A Kiss For You

by Rachel Van Dyken

  "Okay." Genesis, nodded her head slowly. "So why wait fifty years?"

  You could hear a pin drop in that room.

  I didn't want to answer.

  Mason kicked me under the table. I glowered in his direction then said as gently as I could, "Because immortals become attached to their humans in a very… possessive way. They mate for life… it's a beautiful thing, but the human always has the choice to reject their mate." Even after they've bonded, but I wasn't going to say that aloud lest she reject me. "If the mating is completed, both parties happy, babies are born into the world, and everyone lives happily ever after — that's fantastic, but recently, humans started… dying."

  "That's what we generally do." Genesis's eyes narrowed. "We don't live forever."

  "After giving birth to an immortal, you should. You used to." Mason explained. "It's life's final gift… immortality for your sacrifice to us. But somehow, along the way, it stopped working."

  "Oh." Genesis glanced at me.

  I looked away. Not wanting her to see my pain.

  "And how does Cassius fit into all of this?" she asked.

  "The Dark Ones don't mate. They don't bond in the way we do. When they infuse a human mate, it's too strong for the humans to handle it, but he was… or we were… for a while, experimenting with the idea. Thinking we were possibly losing our powers. He's been taking humans… to see if he can reverse it, but along the way he became…" I sighed. "…addicted."

  "What?" Genesis shook her head. "To what exactly?"

  "He's part angel… part human," Mason said in a low voice. "His human counterpart wants desperately to join with humanity again — but his angelic essence won't let him. He's stuck in hell. But when a Dark One infuses a human, for those blissful weeks they last, life is perfect. Cassius is convinced if he only found the right human, he could bond eternally."

  "And that was me?" Genesis croaked. "Or he thought it was me?"

  Because of her marking.

  Because of her name.

  The beginning. Her name meant the beginning. And our prophecies specifically stated that a woman's number would be called who represented a fresh start.

  A new beginning.

  Cassius wanted her for his own selfish reasons.

  The rest of the immortals wanted her so mates would stop dying, children would no longer be motherless or fatherless.

  I kept my groan inside. It was even harder for the men. The minute they bonded with an immortal woman their original chemical makeup ceased to exist, relying solely on their immortal wives for nutrients, their organs simply started shutting down only days after the bond was complete.

  I wanted to believe my own reasons weren't selfish.

  But with each breath she took, each beat of her heart, I realized I was more selfish than Cassius, because, as of right now, I wouldn't give her up — even if it meant war. Even if it meant the end of my own people — my existence.

  For being as old as I was, retraining myself wasn't going to be easy. Keeping emotional barriers between us would be necessary because my body screamed for her.

  Genesis

  Words didn't have power, right? They were just words, strung together in sentences, big scary sentences that had me shaking. I wondered when or if the fear would ever leave.

  I stared at the fruit on the table, not in the least bit hungry.

  "I can't just…" I found my voice and glanced up at Ethan. "I can't just sit around trapped in this house away from the world. It would be like prison."

  "A beautiful prison." Ethan smiled.

  I chose not to smile back. I didn't want to encourage him or encourage my body to lean any closer to his. His body was like a magnet, even if I fought against the pull — I still couldn't help it. I found myself inching my chair closer. When it scraped against the floor, everyone smirked but Ethan.

  He seemed angry.

  Angry, yet he'd been the one to do that to me.

  "I don't care," I said, ignoring the thumping of my heart in my chest and the fact that the closer I got to him the more it raced. "I can't just sit around here being worthless."

  "You won't," Stephanie piped up. "Your life will be relatively normal. Ethan can even get you a job if you want… close by… so he can keep an eye on you, of course."

  "A job?"

  "Work," Ethan said slowly. "Isn't that what humans live for? A divine purpose? Though, if you'd rather stay here and cook and clean, you won't get any complaints."

  "A job would be nice." Anything to get me out of the house or compound.

