Page 16 of Vampires and Violas (A Vampire’s Guide to Gardening #2)

15

I didn’t sign up for monarchy drama. This is the kind of meeting that causes people to disappear, at least in movies. And my life has been a lot like a movie lately, so I think my concerns are justified.

“ Which house, Sophia?” Cassian demands.

“No,” she says stubbornly. “I’m not giving you information unless you sign a pardon and promise my staff and me official house protection.”

Cassian curses, standing. “Sophia, I swear?—”

“Is it the Staulingtons?” Noah interrupts. “This hotel belongs to Alfred.”

She lets out a mirthless laugh. “Alfred has no political aspirations. He is content to spend his family’s money and rub elbows with whomever he thinks will make them more.”

“What about Jameson?” Cassian asks.

She turns her eyes on him. “I know the two of you are often at odds, but do you think he murdered Etienne?”

Cassian falls silent. After several seconds, he says, “No.”

“It’s not the Staulingtons,” Sophia says primly. “Sit down, Cassian—your broth is getting cold.”

“I don’t have any desire to get involved in these political games,” he says. “You know that.”

“You’re a prince—you can’t escape them.”

“Let’s say this house you were working for did assassinate Etienne,” Noah says. “And they used you to create a criminal web that can’t be traced back to them. What do you want me to do about it? I can arrest the rogue vampires you point me toward, but I’m only the head of the western region for the US branch of NIHA. My reach is limited.”

“I don’t know who else to go to.” The bubbly woman from earlier is gone. This Sophia looks tired and scared. She lowers her voice to a whisper. “They’re orchestrating things behind the scenes, and I no longer know who I can trust. And I honestly believe they’re trying to keep Cassian off the throne. He’s a threat.”

“I don’t want the throne,” Cassian insists.

“There’s an actual throne?” I whisper to Noah.

He leans close, dropping his voice. “I don’t honestly know.”

“You might not want to rule,” Sophia says to Cassian, “but a lot of people think you’d be a good choice. You’re going to be nominated again. Just like before.”

“And I’ll decline, just like before . If my so-called supporters want the throne, they can take it. I’m barely a prince. I’ve made exactly two vampires—you and Noah. The rest of my line is a bunch of rogue riffraff created because you have a bleeding heart.”

“Hey,” I say. “I’m one of those rogue riffraff.”

Cassian shoots me a look, trying not to smile, and then turns back at Sophia. “You know what I’m saying.”

“I do,” Sophia says, exasperated. “But I also know you’re two hundred years old, have never gotten caught up in a scandal, have never murdered a human, and have carved the way for vampires worldwide to have a better life.” She extends her hand toward him, almost in a plea. “And a lot of our people know that as well.”

Cassian presses his lips into a firm line, and then he corrects, “I’m two hundred forty.”

Sophia studies him for several seconds before she smiles like she can’t help herself. “You’ve always looked good for your age, Your Highness.”

Cassian’s lips twitch as he meets the petite vampire’s eyes. And for just a few seconds, they look at each other with remembered fondness that makes me swoon a little.

“Cassian,” Sophia continues softly, “if they can’t take you down with a scandal, who knows what they might resort to?” She beseeches him with her eyes. “Personally, I’d like to see you reach two hundred forty-one.”

A chill runs down my spine. This just got a little too real.

Noah must agree. He rises with a sigh. “I know you run on vampire time, but for us, it’s late. Let’s continue this conversation later in the week.”

“ You’re a vampire,” Sophia points out.

“Yes, about that,” Larissa says, joining the conversation. She’s been watching the drama the whole time, sipping her tea from her perch on one of the settees, ankles primly crossed, red lips probably staining her porcelain cup. “I’d like to know how you and Cassian walk freely in the sunlight.”

“Next time,” Noah says, turning for the door.

I touch his arm. “What about Daniel?”

“Right,” Noah groans, and then he looks at Cassian. “Did you send him our location?”

“I didn’t.”

“You were supposed to?—”

“Piper told me you’d found Sophia, and I lost my head.” He stares down his friend, unrepentant.

Sophia’s eyes fly wide at the romantic declaration. She bites her bottom lip and looks down at her lap, blushing like the southern belle she must have been at some time.

And then Cassian goes and adds, “If someone is going to kill her, it’s going to be me.”

Her sweet smile turns into a scowl.

Okay then.

“Who’s Daniel?” Sophia asks.

