“You’re welcome,” he replies gruffly. “Now…what do you see?”
“Huh?”
“Look around and tell me what you see. Does anything look different?”
I comply and glance around, stopping with an audible gulp. Our surroundings are the same yet they’re different- crisper. It’s as though I’ve been looking at a photograph and now I was faced with the actual images themselves. I peer around in awe. Even from this distance I can make out each individual white-capped swell of the ocean. Vraiden’s knowing chuckle beside me startles me out of my stupor. “Amazing,” I manage.
“It gets better. Wait here.” He jumps to his feet with a grin then disappears into his bedroom. He returns a few minutes later with a small red china bowl clasped between his hands. He resumes his seat, purposely hiding the contents of the bowl from my view.
“Eyes shut,” he commands.
“Bossy, bossy,” I tease, shutting my eyes.
“What do you smell?” he asks as he slowly waves one hand under my nose.
I sigh pleasantly as the scent invades my nostrils. “Strawberries.”
“And…?” he prompts, still moving his hand in front of my face. My mouth salivates in anticipation as I inhale deeper. Hidden beneath the enticing strawberry aroma is another scent, this one harder to place.
“Dirt,” I grin, satisfied that I identified the smell.
“Correct. Open your mouth. Please,” he adds at my frown.
I part my lips slightly, curious at his request. My eyes fly open as he carefully inserts the strawberry halfway between my waiting lips.
My lips purse together, savoring, as the flavor explodes in my mouth. I gingerly run my tongue across the surface of the fruit, able to feel each individual seed. My eyes slide shut in ecstasy as the sweet tang rolls down my throat.
“More,” I breathe, opening my mouth expectantly. He relents, popping another piece into my mouth with a laugh.
Chapter Twelve
T he sun is just beginning to crest over the expanse of ocean when Vraiden drops me off in front of my house. After the strawberries, Vraiden had convinced me to go outside and into the woods so that I could fully experience my heightened senses. We had wandered for hours, stopping every few feet so I could make a closer inspection of our surroundings. It was like I was finally seeing the world- everything had so much depth and detail. I was fascinated with everything, from the tree bark to the very dirt beneath our feet, even the sounds were amazing. The ocean had sounded like music- full of various pitches, harmonies and rhythms all its own as it crashed upon itself in the darkness. I could hear the worms burrowing deeper into the earth and the bugs scuttling through fallen leaves. I caught the steady flapping of a birds’ wings far above, each intake of Vraiden’s breath and the hypnotic drumbeat of his heart. For the first time in my life I had felt alive, real. It had been amazing. I was heartbroken when Vraiden had announced that it was time to go. I could have stayed with him forever, lost in our surroundings.
“Have fun shopping with your mom,” Vraiden teases as I climb out of his Jeep.
“I will,” I smile.
“I look forward to seeing you tomorrow night at the party,” he calls with a devilish wink as he pulls away.
Sera and I spend most of the rest of the day on the mainland shopping, eating and sight-seeing. She take me to all her favorite places as well as helps me pick out the perfect dress- a long, floor sweeping strapless gown made out of black taffeta with intricate designs of flowers and ivy cut out to show the shimmery gold silk fabric beneath, and then overlaid in a delicate black vintage lace.
The day has been more fun that I had thought and I am finally beginning to feel like Sera and I are getting to know, and like, each other. By the time we finally get back home it is dark and I am so exhausted that I fall asleep in my jeans and pullover on top of the comforter.
When I open my eyes, the light funneling in through the curtains tells me it is near afternoon. I sit up with a groan and check the time. One-ten. In six hours I have to be at a party filled with Immortals, and I feel like crap. I lay back down and a loud groan escapes my lips as I pull the comforter up over my face to block out the too bright sunlight. I am almost asleep again when a knock sounds on my door. “Adelin? Why are you still in bed?” Sera asks as she opens the door a crack and pokes her head in.
“Ugh,” I groan, sitting up.
