by Eve Newton
“So why in here in these clothes?” I gesture at us.
He looks slightly flustered as he says huffily, “I didn’t want to potentially ruin a handmade suit, if that’s all right with you.”
I huff back at him. “Christ, CK, I’m not worried about your fucking suit. What about you?”
“I’ll be okay, just don’t get too close with that thing,” he says, his normal composure returned.
“Fine. Here goes.” I draw on the virtual armory and pull out my trusty G.I. All three Vampires and one human step back as the flames lick the air with what I can only assume is a searing heat. Not having much to go on, I turn to Nico. He is watching me with that expression again that resembles desire, but I can never tell as the shutters always close too quickly. “What do you feel?” I ask him.
He appears startled to be asked his opinion and he hesitates before answering, “An intense heat. But more than that, it feels like nothing I have felt before. Evil almost.”
Evil, huh? Well, I suppose it is made from the fires of Hell.
“You two. What do you feel?” I say, spinning to Cole and Devon. They retreat further away from me and my flaming sword.
“I can feel the heat rolling off it. It’s the strangest thing. I haven’t felt heat like that since you turned me,” Devon says. “It’s almost calling out for me to touch it.”
Cole nods in agreement.
“Well, don’t, it’s not for you,” I warn.
I turn back to my sire and he is staring at it intently. “And you?” I ask.
Bringing his eyes to mine, he says, “It makes me feel weaker and I know it wants to end me. Be careful with that thing,” he adds with a smirk.
I take a step closer and he retreats. “CK, you can’t step back, what’s the point of this exercise if you don’t let me get closer to you,” I say, exasperated. “Don’t you trust me, my love?” I add cockily.
“I trust you with my life, my sweet. That thing though has a will of its own,” he says pointing at it.
I look at it in my hand. “Really? Is that what you can feel?”
He nods but takes a step forward. “Be sure to keep it under your control,” he says.
I nod and grip the handle firmer. I start to get a feel for it as my wrist works it into a pattern of crisscross through the air, the swooshing sound the only noise to be heard.
“Pretty handy with a sword there, Liv,” Cole says a bit surprised.
Glancing at CK, I smirk, “William taught me well.”
“Indeed, he did, however, it wasn’t just swordsmanship he wanted to teach you,” CK says with a scowl.
“Oh, my love, you know I only had eyes for you,” I say sweetly and bat them at him. He grins.
“Who is William?” Cole asks.
“We knew him as William the Second, Duke of Normandy. You would be more familiar with his title of William the Conqueror,” I reply, to which my husband’s eyes bug out.
“What?” he splutters.
“Do you not remember the story from the car?” Devon asks. “You know, the one she told after you were turned?”
“What story would that be?” CK asks interested, as Cole says, “You never said you knew him personally.”
“Just a story about Normandy,” I say vaguely, looking at CK. To Cole, I add, “Of course we did. William was a good friend of CK’s.”
CK snorts and says, “Hm, a good friend who tried to seduce you out from under me.”
“Now you know that was never going to happen,” I say sternly.
“Not at the time, my sweet. You gave as good as you got,” CK says.
Scandalized, I drop the sword that I had been twirling around. “What?” I snap.
“So seemingly innocent and sweet, he fell for it like a bear on honey and you know it,” he says with a wicked glint.
My eyes widen in disbelief. “Is that what you really think?”
“Oh, Aefre, your beauty and wiles turned every head. I was the envy of every man we came across. Are you telling me that you didn’t play on that?” he scoffs.
“Play on that?” I practically yell, getting my back up and letting the sword go. “Are you serious right now? I loved you, I wanted only you. You know that.” I have tears in my eyes at the hurt his words cause.
Tilting his head to the side, he seems genuinely intrigued by my response. “You mean to say that you didn’t mean to leave a trail of broken hearts in your wake?” he asks, expecting an answer.
“What are you talking about?” I ask perplexed.
He concentrates on my reaction for a while. No one else breathes a word. “Well, fuck me. You never fail to surprise. You really were still my sweet Aefre, weren’t you?” he says softly.
“I can’t believe you thought otherwise,” I say sadly.
He steps forward and traces a finger down my face. “After fifty years of living with me and my ways it never dawned on me that you would be able to hold onto that. You are truly the strongest woman I have ever met,” he says in wonder.
I clear my throat and say, “Well, they weren’t the easiest years of my life, but I wouldn’t change them for the world.”
He laughs loudly and with such delight.
“Erm, I love a good reminisce as much as the next immortal, but you do remember that we are still here, right?” Devon asks sarcastically.
We both turn to look at him.
“Yes, of course.” I blink.
Cole is not looking very happy at all. It drives it home that his insecurity with this situation isn’t about my relationships with the other two, but the length of them. He said once before it is impossible to compete with. I can tell by Devon’s face that he feels the same. So many centuries worth of memories they aren’t a part of. I know how it feels, so I shove CK off me and say, “We’re not done with that conversation.”
To which he replies, “No, we aren’t.”
I step back and pull on the sword again and it appears. “Right, stay where you are. I want to see how close you can get to it.”
