Chapter 13
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Mmm… Spencer.
Her mouth watered at the memory of his taste. Perhaps it had been her imagination. Deirdre had planted the idea of a cinnamon roll in Lilith’s head, but Spencer’s blood had sung with notes of spices and copper.
Her stomach tightened, and her lips curved into a smile as the memory danced through her mind. She didn’t use an ounce of glamour on him, and his reaction to her raw bite had been orgasmic…for both of them.
The ringing silenced, and she reached for him. He stirred, moving toward her and tugging her to his bare chest. Sweet Persephone, how she loved his warmth. She snuggled against his naked body and closed her eyes.
It was no wonder people raved about this soulmate business.
A week ago, Lilith had called the idea bogus.
In her mind, the idea of fate creating another person to complete her had sounded preposterous.
Yet now, lying here wrapped in Spencer’s embrace, complete was the perfect word to describe how she felt.
Like a huge part of her soul had been missing all her life because it resided in this beautiful man.
She was finally whole.
She couldn’t wait to check in with Deirdre to see how Esther was fairing. If her familiar’s fate truly did depend on Lilith finding happiness, the snake was probably slithering all over Deirdre’s house, her color and her appetite back to normal.
The ringing ensued again, and this time, it was Spencer who groaned.
“Ignore it.” Lilith held him tighter. “I’m not ready for this moment to end.”
He pressed his lips to her head and inhaled deeply. “Neither am I, but it’s probably Alan.”
He leaned over the side of the bed and rummaged through his discarded clothes. “Damnit, Alan. Not a video call.” Pushing to a sitting position, he leaned his back against the headboard.
Lilith sat up, holding the blanket to her chest, and Spencer scooted toward her until their bodies touched from their shoulders to their hips and down the length of their legs. “Should I give you some privacy?” she asked as he held the phone out in front of him.
He clutched her thigh with his free hand. “Don’t you dare.” He hit the button to answer the call. “Hey, man.”
“Dude, I’ve been calling for the past ten minutes. The driver dumped us and our gear outside the gates. He refused to pull all the way in.”
“Sorry. I just woke up.”
“Damn nocturnals. The sun’s setting now. Get your ass out here and help us carry all this stuff in.” He squinted, bringing the camera closer to his face. “Lilith?”
Spencer angled his phone toward her, so they were both fully in view.
“Good evening, Alan. Hi, Rebecca.” She wiggled her fingers at the camera.
Alan stared, his mouth agape, and Rebecca grinned and said, “This is the part where I say, ‘I told you so.’”
Spencer chuckled. “Yeah, you did. Give us a minute to get dressed, and we’ll meet you at the gate.”
Alan blinked, regaining his composure. “All right. Thanks.”
Spencer pressed End and lowered the phone to his lap. “Is it wrong that I wish they’d missed their flight?”
She rested her hand on his chest, and his stomach tensed. “Perhaps, after you get the footage you need, you could come to The Underworld for a bit. I could give you the grand tour, and you could meet Esther.”
“I’d like that.” He brushed his lips to hers before sliding out of bed. “Where is Percival? I haven’t seen him since we flew last night.”
She reached out with her mind to connect with her crow and found him pecking at an ear of corn on a nearby farm. Typical. “He’s out having breakfast.”
“I feel bad for locking him out all day.” Spencer bent over to retrieve his clothes, and Lilith’s stomach fluttered at the sight of his backside. His build was slim yet defined. Not overly muscley, but just toned enough to make her insides burn.
She caught a glimpse of his dick before he pulled on his underwear, and she ran her tongue over her lip at the memory of the way he tasted, how he felt inside her, filling her fully.
She would have him again before the night was through and every night for the rest of her existence if she had her way.
“He’s fine. Percival appreciates his freedom.” She rolled out of bed and dressed, pushing thoughts of all the things she wanted to do with Spencer to the back of her mind for now. They had work to do.
She laced her arm around Spencer’s bicep and walked by his side down the stairs. Andrei met them in the foyer, and he inhaled deeply, his brow lifting in surprise. “Can this be?”
Spencer stiffened, and Lilith patted his shoulder. “Can what be, old friend?” she asked.
“The Queen of the Night has found a soulmate in a shifter after all?” He lifted a finger. “Don’t try to deny it. I can smell your bond.”
“Indeed, I have. Be a dear and help Spencer’s friends with their equipment. They are waiting outside the gate.”
