Chapter nineteen
Levi didn’t know how to feel. Amaya was finally in his bedroom. He slid his hands in his pockets and watched as she wandered through his room lightly touching his things. He tried to see the space through her eyes.
A king-sized platform bed took up the middle of the room, made up with dark gray bedding. The wall behind it was black with gold marbling, warmed by the shelves and lighting on either side of it. To the right of his bed was his sitting area, the fire place electric, controlled by a switch.
His room was comfortable and his sanctuary. He led her into his bathroom, satisfied with the pleased look on her face. Her eyes took in the sunken tub and the oversized shower with three showerheads. There were fresh towels folded under the floating sink, which he grabbed for her.
“I’ll bring you something to sleep in,” he told her.
“Levi,” she started.
He closed the distance between them. Her exhaustion was evident in the simple fact that she hadn’t yet erected the shield over her mind.
Levi didn’t feel a twinge of guilt for greedily exploring her thoughts.
He read her wariness, but underneath that was her own need that she was actively fighting.
It soothed a part of his ego that worried none of his efforts were getting through to her.
Instead of taking advantage of it, he simply pulled her into his arms.
Amaya sighed, resistant for only a moment before her arms went around his waist. She rested her head against his chest and Levi closed his eyes, savoring the closeness.
“No shit tonight, baby doll. I just want this with you,” he assured her.
She nodded, and he relaxed.
“Shower and I’ll have clothes for you when you come out,” he murmured against the top of her head.
She raised her head and Levi couldn’t resist. He kissed her lips softly, no heat, just comfort.
He unwrapped his arms from her and stepped back, leaving her to take a shower.
His body yearned for hers, but he would not go back on his word to her.
When he re-entered his bedroom, he felt Bas prodding at his mind.
He sat on the edge of his bed and tuned into his friend.
‘What’s wrong?’
‘That meeting with the Collective…they’ve called it for tonight.’
Levi sucked his teeth in aggravation. It wasn’t as though he didn’t work at night, but still. He had plans. He looked towards the bathroom door and resigned himself. Ignoring a summons from the Collective would invite more trouble than it was worth. Levi had no desire to be fighting on two fronts.
‘Let me settle Amaya,’ he told Bas.
His friend pulled out of his mind and Levi closed his eyes to stave off the anger building in his chest. He opened them a moment later, realizing that two hours ago, before Amaya had shielded the Akachi, a summons like this would’ve sent him off the deep end.
There was still residual anger rumbling around in his mind, but in the last few months, that anger would’ve swelled until he blacked out.
Already he was feeling the effects of her shielding.
Cloudiness still hovered around the edges of his consciousness, and were it not for his single focus on caring for Amaya, he was sure his thoughts would be jumbled.
But there was a distinct difference. He put his head in his hands, leaning forward on his knees.
Fuck.
Amaya had saved him.
He summoned a maid with instructions to go to Amaya’s room for her clothes, as well as the dinner she’d skipped to help him.
Ten minutes later, a small knock on his door signaled that his order had been followed.
He allowed them entrance, his mind already getting into work mode.
The maids left as quietly as they’d arrived.
He looked up as the door to the bathroom opened and she stepped from the steam-filled room. Her skin was dewy, the towel wrapped tightly around her voluptuous body. A red haze of lust took over his mind and his teeth ached.
“Come, baby doll,” he called to her, unable to stop the power infused in his voice.
The indecision was all over her face. She bit her lip, her thoughts racing.
“No funny shit,” he promised, holding up his hands in surrender.
She nodded and walked over to him. He gripped her waist once she was within touching distance.
“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he whispered, kissing her soft stomach through the cloth. He stood and towered over her, leaning down to put his forehead against hers.
“I have to go handle some business, but I want you here when I get back.”
Her eyes widened, relief one of her central emotions.
There was some regret, but Amaya quickly pushed it aside.
It was fascinating finally being able to see the way her mind worked.
She compartmentalized better than anyone he’d ever observed, moving her feelings and thoughts around easily.
It seemed her top priority was her and her mother’s safety.
He fucked with that and knew that talking would never get him anywhere with Amaya.
She needed to see action, feel security.
He would make sure that she felt that and more going forward.
“I can just sleep in my room.”
