Chapter 29 Ian
IAN
I tell Everett almost everything.
I tell him about how I realized shit was about to hit the fan, got a caster to transport me to California, dropped off his dogs, and was about to go make sure Heidi was okay before a vampyr got me.
Then I skim over a bunch of vague, horrifically violent, perverse memories that I don't even consider my own before I finally woke up in control of myself again after Asher Douglas killed my vampyr master.
What I don't tell him is that I've already gone to Heidi's. I definitely don't tell him I'm only here because kissing his sister was a wet dream come true. Or that it also nearly gave me a fucking heart attack when I realized how close I was to losing control and biting her.
I leave all that out, because Everett's viciously protective of his sister—something I respect, but it's not going to stop me anymore.
"Shit," he mutters when I've wrapped up my selective storytelling. "So you're a thrall now."
"Yup."
"That must really…suck."
"If you're trying to be funny, your timing is fucking awful," I grumble. "You know how many of those jokes I've had to put up with in my life? Do you want me to make a crack at you about breaking the ice?"
The elemental holds up his hands in surrender. "Point made. But seriously, thrall stuff aside, I'm really glad you're back."
So am I.
Everett asked me to take in his dogs and take good care of them when he joined the faculty at Everbound University. I'd promised to get them back to him whenever he was done with whatever he was doing there.
Now that he has them back and we've more or less caught up, I'm already dying to get back to Heidi. Is she awake yet? I hope not, because she was clearly still exhausted yesterday as her body healed.
I want to be there when she wakes up and pick up where we left off.
I want her soft moans to drive me insane as I kiss down her neck again, and her mouthwatering curves pressed against me.
Only this time I want no clothes between us as I slide through her wetness, her legs locked around my waist as I thrust and thrust and—
Fuck me.
I need to stop thinking completely, or I'll pop a boner in front of my future wife's brother.
I'm ready to make my excuses and leave, but Everett looks distracted before he glances out the window of his office. As if on cue, I see a fucking dragon land just outside the perimeter of the Amato quintet's property.
And it has a saddle. Who fucking knew dragons could have saddles?
The huge, gleaming monster abruptly shifts into a familiar naked shifter who strolls across the back lawn toward the house. I'm wondering if he just abandoned their keeper when an instant later, Crypt DeLune appears in this office—hand-in-hand with Maven Amato.
Who is completely covered in blood.
The sharp scent of harpy blood punctures my tepid control. For a second, I can only stare at it, splattered and smeared all over the demigoddess's face and black clothes, before Crypt DeLune's eyes narrow in warning at me.
“Take your eyes off her before I feed them to Frost's dogs."
The idea of someone thinking that I’m even capable of checking out anyone other than the woman who occupies my every fantasy has a snarl already rising in my throat.
But Everett's keeper just snorts, motioning at herself and then me, respectively.
"Blood. Vampire. He's thirsty, but not in the way Kenzie uses the word. So, you're Ian."
Finally dragging my attention away from the blood that's trying to demand all my attention as my throat burns, I examine Everett's keeper for the first time. I've heard and read a lot about her, both before the Upheaval and over the last day since I've been back.
Syntyche's daughter is ridiculously famous now. As in most pictures I've seen of her, she's maintaining an impressive poker face, making it impossible to tell what she's thinking.
Until she looks down and sees the big, white fluffballs who are now both wagging their tails at Everett's feet. Then she breaks into a big smile, addressing Everett.
"These are your dogs?"
"Wait, Snowflake's dogs are here?" another voice asks before Baelfire Decimus pokes his head into the office, too.
Thank gods, the big brute is in clothes now.
He gawks at me first. "Holy fuck. Ian Boone? You're still alive? I thought you died ten years ago."
"I'm back," I shrug—because no, I'm not alive, and no, I'm not getting into it again.
Both of Everett's dogs get up and bound over to Maven with wagging tails and tongues lolling out of their happy snouts. The demigoddess wipes harpy blood off her hands as well as she can before petting one of them.
"What are their names?"
"He's Marshmallow, and she's Blizzard," Everett says, pointing to each one.
Baelfire looks at the elemental. "Okay, I understand a walking icicle like you having a dog named Blizzard—but Marshmallow?"
The elemental gestures at the dog in exasperation. "Look at him. Look at all the fluff. What the fuck else was I supposed to name him?"
When the dogs start barking excitedly at Maven, licking her, she laughs, scrunches up her face, and pokes one of their noses with hers.
On cue, all three legacies in this room, who I knew to be assholes growing up, melt a little. They're watching their keeper with such blatant, consuming adoration that I stand, suddenly desperate to get back to the woman who makes me just as pathetically mushy.
Would Heidi want a pet? I don't think shifters usually go for pets, but all I can think about is her curled up on her couch, cozy and giggling with a kitten on her chest.
Or my head on her chest.
Gods, I'm going to make that happen.
