Page 5

CHAPTER FIVE

“Do you see it?” Vena asked, tugging at my arm and pointing ahead.

“See what?” I asked as Anchor put our shopping bags in the back of the SUV.

“Enticed. I wasn’t kidding when I said we were put on a waitlist. Want to go in and see how many people are in front of us?”

I hadn’t realized the store we’d picked was that close to the famous fae restaurant.

“If it’s a lot, we can just take the next available reservation in a few months…or we could call that fae guy who gave you his number.” Vena grinned at me.

“What fae guy?” Anchor asked, making me regret confiding in Vena.

“Just a customer at Blur,” I said, pinching Vena’s arm.

She acted like she didn’t feel it.

“Let’s go check,” she said, pulling me forward.

Since she owed me a meal at Enticed, and we were in the area, I didn’t mind checking but glanced at Anchor to see if he agreed. He shrugged.

“As long as we stick together.”

Vena cheered and hurried us to the fae-owned restaurant that reflected their love of luxury and opulence. It showed in the actual silver leaves embedded in the door that the doorman opened for us and the marble tiles within.

My attention to decor drifted a bit the moment we walked through the door and I felt the subtle pull of a fae’s seductive powers. The host stood near the reception desk, watching our approach with a welcoming smile. A magic current danced along my skin as my necklace protected me, proving it was charged and working. I wasn’t sure how Vena’s old necklace was dealing with the fae pull, but she seemed unaffected, too.

“What do you desire?” the host asked us.

“To find out where we are on the waitlist,” Vena said.

“Name?”

“Vena Hunter.”

He looked down at his tablet. “Two months. However, we just had a cancellation, and I can seat you if you’d like.”

“Are you serious? Yes. That’s perfect,” Vena said. “See, Ev. I keep my promises.”

“That promise feels like a lifetime ago.”

“Barely. That’s only because so much happened in between.” She grinned at the host. “Lead on. I’m ready to have my desires fulfilled with good food.”

He indicated that we should follow him. The buzz along my skin increased as the necklace continued to fend off an increasing amount of fae influence due to the dining area that had more servers stationed between the well-spaced tables than patrons.

The host had mentioned a cancellation, but it seemed more than that. With a two-month waitlist, eager diners should have occupied every seat, shouldn’t they? Maybe they purposely spaced the reservations so the dining area was never crowded.

The openness drew my attention back to the decor. Cream walls with silver and blue design accents matched the crystal tables, which had a subtle blue glow. Buttery, soft blue leather chairs were positioned perfectly at the tables as if they had used a ruler. The servers wore cream standing-collar suit jackets, matching pants with silver cording, and a soft blue shirt. Even the woman softly playing the cream colored piano wore a silver gown with complementing blue embellishments.

The host stopped at a table and pulled out a chair for me, and Anchor did the same for Vena. I sat, distracted by everything until the host’s fingers brushed my back as he pushed the chair in. Then he leaned over my shoulder, uncomfortably close, to hand us our menus.

“If there is anything we can do to enhance your dining pleasure, please let me know.” He inhaled deeply near my ear. “The server will be with you in a moment.”

“Was that weird?” I asked when he left.

“What?” Vena asked, focused on the menu.

I glanced at Anchor for confirmation, but he was studying Vena like she was on the menu.

They were right. That much attention from a fae wasn’t odd. It was what they did, even at Blur. The non-stop buzz from my necklace was probably making things weird for me.

Mentally shaking my head at myself, I studied the menu. The options listed were mostly aphrodisiac foods. Not surprising really.

My necklace suddenly hummed aggressively against my skin, sending a cooling wave through me.

Something was wrong.

“Hello, beautiful,” a server asked when she stopped at the table. Like all fae, she was blonde and had an elegant beauty. However, her eyes looked hungry.

She placed a bottle of carbonated water on the table. “Compliments of the house.” She breathed in. “Do you see anything you desire?”

Vena nodded. “I want one of everything, and I want to eat it on him. Naked.” She pointed to Anchor, who looked as if he was on board with it.

The server let out a soft moan. “Your desire will be fulfilled.”

“Um, I think that’s a health code violation,” I said.

None of them seemed to hear me. Anchor was already stripping his shirt off.

I hopped up from my seat and yanked his shirt down.

“We need to go.”

“No. Stay.” The server drew closer.

I didn’t feel like she was going to attack me—my necklace would have propelled her away—but she looked desperate.

In fact, more servers moved closer to us. That’s when I noticed they all wore the same hungry look.

In my distraction, Anchor tugged his shirt from my hold and peeled it off. Vena stood, shoved the place settings to the floor, and climbed on top. She extended her arms to Anchor as I looked for the bottle of water on the floor, intending to douse the pair.