“Are you all right? You don’t look too good.” She walks over to me, concern clouding her face.
“Thanks,” I reply dryly.
“You know I didn’t mean it like that. Get up and take a shower- it’ll make you feel more lively- but first….I got you something to go with your dress tonight.” She sits on the edge of the bed and produces a medium sized, flat rectangular box wrapped in shiny silver paper from behind her back. She holds it up teasingly a few inches out of reach, tilting it from side to side causing the sun to glint enticing off the surface.
Intrigued, I reach out for it and carefully undo the wrapping to expose a plain white lidded box. Gingerly I lift the lid and fold apart the red tissue paper inside to reveal— “Huh? What’s this?” I glance up at Sera, confused.
“A mask,” she laughs. “The party tonight is a masquerade. I knew you didn’t have a mask and I thought I’d surprise you.” Suddenly the things Vraiden had said about having to find him at the party made sense. Of course. I cautiously pull the mask out to get a better look. It was beautiful, all black and shaped like an oversized bow tie with a faint silvery sparkle glinting across the surface. Two black silk ribbons flutter loosely at the sides- simple but elegant. I love it.
“Thank you!” I squeal with a wide smile.
“You’re welcome. Now…out of bed. Shower first then come down and grab some food,” she replies before standing to leave.
The combination of a shower and food does help to revitalize me somewhat. I am practically bouncing in gleeful anticipation as I pull on my dress and put the finishing touches on my hair and make-up. I opt for a natural look with my make-up, adding just a hint of golden sparkle around my eyes, and leave my hair long and flowing down my back in tumultuous curls. Satisfied, I grab my mask and head downstairs, feeling more like a princess in a game of make-believe than a guest to a party.
In the car I adjust and re-adjust my mask, anxiety getting the better of me. I am fiddling with my dress as we pull up in front of the Blacks’ house, my hands falling idly into my lap when I glance up.
The house is even more breathtaking than the previous times I visited. Almost all of the windows are alit with a soft glow, the front doors wide open, welcoming. Party guests are milling around on the meticulous lawn clad in sequined ball gowns and expensive tuxedos, each face hidden behind an extravagant mask. Soft white twinkle lights are elegantly strewn across the hedges and dangle from nearby trees, along with accenting each of the windows, making the house look ethereal.
We pull up the circular driveway and stop near the front doors. A valet in a classic black and white tuxedo, complete with a white eye mask, opens the car door. “Mademoiselle,” he says with a slight French accent and an offer of his hand. I accept and allow him to help me from the vehicle as an identically dressed valet does the same for Sera before taking her keys to park the car.
As we stroll in through the front doors, I am instantly taken aback at the sheer number of guests. Sera must have noticed my start because she leans in closer, shielding her mouth with her hand as she speaks. “These are only the lucky few who were invited- the richest, most powerful. Mostly only Pure Immortals with a select number of those like me mixed in.” I balk at the word ‘few’- there had to be at least one-hundred guests present, and that was just a guess based on what I could see. More than likely there are more guests out back. “There’s Moira. We better go say hello.” I scan the crowd during the time it takes to walk over to Moira, hoping to catch a glimpse of Vraiden. Everywhere I look there are masks, making it impossible to recognize anyone’s faces- not th
at I actually really knew anyone here anyway.
“There you are Sera!” Moira chastises when we walk up. “Hello Adelin. Don’t you look lovely? I was beginning to think the two of you weren’t going to show up!”
“Nonsense, we wouldn’t miss one of your parties,” Sera replies with a laugh. “Your dress is gorgeous!”
“Thank you,” Moira replies as she smoothes down the white fabric.
It really is breathtaking- all white satin, long and strapless. I could tell from the way the fabric clings in all the right places that it was made specifically for her. Her long, pale blond hair is piled loosely on top of her head and in one hand she holds a pure white mask on a stick, sprouting three perfectly formed white ostrich plumes.
I tune out when the two women begin chatting idly about decorations, guests and dresses, and resume my search for Vraiden.
