Page 10

Lorcan

F uck.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

I stared at the counter in my kitchen, about to prepare my first cup of tea for the morning.

The near-empty jar of old man saltbush taunted me.

In my haste to leave last night, I had left the bag of tea.

I closed my eyes and sighed. The last thing I wanted to do today was return to the garden center.

I’d spent most of the night staring at the ceiling, wanting nothing more than to return to Briar—to go to the party and talk to her all night next to the fire. I wanted to pull her into my arms and kiss her, to know what her lips felt and tasted like. I wanted to know everything about her.

But what was I supposed to say to her? “Let’s go to dinner. By the way, I ruined your ancestor’s life, but don’t worry, I promise it won’t happen again?”

Or maybe it would work to explain my family? “My brothers and I are all dhampirs born to a human mother and vampire father. She has to drink his blood every day to stay with him. By the way, Aiden would like to kill us all because we won’t join him in his quest for world domination.”

I needed to forget her. At least that was what I had determined last night as I tried to push thoughts of her face and the feel of her fingers resting in mine from my mind.

My heart sped up even as I thought about it, my cock hardening.

I tried to ignore it. Last night, ignoring it had been impossible, which had led to me eventually imagining her beautiful lips wrapped around it, dipping into her throat, as I massaged myself into a subpar orgasm—one that I’m sure paled compared to the reality of what fucking Briar would be like.

I had no choice but to return to the garden center, and I had to go now or else I would have to chance using my vampiric speed to get there and someone seeing a blur running by.

It didn’t take long to walk there. Tiny bits of garbage lay along the gravel walk as I headed toward the office. Catering staff dotted the way, picking up the remains of the party from last night.

I took a deep breath as I reached the building, the unmistakable scent of dew-covered coals permeating the air from the firepit. I rapped on the door.

“Come in.”

Dammit. It was her voice, soft and beautiful but also tired. I pushed the door open.

“Hi. I left the tea last night.” I pointed at the bag sitting on the desk.

Her eyes lit up. “Sure. You can pay for it when the plant comes in.” She picked it up, checking the security of the closure.

An hour ago, I wanted nothing to do with her. But standing here, the breeze from the fan blew the scent of her lavender shampoo toward me. I heard her heart race as her eyes searched mine. “Lorcan, would you like to get coffee sometime?”

Her eyes sparkled, and she had a stunning smile on her lips as I took the bag. “Sure.” My heart fluttered when I said the word.

Her smile widened. “Great. I’ll text you.”

I clutched the bag of tea, drowning in her gaze, wishing I could stay longer. A familiar gnawing in my body reminded me why I needed the tea, and I snatched my gaze away.

“I’ll see you soon.”

With that, I hurried away.

The following morning, I stared at the phone on my lap, my stomach tightening into a knot. I’d read the text but couldn’t bring myself to respond. “It was a surprise to see you. When would you like to get coffee?”

I couldn’t get the image of her face out of my mind, her wavy brown hair framing her features. But I couldn’t get involved with her. How could it possibly work out?

I glanced over at my kitchen counter. The silvery leaves of the old man saltbush sat in their jar. Eventually, I’d need to go to the garden center, pick up the plant, and give her the donation.

There had to be a way to get the plant without being near her.

Why had I agreed to go on a date? A smile crept to my lips as I entertained the possibility of sneaking into the garden center at night and liberating the plant myself.

There was something darkly comical about the thought of me lurking around like a ninja, afraid of being seen for want of a plant.

A chuckle escaped my lips before I could stop it, reverberating around the quiet room.

I pressed my lips together, confident that life would return to normal once our business concluded.

I walked into my bedroom, stripping off my clothes as I went.

I needed to get out of the house and clear my thoughts.

After reaching for the towel hanging on the wall next to the en suite door, I wrapped it around my waist before stepping outside.

The cool morning sand cushioned my feet as I approached the water’s edge.

The sun crept over the horizon, casting a pale golden hue over the rippling waves.

Dropping the towel on the white sand, I waded into the water. The water lapped at my skin, cool and invigorating, carrying the faint tang of salt with it. It swirled around my feet before climbing up to my knees. By the time it reached my thighs, I knew it was safe to dive in.

The water enveloped me, soothing me, almost as though it could calm the storm of conflicted emotions I felt for Briar.

My fingers tightened into fists as the water closed over my head, a futile attempt to suppress the ache growing in my chest. After so many years, why was I feeling this way for someone now?

