Page 147 of Claim of Blood
“He notices everything about you.”
Something about Lander’s tone made Leo set down his sandwich. Without thinking, he moved across the bed and climbed into Lander’s lap, straddling his thighs. Lander’s hands automatically settled on Leo’s hips.
“What are you doing?” Lander asked, his voice suddenly rough.
“Improvising,” Leo whispered, leaning in to kiss him.
The rest of lunch was forgotten for the next hour as their improvisation grew increasingly creative. When Lander’s fingers traced along Leo’s hand, the ring grew noticeably warmer, though Leo was too distracted to pay attention to such details.
Afterward, they showered together, Lander’s hands gentle as he washed Leo’s hair. The steam seemed to make the tanzanite gleam more brightly, but Leo attributed it to the bathroom lighting.
“Will we see any vampires today?” Leo asked as they dried off. “Or are they all hiding until sunset?”
Lander smiled. “Many of the older ones are preparing in their own way. You won’t see most of them until tonight.”
Leo followed Lander downstairs, second sandwich in hand, through the mansion to the covered pool area. Windows lined three sides of the structure, but thick curtains had been drawn to block direct sunlight, creating a comfortable twilight. Outside, through glass doors left propped open to catch the breeze, the uncovered portion of the pool sparkled in the afternoon sun.
The scene reminded Leo of a resort during spring break. Witches and shifters in various stages of undress lounged on deck chairs, swam in the pool, or clustered around the bar where servants poured drinks with efficient precision. Music played from hidden speakers, and laughter rose above the steady hum of conversation.
“I need to check on the preparations for tonight,” Lander said, squeezing Leo’s shoulder. “Will you be alright here?”
Leo nodded, already scanning the crowd for familiar faces. “I’ll be fine.”
He made his way to the bar, accepting a beer from a server. Before he could find a quiet corner to observe from, Emilia approached, resplendent in a flowing caftan with her silver-streaked hair piled atop her head.
“Leo! I was hoping to speak with you.” She hooked her arm through his, guiding him toward a pair of empty lounge chairs. Her eyes immediately dropped to his hand. “My goodness, what a beautiful ring! It’s practically humming with magic.”
Leo glanced down at his grandmother’s ring, surprised. “Magic? Really?”
“Clear as day,” Emilia said, settling into her chair with obvious fascination. “The energy is quite strong. Where did you get it?”
“It was my grandmother’s,” Leo replied, flexing his fingers. The ring felt warm against his skin, just as it had all morning. “It’s been in my family for generations.”
Emilia leaned closer, studying the antique piece without touching it. “Interesting artifact for a hunter family to possess. Do you know its origin?”
Leo shook his head. “My grandmother never talked about it much. She just said it belonged to her grandmother, and hers before that.”
“Fascinating.” Emilia’s expression grew thoughtful. “The magical signature is quite old. European, I’d guess. Possibly witch-made.”
A chill ran down Leo’s spine. “Do you think it’s dangerous?”
“I don’t sense any malevolent intent,” Emilia said reassuringly. “But I’d need to spend time with it to understand what it does. Magic this old often has very specific purposes.” She smiled. “For now, I’d say it’s simply... protective, perhaps. Or meant to enhance certain abilities.”
Leo turned the ring on his finger, feeling the strange buzzing sensation he’d noticed all morning. “It has been acting strangely today. Fitting when it never has before, getting warm...”
“The solstice,” Emilia said knowingly. “Magical artifacts often respond to significant celestial events. You should keep it close today.” She settled back in her chair, her expression shifting tosomething warmer. “But enough about ancient magic. How are you?”
“It’s been a stressful few days, but it seems to be settling,” Leo admitted.
Emilia’s dark eyes studied him with unnerving intensity. “Adam seems calmer since your claiming. Less isolated.”
“You’ve known him a long time?”
“Many decades now,” she said, her New Orleans drawl more pronounced as she slipped into memory. “I met him during my college days at WashU, back when I fell for Carl. His family had connections to the Court that went back generations.” She smiled fondly. “I was this headstrong witch from New Orleans who scandalized everyone by marrying into the Anderson Coven.”
“Was it hard?” Leo asked. “Leaving your family behind?”
Emilia’s eyes clouded. “Yes. There’s no love lost between the two Covens. We both have French origins, but our practices differ in many ways.” She twisted the wedding band on her finger. “My family didn’t let me go easily, but Carl loved me. He was willing to do anything to keep me.”
