Everdark

jaw and held it still as I continued to ravage with my mouth, a need so fierce building within me that I had to quench it. Quench it now. Quench it yester-freaking-day.

The body tried to leave; not happening! I reached, grabbed, found a handful of thick . . . ropes? No, hair. Hair ropes? Whatever. I yanked hard, and the body emitted a low groan.

“Riley! Stop it!”

My eyes popped open, and as my foggy vision cleared, my consciousness regained. I don’t know how long that took—several seconds. Maybe a full minute? Eventually it happened, though. Now, in the present, in the flesh, my faculties united, I stared around the room.

And then directly into the seductive, mercury eyes of Noah freaking Miles.

Eli stood, staring at me over Noah’s shoulder, eyes flashing, brows furrowed.,

The scent of . . . something sharp caught my senses.

A few chuckles sounded in the room.

With a jerk, I let Noah’s dreadlocks loose. Dick.

“Ow, babe,” he said, holding his head and grinning. “Easy on the dreads.”

“What . . . just happened?” I asked, fuming. Raising my fingers to my lips, I pressed against them. They felt numb. And they burned a little.

More chuckles sounded.

“Noah used his special powers and pulled you from that horrible vision you were in the middle of,” Luc said, draping an arm over my shoulder and inclining his head in Noah’s direction. “Eli tried first but was, surprisingly, unsuccessful. You should thank Noah for saving you.”

I grabbed the silver hoop in Luc’s lip and pulled. “Ow, ow, ow,” he laughed/cried. I let go and elbowed him in the gut. I know it didn’t hurt him, but he had the good grace to grunt and pretend anyway. He stood, grinning.

Then I turned to Gilles, then to Preacher. “Sorry for . . . whatever I just did.” I knew what I just did. I’d almost fornicated with freaking Noah, right in the Duprés’ freaking parlor, with everyone, including Eli, freaking watching—including Seth. I turned to him quickly. “Sorry you had to see that, Bro.”

He exaggerated a shudder. “Scarred for life.”

I shook my head and looked hard at Noah. He shrugged. I sought Eli’s gaze. I mouthed, I’m sorry. With a quick snap, he punched Noah in the jaw. Then, satisfied, he gave me a surprise reaction. He grinned. Noah merely rubbed his jaw and smiled.

“What did you see, ma chérie?” Gilles asked, gracefully drawing the conversation to more important things.

Eli stood behind me again, his hand on my lower back. I rubbed my forehead, ran my hand to the back of my neck, and remembered. “When my vision cleared, I was in a club—I didn’t recognize it. Packed with people, though, and the girl . . .” I stood in the center of the parlor, squeezing my eyes shut but seeing. “She was typical of his kills—young, midtwenties maybe, bleached blond hair, super short dress, super high heels, and super, super wasted.” I shook my head. “She had no clue at all about who or what he was. She was leading him out of the club when”—I glanced at Noah and narrowed my eyes—“Noah rescued me.”

Noah simply shrugged and smiled.

“Unfortunately, she has met her fate by now,” Gilles said. He clasped his hands behind his back and glanced around the room. “There is nothing we can do from here. You leave collectively in the morning, unless some of you wish to go tonight.”

Noah gave Gilles a short nod. “My group will head back tonight, but we thank you for the invitation.”

“My cousin Garr, he will have somethin’ for you dis night, right?” Preacher said. “You know where to meet him? Pick it up, yeah?”

“We do,” Noah said.

Preacher met his gaze. “Good, den. You take it and keep it wit you.”

Noah nodded. “Thanks, Preach. We will.”

Preacher turned to Eli. “Jack and Tuba, dey go wit you in da morning, dat’s right. Dey stays wit Riley along wit da rest of you fellas. I don want her near dat fightin’ by herself. Seth neider. Zetty goes, too.”

Eli nodded. “Yes, sir.”