He nods resolutely, and I step forward, holding my breath, swishing the sword back and forth. Mesmerized by the flames, we all watch the movement as it gets closer and closer. The tip is now inches from him and yet he is still standing there unflinching. I bring it up in a backhand and swoop it down to his neck stopping just short. He glares at me in fury, but nothing happens.
“You don’t feel anything?” I ask confused.
“Sorry to disappoint you, but no,” he snarls at me.
Flinching at his tone, I frown at him. “I only sound disappointed as this is supposed to kill you. How am I supposed to finish that fucking bastard off if it’s useless?”
Softening slightly, he says, “It’s not useless. I definitely felt it when you first made it appear,” he says, baffled.
“You said to Lizzie to keep it under her control. Maybe that’s what she’s doing. Controlling it not to hurt you?” Devon says, bright as a button as usual.
“Makes sense, I suppose, but how can we be sure. I can’t pull it on Gregor if it’s not going to work.” I chew my lip in consternation.
“Constantine, say something to piss her off, see how it reacts then. I’m sure you know how to push a button or two,” Devon remarks slyly.
Cole chimes in now and I could punch him in his gorgeous face. “Yeah, tell her about you and Eloise,” he says.
Devon bursts out laughing and slaps Cole on the back. “Good one. That should do it.”
I turn on both, sword still in hand. They shut their stupid faces and step back.
“Me and Eloise?” CK asks, confused. “What about me and Eloise?”
I round on him now, getting pissed off with his denials. His eyes meet my furious ones and he definitely feels something now.
“Forget it. Cole doesn’t know what he is talking about,” I say through gritted teeth. I step forward and he twitches under the heat of the sword. “Do you feel that?” I ask menacingly.
“Back up, Liv,” Nico
says, standing at my sire’s side. I was so focused on CK, I didn’t even realize he was there until he spoke.
“It’s okay, Nico. She won’t hurt me,” CK says confidently.
I snap back to reality at his words and he relaxes as I stop being angry with him and the sword falls back under my peaceful spell.
“Seems you were right,” CK says to Devon.
“Always am,” he says smartly.
I roll my eyes at him.
“Although, I’m still curious as to why the mentioning of Eloise and me pisses you off ,” he says.
I shake my head. Now is not the time or the place for this discussion. “Because the bitch won’t leave you alone,” I snarl, and he chuckles.
“Really, Aefre, your jealousy is quite touching.” He smiles his perfect smile at me, but I scowl back at him.
“So, it seems the sword is fully functional and yet perfectly harmless to me under your control. That means I can hold that fucking bastard down while you separate his head from his neck.”
I smile viciously at the thought of that and bob my head. “I can’t wait.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
Back at the hotel, I tell Cole we need to talk. I’ll catch up with Devon later. He is older and he won’t take the hit as badly. I hope. Cole doesn’t look happy as I launch into my ‘two days in Milan alone’ plan.
“Why alone?” he asks.
“Please understand. I need to be with him. You know that.”
“I do. I’m asking why you need to come alone?”
“I need him.” I have nothing else to say.
He kisses me fiercely. “Liv, I love you. Please don’t leave me. Don’t leave me for him.”
I’m taken aback by his plea; it is the first time he has expressed this type of concern. I try to reassure him. “I’m not leaving you, my love. I just need to be with him. I will never leave you. Do you understand?” I take his face in my hands and he nods and kisses me again.
“I think so,” he says.
A s I step out of the shower to get ready to get back on the G6 to L.A., I hear low voices coming from the sitting room. They are practically whispering, clearly trying to keep the conversation from me. Intrigued, I eavesdrop from the bedroom door.
It’s Cole and CK.
Curious.
I hear CK say in that tone that brooks no argument, “I will have her here for two days of the week, alone.”
“No,” Cole says forcefully. “I accept you in her life, but I don’t see why you get to have her to yourself? Why can’t we do this again, with all of us here?”
“Do you not have her to yourself back at home?” CK asks.
Silence.
“I don’t need your consent, my boy,” CK growls at his silence. “Trust me when I say you will be better off accepting this.”
“Threatening me, won’t do you any favors with her,” Cole snarls.
I must admit, I’m surprised by his boldness and his acuity that, indeed, if CK were to hurt my brand new charge, I would never speak to him again.
“It’s not a threat,” CK says, unconcerned. “I’m just telling you that I’m taking two days with her.”
After a long, meaningful pause, Cole asks, “You want her back, don’t you? All to yourself.”
“Yes,” CK answers straight away. “But I will share her, honor her marriage to you until such a time that you no longer want to be with her or vice versa.”
My mouth drops open in shock at his words and my heart starts to speed up. What is he saying? Is he insane?
“So, you are saying you are just going to what? Be faithful and wait?” Cole sneers. “She won’t accept you fucking about this time.”
“I’m aware. But, yes, precisely. Another hundred years or so is pocket change to me. I will have my two days every week or that will change,” CK replies.
“Meaning?” Cole gulps.
“Meaning, I will fight for her. And trust me, if I throw my hat into the ring, you will lose her,” CK says with the utmost confidence.
Cole, realizing that he probably would be on the losing end of that fight, says in defeat, “Two days. And I have your word you will honor our marriage? That we will share her?”
