Page 12 of Resurrection
“Not everyone is like your Sire used to be, Sebastian.” Calming down, she huffs a breath. “It has become a power play among the Council to collect powerful connections.” Not meeting my gaze, she calls one of the humans to her. “I figured I’d approach you first before the rest of the vermin descends on you. I guess I made a misjudgment on how interested you’d be to form a connection after everything that happened.”
“If it makes you feel better, I have no intention to form a connection with anyone on the Council.” Her eyes narrow at me, not missing that I said “anyone on the Council,” leaving other connections open to interpretation. We can scent a lie, all of us. With carefully chosen words, skirting the truth is possible.
Stopping any further comments, I pull the human in my lap and bite into her wrist with a vengeance. Irina glares at my defiance, taking the human’s wrist instead of the neck, but I ignore her. She has picked these women herself, all dark-haired or red-haired, none of them blonde like her. It pleases me greatly that I have messed up her plans. My pleasure does not last long.
The door opens without knocking and Andrei strides in like a king of a castle, smirking at Irina’s aggressive hiss. Focusing on holding my emotions in check, I didn’t even notice I drained the human to her last drop. Her lifeless body drapes over my knees like a blanket.
“Or I can have this one as compensation, Sebastian.” Irina eyes Andrei with way too much interest for my liking. “First, you reject me, then you kill my human. These are from my personal feeders, and she was one of my favorites.”
My gut clenches when the scheme she has been playing starts unraveling. She knew I was going to reject the bond. She came intending to bond one of mine to her. I was so focused on her to show her weakness that she managed to play me like a child. Well, I’ll give her points for being smart, but that’s all she will get from me.
“Well played, Irina.” I tip an imaginary hat her way. “But, no.” Wiping my lips with the back of my hand, I lift myself up, the body of the human rolling off my knees and thumping at my feet.
“You come unannounced, wreak chaos in our city, reject a bond with one of the Council, and you kill my human.” Irina lifts herself up as well, staring at me in anger. She is as tall as my six foot four, putting us at eye level. “That is an insult to us all. Unless you plan on paying for those crimes, I suggest you give me Andrei.” Glancing at him, her mouth twists in a grimace. “I had my sights on Marcus, but I guess this one will do.”
“If you think I’ll let you get anywhere near my throat without a fight, you have lost your mind,” Andrei growls at her through clenched teeth. “Even if he commands me, I’d rather he rips my head off.”
“Insolence!” Irina spits at him, her nails digging in her palms as she clenches her fists.
“He is not on offer, Irina.” Calmly, I step over the body at my feet. Someone will need to get rid of it later. I doubt Irina will be willing to carry it with her. “If the Council has issues with me, then I should have a trial, no? Let’s hear the charges spoken and what I can do to soothe your concerns. Giving you one of mine is not going to happen. Tonight…” When her eyes light up in interest, I smile indulgently at her. “Or any other night.”
“You have brought this upon yourself, Sebastian. I tried to help you the only way I know how, without raising suspicions. Now you are on your own.”
Rage is burning in her red glowing eyes when she gets in my face. We stare at each other for long moments, the tips of our noses almost touching. Her breasts press into my chest, the hard nipples poking my shirt. Her pupils dilate, her gaze flicking to my lips. So powerful, yet so rotten and predictable. My stomach churns from the nearness. Licking my lips slowly escalates her breathing.
“You said your piece.” My words are spoken softly, for her ears only. “Now get the fuck out of my space before I get angry.” Her eyes widen at the power I blast at her, making her stagger a step back. “You won’t like me much when I’m angry, Irina. You remember Sebastian from a long time ago. He is not among us any longer.” With a wink, I walk past her, our shoulders bumping in the process.
“You will pay dearly for this!”
With a hiss, Irina leaves the apartments in a whirl of wind. The three humans look around, confused, before scramblingafter her like frightened rabbits. Holding one finger up, I halt Andrei’s words until I’m sure she is gone. Then I level a livid glare on him.
“The girl came to us.” Undeterred, Andrei grins at me, leaving me with my mouth hanging open. “We found her in the lobby. Well not really. She toppled over us while running for the staircase.” When I just gape at him, he continues blabbing. “She tried to trick us into taking her blood. Smart little thing.” A frown forms between his eyebrows. “Marcus is with her downstairs. I think she might be mute. She hasn’t said a word…”
“Let’s go!”