“Please, baby doll.”
Her eyes softened and she nodded. “Be careful with your business.”
He smiled and kissed her collarbone. “You worried about me, my baby?”
She mushed his forehead. “Where are my clothes?”
“The middle of the bed. You’ll be here when I get back?”
She moved out of his arms and leaned over to grab the underwear and gown that had been left for her. He growled as her towel lifted, giving him a small glimpse of her ass. Gods above, he was seconds from jumping on this woman. He needed to leave before he fractured all the good will he’d gained.
“I’ll be here, King,” was her sarcastic reply.
He chuckled, headed towards the door. “I had your dinner brought up. Eat, and then rest, baby doll.”
Her impish smile buoyed him on the way out. By the time he reached the bottom of the stairs, the lightness of his interaction with Amaya was gone. In its place, the anger that he’d tried to set aside flared. Bas and Lucas met him at the door.
“Do you feel different?” Bas asked as they slipped into the armored SUV.
“Hell yeah,” he answered his friend.
“Then maybe there is something to kidnapping your mate,” Bas joked. Lucas laughed from the front seat.
Levi shook his head. “I’m in a good mood, so fuck both y’all.”
Bas snickered as they drove away from the compound.
Less than an hour ago, Levi was in a place where not even aggravation could touch him, and now, as they pulled up to the Archive where the meeting was taking place, he prayed he could hold on to his temper.
His mate was going to sleep in his bed and he wasn’t there to enjoy it.
His hand slipped into his pocket and he caressed the ridges of the antique watch Amaya had gifted him.
It was inexpensive, but the gesture…it pleased him.
It meant that she was thinking of him, even when they were separated.
One more sign that his effort was paying off despite their bad start.
“How we doing this?” Lucas turned and asked, his face back to serious.
“I don’t care what the fuck they want, I’m not letting baby doll go.”
Bas sighed and pulled down his balaclava to obscure his features. “Okay. We matching energy then.”
Levi nodded and looked at the looming building of the Archive. It was considered neutral territory since none of the leadership in the Collective trusted the Bayi on their compounds.
He scoffed. Fucking cowards.
Sophia, the director of the Archive, met them at the door. She nodded her head. “Your Highness.”
“Ms. Sophia,” Lucas said. “How you doing this evening?”
“Don’t start your shit, Lucas.”
“Not you recognizing your baby under the mask,” his friend taunted.
Sophia’s light skin flushed. Levi could only shake his head. She led them to the conference room on the ground floor where they were meeting.
They entered the windowless room and it was already full.
Slatted wood panels covered the walls, matching the décor in the atrium of the Archive, while the room was filled with tall green plants in the corner to soften the starkness of it.
A long oak table in the middle of the room was polished to a bright sheen, reflecting the warm light from the sconces floating over it.
Leather chairs lined both sides of the table, and all seven on the right side were full, leaving the entire left side reserved for Levi.
It seemed he was in the hot seat tonight. Lucas and Sebastian were behind him as he sat and faced the stern looks of the elders gathered.
The Collective was comprised of the heads of the oldest families in the South.
There were representatives for the Chawi tribes, one for the witches, the other representing the warlocks.
Four elders from the Mujaji were seated, the storm gods electing one representative for each element.
Fire, air, water and earth were all present.
Raven’s father, Oliver, was the head of the fire Mujaji and that motherfucker already had a grudge against the Bayi, thanks to her mating with Sebastian.
The last representative was from the Border Mages and his warden.
The mages were in charge of securing the borders of the entire Southern United States and operated in pairs for some reason.
None of these bastards liked him, but if asked, he would say that the Border Mage representative, Lucian, hated him most. It could be as simple as the two of them butting heads at the docks or maybe that bitch had a personal beef with Levi.
He didn’t know and he didn’t care. Fighting with Lucian was tiresome, and were it not for his spot on the Collective, Levi would’ve been buried him somewhere in the woods.
Their various staff members stood scattered behind them and around the room, some taking notes, some looking bored.
Levi eyed them all with barely concealed disdain and waited to see who would speak first. It didn’t take long, the Chawi representative sitting forward in his chair.
The male glared at Levi. “You’ve been accused of kidnapping a young chaos Chawi.”