A hand caressed my ass. A surge of need heated my skin before my necklace glowed, and a cooling sensation swept through me. I spun around to face the aggressor. Tall with light hair and eyes, sculpted features, and a lean body, he was absolutely beautiful.

Another wave of coolness swept through me, and although he was still mesmerizing to look at, I saw him differently.

Dangerous.

The crack of my hand across the man’s cheek didn’t faze him. At least, not the way I’d hoped. He smiled slowly.

“You have some fire, my beauty. I like it. Give me another.”

He offered his hand in the old-world way Cross sometimes did, as if inviting me to join him.

Behind me, I heard Vena whimper and knew we were in serious trouble.

“I’ll pass on the slap fest,” I said, grabbing the carbonated water from the floor.

I uncapped it, put my thumb over the opening, and shook it vigorously.

When I spun around, my gaze locked on Vena licking something off Anchor’s chest while straddling his lap and humping him hard. I thanked every ancestor I had that they both still had their pants on.

“Why isn’t it working?” Vena moaned, grinding against his flaccid firearm. “Make it work.”

Anchor groaned, his hands firmly gripping her hips like he was afraid she was going to leave him.

Expertly angling my thumb on the bottle of carbonated water, I sprayed the fae surrounding the pair. I purposely got a little on Vena, too. Payback for the time she spritzed me when I’d been kissing Cross.

Dousing the fae had the effect I’d hoped for. Without their focus, Anchor regained enough sense to realize what they were doing. In one fluid motion, he stood and hoisted Vena over his shoulder.

“This directly violates the treaty,” he said. “End this, or I won’t use words to stop you.”

“You have so much pent-up desire,” a fae said. “We were trying to help.”

“You were trying to feed,” Anchor said angrily.

The one who’d groped my ass stepped forward.

“If that were true, we would have taken the females from you for ourselves. We were truly trying to help.”

I picked up Anchor’s shirt and tossed it to him.

“Where are your other customers? Why isn’t this place filled?”

“We believe it’s a spillover from the werewolf protests. Our numbers were lower yesterday as well, but not like this,” one of the fae said. “It could also be because a fae was murdered yesterday. It didn’t happen here, but people become afraid of what they don’t understand. Customers might be leery of fae establishments.”

“And it’s early,” another said. “People who eat at this hour are usually only here to experience the novelty of dining here. Our regulars typically come at the normal dining hour.”

I glanced at the time on my phone. It wasn’t yet five.

“We’re leaving,” I said.

“Stay, and we can help you,” a fae said. “I can feel her desire. She’s willing.”

I glanced at Vena, who, in her current position, was lovingly stroking and fluffing Anchor’s butt.

“She’s not the problem,” Anchor said. “I am. I was cursed by one of your kind. It needs to wear off.”

“Only 775 more tries,” Vena murmured.

“We could help lift the curse.”

She lifted her head to look at the fae who said it.

“How?”

“I know someone.” He reached into his suit jacket and withdrew a business card to hand her. “Call the number. Let her know a server from Enticed said she could help.”

“Thanks.”

I couldn’t tell if Vena was seriously considering it or just playing along. Concerned it was the former, I glanced at Anchor. He nodded toward the door. With the bottle still in my grip and ready, I edged around the fae and then power-walked to the exit. Anchor was right behind me.

When I reached the sidewalk and sunshine, I stopped and waited for Anchor to set Vena down and put on his shirt.

“What the heck was that?” I asked.

“I think it might have been just what they said,” Anchor said. “They’re not getting the sexual feedings they need but were trying to help.”

“Seriously?”

He blushed as he nodded. “If you haven’t noticed from your time at Blur, we’re not usually affected by them.”

He wasn’t wrong.

“And what about you?” I asked, looking at Vena.

She lifted her gaze from the business card she’d been staring at.

“I’m so damn horny that it barely took any nudge from them to make me want to climb Anchor like a tree. I think they might be telling the truth. They had no other guests, and he and I were willing.”

I shook my head at both of them. “We’re never going out to eat together again. You’ve scarred me for life.”

Anchor looked guilty. Vena just grinned and looped her arm through mine.

“Pfft. That was nothing. Come on. Let’s get you home.”

* * *

While I cooked dinner, I made Vena sit on the opposite side of the living room from Anchor. She whined that I was being unfair.

“I’m going to accidentally drop your plate of food on the floor,” I said.

She pouted as she squirmed on the couch. “I just need?—”

“We all know what you need, Vena. You were very vocal about it on the way home and nearly caused an accident.”

She crossed her arms and sulked. “Fine.”

“You can sit at the table now, but opposite Anchor.”

She walked over like a petulant child but sat at the table. Anchor hesitantly took the chair across from her but kept out of reach of her feet.

“Thank you for dinner, Everly.”

