Page 36 of Viktor’s Temptation (East Coast Territory #2)

“Hello?” a warm, feminine voice called out.

Gracie spun around, her body instinctively shifting into a defensive crouch as two stunningly beautiful women walked into Viktor’s expansive great room. The room’s rich ambiance suddenly felt much smaller as her tension grew.

“Who are you?” Gracie demanded, her voice edged with fear and a hint of territoriality.

One of the women, dark-haired with striking blue eyes and a radiant smile, stepped forward with a calm and disarming confidence. Her movements were fluid and unhurried, like someone entirely at ease in her surroundings.

“Easy there,” the woman said gently, raising her hands in a non-threatening gesture. “I’m Anikka, Jace’s mate.” She tilted her head and smiled warmly. “We’ve met, but not properly. It’s nice to meet you again… in human form.”

Gracie blinked, piecing it together. “You’re a wolf,” she gasped, then cringed. “I’m sorry! That sounded rude.”

Anikka laughed, her eyes sparkling with humor. “No offense taken. And yes, I’m a wolf-shifter. Very observant.”

The second woman, with soft, dark hair and enchanting green eyes, stepped forward, her presence equally commanding but with a softer edge.

She extended a perfectly manicured hand.

“I’m Sorcia,” she introduced herself. “High Priestess of the coven.” She glanced playfully at Anikka.

“Although, I usually just go by Sorcia. Titles are so tedious.”

Anikka leaned closer to Gracie and whispered conspiratorially, “She’s being modest. Sorcia is a powerhouse. Sorcia is in charge of all the East Coast witches.”

Gracie hesitated before shaking Sorcia’s hand. “I’m Gracie… and I guess my title would be ‘the newbie vampire’,” she said with a nervous laugh.

Sorcia’s green eyes softened as she clasped Gracie’s hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard about your ordeal. You’re incredibly brave to have survived what you did. Truly remarkable.”

Gracie felt herself flush at the praise, glancing down at her hands. “I’m not sure about brave. Maybe just… lucky?”

“Luck had nothing to do with it,” Anikka said, flopping onto the nearest plush armchair with a casual grace. “You’re a badass, Gracie. Own it.”

Sorcia reached into her elegant leather tote and pulled out two bottles of wine, setting them on the coffee table with a theatrical flourish. “We’re celebrating your badassery. Wine?”

Gracie eyed the bottles wistfully. “I’m not sure what wine does to vampires.”

“Only one way to find out,” Anikka said, grinning as Sorcia snapped her fingers. Three crystal wine glasses appeared on the table in a flicker of soft green light.

Gracie’s eyes widened. “That’s… so cool.”

“Perks of having a witch around,” Anikka said with a wink. “Wait until you see what she can do at parties.”

Sorcia laughed as she poured. “Parties aren’t really my thing. I prefer books and quiet evenings. But for new friends? I make exceptions.”

The three women toasted, their glasses clinking lightly. Gracie took a sip and let out an audible moan. “Oh, wow! This is incredible! The blackberries, the oak… wait, is this French oak?” She paused. “How do I even know that?”

Anikka and Sorcia exchanged wide-eyed looks, then burst out laughing.

“Vampire taste buds,” Sorcia explained between giggles. “Apparently, they’re extraordinary. Who knew?”

Settling into the cozy atmosphere, the three women began swapping stories about their lives, punctuated by sips of wine and bites of decadent chocolates that Sorcia conjured with another snap of her fingers.

As they talked, the conversation naturally turned to the men in their lives.

“Jace is a handful,” Anikka admitted, grinning. “Alpha to the core. Always thinks he knows best. But I’ve learned how to keep him in check.”

Sorcia snorted. “You’ve tamed him. That’s no small feat.”

“Tamed?” Anikka scoffed. “Please. He’s as stubborn as ever. But I’ve mastered the art of putting him in his place when needed. You just have to out-alpha the alpha.”

The three women laughed, and Sorcia added, “Viktor’s no different, I’m sure. Men like them think they can get their way just because they’re strong and commanding. But we all know who really runs the show.”

Gracie laughed along with them, but when Sorcia said Viktor’s name, a strange pang twisted in her chest. Her laughter faltered, and she couldn’t shake the image of Sorcia’s radiant smile directed at Viktor.

She tried to brush it off, but the thought gnawed at her.

What if there had been something between them?

She barely registered the conversation until Anikka nudged her with an elbow. “Earth to Gracie. What’s with the brooding?”

“Brooding?” Gracie blinked. “I’m not brooding.”

“You totally are,” Sorcia teased. “Something on your mind?”

Gracie hesitated, then shook her head. “No, it’s nothing.”

But it wasn’t nothing. When the elevator doors opened and Viktor stepped into the room, Gracie’s heart leapt—and her jealousy flared when his silver eyes immediately found Sorcia.

“Thank you,” Viktor said, walking toward Sorcia. “Your coven’s help was invaluable.”

He reached out as if to embrace her, and before she could think, Gracie was standing between them, her back pressed against Viktor’s chest, her hands clutching his thighs, and a low, involuntary hiss escaping her lips.

The room went silent.

Viktor chuckled softly, his arms wrapping around Gracie’s waist as he pressed a kiss to her neck. “Gracie,” he murmured, his voice a soothing caress, “I’m all yours. She’s just a friend.”

Gracie’s tension melted, but the embarrassment lingered. She turned to Sorcia, her cheeks flaming. “I… I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

Sorcia’s smile was soft, her green eyes holding a flicker of something deeper—something wistful. “No apology needed,” she said gently. “I understand. Jealousy can be... overwhelming.” She paused, glancing down at her wine glass as she swirled the liquid inside. “And sometimes, it’s justified.”

Her voice carried a hint of sadness, her posture shifting slightly as though she was retreating into a memory. For a moment, the confident, radiant high priestess seemed vulnerable, her smile tinged with a bittersweet edge.

Gracie blinked, her own embarrassment briefly overshadowed by curiosity. Sorcia’s reaction didn’t seem like simple reassurance—it felt personal. Had Sorcia once loved someone so deeply that jealousy had burned within her too?

“I mean it, Gracie,” Sorcia said after a moment, her tone lightening but not entirely shaking the shadow of her past. “I’d probably do the same thing in your shoes.”

Her lips curved into a soft smile, but her hand rested protectively over the stem of her wine glass, her fingers tightening just slightly. “Sometimes,” she added, her voice almost too quiet to hear, “you have to fight for the people who matter most.”

The words hung in the air, and for a heartbeat, Gracie wondered if Sorcia was speaking from experience. The hint of a story untold lingered in the room, an unspoken tale that made Gracie’s curiosity flare.

Viktor’s arms tightened around Gracie, grounding her, and his lips brushed her temple. “You’re all I want,” he murmured, his voice low and intimate, as if it were a promise meant only for her ears.

Gracie exhaled, her tension melting as she leaned into his strength. Whatever ghosts of the past might haunt Sorcia, they were hers to share or keep. Viktor was here, now, holding Gracie as if nothing and no one could take her from him.

Yet, as Sorcia’s expression softened into something unreadable, Gracie couldn’t help but wonder who the man was that had left such a mark on her heart—and why she hadn’t claimed him for her own.