She giggled with the swat, and that had warmth spreading throughout my chest. I wanted so desperately to move things forward with her, to feel like I could claim her lips in a kiss no matter where we were or who we were in front of. I wanted so much more than that, and a part of me was afraid she’d run when she found out exactly what it was.
I wasn’t going to explain this kidnapping event, so I was glad she didn’t question it. I figured it was far better to show her that I had put together what I hoped was a rather romantic gesture. I’d never done this type of thing before, so I was partly winging it. Although Kolvar’s reassurance that she would love it went a long way to making me feel better.
All of our relationships with Kyella were moving at different paces, and while Elijah seemed jealous of her interactions with not only me, but Kolvar, I didn’t feel the same jealousy when I saw the looks of longing she sent their way. I was perfectly content with sharing her affections with the two men I held the utmost respect for.
If there was anyone I would trust to treasure her, it would be Kolvar and Elijah.
After more of her squirming, I finally readjusted her, sliding her down and placing her in a bridal hold so I could look into her gorgeous face. I let my eyes trail over her flushed skin, and when she looked up at me, I groaned. This woman had no idea how appealing she was, like the most tempting treat in the world. I knew she would taste sweet in all senses, and I longed to know, to memorize her exact perfection.
“How was your meeting?” I asked, wanting to make sure she was okay after such a serious moment. This was a lot for Kyella. I mean, it was one thing to leave the only place you called home and travel to an empire you didn’t realize existed over the Cursed Divide, and it was another thing to realize you were a species of creature that supposedly no longer existed and no one knew of. Hell, even for me it was a lot to process, and I craved to know what I could do to make it easier on her.
Her eyes sparked with a fiery light that I loved to see. “It was good. Lots of information…” She trailed off, nibbling her lip. “And she’s having me train this afternoon.”
I came to a full stop, tightening my hold on her as my eyebrows shot up. “Train?”
She nodded enthusiastically, a slow grin tugging her lips up. “Yes, to fight.”
I frowned, not liking that concept, but not for the reason one would assume. I loved the idea of Kyella being able to defend herself. As much as I wanted to say we could protect her at all times, I completely agreed that it was necessary for her to foster that sense of confidence and independence. That wasn’t the part I had an issue with—no, it was all the fuckers who would be watching her train in the yard.
Shaking my head, I decided I would have to ensure it was cleared for the afternoon. If Kyella was going to train and practice her newfound abilities, I wanted her to be able to do it without the gaze of every male in the land on her. It was probably ridiculous, but I was absolutely convinced every one of them would jump at the chance to take her from us. Then I would have to kill them and would probably get in trouble—better to avoid the mess in the first place.
Also, a part of me thought perhaps she might be uncomfortable under the gaze of so many men, humans and vampyres alike. We still didn’t know the extent of what she’d endured in Thaicia, but from what we had seen with our own eyes, something told me being the focal point of a large crowd of males might not be the wisest.
“What?” she asked, looking confused by my reaction.
“Going to have to clear out the training yard so none of those fuckers can look at you,” I grunted. She let out a giggle, wrapping her arms around my neck, but then she quickly tensed as if realizing something.
She quieted for a moment before breathing out “thank you” so softly I barely caught the words.
Dropping a kiss to her forehead, I murmured, “Anything for you, Ky.”
I continued my stride, picking back up on our pathway, and when we went up a set of stairs that was rarely used, I could see that her mood had shifted to one of curiosity. She still didn’t ask where we were going, and I loved the trust that she had in me. It made me feel on top of the world, and I found myself hoping with everything in me that she would enjoy this, even if it was a small gesture compared to what she deserved.
After several flights up, we finally reached a platform with a wooden door that had seen better days. I used my foot to kick it open and walked onto the rooftop garden I’d found a few years back. I instantly knew it had been worth it from the surprised sound that Kyella emitted, her gaze darting everywhere at once.
It wasn’t a normal rooftop garden one would picture. It was absolutely massive, with trellises on three of the surrounding walls, covered in gorgeous pink, purple, and red roses. The center of the space had a pavilion with a table underneath where you could lounge and take in the views of the empire and the sea, basking in the sound of the waves crashing below.
The ground was covered in soft grass, and when Kyella attempted to wiggle down, I released my hold on her. She rushed to the edge of the rooftop to look out over the view of the city, her face lit up with a level of happiness and relaxed joy I had yet to see on her. It transformed her face.
My gaze darted to the pavilion where our lunch was set up, a chilled assortment of blood types as well as other snacks available in case she was also hungry in the human way. I hadn’t seen her eat any human food recently, but I planned on always having it available to her until she expressly said she was ready for a liquid diet.
I joined her at the edge of the rooftop, where there was nothing inhibiting the view, not even a ledge. The wall had crumbled and had never been repaired.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispered as I sat down, gently tugging her with me. Ky let out a small laugh, landing on my lap as I wrapped my arms around her. She curled into me, her eyes still on the sea.
“It is,” I finally admitted. “When I first arrived here from Thaicia, I thought I was imagining it. It was far more beautiful than anything I’d experienced at that point in my life.”
She blinked up at me with curiosity shining in her eyes, so I decided to further explain, feeling comfortable in baring that side of myself to her.
“My family was murdered,” I whispered. “I escaped here with only my life and had to start anew.” The words were hard to force out, even after over a hundred years of telling the story. Time didn’t ease the ache of heartbreak. It didn’t change the vivid memory I had of my family’s slaughter.
Grief like that never truly disappeared, and I recognized that same shadow in Ky. I wanted her to know that it was okay to acknowledge that side of our life and accept that it would always be with us, because it helped morph us into the people we were today.
She turned into me, running a hand up my jaw and encouraging me to continue. I could see the surprise in her eyes, though.
“I was only ten at the time, so I didn’t know there was anything else out there. Still, I boarded a vessel because anything was better than being—”
“There,” Kyella whispered, finishing the thought for me. Her eyes shone with a familiar haunted weight. “I was sixteen when my dad and aunt were killed.”
