”
I blinked. Her words were unexpected, and I wasn’t sure what to say. I blinked a couple more times before saying the first thing I could put words to. “I know you think everything I did was because of the personal relationship we share. But I would have done the same for any of you.” I didn’t want to, but I gave Lucas a quick side-glance, and he nodded with a slight grin. I breathed a sigh that I hadn’t said anything stupid.
“We believe you.” Her smile should have been comforting. “As your reward, Sergi will be expecting a full report of the incident on his desk first thing in the morning. You should have a copy of the current report format on your phone.”
“Great.” I gave her an extra wide smile. “I appreciate it.” Inside, I was dying. I’d never had to fill out a report before. So much for a fun evening alone with Lucas.
“Now, on to business.” Simone turned to Lucas. “Give us the highlights, and please tell us you have good news.”
Lucas spent the next hour reviewing our steps from the moment we left Santiga Bay to when we returned, including our visit to House Bertrand to visit his sister. I filled in the days he was wounded and unconscious. He ended his report by placing the book on Devon’s desk.
Everyone stared at it. Lyra walked as if in a trance to stand next to Bella. It was a small book, no larger than a paperback you’d buy at the grocery store and about half as thick. Sergi opened the cover and gingerly turned each page, even though they’d been told it was a copy.
“Old vampiric.” Sergi turned a few more pages, then looked at Lucas. “Will you be able to read this?”
“It will take a few pages to get comfortable with it, but it shouldn’t be a problem. But I’d appreciate any assistance.”
“I’d like to read it when you’re done.” Sergi jumped toward the back of the book, and his eyes squinted. “I don’t recognize this language.”
Lucas nodded. “We think it might be a language of the dreamwalkers. I was hoping Colantha could take a look.”
“Colantha and Hamilton returned to New Orleans when Devon and Cressa left for Spain.” Simone made notes on her tablet.
“Why did she leave?” Lucas asked.
“I’m afraid that was my doing.” Lyra returned to her seat, seeming satisfied with the close-up look. “Colantha believed I was too much of a distraction for Hamilton. Everything was fine the first couple of days, but it was apparent he wasn’t assimilating as well as he should. We think it was too much stimuli. She promised to return when Devon and Cressa are home.” Lyra looked sad, and I reached for her hand. “I don’t know if Hamilton will return. It depends on how much progress they make.”
“That’s a good thing,” I said. “We were lucky he kept it together long enough to save himself. He was locked away for a long time. But he has Colantha, and he knows you’re waiting for him. It won’t be too long. But I know how difficult this must be.”
“Can we get back to business?” Simone asked.
Lyra snorted. I wasn’t sure if she meant to, but everyone laughed. I glanced at Simone, who was doing her best to hold back her grin.
Simone cleared her throat. “Decker. I imagine Remus will want to see the book. How’s his old vampiric?”
Decker scratched his head. “I’m not sure. He can probably read it, but wouldn’t it be best to have it translated so everyone can read it.”
“That’s my objective.” Lucas picked up the book and laid it in his lap. “I’ll read through it once, then I’ll go back and translate it.”
“I can help with that,” I offered. Simone and Sergi looked skeptical. “One of my many short-lived jobs was converting speech to text for a finance company.” When the only response was silent stares, I rolled my eyes for effect. “This was before there was technology to do it. I’m a fairly fast typer. If Lucas is comfortable with it, he just speaks the words out loud as he translates, and I’ll type it. He can review the pages as we go to make sure they’re accurate. Even with his review, it should save a lot of time. Or you can buy software to do it.”
Simone considered it. “Lucas?”
“I should have thought of it myself. Whether Ginger or someone else, I agree it would greatly reduce my effort to complete the work. I’d rather not use the software for this.”
“Good. Once you’re done, we can copy the translation.” Simone closed her tablet.
“No.” Lucas’s jaw stiffened. This was something he wouldn’t back down from. He’d made a promise to Philipe.
“What do you mean?” Simone’s tone came with an edge.