“Of course,” CK says, smug now that he has gotten his own way.
“Good, because I have no intention of leaving her or letting her go,” Cole says, also smug.
“Charges always leave their sires, it’s just the way it is. You will go and I will take her for my own again and this time it will be forever,” CK declares with finality.
I’m absolutely shocked to my core over this exchange. I just don’t know what to think. Bloody Devon was right again. It’s true, he really always is.
Oh, CK, why now? Why not three months ago, six months, a year, a century? What game are you playing? My head is reeling. I back up and sit down quietly on the bed.
Cole startles me out of my pensive thoughts a few minutes later. “Hey. Are you ready to get going?”
Trying to gain control of my features, I nod. “Yes. All ready,” I say stiffly.
“Good. Constantine is here. He wanted to say goodbye,” he says offhand.
Frowning at him for lying. I wonder if CK will also neglect to inform me of this conversation. I make my way into the sitting room where my sire is standing casually, flicking through his phone.
“Ah, Aefre. I just came by on my way to work to wish you a safe flight,” he says, looking up.
“Work? As in your actual job? There’s a first.” I laugh at him as he pulls his face at me.
“I don’t employ thousands of people, so I have to go in every day, you know,” he says haughtily.
“I do,” I say smugly, and he smiles one of his more patronizing smiles.
“You will learn, my little butterfly, that kingdoms are seldom run by just the king.”
“Humph,” I mutter. Trust him to compare himself to a king, but there again he has precedent. “Speaking of work, I do want to run something by you. Can I talk to you about it next week when I’m here?” I ask to see if he will mention his and Cole’s little conversation.
“Of course, my sweet. I look forward to it,” he says and leaves it at that. “I must go now. I have a meeting that I cannot afford to miss. I will see you on Tuesday.” He kisses me long and hard before he pulls away. He has to stop fucking doing that. Next time he kisses me that way, we are ending it with a fuck regardless of who is in the room. He gives me a smirk, knowing exactly what I’m thinking, and then leaves via the door with Nico in tow, who nods at me.
Hm, was Nico privy to that conversation? I don’t have much chance to ponder that as Devon barges in unannounced and declares it’s time to go.
We head out to the airport for the long drag back home.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
“So, what is Constantine’s real job?” Cole asks curiously as we buckle up to take off.
“Investments, mostly,” I answer.
“Oh. What did you want to talk to him about? An investment?” he probes.
“Of sorts. I’m struggling to get a client to sell me a property they have in France. I thought he might be able to help,” I explain.
Devon’s ears prick up at that nugget of new information.
“What property? What client?” he demands, but then he connects the dots as I knew he would. “Oh,” he says flatly.
I didn’t tell him about this because I knew he would pull this face. For some reason, he doesn’t want me anywhere near the first real home I had with CK.
Cole looks from him to me and says, “Well?”
“It’s just an old property in France that he owns that I want. CK always gets his way,” I add pointedly.
“So I’ve noticed,” Cole mutters darkly, but still fails to mention the conversation.
Giving up, I down my drink and tell the boys I’m tired after only an hour’s sleep and a stressful couple of days. I’m going to bed. To sleep.
Cole’s face falls in disappointment, bu
t he doesn’t follow me as I head to the back of the plane. Pulling my mini dress over my head and slipping out of my shoes, I climb into bed and I’m asleep as soon as my head touches the pillow.
“L iv! Liv! Baby, you need to wake up.” I hear Cole’s urgent voice and ignore him, grumbling to him to go away. “Liv! We are about to land at JFK, you need to wake up.”
JFK? What?
Forcing my eyes open, I struggle to focus on Cole’s worried face. “Liv. Thank god. Are you all right? We haven’t been able to wake you since you crashed after we left Milan.”
“What?” I ask, failing to follow what he’s saying. My head feels like it's stuffed with cotton wool.
“Lizzie.” It’s Devon talking to me now. “You fell asleep when we left Milan and we are now about to land at JFK. You need to get up and get buckled in.” So much for the gentle touch, but I know his brusqueness is to hide his concern.
“I’ve slept all this time?” I ask dumbly, struggling to sit up. Cole is sitting on one side of me and Devon on the other, both peering at me with matching worried faces. Cole nods.
“Are you okay?” he asks again.
“Yes, I think so. I was just so tired. I feel better now, though. Hungry, but better,” I say, coming to.
Devon offers his wrist to me, but I push him away. “Not that kind of hungry,” I murmur.
He looks at me mischievously.
I sigh and climb off the bed, picking up my dress on the way to the bathroom. “Not now,” I complain. I feel like death warmed up.
Closing the door, I look in the mirror. I am hideous. I’m paler than normal and very drawn. My hair is a right mess and my eyes are all sunken and glassy. It was nice of the boys not to mention my less-than-perfect appearance. I set to work to rectify it.
A few minutes later, Cole knocks, “Liv we really need you to come sit now.”
“I’m coming,” I snap and pull the dress back over my head, mindful of my hair.
Pulling the door open, he hands me my shoes and I put them on gratefully.
“Sure you’re okay?” he murmurs as he drops a quick kiss on my head.