Chapter Ivy
Ivy
Ivy realised Finare had been working on his tolerance for alcohol after counting his tenth drink. She felt the effects after four and slowed her pace considerably.
The alcohol helped her to forget about the threat of her Ending that loomed when outside of Veldmoor’s walls.
For the first time since her night at the theatre with Leseldh, she was having a good time.
She felt tipsy to a point where she didn’t feel the need to check over her shoulder at every loud noise.
By the time Finare asked her if she wanted to accompany him upstairs for a feed, she felt brave enough to stay behind. Finare was wary, but she reassured him that she’d be careful. She was alone for just a few minutes before a towering figure slipped into the booth beside her.
Ivy’s heartbeat ratcheted up to a breakneck pace as she took in the smirk on Killian’s face. He leaned in, snaking his arm around the back of the booth behind her.
“Hey there, baby vamp.”
“Get away from me.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Because Voresta will tear this place to the ground when he comes back and finds you here.” Ivy hoped that the mention of her Broodmate would drive Killian away, but there was a challenge in his blood-red eyes as he stared her down.
“You and I both know that Voresta isn’t even here. It’s just you and the Fae with fangs.”
A wave of fear rippled through Ivy’s body as she realised that she was utterly vulnerable once again. She shivered involuntarily and his smile only widened.
“What’s lured you out to Lunarian tonight? Did you miss me?” Killian’s eyes drifted down to the exposed scar he’d left on her chest. Satisfaction was written on his face.
“I actually forgot that you even existed, if I’m honest.” Ivy tried to throw some confidence behind the words, but it fell short.
“I don’t believe you.” Killian leaned in to purr the words in her ear, and his voice was low and sensuous. She let out a shuddering breath as the vibration of his voice rumbled through her.
His wood and vanilla scent drifted towards her, and she was instantly transported back to the corridor in The Silver Sluice. Her body went rigid, and she gripped the seat beside her.
“You’ve been painfully absent from the clubs, lately. It seems like you’ve been having a good time playing Leseldh’s pet.”
Ivy tried to wriggle out of his range as he leaned away. But his hand came down to clamp onto her shoulder in what would have appeared like an affectionate, yet possessive embrace from a lover.
Ivy fought the befuddling effects of the alcohol and had enough control over her senses to realise that this exchange with Killian was different to her previous encounters.
He was brazenly approaching her in full view of others, rather than attacking from the shadows.
This might have been comforting if she hadn’t noticed that the surrounding patrons were paying them no attention.
His mention of Leseldh ignited her temper.
“I’m not his pet. I’m his Resonant.”
“Are you sure? You play the part so well. You feed from the Human juice boxes when he tells you to, you don’t tug too hard on the leash, and you perform in the theatre, just like he wants you to.” His words clawed at the doubts that were hiding in the dark recesses of her mind.
Her cheeks flushed as she remembered the display she and Leseldh had put on at the theatre, and it made her wonder how many shadows Killian had been lurking in unseen.
His finger traced small circles on her bare shoulder, and the gentle touch seemed so unlikely for a Vampire known for his brutality.
She was forced to look at him while he bore down upon her, and despite her panic, she was able to take in his features for the first time.
He was devastatingly handsome, in a dark and rugged way.
His black hair tumbled around his ears, and a few stray strands fell onto his face.
She looked into his eyes and noticed faint wisps of black swirling through his red irises.
The hint of a tattoo peeked out from the right sleeve of his black shirt, and the exposed skin of his arms and hands were littered with scars of varying sizes.
His shirt hugged him in all the right places to accentuate his muscular upper body.
He was bigger than Voresta. Given how powerful she knew Voresta to be, she was terrified by the prospect that this male, whose sole purpose was to End her, could be stronger.
“Have you ever fed from a Human outside of this transactional atmosphere, Ivy?” The way he spoke her name sent a shiver through her—it indicated a level of familiarity that felt undeserved.
She didn’t want to be close or familiar with this male.
She wanted to slip free of his grasp, run back to Leseldh and never look back.
His question triggered the memory of the girl in the garden right after her Creation. It felt so long ago. Swallowing down the unwelcome memories, she shook her head, not bothering to give voice to her answer.
“You should try it sometime. The little white pills and the feeding pens in these places go against everything we were made for.” His eyes bore into hers and the intensity of his gaze made her breathing unsteady.
