Devour, A Paranormal Romance (Warm Delicacy Series, Book 3) (11 page)

Robin said her mother had gone back to the crypt. It was painful to see Mara so broken, but even more so to see the hurt she was causing Robin. She’d already lost her father; I didn’t want her to lose her mother too. I imagined it would be difficult for her to stay here and watch her mother spiral into depression, but it had to be hard to leave her as well. Robin was obviously trying her hardest to be strong, but she couldn’t hide how much she was still hurting. I could almost feel her anguish just from sitting beside her. I slipped my arm around hers and squeezed.

The drive to Naos seemed surprisingly shorter than it had before. Maybe because I wasn’t fleeing for my life. We spent most of the time answering Liz’s endless array of questions, most of which Robin was more than happy to answer. She loved vampire history, and giving Liz the run down on all the facts was right up her alley. To my surprise, Liz wasn’t as shocked about the truths as I had been; in fact, she was all the more fascinated. If she didn’t worship vampires before, she definitely did now.

“So, you’re telling me you can seriously run faster than this SUV?” Liz asked Arrick, completely flabbergasted.

He chuckled. “Yeah.”

“But you can go out in daylight, and they can’t?” she asked, pointing to Robin, Dmitry and me.

“Pretty much,” Arrick answered, sounding less uncomfortable being in her presence then he had at her house.

“Well, why aren’t all vampires like you then?”

“They aren’t allowed,” Robin answered. “The vampire high council in our region has only permitted a handful of Blood Mates to be created in the last hundred years.”

“That’s dumb,” Liz scowled, sounding offended.

“It’s more like they’re scared than anything,” Dmitry said, finally speaking.

“Scared of what?” Liz questioned.

“They believe Blood Mates are more powerful than vampires.”

“It’s true,” Robin commented, shifting in her seat so she could face Dmitry who was sitting shotgun next to Arrick. “I think in some ways they are. Maybe if we had more of them we would stand a better chance against Baal.”

“Baal? That’s the evil, mutant vampire guy, right?” Liz wrinkled her brow looking utterly confused with the situation. I didn’t blame her; it was a lot to take in. But, she was handling it rather well, considering.

“Yes,” Robin giggled, making us all release our own laughter, and easing the tension that we had been hiding inside.

Liz kept asking questions ranging from the kind of shops available in Naos, to what the weather was like and if it would affect her hair. She even asked me if I could hook her up with any available guys! Now wasn’t the time to go gallivanting around on a date, but could it really do any harm? I agreed that I would think about it, but I told her that she wouldn’t be allowed out of the Château without a guard. It was just too dangerous.

It was uncomfortable sleeping in the car, but it was our only option. Like the Mercedes we’d taken before, the SUV had blackout curtains that hid the sunlight during the day. Arrick drove the whole way, only stopping to refuel or get himself and Liz some food.

“Are we there yet?” Liz asked through a yawn after the sun had finally set and we were starting to wake up.

“Almost,” Arrick replied as he turned the SUV to the left. I was expecting us to come to a stop, thinking we’d made it to the parking location, and walk the rest of the way like we had before. Instead, I felt the engine roar as we drove up a steep incline. The sound of gravel crunched beneath the tires.

“Where are we going?” I leaned forward, placing my hand on Arrick’s shoulder. I missed touching him, being near him. I felt that same yearning emit from him, coursing its way through my fingertips and straight to my heart.

“Just going the back way. I thought it would be better than making everyone walk through town with all this luggage,” he said, sounding more in control of his emotions than he felt. Not to mention it was rather awkward having Dmitry just inches away. He’d been a large point of jealousy for Arrick, and I could tell that just a bit of it was creeping back.

“Good thinking.” I’d completely forgotten how much we’d brought with us. Louie growled angrily behind me, shouting his desire to be free of his cage and the car. “We’re almost there, big guy.” I stuck my finger through the cage and he rubbed his head against it.

“Good! My legs are so cramped and I think my butt is asleep,” Liz groaned, stretching her arms up to touch the roof of the SUV.

“We wouldn’t want that.” I pinched her arm and she slapped my hand.

“No picking on the human!” she cried out playfully.

