Origins (A Black Novel, #1)

by Jessa L. Gilbert

  “Well, this was fun,” Luc smirks, “but I’ve got to get going. I’ll see you later, little brother. Adelin, I hope to see you again.” He turns to leave but, changing his mind, spins back around. “Vraiden, I hope you know what you’re doing…..” He trails off before sauntering off.

  “I see you’ve met my brother,” Vraiden says dryly as he pivots to face me.

  “He has such a lovely personality,” I state sarcastically. I am instantly rewarded with a dazzling smile in return.

  “You look beautiful, by the way,” Vraiden says. His eyes skim over me from head to toe and back again making my stomach clench nervously.

  “Thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself.”

  “Dance with me,” Vraiden requests, eyes smoldering.

  “I’d love to,” I reply, allowing him to pull me in close. We dance together until my feet are numb, the couples around us slowly changing as time passes. Exhausted, I slump against Vraiden, breathing in his cinnamon scent.

  His warm breath tickles across my face. “Tired?” he chuckles.

  “Mmm-hm,” I mumble, nodding against his chest.

  “Come on.” He wraps one arm around my waist for support and begins leading me away. I half close my eyes as we walk, trusting him to guide me safely. I feel my knees give out from under me and wait for the impact but somehow, instead of crashing to the floor, I am floating.

  I open my eyes, baffled, and find myself looking right into Vraiden’s shining blue eyes- a flicker of amusement apparent within their depths. It takes me a moment to realize he is carrying me and then I try, in earnest, to get him to put me down. “No,” he replies with a shake of his head.

  “Vraiden, put me down!”

  “No. I’m perfectly capable of carrying you.”

  “And I’m ‘perfectly capable’ of walking,”I reply stubbornly.

  “Princess, I hate to say this but, you can’t even stand up by yourself.

  Now be quiet- you’re ruining the moment.”

  “What moment?” I ask confused.

  He flashes a dazzling smile. “The one where I get to be the chivalrous gentleman helping out the poor little damsel in distress….”

  “I’m not a da—”

  “Just humor me,” he cuts in with a roll of his eyes.

  “Fine,” I reply crossly as I relax back into his arms, “but you better not drop me. Or expect any ‘favors’ in return.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of it. Besides, you don’t look like you have the kind of energy it would require to do me a ‘favor’,” he responds with a smirk, making me blush.

  “Where are we going?” I question, attempting to change the subject.

  “Up to my room.”

  “Your room?!” I squeak.

  “Don’t worry,” he laughs. “I’m not going to try anything. My room is probably the quietest place in the house right now and you look like you could use some rest.”

  “Oh,” I breathe a sigh of relief.

  “Why…what did you have in mind?” he asks wickedly, earning himself a swat in the chest. “Ow.”

  Once inside his bedroom he deposits me carefully on his bed and walks over towards the terrace. Throwing open the middle set of doors he stands in the opening, arms braced against the door frame on either side. The lights in the room are off, the only illumination coming from the soft white glow of the moon streaming in through the doors around his silhouette. When he turns around towards me, his face completely hidden in shadows, his hair is haloed in a stunning silvery-white from the moonlight. He lightly treads across the hardwood and pauses at the head of the bed to deposit something on the nightstand before coming to a stop directly in front of me, inches away. Slowly, cautiously, his hands reach out towards me and gently tug at the ribbon tying my mask on, freeing me.

  “Thanks,” I whisper as he places my mask on the nightstand. Silently he kneels down in front of me and begins deftly removing my shoes, setting them down on the floor beside the bed.

  “I’d help you with your dress,” he says as he straightens, a seductive edge to his voice, “but you’d think I was trying to seduce you.”

  “My dress?” I ask, breathless.

  “You can’t sleep in that thing. I’ll loan you one of my shirts so you’ll be more comfortable.”

  “You mean here? You want me to sleep here?”

  “That’s the plan,” he says with a small laugh.

  “What about Sera?” I ask, panicking.

