Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
Spencer sat on the edge of the bed, holding the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. Lilith and Andrei used to be lovers. He could tell by the way the Romanian looked at her, an ancient flame burning in his eyes that made Spencer’s owl want to gouge the suckers from his face.
Lucky for Andrei—but mostly for Spencer—the man had stayed in control.
His rational human mind had reminded him picking a fight with a hundreds-of-years-old vampire would get him killed at best, served up on a spit with an apple shoved in his mouth at the dinner party at worst. Well, he could think of worse things, but that was a path he wouldn’t allow his mind to go skipping down.
No sense in imagining himself as the star of a horror movie.
Of course, living in The Underworld around all those demons, Lilith was probably used to—expected—men to fight over her.
Spencer didn’t have it in him to throw the first punch, though.
If Andrei started something, he would do his damnedest to finish it, but so far, it seemed the old vampire was just trying to get a rise out of him.
Or had it been a test? Had Lilith orchestrated the encounter to see what kind of man Spencer was? If she was looking for an alpha, she would be disappointed.
Don’t be ridiculous, asshole.
Surely a woman of Lilith’s age and prominence wouldn’t play games like that.
She’d either have to accept him as he was or find someone else to toy with.
His feathers ruffled beneath the surface at the thought of her finding someone else.
No, Lilith had to be his. He would just have to find a way to convince her that she needed a nice guy in her life.
A soft knock sounded from the hallway, and he cleared his throat. “Come in.”
Lilith’s angelic face appeared as she cracked open the door. “The sun will be setting soon. Would you like to see the gardens now?”
“I’d love to.” He followed her through a long corridor lit with electric lamps, their sconces made to look like torches.
When Lilith was here the first time, actual torches probably illuminated the hallway…
the entire castle. They made a left, another left, and then a right before descending a narrow servants’ staircase and exiting onto the back porch.
“You know your way around the castle well.”
She pulled the door shut and gestured for him to walk with her. “I lived here for a time when I first turned Andrei. He and I… He needed guidance.”
He stopped at the edge of the pavement and fisted his hands, the green-eyed monster trying to claw its way to the surface again. “You were lovers.”
She tilted her head, studying his eyes. “Yes, we were.”
“And now?”
“I’m here with you, am I not?” She slipped her hand into his and guided him toward a pristine garden with a bubbling stone fountain.
A topiary shaped like a wolf stood on one side of the structure, a crescent moon-shaped bush on the other.
The sun sank behind the mountains in the distance, the waning light casting a purple glow on the clouds.
Her hand felt cool wrapped in his, and as she twisted her palm to lace their fingers together, warmth spread through his chest. She was there with him, and he couldn’t think of anywhere he’d rather be.
“Why did you break up?”
She was silent for a moment, her jaw working like she couldn’t find the right words.
“Times were different then. Even though I sired him, I’m a woman, so I was considered less-than.
Andrei was a typical brute of the time, and I enjoyed him for a while.
Until he began to assert dominance, to ‘put me in my place,’ so to speak. ”
“He wanted to control you.”
“Yes, he did.”
“I can imagine that didn’t go over well.”
She shrugged. “All men were like that, but I will never agree to a subservient position in any relationship. No woman should.”
“You’re absolutely right. I can’t imagine trying to dull your shine.”
She let out an embarrassed laugh, and if a vampire were capable, she would have blushed. “What about you? Tell me about your life before Hollywood.”
“I grew up in Arizona. My mom never married, so it was just her, my sister, and me. When I was old enough to get a job, I worked at my dad’s feed store, lugging fifty-pound bags of horse food, keeping the stockroom organized.
I stayed there into my late twenties.” He laughed.
“My life’s not nearly as interesting as yours. ”
“It sounds quaint.” She raised her brows. “And absolutely boring.”
“It was. I enrolled in the audio/video program at the local community college, learned how to operate a camera, and headed to L.A. to add some excitement to my life. I worked odd jobs on indie shows until I landed a spot on Expedition Excitement, and well…Rebecca said she told you the rest.”
She nodded. “This blacklist you’re on. It makes it impossible for you to find employment in the industry?”
He nodded. “Which is why this expedition is so important. If our show gets canceled, I’ll have to move back to Arizona. I don’t have any other skills, and lugging feed doesn’t pay nearly enough to afford an apartment in L.A.”
