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She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. “Now that you’re connected to Roman, do you think…will he use that to come between us?”
I ducked my head. “I talked to him about us. I asked him why he left during…well, our tryst. He told me that he thought he could handle it, but when he saw the way I looked at you, it reminded him too much of the one time he was truly in love. And that ended badly.”
“In other words, he wants you to look at him that way. And by being your sire…”
“No.” I wasn’t sure why I was trying to protect Roman, but everybody expected the worst from him and so far, he’d been a great help to us. “He didn’t have to help us—none of the times he has. He’s under no obligation to us.”
Nerissa bit her lip, and a worried look crossed her face. “Okay, then. Do you think this will affect how you feel about me?”
Realizing that she was feeling insecure and even a little jealous, I slid across the sofa and took her hands. “Listen to me. Like you told me the other night, I love you. I want to marry you. I don’t love Roman, even if there is a bond between us now. I don’t want to marry Roman. I trust him on his word that he won’t try to come between us. Please, don’t let your fear push you away from me. Because that’s the only thing that can divide us—fear.” I kissed her fingertips and, as tears slowly trickled down her face, I kissed those, too.
She met my lips and took me in her arms, and we snuggled, silently, for the next half hour. Finally, she yawned again.
“I have to get up early tomorrow. I’d better sleep.”
“Rest, then, and don’t worry. Please, it just tears me up knowing you’re unhappy. I love the bouquets. And I’m working on finding us the perfect spot for our ceremony.” As I opened the door, I paused and looked back. “Nerissa…I’d give up almost everything for you. I’d give my life for you.”
She blew me a kiss, and I quietly slipped down to my lair, where I took a shower and pulled on a pair of the Happy Mo-kito Bat pajamas Delilah had bought me for Yule. A movement startled me and I looked up to see Misty jump on my bed. Unlike most living cats, Misty wasn’t afraid of me, and she came parading up the blankets to crawl on my stomach. I let her lie there, petting the ghostly fur as best as I could.
After a while, with still several hours to go till dawn, I began mulling over places to get married. There were a lot of beautiful parks and mansions around the area, but most mansions were booked well in advance.
As I mused over wedding plans, images from home kept creeping into my mind. And then, I knew.
The shores of Lake Y’Leveshan, near Y’Elestrial. There were parks there that shimmered with dragonflies and flutternuts and singing torries. I could see it now—we could marry at the head of the lake, near the Erulizi Falls, which thundered down over the cliffs above. The splashing drops prismed the sunlight that sparkled through them, mirroring rainbows in a dizzying array across the water. It would be perfect, and Nerissa would love it. We’d have to get married after sunset, but she’d be able to walk the shores during the day, and the moonlight reflecting on the water would be almost as beautiful as the sun.
I grabbed a notebook and began making lists of things we’d have to do, and people we’d have to contact, and the logistics involved. I got so involved in the planning that I didn’t notice how much time was passing.
As a deep tug began to yank me down to sleep, I realized it was almost sunrise. I set the notebook on my nightstand, and, giving Misty one final pat, I slid under my covers and into my dreams. And for once, they were simply that—dreams, filled with sunlight and laughter and images of my beautiful, lovely Nerissa.
Chapter 19
Charlotine arrived on time. I didn’t like her any better than I had when I’d first met her. She didn’t offer any pleasantries to the others, but to me, she at least said hello. She seemed more subdued than she had when I’d met her last.
Mallen sure knew how to pick them. I would never again give his taste in friends much credence. Perhaps she wasn’t his friend, though, but just someone he had to call in for work now and then. That I could believe.
We’d armed ourselves as best as possible. Because the degas were susceptible to water and to sound, I’d had Camille go out and buy high-pitched dog whistles for everyone going. Vanzir had assured me that would work on them to some degree.
And Vanzir had rigged up some sort of sonic shrieking device. I had no clue what it was, but it was battery-operated and let out an alarm that would outscreech a Bean Sidhe.
Smoky and Shade had spent the day calling in favors and were now the proud owners of several water-based spell scrolls. Neither would let Camille even touch the parchment they were written on. She’d still been complaining about it when I woke up from the day’s slumber.
Thirty minutes past sunset, we were heading out. Smoky carried Vanzir and me through the Ionyc Seas, and Shade carried Charlotine, who had put up a mild fuss about it until I threatened to stuff her in a duffel bag and let him carry her that way.
We stepped out of the mists to find ourselves standing near the trail leading up to the cave. In this area, the woods were thick enough to get lost in. Thick enough to stash bodies in. Thick enough to hide a cave frequented by demons. The timber was tall and the hiking trails not for amateurs. Boulders dotted the trail, and small rocks, and loose branches that had blown off the trees during recent windstorms.
Charlotine moved closer to me and I readied myself for an assault—just on principle—but she merely crossed her arms, rubbing her forearms as if she were cold. “I find the woodlands over here disconcerting.”
“They can be. The forests are wild and not very friendly. You aren’t elf, are you?” I couldn’t place her. She didn’t look elfin, nor did she look Fae, but she came from Elqaneve.
“Perhaps because I’m not.” She glanced to the side, and when I remained silent, she shrugged. “I was a sorceress from the Southern Wastes. I moved to the north because I grew weary of the constant sand. I was tired of the testosterone wars between the various sorcery guilds. I wanted a better life. So I offered my services to Queen Asteria, and she took me in.”
“How did you become a vampire?” It wasn’t a polite question to ask, but I wanted to know who we were dealing with.
“Come on, let’s get moving.” Shade took the forefront, and Charlotine and I fell in behind him. Smoky and Vanzir guarded the rear.
Charlotine lowered her voice as we moved along, skirting the roots that were growing across the path. “I chose to become one. I asked Raleesha, mother of a nest, to turn me, and she did.”
I had never understood those who chose to be turned. Death wasn’t something I embraced, but being a vampire seemed like stopping in time—I constantly feared stagnation.
