Obsidian Mask

by Scarlett Dawn

  I grinned, squirming under him, brushing against all his hard muscles. “That’s much better.”

  “Thank you.” He nibbled on my earlobe. “Only one date with him. Right?”

  Rolling my eyes. “Yes. That was the deal.”

  He nibbled up my jawline, pressing his rapidly hardening cock against my thigh. “You were right earlier. Your parents are a pain in the ass.” He paused. “Try not to make any more deals with them like that if you can.” He actually asked it nicely.

  I nodded. “I don’t plan to.” Utter truth.

  “Hmm…” He kissed me silently, and slowly, his tongue hot and warm. Against my lips, he murmured, “I suppose I don’t have to hurt Mr. Phillips this time.”

  I bit his bottom lip, keeping it between my teeth. “Daniil.”

  He stared down at me even as he moved forward, kissing me, eyes open. His heated breath blew into my mouth. “That’s the best I can do.”

  I growled but nodded. We would work on that.

  Katie strolled out of the stairwell at the end of the hallway. She waved and ambled toward me. Her computer bag hung over her arm, and she was carrying pajamas in her hand. Grinning, I threw my arms wide, hollering, “Are we going to have a slumber party?”

  She laughed. “You know it! Since you’re officially the black sheep of the family, it deserves a little celebration.” She glanced over my shoulder, most definitely taking in Least Ugly as he trailed behind me. Her smile grew even wider. “So the black sheep, baby!” She hooted¸ punching the air with her fist. “I don’t have to listen to anyone bitch anymore!”

  I unlocked my door, opening it slightly and stalled. “At least I’m not the one running an escort business as my profession.” She crossed her arms, raising her eyebrows. I winked. “How are the girls, anyway?”

  “I’m going to check on them if we can get inside your damn room.” She nodded toward my room. “Come on. I’m exhausted. I had to listen to your parents all the way back from the restaurant. It was…stimulating.”

  I snickered and let her into my lit room. I locked my door—Least Ugly keeping guard outside—and took all of three steps, and stopped, remembering I hadn’t left my lights on this morning. Staring, I growled at the opened adjoining door—where the chair was knocked on its back—where Katie was peeking through. She pointed, asking, “Whose room is that?”

  “The wicked redheaded bitch,” I hissed, tossing my bag on the bed. I stormed around my room, checking my things. She hadn’t gotten into any of my bags, so I went into the bathroom.

  “You mean Ember Lerrus?” Katie asked.

  “Who else?”

  “Well, you are a redhead. And a bitch…”

  I hissed, picking up the mousse I hadn’t used this morning. It was on my bathroom counter. “Strawberry blonde!” I waved the bottle outside the door. “She broke in to use my fucking hair products!” I had no clue how she had even managed that.

  Katie was already snickering. “So you two really don’t get along, huh?”

  I tossed the mousse in the sink and stomped back into the room. “No. We don’t.” I stared into Ember’s room, my hands on my hips. I grinned and darted into her room, grabbing the Death Comes thermal shirt hanging over a chair. “Gotcha, bitch.”

  I stole it, going back into my room and slamming her door, then mine, locking it—whatever good that did. I pointed at the dresser. “Help me.” Dropping my new shirt on the bed next to my purse, I went around to the other side of the dresser as Katie picked up the front. We grunted, pushing the dresser in front of the door. When it was firmly moved, we both dropped onto the bed, out of breath. The damn resort didn’t go cheap. That dresser weighed a ton.

  Panting, Katie muttered, “So you’re fucking the father, hun?”

  “Dammit!” I grumbled, turning my head to stare. “Your mom told you?”

  “Of course.” She grinned. “For an old guy, he’s pretty hot. He doesn’t look as old as he’d have to be to have four kids their age.”

  “He’s only forty-nine,” I clarified. “He and his wife had their kids young.” I grinned. “And yeah, he’s fucking hot.” An image of him lying on his back—beautifully naked—came to mind. “His body is better than most men our ages.”

