My lips part in offense. “Hey, I may be a lot of things, but a tattletale, I am not.”
“You sure about that?” He ducks behind a tree.
“Yes, I’m sure.” I rush around the tree, only to find him gone. “Hey, no hiding.”
“I’m not hiding,” he whispers in my ear.
I reel around, but he’s not behind me. “Rhyland, this isn’t funny.”
“Then why are you laughing?” His breath dusts my ear.
I put my hands on my hips, fighting back the laugh tickling my throat. “I’m not.”
“You sure about that?”
“Um, yeah.”
“Hmmm … I guess we’ll have to fix that.” He swoops down from the branches above me, grabs me by the waist, and starts tickling me.
“Hey!” I squeal through my laughter. “This isn’t fair! You’re way faster and stronger than me!”
He slides his hands up to my ribs and pulls me closer so my back is pressed to his chest. “And what kind of vampire would I be if I didn’t use my strength and speed to my advantage?” he whispers in my ear.
For the strangest, most confusing second of my life, a warm shiver rolls through my body. “The sweet kind?” I ask with hope.
He lightly tickles my sides. “Who says I want to be sweet?”
As his breath caresses my skin, I shiver again, my eyelashes fluttering shut. “Well, you don’t want to be mean, do you? At least, not to me.”
“I don’t know. You did eat all my blood cupcakes the other day.” He moves his fingertips down toward my hips.
I stop fighting and lean into his touch. This feels so good—
My eyes pop open as he starts tickling me again. My laugh echoes through the night air, sending bats fleeing from the trees.
“Rhyland!” I laugh. “Please, please stop. I’ll do anything.”
He immediately stops tickling me and wraps his arms around my waist. I relax against him and wipe the tears of laughter from my eyes.
“Don’t get too relaxed,” he teases. “One day, I’m going to hold you to that promise.”
I secretly smile. “I’m not worried.”
His lips dip beside my ear. “Maybe you should be.”
I resist the urge to shiver again, despite how much my body desires to. “I know you’d never do anything to hurt me.”
He laughs softly before stepping back then moving around in front of me. “You’re right. I never, ever would do anything to hurt you.” The truth reflects from his eyes. Then, as swiftly as he turned serious, his playful demeanor returns. “So, do you want to hear my secret?”
I nod eagerly. “You know I love secrets.”
He chuckles then offers me his hand, which I take. “I want to learn how to control dragons,” he says as we hike farther into the shadows of the lofty trees.
“Really?” My brows pull together. “But I thought only a few powerful faeries were able to do that?”
“I found a loophole,” he divulges. “It’s going to take some time, and I’ll have to leave Mystic Willow Bay, but I want to do this more than anything.”
“Do you think your parents will let you?”
“Probably not. I’ll just wait until I’m eighteen, then they have no say.”
“Oh.” I fight back a frown. “Where do you have to go to do it?”
“Probably to the Land of Moonlight where most of the dragons live.”
“That’s really far away. And only a creature with moonlight blood can take you there.”
He gives me a teasing sidelong glance. “It’s a good thing I’m best friends with one of them, right?”
“You want me to go with you?”
“Well, it’s either that or find some random stranger to take me.” His lips tease upward. “Personally, I’d prefer my pretty best friend who I know will do anything for me. But, if I have to take a stranger, then I guess I will.”
I roll my eyes. Inside, my heart skips a beat. He called me pretty. “Fine, I’ll take you as long as you don’t use any more cheesy lines on me ever again.”
He chuckles. “I’ll try my best.”
I can’t help smiling. “What will you do after you learn to control dragons?”
He shrugs. “Travel the world, go to places only dragons can go, cure fire burns, help stop the destruction in the Land of Moonlight—the list of possibilities is pretty long.”
I’m not surprised. Rhyland has always talked about wanting to leave Mystic Willow Bay, something most of our family has never done.
“Will you take me with you?”