There are a wide array of guests, all dressed exquisitely, though the main colors seemed to be black and white with a few of the more daring guests wearing a brilliant shade of red or a vivid shimmering gold. The masks the guests sport vary greatly, ranging from classic eye masks to full face masks. There are long nosed Venetian masks, masks on sticks, and masks with flowers or feathers. Everywhere I looked there’s a new, unique mask. Masks shaped to look like butterflies, bats, the Devil. Diagonally slit Phantom of the Opera style masks, Renaissance masks.
I begin to get dizzy as my eyes swim from one cloaked face to the next. There is something discerning about seeing shiny teeth and gleaming eyes all around me with no clue as to what the rest of each face looks like. One thing I know for sure: each and every one of these exquisitely dressed personages is a murderer. All of them have taken someone’s life so they could be Immortal.
I feel a hand on my shoulder and jump automatically, caught off guard. “Did I scare you?” Sera asks, her grey eyes searching mine through the slits in her black sequined mask.
“I’m fine.”
“Why don’t you go and mingle? Vraiden’s around here somewhere,” she says with a light wave of her hand.
“Okay. Have fun,” I reply reluctantly as I move towards the crowd.
“Wait,” she says, grabbing me and pulling me in close to whisper in my ear. “Don’t drink anything.”
“What?”
“Don’t drink anything,” she repeats with more conviction,
“especially the wine. Most of the beverages are laced with blood.” Great. Of course a party full of Immortals would be serving blood in a cup. “I promise.”
“Thank you. Have fun!” She squeezes me into a quick hug before stepping back towards Moira with a small smile. I turn and saunter off blindly into the crowd.
Deciding that some fresh air would help soothe my nerves, I head towards the back of the house. I breathe a small sigh of relief when I reach the patio- thankfully most of the guests are inside with the exception of a few stragglers wandering around the artfully decorated garden. I walk further out, welcoming the gentle breeze, and rest my hands on the low banister that separates the patio from the lawn below.
A husky voice startles me out of my reverie. “You are absolutely breathtaking.”
“Vraiden?” I question as I spin around hopefully. Puzzlement washes over me as I take in the man before me. He is dressed in a classic black and white tuxedo and, from what I can see of his face beneath the masculine black mask, very good looking. The same blue, blue eyes as Vraiden peek out from the eye slits in his mask but I know without a doubt it isn’t him. For one thing he is taller than Vraiden and, for another, he has close cropped black hair, not the tawny blond of Vraiden. There is also something off about this man- a hint of something sinister lurking in his eyes. Automatically I take a step backwards to try and put some more distance between us which only makes his lips curl up cruelly.
“Close…” he says smoothly as he steps closer. “I’m his brother.”
Part Two
Black
“There dwell the children of the dark Night, the dread gods Sleep and Death.” ~Hesiod, Theogony
Chapter Thirteen
“B rother?” I ask, perplexed. Vraiden has a brother?! Why hasn’t he mentioned him?
“Older brother. I’m not too surprised he never mentioned me. We don’t get along,” he whispers loudly. “I’m Luc.”
“Adelin,” I respond tentatively as I take his outstretched hand.
“What a beautiful name, very fitting,” he murmurs before dropping a delicately sensual kiss on the top of my hand, making me blush in response.
“Thank you.”
He lifts his mesmerizing eyes to mine. “Care to dance?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not? Afraid of what Vraiden might think?” he retorts, eyes flashing momentarily.
I reply honestly. “It’s not him I’m concerned about.”
“Well, look at that! Brains as well as beauty! That settles it, you’re too good for my brother. Now, will you please stop being rude and dance with me?” He takes a deep bow. “Just so you know, I’m going to keep pestering you until you agree.”
“One dance,” I reply, letting him lead me back inside.
