My eyes light up, knowing that I will incur the wrath of my sire. I say, “That would be great. Thank you. Email me a list and I will take it under advisement.”
I can feel CK’s eyes boring into me, but I ignore him and turn to Devon. I say quietly while I remember, “Please, can you ask Esther to go find that other chair.” He snickers behind his hand as he bids Dmitri adieu.
“Goodbye, Dmitri.”
He nods once and with a swift goodbye, CK grabs his arm and Teleports him out. I am slightly surprised that he is unable to accomplish this himself, but then I think back, and it is only the oldest Vampires who can do this, gaining the ability at well over two thousand years old. My own Astralling ability has come to me as a part of my Dragon package. Which leads me to believe that it must be a very recent addition to Lance’s bag of tricks.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
“Well, that went well,” I say brightly, even though I just want to go back to sleep. Glancing at the clock, I see it is now a little after 1 PM. Time for another nap, I think. Telling Cole and CK that I’m exhausted, I swirl off and climb into bed after taking my shoes and clothes off. My head hits the pillow and I’m out for the count.
I wake up some time later next to Devon. I blink in surprise and sit up, realizing I am also in his bed.
“How did I get here?” I ask.
“I don’t know. I found you in here,” he shrugs.
Oh, that’s right, I do seem to remember Astralling in here, as it was closer than my own room.
“Shit,” I mumble as I climb out of bed and get dressed.
“Lizzie?”
“Mm?”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?”
“Pardon?” I ask in a huff at being spoken to so rudely.
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“Why are you so tired all the time?” he asks as if I’m stupid.
I shrug. “It’s been a tough couple of days. I’ll be fine.”
“Stop saying that you will be fine! You clearly aren’t fine. And another thing, I don’t think you should be going to Lance’s like this.”
I shake my head at his concern, “Don’t worry about it, about me. I’m…”
“Fine!” he interrupts in a huff. “I am worried. We all are.”
“Don’t be. Look, I’m going to go find Cole. He needs me around, not off sleeping all the time.” I give him a foul look, as I realize that I’ve just admitted to being worried myself.
He grabs my hand as I turn to leave. “Don’t go. Not yet,” he murmurs, pulling me to him and kissing me softly.
I lean into him, enjoying having him hold me. Our bond lights up under the simple intimacy.
“We still haven’t talked about what happened in Tuscany,” he says suddenly.
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Well, I do. What the fuck, Lizzie? He punishes you? As in actually, not in a joking kind of way?” he asks softly.
“It’s complicated.”
“Well, uncomplicate it. Does he hurt you?”
“No. It’s nothing like that. He dragged you into it as it was the only way he could think of to get back at me for something I said and did, without him compromising his newfound principles. I’m sorry, it’s my fault you had to go through that. But it backfired on him and I don’t think he will try it again.”