“Hmm … that all really depends,” he teases. When I narrow my eyes, he laughs. “Of course I will. I could never leave my best friend behind.”
“Good.” A smile begins to take over my face, but instantly falters. “You know, I’m still not convinced I have moonlight blood. Not with how sucky my powers are.”
He frowns. “Your powers aren’t sucky.”
“You have to say that because you’re my best friend.”
“I don’t have to say anything just because you’re my best friend.” He tugs me to a stop and forces me to face him. “You may not be the fastest and most coordinated vampire there is, but you are kind and sweet, and brave and clever.”
I sigh. “Thanks for saying that, but that’s not going to get me very far in this undead life.”
“Yes, it will.” He cups my face between his hands and looks me in the eye. “You’re going to do great things in this life, whether you think so or not. You want to know how I know?”
I nod.
“Because you’re amazing and perfect and strong.” His gaze burns so fiercely that, for a moment, I swear he’s about to kiss me.
For a moment, I wish he would.
Then a grin creeps across his face. “And because I know everything.”
I dramatically roll my eyes. “You’re so cocky sometimes.”
“And that’s why you love me.”
“And overdramatic,” I add, making his grin broaden. “Seriously, for a second there, you got so dramatic I thought you were going to kiss me.”
He sucks his bottom lip between his teeth. “Did you want me to kiss you?”
I miss a beat. “No.”
His grin shines through. “Liar.”
“Oh, whatever.” I playfully shove him back. “Think what you want, but you and I kissing would be weird.”
He chuckles, stepping away. “Yeah, maybe.” He fleetingly mulls the idea over then loops his arm through mine. “Come on; let’s get home before someone notices we’re missing.”
“Raven? Can you hear me?” Someone waves a hand in front of my face. “Where’s your head at, sweetheart?”
I flinch, stepping back, and the heel of my boot lands on an icy spot. “Shit.” I reach out as I start to slip, and Rhyland loops his arms around me.
“You know, if you’d just drink my blood, you’d be quicker on your feet,” he jokes in a strained tone while eyeballing my neck hungrily.
I arch my brows. “Is that the only thing that would happen?”
A smirk tugs at his lips. “You might have a bloodgasm.”
Rolling my eyes, I steady to my feet then slip out of his arms. “Doubtful.”
He chuckles as we start up the path again. “Maybe one night we’ll find out.”
“Maybe.” The word just sort of slips off my tongue. I crinkle my nose. I might have drunk from him in the past, but the Rhyland from this life is different.
Then again, I may have to get over this weird compulsion not to drink his blood so I can see if that’s the key to eliminating the curse.
“So, where did your mind go when you spaced out back there?” Rhyland asks, observing me closely.
“I was remembering something,” I divulge distractedly, my thoughts stuck on if I should just attack him now and sink my teeth into his neck. Do I have the lady balls to do it? “About the night you told me you wanted to learn how to train dragons so you could travel the worlds and fight war
s. Since we seemed pretty happy, I’m guessing that was from our first life.”
His grip on my hand constricts, but he doesn’t utter a word.
“I’m also guessing you learned how to control them,” I continue. “But not with my help since, by the time I turned eighteen, I was cursed.”
Again, he gives no response, causing frustration to burst through me. “Are there any questions you can answer?”
Remorse fills his eyes. “Only ones not related to the curse.”
“Okay.” I sigh out a cloud of fog. “How about you explain why no one seems to be around here? I thought the Land of Moonlight was supposed to be under war or something?”
“It is, but the battles are happening in the mountains and in some cities.” He points at the ominous welcome sign. “We’re on the outskirts.”
“So, what’s with all the tents, then?”
“Our guards are all in there.”
“Oh.” That makes sense, I guess. “Did everyone make it out of the castle okay?” Fear rushes through me. “Are Dex and Aeribella okay?”
“They’re fine,” he assures me. “Dex got Aeribella and then headed home for a little bit until we can figure out what is going on.”