“My friend in NIHA,” Noah says. “He has hunters on standby.”

Though it’s obvious Sophia is trying to be nonchalant about it, she’s nervous. “What will you tell him?”

“That we met an anonymous informant who had news about the rogue vampires. For now.”

Relieved, she nods.

Noah sets his hand on my shoulder, silently telling me it’s time to leave. But as we walk toward the door, he turns around like he’s just remembered something. “Listen, if we’re going to work together, you can’t make any more vampires. Before I leave tonight, I need you to agree to that.”

Sophia’s face falls. “What about Richard? He’ll die if he doesn’t get the final dose.”

I glance at Noah, my heart pinching. His eyebrow twitches, and he works his jaw.

“Who’s Richard?” Cassian demands.

Sophia answers, “I met a woman at a coffee shop in Savanah last year while I was visiting home—Gladys is her name. Oh, Cassian, you would just adore her. She’s so genteel—a proper lady. We got along splendidly. Well, her husband?—”

“Get to the point, Sophia,” Cassian cuts her off. “Richard is her husband?”

“No.” Sophia fidgets with her cup. “Richard is her husband’s cousin’s uncle.”

“Sophia,” Cassian says, annoyed.

“He was a tech-ed teacher for thirty years—they do that woodworking thing, with the tools and the saws and…I don’t know. Hammers, I suppose. Anyway, two years after he retired, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Obviously, he didn’t have the funds for my services, so I offered to give him the virus for free. Richard, lovely man that he is, refused. He said he worked his entire life and wouldn’t accept charity now. So, I hired him—and now he’s dying. I must uphold my end of the bargain.”

“Sophia, it’s illegal .”

Her eyes flash. “It’s only illegal because Andrei put vampirism on a pedestal.”

“What is she talking about?” I quietly ask Noah.

“Andrei Nicolau, the archduke whose reign stretched from the early nineteenth century into the beginning of the twentieth. He soothed the fears of several monarchies and governments, agreeing that vampirism should be regulated as much as possible. But many claim he was gatekeeping.”

“What if I bite him on accident?” Sophia asks Noah, practically begging. “I could trip and accidentally latch onto his arm as I fell.”

“It’s not an accident if it’s premeditated,” Noah says dryly.

“Please, Montgomery.” Eyes glossing with tears, Sophia sets down her cup and saucer and presses her hands together. “Just this one time. Cassian said it himself—the courts are lenient when it’s a life-or-death situation, and this is. ”

“Even if Cassian won’t issue a pardon, it’s possible I can ask your judge for leniency for your past transgressions, especially if you will go down to the office and make an official statement,” Noah finally says. “But I cannot condone a future crime.”

Sophia begins to beg, but Noah turns away again.

“What about Piper?” Sophia demands just before we reach the door. “You’re going to outlive her. Eventually, her body is going to succumb to an illness. Will you take your cold stance then, just because a vampire a century ago decided this is how it should be?”

“We’re not together,” I say, trying to free Noah of the question.

Sophia gives me a pitying smile that sits like iron in my stomach. Noah and I aren’t together, and we might never be. I might meet a nice, regular human, and we’ll live our regular lives with our regular children.

But this is Noah’s reality…whether I’m in it or not.

“Come on, Piper,” Noah says, his tone a little weary. “We’re leaving.”

We go down the elevator in silence. We don’t talk as we cross the fancy Victorian foyer, nor as we walk to Noah’s SUV.

He calls Daniel when we’re on the road, letting him know we’re fine, telling him exactly what he said he would.

When I can take the silence no longer, I say, “Sophia wasn’t what I expected.”

He looks pensive. “Me either.”

“Do you think Cassian was actually going to murder her?”

“The heads of the houses are expected to control their offspring. If Sophia willfully broke the laws Archduke Nicolau put in place, I think it’s possible Cassian felt a strong duty to…” He swallows.

“But she was his fiancée ,” I argue, aghast.

He glances at me. “And that’s probably why she’s not dead.”

“He made me think she was a monster. She’s more like a willful kitten.”

Noah grunts.

“What will you do if she bites Richard again?”

“I don’t know.”

“I understand why the law is in place, especially after my experience with Ethan. But at the same time, I…”

“It’s a polarizing subject,” Noah agrees.

“Cassian must have infected Sophia before the law was in place.”

“I’m assuming so, yes.”

