Chapter 30
CHAPTER 30
JULIET
V alaric gathers me into his arms before he spreads his massive wings and takes off into the sky. I wrap my arms tight around his neck as he ascends above the cliff wall and heads straight for the manor.
He lands on the balcony, outside my bedroom, and rushes inside. “I want you to wait here while I speak with Aerlyx. I’ll come for you as soon as I can.”
“Is he dangerous?” I search his eyes. “Are you worried he might try to harm me?”
“No, but he may try to steal you.”
Worry trips my heart. “What?”
“I will return soon.” He gestures to the door. “Lock this when I leave.”
“Valaric, wait!”
“Stay here, Juliet.” His crimson eyes pierce mine. “I will ward the room.”
Before I can say anything else, he steps out into the hallway and shuts the door behind him. Purple light flashes around the frame before fading into a soft glow and then disappearing into the wood.
I drop my head into my hands with a low groan. My entire body is still humming with unfulfilled need and desire even as indignation rises within at how quickly Valaric left, locking me away in my room with barely an explanation.
Frustrated, I begin pacing, trying to burn away the pent-up energy still coursing through my veins at the memory of his touch. My heart pounds as I remember the feel of his hands on my body and his lips covering mine. I wanted him so much, but I was also so nervous. It’s the reason I told him to stop. I’ve never done this before and I wanted to slow down a bit. I wanted to talk to him about it, but we were interrupted.
Drawing in a deep breath, I push down my desires and direct my focus to my anger. This isn’t going to work. He cannot simply lock me away whenever he feels the need to protect me. I understand him wanting to make sure I’m safe, but keeping me confined is another thing entirely.
My thoughts drift to Lord Stryker and how he regarded Maryl—as if she were a pet. And while I do not believe Valaric treats me the same, in this moment I feel more like a thing he needs to hide away and protect, instead of a person.
“We are going to have a very long conversation when you get back,” I murmur under my breath. “Locking me in a room is not acceptable.”
“Well, well, well.” The hairs rise on the back of my neck at the unfamiliar voice. I spin toward the sound to find glowing lavender eyes blinking at me from the corner of the room. “What have we here?”
A tall, dark figure peels away from the shadows and steps into the light. Wearing only a pair of black trousers and boots, he is as tall as Valaric and heavily muscled. He has lavender skin and pointed elvish ears. His deep purple hair is cut short and slicked back, accentuating the two proud horns that curl back from his forehead. His face is sharp lines and angles, with a prominent nose and a slightly pointed chin.
Large purple, leathery wings spread out from his back while a long, arrow-tipped tail swishes lazily behind him. Short black claws tip his fingers. He flashes a smile that would probably be considered handsome if not for the wicked, white fangs peeking from between his dark lips.
“Who are you?” I ask the question automatically even though my mind has already come up with the answer.
This must be the Incubus Valaric spoke of. When I was a child, my grandmother told me several stories about Incubi, all of them cautionary tales. Fear ripples down my spine when I remember Valaric warded the door. No one should be in this room.
“How did you get in here?”
“I’m an Incubus,” he replies smoothly, his voice rich like silk. “There are very few wards that can deter my kind. Especially when a lovely woman is involved. I am Aerlyx,” he says with an exaggerated bow. A sly smile curls his lips, a mixture of mischief and curiosity reflecting in his gaze. “I’m a friend of Valaric’s. What shall I call you, my Lady ?”
Even though he knows my husband, I’m not entirely sure I trust him.
He stalks toward me with predatory grace, and I take a few steps back, putting some distance between us. “I am Lady Juliet Greyvale.” I tip up my chin, feigning a bravery I do not quite feel right now. “Why are you here?”
He cocks his head to one side. “Your husband summoned me to meet him.”
“No.” I narrow my eyes. “I meant: Why are you here in my room?”
“Do not worry, Lady Greyvale. I mean you no harm. I was merely curious about you.” A playful smirk twists his mouth as his eyes rake over my form. “And I believe I understand now why Valaric is so interested in strengthening his protective wards.” He moves closer. “And I’ll do it, of course. Though I must admit, I am far more interested in getting to know you better first.”
I take another step back. “I am married.”
“I know, Lady Greyvale .” He chuckles. “But I am an Incubus”—he waggles his eyebrows—“and I promise you I am much more interesting than that brooding Vampire you call a husband.”
I cross my arms. “I’m not interested.”
“Give me a chance.” He flashes a seductive grin. “Perhaps I can change your mind.”
