“Along with all that you have already offered, I propose that any of her teachings are done by me. If she gets into trouble, you and I will determine a suitable punishment. Her protection will be handled by the both of us. And her vote in any future decrees will always be Dark Elf. I want half of her. Half of her time. You won’t be able to stash her away as an Outsider.” His lips curved up at the edges, a wicked smile. His tone turned whisper soft. “And you’ll owe me a favor.”
My mom gurgled deep in her throat.
Julius just stared. “But she is mine.”
“And she is mine. Only in a different way.”
Julius’s forehead crinkled, his words gentle. “You’re not physically interested in her—”
“Hell no,” Samuel hissed, completely affronted. “Do you accept my proposal or not?”
My mate’s lips thinned. “You’ve never asked for a favor before.”
“You will give it to me if you want her.”
Julius gazed to the side of the room. When his words came, they were barely audible. “You have a deal.”
Instant. “I’ll expect payment of all of the tangible goods within the week.” Samuel pushed off the wall. His dark eyes met mine. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow at noon for more training.”
Struck mute, I merely blinked.
“Nod your head if you heard me.”
I nodded.
“I’ll see you at noon.” He walked out the front door, gently shutting it behind him.
“What am I learning today?” I asked, watching the scenery pass by. Samuel was driving my car again. I was beginning to wonder if he even owned an actual car. “I have no idea where we are right now.”
“I’m taking you to a vacant parking lot.”
I peered straight at his profile. “Fun.”
He snickered. “You need to be able to find a door to the Dark realm anytime you need it. A parking lot with nothing around is the perfect spot.” Because I could never enter the Light realm again since the Blood Tree had declared me Dark.
I still stared. “I have to find a door out of nothing?”
“If you ever need an escape route from humans, you need to be able to do this.”
I groaned and rested my head back. “We’re going to be here all day.”
“Maybe.”
I groaned again.
His eyes flicked in my direction. “How did it go after I left last night?”
“Well, after you made my mate a poor man—”
“Fifty billion would hardly leave him destitute.”
“Anyway, after your little chat, Julius sat there for fifteen minutes not saying anything. My mom and I didn’t bug him. He didn’t give off the vibe of wanting to chat, you know? When he got up, he mumbled something about a ‘damn favor’, kissed my cheek, and left.”
Samuel’s lips were trembling. “And your mom?”
“She poured herself a generous helping of vodka.”
He busted up, laughing so hard I grabbed the wheel to keep us on the road. He knocked my hands away, still chuckling. “I would have loved to have seen his face.”
“You two should go to counseling. Maybe if you did, you wouldn’t hate each other. Talk through your issues and stuff.”
“Please, tell him that. Then take a picture of his face afterward.” He glanced at me. “I’ll give you a million dollars if you do it.”
My mouth hung open. “I will not. He’s my mate. I won’t embarrass him on purpose.”
Samuel grunted. “Give it time.”
“I won’t.”
“All couples have their ups and downs, including mates. And due to the fact we never die, Elves tend to take things to the extreme during those peaks and valleys.” He snickered. “I remember this one time where—”
I yawned. Loud.
“What?”
“Anytime my mom starts with ‘I remember this one time,’ it ends up boring the shit out of me.” I shook my head. “And she seems to forget that she’s told me the same stories over and over again.”
Samuel’s smile was easy. “Good memories shouldn’t be frowned upon.”
“And…they still bore me.”
His lips twitched. “Again, give it time.” He turned the wheel, and we went over a curb. Right into a vacant parking lot. The original Dark Elf put my car into park. “We’re here.”
I grumbled as I shot out of my car, checking the tires. I pointed to entrance seven feet away. “That is where you should have turned in.”
“Your car’s fine. Besides, if I break it, I’ll buy you a new one.” He eyed my vehicle. “Actually, I may buy you a new one anyway. How old is this thing?”