I nod, relieved. “Does Dex know about the curse? I’m guessing he does, but what about the guards?” I instantly wave myself off. “Never mind. I guess you probably can’t tell me.”
He offers me a sad smile as he steers us to a stop. “This is us.”
“Huh?” I peer over my shoulder and find the fanciest tent I’ve ever seen behind me.
The tent is wide with a large, domed roof and a fabric spun of material that resembles the night sky back in Mystic Willow Bay. Even shimmery stars and moon patterns have been embroidered around the edges.
“It’s really pretty,” I admit, tracing my fingertip along the soft velvet.
“Wait until you see the inside.” Smiling, he lifts the flap and gestures for me to go in.
Lowering my head, I duck inside where warmth immediately envelops me. Not that I mind being cold.
I turn in a circle as I peer around, taking in the colossal fireplace, the ebony dressers, table and chairs, and the elaborate four-poster bed decorated with curtains and mounds of velvet pillows. Dangling from above are a sea of violet jewels that reflect in the fire glow and cast twinkling reflections all over the walls and roof.
“Your tent’s awesome,” I tell Rhyland as he steps inside and lets the flap fall shut.
He unfastens a leather band from his wrist. “Our tent.”
Anxiousness bubbles inside me. “I thought the tent I woke up in was mine.”
He drops the leather band onto the table without looking at me. “We just put you in there until Ava had this one set up.”
“Why is Ava setting up your tent?”
“Our tent,” he corrects, turning toward me and leaning against the table with his arms folded. “We need witches’ magic to make all this possible, or else it’d probably just be a tent and an air mattress.”
“Don’t you have Wiccan powers?”
“I’m nowhere near powerful enough to do all this.”
“Oh.” My lips plummet into a frown. “Why are we even sharing a tent at all? We didn’t share chambers at the castle.”
“We would eventually, after you got used to our living situation.” Sadness masks his expression. “Of course, that never …” His lips are open, but no sound leaves his mouth.
“Happens, because of the curse,” I finish for him, since he seems to be cursed into silence. “I still don’t get why we have to share living space here,” I say, wandering around the tent.
“Because the creatures of the Land of Moonlight think we’re king and queen, and are about to be married.” He watches as I round the room and stop in front of the fireplace.
With my back to him, I stare into the flames. The charred wood at the bottom and the smoldering embers look so much like my neck it’s disgusting.
“So, they don’t know about the curse?” I don’t wait for him to answer, since he probably won’t. “There’s so much stuff I still don’t understand. Like why some creatures seem aware of the curse and some don’t. And why, if the fey queen is the one who cursed us, did we have to convince her we were Proclaimed during that dinner. Unless it was some sort of tactic to throw her off her game—to make her think we were ahead or something. Or else I’m completely wrong about her being the one who cursed us.”
The flames hissing against the wood is my only response.
Sighing, I start to turn around when Rhyland unexpectedly moves up behind me, his chest pressing against my back.
“I think you’re extremely smart this time around,” he whispers, his lips brushing my earlobe. “I mean, you’re always smart, but this time, you’re beyond clever.”
I resist the compulsion to shiver against the feel of his breath against my skin. “I’m not so sure I agree with you. I made a lot of mistakes. I let you and Kingsley and Nadine walk all over me for way too long. Let you lock me in a locker, and let loose a demon in school. Let you lock me in the attic. I seriously need to grow some backbone one of these lives.”
“You did well this time,” he assures me. “I promise.”
He would know, wouldn’t he? He remembers every single life. I wonder if he’s ever stood this close to me before. Before the first life, anyway. I wonder if we’ve ever liked each other, like we did on that balcony before everything went to shit.
“You always smell the same.” He nuzzles his face into my neck and groans. “Fuck, usually I’m never allowed to do this.”
My knees quiver as he presses a kiss to the arch of my neck.
“Do what?”
“I don’t …” He groans, slipping a hand up to the base of my neck. “We should get you fed. These are getting really bad.” He skims his thumb across the singed flesh.
