I smile and say, “Surprise!”
“It is indeed and a most pleasant one,” he says. He envelops me into a tight hug, and I cling to him. He pulls us back into his office and slams the door shut. He pushes me up against it and leans himself into me. My knees go weak as he drops his mouth to mine and kisses me thoroughly. I respond, desperate for him, desperate for him to fix this raging inside me. He breaks off the kiss and peers at me. “I am thrilled to see you, of course, but why are you here? Alone? I assume you travelled here by…” He twirls his hand around in a circle as we still don’t know what to call my ability.
I nod, not letting go of him. “I know it was irresponsible as I wasn’t sure quite where I’d end up, but all I needed was to think of you and voilà.” I smile. “In answer to your other question, I need you,” I say simply.
He gazes adoringly into my eyes at my words, the three words every loving sire longs to hear. He kisses me again and says softly, “I didn’t think I would ever hear those words from you again. Two hundred and sixty-six years is a long time to wait.”
I smile sadly this time, thinking back to the last time I said I needed him. “I always need you, my love. Even if I don’t say it.” He beams at me and I take his face in my hands. “More specifically, I need you to help me. I’m one big mass of raging Power. I need to get it under control,” I say.
He looks at me with concern. “It’s that bad?” He steps back.
I nod and step forward not wanting to lose contact with him. He smiles at my gesture and takes my hand, leading me over to the sofa.
“Although,” I add thoughtfully, “I feel better now. Maybe the release from the amount of Power I used to get here?”
“Possibly,” he says as we sit. “I am more inclined to think that you feel better because you are here.”
At my confused look, he continues, “Here, at The Council with me. Where you belong.”
I think it over and, yes, I can feel it. “Yes, the energy of this place. I feel connected to it,” I say.
He nods. “Exactly, my sweet. You are one of us now. This is where you belong,” he says again with a pointed look.
“Oh no!” I say huffily. “I am not upping sticks and moving here.” The scale of that operation has me quaking in my Louboutins.
He sighs and sits back. I copy his move and he puts his arm around me. “Brace yourself,” he murmurs as the door bursts open and Eloise sweeps in.
“I thought I felt the sanctity of this place drop a few notches,” she says in her native French.
“Don’t you knock?” I ask, also in French.
She laughs. “No need. We have no secrets, do we, cherie?” she gushes at CK. I scowl at her and she takes great delight in that.
“What do you want, Eloise?” CK says, ignoring her remark.
She perches herself on his desk, flashing him a large amount of thigh. “Just here to welcome our guest,” she says innocently.
“Liv is not a guest here,” he snaps.
She shrugs, undeterred by his tone. “Nor does she belong here. Not yet anyway,” she adds. “Also, I need to discuss some business with you.” She looks at me expectantly. “You may leave,” she says when I don’t go anywhere.
“She’s not leaving. Whatever it is you have to say, just say it so we may return to our conversation,” CK says.
I smile sweetly at Eloise over my sire’s defense of me. “Yes, in fact, whatever it is you have to discuss is also now my business.”
CK casts an expectant look over at Eloise. “Indeed, it is,” he agrees.
A fleeting look of fear goes across her face as she realizes it’s now two against one, and she backs down. “It can wait,” she mutters as she stands, recovering her composure. “I will come and find you later,” she says coquettishly and swishes out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
“I really hate her, you know,” I say tellingly.
CK glances at me in puzzlement before he says, “I don’t think anyone actually likes her. Except James.” He says the name with a sneer.
I raise my eyebrow at his lack of a response. One day I’m just going to have to spell it out for him that I know about the two of them.
“Enough about her. More about you,” he says with a wicked glint in his eye.
Mm, playful CK is my favorite.