  Katie pushed up on her elbows. “Okay, give the deets. With that look on your face, it’s got to be good.” When I smirked, her eyebrows rose. “Better than good?” I stared, and she hissed, “Do not say he’s the best you’ve ever had.”

  I laughed. “I don’t kiss and tell. So no details. You know this. But I will say yes, he is the absolute very best I’ve ever had.” Turning my attention to the ceiling, I quieted and asked her softly, “Have you ever kissed someone, and everything else just disappears around you? All you feel and hear and see is him?”

  I heard her suck in a harsh breath, and she stood. “Jesus…”

  “What? Is that crazy or something?” I had wondered that myself.

  She was silent for a few moments, walking over to the window and staring outside. When she spoke, it was quiet. “No. It’s not crazy.” She cleared her throat. “I know what you’re talking about. I’ve experienced it before…” She trailed off, her head dropping against the window.

  Eyes wide in surprise, I asked, “Who was it?”

  She banged her head once against the window. “The asshole who put you in the hospital for two weeks.”

  I stared. I didn’t know what to say to that.

  Slowly, she turned around. “You knew I was seeing him and tried to talk some sense into me. And I even knew he was all wrong…but…but when we…” she interlocked her fingers in front of her face, “…came together, it was something else entirely.” She dropped her hands. “Though none of that mattered after he beat you damn near to death for doing your job. He wasn’t even a cockroach to me after that. He wasn’t anything but the man who had hurt you.” She brushed her hair behind her ears, staring at the floor. “I’m not going to try to talk you out of seeing Daniil. You’re smart. You’ll know when to walk away. I just hope it’s not after it’s too late.” Her eyes were gleaming when she looked up at me. “Just don’t let it be too late, Elizabeth. The guilt will haunt you.”

  My heart twisting, seeing for the first time that she truly still hurt from what had happened to me. I knew she felt guilty, but not…this. I jumped to my feet and wrapped my arms around her. “Don’t you fucking cry. I’m stronger than what he did to me. It’s the danger of the job. I knew it when I started as a reporter. And I haven’t backed away yet.” I kissed her forehead. “Seriously, I don’t stop because some jerk decided to use his fists instead of his feet—like he should have done and run far away, when he knew he was going to be exposed.”

  Katie snorted, hugging me back. “He wasn’t the running away type.”

  Chuckling, I nodded. “Yeah. I got that.”

  “You’re such a bitch.”

  “I know.” I kissed her forehead once more and then released her. I pulled my laptop out of my duffle. “I’ve got a few things I need to do before we get down with our partying.”

  “So do I.” She sighed, pulling her own laptop out of her bag. “And this little party tonight just consists of dinner and a movie here in the room. Did you know the place is out of alcohol?”

  I stared. Daniil didn’t believe me. “Yeah. It sucks.” I jerked my head at the TV. “But there are some awesome new releases on the television.”

  “It’ll do, I guess,” she grumbled, signing on to her computer. “You let him call you Beth.” She stared.

  Keeping my gaze on my computer as I sat on the bed, pulling my camera and tape recorder and earphones out, I nodded. “Yeah. It kind of came out in the heat of the moment.”

  She started typing. “You haven’t let anyone call you Beth since my brother died.”

  I stilled…and instantly burst into tears.

  I had no clue where the fuck it came from, but suddenly, I was a sobbing mess.

  Katie didn’t know what to do at fir
st, but she quickly got up and folded me into her arms, sitting down next to me on the bed and murmuring softly, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Hush. It’s all right.” She chuckled a little harshly. “Fuck. What a party this is turning out to be.”

  I rubbed at my eyes and hiccupped. “Sorry. I’ll stop in a second.” I choked as a fresh wave of tears hit. “I don’t even mind Daniil calling me Beth. It doesn’t bother me at all. I actually like it.”

  She nodded, rocking me in her arms. “It’s hard, letting go of the past. Lord knows I have issues as you saw just a second ago. But my brother wouldn’t want you hanging on to his memory like this.” She nodded. “It’s a good thing Daniil’s calling you Beth. It’ll help you get past this.”