With his hand to the back of his neck, Preacher looked at me. “Don you be actin’ crazy, girl. Dat boy Eli, he’ll be wit you. You got dese boys here, too, and Jack and Tuba. You don go actin’ foolish.”

“Yes, sir, I won’t,” I promised, and turned to Gilles. “Will it be okay here? With all of us gone?”

Gilles smiled and crossed the room, took my hands in his, and pressed his lips to my knuckles. I found it strange how it hardly even crossed my mind that a vampire’s fangs slipped so close to my skin. “Young lady, I may be older, but I have a few good fights still in me, as does my Elise. We have your Preacher and his kin here, as well as their magic. We’ll be more than fine.”

I nodded. “Okay. I believe you,” I said, smiling. “And I don’t think you’re old at all.”

Gilles’ eyes twinkled.

I suddenly remembered what he could turn into. Any doubts were immediately stricken from my mind.

“Bon,” he said, with a slight nod. “I’m glad you see it my way.”

I narrowed my gaze and gave him a mock frown. He chuckled.

“And now that Nyx knows of us,” Gilles continued, “we’ll take care of her and help with your business.”

I again nodded. “Thank you.”

Before we left, I hugged Preacher, then pulled a still-worried Estelle into a hug. “I’ll be fine, Grandma,” I said, crooning into her shoulder. “I have the best guardians in the world right beside me, dat’s right.”

Estelle’s face, darker than usual in the dimmed parlor, gleamed perfect ebony. Her eyes widened, her teeth shined in a large, comforting smile. “I know dat, baby.” She grasped my face between her aged hands. She gave a firm shake, squishing my cheeks. All at once I thought of how I would now outlive her by God only knew how many years. “You listen to dem Dupré boys and dat Josie, and dat odder one dere, Noah. Dey will keep you and your brodder safe. Come back to me, girl. I mean dat ting. You my baby.”

I smiled, my cheeks squishing even more. “I will. Promise.”

Estelle hugged Seth. “You, too, boy. Keep a good eye on your sister. She got dat hard head, yeah.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Seth said, and kissed her cheek. “I love you, Grandmodder.”

“I love you, boy.” She swatted his backside. “Now git on dere. You got work to do.”

After good-byes, we all left.

The ride back to my place felt shorter than usual. “Eli—”

“No need to say a word, Riley,” he said, then slipped his hand over my thigh. “Noah pulled you out. I couldn’t.” He smiled, his eyes dark orbs in the shadows. “Besides, I got mine in. We’re cool.”

He was referring to that pop he gave Noah on the jaw. “Okay,” I answered, and downshifted as we came to a light. I stopped the Jeep. “But—”

Eli leaned over and covered my mouth with his. I instantly melted into his kiss, and only the honk of the car’s horn behind us pulled me back to the present. He smiled seductively. “Drive.”

If the air hadn’t cooled my skin, I would’ve had to fan myself.

Once back at Inksomnia, I glanced around my living room and marveled at how many vampires could fill a small historic building-turned-apartment. I was introduced to Noah’s people—Saul, Tate, Cafrey, and Jenna—and they left for Charleston. I figured I’d get to know them all better once there. Also crammed into my apartment were Zetty, Jack, and Tuba, along with all the Duprés; .a lot of big guys taking up a lot of space.

On the way out, Noah stopped at the door, turned, and looked at me. “For the record,” he said, his smile crooked, arrogant, his strange silver eyes twinkling. “You’re a helluva kisser. Ever get tired of Dupré? . . .”

I shook my head. “Whatever. Get out. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As I closed and locked the door, his laugh sounded in the merchant’s drive.

Upstairs, I made plans with Eli, his siblings, Seth, and Zetty, and Jack and Tuba. We’d leave for Charleston at daybreak. We were staying in a house on the battery belonging to a friend of Eli’s, although, according to Phin, we probably wouldn’t see much of it.

Apparently, we’d be spending a lot of time running the streets.

I hoped we’d be gone only a few days. I wanted to stop the monster and break up the newling band, and I