Page 35 of Venom Sweeter than Honey
Azrael offers us a polite grin. “Tragic.”
The rest of the evening,my mind and fury insist on returning to Azrael.I blame it on a lifetime of insecurity caused by my absent and uncaring father rejecting my mother and me.
Thessaly, even post-mortem, tempers my mood.
So quick to judge,he would say.Only youth and inexperience would make such presumptions.
I bet his cock is as perfect as his face,he would add.
Shut up,I growl to myself as Iwillmy nightgown over my freshly showered body.
Emotion suddenly clogs my throat.
Fuck, I miss you.
I’m right here, darling. I never left.
RAIA
My intuition is a heedless thing. When Lucen leaves for work the following morning, I find myself slinking after him, certain that he’s going tofoldaway at any moment and I’ll never be able to follow. Imagine my surprise when he doesn’t. Instead, he walks several blocks away, wearing a tense look on his face, gathering his thoughts perhaps, before he disappears between an alleyway and down a set of stairs.
Several females and two imposing males loiter at the entryway, a few of them smoking an elongated pipe, decorating the chilly, late-morning air with plumes of purplish smoke. The scent of dreamweed itches my nose.
A familiar, lithe figure dressed in a burgundy silk robe rises from the steps. She speaks with the other females, and they soon disappear down the staircase. Widow turns, her eyes meeting mine, and I nearly have a fucking heart attack.
She offers me a sad smile before returning down the steps. The slanted metal cellar door swings shut behind her. I venture forward anyway, trying to examine the back of the tall building. It has no discernible features that would suggest what thisbuilding is, outside of the stench of old alcohol, the ammonia of urine, and the general detritus lining the alleyway.
Perhaps Lucen owns a bar?
Though by the looks of the building, it looks far seedier than I would have ever imagined for him.
“You never toldme exactly what kind of businesses your family owns,” I ask, trying to sound as casual as possible as I attempt to make dinner. Lucen is back earlier than usual. He seems distracted; his energy is tense and, once again, hidden behind a discomfiting smile.
“They own a lot of businesses, but as I told you before, mainly imports and exports. Antiques, and such.”
I nod as my frustration and anxiety multiply. “That’s a little vague.”
Lucen returns to my side, bending to press a kiss to the top of my head. The action relaxes my shoulders a little. “Is everything okay?”
No.
“Yes... I just want to know more about you. Every time I try to ask, you’re elusive.”
“Well, outside of the importing and exporting, they also own a number of hospitality companies.”
My muscles relax further, the anxiety in my gut dissipating, even if only slightly. “Oh... like restaurants and stuff?”
Lucen hums in affirmation, pressing a kiss to my shoulder before he takes the wooden spoon I’m stirring tomato saucewith, sets it on the ceramic spoon-holder, and turns me to face him.
His eyes study mine, suddenly looking very serious.
“I want to ask you something.”
I rear back slightly as hewillsa petite, purple velvet, oval-shaped gift box into one hand.
“I know we haven’t known each other that long, but…”
He pries open the box, and I draw in a sharp gasp.