Cutting him off, I’m out of the door faster than I’ve ever moved in my long life.
Chapter Twelve
APRIL
Standing at the entrance of the indoor pool area, I watch Marcus prowl inside and literally throw himself on one of the lounge chairs littered around the large body of water that’s casting a greenish glow. The sound of the air is different here. Coiled up like a spring, I stand unmoving, trying to see everything at once while keeping an eye on the monster that is trying to screw with my head. Soft lights cast a relaxing glow around the decorated area. Mosaic tiles surround the pool. Blue and white columns are placed around it close to the glass panels, protecting those that are lounging from splashing water when the pool is being used. Just like the rest of the hotel, history pulls you in, the tasteful decorations giving you a sense of peace and calm. A feeling that can get me killed if the monster decides he has had enough toying with me.
“Sit down, little one.” Marcus waves his hand slowly, hoping to convince me to enter the place. I know how fast he is and that I have no chance of escaping him, or I would’ve bolted out of here as soon as he turned his back. “You can barely stand on your feet.”
I came around too fast for my wellbeing after I passed out in the hallways leading us here. I still feel like I’ll topple over with the lightest breeze, but I’m grateful Marcus keeps his hands to himself, allowing me to walk on my own here. Giving him a sideways glance, I creep up on the opposite side of him, lowering myself onto the edge of the chair closest to the door. When he doesn’t move or pounce on me, I hug my knees to my chest, still watching him warily.
“I will not harm you. I give you my word.” He keeps talking, his deep voice pissing me off because I like hearing it. He must’ve seen something on my face because his eyes soften. “I know you don’t trust my words…yet. You will with time, I promise.”
This is the moment when I decide that monsters can also be mentally challenged, just like humans. Marcus looks so sincere and hopeful at the moment that I smile despite myself. The answering tilt of his full lips freezes the breath in my throat when two fangs the size of my pinky make their appearance.What the hell is the matter with you April. Relaxing and smiling with a monster, you idiot!My brain chooses the perfect timing, after the fact as always, to remind me of important things.
Looking away from him, I stare at the pool. I still have him in my sight, and from the corner of my eye, I can tell he is confused by my reaction. To him, fangs may be an everyday thing. To me, it’s something I’ve been running away from my entire life. Marcus can go suck on lemons if my reaction hurt him. Do monsters even have feelings that you can hurt? I’ve never actually considered anything about them apart from they are deadly. Glaring at the water that sparkles happily in front of me, reflecting the soft glow of the lights, I push those thoughts away. I really am crazy if I’m trying to give monsters human emotions.
To his credit, Marcus lets me be, stopping his attempts to coax me into chatting with him. In the quiet around me, my mind is slowly shutting down, and my lids start droopping. They feel more cumbersome with each attempt to open them back up, and in no time at all, I drift into a light sleep. A blast of air slapping my face jerks me out of the half-sleep state I was in. My head swivels, expecting to see Marcus attacking me, going for my throat. When my wild eyes settle on a man dressed in an immaculate business suit, my brain short-circuits for a long moment. Did I imagine being dragged to a hotel by an asshole and a monster keeping me company? When my gaze lifts up and a lump lodges in my throat, I know that I didn’t imagine any of it.
I thought Marcus and Andrei had angelic features. I was way off the mark if the face staring down at me is anything to go by. Neatly combed dark hair, so dark brown it looks black, makes my fingers twitch, wanting to touch it and see if it’s as soft as it appears to be. A perfectly symmetrical face with sharply cut eyebrows above dark eyes with specks of light in them watches my reaction. A straight nose completes his face, sitting above thick cushioned lips, forming a perfect bow at the top one. His square jaw with a five-o’clock shadow brings it all together like a slap to my face. He does look like an angel, but one of those fallen, sinful ones that everyone warns you about.
Broad shoulders stretch his suit jacket, the black color contrasting perfectly with his white shirt, his thin black tie, and his olive skin. His pants wrap around powerful thighs where his fists are clenched, making me scramble back up the chair. He looks pissed, and I want to be as far away from him as possible.