He whispered in her ear, “Plus, the blood tastes so much sweeter when it’s laced with fear. ”
Killian’s words gained a carnal edge, and perhaps due to the alcohol, Ivy thought it sounded like a perfectly reasonable idea… if only for a heartbeat.
“That sounds absolutely monstrous.” She threw disgust into her tone and Killian’s responding chuckle sent vibrations through her again.
“And what’s wrong with being a little monstrous?” His hand reached up towards her face. Frozen with fear, she could only watch as his finger lifted the lock of hair out from behind her ear, allowing it to fall and frame her face. The black storm clouds in his eyes stirred as he appraised her.
“Get your fucking hands off her.” Finare’s voice cut through the tension that had gathered between them, and Ivy blew out an enormous breath of relief. Killian slowly dragged his eyes in Finare’s direction, and a playful smirk appeared on his lips.
“So glad you could finally join us.”
“Sorry, we’re fresh out of seats for Maurell assholes.”
Killian rolled his eyes. His hot breath tickled the shell of her ear as he whispered, “Can’t wait to do this again, baby vamp.”
He shifted out of the booth, his hand slithering back out from behind Ivy, but not without dragging across her shoulder and skimming through her hair.
With a wink, he disappeared into the shadows, almost as though he were made of them.
Ivy let out another shuddering breath and sagged against the booth.
“Are you okay?” Finare moved into the booth but kept his distance. Ivy noticed Finare sniff the air but was too shaken to contemplate the action.
Ivy reached out for Finare’s hand and gripped it tightly. She closed her eyes for a long moment, using his hand to ground herself in the present. You’re okay, she recited. After a few deep breaths, she looked back to Finare.
“Yes. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
On the street outside Lunarian, Ivy wrapped her arms around herself, but it wasn’t due to the chill in the air. Finare put a comforting arm around her shoulder.
“The car is just around the corner.” He inclined his head to the left. Ivy’s adrenaline surge had worn off, and with the disorienting effects of the alcohol, she found it hard to stand.
“Mind if I wait here?” She took a few steps back to lean against the wall, moving out of Finare’s hold. Finare assessed her for a long moment and eventually nodded.
“Stay near the bouncer, okay? I’ll be right back.” He turned on his heel and hurried in the direction of the car.
Ivy’s thoughts and emotions were muddled in the aftermath of yet another encounter with Killian. But this one was different. His scent still lingered in her nostrils, and she couldn’t get the image of his swirling red-and-black eyes out of her mind. She’d never encountered a more terrifying male.
He seemed intent on provoking her tonight. Leseldh’s pet? The mention of her activities with Leseldh at the theatre made her realise how heedless she’d been.
The roar of chatter coming from the groups of people queueing at the front of Lunarian interrupted her ruminating, so she pushed off the wall and moved away. As she approached the side alley of the club, a voice drifted towards her.
“Hey legs, fancy a snack?” Ivy’s dark blue, strapless dress was one of the shorter ones in her armoire, and she chuckled at the moniker it inspired. The lingering alcohol in her system continued to cloud her judgement. Curiosity propelled her into the alleyway towards the voice.
A male was lurking just outside of the range of the streetlights, but she could see his sharp features perfectly. He was looking at her with interest.
“If you’re after a quick meal, I’m cheaper than the peddlers inside. I’ll even let you feed from here if you’d like.” The male inclined his head to expose his neck.
None of the venues Ivy visited with her clan allowed feeding from the neck. Leseldh had explained that it was a more erotic experience, which usually resulted in Vampires overindulging.
She spotted the pulsing vein in the male’s neck and her hunger surged. Killian’s goading words pushed back into her mind and eradicated her reservations.
“Sure.” Came Ivy’s response, and the male’s eyes lit up with excitement. Before he could name his price, Ivy rushed forward and clamped her fangs into his neck.
His blood was hot and thick, and it filled her mouth with the acrid taste of rotting radishes. She withdrew immediately and spat his blood on the ground.
“What the fuck!” the male blurted. He clutched his neck and stumbled backward into the darkness of the alleyway. Ivy froze and watched as the male disappeared.
As she processed the moment in her mind, she recognised that something was terribly wrong, and it wasn’t just the horrid taste of the blood. She backed out of the alleyway and returned to the front of Lunarian. She looked down at her hands and realised they were shaking.
What the fuck did I just do?
Finare’s car appeared from around the corner, and she masked her worry with a smile before climbing inside.