2 Vampires, Warlocks, And Exes
Page 15
“What are you doing up here so late?” I asked.
His nostrils flared. “I sensed you nearby and came up,” he replied in a clipped tone. “I was expecting a call from you earlier.”
I flushed. “Yeah, I’m sorry about that, Leo. I…fell asleep on the couch. If you don’t mind, I’d just like to head downstairs so I can go back to sleep. I can worry about my things in the morning.”
“No need, I had Takk get some things for you earlier. They are in the master bedroom.”
“He went through my apartment?”
He nodded as he followed me through the door to his office. “Yes, my dear, but don’t worry…he was in and out rather quickly. I just asked him to grab a few items to make you more comfortable. I can buy you anything else you lack.”
I swallowed the proverbial egg that was lodged in my throat as I read his emotions. Yeah, he was pissed. No doubt, he was fully aware of what Vance and I had been up to a few hours before. “I’m sure what he got will be fine. Thank you.” As I lifted the hatch beneath his desk I added, “I’m just going to take a shower and then hit the hay.”
Leo muttered something that sounded suspiciously like, “Yes, please do so I don’t have to smell that damn detective all over you.”
“What did you say?” I asked.
He shook his head. “Nothing, my love. I am going to stay here and go through some receipts from tonight. Enjoy your shower and rest well.”
I ducked under the hatch to descend the massive flight of stairs.
*****
I showered until the water ran cold, but still felt restless despite the fact that the sun was already up. I couldn’t stop thinking about Vance waking up any moment, discovering what I had done. As the guilt stabbed me in the gut, I realized that I hadn’t thought of the incident with Maria the whole time he and I were making love. Maybe that meant I could eventually forgive him. Erica was right; he was a victim too. We all were. But that didn’t mean that I could forget. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to forget, which would make having any sort of relationship with him impossible.
I decided to head for the library and be productive rather than wallow in my guilt. I glanced around the room until my eyes landed on the small table next to the chaise. The room was untouched since I was last there. I picked up the book of Fae that Leo had given me. I sat down and flipped through it until I came upon a chapter titled, “Vampyre.” It told the story of the origin of the vampire.
Thousands of years ago, a fallen moon god named Khonsu happened upon a fairy village, eventually capturing a maiden named Renata. His brutal attack left them both forever changed. They evolved over time as they drank each other’s blood for survival and became the original vampires…creating a new race one fledgling at a time. The book warned of the dangers to the fairy race as the Fae blood became more and more removed over each new vampire generation. It discussed the possibility of extinction and how the elders would ensure our people would be protected. It spoke of closing off all access to the human realm…wait a second, why does that name sound so familiar?
Renata? Holy fuck! Was it possible? I quickly flipped back to the inscription in the front of the book. ‘It will explain our origin.’ Did she mean it would explain her origin…because she was the original vampire? As her direct descendant, that would mean Leo was only once removed from the Fae, and Maria would be twice removed. Is that why they didn’t go batshit crazy from drinking my blood? Because the Fae essence was so strong in them? Holy motherfuckmeuptheass, Batman!!!
I resumed reading. The book described the emergency plan if our race ever became endangered. It spoke of closing all portals into Faerie. All but one.
The third planet from the sun, in the galaxy Milky Way, will host the last surviving portal into the enchanted kingdom of the Fae. Only those pure of Fae blood will be permitted to access without permission from the highest of elders.
53N 23’ 34.58”
-7W 5’ 10.25”
Huh? What the hell was that supposed to mean? I read it again. Are these map coordinates? I looked around the room and found a globe on the balcony up above. I ran up the curved staircase, bringing the book with me. I turned the globe until I found what I was looking for. Ah ha! 53 North, -7 West would put me in the middle of Ireland. Did this really say that there was an open portal to Faerie smack dab in the middle of the Irish countryside? Omigod, this was huge!
“Holy shit.” I ran down the stairs and frantically opened the door. “Leo?” I called. “Where are you?”
I felt a breeze, blinked, and he was suddenly right in front of me. “What is it, my dear?” he asked.
“Leo, how long would it take you to charter a flight to Dublin?”
He crinkled his brows. “As in Ireland?”
I nodded.
“I could probably make arrangements to leave by sundown. Why?”
I exhaled. “Because we’re going to Faerie.”
Look for the third book in the Karli Lane series,
Finding Faerie
Early 2014
Acknowledgements
Once again, thank you to my fellow “book junkie,” Jamie Clark-Frost, for being the best beta reader a gal could ask for. I will forever love bouncing ideas off you because I know you’ll be brutally honest if they suck! To my wonderful husband, Tad, and my beautiful daughter, Kaitlynn: You two are my rock. You ground me like no one else can, and make me realize what’s most important in life. I cannot thank you enough for your never-ending patience and support while I live my dream of being a writer.
To the winner of my “Become a character in my next book” contest, Tara Macku, I hope you enjoy being immortalized in fiction! I had a blast including you in my story. To my editor, Erin Potter, thank you for helping me create a finished product for my readers with the utmost professionalism and sincerity! If anyone is looking for an editor, I will always recommend your services at Shamrock Editing. Last, but certainly not least, thank you to all of my readers. It’s impossible for me to articulate how much your support means to me. Going into this venture, I’d never imagined it could be so great. I know now that I am never looking back and that is one hundred percent because of you. I hope you enjoy all of my future projects as I am thinking of you as I write!
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