Keystone (Crossbreed #1)(102)
“We are all different,” he said, “but we are all the same when it comes to our purpose in life. Keystone was just an idea, but has become a beating heart because of each one of you. We are different Breeds, genders, and personalities, but as you can see, our blood is the same. Let us drink together and celebrate our victory… and our future. Now, enough with the formalities. Pour the wine!”
A few cheers sounded, and Viktor placed the glass in the center of the table as a symbol of our union. No one touched it, and I wondered what he was going to do with it.
I bent close to Christian. “Thirsty? I bet that’s torture.”
He circled his finger around the rim of his glass, creating a bright note that hung in the air. “Not as torturous as having to partner with a scavenger. Come to think of it, I might need that drink after all.”
Hours later, I was gloriously inebriated. I quietly sat back and listened to everyone tell stories about their previous jobs, although some I had trouble following because of the uncontrollable laughter and inside jokes. Shepherd abandoning Christian with the cop was just one of many antics they played on each other. Their sense of humor delighted and frightened me all at once.
Gem skated out of the room when Wyatt turned in his chair and started talking to no one. Talking wasn’t the appropriate word so much as arguing with thin air. When we had a moment alone, I asked him why—as a Gravewalker—he hadn’t detected Christian at the cemetery. After all, that was his primary skill. Wyatt just gave me an impish grin and said he wanted to give the discovery a push in my favor. Maybe he was embarrassed to admit that he’d switched off his senses after assuming Christian was dead, but it was a nice thing to say.
I grabbed a bottle of wine with a few good swigs left in it and journeyed upstairs to my room.
My room.
I finally had a nest—a place to call home. A retreat where I could have privacy, feel safe, and not have to worry about where I was going to sleep on a rainy or wintry evening. But tonight wasn’t for sleeping, so I crawled out my window and onto the roof, balancing along the peak and nearly tripping when I spotted Gem in the courtyard pool, floating in the water. Not in her skates, of course, but she’d changed into a white gown. She looked like Ophelia down there—not swimming, just floating peacefully with the soft glow of green lights below her.
I crossed to the other side of the roof where it wasn’t so steep and sat down next to a window facing east. The stars burned through the night like pinholes in the curtain of darkness. Somehow the air felt cleaner, cooler, and the world opened up to a vast universe. Had it always been so beautiful?
My heart quickened when the window suddenly opened and Niko poked his head out.
He squinted at me and then smiled. “Mind if I join you? I thought I heard someone walking up here.”
“Sure. Just be careful. It’s slippery, and the roof is slanted,” I said, my words slurring.
Niko stepped behind me and sat to my left, a pleasant breeze blowing his hair behind his shoulders.
I took another swig of wine and handed it to him. Niko held the bottle and drank a mouthful before handing it back to me.
“I bet you’re not as drunk as I am,” I said, setting the bottle on the window ledge.
He lay back and stared at the sky. “I feel drunk beneath all these stars.”
I eased back next to him. “How is it you can see stars? Are you sure you’re blind?” I said with a snort.
“I’m quite certain. I’ve been thinking how strange it is that people have ridiculed you for your eyes. Why is color so important to those who see?”
“Because aside from gender, color is the easiest way to divide people.”
“I’ve experienced quite a lot of prejudice in my lifetime because of my heritage, but I’m trying to imagine how eye color can be important. Eyes are so small. It’s not as if your head is purple.”
I laughed. “Maybe you are drunker than I am.”
He made a soft sound, still staring upward. A shooting star quietly skated across the sky.
“So what do they look like?” I asked. “The stars, I mean.”
His voice was loose and relaxed. “I can’t compare it to what you see. Light is energy, and all that energy is flickering and shining above us. Maybe shining isn’t the right word, but it’s everywhere. Did you know most of those stars died long ago? Their light still shines. I never knew such things when I was young; not until I became a Mage did the universe open up to me.”
“How do you fight people who have weapons?”
His brows drew down. “Good question. Some of it’s instinct, but weapons are an extension of their master. They absorb energy and intention, making them visible. Not always, but especially with a Mage or someone who’s lost control over his emotions. I’ve had centuries to refine my skills, but I’m not perfect. I still trip over curbs and run into poles.”
I shivered and took in the incredible view. I’d been on a million rooftops, but the only scenic views they gave were concrete streets and urban life. Moonlight glazed the tops of the trees like icing, and the sky was impossibly clear.
“So… you’re okay partnering with Christian?”
I laughed. “I wouldn’t go that far. You can’t trust Vampires.”
“Including you?”