We fall silent again, and I fidget with my purse’s strap. “Do you think he still loves her?”

“You’d have to ask Cassian that.”

“Is it bad that I ship them?”

“I’m sorry.” He frowns. “You what ?”

I laugh a little. “I ship them. You know, I’m rooting for them? I want them to get together?”

“Is that another K-drama thing?”

“No, it’s like a fandom thing. Books. Movies.”

“Why is it called shipping?”

“It’s short for relationship, I think. Or maybe it’s because you’ll loyally go down with your ship? I’m not really sure.”

He glances over. “My girlfriend is a little weird.”

My stomach clenches, and it takes me several seconds to catch my breath. “I’m not your girlfriend.”

“Yes, I know. You told Sophia.”

“I didn’t like the way she cornered you. I understand what she was getting at, but it was manipulative.”

“You know what worries me?”

“What?” I ask softly.

“I thought about what she said—what I’d do if you were dying.” He looks over, briefly meeting my eyes in the dark car.

I draw in a shaky breath, waiting.

He pulls his eyes back to the road. “NIHA is my life, but I’m afraid I’d break the law for you.” He laughs darkly. “No, I know I would.”

“Noah…”

“If I were Reid…I would have probably made the same choice. And I don’t know what that says about me.”

I clasp my hands in my lap. “It probably says you should find a nice final-stage vampire to date, so you’re never confronted with that decision.”

He shakes his head. “It’s too late for that.”

I swallow. “It is?”

“I don’t want some random vampire woman.” Noah looks back. “I want you.”

Be still, my poor pre-vampiric heart.

“You’ll lose your job if you change me,” I say.

“Only if they find out.”

“All old vampires would be able to tell. You’re a new vamp, born long after Nicolau made his law. Any vampire you create would be an illegal one.”

Noah opens his mouth to argue. And then he closes it, realizing I’m right.

If I ever want to be a final-stage vampire—and I’m not saying I do—we’d have to be smart about it. Like the house that hired Sophia, I’d have to find someone from a different line to take care of that final bite.

I blink, realizing where my thoughts have wandered. I don’t want to be a vampire. I don’t want to take a billion medications and adopt a carnivore diet.

And even if I did— and I’m not saying I do —I shouldn’t leap into it too quickly. Becoming a full-blown creature of the night is a big step and not one to be taken lightly.

Everyone knows you can’t just become a vampire for some guy. (Okay, not everyone knows that, but if the general population knew about vampires, I’m sure it would be a common phrase.)

We arrive back at my house at nearly two in the morning. And though my body is tired, my mind is churning with thoughts I shouldn’t be thinking.

Noah pauses at the bottom of the porch steps, waiting for me. Several of my night-blooming vines perfume the air, and the landscape lights set a pretty scene.

“I’m sorry today didn’t go as planned,” Noah says. “So much for Day One, huh?”

I set my hand on his arm, running my palm over his sleeve’s soft leather. “I’m just glad you didn’t get shot tonight. I thought I might have to buy you another jacket.”

He chuckles softly, brushing my hair back as he pivots to face me.

My eyes move to his lips. His soft, perfectly kissable lips. His vampire lips.

No, Piper.

Forget last night. Noah is off-limits.

He’s dangerous.

He’s yummy .

“What are you thinking about?” he asks, his tone gritty.

I shake my head.

Noah laughs. “What does that mean?”

“It means I can’t tell you what I’m thinking.”

His hand moves from my hair to my side. “Now you’ve gone and piqued my interest.”

Noah’s hand is warm. A normal human’s hand would be uncomfortably hot. But Noah’s is perfect.

“I was thinking it’s weird that I’ve started referring to people as vampires and humans, just like Sophia did. But we’re all humans. You’re a human.”

“I’m still very human, yes.”

“But you don’t feel like it. You seem like more. You’re practically a mythical creature now. Like…a unicorn.”

Noah grimaces. “No.”

I grin. “What about a dragon?”

“Better, but still no.”

“Also, you’ve gone and added another sexy title to your resume. Bodyguard. Detective. Vampire.”

“Are vampires sexy now?” He raises a brow, his lips twitching with a smile. “I thought we were gross?”

“You’ve changed my mind.”

His hand tightens on my side, and his eyes become hooded. “What part of me is sexy?”

“Can I just say all of you and be done with it?”

“No.”

Needing to move, I begin up the porch stairs. He walks with me, staying close, his hand moving to my back.