“Okay.” I hesitate. “Maybe I should …”
“Should what?” he whispers against the side of my neck.
“Should …” Oh, for the love of all blushing vampires, just spit it out, Raven! If it can break the curse, you need to do it. “Drink … from … your … vein.”
He crashes his chest against my back as he breathes raggedly. “I don’t think you should yet. Not until you really want to.”
He’s always saying that.
I chew on my bottom lip, nervousness bubbling in my stomach like a pot of witch’s brew. “Maybe I want to,” I lie.
Okay, that’s a lie. Ever since I remembered drinking his blood, my fangs have desired to sink into his flesh and suck the warm blood from his vein. That’s not the only reason I’m doing this, though. I have a feeling it might break the curse. Why, I haven’t a clue, but I’ll try just about anything to get out of this awful vampire of a life cycle loop.
“No, you don’t. I can tell.” He snakes his arm around my waist, holding me securely to him, as if he’s afraid I’m going to attack him.
Which I might, since while I was eavesdropping on their conversation, he mentioned how the curse forced him to try to stop me from drinking from his vein
“All right, just give me your wrist, then.” I keep my voice even as my fangs slowly descend from my gums.
Keeping one arm around my waist, he lifts his other arm up toward his mouth. I hear the slicing of fangs across flesh, and then the intoxicating scent of his blood whisks through the air. My fangs pulsate, more than ready. My mind is freaking the hell out, though. I feel so dirty, sneaking a taste of him like this. Not to mention all I can think about is the constant torture he made me endure over the years. Whether that was because of the curse or not, the feelings connected to those horrible memories reside in my chest, aching, piercing, branding me with old emotional wounds.
“Whenever you’re ready.” He rests his forehead against the back of my head as he positions his arm in front of me.
Blood pools from two puncture holes in his wrists and drizzles down his forearm. My mouth salivates, my
fangs aching with need.
Holy shit, am I going to do this?
Before I can psych myself out, I dip my head and pierce my fangs into his wrist.
A whimper fumbles from his lips as his arm tightens around my waist. He pulls me closer to him and panic sets in as his pulse pounds against the tip of my fangs.
Oh, my vampires, I’m drinking from the vein.
Oh, my vampires, I’m drinking from Rhyland’s vein.
I almost back out and pull my fangs out, but then the wonderfully potent taste of his blood touches my tongue, and suddenly, I can think of nothing else but feeding.
Unconsciously, my hands come up and cup his arm, yanking his wrist closer to my mouth. Then I suck and bite, sipping his blood from the wounds.
As the warm liquid spills down my throat, a drop of his power sparks inside me. Pressure shatters in my chest and lightens the worry and disgust I felt over drinking from him.
I groan as I suck greedy mouthfuls of blood, devouring the taste of him.
“Raven,” he moans against the back of my head, delving his fingers into my hips.
Sucking in a breath through my nose, I lift my head and spin around to face him. Our gazes collide and my fangs throb at the sight of his dilated pupils and the way he breathes raggedly.
“Vampires, you’re so gorgeous,” he murmurs, his glazed over gaze fixed on my mouth.
I trace my tongue along my lips, licking the blood off.
He groans, his fangs sinking into his bottom lip as desire blazes in his eyes. Then he raises his bleeding wrist toward my mouth and waits for me to sink my fangs in again. But I desire something else. Something more.
As my vampire hunger takes over, I lunge forward, loop my arms around the back of his neck and spear my fangs into the side of his neck. He gasps, tangling his fingers through my hair as I gulp down his blood, feeling his power pump through my body.
With a gentle tug on my strands, he guides my head away from his neck, momentarily meeting my gaze, hunger pouring from his eyes. Then he slams his mouth against mine in a fierce, blood tasting kiss.
My ability to think rationally flies away as our tongues tangle. He kisses me deeply, nipping at my bottom lip as he scoops me into his arm. He urges my legs around his waist then backs us across the room to the bed and falls on the mattress with me straddling his waist.