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I wasn’t sure what she was getting at, but something stirred in the depths of my body, a small fire creeping across my skin. It was getting increasingly difficult to swallow and I cleared my throat loudly.
“Well, I could. If I found the right person.” I watched her from the corner of my eye. “And if that person was interested.”
Sky shoveled another bite of stir fry into her mouth and shrugged. “So what made you decide to cook me dinner tonight?”
My mouth dropped open before I could catch it. “I didn’t–”
My argument petered out at her knowing smile and I exhaled loudly. “I just thought it would be a nice gesture. You’ve been so patient and understanding with everything going on, I thought you deserved something nice.”
Sky was quiet for a moment, pinning me in place with a contemplative stare. “It was nice. Thank you.”
The room gradually fell into a comfortable silence, the clinking of utensils the only sound breaking the tranquility. The candles dropped hot wax onto the surface of the table and I stared at the cooling wax, willing myself to speak.
I had to understand the undercurrent of attraction between us. That ever-present connection just under the surface. I had to believe that she could feel it too. “You know,” I started hesitantly, freezing up when Sky lifted her eyes to mine. “Uh. Apparently broccoli is something women would give to their lovers… because Sappho once described herself and a lover wearing garlands of the stuff.”
Sky pointed her fork at me with a smirk. “You’ve been spending too much time on the internet. That was just a popular urban myth passed around the web. In fact, there are plenty of literary references to broccoli, but none from Sappho herself.”
I blanched. Never in my life had my attempts at seduction been shot down by a history nerd.
Sky set her fork down and reached for my hand, her voice softening. “It’s a nice thought, though.”
Throwing myself out the window was a nicer thought.
I had one last shot to rectify the situation, one last trump card to get Sky to open up before I had to.
I drained my glass and pushed my chair back. “Would you like to go for a walk? I have something I’d like to show you.”
Chapter 14
SKY
Withmyheartinmy throat, I let Jordan guide me on what seemed to be a leisurely walk around the sprawling house. The moon cast a soft glow, illuminating our path as we ventured hand in hand.
Jordan led me through ornate hallways adorned with ancient paintings and hand-woven tapestries, each more gorgeous than the last. We didn’t speak much, which was fine by me considering my brain had short circuited after what I assumed was a genuine attempt at seduction on her part.
Jordan had all but made her feelings clear, and while I had rerouted the conversation effectively, my mind was running amok at the revelation.
Unable to calm my pounding heart, I broke the silence with an unrelated question. “How long has your family owned this place? It must be ancient.”
Jordan seemed mildly relieved to have the tension broken and her eyes drifted to a portrait on the wall. “This house goes back generations. It belongs to my mother now, and someday it will belong to me.”
I examined the portrait above our heads, taking in the painted family who stared back sullenly from the golden frame. I could make out Sigrid, with her elaborate updo, and another gruff-looking man at her side. Two children stood in front of them, a red-headed girl who looked uncomfortable in her pinafore dress, and a boy about the same age, smiling nervously.
“Is that Alberich?” I pointed. I had learned a little about Jordan’s brother from Maxine and Hunter, Jordan herself seemed unwilling to engage with the topic.
“Yes.” Jordan glanced over the subject and gestured to the long line of portraits stretching back into the dark. “These are my ancestors, generations of vampires who walked these halls long before I did. They were part of a coven that thrived in secrecy, protecting both the mortal and immortal realms.”
I struggled to comprehend that generational connection. My own family’s history was a murky one.
“That must be a lot of pressure,” I murmured, tightening my grip on Jordan’s hand. “Generations worth of expectation on your shoulders.”
“It’s not so bad.” Jordan chewed her bottom lip, refusing to meet my eyes. “It’s easier with you around. Also, we’re here.”
Jordan paused before a large wooden door. There were intricate carvings in the old varnished wood, adorned with a door handle far older than the modern renditions at the front of the house. Jordan hesitated for a beat before pushing the door open, enveloping us both in the rich scent of aging books and stirred dust.
“Oh my god.” My breath caught in my throat as I drank in the library—rows upon rows of leather bound books and scrolls yellowed with age. “Why haven’t you brought me here before?”
Moonlight streamed through the open window, illuminating dust particles that floated lazily in the air. I ran a finger lightly over the spine of a nearby book, the ancient tomb beckoning to be opened. “These must be ancient.”