He’s still touching me when we walk inside.

He’s still touching me when we close the door.

“Okay, night,” I say, preparing to run away.

Noah takes my hand, pulling me back. “You haven’t answered my question yet.”

I catch sight of his shoulders in the hall mirror, my eyes snagging on the vast expanse of black leather. And then there’s me next to him, so much smaller. And that shouldn’t fluster me, but it does. He’s so big .

Big and trim and toned and…

Where do I sign up to be a vampire?

No.

Bad.

Stop.

“How about I go first?” Noah wraps his arm around my waist, pulling me into him so my back is tucked against his chest. He moves his mouth to my ear, softly running his bottom lip over my skin.

“Go first at what?” I breathe, my head fuzzy with the feel of him.

“Your smile is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen,” he says. “It guts me.”

“You can’t start with my smile ,” I laugh. “You’re supposed to say my legs or something, so I can roll my eyes and walk away. You’re playing dirty.”

“Your laugh is sexy.” He nuzzles my earlobe. “The way your breath quickens when I’m touching you—that’s sexy, too.”

“Noah…”

“The way you look in your gardening shorts, with dirt smudged on your skin and your ponytail all windblown.”

“Now, just stop—that’s not attractive at all.”

He presses a kiss to my neck. “Yes, it is. It flusters me every time.”

My resolve is like a dandelion, gone to seed, blowing away in the wind.

“Are you flirting or seducing this time?” I ask, my legs growing weak.

Noah turns me, sliding his hand to my back, pulling me flush against him. His amber eyes meet mine, forbidden honey. “Which do you want?”

Air whooshes from my lungs, and my knees get a little wobbly.

Okay, so this whole time, I’ve been consumed with vampire things. But there are some very human things to consider as well.

“I…I’m…” I swallow. “Waiting?”

Noah lifts his eyebrows, startled. “Was that a question?”

“No. It’s more of a fact.”

“You’re twenty-eight.”

I clear my throat. “Correct.”

“You had a serious boyfriend.”

I cringe, not wanting Kevin to enter this conversation. “Also correct.”

“But you never…”

“No.”

“By choice?”

“I mean, yes .”

Noah starts to laugh. It’s a deep, highly amused, rumbly sound that makes me think I’m going to be questioning my life choices very soon. Specifically, the one where I thought I could rent out a room to the hottest man I’ve ever met.

“It’s not funny,” I say, though I start laughing myself.

“No, it’s not.” He looks down at me with so much affection…and amusement. “But it is rather endearing. Maybe even a little bit…sexy.”

My mouth goes dry. “It’s what now?”

“Tell me what you’re waiting for.”

“Oh. You know. The usual.”

“Marriage.” The sparkle leaves Noah’s eyes, and I think it’s for the same reason my mood is suddenly plummeting.

I’m a human, and Noah is a dragon. And as much as I like him, I don’t know if we have a future.

Except…his hand is warm. And his blood is in the fridge next to mine. Noah is a dragon—but I’m not without scales.

“Down the road, have you ever considered getting married?” I ask, and then I quickly add, “Not to me! But…eventually?”

“At one time, I did, yes.”

“Before you entered the final stage?”

He nods, now very solemn. So solemn I want to kiss his frowning lips and bring back his smile.

“And do you think you’d ever consider marrying a little baby larva?”

Noah closes his eyes, smiling against his will. “We’ve got to be done with that.”

“Yes, or no?”

“Yes.” He opens his eyes, and our gazes catch and hold. “Yes, Piper, I would.”

“But I’d get old.”

He brings his hand to the back of my neck. So gentle. “You wouldn’t have to.”

“There you go again, talking about breaking the law for me,” I joke softly. “You promised you wouldn’t bite me.”

His fingers knead my muscles, sending warmth down my spine. “How about I amend my promise? I won’t bite you…unless you ask me to.”

“Okay…” I pause. “But not while you’re kissing me, all right? You have no idea how chaotic my thoughts are then.”

Noah barks out a laugh and then groans, his mind probably wandering where mine did. “Does this mean we’re dating?”

“No….but it does mean we’re responsible adults, and we talked about important things before leaping into a relationship.” I smirk at his look of pure annoyance. “I’m proud of us.”

Shaking his head, he starts up the stairs. “I’m going to bed.”

“Noah, wait.”

He turns back expectantly.

I grin up at him. “Don’t forget to take your blood.”