Page 52 of Queen of Ashes and Scars
“Ari,” I whisper quietly after entering the bedroom, trying to wake her without a start. “The government is ready to render its decision concerning Peter.”
Alec pecks her on the lips and rolls off their bed. “I’ll get dressed and meet you outside in the gardens.”
Sebastian stretches like a cat, the redheaded vampire naked in the moonlight. “Jury’s out…that didn’t take long.”
Arielle wraps a robe around her naked frame and hurries off to her closet to get dressed. “Do you think it’s a good sign?”
“Could be.” He shrugs like the fate of his father doesn’t affect him, but I don’t think he’s fooling anyone.
Alec and Arielle hustle out as soon as they’re decent, and I’m left with Sebastian, the vampire’s mouth curled in a scowl of regret… or indecision.
“You don’t have to go, you know. They can deal with this between them.”
“I know.” He slips on a pair of jeans. “What’s your father like, Leo?”
I fail to mask a cringe at the direction this conversation is taking. “My father died a long, long time ago.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. He was every bit of a disappointment, too. Blamed my mother and myself for stealing his dreams.”
He fastens the buttons of his shirt and straightens the collar, quiet for a moment. “You understand, then,” he finally says, his voice cracking at the end.
“I do.” My gaze flicks to the ground. “What will happen to the baby, now?” I ask, thinking about the poor little one who became an orphan this week.
“We’ll raise him here, under our care. Alec and I already made the necessary arrangements. He won’t have a father or a mother, but he’ll have two uncles that’ll strive to be better fathers than either of us have had. And Arielle will love the child, despite the sins of his parents,” Sebastian declares with passion, no longer fighting to appear unperturbed.
The emotion on his breath throws me for a loop. “He’ll be lucky, then,” I whisper.
Sebastian’s gaze flicks to my neck, but before I can move, he shakes his head and clears his throat. “Hum. Do you know where my first-blood, Fred, is?”
“I think she’s in her room, my lord.”
He nods emphatically at that and pats my shoulder. “Thank you, Leo.”
I lick my lips, wondering if I imagined the hunger in his eyes and what to make of it.
Sebastian slows down near the threshold and turns back to look at me. “I know you’re not exactly comfortable with the arrangement, so I won’t push. But just so we’re clear, I’m interested. Hell, Beaumont is interested, too. He’s just a bit more old fashioned about these things. And Arielle would never dare ask you, but a foursome would drive her wild.”
I chuckle at his honesty. “You want to drink my blood?”
“Hell, yes. But like I said, I won’t push. Blood. Me watching the two of you as she feeds. A foursome. Any combination imaginable or nothing at all. Whatever you want. You’re the boss.”
Somehow, he doesn’t make my skin crawl. Sebastian doesn’t look at me like I’m a piece of meat. He doesn’t speak as though I’m below him or different, but more conversationally… like a friend telling me all about the shiny new stock he invested in, letting me in on the opportunity of a lifetime.
It doesn’t change my perspective, exactly, but it’s not all bad. I could get on board with it if it wasn’t for the helplessness I felt in the chapel, when Adele had her claws in my neck.
I double-back and wait for Arielle to come out of the session.
“Where is Sebastian?”
“He decided not to come along.” I wrap my arms around her, the chill of the night scattering goosebumps along her arms. “They decided against his father, yes?”
“He’s relieved of his position, effective immediately. Sadly, he hasn’t broken any laws, but he’s lost most of his gravitas, at least.” She shivers and holds me close, her lids fluttering shut at the heat. A content sigh falls past her lips. “Look at the moon.”
I meet her hungry gaze, tempted to flatten her to the trellis and find out exactly how thirsty she is. My belly tightens at the thought, the gardens silent and perfect for a late night tryst under the moonlight…
I wince regretfully. “I think you should go and talk to him. He seemed upset, earlier. I think he’s looking for…bloody distractions.”