A menacing growl echoes from the hallway a moment before wind buffets my dress as Valaric rushes to my side with inhuman speed, his eyes black as pitch. “Back away from my wife,” he snarls, pulling me behind him. “She is mine.”
“Really, Valaric,” Aerlyx admonished, feigning offense. “You wound me. I may be an Incubus, but do you truly believe I’d try to steal your new bride? How could you even think such a thing, my old friend?” He tsks. “I was merely teasing. Besides, I would know she was yours even without your chest beating declaration. I can smell you all over her.”
A mischievous gleam enters his eyes. “My apologies if I interrupted your newlywed activities on the beach with my arrival.”
He winks at me, and hot embarrassment scalds my cheeks.
Valaric growls at the Incubus, but he ignores it and continues. “I thought it was strange of you to request extra wards, but”—he looks around my husband to me and flashes a devilish grin—“now I believe I understand.”
He winks at me again. “Really, Valaric, I’m surprised you haven’t already had dozens of hunters and unmated males trying to break through your defenses, hoping to liberate your lovely wife from the evil thrall of her Vampire husband.” His eyebrows lift. “Or perhaps even a few of your own kind may be interested in stealing her away from you, taking her as their own blood wife.”
“ No one will take her from me.” Valaric growls. “Are you going to strengthen the wards or not?”
Despite his terrifying appearance in this moment, I love how fiercely protective my husband is of me. It makes me feel safe and cherished.
Aerlyx shrugs. “That depends.”
“On what?” my Vampire snarls.
A sly grin spreads across the Incubus’s face. “Tell me.” He leans in. “Do you still have any of that Elvish wine in your cellar?”
“You drank five bottles the last time you were here,” Valaric says pointedly. “I only have four left.”
“Excellent!” Aerlyx claps his hands together. “Crack open a bottle while I work on the wards. We’ll drink when I’m finished.”
Valaric purses his lips. “Don’t forget the beachfront, and you will need to do the wards at the castle as well.”
“Easily done,” Aerlyx says. “I’ll be back shortly.” He snaps his fingers and disappears in a puff of purple smoke.
My jaw drops. “How did he do that?”
“His kind are able to teleport,” Valaric explains. He turns to me. “Forgive me. I should have given you more warning about his… eccentric personality.”
“I’ve never met an Incubus before,” I reply, “but I’ve heard they can be very mischievous.”
“Consider yourself fortunate to have avoided them until now,” Valaric grumbles. “Most are more trouble than they’re worth. This one is good with wards, however, and aside from his rather forward manner of speaking, he is relatively harmless.”
My mind snags on the term “relatively,” but I push aside my worry. Despite his complaining, Valaric obviously trusts him. If he didn’t, he certainly would not have asked the Incubus to help him enhance the wards here at the manor and the castle.
As if sensing my concern, Valaric adds, “He may be a bit irritating, but he is not a bad person. He’s an Incubus. It is simply his nature to flirt, to tempt, and to tease.”
I am curious about how they know each other. Especially since they are quite opposite in personality. “How did you two meet?”
“We—”
“Excellent question,” Aerlyx calls out from somewhere nearby. I turn toward the sound of his voice and stare, gaping as he steps out of a purple ring of smoke. Once he’s through, it swiftly vanishes behind him. “How about we discuss it over a meal together?”
He saunters toward us, a wickedly playful gleam in his eyes. “I would love to tell you the details of our meeting, Juliet. And then you must tell me how this brooding Vampire swept you off your feet and convinced you to marry him.”
Valaric frowns. “You cannot possibly be finished with the new wards this quickly.”
“Oh, but I am.” Aerlyx looks down at his hands, picking at his claws as if bored. “I assure you, they are all done.”
“How?” Valaric asks incredulously. “The last time you were here, it took you five days.”
“What can I say?” He shrugs casually. “My skills have improved.”
My husband narrows his eyes.
“All right, all right,” Aerlyx holds up his hands in a placating gesture. “I’ll admit that, in the past, I may have stretched the truth a bit about how long it takes me to create wards. But did it ever occur to you that perhaps I simply wanted to spend more time with a friend?”
“You drank almost all of my wine last time you were here.”
“In my defense.” Aerlyx grins. “I was drinking for two.”
Surprised, my gaze drops to Aerlyx’s abdomen. I’d never heard of a male demon carrying a child, but perhaps—
“I meant that I was drinking for me and him.” Aerlyx points to my husband and winks at me, obviously having figured out where my mind had wandered.
Valaric growls low in his throat and I have a feeling things are going to be rather tense at dinner.