Page 31 of Blood Descendants
Looking in the mirror, I return to my makeup. I dab on mascara, double checking the lip color, the rose on my cheeks, the eyeshadow. I’m wearing a black dress that hugs my body. My makeup matches, smokey and dangerous looking. Silver earrings fall in a cascade that nearly reaches my shoulders. I thought Ares and I should match.
Ares checks his phone, halting too abruptly to be human. He mutters something under his breath, too quiet for me to make out the words.
“Are you okay?” I ask finally. “Is something wrong?”
He looks up at me, and I see it all there in his eyes. He’s dreading this with every bone in his body. “Walking back into my father’s house wasn’t something I ever thought I’d do again.I kind of can’t believe I’m willingly walking back into the viper’s den.”
Shit. Something heavy and cold drops in my stomach.
Ares lets out a sigh that sounds a little more like a hiss and runs his hand through that gorgeous dark hair. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be saying anything, Vengeance. I know how to handle Augustus. It’s just kind of hitting me, the reality of taking you into his home, him laying eyes on you. The thought of the number of women he’s…”
“Hey,” I say, turning and stepping toward him. I cup either side of his face, bringing his gaze to mine. And my comfort level in doing it shocks me. A few days ago, I never would have so casually touched this vampire who looks like he runs the streets. And now? Well, it’s way too damn easy, considering it’s only been eight days since we met. “I’m a big girl. I literally teach women how to protect themselves from predators. And I know Augustus isn’t the same. But you’re going to be there next to me. And I still can’t figure out what the hell it means, but I trust you. You’ve got me?”
And my heart hammers out an ecstatic rhythm when Ares’ hands wrap around my waist, drawing me just a bit closer. “I’ve got you, Lana. I swear.”
I nod, swallowing down the feral cat wanting to stretch and nuzzle against his body. “And I’ve got you. I won’t leave any room for him to doubt us. I can promise you that.”
That hungry look that ignites in Ares’ eyes is starting to become familiar. He studies my eyes, then my lips. And I wonder if he’s looking forward to the show later, the same as I am.
I will never forget that perfect kiss atop the Rockefellerbuilding. It’s forever seared into my being. And I have no qualms about a repeat.
“Thank you,” he says, and runs his thumb over my lower lip. Before I can do something stupid like lean in and bite his lip like I’m dying to, when there is no reason to put on a show, I turn away and grab my things from the bathroom counter.
“You’re welcome,” I say, sliding the strap of my purse over my shoulder. I reach out and take his hand. “Let’s go meet your mafia vamp father.”
The black SUV is waiting for us at the curb. Billings holds the door open for us, and I climb in first, Ares’ hand at my lower back. He follows in after me, and the driver shuts us inside.
“I’m meeting my new manager for training on Monday morning,” Ares says as we roll forward. “I’ll be in the office most of the day. Would you come with me in the morning? I’d like you to meet him.”
Ares and I have to integrate into every part of each other’s lives. The difficult part to grasp is the fact that it doesn’t feel hard or like a stretch at this point.
“Of course,” I answer with a nod. As I look over at Ares, a thought hits me hard. “Not going to lie, I’m having a really hard time picturing you in any kind of office, doing business like any other rich guy in this city,” I allow the words. But my eyes scrape over Ares, and they ring true.
That crooks a smile in one corner of his mouth. And I catch just a little glimpse of one of those pointed teeth.
Nope. That definitely wasn’t a little zing of thrill that went through me.
“Looks can be deceiving, Vengeance. We both know that by now.” And he reaches over and takes my hand. And I can’thelp it when I study his own. There’s a silver ring around his middle finger, a snake eating its own tail, ouroboros. Beneath it, I note the ink.
“What do the runes mean?” I ask, running a finger over the complicated lines on his knuckles.
Ares is quiet for a moment, his gaze turning to the ink he chose to mark his body with forever. “Creator of my own fate,” he says softly. “I got that one while I was in Portland.”
During the time he was separating himself from Augustus.
“I think it’s my favorite,” I say without really thinking about the words.
“You’ve barely seen any of them, Vengeance,” Ares goads with a touch of a feral growl in his tone.
“We should probably fix that,” I say as my eyes rise up to meet his dark ones. “You know, for the sake of this.” Our fake relationship.
He holds my gaze, and I hate that the slightly cocky look in his eyes is turning me on. “Uh huh. For the sake of this.”
Every inch of me is set alive by electric fire.
Focus, Lana,I internally try to reason.Don’t forget why you’re doing this.
But that voice isn’t very clear or loud.