  I sucked in a shaky breath, my lips trembling. “I won’t ever get past those fucking parents lying. People deserved to know the truth. And they did, but not before we were all hurt by it.” A good fucking reporter discovered the real reason why Justin had died. He didn’t just run his car into a guardrail, killing himself. He and another boy, Mike Glass, had been playing Chicken. And my best friend, my cousin Justin, died because of it.

  Katie patted my head, and I heard her sigh before she returned the gesture I had given her earlier, kissing my forehead and standing. She stared down at me. “Listen. I’m telling you this because you seriously need to hear it. Mike and his parents came to our house before any of what really happened was exposed. They told Mom what Mike and Justin had been doing. They asked Mom what she wanted to do. They gave her the option even though it was obvious they wanted to protect their son from any charges. Justin and Mike were young. And did a stupid thing. Mom knew this. And even though she was furious, she wouldn’t condemn their son, take him away from the life he had. It was an accident.”

  I stared and then screamed, “You fucking knew?” I choked, grabbing my throat. “And you didn’t tell me before?” It had taken a year for the truth to come out.

  She shook her head. “No. Mom knew. Only after the papers did she tell me when she was called in to testify privately. She probably wouldn’t have even told me if I hadn’t overheard her phone call. She was still protecting Mike. One son had been lost, she told me, and another didn’t need to be taken too, for an act of adolescent stupidity.” She paused, slowly sitting back down on the bed as I stared at the ground. “I know a lot of what you do now is because of what happened to Justin. You believe the truth should always be known…but…sometimes the truth is better kept quiet when the people who really need to know already do. It only hurts those who didn’t know when it comes out.” She stared hard, her implication clear.

  “I deserved to know the truth about what happened to him,” I ground out.

  She stayed silent, staring at me and then licked her lips before saying, “What was better for you? Knowing he was killed in just a simple car accident? Or him dying because of a fatal game he was playing against another kid? What would have really been better for you? Or for me?” She shook her head, standing and walking back over to her seat and sitting down. “Some days, I wished all I ever knew was he died from not paying attention behind the wheel. Not that he intentionally took his life into his own hands by playing a stupid game, deciding to take that chance to leave Mom and me.” She paused, staring at her laptop screen. “Sometimes the truth is best kept quiet. Too many innocents get hurt when it rears its fatal head.”

  I stared at her mutely as she began typing, probably checking on all of her girls.

  Could she be right? Would I have been better off not knowing?

  Knowing is what had driven me so hard my entire adult life.

  Always striving for the truth.

  Because the truth needed to be known, no matter the cost.

  Didn’t it?

  Not always. I had burned the truth about Cole.

  I turned my attention to the black surface of the television screen. Thinking. Debating inside my own mind. If I hadn’t known, would I have been a happier person now? Would I be less of a bitch? I was smart enough to know even if I hadn’t known the truth, Justin would have been dead anyway. Nothing could change that. My best friend. Dead, no matter if the way he died had changed. He would still be only a memory and a gravestone now.

  I felt tears trickle down my cheeks again and didn’t bother wiping them away…ever so slowly realizing I probably would have been a better person if I hadn’t known. I wouldn’t hate Mike Glass with a vengeance to rival any warlord throughout history. I wouldn’t have this heaping hole in my heart knowing Justin took his chances—with me and the rest of our family. And I wouldn’t be so cruel and merciless against those who tried to hide the truth.

  Even though I already knew the answer, I asked, “You really believe that, don’t you?”

  “I do,” she stated instantly. “Because that, my dear inexperienced cousin, is the truth.”

  I snorted. “You know, that’s my biggest concern with Daniil. My inexperience compared to him in life. Sometimes he says things I just don’t comprehend, and yet, I see the truth of what he’s saying in his eyes.” I shook my head. “I can even handle the violence over feeling stupid.”

  “You’re the smartest person I know, Elizabeth. Don’t ever let anyone make you think you’re not.” Her tone was pissed, and I knew she was staring at me.

