Chapter 21
JAMES
Unlike the first time, when I’d been half out of it from exhaustion and fear, willing to do anything a kindly voice suggested in the hope of feeling less awful, this was an experience I knew would be etched on my soul for eternity.
Edwin’s intensity when he fed from me was a scorching brand on my senses, but reversing our usual action ramped his attention up to furnace levels.
His blood tasted like cool fire, tangy, rusty, slightly smoky, but somehow a delicious mix of everything all rolled into one—
“That’s enough.” He tapped me gently on my upper lip with his finger. “James, let go, love, so I can…There ya go.” Our noses bumped as he leaned in to lick the vein I reluctantly relinquished. I watched in fascination as the skin closed and returned to its normal unblemished state within seconds.
He bestowed a smile on me that I felt said something I might not be ready to hear, then took my hands again in his.
“A little better already, I think. Do you think so?”
“Maybe,” I agreed breathlessly. Certain other parts of me were definitely in working order.
I didn’t know whether to be annoyed or not that I suddenly felt such a desperate physical need when all I really wanted was to get lost in the blue pools of his eyes, dive in, and swim there forever…
God, I was so crazy about Edwin, I could burst.
His grin could have powered a spaceship. “You know, I don’t think you’re supposed to like the taste of blood,” he remarked carefully.
“Oh, I don’t,” I said hastily. “Just yours.” I stared at him. “Umm, I mean…”
“We all know what you mean, sweets.” Baxter sounded more like herself.
“I’ve never seen such a pair of loved-up idiots.
To think it was a human that finally snared my annoying little brother.
Who’d a thunk it?” She ruffled Edwin’s hair which distracted him enough to hiss at her, then we watched her leave the kitchen, closing the door firmly behind her.
“Is she all right?” I tried desperately to change the subject, mortified to have been caught mooning over Edwin like some lovestruck teenager.
“She’ll be fine.” His smile was fond, but tinged with sadness.
“We don’t argue often, so I think she feels guilty for harming you, as do I.
Baxter really wants someone to love and to love her.
As she takes great pleasure in reminding me, I’m her little brother, so I think it’s hit home I’ve found someone and she hasn’t. ”
“You’re older than her,” I protested, confused.
“And, um, white. I don’t get the whole sibling thing.
” I wasn’t sure what Baxter’s ethnic background was, but she was a gorgeous golden brown, in stark contrast to Edwin’s blond pallor.
They couldn’t have been more unalike apart from their stunning good looks, which I could now see was due to vampire magic enhancing their natural beauty.
“Ahh, no. Not date-of-birth age, or who our human parents were.” He licked his thumb, then wiped the corners of my mouth before sucking his thumb back between his own lips.
Had I been a messy feeder? “Baxter was turned over forty years before me, so no matter she was twenty-two to my twenty-seven, she’s my older sister. ”
“Why do you call her your sister?”
“Same sire. Dalziel. It’s a vampire thing.
He turned Gethin, who’s heaven knows how old in human years and way older than Dalziel in that way, but he’ll always be the baby of the coven unless Dalziel turns someone else.
It’s just how it works. Skin colour doesn’t mean a thing, or in Gethin’s case that he’s also a wolf.
We’re all family now, tied together with blood. ”
“I like that. It’s good you don’t have racism.”
He sighed. “I wish. Vampires were the sworn enemies of wolves for millennia and vice versa. It’s still not great now, but Europe is a lot less dangerous than some other places, due largely to the efforts of the Council.
We do have racism, such as you think of it, but in supernatural terms, it comes out as speciesism.
Just as nasty, and potentially just as deadly.
Sadly, we don’t get to be better people because of our genetics.
Anyway,” he pasted a forced smile on his face, “let’s find the others and tell them your news. ”
The others all seemed delighted to learn of my supernatural heritage, with the notable exception of Luc, Charley’s boyfriend, the wolf.
He smiled and said congratulations, but his smile didn’t reach his eyes, which looked troubled.
He whispered something to Charley, then left the room. Charley came straight over to me.
“Please don’t take it personally,” he stammered.
“Luc’s got an irrational fear of the Fae.
