Page 96 of Commanding Flame and Shield
“Has it always been Grayshell? Aren said the fall happened before his timeline.” I hadn’t ever considered that the realms might change to the name of their leader. That the home we retreated to would change at all when the Commander did.
“Grayshell has always been Grayshell. Not all hierarchies operate the same way. We all have our...differences.” He gave a jerk of his chin, and I snapped my eyes up to find Alvara descending the stairs. Her deep brown hair was in a tidy braid over one shoulder. She viewed Alec and Damien, now engaged in a sparring match on the mats, with obvious amusement. And then her eyes found mine, and she seemed to glow as she smiled. My mind threw shields up in a desperate attempt to keep the physical reaction hidden.
Marcus set a mug of steaming coffee in front of me, and I scooped it up as my feet settled beneath me. When we met in the middle, I handed her the warm cup, and she brought it straight to her lips, inhaling deeply as the smell wafted her way.
“Thank you, August,” she said, those full lips still curved upwards.
“Of course.”
“And thank you, for the gown. It’s perfect.”
I beamed despite myself. “Good. It was no big deal.”
“It is a big deal,” Alvara countered, her voice quiet. A blush warmed her pale cheeks. “You’re always so…thoughtful.”
She meant it, and I felt my own face flush. Every instinct said to deflect or redirect, but instead I said, “I’m glad you think so.”
“Know so.” She gave a soft laugh and looked to her mug. Those long fingers tucked a strand of hair behind her ear with her free hand. Slowly, she lifted her eyes back to me, the intensity stopping my breath in its track. Alvara pressed the mug to her lips and took a long sip. She gave a quiet groan before saying, “Damn, that’s a good cup of coffee.”
That sound. Her soft lips. They consumed me for a moment, and it took all my self-control not to reach out and take her mouth against my own right there, in that kitchen. I wanted to see what sounds I could draw out of her myself. See if her lips would feel delicate or demanding, yielding or urgent against my own. Her heart was speeding as she surveyed my expression, and I knew she could hear my own mirroring pace. Neither of us dropped our mental shield.
Finally, after another agonizing set of heart beats, she turned her attention to the basket of food on the island.
“Oh, good! I’m famished,” she sighed and crossed the room. I followed in her wake.
“Good morning!” Marcus smiled at her as he set a pack of bagels and tub of cream cheese on the island where the rest of the food was displayed. “I assume your appetite hasn’t changed?”
Alvara gave a breathy laugh and surveyed her options. “No, I can’t say that it has.”
“Must be exhausting, saving the world all the time.” Jason chuckled from his bar stool, now pulling slices of orange apart. I stuffed down the territorial snarl that settled in my chest.
“Oh whatever,” Alvara rolled her eyes, tone amused. She slid a plate over, and grabbed a bagel, splitting it apart with her fingers. “Thank you,” she gave an appreciative nod to Marcus, who slid the tub of cream cheese over. She took the butter knife he’d balanced on the lid, and slowly spread the cream cheese across the bread. Two bites into her bagel, she looked up to us again.
“So,” she said, tone steady, “I had an interesting vision when I awoke today.”
All three of us snapped our attention to her. She took a slow, deliberate bite.
Marcus gave a dry, knowing smile before saying, “You know.”
She grinned. “You could have just asked.”
“But what would the fun be in that?”
“What?” I demanded, and she turned that amused smile to me.
“The Westerlunds could use our assistance disbanding a group of demons.”
There was a clamor of grunts, and a loud thud. Then Damien swore and Alec choked out a breathless laugh. I didn’t have to look to know he’d been victorious again.
“Just another…Wednesday morning, then?” Alec panted, hands braced on his hips as he strode to the counter. “So…what are we dealing with?”
A cruel hint of a smile stretched across Alvara’s perfect face, and she tilted her head just a degree to the side. Those piercing emerald eyes flicked to Marcus and back to Alec.
“Vampires.”
THIRTY-SEVEN
VAMPIRES
