Relish: A Vicious Feast Book 2 (36 page)

Guide her with my light,

And show her what is right.

This is my will,

So mote it be.

Heart breaking, I force myself to repeat the chant. The words come out as sobs. My powers resist me at first. Like it knows what I am doing is wrong, like it wants me to fight. Even if it seems like the right thing to do, I can’t bring myself to kill my best friend. I owe her a chance to try and win Luka, without any hindrance from me. I breathe to calm my impulse to resist. Moira tightens her grip as if feeling my urge to stop. The light in my chest grows by the third repetition and consumes us both. 

C
HAPTER
F
ORTY
A
LTERNATIVE

My battle with Moira isn’t one of strength. It’s one of will. So, from a far corner of my mind, I watch her preen in front of three mirrors similar to the ones I used on my sixteenth birthday. Her bright pink dress clashes with her auburn hair. The moment I think this, she pauses in her movements and sneers at her reflection. She seems to be looking at herself, but I know she’s secretly looking at me. I cringe.

I brought her to a reality where I don’t exist. I figure with me entirely out of the way her chances of winning Luka’s feelings over are higher.

As if on cue, she steps down from the circular raised platform and saunters out of the elegantly appointed room. She takes us to a garden filled with marble statues. A party is in full swing with children playing tag, their parents milling about, keeping a watchful eye, and those without kids drink from silver chalices and pick at passing trays of hors d'oeuvres. A string quartet plays a jaunty tune in a gazebo beside a maypole.

With a genial smile on her face, Moira makes her way through the crowd, stopping for a quick chat when her name is called. After about five minutes of mindless schmoozing, she finally makes it to the fountain where Yana and Phoenix sit. An ache swells in my chest. Even in this reality they are still close friends judging from the way their heads lean toward each other. Only when they share a kiss do I realize they are more than just friends in this reality. Well, good for them!

I feel Moira’s brow crease at my exaltation. Right, her story, not mine. I restrain my thoughts as she asks Yana where she can find Luka. I’m confused by the concern marring Yana’s face. It’s as if she doesn’t expect Moira to ask her about Luka. My heartbeat begins to pound. Moira doesn’t miss this too, but she maintains her composure by plastering a smile on her face. Yana points her toward the lake beyond the fountain.

The hope filling Moira as she makes her way to Luka strangles me. Longing for him makes tears well. I blink them away before they have a chance to fall. I remind myself that I’m giving Moira this chance to prove me wrong.

When she reaches the placid lake that mirrors the sky, so much like Luka’s eyes, she scans the area and spots him sitting on a stone bench. My heart clenches. He’s wearing a loose-fitting tunic and soft leather pants tucked into knee-high boots. He’s leaning back on his hands with one leg stretched out and the other bent. A breeze ruffles his curls, causing them to tumble down his forehead. A part of me wants to run to him. Moira must have felt the impulse too because she dashes forward. He doesn’t notice her until she wraps her arms around his neck and places a kiss on his cheek.

A deep, throaty laugh escapes him as he returns the hug. My gut plummets and I’m shredded. He smiles at her and says, “What’s gotten you all excited today?”

Like a cat given a bowl of cream, Moira rubs up against his side. “Just seeing you.”

His face becomes an inscrutable mask. He untangles her hold and slides away, leaving inches of space between them. “Moira.”

“What?” Her anxiety spikes, seeping into me. I’m at the edge of my seat, riveted by what is happening.

“We’ve talked about this.”

She plays coy. Of course she doesn’t remember since she’s not from this reality. “About what?”

Luka sighs. “I know our parents want us to marry—”

“I’m all for it,” she jumps in. Her hope and adoration suffocates me. I’m tempted to turn away, unable to watch this unfold. She plows onward. “When do we set the date? I’m thinking an autumn wedding when the leaves are changing.”

He shakes his head. “I thought you understood.”

“What exactly did I understand?” She may be blinking in innocence, but the uptick in her tone is unmistakable.

“I can’t marry someone I don’t love.”

Her mouth falls open and a tiny part of me rejoices. Then she takes a deep breath and places a hand on his arm. “We can always learn to love each other. We have years to grow into our marriage.”

