Dark Summoner (Relic Keeper Series Book 1) (12 page)

“Some seek to use you, others to destroy you.”

“There’s always the third option,” I said. “I could think for myself.”

A slow, sensual smile unfolded from his mouth. “You’re mortal. To them your mental capacity was in question since your birth. It’s nothing personal.”

“So they think we’re stupid?” I snapped.

“Not stupid, more like children. Impulsive, irrational, emotional. Unable to make an impartial decision.”

My ego wanted to argue, to defend humanity, but in a lot of ways he was right. Maybe we were all of those things and many more, but wasn’t that what made the human race beautiful? I thought so. Anger rose in my chest as I thought of them laughing at us, judging us, as though we only existed beneath them.

“I thought I’d already met the Council?” I said.

“You’ve met the top tier, not the entire Council. There are twelve members, and they are made up of various faction leaders from the regions. There’s also the Temple as well and the priestesses.”

I wanted to ask if Dorian would be there but I knew it was a question that he wouldn’t appreciate.

“That’s a lot to keep up with. Must be exhausting.”

“At times it can be.”

My unexpected laughter caught him off guard, and he raised a quizzical brow at me. He was being so nice—so normal—that it was like two friends talked. It was nice to have honesty for once. If we ended up bonded for eternity, he may not prove to be so bad. I knew I should have kept my mouth shut, but I couldn’t help myself.

“You know, when you’re not threatening me, I kind of like you.”

Out of nowhere his eyes flashed from gray to coal black as his anger charged through the air. He stormed over to the door and thrust it open. “I don’t have time to humor your ignorance any longer.”

I wasn’t sure what I’d done to anger him, but hot tears formed. I stood up and hurried to the door. I stopped just inside the frame and spoke to him from over my shoulder.

“When do they want to have this meeting?”

He didn’t respond, and I couldn’t see his face to tell whether he was going to ignore me or respond. I was about to leave when he spoke.

“Saturday evening.”

“All right. Saturday it is.”

I
stretched my legs out across the cool stone tiles that covered the terrace, mindlessly observing the greenery below. A soft breeze blew across my skin and hair, sending chills over my body. A wet dew still lingered, so I’d chosen a seat on the floor to avoid the moisture-covered table and chairs. Birds lightly chirped within the trees, and the bubbling of the garden fountain kept the day from being too quiet. In any other circumstance, everything about this morning would have been serene. But with Saturday on the next horizon, I couldn’t eat or think clearly. Anxious energy coursed through me at a rapid rate. I needed to find a way to get rid of it before I had a panic attack.

Personally, I knew of only two ways to flush it out—sex or exercise. I’d used both methods successfully in the past, but since the former wasn’t an option, I settled on the latter. Reagan was gone for the day. I waited for Marcus or Luca to barge into my room this morning and throw me out, but to my surprise, they never showed up. By the time it hit seven, I figured my usual punishment for the day had been postponed until later so I sat on the floor in my room doing crunches and push-ups. The minutes turned into hours, and yet still, no one came.

By the time it hit nine-thirty, my nerves couldn’t wait any longer. Pushing my body to its limits always left me too exhausted to stress over the “what ifs.” It focused my mind while keeping my blood pressure under control, and it was exactly what I needed right now—a good, hard, long workout. The rolling hills outside looked like the perfect place to do just that. I headed inside and searched the closet for a suitable outfit. Throwing on a loose, gray T-shirt, stretchy yoga pants, and pair of sneakers, I left my room and started down toward the garden.

As I rounded the bottom of the staircase, the front door swung open and a large group of people strolled inside, laughing and chatting in another language. I thought it sounded like Spanish or maybe Italian. Two men and three women escorted by Luca stepped in, pausing only briefly to set their bags down in the entryway. When Marcus arrived, they switched to English.

The blonde with shorter hair approached him first, greeting him with a kiss on each cheek. “Marcus, my love, it’s been too long. You are well?”

But he didn’t get a chance to respond. A second woman pushed forward, her long golden locks swaying left and right as she knocked the other woman out of the way.

She leaned into Marcus, wrapping her hands around his muscular arms. “Of course he’s well, Marina. When are these men
ever
unwell? Did you miss me?”

“Of course he didn’t miss you, Eliza. His bed has probably been overflowing every night since the last time we left.”

“Ladies, please,” Marcus said, pulling them both forward and into his arms. “There’s enough room in my bed for both of you.”