” He checked himself. “Well, he thinks it’s irrational but he’s not really sure, ’cause maybe he’s been traumatised by an incident that happened when he was a baby or something and he’s blocked it out, but anyway, I am thrilled to know you’re like me.
” His smile enveloped me like my own personal sun.
He tucked his arm through mine and spun me around with a giddy whoop.
“I mean, obviously you don’t have a vampire daddy, but—” Again, his brain appeared to screech to a halt.
“Or maybe you do, but in a very different way to Dad over there.” He giggled, then lowered his voice.
“Is Edwin very stern about making you eat your veggies and take your vitamins as well as being a bossy fucker in the bedroo—”
“Charley Entwhistle Millar, stop right there!” Dalziel’s voice seemed to cut right through everything even though he barely raised the volume. Charley snapped his mouth shut, then began chewing on his bottom lip as the senior vampire stalked over to us.
“James, I do apologise for my son. He has absolutely no filter and unfortunately we haven’t yet found a way to install one.
Charley,” he said sternly, although I could tell there was a lot of love in the way he looked at him, “you will take several deep breaths, counting to six on the exhale, then you will apologise to James for your impropriety. He is Edwin’s shadow and friend.
” His sigh was profound. “No matter how loved-up you are with Lucien, you cannot presume to comment on the relationships of others, not unless you are agreeable to the occasional punch in the mouth.”
Charley’s shoulders slumped, but he didn’t seem too upset with his father as he nodded quickly.
I watched him do as Dalziel suggested, wondering if Dalziel could use thrall without his eyes going dark like Edwin’s did.
By the time he’d sucked in and blown out the fifth breath, Dalziel had moved everyone else to the far corner of the room, leaving Charley to face me with a quiet determination in his blue eyes.
I knew they’d all be able to hear us perfectly well, but it was nice of him to make the effort.
“Man, I’m sorry. I really should know better. I got too excited about you being part Fae and my mouth ran away with me. I didn’t mean to offend you. Or upset you.”
“You didn’t,” I assured him, although I was fairly sure my face had been on fire at the suggestion of Edwin bossing me about in bed.
“Do you want to get some tea or something and tell me what you’ve learned about being Fae?
It’s all new and confusing to me. I only just found out and it’s a lot.
” I’m low-key terrified in case I suddenly set something on fire or disappear a hedge.
Charley pulled a face. “Coffee and you’re on.
” He laughed as he slung an arm across my shoulders to steer me back towards the kitchen.
“Can I see your ears? You don’t have to show me, but I’d love to see.
I wonder if Dad will think you should come and stay with us for a while.
Isher’s brilliant. I thought he was dull at first, but he’s not, he’s just kind of quiet. Unlike me.”
He stopped dead halfway down the corridor.
“Perhaps I should find Luc first. He’s bound to be feeling like shit for running off like that.
He’s been better around Isher, because he can see how good it’s been for me to learn to control my magic.
He won’t be prejudiced against you, I promise.
He’s not like that. He just had a shock.
” His thumbs flew over his phone keyboard as he sent several texts in a row.
“C’mon, babe, answer me.” His eyebrows furrowed and the sparkle in his eyes dimmed.
“D’you mind if I find him first then join you in the kitchen?
Knowing Luc, he’s probably beating himself up right now for—”
“It’s fine,” I assured him quickly. I wasn’t sure I wanted anyone else staring at my ears, so perhaps Charley would get distracted and forget about me.
I made my way to the kitchen anyway and set the electric kettle to boil.
Then I recalled the mug I’d been using was back in the office.
I headed downstairs and found Baxter standing and staring blankly at the wall opposite her bank of computer screens, her hands by her sides.
She was so unnervingly still, I almost thought she was asleep on her feet until she said quietly, “Come in if you’re coming, James.
I won’t bite.” There was no hint of teasing in her tone.
I came to stand next to her. “You’re not angry with Edwin, are you?” I hoped not. I didn’t like to think I could be the cause of a rift between the pair.
My question sparked some life into her. She stepped backwards and sat down, gesturing for me to do the same. She raised her light brown eyes to mine and shook her head.
“Nah, petal, we’re all right, me and Eddie. Ain’t the first time we’ve had words, won’t be the last. He kicked off at me cos he was furious with himself and vice versa.” She shot a look at my hands on my lap. “How are they now?”