Page 22 of The Second Sight (Wanderlust Emporium Presents, Season One)

The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a blade.

Every vampire present understood the weight of this moment.

Their leader brought a half-fae woman into their sanctuary and defended her.

It would spark debates, concerns, and possibly even challenges to my authority.

But as I stood there, feeling Kasi’s warmth against my side, I found myself surprisingly unconcerned with the political ramifications.

For the first time in longer than I could remember, something mattered more than power or position.

Someone mattered more.

“Come, sister, let’s talk more in my chamber.”

Lily walked into the room off to the left, and I turned to Kasi. “Wait here. I just need a moment with my sister.”

“You’re leaving me alone.” She asked, and I could see the panic radiating from her golden eyes.

“I will only be a few minutes. Absolutely no one will hurt you. You’re mine, and in my world that means something.”

“You called me your human.”

“I did.”

“Does that mean we’re like a couple? Like boyfriend and girlfriend.”

“Yes, that’s what it means, but it comes with my protection. Only some human men protect their women. All vampire men protect the women that we claim. Please, my love. Don’t worry. No one will harm you here.” I gave her a tender kiss on her forehead. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes. I do.” She gave me a smile that didn’t spread across her entire face.

“I will only be a few minutes. Look around. Do as you wish.”

“Okay.”

I left Kasi alone in a room with vampires.

Most of them had already lost interest in her and were back to doing their jobs or back to the conversations they entertained before my presence.

When I walked into my chamber, I closed the door behind me.

Lily was sitting in a handcrafted chair in front of my desk.

I ambled over to the other side of the desk and took my seat to face her.

“Sister, I need you on my side in all things.”

“Seven. Why now? Why this girl?” She rolled her eyes.

“I love her.” I true statement that didn’t hurt to proclaim.

“Love? You haven’t known her for more than a day.”

“Technically, it has been more than a day.”

“Fine, it appears you’ve tasted her? Is your mind hypnotized by the fairy blood? Legend says it’s intoxicating, and men fall in love with their enchanted blood.”

“No, Lily, I haven’t tasted her blood, and you know I am no ordinary man. Vampires can’t be bewitched by other supernaturals.”

“So why are you so infatuated with this one if you haven’t tasted her blood? It can’t be the sex. She’s half human. Humans are not the best at sex.”

“Kasi is human and half-fae. The sex is wonderful, but there is a deeper connection I have with her. It spans beyond the physical.”

“What does that mean?” Lily barked, and I could hear the exasperation in her voice.

“I have never felt this way about anyone since Basirah. I mourned her death for so long that I believed I would never love again.”

“I know how much you loved Basirah, but she was a vampire like us. She wasn’t a human or African fae.”

“Being a vampire isn’t a gift. Being a vampire didn’t save her from death. She was still murdered by Desmond. Immortality be damned.”

“I’m sorry you lost Sirah. I loved her too. But she died because she tried to help those flying fairy bitches. She died trying to save the Yumboe Queen, and you should hate them for it.”

“Or I should honor them just like she did. She saw something in them, befriended them and wanted to help them.” I said.

Lily huffed. “Those fucking pastel-colored winged Goree Island yumboes are trouble. If you want a fae bride, you can go to Ireland, Scotland, Australia or even Japan. They all have faefolk. Brother, you should never consider mating with yumboes or the Aziza. African fae are bad luck, and everyone knows this. They are the only fae hunted by their Senegalese kin. They were bad luck to your beloved Sirah and will be bad luck to us.”

“They are only bad luck because of the Bambara Brotherhood. That filthy gang of killers has nothing better to do than hunt female fae. They are an outdated, power-hungry bunch of heathens.” I hissed.

“Because they killed all the male fae. Listen brother, your judgment is clouded by her beautiful face,” Lily hissed back.

“She may share the face of my Basirah, but she is a completely different person. She is the person I love.”

Lily exhaled. “Why do you claim to love her?”

“Because I do. It happened at the club— instantly. She has been all I could think about from the moment I saw her. I had to feed on a random woman just to quench my thirst for her.”

“How disgustingly romantic. You’re behaving like you just stepped off the Mayflower. It’s not 1620. It’s 2025. Love at first sight is just an ancient story in Greek mythology. It’s not our reality. I can’t believe you are willing to go to war for this girl.”

“Maybe it won’t come to that. I have allies in this city.” I countered her skepticism with faith.

“Valentine, do you really think he will fight the Bambara with you? He’s a new vampire.

He’s probably never heard of the Brotherhood.

He doesn’t even know anything about all the other supernaturals in the world.

Has he ever seen faefolk. We can’t trust him.

He’s only been a vampire since the 1970s.

Alexander Valentine isn’t even one hundred years old. ”

“Age doesn’t matter in this regard. He has given us the gift of a beating heart. He didn’t have to do that. Valentine is a smart vampire with an army that can benefit us. I heard that he has weapons that kill vampires. They could work on the Brotherhood.”

“That’s just a rumor. We’ve never seen these new-age weapons.” She grumbled.

“No, but I believe they exist.”

“You can’t put your faith in Valentine and his coven of new vamps. I don’t think he is going to join us in a war with people that aren’t his enemies.”

“I believe he will. He wants to be king of Chicago vampires, and this would help him get what he wants.”

“Brother, you are my liege. I don’t want to serve some other vampire that hasn’t lived long enough to be ruler of anything other than Burger King.”

“Humility!” I yelled, calling her by her old-world name, and then composed myself. “Enough of your pouting. I need you to have a clear head. Kasi had a vision of Gideon and Desmond.”

“She has visions?” Lily leaned forward, either intrigued by the mention of visions and maybe even the mention of Gideon.

“Just dreams for now. She doesn’t have any magic yet.”

“She’s only half. She may never have magic or wings.”

“I don’t believe that. I’m going to find some of the old fae grimoires for her to read. Maybe it will help her sight abilities and help her magic manifest.”

“There’s nothing special about her. Seven, she seems like a regular human.”

“She’s not.”

“How do you know? Don’t say because of some lucid dreams.”

“She has pixie dust inside her body.”

“How do you know that?”

“I’ve been inside her body. I know. I had to wash it off my cock and my face.”

“Oh Seven, you didn’t have to share that with me.” Lily’s face formed a frown that crumpled her features.

“I did. I share everything with you. You are my right hand. Kasi is special to me.”

“Will I remain your hand when she is your lover?” She asked.

“Of course. Nothing could even change that. Not even death.”

“Fine.” Lily crossed her arms over her chest with a stubbornness she maintained through the centuries.

“Six years ago, you had a tryst with Gideon. Would you be willing to lie with him again?”

“If I had to.” She rolled her eyes. “He wasn’t a terrible lover.”

“Good. We need to use all the weapons we have against the Brotherhood.”

“Have you even thought that Kasinda is a doppelg?nger of Sirah?” Lily asked.

“It’s entered my mind, but I’ve never met a doppelg?nger, and I don’t know if that myth is true. Research this possibility for me. I will research the Yumboe and the other fae. I don’t know how soon the Bambara will come, if Kasi’s dreams are true.”

“We will do everything to prepare for them.”

“If, when they come, we will try to lead without violence.”

Lily smirked. “Try.”