They giggled at his comment, and I gagged internally. How could two women be willing to share the same man? I knew I couldn’t. There was a third woman, taller than the others, who didn’t offer a single flirtation in Marcus’s way. From the way she held herself, I got the impression she waited for someone. They didn’t linger in the entry long before they moved on, following Luca and Marcus toward the lounge. When I saw their faces, I was awestruck. They were stunning, impeccable, beautiful. Everything about them exuded modern elegance.

With my curiosity now peaked, I tagged along, making sure to hang back enough not to be noticed. None of them saw me. In their world, people like me didn’t exist. I slipped into the corner next to the bar and watched them the way one does animals at the zoo.

The two other men were engaged deep in conversation with Luca, but they were too far for me to hear, so I settled on the three women and Marcus.

“Wine, champagne, or cognac?” Marcus asked the two blondes who followed him around like puppy dogs.

The one named Eliza answered first. “Wine is for relaxing, Marcus. Champagne is for celebrating, but cognac is for having fun.”

The way she said fun sounded more like another four letter F word.

“Cognac it is,” he said, chuckling.

The tallest of the women was a stunning raven-haired beauty and easily the most gorgeous out of all three. Flawless is the word that came to mind. Her rich, luxurious, ebony hair fell down to her breasts, contrasting against her pristine fair skin. Thick bangs framed her heart-shaped face, just barely grazing her milk chocolate eyes and long lashes. Not a single hair out of place. Her high cheekbones and full lips were flushed with a natural pink blush. The only evidence of makeup, a meticulously applied eyeliner that drew out the natural almond shape of her eyes.

I was instantly envious. She had the kind of effortless beauty most women paid thousands of dollars to achieve. The only thing about her out of place was her expression. She remained aloof, as if nothing in this world impressed or affected her.

My blood flamed to life as the familiar burn that signaled Kieron’s arrival flushed through me. I scanned the room, seeking him out. I hated how often I found myself searching for him. Most times I didn’t even have anything to say, I just wanted to be near him . That was the one secret I kept from Reagan. If she knew how often I tried to intentionally put myself in his company, she’d never let me hear me the end of it. But the truth was, I couldn’t help myself.

I was surprised to see him appear in the corner doorway across from the pool table instead of the main entry. Where that door led, I didn’t have a clue, but I’d never seen any of them use it until now.

My attention drew back to the raven beauty. For some reason, I wanted to see her reaction to him. To see if it was the same as everyone else, or if she was immune to the most magnetizing man in the world.

They were made for each other.

A pang I refused to recognize ached deep in my heart at that thought.

The moment she saw Kieron, her entire demeanor transformed. She was like a flower that blossomed and opened at the sight of him, he, the sun, that seduced her into bloom. He politely greeted the other men and women with a smile and a shake of the hand, but with her, he was different. She swiftly adjusted her arms, letting the black silk blouse she wore fall farther off her shoulders to reveal even more of her perfect skin. Her seductive smile grew as he approached.

“Stassi, it’s always a pleasure to see you.” The way he said her name sent my blood boiling. It was intimate and much too personal, like their relationship was, I assumed.

“Kieron,” she said, her sultry voice echoing her passion for him.

She was a goddess, fitting for Kieron, the demigod. Seeing them embrace each other and the way her gaze lingered on him made it clear they had a history. Every touch, every smile, had the green-eyed monster raging within me. It was irrational and unwarranted but that didn’t stop me from behaving the way I did. Damn this stupid bond. I kept trying to convince myself that’s all it was. My need to be near him was forced, not something I wanted.

Kieron and I didn’t have anything together but a few heated glances and the dark fantasies I kept locked deep in my mind. He was nothing more than a sinister devil who could probably coax desire from a nun. Wasn’t he? Too many complex emotions raced through me, and I suffocated on them. I knew I needed to get out of there before anyone noticed me. I slid out from behind the bar and turned the corner into the doorway when I bumped into Roman’s chest.

“Where are you headed so quickly, Abby?” Roman asked, his voice venomous and intentionally loud enough to draw the attention of several people, including Kieron. I glanced over my shoulder to see him look in my direction, as if just noticing me. He didn’t move a muscle, still too deeply engaged in conversation with the goddess, but his eyes watched me, the stormy gray swirling with black.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little deflated that he hadn’t realized I was there earlier. I turned back toward Roman to find Dominic had joined him in the doorway. He gave me a brief nod and passed us by.