“Stefan.” Andrei waved over one of his human servants. “Take Daniel and retrieve the visitors.”
“I better go too.” Spencer followed the men out the door, but Lilith hung behind with Andrei.
“How did this happen?” Andrei eyed her, an amused grin curving his lips.
“Speed dating of all things.”
“I assume you’ll be turning him soon. Or are you still enjoying the taste of his mortal blood?”
Lilith ground her teeth. “He doesn’t want to be turned.”
“Oh, dear. That is quite the conundrum, isn’t it?”
“We’ll figure it out. I’m going to help them.
” She strode out the door and jogged to catch up with Spencer.
Thinking about their “conundrum” now would only drag her mind into a dark place.
A place she needed to avoid until Esther recovered.
Besides, fate wouldn’t bless her with this much happiness unless there was a solution to their predicament. She would figure out what it was.
Spencer caught her hand, and Percival cawed from a nearby tree. She lifted her free hand, and he swooped down to perch on her fingers. “I trust you had a pleasant day.”
He cawed in response and took to the sky once more.
As they reached the gate, Stefan punched in the code to open it. They gathered the gear and returned to the castle to find Andrei standing in the doorway. Rebecca hoisted her camera onto her shoulder, and Alan stopped, turning on his television smile to narrate their journey.
“We finally get to meet the mysterious man whom all the locals believe to be a vampire, Andrei Lupu, the fourth.” Alan gestured with his head, and Rebecca panned the scene before focusing on the door.
“I bid you welcome.” Andrei bowed formally, and though he spoke perfect English, he thickened his Romanian accent for the show.
He’d even donned a regal black cape identical to the one he wore back when Lilith first turned him, and he threw it back with a flourish before turning on his heel and gliding into the castle.
“That was awesome.” Rebecca turned off her camera before entering the vampire’s home.
Lilith rolled her eyes. Andrei always had a flair for the dramatic, and it seemed it hadn’t lessened with time. “You two must be exhausted from travel. Do you want to head up to your rooms and rest, and we can continue tomorrow?” Because the bedroom was exactly where she wanted Spencer.
“Are you kidding?” Alan clasped his hands behind his back and peered at one of Andrei’s old suits of armor. “I’m way too wired to sleep. Are you up for an interview, Mr. Lupu?”
“Always. And please, call me Andrei.” He gestured to a doorway. “You may set up your cameras in my library.”
“Well, I wouldn’t mind brushing my teeth,” Rebecca said. “Can you rein in your excitement for half an hour, Bigfoot?”
“I, too, would like a quick shower.” Lilith winked at Spencer, and an adorable blush rose on his cheeks. “Meet in the library in thirty?”
“Very well.” Andrei bowed. “Stefan will show you to your rooms.”
They followed Stefan to their wing, but before Alan stepped into his room, he gave Spencer a hard look. “Thirty minutes.”
Spencer simply chuckled and opened his door.
Lilith waited for Rebecca to disappear into her own chamber before following Spencer into his.
He raked his gaze down her body and clutched her hips, pulling them flush against his and taking her mouth in a tender kiss.
The fine hairs on her arms stood at attention as warm shivers cascaded through her body.
She leaned into him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and deepening the kiss.
“You should have asked for more than thirty minutes,” he whispered against her lips.
“I’m sure they won’t mind if we’re a little late.”
He laughed and pressed his forehead to hers. “Alan will most definitely mind. He’s a stickler with schedules.”
“I guess we’ll have to shower together then.” She ran a finger down his chest, stopping at the waistband of his jeans. “Get clean while we’re being dirty.”
“With all the things I’d want to do to you, there’s no way we’d be done in half an hour. Let’s wait until the others go to sleep.”
She pouted her lower lip. “You, sir, are no fun at all.”
“I promise I’ll make the wait worth your while.”
“Oh, fine.” She grinned and headed for the hallway. “I will hold you to that promise.”
“I hope you do.” His seductive smile made her spine tingle.
A text pinged her phone, Deirdre’s name lighting up the screen, and she swiped it open. The text contained a picture of Esther curled on the couch next to Azrael’s cat, Tabitha. Her color had returned, thankfully, and the message read: Keep doing what you’re doing. Esther is recovering.
“You mean keep doing whom I’m doing.” She snickered and closed her door before typing a quick reply: Sending her my love. Thank you for the update.