Cass leaned back against the wall, keeping a watchful eye on Adrian. Adrian stepped to the side wall and folded his arms as he leaned against it.
The doorbell rang and each of their attentions snapped to it.
"I'll get it," Alex offered.
Sofia entered the room, followed by Alex. "The potion is on the bed," he pointed. "It's a part of the spell. Kayci was able to tell us briefly that Liliana used a body snatching spell."
Sofia glanced at Kayci's sleeping body. Her eyes softened with sympathy. "Her enemies are endless." She lifted the bottle, uncorked it, and waved it under her nose.
"It's a potion used to keep a soul trapped within a body. Dangerous dark magic. Liliana would've paid a sorcerer or sorceress well for this." She re-corked the bottle. "We'll need galangal or vetivert to burn. We'll also need toadflax, thistle, wahoo paste, and crushed poke berries."
"I'll get it." Alex left the room, headed for Kayci's office.
Sofia glanced at the remaining men, sensing the volatile tension. "I need all of you to step out. I have to undress her and draw a bath to put her in."
Cass and Adrian stared at each other, neither one of them willing to leave.
Sofia turned to them. "She wouldn't want either of you in here for this part. All of you can wait downstairs."
Alex returned with his arms full. Cass and Adrian simultaneously moved toward the door. Thorne followed just behind them. Sofia raised her hand, releasing her energy. The bedroom door closed behind him.
She turned to Alex. "It's a miracle they haven't killed each other."
"You should've seen Adrian's reaction when Cass told him he'd marked her and she accepted him as her mate. I thought for sure there was going to be a bloodbath. Adrian looked like he was contemplating how to kill Cass."
"Let's hope Thorne can keep them under control. We don't need her waking up to find out one of them is dead."
Alex moved to the bed, placing the herbs, paste, berries, and censer on it.
"Start a hot bath, no soap, just hot water. I'll undress her, then you'll have to help me carry her in and help me with the rest of the spell."
Alex rubbed the back of his neck. "You sure Cass or Adrian can't help you with the undressing and lifting?"
Sofia rolled her eyes. "Get over it. I know you've seen a naked woman before."
Alex scrunched his face. "I'm probably going to have to move out after this."
Sofia laughed. "Get the bath going." She motioned toward the bathroom.
He left and Sofia worked Kayci out of her clothes. He returned when she'd removed the final pieces.
Alex's face shined red when he approached the bed. "The bath is filling up."
"Good. Lift her and put her in it."
Alex approached the bed. His face contorted into several twisted expressions before he stepped back, throwing his hands in the air. "Nope, not happening. I'm getting Cass."
He walked to the door and opened it. "Cass, I need you man."
Cass was there in seconds. He stepped into the room, his eyes instantly going to Kayci's naked body. He walked over to the bed and lifted her against him, shielding her from Sofia and Alex. He heard the water running and walked her into the bathroom. He gently laid her into it, rubbing his hand over her face. He leaned in, kissing her cheek before stepping away to let Alex and Sofia do their spell.
"Thank you, Cass. I'm sorry to send you back downstairs, but we need you to," Sofia told him.
"Let me know the moment she wakes."
"I will."
Alex brought the supplies in as Sofia turned off the water. She put the galangal in the censer and lit it. She waved her hand over it, forcing the puffs of smoke out. She opened the glass container of paste and rubbed it generously across Kayci's forehead. She crushed the berries and dipped her finger into the red juice, drawing a pentagram on Kayci's chest. She gathered large handfuls of the toadflax and thistle and spread them into the bath water and over her body.
"Alex, join me. I'll need your magic for this. Hold your hands over her and repeat after me. Aufer religatos animae non convenit. Sanctificamini et vas in sua forma."
They said the spell as they pushed their energy outward. Pulsing energy expanded beneath their hands. Sofia moved her hands to Kayci's head as Alex continued to say the spell and release his magic into her. Sofia pushed Kayci's body beneath the water as they said the last of the spell. A quick, forceful escape of energy left Kayci's body as she came up, eyes open and breathing.