  "Fantastic," Ethan said, his teeth snapping together.

  I had a sinking feeling it was anything but fantastic, but I wasn't about to bend over backward and let him make yet another decision for me — regardless of how much I wanted to launch myself at him and never let go.

  It was the bond.

  Nothing more.

  And that really sucked if you asked me, because someone like Ethan… well, he was the type of man, person, being that you wanted to want you. Not just because he had no choice, but because he couldn't imagine existing any other way.

  Ashamed of my thoughts — or maybe just embarrassed — I returned to my stare-down with the kitchen table.

  "Drystan owns a book shop," Stephanie suggested. "When Genesis isn't with us fighting crime, she can go there. God knows she'll need to get away from Ethan in order to have some breathing room."

  Ethan rolled his eyes.

  "Drystan?" I repeated. "He's immortal too?"

  "Ancient." Mason nodded. "Another werewolf obsessed with books. It should be a good arrangement."

  "Arrangement," I tested the word. "And when I'm not at the book shop?"

  The others fell silent while Ethan reached across the table and grabbed my hand. My skin buzzed to life at his touch. "I teach you everything you need to know about us… about your job, about the humans' place with us… and I take you to your first Gathering."

  "Like a party?" I gripped his hand tighter, pulling strength from him that I didn't know I needed but lusted for, nonetheless.

  "Yes." He shrugged. "In fact, if you're up to it, we can introduce you this evening."

  "Oh." Waves of pleasure washed over me as he released my hand; his fingertips dancing along the pulse in my wrist. "I think I can probably manage that."

  "The others will love to meet you," Stephanie encouraged, placing her hands on my shoulders.

  "How many others are we talking here?" I squinted. "In my studies it said that the oldest leaders… you guys…"

  Alex choked on his laugh.

  "…only number in the hundreds."

  The laughter died, amusement gone from Alex's eyes.

  "Four of us," Ethan answered. "There are four Elders left, and Cassius makes five. The rest are relatively younger, but they number in the thousands."

  "For just Seattle?" I squeaked out.

  "Of course." Ethan rolled his eyes and released my hand. The temperature in the room dipped. My hand itched to reach back and grasp his. "Immortals are able to live in society, you know. Most of us either have a job in the real world or have had in the past until it began to bore us."

  "Weird, I was always told you kept to yourselves."

  "We aren't good at keeping to ourselves, just like we aren't good with sharing." Alex grinned. "Isn't that right, Ethan?"

  Ethan growled while Alex walked around the table and held out his hand. "Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you truly are? It's extraordinary… the color of your hair, the light of your eyes, the—"

  Ethan kicked Alex in the back of the legs, sending him colliding into Stephanie. His laughter was the only thing that made me think that Ethan wasn't going to kill him, since his eyes had gone completely black.

  "Need more blood?" Alex asked in a soothing tone. "Don't want you accidentally attacking your mate tonight in front of God and everyone."

  My gut clenched. "Do you, um, take my blood?"

  "Please." Alex laughed. "Like Ethan would
… he's been celibate from blood for over a hundred years."

  "Until now," I whispered.

  Ethan looked away, his eyes getting blacker, if that was even possible. "Until I tasted you."

  A small part of me hoped I tasted good to him.

  Oh you do, came Alex's voice in my head. Like pure sin.

  I felt my cheeks heat.

  Ethan's eyes narrowed. "Stephanie, help Genesis get ready for this evening… keep her occupied while I go meet with Cassius."

  "What?" I yelled. "You're going to meet with him? After what happened? After going to all this trouble to protect me?"

  "Hear that?" Alex cupped his ear. "Her blood roars for you, Ethan."

  Ethan seemed to focus on my mouth as his fangs descended over his bottom lip. Holy crap, was he going to bite me again? My breathing slowed.

  His eyes went from black to green then back to black again as he cupped the back of my head and brought me close, his teeth grazing my neck.

