I nodded. I felt foolish. Of course, that's why he brought me here. He wasn't trying to make me jealous or something. Yet every time I closed my eyes, I could feel our bodies together.
Oh my God. I wanted him so badly, even though I still felt jealous at his connection to Evelina.
You’re connected to me, too, a woman’s voice whispered in my head.
I whirled around, half expecting to see her standing next to me, but the only people inside this cavern were me and Traian.
I slowly turned back to him. My heart contracted, the closest thing to beating. A different kind of hunger rumbled through my core. I'd never been intimate with someone in my life, and I wanted to know what it felt like.
I scanned the room. Toward the back, on the opposite side of the cave, an orange-pink stone caught my eye. The crystal drew me in, and I moved in its direction. Traian followed me. We walked past the flat stone of rose quartz.
I paused and looked right into Traian's eyes.
“Do you still love her?”
He didn't answer me right away, which pretty much confirmed the answer I already knew.
Of course, he still loves her. What a stupid question.
Intimacy would not happen today.
I continued to the next burning question. “What does Eva have to do with this woman who you last took as a lover?”
A flash of pain in his eyes followed by a grimace made me feel guilty for prying.
“I'm sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” I twisted around, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me around to face him.
“Yes, I still love her, and I will always love her, but that is in the past.” He paused for a moment. “Eva…I thought she was the one, but then she died. And we never had the connection that Evelina and I had… Still, when Eva died, I closed myself off to everything, including myself.”
I stared back at Traian in disbelief. He’d never shared this much personal information before.
“And then you showed up in the cemetery,” he continued. “All the feelings that I had locked inside for thousands of years burst open. You cracked the fortress I’d built around myself. I followed you out of the cemetery onto the street. You were so scared.”
His hands slid down my arms, taking my hands in his.
“You ignited emotions I hadn’t felt in a long time, possibly since I was human. All I wanted was to protect you. The closer I got to you, the more I realized I couldn’t live without you.” He lowered his gaze to our joined hands. “When I sat up after your blood had healed me, and saw you in the middle of the street, I knew I had to turn you. I’m sorry, that was selfish of me. I have never turned anyone without their consent.”
The crackling in my hands had stopped, but my palms still felt warm.
“Oh, Traian…”
“Please, let me finish.”
I nodded and pressed my lips together.
“I have never felt like this for anyone, not even Evelina. She was the closest, but she's been dead for more than five thousand years.” He cocked his head to the side as if remembering something. “It’s very strange. I thought Eva was Evelina’s spirit reincarnated. Even Padrick believed that.”
“Padrick?”
Traian’s mouth twisted as if he’d just ingested someone’s feces. “Oh, I can’t stand his cocky, elfish, ugly face, but he helped me call Evelina’s spirit back into this world.”
It all made sense. Sort of. I was connected to these two women, but I couldn't figure out what linked us through time and space.
Is this why I feel so attracted to Traian? Because I’m connected to the women he loved? Is he attracted to me for the same reason? Is it just destiny, something we can’t control, that has us feeling this way about each other?
I shook all these questions out of my head and placed both of our intertwined hands on his hips. Then I met his gaze.
“I am who I am. I'm not Eva. And I am sure as hell not Evelina. I am Everly. Even though we share some of the same letters in our names, we are very, very different. If you and I are ever going to be together, I need to know…I need to know that I am who you want to be with, and that I'm not being compared to your past lovers.”
Traian pulled me closer. I let myself be drawn into his embrace and rested the side of my cheek on his chest. My body seemed to relax for the first time since I’d arrived in Romania. I let him hold me and felt his lips on the top of my head before he rested his cheek there.
“I will never compare you to anyone. You are Everly Greene, the little redhead that bewitched me with her heart, smile, and kindness that radiates from every pore of her body.” He chuckled. “You do recall I don't like redheads. They usually mean trouble. You definitely have been a lot of trouble. But I would never change a thing. I love you.”
I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent. He smelled so yummy. Desire roared up again, sending tiny zings of energy through my hands. I really, really wanted to take him, right here on this cave floor, and seal the deal, but we weren't out of the woods yet, with my hands and the uncontrolled power they generated.
That thought reminded me why we had come to this part of the cave. I pulled away from Traian and took his hand. I led him to the rhodochrosite spire that I had caught a glimpse of a moment ago. How did I know what this is?
I let go of his hand and placed both palms on the smooth surface. The moment I touched the stone, the buzzing in my body disappeared. I felt peace at last. Oh yes, this is it. This was the right crystal. I almost started to cry tears of joy, because I finally found something that would give me instant results.
“I need every kind of jewelry made of this stone.” I rested the side of my face on the column. “Earrings, necklaces, and bracelets.”
“Your wish is my command.” He took a chunk out of the corner with his bare hand. “I will have made whatever you want from this.”
My heart filled with happiness. I stepped up to him, keeping one hand on the stone. The other, I ran through the back of his hair, and pulled his head to me.
Our lips met with the fury of lovers who had been apart for far too long.