Her eyes darted back and forth over them and then down at her naked body. She instantly closed her legs and covered her breasts.
"Towel."
Alex reached for one and looked at the wall as he handed it to her.
"Thank you."
Sofia pulled the drain and motioned for Kayci to get out. "Hurry. Step out. The hex needs to drain with the water."
Kayci did as instructed as she wrapped the towel around herself. The bedroom door swung open and they all looked up to see Cass standing there, relief spread over his face. He swiftly crossed the bedroom and bathroom and took her into his arms.
"What did you say to me just before you left my cabin?"
Kayci looked up at his beautiful blue wolf eyes. She smiled. "It's as much as I love you."
He leaned down, kissing her deeply, running his hands over her damp hair and back. Sofia and Alex slipped out of the bathroom, giving them privacy.
Cass pulled back from her, still holding her close while his hand caressed her cheek. She tilted into his touch.
"My beautiful, Kat. You came back to me. I hope you know you're never leaving my sight again. Understand?" His tone firmed.
Her lips pulled back into a grin. "I'm perfectly fine with that." She leaned up, kissing him, her heart swelling with love for him. "Thank you for hearing me and coming for me." She nuzzled into his chest.
"I'd know that heart anywhere. It beats for me and I for it."
"That was beautiful." She leaned back to look at the loving, possessive eyes she knew would only ever look that way for her. "Do you tell all the ladies that?"
Cass grinned, pulling her tighter against him. "Only this one."
Chapter 27
Kayci dressed in the privacy of her own room. She'd put her clothes and suitcase away and piled the sorcery supplies on her sink. She wanted to spend time cleaning her entire room when she had the chance. She wanted to wash away Liliana's tainted touch from her belongings, her memory, and her life.
No doubt her spirit had been returned to her body. That didn't matter, it would only be a matter of time before Kayci found her and killed her. She bottled her rising anger for another day. She focused on retracting her fangs and steadying her trembling hands. She needed to thank everyone who had helped her, who got her back.
A different kind of pain burst in her chest as the memory of Liliana using her body to seduce Adrian filled her mind. He believed she'd chosen him. He hadn't been able to see it wasn't her and by the time he would have, she would've been gone.
Cass had sensed her. The moment he saw her, he knew it wasn't her. He'd brought her out of the darkness so she could tell them. Their bond had saved her. She sensed him now, downstairs with the rest of them. He ached to be with her as she did him.
Kayci opened the door to her bedroom and made her way downstairs. She found Thorne, Sofia, Alex, and Cass waiting for her. Cass rose from the armchair and came to her, folding her into him, caressing her hair and face in his hands. He longed to be alone with her. She could sense his desire and affection in his touch.
He leaned into her ear, kissing her softly on her temple. "You don't know how relieved I am to be holding you."
She held him tightly, running her hands over his back and sides, breathing in his delicious earthy scent, letting it soothe her jittery nerves. "I know, Cass. I can feel it. It feels incredible."
He lowered his voice, whispering into her ear. "The moment we're alone, I'm going to have you."
She leaned back,
biting her lip. He eyed her lip, arousal filling his eyes. He put his hand to her chin, raising her face to him. "So beautiful," he whispered, before taking her lips with his.
She eased out of Cass' arms, even though her body begged for her to stay. Alex stood a few feet away by the archway to the kitchen. She took the few steps, closing the distance between them and wrapped him in her arms.
His breath left him as she squeezed him tightly. "Thank you."
"Air…Kayc…I need air."
Kayci giggled and released her grip. "Thank you for everything you did. Thank you for noticing that something wasn't right about me and for acting on it."
Alex smiled, his cheeks gaining color. "She could never pull you off. You're one of a kind, Kayc."
She nearly pounced on him as she pulled him tightly against her. His back cracked under her hands.
"Super…strength," he choked out.
She smiled as she let him go. She turned to Sofia and Thorne. She walked toward them, tucking Sofia into her arms. "Thank you for reversing the hex. Thank you so much."
Sofia returned an equally warm smile. "You're welcome, darling."
