Page 64 of Addicted in Blood
When no one responded to his question, he sighed and a ran a hand through his disheveled hair.“I understand your concern for my welfare.But there’s no one at Oasis who doesn’t have my trust.You know this.”
“There are many things happening, and we haven’t had time to debrief on Cressa’s new skills.”Sergi’s decision to side with Simone was understandable.He and I might have gotten close during our trip to New Orleans, but I’d be a fool to think that anyone but Devon came first.
Devon nodded.“If I understand the situation, we only have until tomorrow before I turn myself over to the Council for the murder of Boretsky.If I don’t, the Eliminators will be activated.I need to be brought up to speed on your plans, but we’ll do it with Cressa’s participation.”
They nodded without hesitation.Simone turned her severe gaze on me, and while she was irritated with my disobedience, I saw the gratitude beneath her badass persona.I gave her a slight nod, and her expression softened.
“Will thirty minutes be sufficient?”Her tone had also eased.
“Yes, but we need coffee and something simple to eat.I also need a blood donor before we meet.”Devon pulled back the drapes to reveal the mid-afternoon light.
“I’ll send one up immediately.”She backed away, but before she took more than a couple steps, a throat cleared in the hallway.“And you have a visitor.”She stepped into the hallway and whispered to someone.
Lyra entered the room, and when she saw Devon, she rushed into his welcoming arms.After a long hug, he pulled back to give her a thorough perusal.Her hair was woven into a single braid down her back, and she ran her hands down her rose-colored tunic and matching flowing pants.She was sophistication and class.
She laid a hand on his cheek.“I told you Cressa would save you.”She gave me a warm smile then gave Devon another quick hug.“See you downstairs.”
She took Sergi’s arm, and the cadre followed, closing the door behind them.
Devon took my hand and led me outside to the balcony.Though the house was a single story, the backyard dipped in elevation, leaving the back of the house appearing to be a second story.The air had a bit of a nip to it, but it felt good as I sucked in the cool floral scent of the garden—roses and lilacs.He stepped behind me, drawing his arms around my middle and pulling me against him.
His whisper tickled my ear.“Was it because of what Lyra said that made you take such a risk for me?”
It took me a moment to understand his meaning.The evening I’d first met Lyra, prior to Devon being dosed with the Poppy, she’d told him I would save him.Neither of us had mentioned it, and I’d had no idea what it meant at the time.Our focus had been on the trip to New Orleans.
I hadn’t recalled her words until she mentioned it again after Devon’s beast had taken over.Was it possible that her words had spurred my dreams?I had no idea.
“Since returning from New Orleans, I haven’t had much time to consider what I learned, what I can do.I remember Lyra’s words, but so much was happening, I’m not sure when I recalled them.What I still don’t know is why I have prescient dreams.But knowing that some had come true, I had to put my faith in that.”I leaned my head against his chest.“Do you remember any dreams when the beast was in control?”
He rested his chin on top of my head.“I was going to say no, but I see fragments of you when I think back to when he slept and some small part of me woke.The first couple of days while strung out on the Poppy, I don’t remember anything but hunger and pain.”He stopped when I squeezed his hand.“That’s behind us now.When they were hauling us back to Oasis, I listened to their recriminations about me going alone to meet Boretsky.It will be long time before I’ll be allowed to go anywhere on my own.”He sighed.“Sorry, my mind keeps jumping subjects.I’m hoping the blood donation will clear it and that it’s not permanent.”He gave a derisive chuckle.“I’m doing it again.”He glanced into the distance.The edge of the lake was still visible through the encroaching darkness.“I caught glimpses of you at the mill, but whether they were real or dreams, I couldn’t say.”
“There were two dreams.One when I was in New Orleans.It was mostly fragments, and they might have been memories from when I saw the beast in the alley before I’d left.The second was the evening I returned to the manor.It was similar in feel to the one when I fell through the window.I offered myself to the beast against your wishes.”
When I looked up, he held my gaze, searching my eyes, but for what I didn’t know.
He kissed me.His lips were dry, a bit chapped, but warm.And it tasted of him.It was short and sweet, and he leaned his forehead against mine.
“For once, I’m thankful for your rebellious nature.”
ChapterThirty-One
“So,your focus is on this Boris Gheata because he’s been seen in the vicinity of Lorenzo and had provided Gruber the folder Cressa stole at the tea party?”Devon scanned the cadre, and they all nodded in agreement.
We were in Devon’s office at Oasis.He was rarely there and it was more Simone’s since she ran the estate for him.His office at the manor was as modern as the historical society would allow, and it held a certain charm.The office at Oasis followed in the same design style the rest of the house had been built—wood, stone, and glass.Half of the office reflected a sleek business decor including the desk, the floor-to-ceiling windows, and a seating area with stiff leather couches and chairs that faced a multi-screen entertainment center.The other side was what I considered comfortable chic.The focal point was the massive gas-powered stone hearth surrounded by leather couches you could sink your ass into and overstuffed chairs that provided a more relaxed setting.
Rather than sit at his desk, either because he didn’t feel like treading on Simone’s domain or he wasn’t fully himself, he took a position on the couch on the business side of the room.I sat next to him with Simone to his left and Lyra to his right.The rest of the cadre filled out the remaining sofa and chairs.Decker had also joined them after cleanup at the mill.
Simone nodded at Devon’s question.“We don’t know if Gheata stole the information in the folder Cressa took or if he was simply the messenger, but the fact he keeps showing up in proximity to Lorenzo was enough for suspicion, especially since he isn’t part of the Venizi family.When it was discovered he was a fixer and had been for centuries, it moved him to the front of our very slim list of candidates.”
“And you’re positive you don’t know this vampire?”Sergi asked.
Devon shook his head.“The name isn’t ringing any bells.I’ll admit, my mind is still fuzzy.It’s better with the additional blood, but I’m not a hundred percent.”
“You’ll feel better after a few more blood transfers.It’s not unusual for the remnants of the Poppy to linger for a while.”Decker glanced at me, and whether the others understood why, I got it.If my blood had a restorative effect on Devon’s beast, Decker wanted me to give him more.The others appeared appalled at the suggestion while Devon was with his blood donor, but I’d already been thinking the same thing.
“Maybe Father had known him, though the name doesn’t sound familiar,” Lyra offered, and she smiled at her brother.The two of them needed quality time together, and I made it my mission to see it happen before the meeting with the Council.
“It’s more likely he’s a strong believer in the old ways.”Lucas perched on a barstool, his elbows on the marble bar of the refreshment center.He kept an eye on Devon when he thought no one paid attention.“If he’s as old as it sounds, and being a fixer, there’s no doubt he’d be happier if vampires ruled over the humans.It makes sense he’d find a contract with Lorenzo to be lucrative in more than just money.”
