A Ride of Peril (A Shade of Vampire #46)(25)

I arched my back. I could hardly take it anymore. I gripped his shirt so hard it almost tore. He held me close and gazed deeply into my eyes, visibly delighted by my reaction. He smiled, his eyes dark and filled with silver fire.

“Your reaction to me is perfectly natural, Vita, and utterly delicious,” he whispered and covered my mouth with his again, taking me on another trip around the galaxy.

When he finally pulled himself back again, putting a few inches of hot, humid air between our incandescent bodies, we stared at each other. My lips pulsed from the memory of our kiss. Our breath came ragged as we slowly regained our senses.

A smile formed on his lips, and his eyes flickered with desire.

“I promise I will come back in one piece, Vita,” he said, his husky voice sending more shivers down my spine. “With you in my life, I have every reason to stay alive and destroy anyone or anything that stands between us.”

He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers brushing my jaw before his hand retreated to his side.

I took a deep breath and gave him a weak smile, nearly shattered by the amount of energy I’d burned in his arms. I loved every minute of it, and I needed more of him. It was the only certainty I had in that moment.

“You’ll have to excuse me now. I must pack a bag for the trip.” He nodded curtly, took his pouches of poisonous herbs, and left the greenhouse.

I just stood there, leaning against the table. It took me several minutes to recover. I was unable to wipe off the smile that had settled on my face. I bit my lower lip, and I could still taste Bijarki.





Serena





After lunch we gathered in the reception area downstairs. Bijarki, Anjani, and Jovi were ready to leave for the River Pyros, each with a satchel and a minimum of two weapons, including the large hunting knives we’d found in the attic. Draven and Hansa were waiting for me, along with the rest of our group.

Phoenix stepped forward.

The Daughter watched quietly while we all said our goodbyes.

My heart felt like a rock. I was all too aware that it was possible we’d never see each other again.

Hansa walked up to Anjani, who stood tall and proud, visibly focused on keeping a straight face despite the sad look in her eyes. Hansa grasped her sister’s shoulders firmly, wearing her signature confident smirk.

“You be good, little sister,” she said. “Be sharp, be ready for anything, be ruthless.”

Anjani nodded, but I could tell she was wary of leaving her sister in these circumstances. The loss of the Red Tribe had taken its toll on both of them.

“What do we say when we go on quests like these, Anjani?” Hansa asked.

“May the sun guide your way.”

“May the moon light your path,” Hansa added.

“May the wind be your wings,” Anjani continued.

“May the earth serve your feet.”

“And may your blade keep you safe,” they said together.

“That’s right, sister,” Hansa said. “Be fierce, darling. You’ve got everything it takes to represent our tribe. You are one of the most promising warriors I’ve been blessed to raise. I know you will not let me down. You show those Lamias that we’re not to be played with.”

Anjani laughed, swallowing back tears as her sister hugged her tight.

“Come back in one piece, Hansa,” she whispered. “I still need you.”

“You only need the sun, the moon, the wind, the earth, and that beautiful blade of yours, little sister. But I will see you again soon. If not in this life, I will find you in the next. That I can promise.”

I felt my eyes sting as I watched the exchange between the two succubi. One by one, Vita, Aida, and Jovi hugged me goodbye, wishing me well. Phoenix waited his turn patiently, occasionally glancing over his shoulder at the Daughter.

“You stay alive, you hear me?” Aida mumbled, her lips trembling as she tried hard not to cry.

“It’ll take more than a crazy snake dude to take me down, Aida. You know that. I’m like a cockroach, nuclear disaster and all,” I joked, even as I squeezed my eyes shut to jam my tears.

She nodded, then took a step back, leaving Vita in front of me. I hugged my little fire fae, taking a moment to sniff her hair, wondering if that’s what sunshine would smell like if it had a scent of its own.

“Take care of these kids for me, Vita. You’re the only reasonable adult in this house now,” I quipped, and she grinned.

“Have you fed?” She asked.

“We just had lunch,” I mumbled back, and Vita rolled her eyes at me. “Ah, sentry-wise. Yes, I’m well-fed.” I nodded toward Draven, who was engaged in conversation with Bijarki, leaving him some last-minute instructions for his trip.

“My two-legged lunchbox,” I smirked.

“You feed off the Druid now?” Vita seemed surprised, knowing he’d pushed me away in the early days whenever I’d tried to syphon off him.

“Yes, and his energy is extraordinary and seemingly inexhaustible.”

She nodded and gave me a weak smile instead of a goodbye. I then walked up to Jovi and playfully poked him in the stomach. When I nearly strained my finger, I instantly regretted it. The guy was pretty much made out of rocks.

“You’d better come back with all your limbs intact, wolf-boy,” I said.