Page 25 of Little Wing (Shades of Fairhaven #1)

“ I ’ve seen him downtown. Black hair, red eyes—”

“They should have burned him when they had the chance.”

“I heard his twin was hiding him in an abandoned house outside Seattle.”

“Watch out. Luca Everett, our very own devil, is in town.”

I barely made it five steps inside my apartment before rushing to the sink in my kitchen to throw up black bile. My body shuddered and my ears rang. The name echoed like a curse that buried itself in my bones.

I slid down the side of the cabinet and sat with my knees pressed against my chest. I had to get it together and soon, and I could not do that around Silas.

Washroom gossip was a common experience though it typically included women boosting each other’s confidence rather than advertising that my brother was sighted not far from Fairhaven.

I’ve heard the rumors over the last hundred years, but never simultaneously with the feeling of my heart aching.

The weight in my chest clenched at the thought of its maker, my brother, anywhere in my vicinity.

I could try to hide. I could try to coat my scent, but like would always call to like.

A maker seeking its spawn with a deeper connection. One with true familial ties.

He would always find me. It would only be a matter of time .

When the nausea receded, I reached into my purse to pull out my phone to find two messages from Silas.

Despite the dreadful weight of my brother’s potential presence, I found myself managing to smile as I read his messages.

Silas made me want to strip down to my bare skin, not for the heat that grew in my core when he touched me, but because I wanted him to see me, all of me. I was just so tired of hiding.

I hope you made it home safe.

In case I didn't mention it this evening—you looked beautiful. I won't forget the look on your face when your naked eyes met mine.

His message lit up my dark apartment. I didn’t even bother turning the lights on when I rushed inside.

Without a second thought, my finger tapped on his name, dialing his number.

It didn’t feel right sending back a text when I felt awful about having to leave early.

At the very least, I could leave him a voicemail to listen to once he returned home.

Obviously, I didn’t think he’d step away to take a call in the middle of a celebration with his family and colleagues.

As I prepared to hear the automated message, I was startled to hear a click and a breath on the other line.

“Hello?”

“H-Hello?” Not even a full ring sounded before I heard Silas on the other end. There was no muffled chatter or bass from the sound system at the bar in the background. It was just silence and… Silas.

“I didn’t think you’d pick up,” I whispered, trying to collect my thoughts.

Talking to him live was not the plan. If I had the chance to leave a voicemail, then I could have scrapped the recording and started over until I was satisfied.

Now, I had to wing it. My thoughts were racing, bouncing around my skull until they stilled as he spoke again .

“Everything okay?” Silas asked, his voice gentle and not mocking at all.

“I was going to leave you a message.”

“If you’d like, I could pretend I’m the voicemail.” I heard him stifle a soft laugh on the other end. “This is Silas Clark. Sorry I missed your call. Do me a favor and leave a message after the beep and I’ll get back to you soon.”

He paused.

Silence.

“Beeeeep.”

My laugh settled in my chest, low and amused. I couldn’t explain it beyond simply feeling and understanding that there was peace and comfort in Silas.

“Hello Silas, this is Lotus Evans. I wanted to let you know that I had a wonderful time with you and your family. It looks like your grand opening will be a success if tonight’s turnout was any indicator.

” I played with the hem of my dress, my hand running up and down my thigh.

“I also wanted to say that… I appreciate your patience with me. I hope someday soon I can show you all of me.”

“Woah—sexy, Lotus,” Silas chuckled.

“Silas! This is a voicemail!”

“Got it, got it.”

My smile only grew. “You may not understand my need for the makeup, but I wanted to thank you for not prying and forcing me to come bare faced. I sincerely hope it won’t be long before we can see each other again…”

I sat on the floor listening to the silence on the line, awaiting a reaction—anything!

The sound of rustling finally sounded, like papers being shuffled around on a table.

“Woah, hey, Lotus. Just got your message,” he said.

“ I’m so glad you want to meet up again.

You know, if Quinn didn’t scare you away, then I was hoping you could be my plus-one for the grand opening of Little Wing at the end of this week. ”

“R-really?” I stammered. Inviting me to this mixer of sorts was one thing, but the actual grand opening? As his plus-one?

“Yeah. If your friends want to come too, they’re more than welcome. Clearly, they support the vampires in their life.”

I bit down on my lip, taking a moment before responding to his invitation. “Of course, I’ll let them know. You know Reina won’t pass up coming to an event like that.”

Even after the unease left and our plans were confirmed, we remained on the phone.

We talked about whatever came to mind, like our favorite foods when we were human or the movies that we enjoyed.

And when silence settled for a beat, we still stayed on the line.

Speaking with Silas and even sitting in silence with him provided me a comfort he likely didn’t know how much I appreciated.

Even if I was concerned about the restroom gossip I overheard, I just wanted this moment with Silas, even if just for a little.

“Hey, Lotus?” Silas asked as he grunted.

He sounded further away from his phone, but the unmistakable sound of fabric shifting had me covering my mouth.

Oh my gods, was Silas undressing while on the phone with me?

I was still seated against my cabinet, squeezing my eyes shut to keep my mind from wandering to what he looked like, smelled like.

“Mmhmm?” I hummed past tight lips.

“I’m really enjoying getting to know you. And I hope you know I mean that in all the ways you’ve let me learn about you.”

I pressed the phone close against my ear as I quickly helped myself up to my feet and hurried straight to my bedroom, to sit on the edge of my bed.

Each slow beat of my heart thumped in my ears as I unpacked his statement.

That not-so-subtle hint that he still thought of the last time we were alone together.

“I’m really enjoying my time with you, too.”

As I sat, I thought about how easy it would be to pull the imaginary string that would unveil everything I was fighting to conceal.

Would Silas be the one to finally listen?

To finally believe me and not those ugly articles demonizing me?

As much as I wanted him to know everything, I pulled myself back.

What was I thinking? Of course it would ruin it.

If I told him everything, then it would all fall apart.

The illusion of Lotus the enigma, Lotus the shy one—it would shatter and maybe he would join the group of vampires still set on destroying me.

For now, I would take and savor the tender moments between us.

“It’s nice to talk to someone who understands,” I said softly.

“You mean someone who understands all the crazy shit we lived through? The diseases, wars, and crazy technological advancements? I mean, I never thought we’d see self-driving cars. Or cars in general!”

“Believe it or not, Reina and Kait can’t exactly sympathize with a lot of that.”

I waited a moment longer before glancing at the small crack between the window shade and the dresser. Sunrise was on the horizon and the evening’s fatigue was settling. “I guess I better get some rest, Silas. You too… you have a big day coming up soon.”

“Rest well, Lotus. I’ll see you soon.”

With the promise that I would attend the grand opening of Little Wing, our conversation ended, and I found myself laying on my back, staring at the popcorn ceiling.

The tightness in my chest stirred, a gentle tug that made my throat constrict.

I pressed my hands firmly between my breasts—forcing as much pressure as I could above my heart, like a response to the leash I was attached to .

“Luca,” I begged. “Please leave. Please do not come seeking me. Please don’t ruin this for me, not again.”

My plea settled in the air with nowhere to go, yet I hoped that the tug I felt on my heart could be reciprocated to my brother, signaling for him to leave me be.

If it were only that simple, I could have cut the cord from him the moment he betrayed my affection for him.

Never again, I promised myself. Never again would Luca hold that power over me.