“I know,” I say through my tears and grip Devon’s hand tightly as he falls to the ground next to me.
“Shit,” he says in shock. “Shit. She’s dead?”
“Yes, Devon. I’m sorry,” I say.
He snorts and says, “Yeah, sure you are.” He takes her head off my lap and places it on his. He strokes her hair out of her eyes.
I reel back from his harsh words. No, I didn’t like the girl and she betrayed me on more than one occasion it seems, but such harshness was uncalled for. I open my mouth to tell him so, but CK hauls me to my feet.
“Don’t,” he says. “He has suffered a loss.”
I look at him and blink. His own face has gone deathly pale and he has his impenetrable mask in place. What is his deal? Why does he care so much that she died?
I am about to question him when his eyes snap to mine and the mask falls away. “Let us leave him to grieve,” he whispers.
“No,” Devon says and places her head back on the ground before he stands up. “I am done with her. Please get someone to dispose of her in decent manner before the Hounds scent her blood.”
And with that he stalks off, leaving me and CK standing there open-mouthed at his hideously callous attitude.
“What the…?” I stammer and look back at CK.
CK shrugs and says, “He’s right. The Hell Hounds will be here shortly to investigate and will rip her to shreds if we don’t burn her.”
“CK,” I say. “We can’t do that to her.”
“We have to,” he says coldly and picks her up. “I will deal with it. You go back inside. You have suffered enough today.”
I watch him go in the direction of the garden and then I turn around and slope back inside. I am worn out, heartbroken over all the tragedy and loss, and in fear of what happens next.
Chapter 2
The Underworld, March 2014 - Liv
I make my way back to the library and stoop to stare at the bloodstains on the rug. I know that it is probably ruined, but I will get Esther to try and clean it up anyway. I start to roll it up when Sebastian appears out of nowhere.
“Hey,” he says and bends down to help me.
“Hi,” I say. “Where have you been?”
“Earth. Had some business to take care of. Been away awhile, you know,” he replies. “What happened here?”
“Everything,” I say with a sigh.
“Aefre,” he says, and I look up at him.
He takes my hand and…yep, you guessed it. For the third time in the last hour I am kissing a man I shouldn’t be kissing, especially not here where CK can see us. But I don’t care. My Faerie is clinging to his and when he responds urgently to my kiss, he is all that matters. He picks me up and places me on the desk, never breaking our lip lock. His hands go under my skirt and tug on my panties, desperate to touch me. I moan in rapture as I feel our electricity fire through me. He pulls my panties from me and I wrap my legs around him.
“Oh, Aefre,” he says against my lips. “I have missed you.”
“Me too,” I say and then delve my tongue back into his mouth. Aeval seems to have taken over and she wants her husband now. All over her.
I growl in frustration as he pulls away again and gives me “the look.”
“Aefre?” he says to me hesitantly.
I heave a world-weary sigh to challenge CK’s and say, “Yes, it is still me. Just not the Vampire part.”
“What?” he asks sharply with a frown.