She takes a sip of wine. “Yes, it’s a great way to see what everyone brings to the table skill wise. And I just happen to know a couple trainers who would love to be in a training and conditioning role for us. But not before they pass the loyalty tests. I’d like to talk more with you about those.”
I nod. “You’ve thought this through.”
Embry looks up at me and with only mere inches between us I can feel the heat of her desire through the thin fabric of her sexy little robe.
I slide my tie from around my neck and loop it around Embry’s, playfully drawing her so close that she’s pressed up against my chest. I slide a hand around her nape and tilt her head with a finger beneath her chin. “I love you.”
Embry’s bright purple eyes shine up at me, glistening. “I love you too, vampire.”
“I want you to be mine. Officially, I want the ceremony. I want to see you walk over the bridge of blood to me with your tiara and gown. To come to me and be one for all of time.”
She stands on her tiptoes to kiss me, but I scoop her into my arms and raise her to my mouth, capturing her lips with a passion that vibrates deep in my soul. “Mine.”
“Yes, yours vampire, for eternity.”
I open the sash of her robe and gaze at the naked beauty before me. “You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen.”
I settle Embry on the edge of my bed before joining her, our passions far too heated to ignore. She leans back looking up at me with those immersive purple eyes, and I now know without a doubt how it feels when destiny strikes.
Chapter 29
Embry
The minute I arrive at Overmaster Descallia’s estate, the loud boisterous voices of my friends can be heard. “Thank you,” I tell the driver, slipping out of the backseat of Corvinus’s limo and walking up to the front door. I haven’t had a chance to knock before it’s opened by one of Descallia’s house employees. “Good evening, Embry. It’s so nice to see you again.”
I smile at the older gentleman. “It’s nice to be here again.” You don’t know how nice. How much I missed my friend group and these gatherings while the males are at their monthly meeting. I have no doubt that given all I’ve heard, Lucianna and I will be summoned to those meetings more frequently, but fortunately for all of us, tonight is not one of those nights.
Lucianna sips Descallia Red from a beautiful crystal glass with blood red etching down the side. Raven, Willow, and Madria are all drinking white wine from similar glasses, and Alyssa, Angel, and Delilah are drinking margaritas. I’ve barely had time to hand over my coat before I’m drowning in hugs. I look around, almost teary eyed. I just can’t help it. “I missed you all so much.”
“What would you like to drink?” Delilah asks me, standing by the bar in a pair of tight jeans and a pretty pink sweater. After all that she and Tuscano went through it makes my heart happy that they found their happily ever after.
“Margarita for me, please!” I tell her, closing the distance to join her. I spoon a scoop of nuts into a small dish and decide that supper is served having no time to grab something before leaving the house.
Delilah gives me a once over, those blue eyes homing in on my little snack. “We may have to make you and the others prepare some real sustenance a little later. I hear you’re getting pretty good with the witchy tricks.”
Raven joins us from across the room. “You should see her go.” She grins. “She’s definitely found her powers. Look out world.”
Lucianna’s eyes glow from across the room. “We are a formidable team. That’s for damn sure. I just wish we could have a little peace. That’s all the vampires have wanted, but year after year, century after century, it’s either the rogue vampires or the witches trying to do us harm.”
“It’s not that I wanted Isala to be real, but at least if she had been we could have dealt with her. Knowing it was Devora all along, it just makes her betrayal that much worse, and all the good things we thought she was doing all along seem suspect. I mean at times I did honestly believe she wanted to keep the peace.”
Raven nods. “It’s hard to see from my perspective too. Mind you, she’s never had a great love for the vampires, but I do believe there was a time when she wasn’t so staunchly encamped in the destroy-the-vampires side.” She turns to Lucianna. “Do you know what Overmaster plans to do or would it be a conflict of interest to tell me?”
Lucianna sets her drink down on the coffee table and wraps our friend in her arms. “We trust you with all of our lives, Raven.” She looks around. “We all do, right ladies?”
Every one of us nods, because she and the other witches standing by our side have proven it time and time again. I gesture to Raven. “You can’t help who you’re related to. Plus, how else would we have even gotten the shadow books if it weren’t for you and your help? We love you, and you are not a conflict of interest, ever.”
She smiles happily and her fingers sparkle with electricity. “Good. But you know you’re going to have to prepare. One way or another she’s going to want the shadow books back. She’s not going to stop. Auntie Devora can be incredibly persistent when she wants something as you all know.”
The margarita is icy and cold and has just the right amount of salt. I have a feeling these are going to go down very well tonight. I turn to the group suddenly. “Devora has to know that we not only know about the sacred land being ours, but we also know their well-kept secrets about the fire.”
Willow crosses her leg on the couch, and her bauble begins to lightly glow, and then Raven’s and then Madria’s. Interesting, as though the baubles are aligned with when each of the witches catches on. “The vampire lore tells everyone we’re so afraid of fire, the witches believe it too.”
Raven nods. “It was true at one time, right?”
I finish my margarita and head to the bar to pour another glass. When I turn the ladies are watching me and finishing their own. This is going to be a night to remember. I can just tell. “I read in the shadow books and the Vade Mecum that at one time, it was absolutely true. Even looking at a fire was bad news for a vampire.”
Madria nods. “Now, not so much.”
