“Ah, glad we just moved the party instead of shutting it down. She’d be really pissed that we’re watching Violet TV out here after squandering away our front row seats,” Damien says as he takes a seat on the ground.
Jasper gets fussy, and Ighan takes over with Zuela, showing him so many sketches all at once, while Violet devotes her attention to the little lad.
“The look on my father’s face should be framed by some brave soul,” Vance says as he very quickly sets up a chair and puts down a cooler, his eyes quickly moving to and following Violet.
I arch an eyebrow at him that he pointedly ignores, as he takes a seat and stares inside.
We all go quiet when Violet grins and whispers something in Jasper’s ear. His scrunched face smooths, and she just keeps whispering.
“Anyone hear what she’s saying to him to relax him like that?” I ask, really wishing at least one of us had learned to read lips.
She keeps moving up the stairs, finally turning into her room, and we all adjust so we can see her straight-on. She has big windows too, and the curtains are open for the moment.
I spot a kid on the roof across from us, frowning…and then he stares across the street to where Violet is swaying with Jasper in her arms.
“Sickos,” the kid says before he ducks back inside.
“Great. Just great. Now I’m as pathetic as all of you,” I say tightly.
CHAPTER 12
VIOLET
“Are you really being this mean to me right now?” I ask Vance as I walk into his office without even knocking.
He’s sitting behind his desk, feet propped up, as he grins around the end of a pen he has pressed to his lips, eyes slanting to me.
“Your father, by some miracle, changes his mind and is going to give me this really cool piece of art I’ve only ever dreamed of owning, and Ighan played a key part in designing it. Yet you’re putting red tape in front of me over a technicality? It’s a big deal, and—”
“I’ll sign anything you put in front of me, Violet. So long as it’s put in front of me in your office,” he interrupts.
I hesitate, wondering why he’s grinning wider. I expected him to still be brooding over the whole surprise flogging thing. Not grinning at me.
“Then let’s go sign it in my office.”
Absently, he slides the pile of papers in front of him aside to reveal my very big book that’s open.
“It appears I need an invitation to be on the property.”
I roll my eyes. “Ah, so now I see. This is the newest chase.” I turn to walk out, adding over my shoulder, “Don’t use the sanctuary against me, Vance. I’m not playing games. That’s—”
My words stop when I slam into a hard body, forcing my head to whip around to find an amused Vance grinning mischievously down at me.
I look behind me and back at him, sighing in frustration that I was gipped out of immortal speed.
His hands go to my hips like he’s steadying me, but it’s really just an obvious move that only gets him a bored look from me.
“You’re in a really good mood and trying to manipulate me. Should I be worried that you’re no longer upset about—”
“We’ll not discuss yesterday ever again,” he tells me, his smile turning a little sour. “You made your point.”
He lifts a paper and pen, handing it to me.
“But I can’t uphold your laws if you don’t let me, and I’d like an invitation, Ms. Carmine.”
I eye him warily, as I take the pad and pen from his hand. Leaning over, I use the table next to me to quickly write him out an invitation.
“What’s with all the formalities, Sir Van Helsing?” I ask as I finish signing my name.
Before I can lean up to hand it to him, he’s suddenly pressing against my back, loosely dragging the strap of my dress over my shoulder, as I go still against him. He’s not exactly acting like himself. This is more of an Arion move. Or Damien, the masterful illusionist.
When Vance’s lips drag up to my neck and his hands start sliding up my thighs, lifting the edges of my dress with it, I stare into the mirror. It feels just like his touch, and smells just like that fresh, silky smell he always has.
“I don’t really know what you’re doing right now, but if it doesn’t stop, I’m going to have to hurt you,” I warn him as the threads whir through the air.
His lips tug into a grin at one corner, as he lifts his gaze to meet mine in the mirror, his hands stilling on my hips.
“To you, it’s going to seem as though I enjoy the chase, just as you’ve accused. So I’m not going to chase, Violet.”
I glance over the way he’s surrounding my body with his, caging me in, and then bring my gaze back up to shoot him a disbelieving look.
His grin remains, as he moves his hand up my spine, causing heat to stir inside me in an inconvenient way. It’s the first thing to convince me this is really Vance. The touch is too familiar not to be his.
And it’s really hard to ignore, but I do.
The breath I release is partially a groan, because I swear I want to throttle him…and fuck him right now.
I open my mouth, and he grins bigger before clamping his hand over my lips.
“Save the speech, Violet. I know what I did wrong this time, and I’m never again going to be punished.” His eyes grow more serious, and the smile gets colder. “Never again,” he echoes.
I shake my head, trying to tell him that was more of a statement than punishment, but he actually shushes me, as he spins me around and begins backing me toward the door.
“I’ll be by your office later,” he says before the door opens at my back, and he disappears out of it quicker than I can process the movement.
“That was weirder than usual, Sir Van Helsing,” I call loudly.
I really expected a lot of yelling and ‘putting me in my place’ talks about what Idun is going to do to me if I push her and blah blah blah.
“It’s making me paranoid, so can you come back and do all your twitching and silent stewing before getting super condescending?” I continue. “Maybe tell me some of the horrors Idun will make me face in that vague way of yours because you think I’m young and have the mental fortitude of a marshmallow?”