She turned to Thorne. His intelligent eyes studied her, reading her intimately. A charming smile spread across his face. "It's a pleasure to feel those emotions again."
Kayci leaned in slowly, folding herself into Thorne's outstretched arms. He pulled her close, then slowly released her.
"Tomorrow night, we'll have a meeting to discuss the Covenant's next direction and yours." She knew he sensed her desire to find Liliana.
She nodded. "See you tomorrow."
Thorne and Sofia left. Alex walked toward the stairs.
"I'm going to stay at Elise's. I'm sure you two would appreciate the privacy tonight."
Cass glanced at her, his eyes brightened. He looked back at Alex and nodded. "We appreciate that."
Alex trotted up the steps, disappearing at the top. Cass crossed the room and pulled her into his arms. His lips came down on hers with intense hunger and need. He pulled away and quickly reached down, cradling her in his arms. She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Hopefully, he packs fast."
Cass carried her up the steps and gently laid her on the bed. He leaned over her, bringing himself down on top of her. His kiss came softly as he ran his hands through her hair and caressed the nape of her neck with his thumb.
His intimate touch sent her emotions spiraling. Love, appreciation, desire, need—all fought for supremacy. When his tongue slid in between her lips and caressed hers, she moaned beneath his kiss.
His hand moved down her side, finding its way beneath her shirt. He slid it up, caressing her soft skin, relishing in the scent of her vanilla-honey and just as strong and tantalizing—the scent of her arousal. His hand caressed along her ribs, touching slowly, intimately, until he came to her breast. He caressed it, pulling the quick breaths from her lips.
"I need you, Kat. I need to be inside of you."
"Cass."
Hearing his name escape her parted lips erupted the hunger vibrating beneath his skin. He lowered himself, giving soft kisses along her chest, stomach, and abdomen. He unbuttoned her jeans, unzipped them, and slid them off her raised hips. His tongue trailed atop her underwear, to her inner thigh where he gave heated kisses. With each touch of his lips, her body quivered with aching need. He grinned, elated with the way her body responded to him. Slipping his hands beneath the straps of her underwear, he pulled them from her hips, admiring the small, trimmed patch below and the delicious lips beneath.
She sat up and he slowly removed her shirt and bra, giving intimate kisses along her collarbone and neck before placing a hand gently on her stomach and lowering her beneath him. He stared down at her beautiful gold eyes as he lifted his shirt over his head. He stepped from the bed and removed his jeans and briefs, appreciative of the satisfied look in her eyes.
Strong, calloused hands took hold of her petite frame as he climbed above her, kissing her deeply as he eased inside of her. Her body enclosed around him, hugging him intimately, taking him entirely as he moved against her, indulging in the fiery silk that was her—his mate.
She clung to his arms as he sated the consuming need that filled her. His hips melted into hers, taking her pleasure higher, giving her the love her body craved.
As he pushed himself deeper, claiming her as his, he kissed her intimately, running his tongue along hers. Her moans sounded in his ears, driving his passion and need for her further into intoxicating bliss. She tightened around him, their desire reaching its tipping point. He brought his head down beside her lips. Her teeth sunk into him and his cock pulsed, releasing his orgasm as she drank from him.
When she'd had her fill and leaned back satisfied, he moved her with him, laying them both on their sides. He held her leg over his, rubbing along the outside of her thigh. She snuggled into him, burying her head in his chest. He kissed her head softly as he held her close to him.
"I love you, Kat. I love you more than anything in this world. For decades, I roamed directionless, indulging in whatever satisfied the emptiness. Until you. You filled the void. You made me realize what I had been waiting for. What I had been searching for. You're my mate and it's time we treat each other as what we are. You don't have to handle everything on your own any longer. I'll stand beside you. I'll be there for whatever it is you need."
She leaned back, the love and tenderness swelling inside her chest, tingling across her skin. She brought her hand to his face, rubbing her thumb across his scar as she looked into his captivating hazel eyes.
"I was yours from the first moment I saw you, I just didn't know it. I love you. So much that I feel like I might burst at times. You're already by my side and I plan on keeping you here. I know you'll always be the one to give me what I need. I know you'll never look at another woman the way you do me. I'm yours, Cass, as much as you are mine."
