Page 37 of The Second Sight (Wanderlust Emporium Presents, Season One)

Chapter

Twenty-Six

SEVEN

Istood in the doorway of my bathroom, watching as Kasi lowered herself into the marble bathtub. The bathwater had been infused with special herbs and flower petals that turned it a milky white, obscuring parts of her body beneath the surface.

Candles flickered around the room, casting shadows across the walls and ceiling.

I remained silent with one shoulder pressed against the doorframe.

I didn’t fully trust fairy magic. Their magic wasn’t strong enough to stop the Bambara Brotherhood from wiping them to near extinction, and that made me skeptical of its actual power and effectiveness.

Romeca knelt beside the tub. She dipped a woven African washcloth into the milky water, then began to bathe Kasi’s back with slow circular movements.

Every sweep of the cloth across my mate’s skin made my jaw tighten.

I forced myself to remain still. I had to maintain the fragile truce with Romeca for Kasi’s sake.

“Our wings were not always part of us,” Romeca began.

“In the beginning, when the gods shaped the different fae peoples, they gave some pointed ears, others cloven feet, and still others the ability to shift forms.” She continued to wash Kasi’s shoulders.

“But the yumboe were gifted with wings, delicate yet strong, because our hearts were always drawn to the sky.”

The story continued. I’d heard variations of fairy origin tales over the centuries.

Some of my knowledge came from Basirah, who had studied supernatural creatures with scholarly intensity.

Each race had their own mythology. I wondered how many were true and how many were merely lies passed down through generations.

The air carried the scent of roses, violets, lilies and herbs I couldn’t identify.

I focused on Kasi’s face as Romeca’s stories unfolded.

Her eyes widened at certain revelations as she learned the secrets of her mother’s people.

There was something painfully beautiful about watching her discover this piece of herself.

I’d spent centuries knowing exactly what I was, the monster, the predator, the vampire, while Kasi lived her entire life with half her identity shrouded in mystery.

“The yumboe are deeply connected to nature,” Romeca continued, wringing out the cloth and dipping it into the milky water again. “Our magic flows from the earth, the wind, the water and the fire. We do not command the elements. We ask, we commune, we respect.”

“Is that why the bath is part of the ritual?” Kasi asked. “Because of the connection to water?”

Romeca nodded, pleased by the question. “Water carries memory. It holds intention. When infused with the right herbs and charged under moonlight, it becomes a conduit for awakening dormant fae traits.” She lifted a handful of the milky liquid, letting it trickle down Kasi’s back.

“It also represents community. Among the yumboe, bathing is often a common activity. Mothers bathe daughters, sisters bathe sisters, friends bathe friends. It strengthens our bonds.”

I absorbed this information silently, assessing whether it represented knowledge that might help Kasi or merely served to bind her more to her fairy kin.

The yumboe’s emphasis on community contrasted sharply with vampire existence.

Vampires formed covens out of necessity and protection, but true intimacy was rare.

Only the strongest bonds, like mine and Lily’s, survived the years.

“There is no guarantee this will produce wings,” Romeca said, her tone more serious now.

“You’re half-human, and fairy traits manifest differently in mixed blood.

Some half-fae develop wings later in life.

Others never do. And there are other fae gifts that might awaken, heightened senses, increased connection to natural elements, stronger precognition.

The visions you’ve already experienced will likely become more controllable. ”

Kasi’s skin glistened under the waning moon that peaked through the open window. I watched a rose petal cling to her collarbone. The uncertainty in her eyes pained me. Whatever came of this ritual, whatever changes manifested in her body or abilities, I knew I would stand beside her.

“In our tradition,” Romeca said, pouring the enchanted water over Kasi’s neck, “wings are seen not as a burden but as freedom. They carry us between realms, above danger, and into the sky.”

Romeca stood up from beside the tub. Her eyes assessed me with scrutiny. “Come,” she said, gesturing me forward. “Take over with the magical bathwater. Don’t worry, the water won’t affect you.”