I have to hand it to her. She knows just what to say. Luka returns to leaning on his hands and watching the lake. For several minutes only the lapping water on the shore breaks the silence. I’m holding my breath, squeezing my hands together until I lose all feeling in my fingers.

“Have you ever felt like the person for you isn’t here?”

Luka’s question breaks my heart and glues it back together in the space of a few beats.

“Isn’t here?” There’s a crack in Moira’s voice. She clears her throat.

“Yes. I’ve always had this feeling that the person I’m supposed to love is somewhere else. That I should be looking for her.”

I cover my lips with my hands to keep the whimpers in. Tears are full-on streaming down my face. Even in a world where I don’t exist, Luka still feels a need to find me.

Suddenly, we’re in the white expanse of my mind again. Moira is pacing, muttering to herself. Then she stops and raises her hands as if to strangle me. I don’t move away, feeling too good about myself.

“Take me to another world,” she demands.

Without responding, I do so. A world where I’m a man. Unfortunately for Moira, she finds Luka kissing me behind heavy curtains in the room they share. Then I bring her to a reality where I’m an older woman. This pisses her off even more because Luka refuses to leave my side. My favorite will have to be the world where I’m a man and Luka is a woman. He makes a damn hot blond. Still, no dice for Moira. She practically pulls her hair out.

She grabs my arms and shakes me. “Take me back to the reality where they are rock stars.”

“Are you sure you want to do that?” My brows shot up. “He’s hung up on Phoenix in that world. Even I had a hard time with him then. Plus, you’re the only one who can return us there, remember?”

Her lips twist in disgust before she pushes me away. I stumble but quickly regain my balance despite my patch and depth perception issues. I smooth down my sweater. It had ridden up when she grabbed me.

“Are you telling me there isn’t a reality where there’s a chance between me and Luka?”

The calm way she asks scares me into saying, “We haven’t explored all the worlds yet.”

“But the world where you don’t exist…”

She doesn’t have to say it. I tamp down on feelings of triumph and celebration. My best friend’s heart is breaking all over again. I pull her into my arms. She struggles to get away, but I tighten my hold, stroking the back of her head with one hand while the other clamps around her waist. I use my height advantage against her and she eventually gives in and sags. She buries her face into my shoulder and sobs. She grabs my sweater and holds on. I press my cheek on top of her head and sigh, not saying anything. From experience, talking it out with Moira lands me in a shit ton of trouble.

“Why does he love you?” she screams. Her voice reverberates in my chest.

At first I think it’s a trick question, but I give in with a sigh. My shoulders sag when I ask back, “Why does anyone fall in love?”

“You’re just smooth-talking me.”

“Moira.” I roll my eye. “I think I’ve proven that speaking to you can get me killed, but I’m trying anyway. I don’t know why Luka loves me. Do I wish that he doesn’t? No.” I feel her tense up. I keep going. “But that doesn’t mean I intentionally want to rub it in your face and hurt you as a result. Can you imagine what would have happened if he’d returned your feelings that night? Maybe I would be the one crying into my pillow.”

She pushes back just enough to look up at me. Her swimming gaze pinches my insides. “Would you have done everything in your power to take him away?”

I had to think about it, biting down on my lip. Sweat coats my palms. There are so many ways to answer her. I can tell her what she wants to hear. I can go with ignorance. The expectation in her expression obliterates any lie I can come up with. I owe it to her to be honest. That realization leads me to the answer.

I look into her eyes and say, “If he returned your feelings and I realized I was in love with him too, I’d be hurt. Sure. But I’d like to think that because Luka and I grew up together…that we all grew up together,” I amend. “That eventually I’ll want what’s best for him.”

Her eyes widen a fraction.

“Isn’t that what love is about? That if you love someone, ultimately you want him to be happy. That you’d want what’s best for him?”

“You’re not just saying this to get me to let you go, are you?” She eyes me skeptically.

I hold in a sigh. “There’s no winning with you, is there?”

“It’s just…” Moira steps away from my hug and I let her. She holds her hand to her chest. “I thought that if you loved someone enough he’d love you back.”