  “Sera always spends the night after one of my mother’s parties, as do most of the guests. Tomorrow there will be meetings all day and a big dinner later that night for a few select guests- it’s a way for the Immortals to deepen their connections. And, no offense, your mother’s not in a position to turn that down. Now, I’m going to grab you a shirt, all right?”

  “All right,” I agree reluctantly as he stalks off in the direction of what I assume to be the closet. Returning a moment later he thrusts something at me, which I accept.

  “Stand up and turn around. I’ll help you with the zipper,” he says huskily. “I’ll turn around and not peek when you undress,” he adds in response to my hesitancy. Not seeing any other option I obey silently. The tips of his fingers whisper across the bare skin on my back, just above the fabric, and I shiver from the softness of his touch. “Cold?”

  “No,” I reply as I bite my lip. He sucks in an audible breath, his fingers stilling at my honesty.

  “There,” he responds once the zipper is free. I hear him shuffle for a moment behind me. “I’m turned around.”

  Quickly, I step out of the gown, delighting in the way Vraiden’s scent envelops me as I thrust my arms into the shirt he loaned me. I fasten up the buttons and turn towards him. “All done.” He spins and begins making his way towards the door, “I’ll be next door if you need anything.”

  “Wait—You’re not staying?”

  The soft thud of footsteps halts. “Do you want me to?” His voice is a strange mixture of hope and confusion.

  “Please?” I request meekly. “I don’t think I could sleep here by myself.”

  The sound of his footfalls resumes, growing louder as he gets closer, stopping at the edge of the bed. I can hear the hidden smirk in his voice when he speaks, “What side of the bed do you want?”

  “It doesn’t matter.” I shrug, attempting nonchalance and mentally curse myself when my voice trembles. The thought of spending the entire night in a bed with Vraiden, even if we were both only sleeping, both excites and frightens me.

  “Then scoot over,” Vraiden urges gently. “I’ll sleep on this side so you won’t get too cold.”

  I move over noisily to make room for him. He plops down into the spot I vacated and I hear the muted thump-thump of his shoes hitting the floor before he bends over and, from the sound of it, removes his socks. Before I know what is happening he has his jacket off and his shirt wide open. Oh my. He stands and shrugs out of his shirt then moves his hands down to the button on his pants.

  Sweet Jesus. I practically combust when he pops the button on his slacks free.

  “What are you doing?” I squeak, secretly wishing he had claimed my side of the bed because I am quickly becoming overheated.

  “Getting comfortable. You didn’t expect me to sleep in my clothes, did you?”

  “Well, er—No, but—” I stammer.

  “Besides, it’s not like you haven’t seen it all before…” he continues abruptly, causing me to choke on my drool. He laughs loudly as I sit up, gasping for air. “Relax. I was only joking, I’m keeping my boxers on.”

  “That wasn’t funny!” I announce when my breathing resumes its normal pace. I lay back down and scowl up at the ceiling.

  “Actually, it kind of was,” he replies as he stands up. I fall silent at the sound of his zipper coming free, my eyes closing when I hear his pants hit the floor. The bed shifts beside me as he settles down next to me under the comforter.

  The room fills with an awkward silence as w
e lay, half-naked, next to one another in the dark. I feel like I should say something- anything-to break the silence but every time I open my mouth to speak I remember the sound of his pants hitting the floor and my mouth shuts automatically. Instead, I simply lay there with my eyes closed, begging for sleep to come. Just as I am finally able to sleep Vraiden’s foot brushes against my bare leg making me shiver.

  “Do you want me to close the doors?” he asks quietly.

  “Yes, please,” I respond, more from the need to have a moment to myself than from the cold. He promptly hops up and stalks across the room to shut the terrace doors. I smile to myself as I watch him move, the moon illuminating his back and chest in a sensual glow.

  “Good night, Adelin,” he murmurs when he climbs back into bed.

  “Night, Vraiden,” I reply as my eyes fall shut.

  Chapter Fourteen

  When I open my eyes the room is still dark, the only sound the steady intake and release of breath from beside me.