He maneuvers us easily through the crowd until we are about halfway through, lost in the sea of bodies surrounding us, before stopping and pulling me towards him. Slowly he wraps one arm securely around my waist and rests his hand against the small of my back. Taking a deep breath I place one hand on his shoulder and bring the other up to sit in his waiting palm, training my eyes on his black tie. We begin to move slowly in time to the music, gently swaying at first before letting our feet guide us. Not thinking I lift my eyes to his, startled when I realize they’re not as identical to Vraiden’s as I first had thought. Instead, his eyes are a pale grey-blue surrounded by a ring of darker blue and dotted with flecks of grey. A small, satisfied smile appears on his face and he leans in to bring his lips closer to mine.
“Lucien,” snarls a familiar voice, startling me back a step. My eyes flick towards the voice, breaking the spell I had been momentarily lost in. Had I seriously almost kissed Luc?! First Vraiden, now Luc…..
What was it about the Black men that I found so appealing? Both boys had a way of getting under my skin and turning my insides upside down.
“Why there you are Little Brother,” Luc says with a chuckle. “I was just keeping the beautiful Adelin here company in your absence. We were having a wonderful time….”
The hostility between the two is palpable, the air slightly shimmering like gasoline on a hot day. I take a deep breath and step forward in the hopes that Vraiden will focus on me instead of Luc, trying to diffuse the situation before it gets out of hand. It almost works too. Vraiden glances towards me, his eyes softening as he drinks me in. He is dressed deliciously in an expensive looking pair of black slacks, a matching jacket laid over a crisp black button-up with the top two buttons sitting open to reveal a hint of smooth, tan chest. His gorgeous blue eyes peek out from behind a simple gold mask, further adding to their beauty.
“Get away from her!” Vraiden growls, his eyes flashing as Luc steps up behind me.
“Oh, this is just priceless!” Luc laughs cruelly. “You actually care about her! Does mother know? What about Eris?” Before I know what is happening Vraiden grabs me and maneuvers me behind him, holding me in place with his hand firmly grasping my elbow. “What the two of us do is none of your concern,” Vraiden states, his voice low and barely controlled.
“Suit yourself, dear brother. But, remember I tried to warn you. I guess I can’t really blame you though……” Luc trails off.
He takes a step in my direction but Vraiden quickly counters him, effectively cutting off his path. “Oh, calm down. It’s not as if I was going to bite her. I just wanted to tell her good-night.” Luc puts his hands up in a gesture of surrender, a faux wounded expression on his face.
“If you so much as insult her you’ll regret it,” Vraiden breathes as he steps to the side allowing Luc di
rect access to me.
“There’s the Vraiden I remember!” Luc exclaims before advancing towards me. Gently he clasps my left hand in his, raising it to his lips to plant a lingering kiss on my flesh before lowering it. “Adelin, darling, it was a pleasure to meet you. If you ever get bored with my brother here let me know. I’m sure the two of us could have a lot of fun together….”
“I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you,” I reply with a sweet smile.
“I don’t date assholes.”
“I’ve got somewhere for you to put that mouth of yours, Sweetheart.” Luc says with a lewd grin. “I promise you’ll like it.”
“I don’t think you would though. I bite,” I respond, baring my teeth.
“Where did you find her?” Luc questions Vraiden with a loud laugh before refocusing once more on me. “Darlin’, the things I’d like to do to you…..”
“That’s enough,” Vraiden cuts in as he resumes his place as my shield. He crosses his arms over his chest and scowls.
“Careful,” Luc warns, glancing around. “We have an audience.” My eyes quickly flit around the crowd to take stock. Luc is right- we definitely have an audience. An awkwardly shaped circle has formed around the three of us, made up of an array of different masked guests. Most of the onlookers are whispering quietly amongst themselves and blatantly staring at us. I can feel the heat building in my cheeks with each passing second. Both boys are standing their ground, each unwilling to yield to the other. Growing increasingly more uncomfortable with where the situation is headed, I reach out and put a hand on Vraiden’s arm to calm him down. I can feel his arm begin to relax after a moment and I silently breathe a sigh of relief in response.
Origins (A Black Novel, #1) Page 10