Lifting the cover, I reveal the first page. A short, elegantly written sentence sits alone.
Two eyes, two visions, one ending.
After a few rereads, I still can’t decipher its meaning. A password–riddle–or a mere line expressing his feelings on a subject. Either way, I flip to the next page, viewing calligraphy scratched into a thin, tanned sheet with dark ink. My fingers stroke over each letter.
“Your writing, Blaise, it’s beautiful.” But before I can read past the first word, it vanishes.The fuck.Flipping page after page, I see it all continue to fade like I’m unworthy of reading its contents. All ink disappears at first glance. “Great, you said I could read it, but whatever spell you placed is erasing the ink.” Frowning, I snap my head to his.
“No, you inquired about reading my books, and I gave you one. But I also stated you might not be able to read it.” He grins, scribbling faster while mumbling, “Her anger is turning into rage, not curiosity.”
“At least tell me one thing you wrote in it. Since, you know, I’m somehow unworthy.” I am starting to feel a type of way for getting my hopes up. *Sigh*
“Another time, you have a visitor.”
Blaise points to my right without looking, and I follow his finger. Raine struts over with a beverage in hand. He scans me with such heat, I damn near feel its warmth.Shit.Surprise is an understatement. We texted earlier, but he never told me he was coming.But damn he looks good in all-black. Holy shit.
His fragrance of Honeycrisp apples and melted chocolate reaches me before he does, and a hum sends my aura in a flurry. “Kyra, how’s your night going?” he asks, standing before me, handing over achilled beverage. I take it, giving it a sniff, and find tequila swirling within its blue and white mixture.
“Hey, Raine, what’s this?” I ask, unable to avoid the smile pushing my cheeks up.
“I call it ‘Rushing Tide.’ Gentle going down, but dangerous the more you drink. This will be your only glass.” He chortles.
He holds my stare as I try a sip. Small, because I’m not prone to taking drinks I didn’t witness being poured. A second or two passes, and nothing but blueberries and cream fills my tastebuds. “Thank you, it’s delicious.” I sip once more.
Blaise flips a page, and my attention moves towards him. The smile he had is replaced by a deep expression while his hand moves twice as fast as before.Whatever he’s writing, it’s not that serious.
“Excuse my intrusion, but I saw you without a drink and felt you’ll need one to properly enjoy Haven’s Hole. It can be a bit…much.”
“You’re fine, but yes, this helps out a lot.” Swallowing another gulp, I pray a brain freeze never finds me. “When did you arrive?”
“Somewhere around the time a fay was tossed across the floor.” Raine laughs. “But I hope you don’t plan on sitting here all night. There’s much to enjoy.”
His eyes, lemon lime, confine me in a way that speaks of untold secrets. A glow I can’t avert from, and those rumors of us being intimate flood back. More than friends. I feel my pulse rising, desire itching beneath my skin.He really does smell good.Until Ethan dismisses himself from their booth, and I notice a disapproval gleam in his stare.
Over Raine’s shoulder, Alex’s curious leer bounces between the three of us, watching. My memory jumps to the discovered information from hacking his file.
Vampires have exceptional hearing. Speed and strength weren’t shocking; I’ve seen enough movies and shows to believe it, but here they can listen from miles away. Miles. And since he and Ethan arebrothers, it stands to reason why they’re both staring at me from two different locations.Fuck. How much have they heard?
“You have other visitors.” Blaise points, and sure enough, Caspian and Marcel bound our way. Surrounding eyes follow their path while Angie and a few others twist and turn their bodies out on the dance floor toEscapismby RAYE.
“Blaise,” I whisper, “do you believe in bad luck?”
“Not bad luck, more like unfortunate destinies,” he whispers back.
“Well, if you call my destiny unfortunate, I call it cursed.” My low pitch changes in a matter of seconds. “Marcel, heeeey.” I dawn a fake smile as his aura jabs into my arms.Murderous…Annoyed…Determined. He is anything other than gleeful.
“A fucking lizard and frog, Kyra. What are we, eight? No, I take it back, even our eight-year-old faylings aren’t afraid of such creatures,” he sneers with anger curling his lips. “And who the fuck are you? Why are you so damn close to her?” His wrath targets everyone.
“Marcel, who in the hell–” I start.
“You’re an angry fellow, aren’t you?” Raine chimes in. “So forgetful. Tell me, have you not accounted for everyone in your House…wait, Caspian’s now our Leader, my apologies, ‘former,’” he answers, his demeanor calmer than expected, but my jaw hits the floor witnessing him smile. “However…” He steps closer, meeting Marcel’s vengeful eyes. “It would be unwise to upset a female on her night out, wouldn’t you say?” Raine’s features are a contrast to the fay before him.
Oh fuck. Oh fuck.
“What’s unwise is your presence, vampire. You talk too much, and I’m annoyed.” Marcel’s fists tighten until his knuckles become almost translucent.
“Does my species bother you?”
Wait–wait–wait. He’s a vampire too?