No answer.
I finally give up when I never get a response, and hurry down the stairs. All this just to get an invitation? I have too much to do to worry about running around to play their damn games.
I groan when I step outside and find Talbot Lane holding the passenger side door open to my van.
“G’day, Ms. Carmine,” he says too cheerfully, using that charming smile.
“The key to being Damien’s beta isn’t to stalk me and give me rides,” I tell him as I hop in.
He shuts the door and quickly goes to the driver’s side.
“Damien Morpheous is a little difficult, so before I commit to this, I want you to know that I’ve been the most respected rogue beta to my community for quite some time. I’m a true catch, Ms. Carmine. Dorian Gray has tried to get me to—”
“My mother is the world’s best salesman. I know a pitch when I hear it, so please stop. Do the work,” I tell him as I quickly type out a text to Ighan to let him know I’m running behind.
“Happy to, Ms. Carmine. I’m just not up to speed on exactly what the work is once I’m his beta. How does your selection process work? Because it isn’t mentioned in your book.”
“I have a private book you can’t read until you’re pledged as a House beta. It explains all that then.”
He clears his throat. “But all pledges are sworn to House silence with secrets. How am I supposed to find out what’s in that book?”
“He sounds a little whiny and desperate, Violet. Don’t be cruel,” Anna says from the backseat, causing me to startle in surprise.
I really hate it when she pops up out of nowhere like that.
“I’m not being cruel. It’s being careful. I don’t know him,” I explain to her, gesturing toward him.
She makes a purring noise in the back of her throat before pawing at him.
“You just have a thing for stalkers,” I deadpan, and stare at her like I’m daring her to argue.
“Touché. They’re my weakness,” she admits.
“Anna’s here, then?” Talbot asks as we park.
“I’ll give you a hint, Talbot. If you really want to be here for the right reasons, and not just to step all over a House full of omegas with the backing of Five of the Six, read Big Blue again.”
As if the hellhound thinks I’ve shouted his name, Blue suddenly launches himself on top of the van, sending a curse through my lips, as the van groans under his weight.
A shrill scream comes from someone in the car when Blue does his super vicious barking thing at…Talbot…who is the one screaming right now. He slams back against the seat so hard that it breaks and collapses, and he spills into the back of the van while still screaming.
“Okay. I’ve lost interest. I can’t unsee that,” Anna sighs in disappointment, before zapping out of the car.
Talbot is covering his face like it’s his most important body part, as I hop out of the van, smiling to myself. Blue’s apparently warming up to me if he’s attacking guys who hijack my van and me.
The psychotic dog comes rushing inside before I can shut him out, because it’s like he knew I was going to do it while I had the chance.
He stinks. He stinks so bad. And I just don’t know how to address that.
The Neoprys don’t all think it’s sensible to bathe regularly, since they’re used to it being more of a hassle—a thousand years ago. Some are just scared of the showers. Bobo and Ighan haven’t informed me on why they abstain so much, and I’m simply not rude enough to ask.
I stop and back up again when I see Vance in the kitchen, smiling over at Bobo, as he instructs him on chopping. Bobo looks freshly showered and very clean, along with Ighan, as they both mimic what Vance is showing them.
How the hell did he get here so fast?
Oh, he had so better not be using them against me.
They follow each and every movement, including gathering pans, and follow his lead as he starts tossing things in. Bobo seems riveted by whatever he’s saying about the stove.
Leiza is suddenly at my side, nudging me.
“He’s teaching them to cook, and explaining the amount of cleanliness required to prepare food that people want to eat,” she says as she lifts the back of my shirt, inspecting the skin that took the worst of the beating.
“How are they already just dull marks? Idun wasn’t holding back. She was just shy of unleashing her monster’s strength on you,” she continues.
“Apples and oranges, remember? I work differently than most people,” I state absently, eyes running over Vance, as he pulls his fancy shirt off to avoid getting anything on it.
It’s a terrible idea to keep watching now.
“He knows I’m standing out here, doesn’t he?” I ask, which causes Vance’s eyes to lift, as he winks at me. “And clearly he can hear me as well,” I add before rolling my eyes and walking away.
“I actually came to talk to you about Emit getting a written invitation. The wolf omegas would feel better if he had permission to be near if we need the protection,” she says quietly as she follows me.
I give her a shrug like it’s not a big deal. I can’t believe they’re going along with that law for whatever reason.
“Sanctuary had three laws in place you could have used to get out of that flogging,” Leiza says abruptly, clearing her throat.
“Only two were relevant, since no alpha had an invitation to be on the grounds,” I state absently. “And if I hadn’t taken the flogging, my mother would have challenged Idun to an alpha fight like she planned to and gotten her ass beaten for no reason at all. Can we stop talking about it? It just keeps Idun relevant when you talk about her.”
Leiza stops walking, and I glance over my shoulder as her lips thin.
“This could change our lives, Violet. But people are wary about false hope. Without the Heads, none of this works, and you’re pushing all of them away,” she says so quietly I almost miss it.