Chapter 17
It worked. The harder I kissed him, the more alive my body felt, but there was no tingling in my palms. The stone seemed to absorb all my overflow of energy. Oh my goodness, we might stand a chance. Maybe, just maybe, we could have an intimate relationship.
I need more of the stone. Can we do it in here?
Though I continued to kiss him, self-doubt hit like a ton of bricks, crashing into my little blissful moment. Why would he want me? He’d had amazing women in the past—powerful women. And then there’s me. What do I have to offer? What makes me special, besides setting things on fire and causing minor seismic events?
I wouldn’t be here if it wasn't for Traian. Fate, magic, whatever the silver thread that connected me to these women… none of that didn't matter, I would not be here had he not given me his blood.
He gave me his blood. That meant I had his memories. I could see for myself.
I focused on the blood that sluggishly moved through his veins. Slowly but surely, each drop of blood in his body gave off a vibration. I looked for that same vibration inside me. It was there, but slightly changed, probably because of my DNA.
We are connected.
Traian pulled his lips away, his brows scrunched up. “What are you thinking about?”
Good grief. I'd totally spaced out during our little make-out, which was so not cool.
“Sorry, I'm just trying to figure everything out.” I buried my face in my hands.
“It's okay,” he said. “We have time. We can take it slow. Don't need to rush anything you aren’t ready for.”
“Oh yes we do.” I ran both hands through my hair. “We have time, but not as much as you think. Bad things are headed our way, Traian. We must take our chances when we can, or else he will win.”
Traian straightened his back, as if he could hear something far away. I strained my ears but could not hear whatever it was that h
ad caught his attention. His eyes glazed for a moment and then returned to black.
“We should go back.”
“Okay,” I muttered, my fingers brushing against a clear quartz.
I suddenly found myself sitting in the middle of the cave. Flames of light danced between the pinnacles of crystals. Despite all the surrounding dazzlement, my attention was on the person sitting next to me. Rainbows of light covered Traian’s bare torso and face. His black hair hung behind him like a cape with a couple of strands fluttered in the mild breeze. He looked different.
Where did his shirt go? I looked down at his legs. Those aren’t the pants he had on a moment ago. He sat cross-legged like me, his palms resting on his knees, facing upward. I watched his chest rise and fall, the muscles contracting and expanding to make room for the flow of air. God, he’s beautiful. And he’s breathing.
That meant he was alive.
This is another memory. I let myself play along. If he’s alive, I’m in Evelina’s mind.
Traian opened his eyes and met my gaze. ‘What are you doing?’
I heard his voice inside my head, clear as my own thoughts.
‘Watching you,’ I responded.
‘I’m supposed to be focusing. How can I, when you are so distracting?’ He blinked—the only movement besides his breathing.
‘Call the light,’ I said to him. ‘Trust me, there will be far greater distractions in your life than me.’
These words came from me, but they were not mine. They were Evelina’s.
Traian closed his eyes and took a deep breath. A moment later, two flames of white light appeared at the center of his palms.
Joy exploded from my heart like mini firecrackers.
He did it! He called the light.
I couldn’t help myself. I leaped into his lap, nearly knocking him back. His hand caught me around the waist and pulled me down against him. Our mouths met in a frenzy of hunger and need. Though we’d only made love that morning, I craved his touch more than ever. His skin vibrated with the flow of magic.
So this is what the living, breathing Traian felt like…
I blinked, realizing my thoughts and the thoughts of Evelina and Eva had merged into one cyclone of consciousness. I couldn’t tell where I began or ended or who was who anymore. We were one, and I didn’t care.
I wanted Traian more than ever. I wanted to feel him.
I knew this was just a memory, but I wanted to see this through to the end.
As if he could read my thoughts, the human Traian lowered me down on my back in one smooth move. The sides of my robe slid off and pooled around my naked body.
My hands searched for the leather ties on his trousers, while his lips moved to my neck and traveled up. A tremor of energy shook my entire body as they brushed against the tips of my ears. I found the ends of the ties and pulled them before pushing his britches down past his muscular ass. My hand lingered on the fine piece of flesh before pushing the leathers off his body.
The Everly part of me felt naughty, while the Eva part held back her emotions. But Evelina roared with pleasure and lust. This confirmed that I was experiencing Evelina’s memory.
I turned my head and looked at the reflection in a clear crystal next to us. The woman lying under Traian and staring back at me had silky, blonde curls and green eyes. Then I noticed the pointy tips of her ears and let out a gasp. I’d known she was an elf, but seeing it was something else.
An elf. A gypsy. And me. What connects us?
Stop thinking and just enjoy. The voice was mine. I closed my eyes and willed the whirlwind of thoughts and questions out of my head. Dammit, I was going to relish this, even if it was just a memory.
“Everly!” Traian shouted. His face had changed, eyes turning blood red.
The rest of the cave dimmed, and I was no longer lying under a naked, breathing Traian. No, he was shaking me.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I pushed him away, leaning against the massive rhodochrosite spire.
That’s when I noticed the sparks flying from my hands.
Traian stood a safe distance away. “Dragon’s fire, I haven’t seen you shimmer like this since you touched Eva’s tombstone.”
