Page 76 of Depths of Desire
“No,” Luca says calmly, but firmly. “The meeting happens with or without him. Your presence is required.”
I take a step back. “Like hell it is. I’m not a vampire, so their summons means fuck all to me. I’m not walking into that place without Nico. Who’s going to fight for me? You? Malrick will win, and I’ll be dragged off like a prize cow.” I stamp my foot like a bratty teen and find I don’t give a shit about the attitude. “I’m not going.”
Renzo’s voice turns to steel. “Wewill fight for you. But you have to show up. If you don’t, the entire Valdici name takes the hit. And I won’t allow that.”
I want to scream. I want to tear something apart the way I’m being torn apart. This wasn’t supposed to be my life. But I hesitated. I trusted him. And now, I’m stuck.
“Wait,” I say, suddenly hopeful. “Can’t you just reach him? Telepathically or whatever?”
“We’ve been trying,” Luca says with a grimace. “We thought he was just… distracted.”
“Because it was his wedding night,” Renzo finishes.
I grind my teeth. Yeah. Well, apparently that wasn’t the issue.
Renzo gestures toward the door. “We have to go.”
I want to argue more, continue to stamp my foot and throw a tantrum, But the look on Renzo’s face shuts down my rebellious streak. I move.
In the foyer, Carson is waiting like he sensed the disturbance in the force. Of course he is.
“If you see Nico, tell him to reach out immediately,” Renzo orders.
“Of course, sir.”
“And if you hear anything?—”
“I’ll let you know, sir.”
We step outside. No car. “Where are we going?” I ask. “And how the hell are we getting there?”
Luca grins. Too broadly. “We’re going to the magickal realm. Hold on tight so I don’t drop you.”
“Drop me?” I repeat, incredulous. “What the hell are you—” Before I can finish, Luca grabs me and takes off. Literally. We leave the ground. “What the fuck!” I scream, clinging to him with everything I have. I’ve been weightless before, in Nico’s arms, but this isn’t anything like that magical experience. This terrifies me.
He just laughs—actually laughs—and keeps flying. We soar above the treetops, the wind slicing past us in cold ribbons. The sky is too close. My stomach twists. This isn’t natural. None ofthis is. I squeeze my eyes shut, but that only makes it worse. I force them open and fix on the horizon.Just breathe. Don’t throw up. Don’t scream again.To be safe, I tighten my grip around Luca’s shoulders.
After what feels like forever, we land outside a small restaurant. I stagger, heart pounding. My legs barely hold me up. “I don’t feel so?—”
Luca’s expression cuts me off. Grim. Focused.
“What?” I demand.
“We still can’t reach Nico. The council session is about to begin. We’re running out of time.”
I swallow the nausea and the panic. I follow them inside. A woman greets us in French, but Renzo shakes his head. “Down to your wine cellar.”
She frowns, suspicious, but the bartender intervenes smoothly. “This way.”
The woman mutters under her breath, "Pourquoi les gens vont à la cave à vin? Que se passe-t-il?”
“Private party,” the bartender replies in English. “They’re guests.”
We descend into a wine cellar that smells of old earth and aged power. Luca grabs an unmarked bottle. Renzo takes my hand—and then my world shatters.
Flying. Falling. Spinning. Every cell in my body rebels. I scream. And then it stops. I’m trembling as my feet hit a cobblestone sidewalk. And then my brain registers everything.
Creatures everywhere. Real ones. Unmasked. A fairy flits past, wings iridescent and fluttering like dragonfly silk. A hulking, horned beast walks by wearing a Gucci blazer. A woman with skin like obsidian and hair made of living flame eyes me with faint amusement. There are no rules here. No normal. It’s a kaleidoscope of magic and madness and beauty and terror. Andcolor—so much color it feels like my eyes are bleeding it in. My lungs won’t work. My vision tunnels.
