Page 6 of Blood from the Marrow
Fangs brushing her bottom lip followed Elena’s smile. “Do you think you’re ready for that?” She gripped Marisol’s waist so tight she couldn’t slip away if she tried. It wasn’t tight enough. “You’re going to fall in love with me,” she warned in a raspy taunt.
Running her tongue over Elena’s fang, she picked up the metallic tang of blood. How would she taste when it was her life on her lips?
In a flash of daring, Marisol bit down on her bottom lip and pulled it hard. “Maybe it’ll be you who falls in love with me.”
Zuri’s body was behind Marisol’s, her hands on her hips and her breath on her neck. When she kissed a line up her jaw, Marisol let go of the worry throbbing in her chest.
Chapter Four
Zuri had seena lot of extravagance since she’d met Elena. She’d seen yachts fit for oligarchs and private islands beyond imagination, but trailing a procession of absurdly expensive cars like they were modern-day carriages took luxury to a stupid new level.
With the harvest moon only two nights away, the nearly full moon cast its silvery light on the rows of moss-covered trees lining the road leading to the estate outside of Savannah. They’d crossed the ornate security gate what seemed like miles ago, and there was nothing but live oak trees reaching across the path, branches tangled, for miles to go.
Shifting in the middle seat, Zuri couldn’t shake the discomfort in her gut. They were so far from the fangless population. Completely cut off and surrounded. Zuri would question her own sanity if she didn’t already know she’d lost it.
To her right, an unusually quiet Marisol looked out the window even though the view hadn’t changed since they turned down the private road. It was so unlike anything they had in Miami. The dripping moss and shadowed canopy probably made Marisol feel like they were drifting into a storybook. To someenchanted place. Zuri might feel like that, if it weren’t for all the fucking unknown vampires waiting for them.
On her left, Elena was on her phone like she didn’t have a care in the damn world. Since she’d come back to them covered in blood, she’d been in an irrepressibly good mood. She had gotten everything she wanted, hadn’t she? Her cartel in order and the women she wanted sleeping in her bed every night.
“What?” Elena’s eyes were on her before Zuri had decided whether she was annoyed.
“What, what?” Zuri snapped.
Elena’s lips, painted red as a feminine contrast to her fitted suit, quirked in a grin. “I can hear your thoughts spinning in there. What’s wrong?”
Zuri narrowed her gaze and settled on irritated.
“Jesus, is that supposed to be a house?” Marisol’s voice yanked their attention forward.
One by one, the cars ahead of them followed the curve to emerge from the tree line to a pristine lawn that stretched forever. At the end of the green sea sat a three-story mansion fit for some Hollywood dream. White columns and verandas wrapped around the first two floors. The only color was from the dark shutters flanking the eleventy-billion tall windows.
“Only Sayah would spend a fortune to buy a three hundred acre dairy farm and build a house that looks old and haunted,” Elena said before looking back at her phone.
Zuri was sure there was a joke there about vampires treating humans like cows, but she couldn’t put it together before Marisol spoke. Fuck, she hated feeling off her game.
“Are we sure someone actually lives here?” Marisol’s hazel eyes were wide. “This has people-wait-three-years-to-get-married-here vibes.” She smoothed down her white dress like she was suddenly missing her petticoat.
“Oh, she lives here,” Elena confirmed before slipping her phone into her blazer pocket. “I’m not sure she’s left since she built it.”
When the car pulled up to the entrance, men inDownton Abbeycosplay waited to open the door. Zuri exhaled and tried to relax. This was fine. They were fine. Elena wouldn’t take them anywhere dangerous. She didn’t even like them driving in Miami. She’d never put them in harm’s way.
Zuri refused to think about how recently Elena had been deadly wrong about who she could trust. It was an anomaly, and she’d handled it. The image of Elena covered in the blood of her enemies eased the lump in her throat. Though she nearly admitted that she wished Sofia and Librada had ridden in the car with them rather than arriving earlier.
Out of the car, Zuri took one of Elena’s arms and Marisol took the other. Around them, humans whisked away their luggage and disappeared. Off to a service entrance, she guessed. Gods forbid people be forced to walk with their own shit. Ahead of them and behind, vampires descended on the estate like they were attending the Met Gala. From extravagant garments to more understated pieces, everyone looked poised to make an impression.
“Are you okay, babe?” Elena whispered against the shell of her ear. “You’re tense.”
Zuri forced herself to relax her shoulders, but she couldn’t bring herself to smile. Faking it had never been her bag.
“What’s wrong?” Bambi’s wide eyes reflected a worry Zuri didn’t want to see again.
“Nothing.” She forced herself to mean it. “Swimming with sharks takes getting used to. I’m out of practice.”
Elena smirked. “Don’t worry, it’s more like cage diving. You’re perfectly safe.” She leaned in again, words warm andsoothing against Zuri’s jaw. “It’s just the illusion of danger to give you a thrill.” She pressed a kiss to her cheek.
“I’ve had enough thrills for a fucking lifetime,” she muttered.
Climbing up the literal red carpet covered steps, Zuri did a better job of cutting off her anxiety before it could balloon in her chest. It was only when she neared the enormous double doors that she noticed the lions carved into the wooden frame. When Elena glanced over at what had caught her attention, she rolled her eyes and continued into the house.