I let myself sink to the ocean floor, looking up at the sunlit surface above.

A school of silver fish darted around me, their movements languid in the morning calm, their scales shimmering in unison like scattered jewels.

It was early enough that I wasn’t likely to encounter any humans, but if I did, I could rise to the surface and feign holding my breath.

The vibrant colors of the sea life blurred into the backdrop of brilliant red coral swaying in the current.

Mesmerized, I let my thoughts drift. But as I watched, my head spun, an uncommon but familiar faintness overtaking me.

I lowered my hands to the silty bottom and dug my fingers into the cool sand, bracing myself.

It had been years since I’d felt this way, and I knew what was coming.

My vision tunneled as the pressure built behind my eyes, and the ocean around me went black.

The gritty feeling of the sea floor slipping through my fingers was my last conscious thought.

Cormac and Conall stood in front of the drinks cart, the windows of the solarium at Dún Na Farraige dark.

Through the panes of glass, I could see the white caps of the harbor waves, and peace washed over me.

I missed my home, but I would never admit it.

The amber whiskey in their glasses refracted the light from the massive chandelier.

Conall clapped our eldest brother on his shoulder, a broad grin on his face, before taking two steps toward the gigantic white fireplace.

“Can you believe it?” said Cormac.

Conall shook his head. “I can’t. I never thought this would happen, even when you claimed her as your mate. A toast to you, Aurora, and the baby.” Conall lifted his drink.

“Thank you, brother. If only we had the others to share the news with.” Cormac’s lips twitched as he fought against a frown. He always was one to keep our family together.

“What are you going to do about Aiden?” asked Conall, his smile dropping and his knuckles turning white as he gripped the glass. “Do you think he’ll go after Aurora and the baby?”

I watched the scene unfold, unable to stop the vision of the future.

Cormac shook his head. “If only we knew where to find Lorcan. Maybe between the three of us, we could imprison Aiden and allow him to desiccate, as much as I don’t want to do that to my kin.

At least until we find the Cure.” His smile turned to one of bitterness.

“Did I tell you that our brother called? Told me he would not help us.” His voice held a faint edge, a mix of frustration and resignation.

“That sounds just like him,” Conall said before sipping his drink.

I came to just enough to process my brother’s words, the cold weight of the water pressing in on me.

Had I called? Told him I wouldn’t help find Aiden or stop him?

Well, he was right. I wasn’t getting involved in this war or whatever they were doing.

But what were they doing? What was the Cure they mentioned?

I barely finished the thought before it drifted away.

An image came to mind—a room I recognized from long ago, when our family was happy—but the television in the corner told me this was not the past. Why was I seeing Oak Leaf Hallow, the home of the High Priestess of the Coven of the Blood?

A dark-haired woman sat on the couch, Cormac beside her.

Something about the vision felt different.

It wasn’t the future; it was the present. This was happening now.

Cormac’s hand reached over to the woman’s abdomen, resting on it.

The sunlight sparkled off her hair, my brother’s face calm and resolute.

And I heard it, the heartbeat, barely discernible over those of the adults, unmistakably soft and fast. The woman’s eyes were cast down at the floor, every bit of trust given to the vampire beside her, her countenance one of safety and warmth, a stark contrast to the storm raging in my mind.

My eyes flew open, the salt stinging them as I rocketed off the ocean floor.

I swam to the shore, grabbed my towel, and tucked it around my waist. The water clung to my skin, chilling me further as I burst into the house.

Without thinking twice, I reached for my phone and opened it to Cormac’s number, the one I had stared at so many times, swearing never to call. My thumb pressed down on it.

It rang.

“Hello?” greeted the voice. It gnawed at my heart—a voice I wanted to stay close to but couldn’t let myself.

“Brother.” The word drew out on my lips as my heart pounded.

I wanted to be beside him, pull him near me, and beg for forgiveness.

But not if it meant getting tied back up into their world.

No. I had to stay apart to preserve what I had.

I took a breath. “Just coming in from a swim. Congratulations on your wonderful news. However, let it be known, I have no intention of helping you and Conall.”

Cormac’s voice was tight. “Lorcan. How wonderful to hear from you.”

I clicked the button, ending the connection. I couldn’t do this. I shouldn’t have called. I should have thought more before dialing, but it was too late. My hand trembled as I set the phone down, the weight of my rash decision pressing against my chest. Hopefully, he wouldn’t be able to find me.