“I will do my best to provide the footage you need. Real evidence. No glamour.”
“Thank you.” He stopped walking and faced her, resting his hand on her hip. “I mean that.”
“It’s my pleasure. And I apologize for Andrei’s negging earlier. He sensed our bond and was subtly challenging you.”
“I figured.” Their bond? Could vampires sense when a shifter had chosen a mate? His owl fluttered beneath the surface.
She grinned. “For a moment, I thought you were going to punch him.”
“The idea crossed my mind.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.” She brushed her fingers down his arm, the softness of her caress raising goosebumps on his skin. “I rather like the sweetness in you.”
His stomach clenched. Of course she did. After her story about Andrei and her experience with Adam, it was obvious. Lilith wanted a partner, an equal. He could be that for her.
He leaned in and brushed his lips to her cheek before gliding them toward her ear and whispering, “Is that so?”
“Mm-hmm.” She inhaled deeply and rested a hand on his shoulder. “You are cinnamony sweet.”
He closed his eyes and nuzzled into her neck, breathing in her intoxicating scent.
He’d been attracted to her from the moment their eyes met, long before his owl staked his claim.
The more he got to know her, the harder he fell.
Lilith was an amazing woman. Nothing like her reputation.
She was the kindest woman he’d ever met.
“Fly with me.” Her lips brushed his ear, making him shiver.
He pulled back to look into her eyes. “You can fly?”
She nodded before shrugging one shoulder. “My body can’t, but my mind can.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can connect with Percival.” At the mention of her familiar’s name, the crow swooped down and landed on the edge of the fountain. “I see what he sees. Hear what he hears. I can feel the wind through his feathers. It’s exhilarating.”
“No kidding.” He gazed up at the crescent moon and the stars sparkling around it. His owl fluttered near the surface at the thought of soaring beneath the silvery light. “Let’s do it.”
Lilith’s smile sparkled brighter than the stars as she sat cross-legged on a stone bench. Resting her hands on her knees, she closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Percival cawed and flew to her side, landing on the bench.
“Are you ready?” Her voice felt like music filling his head.
“You can read minds?” He waited for a response, but Percival only ruffled his feathers impatiently.
“Can you read minds?” he asked aloud.
“Sadly, no. I can only send others my thoughts.”
Nothing sad about that. He didn’t need her nosing around inside his head. “I can’t speak in owl form.”
“That’s okay. We’ll simply enjoy the view and the rush of the breeze.”
If she hadn’t already wormed her way into his heart, this would have done it. He called on his owl, his skin pricking as feathers formed beneath the surface. They sprouted through his pores, and his body morphed into his bird.
Percival…Lilith…flapped the crow’s wings and took to the sky. “Come on, slowpoke.”
Spencer’s heart sprinted, and he took off after her, into the night. They soared over the castle grounds, taking in the magnificent gardens from above. Dozens of ornately crafted topiaries in various animal shapes dotted the grounds, and flowers in every color imaginable spread out beneath them.
Light burned in a downstairs window of the castle, no doubt where the bloody dinner party was happening.
He was tempted to fly down and perch in the window to see what happened at a soiree like this, but he didn’t dare.
He’d finally warmed to the idea of being with a vampire.
He didn’t need to see their blood orgy…or whatever they were doing in there.
“The humans are glamoured,” Lilith said as if reading his mind. “Being bitten is quite a pleasant experience.”
An experience he wanted…needed…to have. Now. He returned to the fountain and shifted to his human form before sitting on the bench next to Lilith. She didn’t move, didn’t breathe. Not that vampires needed to.
She could have been a statue in the garden until a smile tugged at her lips and her eyes fluttered open. “Thank you for that.”
“Thank you. I haven’t had a flying companion since I moved to L.A.”
“Companions. Is that what we are?” she asked.
Being this close to her, his entire body hummed with need. “We could be so much more.”
She drifted toward him. “I’d like that.”
He took her mouth with his, gripping her hip with one hand and cupping the back of her neck with the other. She moaned into his mouth and clutched his shoulders, the sound vibrating into his throat and shocking his heart with enough electricity to send him into cardiac arrest.