Page 85 of Origins of Eternity

“Yes, that is the lie. It’ll get you off the hook for all of your strange behavior recently, and she won’t press because it’s such a difficult topic. She’ll be happy that you’re all right.”

“Okay. I’ll talk to her,” she said. “I’m going to shower now.”

“And enjoy yourself,” Cassia suggested. “Gigi and Miranda are probably packing right now. I’m sure they could use a break.”

“What about her?” Zara asked, remembering that there was a woman on the floor.

“She’ll be fine. I will have someone take her upstairs so that she can rest. I think you just took a little too much, but no bother.”

Zara walked over to the woman and focused her hearing. She could hear a heartbeat. It was slow, but it was there.

“You’re sure? I can take care of her.”

“I’m sure,” Cassia said. “You have an appointment with the woman you love. Oh, and Zara?”

“Yeah?”

She turned back to Cassia.

“I have all sorts of rewards planned for you, my dear.” Cassia stood and sauntered over to her. “I think even after I get my Iro back, I’d like to put you in a house near us, and I’d like to visit, if that’s all right with you. Maybe the four of us could get together, if you want. If not, I would love it if just you and me could arrange a littleprivatetime. I really do enjoy that tongue of yours. It’s a shame you never met someone in your human life who realized how good you were with it.”

Zara swallowed, hating that she loved how Cassia complimented her all the time, telling her she was beautiful, special, and talented in bed. No one had ever been like this with her, and she needed this.

“Maybe. I’ll have to see what Arwen thinks about that.”

“Just remember, it’s a long life when you live forever, and one person, even my Iro, can get boring at times. You’ll want someone else eventually, and when that day comes…” Cassia ran a finger through Zara’s folds, causing her to gasp. “I’ll be here.”She put her finger in her mouth and moaned. “Have Gigi use her mouth. You’re hard, Zara.”

Zara closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, Cassia was gone. Knowing she didn’t have much time, Zara hurried up the stairs and got into the shower to rinse her skin. Then, the door opened, and Gigi walked in naked, surprising her because Zara hadn’t asked for her to join her.

“I was told you needed me,” Gigi said proudly. “And I am to take care of you.”

Watered-down blood dripped into the drain off Zara’s skin as the shower door opened, and Gigi proceeded to kneel in front of her. Zara didn’t have it in her to turn her down, so when Gigi took her with her mouth, Zara leaned her head back against the wall and let her take her. Cassia was right: Zara needed to be fully sated before she met with Arwen, and since full satiation wasn’t really possible as a vampire, she’d have to get as close as she could before she left.

“Do it,” she commanded, loving the sound of it coming from her mouth.

“Yes, Ma’am,” Gigi answered and bit down into Zara’s inner thigh.

“Oh, yes,” Zara let out and held Gigi closer, trying not to think about how much like Cassia she was becoming already.

CHAPTER 25

Cassia

Cassia had stared at the human Gigi had brought up to one of the bedrooms for her. This girl wasn’t particularly useful – a business student, if Cassia remembered correctly – but Cassia had had the benefit of thousands of years on this planet, and she understood the importance of the long game. She bit her own wrist, mixed her blood with the girl’s still stuck to her neck from Zara’s bite, put it all in her mouth, and then snapped her neck. The girl had wanted to become a vampire, and she’d been told that she would have to wait, but Cassia didn’t need to wait if she didn’t want to. This girl, turned and taught, in three years or so, could get a good job with Cassia’s help and work her way up into a position that mattered, just not too high up in this case, since the girl was only in her twenties and wouldn’t age, so she’d always look too young and have to change jobs every decade or so. Still, Cassia could use her all the same. It was these small details that Iro hadn’t ever appreciated, and now, she was about to see why it was so important never to underestimate Cassia’s love for her.

“I think I’m going to go out and get lunch. I’m tired of all the humans in the house, so I need something else today,” Miranda said. “I was going to take Amy with me, but want to come with us?”

Cassia didn’t turn away from the girl on the bed and said, “No, I have other plans.”

“Want me to take care of you before I go?” Miranda volunteered.

“No, Zara took care of me quite well. Thank you.” She turned to Miranda then. “Is she still here?”

“I think she just left.”

“Good. Call a car for me before you go. I will be right out.”

Miranda nodded and left the room.