“I made a commitment. Even without it, I would still insist. This book has been hidden for centuries. Vampires are willing to kill to keep it that way. We need to know what the book says—in both languages—before we can share it with anyone. Until then, or until Devon says otherwise, the copy of the book, the translation, and a saved backup should be stored together in a single location only known to Devon and the cadre. We’ll destroy the hard drive on the computer to ensure the files are deleted.”
“That seems obsessive,” Simone said.
“I agree with Lucas.” Sergi laid down his tablet and strode to the window. He stared out at who knew what, but it was more than a minute before he spoke. “I have to admit, I was beginning to believe the book was a myth after all. That the whispers of reunification were nothing more than a ruse to keep the myth alive. But now we have the building blocks of truth.”
He turned back to the room. “Lucas is right. We should have sent backup with them. You had vampires follow you in Los Angeles when you and Cressa searched for the book. Based on what Philipe confirmed, the book has something to do with dreamwalkers. We need to tread carefully. The cadre—” He turned and glanced at everyone. “Actually, everyone in this room should read the translated copy. As mentioned earlier, Devon will want Remus to read it. But only one copy, one reader at a time. And I think Remus should read it here. Nothing related to the book leaves the manor.”
Simone considered his words. She seemed to struggle with the whole dreamwalker thing, but in the end, she nodded. “Let’s get the translation completed. That will be Lucas’s and Ginger’s primary task. The rest of us will continue with security details and training. Devon should be back in the next few days. We’re adjourned for now. Decker, can you stay? I’d like to update you on the rogues at Oasis.”
The room began to clear, but before I escaped, Simone called out. “And Ginger, don’t forget your report.”
She always had to have the last word.
Once I escaped Devon’s office with my homework assignment, I walked up the stairs with Lyra, and we stopped on the second-floor landing.
“Anytime you need to talk, just text me, and I’m there.” Not that I could do much for her, but these times called for a shoulder, not a lecture or empty words. “And I don’t mean just about Hamilton. Although I don’t mind reminding you how much that man loves you. He just needs to reconcile his second chance at life. But this has to be incredibly tough on you. I don’t have much experience in this area, but I can make a mean margarita.”
She laughed and pulled me in for a hug. “You always know the right thing to say. How about lunch tomorrow? Lucas will be reading the book, so you’ll have time before the translation starts.”
“Perfect. Just let me know when and where.”
“I wish we could go to a tea house.”
“Or a club.”
“I’ll think of something. Will we see you at dinner?”
“I don’t know. I thought I got enough sleep on the plane, but I’m pretty beat. Dinner in my room sounds pretty good right now.”
“I understand. I’ll let Cook know.”
“Thanks.” I wandered down to my room as Lyra climbed to the third floor. I stripped off my clothes, turned on the tub, and added bath salts. I bounced on my toes as I waited for the tub to get half-filled then stepped in, wincing at the heat of the water until my skin sensitized to it.
I’d barely relaxed against the tub when Lucas strolled in, whistling a tune I didn’t recognize.
“Why are you in such a good mood?”
“That was a perfect meeting, and you’re amazing.”
“Well, I’ll agree with one of those statements.” I ran a hand over my knee, slick from the salted water that filled the room with a lavender and rosemary scent. His gaze followed the motion, and I smiled. Maybe we’d get that night together after all.
“So, what detail did you get assigned this evening?” I picked up a large sponge and soaked it in the water before running it over an arm.
“Um. Detail? Oh. No detail. Simone wants the healer to look me over, so I’m off duty until tomorrow.” He took off his jacket and hung it from a hook. His shirt was next as he dropped it on the floor. He always looked so hot in a tank, showing off his lean, muscled physique.
I rested a foot on the edge of the tub while I squeezed water out of the sponge before running it over my leg in a slow back-and-forth motion. “I’m too tired to go to dinner with the Family. Lyra is having Cook send something up.”
He’d unbuckled his belt and was sliding his pants down. “We must have had the same idea because I stopped by the kitchen on my way here.” He knelt next to the tub in nothing but his tank and jockeys and took the sponge from me.
“Oh.”