  With a hiss, he pushed me away, almost hard enough for my chair to topple backward if Stephanie hadn't caught it with her hands.

  "Go," he said in a hoarse voice, "before I drain her."

  I didn't need to be told twice that it was dangerous just being next to him. I bolted from my seat, ready to protect myself, if need be, when Mason moved to stand in front of me, bumping against Ethan's chest. "Not necessary to scare her shitless, vampire."

  Ethan looked over Mason's shoulder, his body calling to mine, singing, beckoning, even though he was dangerous, even though he'd just threatened me, I wanted to push Mason out of the way more than I wanted air.

  "Take care of her," Ethan barked. "I won't be long."

  "Stay alive," Alex said in a cheerful voice. "And do tell Cassius hello."

  Stephanie put a protective arm around me and whispered in my ear. "It will get better, you know. He's just angry and confused."

  "And I'm not?" I wrapped my arms around myself. "This morning I woke up, and the only thing on my mind was if I wanted eggs for breakfast or a protein shake."

  "And now," Alex offered with a slight shrug, "you get to worry about two immortals wanting your blood. No big, right?"

  "Is that you trying to make me feel better?"

  "No…" He smiled. "But this is." His blue eyes lit up just as Mason shoved him out of the way and Stephanie began tugging me back up the stairs.

  "He's insane, but I love him." She shook her head. "Now, let's get you ready for this evening. I think I'll put you in red. Won't that drive Ethan absolutely wild?"

  "I'm thinking Ethan needs no encouragement to end me," I grumbled.

  Stephanie pushed open the door to another room, one I hadn't seen before. "He doesn't want to end you. He wants to drink from you — so much, in fact, that I'm pretty sure if he doesn't regain some focus, he's going to punch Cassius in the face."

  "That can't end well."

  "They fight." She shrugged. "Quite often."

  "Isn't Cassius your… king?" I was going to try to find a better word, but that was the only one that seemed to fit.

  "Somewhat." She looked down at the ground. "Or at least at one point, he was supposed to lead us — but it's hard, for an imperfect being, pulled between two mortal planes, to do that without losing himself in the process."

  "What do you mean?"

  "He's both human and immortal. He has two different types of chemical makeup fighting for dominance. Sometimes his human side wins. Other times, the angel side. It's frustrating to follow someone who doesn't even know himself."

  "Hmm." I thought about that for a while; they'd made me believe Cassius was like Satan himself, but now I was starting to wonder if he was just misunderstood.

  "When you close your eyes," she whispered under her breath, "he'll explain himself better."

  "Who?"

  "Cassius."

  "What? Did I miss an important part of this conversation?"

  "You'll see." She smiled. "And then you can make your own judgment, yes?"

  "Um, sure?"

  "Yes, this!" She moved to a large closet and opened the doors. "I think the dress is in here."

  I was still mulling over the fact that Cassius would somehow explain himself to me when a shoe flew by my head, missing my cheek by mere inches. I flinched.

  "Sorry! I forget you're breakable."

  "Very." I paid special attention to flying objects and went over to the closet. "Will Cassius be there tonight?"

  "If Ethan allows it."

  "And he won't try to take me."

  "Not with us there, no."

  "But he'll still try."

  Stephanie's hand hovered over the other shoe. "Every day. Until you no longer exist."

  Ethan

  I should have known something was wrong the minute I got into my new Lexus LFA and drove like hell down the winding road.

  I'd become accustomed to nice things in life. Living as long as I had, I'd learned to take pleasure from hobbies. My interests ranged from collecting fine art to archery. Had I not done something with my time I would have gone absolutely insane.

  My most recent pleasure? Cars. The leather felt smooth against my hot skin; the smell tantalized me. And the speed? Well, the speed was just a bonus. But not now… it seemed everything absolutely paled in comparison to the taste of her.

  Maybe it had been too long — the effects of bloodlust could drive a vampire insane — but it wasn't mindless lust I was feeling for her, just intense desire to be near her, to drink from her, to share my soul with her for no other reason than I'd bonded with her.