I don't realize I've already checked out and started walking toward the door until Everett calls my name. He follows me out of the office, leaving behind the tantalizing scent of harpy blood and his quintet members fawning over their keeper as he walks with me toward the stairs.
"You're leaving already?"
"I'll come back and visit again. I just…"
I have to get back to your sister before I go insane.
Everett stops me with a hand on my arm, his ice-blue gaze concerned as he looks me over.
"I've heard most thralls are wildly unstable right after they've been freed. Tell me the truth. Are you struggling?"
"Come on, Evie. Do I look like I'm struggling?" I gesture to myself—nice, cleaned up, smiling, and glad he can't see the pet delivery guy's blood stain on this black sweater.
"You look like you want to get the hell out of here. I'm guessing it's because you're strung tight right now, trying to adjust, and you're getting blood withdrawals. Why else would you be trying to run like your ass is on fire?"
I pause, weighing my options. I can either tell him I'm losing my ever-loving mind needing blood, or tell him how long I've been unhealthily obsessed with his sister, stalking her and fantasizing about her until her happiness has become the only fucking thing I care about anymore.
"Okay, so I'm a bit of a problem drinker right now," I shrug. "I'm handling it."
He gestures down one of the halls at the top of the stairs.
"We have a couple of guest rooms. Take your pick.
I know being in close quarters was a bad idea when we were kids because your curse made me a danger to you, but I want you to have somewhere safe to stay while you recover from that hell and—"
"Thanks for the offer, but I'm good." I turn, starting to make my way down the stairs.
He pauses. "You know you can't go anywhere near Heidi right now. Right"
Shockingly violent anger pierces through me at the idea of anyone trying to keep me away from my future wife. I go still on the stairs, clenching my jaw without turning around.
Luckily, I keep my voice casual. "I figured."
Everett's not buying it yet, and his tone gets cold with warning.
"I mean it. She's been through enough, Ian.
I'm sure you've already seen what they're putting her through in the court of public opinion.
I appreciate that you looked out for Heidi when I asked you to, but that's over.
All she needs right now is peace and safety to get through the shit she's been dragged into.
If you're not stable, stay the fuck away from my sister. "
That tone is deadly.
I should've known my best friend's hyper-protective instincts about his sister would be even worse right now, thanks to the spotlight that she's had forced onto her.
Pretending I'm just agreeing to keep her safe, I toss a look over my shoulder at him. "Of course."
Thankfully, my selective honesty does the trick. Everett relaxes, thanks me again for bringing his dogs back, and makes me promise to come back soon. Baelfire calls something to him from the office, and the elemental grumbles about the shifter as he turns back to join them.
Just before I can slip out the front door of the Amato quintet's house, another familiar voice says my name. Pausing, I see Silas Crane emerge from a stairway that must lead down to a basement.
I haven't seen the blood fae since we were children, but he was one of the only legacy kids I actually got along with, aside from Everett. Baelfire Decimus used to snark that it was because we're both bloodsuckers, but I just appreciate how practical Silas is.
Still, it throws me for a major loop when I catch a glimpse of his telling blackened fingertips as he holds a sealed envelope out toward me.
I blink. "Please tell me I'm imagining things and you're not a necromancer."
"I can't. Although I can truthfully say I'm glad to see you're still around, after all." The scarlet-eyed fae lifts the letter again. It's lumpy like it contains more than just a letter. "This is for Heidi. I'm trusting you to take it back to her, since I'm swamped at the moment."
I tense, checking furtively up the stairs to make sure Everett isn't there before I look at him again.
"I'm not going anywhere near Heidi."
He sighs, smacking the envelope into my hand like he's running on a short fuse right now. "Everett can't hear you, and I don't have more spare time for this. I won't breathe a word about you or the others staying at her place because frankly, it's not any of our godsdamned business."
I squint at him. "I take it you sensed us through the wards you set?"
"Obviously."
"What's in the envelope?” I hold it up.
"Something she needs."
Vague, but good enough for me. I squint at him, considering. “Any chance you have or know of something an out-of-control thrall might need? Something to help curb the bloodlust.”
Silas is thoughtful for a moment, studying me with those disconcerting blood red eyes of his. “No.”
Damn. At least I know he’s nothing but honest at all times.
“However, my vampire mother once told me that siphons are far more capable of controlling their more predatory urges after they have been bound to their gods-given matches,” he adds, shrugging one shoulder. “A natural presumption, as all legacies grow stronger once they’re bonded.”
I suppose that makes sense.
Not that I give two shits about whoever the gods intended for me, thrall or not. Heidi is it for me, and if it takes longer to muddle through this newly freed thrall nonsense, I’ll just handle it on my own and make sure she doesn’t see me so close to losing control ever again.
Nodding appreciatively at Silas, I turn and leave the Amatos' house, ready to harness my thrall speed once again and get myself back to the woman I love.