“I was actually just about to head out for a run,” I said, trying to push past him, but Roman gripped my shoulder tight with a firm hand.

“Join us for a drink. Our guests have just arrived.”

I was shocked, then suspicious. He made it clear he didn’t like me—didn’t trust me. So why was he now so interested in me being here? What did he need to prove? Or gain? Whatever it was, I had no interest in playing into his hand.

I concealed my distress by acting detached. “I doubt it’s a good idea to have a cocktail before a workout, but thanks. Maybe next time.” I patted Roman’s shoulder, a subtle way of saying move.

He didn’t budge.

Instead, he stretched his arm across the frame, blocking my exit with his bulky muscles. He tilted his head toward Kieron and the goddess.

“Is something bothering you?” he asked, feigning concern as he provoked me with his words. He was challenging me. Daring me to run away like he expected, or better yet, to see Kieron with this woman and know my place.

We glared at one another. If he expected me to cower, he had another thing coming. I curved my lips upward, giving him an artificial smile, before I walked back into the room. Luca was still by the bar joking with the two male models when I joined him. I quickly grabbed the Patrón off the shelf and drank a gulp of it, straight from the bottle.

“Whoa, Abby,” he said chuckling at my behavior. “Slow down there, it’s still early.”

“Hey,” I said, with a strained smile as the rush of strong alcohol burned my empty belly.

I searched for Reagan, hoping that she’d magically appear. But she’d told me she wouldn’t be home today, so the chances of her making a surprise entrance were low.

He tossed a lime into the air, repeatedly catching it with one hand. “Sorry we missed your workout this morning. We can make it up to you tonight.”

I wiped the residual tequila from my lips. “Not yet. It’s still early.”

He winked and briefly introduced me to hot and hotter, who were seated across the bar, sipping from maple-colored bottles. I didn’t remember their names. All of my energy was concentrated on keeping my shit together. I politely listened to their conversation, not really caring who they were or what they had to say. My attention constantly drifted to the couple across the room.

Why was he doing this to me? Flaunting her in front of me.

Stassi couldn’t keep her hands off Kieron. Every so often she’d reach out and playfully smack his arm or lean her body into him. My stomach churned uncomfortably, hot with anger and the early effects of alcohol without food. I turned away from them and reclined my back against the bar as I pretended to be interested in Luca’s conversation again.

I asked the same questions over and over again in my head. Why did I give a shit?
Elhun
. That had to be it. It wasn’t anything more than something forcing us together. Destiny was such a bitch sometimes. And what I was feeling right now was nothing more than wounded female pride. I’d get over it. Get over him. I’d find a way.

“May I suggest you refrain from drinking straight out of the bottle tomorrow evening?” The sound of his voice so close was pure ecstasy. I closed my eyes, basking in the heat that poured through me from his proximity. It was absolutely delicious.

I rested against the bar and angled my body toward him.

“What’s tomorrow night?” I asked, pretending that I had forgotten.

He leaned forward and set his elbows on the marble counter, calling my bluff with a single movement of his eyebrow.

So now he wanted to be nice again? The last time we spoke he was being a total ass and now he’s being what? Cordial? Fuck that.

“Oh that’s right,” I said, slapping my hand against the top of my head. “Tomorrow’s the meeting. I must have forgotten.” I grabbed a bottle of scotch from the shelf and refilled my glass. “I meant to ask you, is Dorian going to be there? I haven’t seen him in so long and I .would love to talk to him again.”

It was childish. I knew it.

But I couldn’t help myself. My freakin’ emotions were out of control. His eyes darkened with a flare of anger before disappearing. His features became impassive and cool once again.

A smooth, well-manicured hand slipped over Kieron’s right bicep as Stassi appeared next to him. “I thought you were getting my drink,
drahá.
”

He nudged his head toward me. “Stassi, this is Abigail.”

She looked me over once, then offered a polite smile. “Pleasure.” She may have said the word, but there was not a hint of pleasure in her perfect voice. She knew who I was and she didn’t like it. She saw me as a threat, a rival. If only she knew how many times Kieron told me he didn’t want me. But why was he doing this? Did he need to remind me not to get any ideas about us or was he trying to remind himself?

It took every shred of self-control I had not to smack her. From this close up, she was by far, the most alluring woman I’d ever seen, magazines and television included. I didn’t think that people like her existed outside of Photoshop. I had to force myself to keep my arms down at my sides, the urge to fix my hair or adjust my clothing incessant.