  “No. You’re taking it the wrong way. He doesn’t do it intentionally. And when he does do it, he realizes he has and tries to explain the best way he can.” I glanced at her, seeing the shock on her face. “He isn’t just a heartless monster. He has a softer side when he chooses to show it.” I shook my head, turning my attention back to the black television screen. “He has his own issues with me, too. He can’t stand being told no. And how I’m not like all the other women he’s taken as lovers. I don’t just bow down and do what he tells me to. It drives him crazy.”

  “Sounds…interesting.” She chuckled. “Good thing you said the sex was good. Otherwise, you’d both probably be running away from one another.”

  I nodded. “I actually said something like that to him.”

  “Oh, for fucks sake,” a female’s irritated voice muttered from the window area.

  Both of our gazes darted to the voice.

  Brown hair began peeking out from behind the large side curtain on the windows.

  Katie and I screamed.

  Until a head fully popped out. It was Eva.

  I stopped screaming, in shock, same as Katie.

  We both stared as Artur glided out from behind the other side curtain.

  Grigori and Roman came out of the closet, all of them staring at us.

  I instantly stood and grabbed Katie’s arm. Daniil’s children had been lying in wait for me. I yanked Katie toward the door. Closer to the door. An escape route. They could only be here for one reason.

  “Katie. Why don’t you go get that nice gentleman outside for me?” I whispered. Least Ugly sounded like a pretty rainbow right now compared to the alternative.

  She stilled for all of a heartbeat, her face no longer shocked as she stared at the people in my room. She turned, and started to race toward the door, but Artur was already moving and grabbed her around the waist, yanking her back against him again. He instantly placed a hand over her mouth as he restrained her.

  I held my hands up, saying, “Let her go. Please.”

  Roman muttered, “Let her go, Artur. Unless you don’t want to for other reasons.”

  Artur glared at his brother but turned his attention to his captive. “I’ll let you go if you don’t try to run again. We don’t want trouble. We were just here to talk to Elizabeth, but then we realized she had company, so we hid.” He shrugged, glancing down at her. “Then we eavesdropped.” He paused. “If I let you go, will you run? Or be smart?”

  “Smart,” she mumbled instantly from behind his hand, her voice muffled.

  “Perfect,” he murmured but held her a moment longer. Staring. Then he released her, watching her carefully as she zipped over to me, grabbing my hand. H
is gaze moved to our hair, and he blinked a few times before shaking his head and turning back to his brothers and sister. “I honestly don’t have a damn thing to say to her anymore. Not after what I heard.”

  Katie’s grip was brutal, but I held on. Artur had freaked her out.

  “Me, either.” Eva shrugged. When she peered at me, she no longer scowled like she had done all day. “I’m good with her for Papa. Just wish she was a little older.”

  I choked off a laugh, quickly swallowing it down. Christ, the whole family was loony.

  Roman stared hard, walking silently to me. He bent down, and I tried not to cringe when he looked me straight in the eyes. He had much of his dad in him with that scary gaze thing going on. “You hurt him, and I will kill you.” Simple. And to the point.

  Since I had thought this was what they were here to do in the first place, instead of just scare-talk me, I nodded amicably. “I won’t hurt him. We’re just lovers. Nothing more.”

  His eyes fell to the floor, and he snorted. He walked away from Katie and me. Silent.

  Yep, all loony so far.

  It was Grigori’s turn now to intimidate me if he was game like Roman had been. It was silent for a full minute before he asked softly, “Why do you hate Ember so much?” That…wasn’t where I thought this was going.

  I opened my mouth but quickly snapped it shut. He loved her. Like love loved her. I couldn’t say too much without angering him.

  Grigori stiffened, not missing my blunder. He slowly inhaled and exhaled. “Papa has a large mouth to be speaking to a reporter.” And if I thought Roman was scary…well, Grigori was the spitting image of Daniil doing scary-crazy.

  “No. He doesn’t,” I stated instantly, even taking a step toward him until Katie yanked me back. “He didn’t tell me shit. I’m a good reporter. I find where the truth lies.” I paused, seeing him get even more furious. “You and your dad could use some anger management classes. You know that, right?”