I threw my hands up in the air. “Mom bought it for me for my high school graduation present. It’s only two years old.” I waggled my hands at the tires. “And that isn’t the point. You need to respect other people’s property.”
“I do. When it’s worth something.”
I smacked his shoulder. But I couldn’t help the laughter that bubble forth. “You are an ass.”
“Yes, I am.” He clapped his hands and walked away. I hurried to catch up. He opened his arms wide and spun in a slow circle. “Kenna, find the door.”
I scanned our surroundings. “I know it should be here—since we’re here—but I don’t see anything.” My eyes stung with the sun glaring on them. I lifted a hand to shade my gaze. “There’s nothing here.”
“Where did you find the previous door?”
“In an alleyway.”
“Be more specific.”
“Next to a dumpster.”
“What had happened then?”
“You already know.”
“Keep thinking, Kenna. What was different?”
I stopped turning in circles, running the images of that night through my mind. It wasn’t pleasant.
Samuel sat down on the cracked concrete and crossed his legs. He leaned back on his muscular arms, cocked his head, and watched me work through it. “What. Is. Different?”
I wiped the small beads of sweat from my forehead. “There’s not a dead man lying on the ground.”
He smirked. “That’s a good thing, but what else?”
“I had blood on me then.” Maybe it had to do with the Blood Tree.
He shot that idea to hell, though, shaking his head. “We will be here all day if you think like that.”
I glared at him for a moment but started walking in a circle around him as I kept working out the problem. “I was scared.”
“Just because you’re Dark, it doesn’t mean all feelings associated with us are bad.”
“The door was attached to a building, but there are no structures close to here.”
His lips twitched. “You’re getting warmer.”
I stopped moving, my attention snapping to him. “Is this a trick?”
“What do you mean?”
“Like, you take me somewhere that I actually can’t access the Dark realm.” My eyes darted all around. “The Light Elves need a white love tree, which is usually associated with the forests. If the Dark Elves need a black wooden door, it would generally be associated with a building.”
Black eyes twinkled up at me. “So what have you learned?”
“I’m right then?”
“You are. This was a trick training exercise.”
I nibbled on my bottom lip. “The Light Elves are best protected near heavily wooded areas, whereas the Dark Elves are best protected in a large city.”
Samuel nodded and stood to his feet. “Very good.” He rustled the hair on top of my head. “Now let’s go jump off some bridges.”
“Huh?”
“You need to get used to jumping and falling. It can be frightening at first.”
I stared. This so went against everything my mom had ever taught me. “I never thought I’d say this, but if you jump off the bridge first, I’ll follow.”
His eyes gleamed with excitement. “I know the perfect one. It’s really high.”
“Oh, joy. My leader is an adrenaline junkie.”
He shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Maybe, my ass.”
Julius was sitting on my front porch when we pulled up into the driveway. I smiled and waved. His expression turned from storm clouds to a bright rainbow day in a heartbeat. He lifted from his perch and sauntered to my car.
I didn’t give him a chance to open the door for me. I hopped out and jumped on him.
He caught me with one arm around my waist, a silly grin etching his features. “I missed you.”
“Missed you more.” I planted my lips right on his, not caring that Samuel was getting out of my car or that my mom was walking out the front door. Julius didn’t seem to mind they were watching either, holding me even closer, and brushing his mouth against mine in a wicked embrace. I pulled back when his tongue slid into my mouth and grinned. “Hold that thought.”
He lowered me to the ground and asked in a reasonably calm voice, “Is there a reason why the two of you are soaking wet?”
I cleared my throat, and then bounced where I stood. “We jumped off bridges.”
My mom groaned and marched back inside, slamming the door after her.
Julius chuckled quietly, brushing a strand of my dark hair behind my ear. “I take it you had fun?”
“I did.” I wiggled my brows. “And Samuel gave me a tour of the Dark realm.”
Julius’s nose crinkled. “I suppose you do need to go there occasionally.”
“More than occasionally,” Samuel interrupted, stepping beside us. “She will hold a position in the higher Dark ranks.”