I nodded and served the French toast casserole I’d made. It wasn’t a typical dinner, but I desperately needed comfort food. And feeding Vena a ton of carbs might slow her down.

However, instead of diving into the food, she played with the card the fae had given her.

“Put it down,” I said. “Eat.”

“But what if someone can break the curse on Anchor?”

She looked longingly at Anchor, who was busy frowning at his phone.

“Something wrong?” I asked.

“Shepard and Cross are still dealing with the protesters. More are joining, and it’s escalating. Neither of them will be able to return soon, so I’ll stay here.”

“We can sleep in one of the spare rooms,” Vena said with a wink.

He shook his head. “I’ll need you two to stick together. Take the master room once it’s bedtime. I’ll stand guard. With so many contractors coming and going, I don’t trust the safety of this place.”

“I could sit with you,” Vena said. “I’m not tired.”

“Your needs will distract him,” I said. “Eat dinner and take a long bath.”

“With my lime juicer?”

“I knew it! You said you put it back, but I thought I saw a flash of green from the corner of your pocket.”

Anchor coughed.

Vena grinned, dug into her food, and moaned when she ate it. “Best dinner ever.”

“Did you at least pay for the juicer?”

“Of course. I slid them cash on the way out.” She cocked her head at me. “Out of curiosity, did you happen to buy any oils? Or any other slippery edible substances?”

“Eat, Vena.”

Hours later, I finally got Vena into bed. I thought I’d have to papoose her just to get her to stay still, but as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was out.

Anchor poked his head in to check on us.

“Look,” I said, pointing to Vena. “She’s cute when she’s not crazy.”

He softly chuckled. “She’s cute even when she’s crazy.”

I shook my head at him, and he grinned before heading back out.

After sending a quick goodnight group message to Shepard and Cross, I settled into bed and hoped the protests would end soon.

* * *

Something touched my cheek, waking me. “Vena, I will break bones if that’s the lime juicer on my face.”

“Lime juicer?” Cross asked.

I opened my eyes to see his confused expression.

“When did you get home?”

“A couple of hours ago. Anchor took Vena to one of the guest rooms so you could sleep peacefully. She seemed extra clingy with you. So, about this lime juicer.”

I shook my head and wrapped my arms around his waist. “We do not speak of the juicer. Did the protesters finally leave?”

“No. They’re still there, and their numbers are growing, especially after Orphia released that second video.”

“Any leads on where she could be?”

He shook his head. “Not yet. But not for a lack of trying. Hugh has been a great help coordinating with the human authorities about the protests and working with Shepard to protect his people as they continue to search for nests. Vena already scried this morning and sent the new locations to Shepard.”

“How many new locations were there?”

“A few.”

“Did Shepard warn his people to watch for cameras?”

“He did. The girl's parents have joined the protesters and are demanding the wolf who killed their daughter be charged with murder.”

My heart ached for Shepard, and Cross saw it. He hugged me close and kissed my forehead.

“He’s not dealing with this alone,” Cross said. “He knows we’re both with him.”

I tipped my head back to meet Cross’ gaze. “I love you, Cross, and I want the world to know vampires aren’t all evil murderers. That they can be caring and generous and protective, too.”

His eyes grew darker with each word I said until the veins around his eyes spread to his cheeks. I brushed my fingers over them.

“Does it hurt when they do this?”

“No.”

“Are you going to wait until after I brush my teeth to kiss me?”

“I don’t want to, but I know how you feel about it.” He lifted his arm. “You have thirty seconds, Everly. You better run.”

With a laugh, I bolted from the bed. I had a mouthful of toothpaste foam when he suddenly appeared behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. His eyes were just as dark.

“Wait,” I said, hurrying to turn on the faucet. He gave me another few seconds to rinse and swish. Then he spun me around and set his forehead against mine.

“Say it again.”

“I love you, Cross.”

He groaned and cupped my face between his hands without lifting his head.

“I know I’m not the only one in your heart,” he said. “And I’m okay with that. I am yours forever, Everly. However you want me in your life, you only need to say the word. But I want to be selfish just once. I want all of you. Please.”

I tipped my head up to brush my lips against his.

“I’m yours. I’ve been yours since the first time you saved me. I just wasn’t sure what I felt for you was real. Now I am.”

He made a feral sound, and a second later, I was back in the bedroom and pressed into the mattress as he kissed me hungrily. When he pulled back to look at me, his eyes were pure black, and his fangs were showing.

“Say it again,” he rasped.

Despite his eyes, I could see his uncertainty.

I cupped his face and leaned up to kiss the edge of the dark veining on one side and then the other.

“I see all of you, Cross, and it doesn’t change how I feel about you or about us. What do you need from me right now?”

He groaned and dropped his head to my neck, where he marked me with a kiss. His teeth scraped me lightly, telling me what he needed without words.