  But if I shared more of my blood, if I took more from her, giving her mine in exchange, she'd continue to be able to see my memories, my dreams — everything I'd been keeping close for the past hundred years.

  And the horrible part? She wasn't invested, at least not emotionally, and the last thing I wanted was for her to pity me. The idea made me snort out loud, a human pitying an immortal. The idea was laughable, if it wasn't so damn tragic.

  She'd want to make the pain go away…

  When really I just wanted to start over.

  Cassius wasn't at his usual spot, opting for a more public arena. I hadn't wanted to argue with him yet again over what his presence did to mere mortals. I'd simply sent him a text and agreed to meet in the U District for coffee.

  Cassius hated coffee.

  But he drank it because it made him feel normal.

  I drank it because it took the edge off wanting to rip someone's throat out.

  The car squealed into a nearby parking spot. I hit the alarm and made my way toward Starbucks.

  People stared.

  They couldn't help it.

  Just like they couldn't help but ask for autographs, even though they had no idea who I was — just assumed, by my looks, that I was famous or about to be.

  Years ago, it had been flattering — when I still possessed a heart and didn't think the world was going to come crashing down around me at any second. Years ago, I had been naïve.

  No more.

  Cassius was sitting outside, though it was drizzling. He was covered by the umbrella, sipping at his cappuccino and reading the freaking newspaper, like he didn't already know everything there was to know.

  I dropped my keys onto the table loudly.

  He didn't look up. "Got you a caramel-macchiato thing that tastes like hell. You're welcome."

  Rolling my eyes, I took the cup into my hands and sat down, bringing the hot liquid to my mouth.

  It was bitter.

  It tasted nothing like her.

  I couldn't even pretend that I was enjoying myself. Would nothing take the edge off?

  "So…" Cassius set down the paper, and gazed at me from behind his sunglasses, which kept people from asking why the hell his eyes kept turning white. "That was clever of you."

  "Vampires… we're known for it," I said in a dry tone, leaning back in my chair. "Besides, you owed me, and you know it."

  "I saved your life." Ca
ssius snorted. "I hardly think that puts me in your debt."

  "You had no proof, no right, no—"

  He held up his hand. "Enough. I don't wish to discuss the past."

  He never did.

  I cursed and took another sip of coffee. "What's done is done. Now we wait."

  Cassius looked so out of place sitting in a small chair, appearing to fit in. His body was too large, his countenance too dangerous. He tilted his head as if listening to the wind. "Her scent is on you."

  "Caught that, did you?"

  "A hundred years."

  "People really need to stop reminding me," I grumbled, no longer interested in my coffee or the conversation we were having. Why the hell I'd agreed to meet with someone I used to call brother was beyond me.

  "You aren't as strong as I am, Ethan. You cannot hope to keep me from her, not when so much is at stake."

  And there it was.

  I hissed out a breath. "I'm afraid your hands are tied."

  "Are they?"

  I stood, placing my palms on the table, towering over everyone. "You'd repeat history for your own selfish reasons? Is that what this is? I'm trying to save lives, Cassius! This has nothing to do with her!"

  "Which is why your eyes," he said calmly, "continue to go black, why your blood boils beneath the skin that covers it, why your heart is in perfect cadence with hers. Yes, I can hear it, even from this far away, though I can't directly find her. Know this… I will."

  "Unless you get her alone, you have no chance." I sat, half-tempted to toss my coffee in his face and tear his throat out for good measure.

  "She'll come to me of her own accord. When you fail — and fail you will — she'll come to me. They always do."

  My body shuddered with the onslaught of past memories. "You brainwashed her."

  "I offered her a solution."

  "You gave her death."

  "I didn't say it was a good solution." Cassius shrugged. "Remember this, I've been damned to earth to help your cause — to help the immortals and humans keep balance. When you fail, it's my head — not yours."