Chapter 13
Memories
DREAM
LANIAS
“Grandma, why doesn’t momma like me?”
A young Lanias asked while she sat in the window watching her little sister be taken to the car for a movie. Her mother always took Sabina places, but she never got to go. She turned and looked at her grandmother Bea. “Is it because we have different dads?”
“Now what kind of nonsense are you spouting?” Her grandmother demanded from where she was sorting herbs she’d picked up from the garden. “Why don’t you come over here and help your grandma get these herbs straight, hmm?”
Reluctantly, Lanias moved from the chair and made her way to her grandmother’s side.
“It’s not nonsense grandma,” she said settling next to her grandmother and picking up what she recognized to be rosemary.
“I wanted to go see the movie to, but momma told Uncle that she wasn’t dragging me along.
That wasn’t what she was getting paid for,” Lanias frowned, “Is daddy paying her to keep me?”
Lanias felt a soft hand land in her hair. “Don’t you pay attention to none of that. Your mother has always been a special kind of person, don’t let her words hurt you. And if it’s a movie you want to see, I’ll take you.”
“Really?” Lanias looked up, her eyes sparkling. “You’ll take me?”
Her grandma smiled, leaning down brushing her lips across her forehead. “My little miracle, I sure will. Now, don’t tell your mom or uncle about it. They’ll likely ruin it.”
“I won’t tell anyone.”
Her grandmother laughed, lifting her hand she held her pinky up. “Promise?”
Rubbing her hands on her gown, she wrapped her little pinky with her grandma’s. “Promise.”
“Promise.”
Lanias’ eyes opened slowly to see the ceiling overhead.
It didn’t take her long to recognize the room she’d been given by Alek.
She must have pushed too hard causing the magic to lash back.
In all fairness, the healer had told her to be careful, but she had instead used everything she had to assist Alek in taking down that true one.
The sound of soft breathing had her turning her head to find the source. Alek slept next to her; his face completely relaxed. Something about seeing such a powerful Vampire vulnerable did something to her chest.
Lanias wasn’t sure of what to make of the man next to her.
Sometimes she was sure she had a clear idea of who or what he was.
The reveal in moments like when he’d confessed that his Queen had been killed by her father, or now sleeping like a child.
She saw a vulnerable side of him that told her more than anything else that he may trust her more than she thought.
The fact he had any trust confused her.
Why did he believe she was worthy of it?
Even now she could blurt out that she was the daughter of Eris. Yet she feared what his reaction would be. Would he look at her as he’d looked at Fabian. His eyes cold and full of hatred, and if his goal was to kill her father would it upset him to know she was sure that had already happened.
So many pieces intersected and crossed in their lives, she didn’t know where to begin unraveling it all. With non-human Beings, it was natural if things came full circle. When you had a few people that lived longer than a few centuries it was bound to happen at some point.
Lanias lifted her hand toward his face. She wasn’t sure she could reciprocate the same amount of trust that Alek showed her. It made her nervous to think he’d already seen her at her most vulnerable.
“Have you finished staring?” He suddenly asked capturing the hand she’d reached out toward his face. Those moon-colored eyes took in her features, “If you haven’t, we can remain here a little longer.”
She felt her cheek turn hot and looked away, “I thought you were asleep.”
“Oh, so if I was asleep, you’d have continued being a voyeur, good to know.” He chuckled, rising. “If I had known that sleeping next to you would make you fall for me. I would have done it sooner.”
She turned her head once more, sending a less fond glare his way. “You would have been skewered. I’d have hated to ruin one of Tiller’s toys. I only wanted to ensure what I was looking at was real.”
He didn’t bother covering his nude chest and seeing it Lanias found herself to be impressed.
Alek was built well, his smooth skin covering a ripple of muscle that made her think he still worked out.
The way he’d moved during his fight with the True One had been with all the grace of a warrior.
Emphasizing his vampiric heritage, revealing his familiarity with fighting that had exposed to her that at some point in his long life he’d needed to fight to survive.
“Were you a warrior in the past?” Lanias winced at her badly worded question. He hadn’t yet released her hand and brought it to his lips with a mischievous look coming to his face.
“At one time long ago in my life, I was. Of course you know vampires tend to live very interesting lives. I wasn’t the type to luxuriate in wealth from decade to decade.
I enjoyed working with humans and playing in their empire games.
” He laughed, “Some lead to my “death” others won me favors and treasure.”
Lanias observed him thoughtfully and then asked. “Just how long have you been alive?”
Alek lowered her hand. “That question is a very human one. It’s not something I expected from you.”
She shrugged, not feeling embarrassed but a little insulted.
Comparing her to a human, really?
“I’ve always been curious about it. I mean humans enjoy the Vampire existence for your immortality and looks.
But from the day you become what you are, you’re no longer a player but an observer in this realm.
This makes me curious about your thoughts.
If you see humans having changed much over time or have Beings always been this way?
” She rolled to her side and looked up at him.
“Some of your kind resent time, while others seem to enjoy it.”
He snorted, “It’s not enjoyment that you’re seeing.
It’s acceptance It’s them acknowledging that even they don’t live forever.
And when they realize their mortality within the mask of immortality, things become precious once more.
Those that continue in despair generally arrange to run toward death.
They struggle to accept that even for a Vampire there is death. ”
“Death is inevitable for everyone.” Lanias whispered.