  “Vraiden?” I whisper quietly, not wanting to wake him if he is indeed sleeping.

  “Yes, Adelin?” he replies, startling me.

  “Sorry. I thought you were asleep.”

  “Then why were you talking to me?” He asks, amused.

  “Because I can’t sleep.”

  “Come over here,” he says, lifting the cover.

  My heart hammers noisily in my chest. “Why?”

  “Just do it,” he commands quietly. I can practically hear him rolling his eyes.

  I sigh but do as he asks and nervously shuffle a few inches closer. I feel him place his left arm around me, hand splayed across my back, seconds before he pulls my body tightly against his. I gasp as we make contact in the dark. “There,” he grunts lightly. “Now lay your head down and close your eyes.”

  He gently guides me down to rest in the crook of his arm, my head settling against his bare chest. I sigh contentedly as the scent of cinnamon and spice invades my nostrils. “Better?” he asks throatily.

  “Much. Thank you,” I reply with grateful satisfaction as I allow myself to further relax against him, my eyes slowly drifting shut. Just for a second, I tell myself.

  “Adelin,” Vraiden says sharply, startling me back to full alertness.

  “What?” I ask groggily, lifting my head. It takes me a moment to remember where I am but once I do, I freeze instantly as I realize I am splayed halfway across Vraiden in bed. My arm is thrown across his bare chest and my knee is resting on his stomach, with my foot dangling between his legs. “Oh!” My eyes widen with embarrassment. I brace my hand against his chest and push myself up slightly, attempting to put some distance between us. My hair cascades down over my shoulders, creating a curtain around the two of us.

  “Stop moving,” he warns breathlessly. Nervously I shift my leg a fraction of an inch. Beneath me Vraiden lets out a slow, seductive growl, making my heart rate triple.

  “S—Sorry,” I stammer raggedly as I struggle to remember how to breathe. Inhale. Exhale.

  Slowly Vraiden raises his arms and gathers my hair in one hand behind my back, gently securing it at the nape of my neck. I stare, unblinking, into the depths of his unfathomable blue eyes. I forget how to breathe, how to speak as he stares quietly back, his eyes unreadable. The moonlight plays across his face, further accentuating his features as he opens his mouth to speak but quickly shuts it again, changing his mind. His eyes flicker shut and when they finally re-open they are filled with heat and light.

  Vraiden grabs me and flips me onto my back, a startled gasp escaping my throat as I softly thud against the pillow. He remains poised above me, arms pressed down on either side of my head, one leg thrust between mine.

  “That’s better,” he grunts as he shifts his weight slightly and relaxes back onto his knee. He begins to inch off of me slowly.

  Reacting without thinking, I grab him by the back of the neck and pull him down towards me, moaning with bliss as our mouths collide. He stills instantly and I tighten my grip on him, urging him to respond. After a moment’s hesitation his lips part and he returns my kiss with a heated urgency, gently coercing my legs apart with his knee as a fire builds inside me. He presses down against me, his body molding to mine, our skin sticking together with heat and sweat. He grabs the shirt he loaned me and quickly lifts it up and over my head before pausing to discard his boxers. My fingernails dig into his back, breaking skin, as he brings his naked body flush with mine. I moan deeply, unashamed, as we become one and he gently begins to move against me.

  The sun is streaming brightly through the curtains when I wake up again, my head rising and falling steadily on Vraiden’s bare chest.

  His arm is wrapped around me, fingers splayed against my hip.

  “Morning,” he says, the sound echoing through his chest beneath my ear.

  “Morning,” I reply, smiling up at him.

  His lips curl up into a lazy half grin as he looks down at me. He reaches out his free hand to gingerly cup my cheek, tenderly stroking his thumb across my skin. His other hand tightens slightly on my hip as he pulls my body flush against him and slides me an inch upwards so our breath mingles together. I close my eyes as his lips brush across mine, softly at first and then deepening as my mouth parts in anticipation. We are interrupted by a loud knock on the door. Startled, I break away from him and grasp the sheet to cover myself just as the door pops open.