“You forget I have one very strong, powerful Portocale alpha who has our backs. Always. And Zuela Van Helsing is staying until he finishes the stained-glass for the ceiling.”
Her lips purse. “Even I want to hide in the walls with him here.”
“You know him better than I do. I just know he watched me take a beating, and he showed up to put glass in without mentioning it once. You don’t have to trust him, but do you trust me?”
She gives me a long stare. “I trust you. I don’t trust the way you skip over the past like it’s not relevant. You don’t have any healthy fear in you, Violet. You can take beatings like that, but we can’t. And none of us want to see the Simpletons go through—”
“Violet!” Anna shouts, interrupting Leiza.
Both of us swing our gazes to the balcony where Anna is pretending to ride a pony.
“You’ve got baby duty,” Anna continues before riding her phantom pony into a wall.
“Why did I just see a ghost?” Leiza asks in a slight panic, which has my head snapping to her, as she stands wide-eyed and staring at the wall Anna just disappeared into.
“Because Anna is getting stronger,” I say on a sigh. “Long story. I’ll tell you eventually.”
Her mouth opens and closes like she’s in shock, and I quickly write out an invitation for Emit before handing it to her.
“T-that’s not okay. You can’t just gloss over—”
“I’m sort of busy. Can you take this?” I cut in.
She takes it absentmindedly, and I turn and walk up the stairs, as she just continues to concentrate on the wall Anna disappeared into.
I suppose the first time seeing a ghost would be shocking, even at her age.
My office is covered in every family history detail I’ve been able to uncover over these past five months, and I study the wall full of the most important pieces.
“All the pretty monsters want in your pants again, and you’re hanging out with the archives. You don’t deserve that vagina,” Anna informs me as she drops in and takes a seat.
“Don’t let anyone else see you who isn’t supposed to see you.”
“But I like the dirty omegas. I want to be their friend too. You’re just stingy and want to keep them for yourself,” my bestie from hell argues.
“You’re going to draw too much attention, and you’ll start getting salted out of fear. People are paranoid.”
“Monsters are paranoid. People are completely desensitized to the possibility of ghosts,” she grumbles when I take a seat.
The door swings open before I can counter that pointless argument, and Emit’s massive body steps in. His eyes lazily run over my legs, as I turn in the chair to face him.
“Can I help you with something, Mr. Morrigan?” I drawl, wondering why he’s biting down on his lip right now like he’s thinking dirty thoughts.
First Vance. Now him. I’m starting to worry about their heads. They’re not acting right.
“You’re going to need land. You have one shifter now, but eventually you’ll have more. They can’t run on just any land, because it won’t be sanctuary.”
I pause, staring at him with real interest.
“Shifters have to shift on occasion. They get too aggressive if they don’t. The older they are, the longer they can go. The younger they are—”
“I get it. Are you here to give me advice on how to keep them on sanctuary grounds from here to the woods?”
“I’m here to give you land that connects to town. Vance just amended one of your laws to include the town as a neutral, untouchable area for those who’ve been given sanctuary. Five of the six signed off on the amendment.”
Studying him, I notice the far-too-amused look in his eyes.
“In exchange for a price, I’m guessing. Vance did this to me earlier. You’re all manip
ulating me,” I point out, bristling in my seat.
“Of course we are. You wanted our full attention, and now—”
“No,” I cut in, holding up my finger. “I wanted help building my pretty sanctuary. I got four men who had popcorn delivered to a room I built to keep their conversations private, so that none of my omegas were threatened into silence and made to feel unsafe in my sanctuary,” I correct.
He grimaces, exhaling heavily.
“Then consider this a debt of apology,” he bites out. “It’ll help you build your sanctuary, though I agree you deserved more from a friend like I was.”
“You’re still a friend, Emit. We’re cool,” I assure him, returning my attention to the wall.
His hair falls over my shoulder, and I stiffen when he shoves his nose against my neck and inhales me.
“Why is it your scent continues to get weaker and weaker? I can’t smell Portocale in your blood anymore, Violet.”
A very unbidden tremble runs through me, because just that touch is enough to remind me how good it feels to be owned by Emit when he’s in barbarian mode.
“I’m so jealous right now. You look so horny,” Anna chimes in, causing Emit’s smile to form against my neck.
I need salt. Also, I need a more supportive best friend. However, the living seem to be crazier than the dead, most days.
Emit’s hands come down around me, gripping the arms of the chair, as he surrounds me and steals all my space. His lips brush my neck as he speaks.
“Why does it feel like you’re flirting with me today?” I ask on a shaky breath instead of using the composure I meant to have while asking that question.
“I was waiting until Idun was sorted before making my move, so that I could dedicate all my attention to you. But you’re too impatient for that, and clearly you’re not going to bend here.”
He runs his finger all the way down my arm, his gaze following its path that elicits small chills in the wake of his calloused touch.
His lips brush my ear as he adds, “I’ll pick you up at five.”
He stands abruptly and turns to walk out. I hold my breath, mostly because I’m afraid I’ll melt like goo if I exhale right now.
Gypsy Rising (All The Pretty Monsters Book 5) Page 19