He sponged my back in slow, sensuous strokes that made me shiver in the steaming water. “Cook heard we were arriving home today, so he made lasagna.”
“Did you tell him what a wonderful vampire he is?” Cook’s homemade lasagna included freshly made pasta. The thought of it made my stomach grumble.
“Of course. Can you hold this for a moment?” He handed me the sponge and stripped off his tank, his stomach muscles rippling with the movement. His jockeys went next, and I scooted back for him to sink into the tub facing me. He ran his hand over mine as he took the sponge back.
“The others won’t be happy with the heavy pasta dish.” Cook made lasagna on rare occasions since Cressa, Anna, and I were the only ones who consumed large servings. The vamps considered it too heavy and ate little of it.
“He’s also cooking a fresh halibut dish. I think the lasagna was meant for you.” He took my hand and ran the sponge over my arm and then under it before moving to the next.
“I feel like we’re in this weird space. It was like what Sergi said. All that time wondering if the book really existed. Now that we have a copy of it, all we have are more questions.”
The sponge moved across my breasts, and I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, reveling in each warm stroke.
“We have to take each step as it comes.” He straightened his legs and pulled me up to sit on his lap. His cock was hard and rubbed me in all the right places as I straddled him. “First the translations, then we wait for Colantha.”
I took the sponge from him and ran it across his chest. “Maybe you can send her a short paragraph or two, just to see if she recognizes it. Who knows, maybe she’s aware of a dreamwalker alphabet.”
I moved the sponge over his shoulders when he lifted my ass until I was over him, wiggling my hips to find the right spot for him to slip inside.
“Let’s table the discussion for dinner.” He gripped my hips and gently rocked me.
I dropped the sponge. “How long do we have?”
“Little less than an hour.” He kissed me as his hands moved to my ass. Water splashed over the side.
I gripped his shoulders and leaned back, giving him room to dip his head to my breasts. His fangs released and scraped against my heated skin.
All thoughts disappeared except for one. I loved this vamp with my heart and soul. When I thought he might die, a hollowness had enveloped me. A stark terror of a world without Lucas. I tugged him closer, and he lifted his head to run his fangs up my neck. He paused, his tongue flickering over a spot. A vein.
“Bite me, Lucas. Take my blood.”
He’d refused when he was weak and needed it. When he understood we needed his strength to complete our mission, he stopped fussing. I thought he’d ignore me this time. Without warning, his fangs bit into my flesh, and when my hips slowed, he gripped them to keep our rhythm going as the sting from the first sharp bite dissolved into an incredible tingling sensation with each gentle pull at my neck.
Lucas swore my room was nearly soundproof. If not, the entire second floor would hear my scream of pleasure as my body shook from the release. My head fell back, and I might have temporarily blacked out as stars exploded in my head. Colorful flashes of light burst like fireworks as he continued our fast-paced rocking, his fingers digging into my flesh, and all I could think of was—more. I wanted more. Needed more. And several minutes later, maybe less, maybe more, I heard his groan as he reached his own climax.
I fell against him, and he wrapped his arms around me as the cold air on my back sent shivers through me.
“Hold onto me.” He managed to get his legs underneath him and stood with me in his arms.
We dripped onto a floor covered in bath water, and I giggled. “Grab a couple of towels.” He turned so I could reach the towel rack and then carried me past the doorway. I slid down his body until my feet touched the cushy carpet.
He took a towel and ran it over my body, rubbing vigorously, which made my skin pinken. New sensations started all over again. He brusquely dried my hair until I squealed. I tried to dry him off with the second towel, but he was too quick and did it himself. The entire process lasted mere minutes as he lifted me again and tossed me onto the bed.
I scrambled underneath the covers, and he was there in a heartbeat. He pushed my legs up and entered me again. I was surprised he was up for another round so soon, but I wasn’t complaining, thrilled as he released a bit of the beast.
We finished with only five minutes to bask in our afterglow before a knock sounded.