  Luc strolls in, fully dressed in dark jeans and a simple white T-shirt, an evil grin spreading across his face when he sees us in bed. Now that he isn’t wearing a mask and I can see his face clearly ,I am shocked at how absolutely good-looking he is. “Morning, little brother,” Luc says with a bit too much enthusiasm. “Morning, Adelin. I didn’t expect to find you in here.”

  “Good morning,” I mumble, flushing profusely at being caught in bed, naked, with his brother.

  “You’re looking rather lovely this fine morning,” he says sweetly as he gazes unabashedly at me.

  “What do you want?” Vraiden snaps.

  “To tell you that you are wanted downstairs…”

  “What for?” Vraiden asks tonelessly.

  “Eris would like to have a word with you,” Luc answers with a meaningful glance.

  Vraiden sits up, cursing. “What did you say to her?!”

  “I didn’t say anything but I didn’t need to….She saw the way you were acting last night,” Luc says pointedly.

  Still cursing Vraiden quickly climbs from bed and throws on a pair of faded jeans and a navy blue pull-over. He turns toward me, apologetic. “Adelin, I’m sorry, but I have to go downstairs. I’ll be back. Stay here and wait for me, please. You,” he says, pointing to Luc, “lay a finger on her and I’ll kill you.”

  “Oh, no,” Luc replies in mock horror.

  Vraiden’s eyes glint dangerously. “I’m serious. If anything happens to her while I’m gone, it’s your head.”

  Luc nods once, silent, and as the two boys look at one another an unspoken agreement seems to pass between them. A moment later Vraiden turns and leaves the room without another word. Grinning, Luc turns to face me. “You wouldn’t believe it from the way he’s been acting but I’m the good one,” he says with a gesture to himself in a display of innocence.

  “I find that hard to believe,” I respond dryly.

  “Let’s hope everyone else isn’t as smart as you then or my reputation is ruined.” He gives me a quick wink before walking over to stand at the foot of the bed. “Are you going to stay in there all day? If so, can I join you?”

  “No and no,” I reply as I grip the sheet closer. “Now, if you’ll just leave so I can get dressed that would be great.”

  “I can’t leave. You heard Vraiden—if anything happens to you while he’s gone he’ll kill me….” His words are loaded with scorn. “What if you fell and hit your head.”

  “Nice try.”

  He waggles his eyebrows at me. “How about if I offer to help you get dressed?”

  “Just go,
” I reply sternly with a roll of my eyes. He is nothing if not persistent.

  “Fine,” he says with a playful pout. “I’ll be in the hall if you want my help.”

  I shake my head at him and silently point to the door, dropping my arm when he acquiesces and saunters out. Wrapping the sheet around myself in a make-shift robe I climb from the bed and heave a heavy sigh as I look around and realize I’m not at home. The only things I have to wear are my ball gown or one of Vraiden’s shirts, and somehow I doubt traipsing around in nothing but an oversized button-up is going to go over well with anyone. Well, anyone but Vraiden and Luc.

  I quickly put on my undergarments and am just picking up my crumpled gown when there’s a soft knock on the door. Without warning the door opens and Luc walks in, halting mid-step as he takes in my appearance. I hastily grab at the sheet and hold it up in front of myself to hide my state of undress.

  “I thought you might need something to wear.” He holds up a bundle of clothes, all the while keeping his gaze locked on mine.

  “Thank you,” I reply as I shift my weight from foot to foot.

  “I’ll leave them here.” He walks over and places them on the opposite side of the bed then turns and heads back to the door, turning on his way out. “Nice panties by the way,” he adds with a wink as he steps back out into the hallway. I flush uncontrollably from head to toe as the door clicks shut.

  Scowling I walk over and examine the clothes he brought—a soft looking, mint green scoop neck sweater and a pair of loose-flowing grey slacks. I dress in a flurry, slide on my heels, and head out into the hallway.

  Luc is leaning casually up against the wall outside the bedroom, a bored expression on his face. “Done,” I announce.