“I’ve never loved anyone like I do Luka, so I don’t know how to answer that question.” This earns me a slap across the face. I take it, biting down against the sting spreading across my cheek. “I’m not doing this to piss you off.” I swallow the metallic tinge mixing with my saliva. “I’m trying to be honest. Would you rather I lie to you?”

No shame for her actions is evident when she gasps, “But it hurts.”

I don’t get what she means and remain silent. My gut tells me she’ll fill me in.

Her pacing commences. “Carrying around the rejection and having to watch your best friend be happy with the guy you love hurts.”

“There’s nothing I can do about that.” I expect another slap. Instead Moira drops to her knees and sobs into her hands. “Enough with the crying already,” I admonish, kneeling beside her and gathering her close again.

“But I don’t want to hurt anymore. I don’t want to feel this way.”

I rock us gently as something occurs to me. “What if I can take the pain away?”

Skepticism pulls her eyebrows together when she stares at me. “I’m not putting myself through a mind-wipe, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

Shaking my head, I say, “No, that’s not what I mean.”

“I’m not letting you kill me either.”

“No one is killing anyone.” This time I don’t try to hide my eye roll. It gets me a giggle. Good, progress. “I know I’m on your shit list. I also know you have the tendency to overreact.” She opens her mouth, about to argue, but I bulldoze through it. “But for once in your life will you trust that I love you also and only want whatever it is that will make you happy?”

“Me? Trust you?”

“You owe it to me, Moira.” I cup her cheek and brush the pad of my thumb beneath her eye, taking the moisture there with me. “You don’t want my Vessel powers, right?”

She nods.

“And you only did this because you felt betrayed…”

She nods in the affirmative again.

“Then, if you’ll let me, I can make sure that you don’t have to feel all the pain you’re in anymore.” I take her pause to mean continue, so I do. “Have you ever heard of the spell ‘True Love’s Kiss’?”

The brightness in her red-rimmed eyes restores my faith in my best friend.

E
PILOGUE

Luka rode hard through the Wik Woods, his cape flying behind him. His black stallion’s hooves thundered on the undergrowth, kicking up fallen leaves and twigs. He gripped the reins, hoping to everything he held dear he wasn’t too late. It had taken all of them to cast a spell that would bring him back to their reality. His chest squeezed at having to leave Yana and the rest behind in order to save Dakota. If he failed and she died…

He shook his head, unwilling to go there.

The setting sun cast golden spears of light through the thick canopy. At the end of the green tunnel was the Solstice Palace, and beyond the massive vines protecting it was the tower where the love of his life lay sleeping. She was probably locked in the fiercest battle and he felt impotent for being unable to help.

With a swift kick to its flanks, Luka urged his horse onward. The animal bucked, its nostrils flaring from exertion. When they reached the drawbridge, he yanked on the reins and his steed reared back on its hind legs. Not waiting a second longer, Luka slid off his mount even before it settled on all fours. He landed on the ground at a run and drew his sword, hacking away at the vines.

His heart thudded with every metallic
thwack
his blade made and another vine fell away. The effort seemed futile when he gained only an inch forward. Gritting his teeth to keep from yelling out his frustration, he kept at it, doubling his efforts. He wished he could use his powers, but the spell the king and queen had cast to keep their daughter’s body and their people safe prevented the use of the powers that be. Without that, Luka had little more than brute strength on his side.

Setting aside the drawbacks of not being able to use his powers, he plowed into the castle with single-minded efficiency. Soon sweat plastered his hair to his creased forehead. The cotton of his shirt clung to his chest and shoulders. Undaunted, he continued. Nothing would keep him from her, not this time. He cursed Moira for her selfishness and sense of petty vendetta. Because he’d rejected her, she’d taken it upon herself to make all their lives miserable. Most of all, she’d punished Dakota, and that he couldn’t forgive.

By the time he’d reached the courtyard, the sword’s blade had dulled. Clips and cracks marred the silver. So much for the best steel in the land. Silently, he thanked it for aiding him in his quest and threw the now useless tool aside. He hoped there wasn’t a dragon or something equally as crazy guarding her because he’d be defenseless against it.