Page 15 of Blood Descendants
But as I sit up and look around the beautiful bedroom, it all comes flooding back.
Right. I gave up my apartment to move in with a vampire I don’t even know.
You’re insane, Lana,I think to myself.
But I roll out of bed and scrounge through the bags of my clothes. I pull on some workout clothes and head straight into the home gym.
Never, ever would I associate such a luxury to myself. Growing up, we always struggled. There was never enough money. I was the kid who got every bit of clothing from a secondhand store. I never owned anything new in my life.
And now, I’m living in one of the most expensive buildings in New York City, walking into my own personal gym.
Maybe I hit my head on my way to that party, and now I’m actually lying in a coma in some hospital, dreaming up this insane life. The vampire part, though? Definitely more creative than I actually am.
I jump onto the treadmill and run till I can hardly breathe. The entire time, I’m listening for the sounds of life in the apartment, but I hear none. It’s still silent when I get off the treadmill and go for the weights. I throw some music on to stifle the silence and get a full workout in. An hour after I woke up, I wrap it up and wander out into the hallway.
“Ares?” I call out. I don’t find him in that next bedroom over, and the bed doesn’t look slept in. I find my way to the kitchen, and to my surprise, there is a spread of pastries waiting there, as well as a cup of coffee.
Valiant.
It isn’t my typical breakfast by any means, but it was thoughtful. So, I down a bear claw. I next find the fridge fully stocked. I opt for a glass of orange juice to wash everything down.
There’s still no sign of my fake fiancé when I head back down the hall. I fish out my shower supplies and jump in. An array of body jets and elaborate shower heads greets me. I take it in with a disbelieving smile.
Twenty-five minutes later, I’m showered, hair done, makeup in place, and dressed in black jeans, a black tank top, and black combat boots. If I’m going to play the part of a vampire’s fiancée, I might as well dress for it.
And just as I step out of the bedroom, Ares stops in place, obviously on his way to the room. I don’t miss it when his eyesdrop down the length of me, taking in every black-clad inch of me. The little smile that curls in the corner of his mouth is enough to make my heart trip.
“You ready to put everything in motion?” he asks.
“Yep,” I answer, slipping my phone into my back pocket. “Where were you this morning?”
We head out the door, and Ares locks it behind us. “Keeping an eye on my father’s place, watching his comings and goings.”
“Does he live in Manhattan?” I question as we step into the elevator.
Ares nods. “He’s in Greenwich,” he says as we descend. “For now, at least. He’s always buying new properties, and when he gets his hands on one he particularly likes, he’ll take up residence. Last year, he was in SoHo, the year before that, he was in Hudson Yards.”
Of course. These are all some of the most expensive places to live in the city.
“You said Augustus is keeping tabs on you,” I say. “You aren’t worried he’s going to know you’re spying on him?”
“It wouldn’t be anything new,” Ares confesses. The elevator doors slide open, and we walk out. Immediately, Ares slides on some sunglasses. They’re fashionable looking, but I note how they fully encase his eyes in a subtle way, effectively blocking out all the brilliant sunlight pouring through the windows into the lobby. Ares gives Lazlo a tip of his head as we walk by, who returns the gesture. “I’ve been back in Manhattan for two years. I haven’t stopped keeping an eye on that man the whole time. Augustus won’t think anything of it.”
We aim back down that hall and let out into the parking garage. “Where were you for the year you left?”
Ares offers me a pleased look as he takes the helmet and extends it to me again. “You’re asking all the right questions, Vengeance. We might just pull this off.”
I take the helmet and yank it down on my head, praying I don’t end up with helmet hair all day. Once more, Ares helps me strap it on, adjusting it to fit just right.
“I went to Portland for about eight months, made some friends there. Spent two months in Costa Rica rethinking my life. And then I bought this bike in Texas and took another two months slowly making my way back to New York.”
I want to ask him more questions, but we’re ready to go. So, when Ares straddles the bike, I climb on behind him, making sure my feet properly find the pegs. Knowing what’s going to happen if I don’t, I wrap my arms around his waist, feeling secure enough not to fall off.
The engine roars to life, and Ares carefully backs us out of the parking space. Expertly, he maneuvers the bike until we pull back out onto the road. Just before he rolls out, he asks over his shoulder for my work address. I rattle it off, and off he takes. We weave through traffic, traveling down the length of Central Park before plunging down into the depths of Hell’s Kitchen.
I’m trying to rehearse what to say as we head toward the gym. But I’m not entirely sure how I make this convincing. I’ve worked atValor Combat Sportssince I graduated high school. Tate Kelso has been my boss for two years now. I might despise the man, but he’s not completely oblivious to my life, not like my roommates. There’s a sinking feeling in my stomach that tells me this isn’t going to go particularly well.
Anxiety pitches higher in my blood when the building comes into view. Ares slows and then comes to a stop at thecurb. My limbs feel stiff, my movements jerky as I climb off from the back of the bike.