Julius’s jaw clenched, but he nodded. “I expected as much.”
I waved a hand between them, earning my mate’s attention back. There was no need for hostility. “The Dark realm looks pretty much like the Light realm. Except the color schemes.” My lips twitched. “As you can imagine, they’re all darker hues.”
“Yes, so I’ve heard.” Julius kissed my forehead, bending to place his face in front of mine. “I have a surprise for you, my Kenna. Why don’t you get changed so I can show it to you?”
I flicked a finger between the two originals. “No fighting while I’m inside?”
Both nodded their heads. Very slowly.
“No fighting. I’m serious.” I waggled my finger at them as I walked to the front door. “If I hear one shout from the two of you, I won’t do training for a month, and I won’t accept visitors here.”
Glares were their return answer.
“Good. Behave.” I shut the door behind me.
My mom’s tone was dry where she was peeking out the front window. “I can’t believe you left those two alone.”
I shrugged. “You’ll keep an eye on them.”
“I will definitely do that.” She shimmied her hips, her eyes glued outside. “I am the best mom ever. Just remember that, my darling daughter.”
“This place is cool as hell,” I muttered. My eyes peered everywhere as I dropped my overnight bag on the tiled floor. There were so many unique colored paintings hanging on the walls. “What’s the name of this resort again?”
“Haven Resort.” Julius stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. “So you like it?”
“I love it and the lakefront outside.” It reminded me of my monthly visits to the lake house with my mom. “It’s perfect.”
He twirled me around to face him. “There’s plenty of trees nearby and tons of buildings.”
I placed my arms around his neck, smiling up at him. “Safety first, huh?”
“Where you’re concerned? Fuck yes.”
I lifted on my tiptoes and pressed my lips to his, gifting him with a small taste of what was to come later tonight. Then I tipped my head to the empty receptionist’s desk. “Where’s the staff?”
“Mmm…there are none yet.”
My brows snapped together. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, I haven’t hired any yet.”
“I need further clarification, my mate.”
He grinned. “I bought this place. For you and me.”
My jaw dropped and my arms tightened around his neck. “The resort is ours?”
Julius nodded. “We’ll sleep in bed together every night, and it’s close enough for you to still attend college.” He sniffed, peering down his nose. “And see your mom whenever you want.”
“But, what about the Light realm?”
“Randor will take over for me outside of working hours.” He tipped his head to the grand entrance to the resort…our home. “And there’s plenty of space for any Elves to stay the night here if they wish to speak with me then.”
I rubbed my lips together. “Will Dark Elves be able to stay here, too? I may have the same issue eventually if Samuel has his way.”
“Yes, the Dark Elves can stay here, too.” He paused, his forehead wrinkling. “As long as they conduct themselves accordingly.”
My smile was content, and I sighed. “You bought us a mixed family home.”
He lifted one white brow, his lips twitching. “My mate is a Dark Elf.”
I opened my eyes wide, gasping, “My mate is a Light Elf!”
Julius chuckled softly and lifted me into his arms. “And your mate’s going to show you just what a Light Elf can do to a Dark Elf.”
I hummed deep in my throat, kissing his right earlobe. “Promise?”
“Always.” He strolled with me in his arms through the foyer. “But, first, I have to remember which bedroom is ours.”
I snickered. “The one with the biggest bed.”
“And a black, wooden closet door.” He kissed my forehead. “Just for my mate.”
“I don’t deserve you.”
“You can make it up to me…as soon as I find our damned bedroom.”
I rested my head against his shoulder. “That’s my man.”
Age 20
I rubbed my tongue on the roof of my mouth. It tasted like ass. My eyes opened into the darkness, and I squinted and peered to the right. A vertical, outlined rectangle of shining light was all I could see—a closed door with a glow behind it. I blinked up at the ceiling inside the intimate room and groaned at the heavy beat of bass thumping outside of the room. I was at a sex club. “What the hell did I just do?”