“Stay where you are.” I jumped out of bed and tossed clothes around, searching for my robe. I’d only been back a few hours, and clothes were already strewn around the room. I really was a mess. I found my robe, tied it quickly, then slowly opened the door to peek down the hall. No one in sight. I picked up the tray, managing to not knock over the bottle of wine, and thought I’d come again just from the aromas sneaking out from under the silver-domed lids.
We ate on the bed, me in my robe, and Lucas in his jockeys. I could stare at his chest for hours and licked my lips after each bite of the succulent lasagna.
“You keep doing that, I won’t wait until you finish your meal.”
I grinned and took another bite. “Making up for lost time?”
“It’s difficult to properly make love to you when someone might knock down the door at any moment.”
“Hmm. I don’t remember it being that much of a problem.”
He snickered. “I suppose you never worry with your dagger on the nightstand.”
“It’s more that I have a big, strong, and amazingly skilled vamp in my bed. What’s there to worry about?”
“Skilled?”
“Mmm.” I swallowed a gulp of wine and winked. “In every possible way.”
He laughed and picked up my hand, giving it a gentle kiss. I helped get everything back on the tray, and he moved it to the table. We settled under the covers, our bodies touching. He wrapped his fingers through mine, rubbing his thumb along my skin.
When his eyes met mine, they glowed the warm sapphire of his inner beast for too brief a moment. “This mission made me realize something. Something I’ve known for some time but wasn’t sure the best way to express it. Being near death and then seeing my sister. I don’t want to waste moments, especially with a war looming. A war that I have no clear idea what shape it will take.”
He ran his hand over my hair then slid a finger down my cheek and along my jaw. “I’m desperately in love with you. And I’m not sure what that means for us, or how you feel. I don’t want to scare you away, but I can’t consider my future without knowing you’ll have a place in it.”
I blinked away the tears that came out of nowhere. And he wiped one away that had escaped down my cheek. I gripped his hand. “We live in uncertain times. And if I didn’t know it before, over the last few weeks, I’ve gotten a first-hand look at what that future might hold. The reality is that it might be ten times worse. I don’t want to walk it alone, and neither should the vampire I love.”
He stared at me, the glow in his gaze intensifying. I didn’t know if it was him searching for the truth of my statement or his beast. But when his gaze warmed and the glow faded, he seemed to have found synchrony with his other half.
He grinned, and he was that beachboy vamp I first glimpsed when Cressa found me in the closet after Christopher’s goons had terrorized me. I couldn’t take my eyes off him then, and for however long this lasted, I’d never tire of looking at him.
He kissed me. It was slow and sweet. “You’re sure about this?”
“You mean, am I sure I’ll stick with you through this coming war or that I’m insanely in love with you?”
“When you put it that way, both.”
I ran a hand over his cheek then gripped the back of his neck. “We’re in this together. Two hearts, two minds.”
He laid his head against my shoulder, and I wrapped an arm over his chest. His breathing slowed as he drifted off to sleep. I was likely jinxing myself, but we only lived once. So, I allowed the joy to spread through me as I nestled against him.
At that moment, I was the happiest I’d ever been. And whatever came, I wouldn’t waste a moment loving Lucas.
Thank You For Reading!
But don’t go! Keep reading for more of House Trelane.
Betrayed in Blood
Devon Trelane, leader of House Trelane, is preparing for war—a battle of winner-take-all. He’s aligning his allies and fortifying his defenses. But new secrets are uncovered that raise the stakes higher than he thought possible—secrets that could tear vampire society apart.
But first, he has a personal decision to make. He’d made a deal with Cressa Langtry, aka Pandora. Work for him to complete his mission in exchange for clearing her debt. It was time to release her from that debt. Would she stay and face battle with him? Or find safety among the dreamwalkers?
Cressa never felt like she had a true home until she came to House Trelane, where she was cherished, accepted, and had something to give back. When given the opportunity to walk away from it all, was this the time for her and her best friend, Ginger, to escape the coming war? Or was it time for her to double down on her feelings for Devon?
When news about her biological father reaches her, she makes a decision to track him down. Until she understands where she came from, she’ll never be able to commit to her future.
And now a glimpse…