Levi sucked his teeth at the male’s emphasis on young. Tried to make his shit sound sinister, but he wasn’t falling for the bait, thanks to Amaya. He gripped the heartstone in his pocket to ground himself. Before he could answer, the doors opened and a young female entered, bringing in drinks.
‘They acting like we at a fucking tea party,’ Lucas complained.
‘Gotta play the game,’ Levi told them, accepting the wine from her.
“I haven’t kidnapped anyone.” Levi answered the accusation after he’d taken a sip of the wine.
He frowned at the taste, pushing it aside. The warlock eyed him before shaking his head. He waved for the staff to open the door and Paul walked in, fear and defiance on his face. Bas scoffed behind him.
‘This finna go to shit quickly,’ Lucas warned them.
‘Thanks to Amaya, it won’t,’ Bas assured his friend.
Levi tuned out their conversation, focusing his attention on Amaya’s uncle. What did he think going to the Collective would accomplish? Every time he saw this motherfucker, he regretted his promise to Amaya not to kill him.
This time it was the witch who spoke. “This male has accused you of not only kidnapping his niece, but also her mother, his sister. He claims you are holding them hostage.”
Levi shrugged. “Amaya has taken refuge in my home, yes.”
“You forced her!” Paul interjected.
“You want to tell the class why?” Levi challenged.
Paul swallowed and lowered his gaze.
“Nah, don’t get quiet now. You been spreading my business all across this fucking city. Speak up. Have you told your elders that your sister and her daughter are at my house because you stole from me and tried to sell to the Buru, making it unsafe for them to go home?”
The whole of the Collective turned their attention to Paul then. He blanched under their scrutiny.
“What did you steal?”
“An Akachi piece.” Paul answered.
Levi speared him with a look that promised retribution. He would have one more thing to beg Amaya’s forgiveness for because as soon as he left here, he planned to put her uncle in the dirt.
“You have an Akachi piece?” Lucian snapped.
“What goes on in my compound is of no concern to this council,” was his answer.
Lucian growled, his eyes turning cagey. “It’s against the rules for a chaos witch and Bayi to fraternize.”
He said that shit like it meant something to Levi. Shaking his head, he leaned back in his chair and eyed Lucian.
“This council wanted to keep excluding the Bayi. Y’all gotta pick. You want us to abide by your rules or you don’t want us here? You can’t have it both ways.”
“We’ve invited you to a seat,” the water Mujaji elder said.
Levi nodded. “The negotiations were only finalized weeks ago. If I remember, there were still objections.”
The elders grumbled.
“You will release the girl,” the warlock demanded.
Levi laughed. He had to. It was either that or flip the fucking table over. They would take Amaya out of his house over his dead body.
“Amaya stays with me and I won’t be debating that. So now what?” He sat forward at the table, hands clasped.
The Collective shared another look.
“Mating between the Chawis and Bayi is forbidden. That is non-negotiable,” the witch declared.
Levi said nothing. He would have her and wasn’t shit they could say about it.
“If it’s about the girl’s safety, she can be protected at her family compound,” the earth Mujaji said.
“That’s not happening.” Levi said.
She and her mother would be appalled to know that the council wanted to ship them both to their family compound. From the way Amaya talked about it, he knew she would never voluntarily go. The grumbling around the room started again.
The witch narrowed her eyes. “You won’t budge on this?”
“You’re being unreasonable about this.” This from Oliver. There was nothing but hate in his gaze.
“Was there any other business we needed to discuss this evening?” Levi asked as politely as he was able to.
“I told you, we should’ve never allowed the Bayi into this Collective. They are completely lawless,” Lucian snapped.
“Not completely,” Levi warned him softly.
He could show them lawless if it came down to it. The elders read the threat in his words.
“This is getting us nowhere,” the warlock said.
“On that we agree.” Levi stood. “Perhaps we can discuss this more rationally at our next meeting.”
Levi left the room, ignoring their yelling.
“I thought you would lose your shit in there,” Bas told him.
“The thought had occurred to me, but then they would use it against us all,” Levi reminded his friend.
“Facts,” Lucas chimed in. “What are you going to do about Paul?”
“Ask Amaya for forgiveness after I bury his ass,” Levi promised.
Lucas chuckled and they all got back into the car.