A man snorted beside me. “Believe me, honey. I did most of the work.”
My brows puckered, and I turned my head on the pillow it rested on. “Wonderful. I lost my virginity to a smartass.”
His chuckle was quiet. “Yes, I do remember you shouting about how fine my ass—”
I slapped a hand over his mouth, those delicious, wide lips that had caressed every hidden part of my body. “I’m drunk, but not that drunk. There’s no need to quote me. I haven’t forgotten.” I pushed up on my elbows and held the thin sheet close to my bare chest. “How long did we sleep?”
“About an hour.” He stretched in the darkness, the sheet pulling against my hold. His taut muscled legs rubbed against mine, our bare feet still touching.
“Good. Susan should still be here.” I needed a ride to the closest tree line. Partying in downtown on the night of my Blood Tree had been such a great idea…until I wound up in a dark room with a stranger and shoving our tongues down each other’s throats. Then groping other body parts in more intimate areas. I brushed my white hair out of my eyes. “What’s your name anyway?”
“It’s—”
“Juliet!” Susan hollered, throwing open the door. A blast of light flooded the interior of the room from outside, the music pulsing even more fiercely against my pounding head. I raised my hand to shade my eyes. My companion for this night’s outings—a celebration for me becoming an official Light Elf—stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened as she glanced back and forth between the man lying beside me and myself.
I hugged the sheet closer to my chest. “Yes, I finally lost it. You don’t need to stare.”
She gurgled deep in her throat, unblinking at my Cherry Popper.
“What?”
She pointed.
The man moved then, growling so quietly I could barely hear him. “You’re fucking Light?”
My attention shot to the side, watching as he sat up beside me. My jaw slowly went slack, hanging open. This…wasn’t good. With eyes scanning his features to memory, praying I never saw him again, I sputtered, “Fuck. You’re Dark.”
He ran his fingers through his jet-black hair. His eyes damn near glowed in the light from outside, reflecting with a fire meant to spear straight through me. He grabbed my right bicep, my arm so much smaller than his gripping palm. I froze as he ran his thumb over the small tattoo of a pink star on my shoulder.
His question was soft. Menacing. “Did you do this on purpose?”
I yanked my arm out of his grip and rolled out of bed. In a hurry, I snatched my clothing off the floor, ignoring how his penetrating eyes ran over my body with rage. “Hell no. I wouldn’t be with a Dark if he were the last man—”
“Well, I’m sure as fuck not the last man on earth and we still fucked!” He jumped out of bed, throwing the sheet to the side in fury. Susan quickly averted her stunned gaze to the floor as we both began to dress in heated silence. He jammed his legs into his boxer briefs and glared at me. “You need to leave out the back door. I can’t have anyone see you go downstairs with me.”
I snarled, jerking my gaze to my friend. “I blame this on you. You knew there were going to be Dark Elves here! But no! We had to come to this happening joint.” I clipped my bra together and mimicked her. “Come on, Juliet! You’ll have so much fun. I promise.” I bared my teeth.
With her gaze still fast on the floor, she choked. “Technically, you did—”
“Shut up!” I shouted, waving my hands at the Dark stranger. “This was not fun.”
He stalled as he buttoned his jeans. “Excuse me?”
“Dammit, you know what I mean.” I shoved my sweater over my head, pushing my arms through the right holes. “I’ll leave out the back door. No problem there.”
He pulled his own shirt over his head. “And you’ll keep your mouth shut?”
“Fuck yes, I will.”
“Mom, I slept with a Dark.” The words just spewed out of my mouth, no filter at all. I blinked back the tears burning my eyes. I had crept behind her like a thief in the night, too frightened to speak. I watched her work on the dishes for five minutes, and still hadn’t come up with a game plan except the truth. I could barely breathe my chest was so constricted. But I needed a “mother’s” advice. I hoped she would be a mother this time. “I had too much to drink…and it just happened.”
Blood Tree: Silver Edition Page 7