“The vampire Malkolm. Do you trust him? Should I be worried about him and Chrysabelle? He won’t hurt her, will he?”
“Malkolm? There is nothing to worry about there. I trust few people, but Mal is one of them. And he loves your sister.” Dominic’s eyes took on the faraway look again. “If your mother and I had what he and Chrysabelle have, she never would have left me.”
Mal’s presence was a comfort, something Tatiana had never expected to feel. Maybe it was because everyone else in her life was gone. Maybe it was his familiarity. No matter what their past was, their history had started well. They had loved one another, hadn’t they? It was hard to remember exactly what her feelings for him had been all those centuries ago. They had at least understood each other.
Now, they were once again traveling the same path. She glanced at him and smiled weakly, not quite ready to call the maelstrom that was Lilith back into her life. “It’s funny, isn’t it?”
“What?” He stood across from her, leaning on the bar in that loose, easy way of his, but she knew well that in the blink of an eye he could become a killing machine. How many times in their early days had she seen it happen? Reveled in his ruthlessness? Drank from his spoils?
She closed the distance between them down to half. “What tore us apart was Sophia’s death. Now we’ve come back together to kill off a child.”
His heavy-lidded gaze didn’t falter. “Calling her a child is like calling a Nothos a puppy.”
She laughed softly. “Yes, of course, but you see the irony.”
“And you see that I’m not here for the mission so much as the end result. I want my status back and the wealth you promised me. An estate of my own. The position as Elder. Forget anything you promised me and you
She touched his chest lightly. Playfully. “Your place as Elder is already secured. The ancients promised me I’d be rewarded for this task and their approval on your ascension to that position is guaranteed.”
“Do you trust them?”
She jerked back, his words bordering on blasphemy. “Of course. Don’t you?”
“I find it odd that they would have the child eat of the tree and not you as well. It seems to me that the child has no need for that kind of power.” He lifted one shoulder in a lazy roll. “I only wonder if she wasn’t listening when he spoke to you. If perhaps he said that knowing you’d understand to do the opposite.”
She went very still. “I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do,” Mal said. “You know I could be right. You said yourself that the ancients were afraid of her. How do you know she’s not orchestrating this whole thing in an effort to get rid of you? And if she eats the fruit before you, she’ll pitch a fit if you try to have one of your own.”
“Hades,” she whispered as she turned away. Doubt flooded her thoughts. “What am I going to do?”
“You’ll eat the fruit first. It’s all you can do. Once you eat it, she’ll insist on having one as well.”
She looked at him sharply. “And what if it proves fatal?”
“It won’t.” He dug into his pocket and held out a small metal box. “Because I have this.”
“What is it?”
He lifted the top off, revealing a fine white powder. “Protection against any kind of holy magic.” He smirked. “The comarre gave it to me a while ago.” He sniggered. “Now that’s irony, don’t you think? Me using her gift to me to save you?”
“That’s absolutely delicious.” She clapped her hands, then reached out and ran her fingers down his body. “The estate you’ll inherit sits on the next property over. It comes with the job of Elder, as you know. I didn’t live there long, but it’s a beautiful property. You’ll enjoy it. And I’ll enjoy having you close again after all these years. Of course, I wouldn’t be unhappy if you wanted to spend more time here. With me.”
He grabbed her hand and stopped it from moving. “Why would I want to do that?”
She wriggled her fingers free and leaned into him, the solidness of his body a welcome memory. “You cannot deny that there is still something between us.”
“Animosity. Bitterness. Deep-seated resentment. Take your pick.”
“Oh, Malkolm. You can’t still be harboring ill will toward me? Not after we’ve been working so well together.”
He went quiet, watching her, only a flicker of silver in his eyes.
She poked him. “See? You know it’s true.”
“I suppose,” he grunted. “Things have been going… well.” He shifted, putting some space between them. “But you can’t expect me to just forget everything you did to me.”
She leaned back against the bar where he’d just been, planting her elbows on the marble top in a way that pushed her breasts forward. “You should at least give me the chance to make all that up to you.”
“All I need is what I’ve been promised.”
He’d fold. She knew what he liked, how to motivate him to do her will. And once they were rid of Lilith, she’d have nothing else to worry about. Then she could put all her efforts into wooing him back to her side for good. She shrugged like it didn’t matter whether or not he gave her a second chance. “Shall we get on with it, then?”
He crossed his arms. “Please.”
She tipped her head back. “Lilith, my angel, come to Mother. I’ve got a very special surprise for you…”
Damian waved to Chrysabelle on his way from the car to the guesthouse. “I’ll be over in a few minutes. Don’t open any portals without me.”
“I won’t. I promise.” She nodded as the gates began to open. “Vel, we have a visitor.”
Fi’s sedan pulled through the gates. A minute later, Fi hopped out, then waved to Velimai and Chrysabelle as she ran up to the front door, a shopping bag swinging from her hand. “Hey, I was just going to drop this off.” She lifted the bag. “I can’t stay long. There’s a lot of craziness going on at headquarters. You didn’t kill Tatiana yet, right?”
“Right. She’s not dead yet. But soon. I’m meeting Mal in a few hours.” If everything went as planned.
“Ooo, the final showdown.” Fi’s eyes brightened. “This is perfect timing then.” She shook the bag. “I have just the thing for you to wear.”
“I thought we were done shopping.” Chrysabelle let Fi drag her upstairs.
“This wasn’t shopping. This was custom made, which is why it wasn’t ready until now.”
“That sounds expensive.”
“It was, but don’t worry about it. The pride’s loaded. Think of it as my and Doc’s wedding gift to you and Mal.”
“What? We’re not getting married.”
Fi laughed. “You will be. You’ll see.” She opened the door to Chrysabelle’s quarters and handed her the bag. “Go try it on.”
If Fi smiled any harder, her teeth might pop out. Chrysabelle peeked into the bag but all she could see were swathes of tissue paper. “What is it?”
“Scared?” Fi laughed again and sat on the bed. “Don’t be. It’s just exactly the right outfit for crushing Tatiana. She sees you in this and she’ll be so freaked out, you’ll probably catch her off guard.”
“Okay, yes, now I’m scared.” Chrysabelle started to take the bag into the bathroom with her, then stopped and looked back at Fi. “You know you’re the first female friend I’ve ever really had outside my mother and Velimai. And I know we didn’t exactly get along at first—”
“You were trying to kill the vampire who was keeping me alive.”
Chrysabelle nodded, laughing softly. “True. But I’m really glad we got past that.”
Fi grinned. “Me too.”
Chrysabelle’s smile thinned out. “I just want you to know that I’m thankful for our friendship. In case things don’t go well with Tatiana.”
Fi frowned. “I’m thankful too, but you shouldn’t say crap like that. You’re going to kick Tatiana’s fangs right out of her mouth, you got it?”
“Got it.”
“Good. Now get in there and change. I have to get back soon and I want to see this thing on you.”
