Following my nose, I stalked into the sumptuous study in which the coven had gathered. All eyes slid in my direction, though I did not return the favor. Crystal glassware clinked demurely as hands were freed up upon my arrival. Whether it was in greeting or in preparation for battle, I didn’t much care. My attention was elsewhere.
Blood Manor seemed to shudder in my wake, adding a sense of gravity to my passage. Almost as though the mansion was sighing in relief to feel me back within her walls. Something alive pulsed expectantly beneath my feet.
What is that?
Luna stood at my side, regal and imposing, as she tasted the potent magic. I don’t know but it feels… delightful. Bloodthirsty and utterly lethal.
Two of your favorite things, I teased.
As if the magic could sense our enquiry, it sent a thrill of excitement through the room, causing the windows to tremor. I didn’t get the opportunity to see if the vampires reacted to the unnatural surge because with the joyous quake came a slice of blinding pain stabbing me right between my eyeballs.
Willing my breath to remain steady, I grit my teeth and waited until it passed. Levi, whose gallant hand never left the small of my back as we traced quickly through the mansion, tensed upon entering the room. Ignoring my existential battle and feeding off her mate’s sudden unease, Luna nudged her wet nose into my palm, directing my attention to the here and now.
“Oh, Levi,” Clarissa mock-gasped from what I’m sure she thought of as the power position. “I’m so glad to see the feral mutt didn’t maul you on our doorstep.”
Sudden fury blasted from Levi causing Luna to snarl at our aggressor. The coven leader’s fingers clutched at my corset in preparation. Sharp claws pricked through the dense material into my skin as his monstrous form slid closer to the surface. I got the distinct impression that Levi wanted nothing more than to shove me behind his back and deal with the upstart himself. Instead, he surprised the heck out of me by setting aside his own feral instincts in deference to mine.
“Coven of Blood Manor, may I introduce to you my—“ I shot the vampire a sharp look which told him to shove it if he intended to introduce me as his mate and received the ghost of a smile in return. “—Eliza Josephine Pointon.”
Then Levi graciously floated backwards, allowing my bloodthirsty bitch to take the lead. The move was surprisingly intuitive for a man who’d robbed me of my past. Luna wasn’t the sort of wolf to hide behind anyone’s coattails, mate or not. She rumbled in appreciation for the recognition of her status.
Silent gazes pounded into my flesh, taking in every detail and calculating my chances of survival. I kept my face blank. Though I may have been the night’s curiosity, the vampires would be in for a nasty surprise if they made the mistake of thinking I was their next meal ticket. My daily sparring sessions with Stanley had made certain of that.
Thank you, now-slightly-less-annoying-and-meddlesome bestie.
Leaning against the door jam, Levi took in the inhabitants of the room with an air of practiced nonchalance which didn’t fool anyone. Except, perhaps, the vamp tramp whose gleeful eyes flashed at me from across the room. Not having been reprimanded, Clarissa thought she’d won this round. I didn’t disabuse her of the notion. In fact, I didn’t even bother to acknowledge her. Neither my wolf nor I considered her a threat, more of an annoying cretin who would soon be put in her place.
I strode into the center of the room and released the tight grip I usually held on my impulsive animal. In a gentle wave, Luna’s essence stretched out, claiming every inch of her sanctuary.
Potential as-yet unleashed lay thick on my tongue. The magic imbued in these walls tasted us in return, rubbing up on our being in smug welcome. Thus far, the essence infusing every molecule of Blood Manor seemed pleased by my bold claim.
It urged me to dig deeper. To throw off the meddling fog in my mind and reclaim my birthright. I had no idea how long I would be able to hold off that reckoning but I had a feeling my life would never be the same again once it did. For the moment, I simply basked in the sensations all around me while taking in the small details which made my beloved library feel like home.
Above us stretched a magnificent celestial gateway, far grander than that which graced the foyer of Stanley’s funeral parlor, though the two were clearly fashioned by the same artist. Tempestuous moonlit clouds skittered past the stars overhead, complimenting the warm glow flickering from the fireplace and tasteful light fittings dotted about the room. Even so, shadows loomed as befitted a vampire liar. They whispered of dark and scintillating intent.
Bookshelves lined the walls. I relished the scent of aging ink, paper and leather bindings. Old fashioned sliding ladders waited patiently, offering easy access to their treasures. A quick glance confirmed all my favorite occult reference books were still there, as well as a modern fiction section stuffed full of the sorts of paranormal, urban fantasy and fantasy books I loved. And the entire collection of L. H. Higgins, of course.
Familiar tomes and new additions called to me equally, begging for attention.
Soon, I promised them.
A powerful telescope sat patiently in the corner alongside a stately liquor cabinet delivering a faint echo from the past. It grew stronger as the magic in the room surged. I’d spent many a night stargazing here as the fireplace gave way to dull embers, gorging myself on s’mores and fantastical dreams of traveling to distant realms. Or, wrapped up in blankets, I’d read in my armchair until bleary-eyed dawn when I was whisked back to my childhood room.
Another wild rose left on my nightstand to greet me in the morning.
Loss weighed briefly on my heart. I’d never felt so safe as while traveling through time and space in those arms. The custodian carrying me was but a dark smudge of memory as I curled around his fierce gravity and placed a sweet kiss on his cheek in thanks.
Though my feelings had grown complex, the unwavering sense of safety saturating the memory remained. Straining to make out the hidden features, however, only brought on a fresh spike of pain. The remembrance evaporated, leaving a bittersweet tang on my tongue.
Impatiently, I brushed the fresh longing aside.
Luxurious, overstuffed and refurbished leather furniture was scattered in tasteful groupings, making the generous space seem more intimate. Thick velvet curtains draped the large windows, perfect for playing hide-and-seek. Priceless masterpieces hung on the few stretches of wall not reserved for books, while the fireplace burned merrily in the cast iron grate. However, the true heart and soul of the room—my gorgeous leather armchair—was emitting an air of gloomy endurance, due to the presumptuous vampire curled up in it like a house-cat marking its territory.
I grinned wolfishly.
Time to take out the trash.