A Meet of Tribes (A Shade of Vampire #45)(13)

“Why?”

“Serena, we’ve been through enough already,” Draven replied, his voice softening. “I just want you close to me, not wandering around and out of my reach.”

He baffled me, defeating my resolve with a single sentence. How could I say no to that?

I let a sigh roll out of my chest and pulled a long, white linen shirt from the bottom drawer, along with some matching, ankle-length briefs. These were men’s clothes but, given they belonged in the 19th century or so, they could pass for women’s attire now. Not that it mattered much in this mansion, lost in a corner of Eritopia.

I slipped into the shower and felt myself come alive under the water stream. I washed the dirt away and abused the lavender scented soap bar. When I was finally clean, I stepped out of the tub and wiped myself dry with a towel.

My mind wandered back to the Daughter. I had so many questions for her, but given her current condition, I wasn’t going to get any answers. She didn’t even know her own name, not to mention what her powers were and what she could do against Azazel and his horde of Destroyers. She was fragile and defenseless, and I only had myself to blame for that.

With hindsight rapidly smacking me over the head, guilt reared its ugly head again. I felt the bathroom walls closing in. I shook my head and took a few deep breaths, then slipped into the shirt and briefs, which hung loosely on me. The linen was soft and dry, and it felt good against my skin.

I came out of the bathroom to find Draven lying in bed on his side beneath the covers. He must have fallen asleep already. My mood had gone south again, and I decided there was no point in sticking around. Might as well sleep in my bed with the girls.

I moved to the door, and the floorboard creaked beneath my feet.

“Where are you going?” Draven’s voice shot through the silence.

I froze, not expecting him to still be awake.

“I…I thought you were sleeping. I didn’t want to bother you so I—”

“Stay. Please.” He pulled the cover aside and patted the bed, inviting me to join him.

My knees softened, and I felt my temperature rise once more. Despite everything that had happened that morning, the only place I really wanted to be was that little space next to him, under a soft blanket.

“Okay. I’ll just sleep in the chair. Don’t worry about me,” I muttered and took a few steps toward the armchair, not wanting to concede just yet. I didn’t like the idea of granting him a small victory so easily.

“Serena, don’t be foolish. Get in bed like a normal person. Stop trying to ruin your spine in that thing.”

His tone was firm, but there was a peculiar softness underneath, which made me smile as I approached the bed. Maybe he wasn’t mad at me after all, despite what my conscience was telling me. It clearly wasn’t my friend today.

I sighed and lay down on my side, facing him, my body stiff and my heart in my throat. I swallowed it back down as Draven pulled the blanket over me, then snaked his arms around my waist and drew me closer to him.

I abandoned all my defenses and placed my hands on his chest. His heart thumped furiously. I relaxed in his embrace and buried my face in the warm space between his neck and shoulder, breathing him in slowly.

“It’s been a long day, Serena. Just sleep,” he whispered into my hair.

His body heat seeped into mine, and I closed my eyes. I waited to fall asleep while replaying more of the memories he’d shown me during our mind-meld. I watched through his eyes as he saw me for the very first time, back at the fae palace. He’d said that I had just happened to tag along during the spell by accident; that he’d only aimed to get my brother, Vita, and Aida back to Eritopia.

But I could see myself in the palace, laughing with the girls, surrounded by gorgeous fae during the dinner. I felt what he’d felt in that moment—a strange heat pouring through his veins as he stared at me through his flame. He’d been watching for a while before we were zapped into his mansion in Eritopia.

With all the craziness that happened after we kissed, I didn’t even get to talk to Draven about this particular memory. As his memories warped into shapes and colors dripping around me like a psychedelic rain, I slipped into a dream.





Serena





I must’ve slept for a long time. It felt like forever. I peeled my eyes open and noticed the sun still peeking shyly from the east through the window. I realized I’d completely blacked out for almost twenty hours.

Wow.

I breathed in deeply, eerily accustomed to the faint smell of dampness that lingered throughout the house, and quickly went over the previous day’s events in my mind. I started with Draven pulling me into his arms before we fell asleep and moved backward through each key moment.

My guilt still ate away at me for breaking the Daughter’s shell in my desperately foolish attempt to release and retrieve my brother.

I huffed with frustration and rubbed my eyes with the back of my hands. My mind raced back to the dead succubi scouts slumped over their horses, silver blood pouring out of their fatal wounds.

My fingers ran over the soft blanket, and I realized I was alone in bed.

I thought of Draven, our kiss, and the unbelievably profound mind-meld. I had never been so close to anyone in my life.

I could still hear his heartbeat drumming in my ears. I could feel his chest burning every time he looked at me.