Ivy
Killian.
Her head was pounding. Her mouth was dry, but a pleasant taste lingered on her tongue. She was in Leseldh’s parlour, but she didn’t remember how she got there. Where’s Leseldh?
With an effort, she reached out for Killian’s hand and thanked him. Finare eventually opened his eyes, but they were glassy. He looked as disoriented as she felt. Killian began to question them, and she learned that Finare remembered less than she did.
“You could send Ozias to look for them,” Killian suggested.
Ivy looked to her Erath, and noticed he was perched on the arm of the couch beside her.
Ozias. Can you… find… Phaedra and… Leseldh? She formed the words in her mind, squinting with the effort it took.
It took Ozias a moment to respond. I will try.
He hopped off the couch and took flight.
“Now what?” Finare’s voice was groggy.
“Do we wait for them to return? They can’t stay away forever.” Ivy was surprised at the clarity of her thought process.
“This place makes my skin crawl.” Killian grimaced as he looked around the parlour. Ivy couldn’t help but agree.
“How do we get back home, though?” Killian’s eyes snapped towards Ivy’s at her mention of home, and a smile spread across his lips.
“I have a spare key upstairs,” Finare groaned as he slowly rose from his seat.
“Let’s get the fuck out of here,” Killian replied.
Finare tentatively moved upstairs, still unsteady on his feet from the effects of the drugs. Ivy waited by the gaping mouth of a doorway, eager to leave this mansion behind. Killian took her into his arms, pulling her to him.
“I’ll fucking End him for hurting you.” Ivy felt the vibrations of Killian’s growling voice as she leaned against his chest.
She pulled back to quirk a brow at him. Killian’s swirling red-and-black eyes fell to her throat, and it seemed to awaken a throbbing pain there. She raised her hand to it, finding the flesh tender.
“I don’t remember,” she uttered. The black crowded Killian’s eyes in response.
Finare returned, carrying a small pack of items from his bedroom, and his spare key dangling from his finger.
“You’re not taking anything with you?” Finare looked at Ivy, who stood empty handed as Killian opened the front door.
“When I first arrived in this house, all I had with me were my blood-stained clothes. Now, everything I need is standing here with me.” Ivy reached her hands out to both Finare and Killian and smiled.
Once outside, they piled into Finare’s car and left Veldmoor in the rear-view mirror.
The next week was spent in Diarom, and Ivy felt more at home there than she ever had in Veldmoor. Finare eventually drifted back to the mansion—he planned to keep watch for signs of Leseldh and Voresta’s return. Ivy sent Ozias with him so he could report back if they did.
Ivy and Killian fell into an easy rhythm with each other—she woke up beside him at the start of each night and nights usually began and ended with them exploring each other’s bodies passionately and voraciously.
Once they could tear themselves away from each other, Killian would move downstairs and exercise, and Ivy would watch from the couch, practically drooling at the display.
Killian showed Ivy around the apartment building, including the rooftop which had an unparalleled view of the city and beyond.
The best place to enjoy that view was from the pool, where the water seemed to spill right over the edge of the building.
They spent several nights up there, and Ivy could almost forget that a fight loomed on the horizon.
Ivy knew in her heart that she hadn’t seen the end of Leseldh.
He’d waited 134 years for her, and she knew that he wasn’t simply going to let her go without a fight.
The memory of her trip to Veldmoor returned to her in patches.
She recalled Leseldh’s hands on her throat, and drinking wine with him and Finare, and while the conversation eluded her, she knew that it wasn’t the celebration that it seemed.
Although she wanted to simply move on with life with Killian, the promise of Leseldh’s return was a nagging thought in the back of her mind, and she knew they’d be foolish if they didn’t prepare for it.
Ivy encouraged Killian to explore his Blood Gift, and she saw his mastery of the fire within him improve each night.
They also confirmed that the key to exchanging their Blood Gifts was in consuming each other’s blood. Ivy trained whenever she was imbued with some of Killian’s fire. Tonight, they discussed their next move as they took turns lobbing bursts of fire into the pool.
“I think we should return to Veldmoor to wait for them.” Ivy watched Killian launch a series of small fireballs from his hand. They hissed as they landed in the water.
Killian’s distaste was evident on his face. “We don’t know when they’re going to return. We could be waiting forever. I’d rather do that here.”
“Finare’s last note said that Voresta left his weapons behind, which means that they left in a hurry, or they always planned on coming back.” Ivy raised her hand and flung it outward, sending a spear of fire towards the pool.
Killian let out a low whistle.
“Nice.” He moved to stand behind her, and she was immediately met with the warmth of his body against her back, offsetting the cold night air on the rooftop.
“Try and aim for this.” Killian conjured a ring of fire and sent it outward to hover over the pool.
He was able to hold it in place so that Ivy could take aim, and Ivy glanced over her shoulder at him in wonder.
She flicked her hand and sent another spear outward, but it flew over the top before fizzling in the air.
“Try again.” His hand reached up to brush her hair aside. He wrapped his arms around her waist and leaned in to nuzzle her neck.
Ivy struggled to concentrate, and when she sent another lick of fire from her fingers, it faded before even reaching the ring. Killian’s eyes remained fixed on her training even as he explored her skin with his mouth.
“That’s not fair, you’re distracting me,” Ivy whined, raising a hand to rest upon one of Killian’s.
“You have to expect distractions in battle.”
Killian’s fangs grazed Ivy’s neck, and Ivy watched as the ring doubled in size before her. Ivy marvelled at Killian’s control of his Gift, even when facing distractions of his own making. She tilted her head to the side for him, and purred, “Show off.”
“Again.” Killian nipped at her neck. The feeling of pleasure-pain sent a shockwave of desire through Ivy’s body.
She tried to clear the fog of lust from her mind to focus on the ring. She sent another spear of fire towards it and let out a celebratory whoop when it sailed through near the ring’s upper rim.
“Keep going.” Killian’s tongue flicked against Ivy’s pulse, and her breath hitched. She watched as the ring began to shrink again, providing a rising challenge.
Ivy took a deep breath and concentrated, trying to ignore the sensation of Killian’s mouth on her neck.
She sent a series of fiery spears at the ring, but after four sailed through the ring at different angles, the fifth faded and died after it left her fingers.
She tried again, but the tiny well of borrowed power had run dry.
The ring of fire dissolved into smoke and drifted away on the breeze.
“That lasted longer than last time.” Killian spun Ivy around to face him. His hands found their way to her hips, and she could feel the warmth of his hold through the thin fabric of her dress.
Ivy lifted her arms and rested them on his shoulders, which forced her chest to graze against his. She felt the heat radiating off him and she couldn’t help but purr in satisfaction. Killian’s responding laugh was a rumble against her chest.
“It seems the more blood you take, the stronger the Gift is.”
Ivy nodded in response. Killian ran his thumb across her hip, and she was painfully aware of the movement. He fixed her with his red-and-black stare, and the intensity in his eyes made her insides clench.
“So, how did I do?” Ivy’s fingers played with the ends of Killian’s hair at the nape of his neck.
“You’ve got pretty good control, but we need to add target practice to your training regime.”
“Do you think we’re ready?”
“We will be.” Killian’s confidence was inspiring, and it encouraged her to push her agenda.
“When will we head to Veldmoor?” She bit her lip after posing her question.
“Not before I take you to our bedroom and taste every inch of your body.” Killian fixed her with a stare that sent desire surging through her, and she didn’t resist as Killian led her towards the elevator.