I hesitated, surprised by the invitation.

Fairy rituals were traditionally closed to outsiders, especially other supes, if the texts were true.

But the bond between Kasi and me had apparently earned me this strange privilege.

Or perhaps Romeca had another motive. I didn’t trust her.

Either way, I couldn’t deny the appeal of touching Kasi in such an intimate way.

I pushed away from the doorframe and crossed the bathroom. The candle flames wavered as I passed, responding to the displacement of air. I knelt where Romeca had been. Kasi turned her head slightly, her golden-brown eyes meeting mine with an expression of trust.

These hands of mine had killed more humans and supernatural beings than I cared to remember.

They had torn throats, crushed bones, and wielded weapons with deadly precision.

Now they hovered above the enchanted water.

I dipped the washcloth into the milky bath and brought it to Kasi’s smooth back with a tenderness I’d forgotten I possessed.

“Keep the cloth moving in circular motions,” Romeca instructed, watching my technique with critical eyes. “The ritual requires continuous contact to maintain the flow of energy.”

I followed her direction, moving the cloth across Kasi’s shoulders in slow, deliberate circles. Her skin was warm. With each pass of the cloth, I felt the tension in her muscles gradually release.

Romeca observed us for several long moments. Her expression was unreadable in the flickering light. Finally, she nodded, apparently satisfied with my technique.

“Niece, get some rest tonight,” she said, directing her words to Kasi. “The bath will work while you sleep, if it’s going to work at all. I’ll see you both in the morning.” She moved toward the door with an ethereal grace unique to her kind. “We’ll need all our strength to face what comes next.”

Romeca left the room. I continued bathing Kasi’s smooth back, but my movements slowed. There was more caressing than cleansing. My hand moved lower, tracing the curve of her spine through the cloth. “Your heritage doesn’t define you,” I said softly. “It’s part of you, but not all of you.”

The washcloth became an unnecessary barrier between us. I set it aside and placed my bare hand on her shoulder, feeling her pulse quicken beneath my touch. My fingers trailed down her back, following the path the cloth had taken, but slower.

Kasi turned in the bath to face me, water sloshing gently against the sides of the tub. The milky liquid partially obscured her body, but candlelight caught the curves above the surface. Her eyes seemed to call me. Perhaps the fae magic was already working on her.

“Seven,” she whispered, reaching for me.

I leaned forward, one hand braced against the tub’s edge, the other cupping her face. Our lips met in a kiss that started gentle but quickly deepened with a hunger that never seemed to diminish no matter how many times we’d been together.

My hand slipped lower, caressing her breast beneath the milky water.

I felt her nipple harden against my palm.

She made a small sound against my lips that sent a jolt of desire straight to my cock.

The coolness of my touch contrasted with the warmth of the bath, creating sensations that made her arch into my hand, seeking more.

“I love you.” She murmured against my mouth with her hands tugging at the collar of my shirt.

“I love you, forever.” I said. It was the most natural response I had to my chosen mate. But did I choose her, or did she choose me? In that moment, I realized neither of us had a choice. We were fated, destined, made to be as one.

I stood and undressed with vampire speed. My clothes landed in a heap on the floor. Kasi’s eyes traveled over my naked form. Her appreciation was evident. Even after all this time, I admired the gaze of a lover. This lover.

I stepped into the bath, ousting water that spilled over the sides and onto the marble floor. The tub was large. It was built long ago when baths were a luxury even for the wealthy, but with both of us, the water rose nearly to the rim.

I settled in behind her, my legs encircling her body. I pulled her back against my chest. The water felt charged around us. Flower petals clung to Kasi’s brown skin. I brushed them away with gentle strokes that soon became more sensual caresses.

My hands continued their exploration, one sliding between her legs to find her already aroused.

Her head fell back against my shoulder. I could hear her heart racing, and the blood rushing through her veins like a concerto only I could hear.