As if on cue; Robin, Dmitry and Liz all gasped in sync as the Château came into view. From this distance I couldn’t even tell it had been attacked at all. Though the sun had set, the sky still carried a luxurious pink hue tinged in lavender and red. Everything seemed to be soaking in the beauty of it, glowing with the last ounces of light before being swallowed up by the dark curtain of night.

The cylindrical towers stood grandly amongst the arched windows, and ornate architectural details that accentuated the intricate stone statues that stood watch over the Château. Lush plants embraced the structure, hugging every brick with vibrant, green life. Pops of color speckled the landscape giving proof that the coming autumn hadn’t withered the summer’s vibrant blooms.

“It’s even more beautiful in person,” Robin said in awe.

“Wait, you haven’t been to Naos before?” I asked, completely confused.

“No,” she smiled at me, “I’ve just seen this Château before, but only in pictures. Pictures that didn’t do it justice at all.” I don’t know why I was surprised; Robin hungered for vampire history as much as a vampire hungers for blood.

As we drew closer, Arrick pulled the SUV aside and parked in a graveled area amongst several other vehicles. All of them were dark in color with blackout windows. There was a beautiful royal blue convertible that I thought was a bit out of place, but I suppose a night drive with the wind in your hair would actually be kind of nice. Maybe when the war was over Arrick and I could go on that drive.

Liz oohed and ahhed over the cars until her attention was drawn back to the Château. Rounding the front, scaffolding outlined an entire wing like skeletal bones. The repairs were well under way; my parents weren’t wasting any time getting it back to normal, either.

Arrick’s urgency slammed into my chest like a freight train as he quickened his pace toward the entrance. I’d told him what had happened, but no doubt seeing it in person was a lot to take in. Hell, I was here when it happened and it still shocked me. Despite the maintenance and restoration that had begun, the magnitude of the damage did not escape me. I could almost feel the Château’s wound as if it bled from my very own limb. Pain seeped from it like a river. I knew it wasn’t really the building that was crying out, but those inside it. My parents, the guard, the elders, the servants, the humans. Everyone.

I ran to Arrick’s side as he dropped to his knees. “Are you okay?” I kneeled down beside him, wrapping my arm around his waist.

“I should have been here,” he said, staring at the Château. His voice was laced with anger and regret.

“Don’t blame yourself. This would have happened whether or not you were here. If you hadn’t left then Robin and Dmitry might not be alive.” I looked back at my friends who were trying their best to give us space by unloading the luggage from the SUV.

Arrick blinked hard, finally looking at me. “Don’t!” I pressed my finger to his lips when he opened his mouth to speak. I played the blame game enough for the both of us; he didn’t need to play it too. Plus, I hated seeing him like this. He’d always been my rock, my symbol of strength and I wanted to be that for him too. “You’re here now and that’s what matters. Baal might have attacked first, he might have tried to burn down our homes, but he failed!” I pointed to the scaffolding where it was obvious repairs were not far from being done. I could smell the scent of cement and fresh paint mixed in the breeze. “All he’s done is made us stronger.”

“Look at you being all optimistic.” He smiled appraisingly at me.

“Well, I did learn from the best.” I winked at him playfully. He pulled me to him, wrapping me in his arms as he dropped a kiss onto my lips. He was warm and inviting, lacing his fingers in my hair with one hand and squeezing my hips with the other. Passion surged through me as our embrace tightened and our tongues danced. Moments later he pulled away, caressing my face with his fingertips. I sighed as his warm breath tickled my skin. He teased me, nudging my nose with his and pulling his luscious lips away with a smirk when I tried kissing him again.

“Come here.”

I slid my fingers through his hair, leaning into him until our lips locked again. If he wanted to tease me, then two could play at that game. I tugged on his lip, hoping to torture him like he had me, but he jerked underneath me. My eyes popped open to see his finger on his lip. As he pulled it away a single drop of blood stood at the edge of his bottom lip.

“You bit me,” he said with surprise. I stared at the blood, hunger roaring inside me. I hadn’t meant to bite him; to play so rough, but now that I had… it had been so long since I’d last eaten, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I could hold out. This fast was growing more difficult every hour. How were Dmitry and Robin managing so easily? It took all my strength the whole drive here to not beg Arrick to let me drink from him again. I could never forget how delicious he tasted, nothing like the coppery flavor of blood before I was changed. No, Arrick tasted like honey. Honey that filled every inch of my body with energy, and strength.