“Shimmer?” I sucked in my breath out of habit.
“Your aura. Strigoi only have black auras, the shroud of death. But yours burst through in silver and white, just like it did that night.”
I closed my eyes, almost willing myself to go back in time and finish the memory. If he and I couldn’t be together in this lifetime, at least I could relive it through someone else’s eyes.
“You saw a vision from the past?” His voice carried a mixture of awe and dread.
I nodded.
“Blooded beast,” he cursed, and my strigoi ears picked up the sound of his hands running through his hair. “Eva used to have visions all the time.”
I opened my eyes and met his gaze. “What does that mean?”
“I don’t know, my love.” He gave me the same pained look that he’d given me when I awakened in the morgue. “We should head back. But I will make something for you out of the stone.” Traian slipped the chunk orange gem into his pocket and held out his hand.
I let go of the pillar and took it now that my hands had calmed down.
When we reached the lake room, Rodica waited for us. She gave me her usual callous look before turning to Traian.
“Satra would like to speak with our newest fledgling. The wolves are upstairs, waiting to escort her.” She handed a file to Traian. “The search results.”
He made an annoyed sound but released my hand so I could go to my room and get my boots. As I tied the last lace, he came in, holding the file open.
“Before you go, I have to show you something.”
I glanced at the page he was looking at and the group photo printed at the bottom. Before he could say anything else, I snatched the file from him, and my eyes zeroed in on one particular person in the picture. Though in black and white, I would recognize her anywhere.
Grandma Grace.
She stood next to several gypsy women, who were gathered around an older woman sitting in the middle—Satra.
I glanced up at Traian. “What the hell?”
“When you took me to your grandmother’s grave, the name sounded familiar. I had to do some research.” He paused. “I’d heard her name before but couldn’t place her. She’s an enigma, just like Eva.”
I focused on the photo again. Yup, there she was, right behind Satra.
“Are you saying Eva knew my grandmother?”
“It appears so.”
I could feel my blood heat. “Satra never said anything about this.”
“Satra has her secrets. All the Romani do, but especially the Carpatian clan, for obvious reasons.”
The mention of secrets made me remember Grandmother’s journal. How could I have forgotten it until now?
Be gentle with yourself. You’ve had a lot on your plate, learning how to control your powers, and hunt, and develop relationships in your new life. There was that voice again.
I was about to ask Traian where he’d placed Grandma’s diary, when Rodica popped her head in. “They’re getting impatient.”
Traian nodded, and she left. “We’d better not keep the beasts waiting.”
Oh hell.
I closed the file. “I’m going to read this when I get back.” I placed the folder inside my coffin and made a mental note to look for the journal when I returned.
Traian walked me out to the cliff, where two wolves, one of them being Ari, waited with Padrick. The elf sat on a boulder, twirling a stick in his hand.
“Well, well. It took you long enough.” He winked at me. “I was just keeping these chaps company until you showed up. Now that you're here, I am going to go back to my hidey hole and take a nice long rest. Goodnight, y'all, see you tomorrow.”
When he disappeared into the woods below, I turned to Traian.
“Do you know where his
hidey hole is?”
He shook his head.
Both the wolves let out a low growl.
“Don’t keep these guys waiting.” Traian took my elbow. “I will see you later, my love.”
He kissed me deeply and strongly and then let me go.
The wolves took off, and I broke into a run to keep up. They were fast, but I was faster, and we arrived at the crone’s tent shortly. I actually felt tired from the exertion.
That’s a first, but it feels good.
I pushed thoughts of my physical body aside. Satra and I had things to talk about.
Inside the tent, she handed me a vial. Its contents were a reddish, swirling liquid.
“This, my darling, is the potion for passion and love.” She pointed at the vial. “But it is tailored to you. It contains your blood and herbs to calm your energy, so you can actually enjoy the pleasure of lovemaking without harming your lover.”
I didn’t know it was possible for a vampire to blush, but I could feel my cheeks getting hot. Stay focused, Ev.
“Thank you,” I said and set the vial down on the table before looking Satra directly in the eye. “You’ve been holding out on me.”
“Ah, your lover finally found the photo.” She slumped in her chair.
“How did you know?” I cocked my head to the side, trying to get a better reading of the old woman sitting before me. “And why haven’t you mentioned you knew my grandmother? Here I thought you had some magical ability to see the future, when you called me here and said you’d been waiting for me.”
Satra laughed. “Me, see the future? Ha! If only.” She shook her head, and her face took on a serious expression. “Grace Greene sent me a letter the year she died, the year you were born. She told me that, in the spring of two thousand eighteen, a girl with strong elemental power would arrive in the Carpatian mountains who would be mated to a wraith and friends with the elf. She would have the ability to unite all the creatures.”
“The creatures?”
“You, me, my clan, your wraiths, and many others you will discover soon.”
“There are even more magical creatures?” I blinked incredulously.
“Not all are magic, but we are all connected.” Satra unfolded her hands, stretched one arm, and waved it to the side. “You must have seen the silver thread that binds us all.”
The Witch's Chalice Page 13