The predator in me responded to that sound as it always did— with hunger.

The vampire in me transformed that hunger into desire.

Kasi turned in my arms, water swirling around us as she straddled my lap.

Now I had the best vantage point to see her ample tits.

The best set of chocolate drops any woman could possess.

Her soft lips found mine again. Her hands tangled in my hair as she pressed her body against mine.

The sensation of her warm body sent shocks of pleasure through me.

Fuck! I wanted to fuck. I gripped her hips, guiding her down onto my waiting cock.

As she lowered herself onto my thick, rigid blade, she let out a gasp that echoed off the bathroom walls.

The taut pussy of a fairy, my fairy, was otherworldly.

Inside Kasi, I felt like I’d been teleported into a heavenly realm.

We moved together slowly at first. The water created resistance that forced us to savor each sensation.

Rose petals and violets drifted around us, clinging to our skin before being dislodged by our lustful movements.

The charmed bath seemed to amplify everything.

The slide of skin against skin magnified the pleasure that banded us tighter with each movement.

Kasi’s eyes met mine in the candlelight.

I was struck by how much power this woman held over me.

She had brought me to my knees figuratively and literally.

Her hands gripped my shoulders as she moved faster over my cock.

The bathwater splashed over the edge of the tub with each rise and fall of her alluring body.

My every nerve ending felt alive even though I was considered dead.

In such a short time, my fae bae had learned to work her hips and ride my cock just the way I loved.

She was a fast learner. She was a rodeo star, grinding, rocking and rolling over my stiff dick.

Watching her pleasure gave me pleasure. Watching her beautiful chocolate tits made my fangs extend.

I wanted to come, but I bit down into my bottom lip instead.

Breaking the skin, I felt the blood drip from my lip and run down my chin.

I released one hand from Kasi’s hip to wipe the blood from my face.

There was only one thing to do. I needed to see my love taste my blood as I had tasted hers.

With one swift motion, I reached from her luscious lips and pushed two of my bloody fingers into her mouth.

Without hesitation, she took my fingers deep into her mouth, licking and then sucking my crimson essence into her throat.

When she cleaned my fingers, I grabbed her neck and held it until she gasped for breath.

I held her life in my hands, but she held my life as well.

Without her, I could no longer live. She was a part of me.

She was all of me, and I would never let anyone come between us.

Overwhelmed by my love for her, I relaxed down and rested my head back on the edge of the tub.

I closed my eyes and let the magic of my fae take me to a place I knew I didn’t belong— heaven.

When climax finally claimed us, it wasn’t quick.

The sharp release of our passion expanded through time, reverberating between us like echoes in a secret cave.

Kasi cried out, her body arching as pleasure overwhelmed her.

I jerked forward and held her tightly. My own release followed hers.

I buried my face against her neck to muffle the monstrous sounds that might carry through the mansion.

After our orgasms, we remained entwined in the cooling water.

Her head was resting against my chest, with my arms encircling her protectively.

The bath’s milky color had cleared. The ritual was either complete or interrupted by our fierce lovemaking.

I wasn’t certain which, and in that moment, I didn’t particularly care.

“Do you think it worked?” Kasi asked quietly. “The ritual?”

I pressed a kiss on the top of her head. “We’ll see if you fly away from me.” My hand moved to her shoulder blades and back, feeling for any changes, any sign of emerging wings. The skin felt normal. I knew it wouldn’t happen this soon, but there was no harm in perusing the area.

Kasi whispered in my ear. “Seven, I would never fly away from you.” Her words comforted me.

She nodded against my chest, and I tightened my embrace, wishing I could shield her from everything past, present and future— from Desmond, from the Bambara Brotherhood, even from the uncertainties of her changing nature.

But some battles couldn’t be fought with fangs and strength.

Some of life’s transformations had to be endured rather than prevented.

After all this time on Earth, I was still learning this lesson.