Novel Palace
Chapter 40
And then, as if he knows just how aroused he's made me, he pulls away with a smirk. "In the meantime, I will carry you back."
He starts to retreat, but no way am I letting him get the last word. I pull him back for one last kiss, and as I claim his mouth with mine, I grab his hand and slide it up to my breast until he is arching against me, as full of desire as I am. Then I force myself away and try to put myself back together. "Now your clothes are wrinkled," I say with a wink.
When I emerge from my car, everything feels different. Not only are all my injuries healed, but it's like I've gained extra senses. I can hear a night owl in the distance, its wings ruffling as it hunts its dinner. The sound of snow falling. The breathing of a small critter hiding in a log fifty feet away. It's all overwhelming and I don't know where to focus.
I look to Darius, wide-eyed. "Is this your blood or more of my grandmother's power?"
"My blood," he says, his gaze taking in my disheveled clothing.
Despite the cold, my cheeks heat as I think about how close we got to... everything. How close we will get again if either of us have our way.
Traditionally, it would be a bit too soon to explore these urges after giving birth. But I'm pretty sure the fae magic, vampire blood and... I cringe at the thought, but werewolf hair... have all done their part in getting my body to a better place than it was even before I got pregnant.
"You might notice... other side effects as well," he says, and before I can reply or ask what he means, he literally sweeps me off my feet and into his arms.
There is no chance to talk as Darius begins to run. I would have expected it to be uncomfortable, bouncing around in his arms, but he's so fluid, so graceful, it's like we're flying. The wind blows through my hair, snow collecting in it, but I don't even notice the cold. My body is still hot from within, and with my face tucked in his shoulders and his arms gripping me firmly, it's so very easy to get lost in the fantasies of what we almost did.
By the time we arrive home--which should have taken hours or days, I'm almost disappointed the trip happened so fast. It's just after 2 AM when we walk into the apartment, where Rune, Zev and AJ are waiting in the front room.
One look from AJ and it's clear she knows I had some sexy times with vamp boy. She arches her eyebrow and looks between us in a not-so-subtle way.
Since that wasn't the point of the trip, I ignore her and head straight to Rain, who's happily snuggled in the arms of a werewolf. As I quietly approach my sweet, sleeping girl, Darius fills everyone in on what we discovered.
"Tilly possesses more power than I've ever seen in one witch, and tonight we were confronted by another member of the Order of the Star."
Rain is sleeping, and she looks so peaceful with Zev that I don't want to disturb her; instead I slide onto the couch next to him. He glances at me with a warm smile as Rune brings me a cup of coffee sprinkled with magic--like coffee needs anything extra to make it wonderful. It is the drink of the gods, after all.
"Did they hurt Tilly?" AJ asks, hopping from her chair like she's ready to cut a bitch.
I shrug, my eyes stinging again at the memory of leaving her so vulnerable. "Darius doesn't think they will. But, A, you should have seen her, when Darius held her hand, I got her back. Just for a few moments, but I got Nanny back."
Zev uses his free arm to wrap around my shoulder and pull me into a warm hug, dispelling any remnants of chill from the trip through the snow, and offering me unspoken comfort as I grapple with my emotion.
"And that's not all," I say, before Darius can continue. "You're never going to believe who it was this time." This is obviously directed at AJ, since no one else in the room would specifically care.
"Who?" AJ asks, her eyes widening.
"Joe's son!"
My best friend's jaw drops. "Alex? That's... that's impossible," she sputters.
"I know!" I say, as flabbergasted as she is.
The guys just stare at us, waiting for one of us to make sense.
AJ explains. "Alex was in an accident on prom night years ago. He was in a car crash and flew through the windshield. His brain... it never worked right after that. He's been in a home ever since."
I shake my head. "I don't get it. He seemed... normal, given the circumstances. But it was definitely him. I checked myself."
AJ begins to pace the room while I snuggle more into the nook of Zev's arms. He looks down at me, concern in his eyes. "You've had vampire blood. What happened?"
"Oh yeah, that's the other thing. I wrecked the car. Hit my head. Darius healed me."
A growl forms deep in Zev's chest. "I'm sure he did."
Darius scowls at the werewolf. "It was that or let her pass out and suffer worse injury. What would you have me do?"
"Not bind her to you," he says gruffly.
Rune comes over and lays a finger on my wrist, while staring into my eyes, then nods. "Darius did the right thing. It could have been much worse if he hadn't acted quickly."
This shuts Zev up, but I can feel the tension in his body. The werewolf is definitely pissed, and now I have a lot of questions about this binding shit.
But Rain has clearly not enjoyed the
change in Zev, and she wakes up screaming and ready for her midnight snack. The werewolf's demeanor changes instantly, cooing and loving on her as he passes her to me. It's really incredible to see how each of the Sexies are with my bravadoThis material belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.
baby. All their bad boy with my
shuts down when my little one is around. She's got them wrapped around her tiny, adorable, little
finger.
I take her into my bedroom and close the door, wanting some privacy for myself and knowing Rain could use less stimulation right now. You could cut the tension in the living room with a knife.
I ease into my bed and cuddle my
child as she feeds, my mind
worrying over all the different threads in my life that seem to be unraveling. I want to get Darius back in to see Nanny, but that seems risky after the ruckus we've made. Even if Darius doesn't come with, I need to check in on Nanny to make sure she's okay. I also need to get my car back. And...I'm going to need to talk to Joe and find out what the hell is
going on with his son.
Determined to do just that, I fall asleep with Rain in my arms and am ready the next day to confront a man I've known literally my entire life.
Only catch is, he doesn't show up to Morgan's that night.
Or the next.
Or the next.
I ask Frank about it, but Frank is as perplexed as me, saying he hasn't heard from Joe in days.
By the end of the week, I've called to make sure Nanny is safe: she is. Though the staff gives me very few details about 'an incident' that disrupted her. I also know something is definitely off with Joe. At the close of the night, I pull the Sexies aside and voice my concern. "I think something happened to Joe. We need to go check on him and find out what's going on."
Leaving the baby with AJ and Rune, Zev, Darius and I head to Joe's. One of the Sexies managed to bring back my car, but Darius determined t was a waste of metal and somehow acquired me a brand new Jaguar.
"You realize you've painted a big red target on me with this, right?"
Darius sniffs. "You can just tell people it is mine, if you must."
Zev snorts in the back. "Darius has always been a bit pompous. He can't help it."
"You know, when AJ and I were little and would get into fights, Nanny would lock us in the bathroom together until we resolved our differences, say, turning onto Joe's street. I park in front of his house and twist to face both of them. "We would pretend' to make up, and we thought we were so clever, but of course in the process of negotiating our fake peace, we actually made up in the end. I'm thinking you three need some quality time in the bathroom together. Seems like you were close once upon a time, and I think you could be again. You have a lot in common." I wink and get out of
the car, with the boys following.
We approach the house cautiously, but we don't get far before both Darius and Zev stop and look at each other, their faces unreadable.
"What?" I ask, walking to stand between them.
Zev glances at me. "I'm so sorry, Bernie."
The werewolf just stops there, leaving Darius to finish his thought.
"Joe's dead."