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Chapter 12
Used to Edmund’s antics, Daria was the first to assure the others that he wouldn’t be murdering them in their sleep after that confusing show, starting with Oscar, who looked ready to defend Diego’s honor—a bad idea, considering the adrenaline probably still running in Edmund’s system as he strode to his mate and gave her a long, passionate kiss. Alexa was stunned by it, was eager for it, and was reluctantly pulling away at the mortified clearing of Charlie’s throat. It would have been amusing with the man’s flushed cheeks and helpless need to get away from the couple’s obvious adoration of each other, but she could barely look Charlie in the eye, either, after what had transpired earlier.
“It’s just minor bruises,” she assured, willing her mind off it. She focused on Oscar, then the others, who were in different stages of uncertainty except for Sona, the ever-present calm. “Shifters do that, too, to test boundaries and loyalties.”
“Some shifters,” Riva clarified, shrugging. “Mine just go straight for the kill.”
There was a touch of guilt there, but Daria didn’t comment on it.
“Right.”
“And Diego will be fine. It’s just his ego bruised. Vampires are all about rank, and I imagine Edmund is of high ranking.”
“Was,” Edmund corrected, listening from afar with an amused expression.
“Right.” Realizing all eyes were on her, the female shifter cleared her throat and tried not to blush. “Anyway, just a guess. I don’t know much about them.”
But it was clear Riva knew a lot, either because it had been instilled by her clan or she had been talking far too much with Diego. She nodded at the others and excused herself while Sona, Oscar, and Malifeskos stayed behind, going through the round of introductions with polite handshakes—or, in Malifeskos’ case, a lot of blinking and staring. Edmund turned to Daria last, beaming.
“Do you see me now?”
She dared not glance at Charlie, whose eyes she could feel on her. Just knowing that had a shiver running down her spine, but she fought it hard until the memories were trapped in an imaginary locked chest and smiled at Edmund.
“No. I heard you have the most beautiful face in New York.”
A chuckle of delight burst from the vampire’s throat while Alexa elbowed him, then enveloped her in a warm hug.
“It’s nice to see you again, Daria. Nerve-wracking after I learned what you did, and there will probably be a lecture coming, but maybe we can reserve that for later. Welcome home.”
Home.It felt nice to hear. The way she interacted with them seemed to ease the other three, who watched with open curiosity.
“Don’t worry, Alexa. Your brother already lectured me too many times to count.”
And slept beside her. Jerked off in front of her. Said the dirtiest words while he almost touched her—
“I have to go,” she blurted out, blinking repeatedly to desperately lock those in, too. Again, she didn’t dare look at Charlie, afraid he would see something close to lust in her eyes—something she hid well, she knew, but he just seemed to know what she was thinking, anyway. That kind of connection shook her to her core until she was unsteady on her feet. “We just sort of got here, and I need rest and a shower. A hot shower to get rid of the aches. Muscle aches! Because of all the action.”
Oh, heavens, please shut up.
Fortunately, her brain connected with her mouth as she hurried out of there, and the others trailed after her. Oscar and Malifeskos separated after a few minutes, attention drawn to another room ladened with paintings, but Sona kept following her until she glanced back with a puzzled frown.
“Yes?”
“When you went up there to get your wish granted, were you expecting it to be this way?”
“What way?”
“You wanted your eyesight and you still can’t see much. You asked for your powers and it’s not here…oh, don’t give me that look. You are a blind Fae without much to show for it except your bravery. Anyone with common sense would know what you asked for.”
Torn between the compliment and the insult, Daria decided to latch on to the former and let it go.
“He said that it would be a slow process because I can’t handle it all at once. But I felt his power granting what I asked for.” She didn’t need to see a face to detect the woman’s doubt. “Why, Sona?”
“I don’t know. It just seems suspicious—like a man giving candies to a kid with promises of another truckload, but the candies have venom inside them.”
“That’s a weird analysis. But I don’t feel evil inside me if that’s what you are trying to imply.”
“I didn’t say evil. I just said….” There was a pause, then a heavy sigh. “You know what? Forget it. We are stuck here for days, and time will tell.”