“For humans, life is like a long blink. They open their eyes to life and close them in death. For my kind it’s like a long never-ending walk,” Alek said.
“Occasionally we’ll stop to admire a wilting flower here or there but eventually we move on until suddenly there isn’t any more pathway, left to walk on.”
“And for Surrem it’s a brush of wind against the cheek,” Lanias asked.
Alek’s expression stiffened.
“Do you think they even feel it?”
“I don’t know.” Alek answered honestly, the fingers of his other hand trailing her arm.
“And honestly, I don’t care to find out.
My only focus all this time has been revenge for the loss of my people and my wife.
My hope is that however time appears in their reality, I’m the one who will cut it short. ”
For a long while the two of them remained still in silence together.
Lanias slowly began to feel uncomfortable. The quiet comfort of Alek next to her brought awareness to yet another part of herself she purposely had ignored.
Even though she was a Witch and Alek was a Vampire, this quiet time between them felt normal. It was so very human in its simplicity.
She couldn’t help taking comfort having this man next to her, despite knowing now that he was an enemy to her father.
“I want to find out about my uncle, he’s the one who gave me to Sabina’s mother.” Lanias spoke, deciding to share a bit of her story. He looked at her in surprise.
She pulled at her hand as she grew embarrassed by his stare.
“Don’t look at me like that, I just felt like sharing since you told me a bit about your past, I thought should do the same.
” She sat up into a sitting position. “I spent more time with my grandmother than my own mother growing up but never knew why. When my uncle died, I got his things, and one of those things was his journal. In it he’d written how I came into this living arrangement.
Stanthos gave me to him when I was a baby, which is why I wanted to find him.
I wanted to find out about my real parents.
That’s why I’m looking into him and want to help that kid. I want to learn about my past.”
“Do you know how dangerous the thing you're hunting is?” he asked, brows drawing low as he looked at her with concern. “They don’t understand mercy. Or kindness. They care only about what they want. They're monsters.”
She laughed, “Monsters? I’m sorry, but Alek, we’re all the same.”
He frowned at her words. “What?”
“Monsters, demons, Witches, vampires.” She ticked them off with her fingers.
“None of us are innocent and to be honest, when humans think of any of us it’s usually with fear.
I’m not saying the Surrem aren’t an incredibly powerful enemy or aren’t terrible.
Only that they aren’t the only monsters in the world.
Hell, they’re even monsters amongst the human race. ”
Alek responded with deep concern, “You don’t understand, but you will one day, and I hope it doesn’t cost you your life.”
As she reached over and covered his hand with hers. “Alek, I am not afraid.” Her gaze was steady, “I only fear dying not knowing why I’m here. I’ve played so many roles, and for once I want to give in to this selfish desire to learn more about myself and where I come from.”
“You’re a Witch, isn’t that good enough?”
She chuckled, “I would at least like to know my mother’s name. Even if that’s all I find out, I want that.”
He cupped her chin with his free hand and drew her closer. “You push a hard bargain, when all I want to do is keep you safe.”
She covered his hand with hers. “Isn’t that why we made a deal, you can keep me safe while I give everything up to you? I think between the two of us, you’re the one who ran a harder deal.”
He smirked. “Vampires are known to be merciless.”
Lanias lifted her chin, “So are Witches.”
In answer Alek leaned down and took her lips with his.
The kiss started soft but the pressure slowly started to build as it went on. Their lips moved together as her heart began to race.
Lanias had endured kisses from more powerful men than Alek. She’d endured the slobbering of those who’d thought her being a female would make things easy for them. And never once did she feel the urge to surrender, but under Alek’s hand she softened.
Her lips parted, allowing the kiss to deepen Alek ensured intensity continued.
The alignment of his body against hers wasn’t an invasion, but more a welcomed merger. He felt like she’d always thought he would, powerful muscle wrapped in silk that felt like a liquid sculpture pressed against the curves of her body.
The taste of him was cool to the tongue and refreshing to her soul. She moaned as he embraced her while smoothly maneuvering her into place beneath him.
Lanias thoughts converged in wonder if this what it meant to surrender everything?
Her heart was beating in her ears, as her tongue gently brushed against his. The pressing need between her legs grew. She allowed herself to admit to wanting him.
Her magic slowly slipped from her control as her desire grew.
He released her lips, moving so that he breathed heavily against her neck. She could feel the scrape of his teeth there.
“I want you.” His voice was thick with need.
“I want you too,” she whispered back.
This string of attraction was pulled taught between them. A single wrong move could make it snap.
He looked up, meeting her gaze and then pulled away to the opposite side of the bed and turned his back to her. “I know there is something you’re hiding from me. I will wait until you’re truly ready to give me your all.”
With that he stood, his from disappearing in a cloud of red mist.
Lanias couldn’t believe him.
What did he expect her to do, just vomit everything out?
She had held onto secrets throughout her entire life. She wasn’t just going to risk everything on hopes and prayers. Their sexual tension be-damned.
Rolling over she jerked her blanket higher, fuck she’d sleep it off and later once awake she’d go and speak with Fabian to see what he knew. Though from his actions with the staff she knew he was a half-breed like her. So, Stan must have been collecting them to make sure they remained safe.
The only question was what had triggered the true Surrems to come and hunt the half-breeds like her down. Surely it couldn’t only be the gate she opened. Not that she had done that herself, Zaharis had provided significant help.
Closing her eyes, she let her mind drift away on that thought.