His eyes stared into hers, full of love, tenderness, possessiveness, before bringing his lips down on hers. His passion and love escaped in his kiss. She melted under the pressure, letting herself get swept away in it.
She laid in his arms, no need to do anything else but indulge in his affection and tender kisses. He wrapped the blanket over her, tucking her into his chest as he held her. She could stay just the way they were, in his arms all night. He ran his fingers through her hair, tugging gently at the ends, sending pleasured shivers through her body.
"I know you'll want to hunt down Liliana. I'll help you find her and I'll kill her if you can't."
"I won't have any problem killing her," she said between a tight jaw.
"And the sorcerer or sorceress that helped her? What do you want to do about them?"
Kayci had forgotten about her until now. Anger seized her stomach. "I know who it is. It's Delilah. She's the mother of Drima and Deirdre. She knew my mother and said she didn't care for her. I think all three of them performed dark magic for hire. No matter who they hurt. I know Delilah will try to kill me if she discovers I'm not Liliana. I won't hold back this time. Her fate is tied to Liliana's. Their fate will be the same."
"Then, we'll need to act fast before Liliana informs Delilah that you're you."
"There's something I need to do first."
Cass' grip instinctively tightened. "You're going to see Adrian, aren't you?"
"I never got to speak with him about us. I left to come back to you that night. I had stopped at the pier to be alone. Liliana had been following me since I got back to Naples. She attacked me and Delilah did the spell before I could return to you. Does he even know I'm me again or that Liliana did a body snatching spell?"
Cass stroked her hair. "Yes. He knows that Liliana was the one inside of you. He knows you're you again. As soon as I sensed you return and smelled your beautiful scent, I came to you. When I came back downstairs, he'd left. He told Thorne once he knew you were safe, he no longer had a reason to stay."
Cass brushed his thumb along
her cheek. "He knows I marked you. He knows you're my mate."
A lump grew in her throat. She swallowed it down. "You told him?"
"He asked. I told him the truth. I told him you wouldn't want him to find out that way, but he needed to know."
Kayci lowered her head as the pain, shame, fear, guilt, and love for him swam in an unsteady whirlpool.
Cass could sense the emotional turmoil she battled. He raised her chin to him. "I know this is hard for you. I know a part of you still loves him. I know it hurts you to hurt him. I know it doesn't seem like it now, but someday, his pain of losing you will fade. Adrian will be all right."
"It does hurt me to hurt him. He's alone and suffering while you and I are happy together. Why couldn't I have met you a year ago?"
He stroked her cheek gently. "You weren't ready for me. Think of everything that has happened. I'm immortal because of you. I'll spend the rest of my life being able to love you. Everything happened the way it was supposed to."
Kayci let out a breath. "Can you handle me going to see him?"
Cass nodded. She sensed his discomfort, but beneath that, she sensed his confidence in their bond.
"Don't get kidnapped and body snatched again." He eyed her protectively.
"There's no way in hell I'd let that happen again."
Chapter 28
Kayci reached her hand up to knock, then lowered it as the tension in her stomach knotted uncomfortably. The door opened and Adrian stood there, staring at her. She could see the pain, desire, and worry in his eyes.
"It's me. Kayci. The real Kayci. Sofia reversed the hex. Sent Liliana back to her body. I'm sure she's long gone by now."
Adrian opened the door wider for her to enter. There was no doubt it was the real Kayci. Her usual strength and confidence reverberated off her. Adrian closed the door behind them and stood, studying her smoky blue eyes speckled with gold as her emotions shifted over her face.
She took the two steps forward and wrapped her arms around him. "I'm sorry, Adrian. I'm so sorry."
He held her tightly against him, burning the way she felt into his memory. "I'm sorry, too. I didn't protect you when I should have. I should've known it wasn't you. I let my own desires blind me. I wanted you back so much, I couldn't see what was in front of me."
Dark and Beautiful Nights (The Vampire Covenant Series Book 3) Page 20