I could feel my breathing growing faster, my vision zeroing in on that single droplet. I wanted to slide my tongue across his plump lip, but would I stop at that? No, I doubt I could. I managed to pull my eyes away from his lip, but every sensation in my body still focused on it. Arrick was looking straight at me, passion hidden in his gaze. The heat between us was sweltering. I hadn’t realized it, but I pushed my every desire outward, wrapping our bodies together like lovers. It accentuated our desires, fed our passion, and shared our emotions.

His chest heaved against mine, but he dropped his gaze. He took his finger, and slid it across his lip. My heart sank as he pulled away the droplet, making me sigh in disappointment. I unlatched my arms from around him, ready to pull myself from his grasp when his finger slid across my lip. He spread the blood across my lips like a crimson gloss. I stared at him with wide eyes, as the sweet smell wafted into my nose. His touch was so sensual it made my heart hammer in my chest.

I hesitated for only a moment, as I stared into his smoldering eyes, before licking my lips. He smiled lovingly at me, pulling me toward him and planting a kiss on my forehead.

“Why did you do that?” I touched my lips, still able to feel the tingle of his touch. I had been starving, hell, I was still starving, but that gave me no right to bite him. I hadn’t meant to and I felt a little guilty. I didn’t want him to think that’s all he was to me. Arrick was more than just a meal. He was my friend, my guardian, my protector, and… the man I believed I was starting to fall madly in love with despite my stubborn brain trying to fight me on it.

“You’re hungry,” he answered simply. “I can feel it.” I turned away, ashamed that he had felt how much I wanted to sink my teeth into him.

“Get a room!” Liz stuck her tongue out at us, as she shouted from beside the SUV. She was followed by Dmitry who rolled his eyes while Robin gave a playful wink. We had been caught red-handed. Arrick and I untangled ourselves, and after dousing our passion we strolled up to my friends hand in hand. I couldn’t stop the heat that rushed to my cheeks in embarrassment. That wasn’t exactly a situation I wanted an audience for.

Arrick and Dmitry carried most of the luggage as we made our way to the Château. Louie growled angrily as I hefted him in my arms, refusing to let him go until we were safely inside. This was a new place for him and I didn’t want him wandering around until he understood this would be our new home.

The moment I stepped into the entry relief washed over me. Being home made all the fears, and doubts I had disappear. Maybe everything was really going to be okay? My parents were healing, the Noire region was going to join forces with us, I had my friends with me and Arrick by my side. We had everything going for us. The possibility of winning this war finally broke through my pessimistic nature.

Arrick and Dmitry deposited our bags by the door for the eager hands of the servants who had been awaiting our arrival. Of all the servants there, I recognized one face. It was the girl who had warned me about Bennett. I couldn’t remember her name, but I was still very happy to see that she had survived the attack. She smiled at me happily, taking in the others in my group.

“Would you take Louie to my room?” I asked her, offering her my furry friend who had finally giving up fighting my grasp.

“Of course, princess. We’re so happy to have you back home.” Her genuine smile stretched across her face, and the others joined in with her, nodding their agreement.

“I’m happy to be home. Do you know where my parents are?”

“They’re in the throne room,” she answered cheerily, like my arrival had broken through the storm cloud that hung over the Château.

“Oh,
Princess
!” Liz drawled sarcastically before nudging me with her elbow. “I sure hope you don’t expect me to call you that.”

“I don’t expect anyone to call me that,
Lizzy
!” I teased, using the nickname that her mother had given her that she absolutely hated. As soon as the kids in grade school learned that one, she was dubbed
Dizzy Lizzy
. And that’s when Liz’s career in playground fights began.

“Hey!” She pointed her finger at me with a stern look on her face. I’d definitely pushed a button, but I couldn’t stop myself from laughing.

“Oh, I think Lizzy is a pretty name,” Robin sided with me, a smile making way for her ivory fangs.

“Great!” Liz threw her hands up in the air, giving up.