As Quinn drank, Ariana felt him give in; with a roaring pleasure, he came, again, and yet again. As she cried out his name, she felt him break from her neck and cry her name out also.
Shuddering hard in his own bed far away – as his black nimbus of power roared in the night.
CHAPTER 8 – MORNING
Ariana was lost in reverie the next morning as she dressed in a black Italian lace gown up in Quinn’s bedroom loft. Sunlight streamed in all around; far above, the atrium had been enchanted to swirl with color in the day, its stained glass moving in kaleidoscopic patterns. As Ariana clipped on her onyx and diamond earrings, then affixed the matching bracelet, she gazed at the soothing display. Checking her carefully-styled chignon in a mirror, she smoothed her hands down her sexy lace gown with its off-the shoulder design, long sleeves, fitted waist, and a long train, wondering for the hundredth time if talking with the Summer Fae King was a good idea.
Or if it was suicide.
Glancing at Quinn’s canopy bed, her gaze fell upon the rumpled black silk sheets. Her breath caught as she suddenly revisited the hot lovemaking she and Quinn had shared last night. The memory made her shudder as she felt his touch upon every part of her again. She’d had sexy dreams of both Quinn and Lucca all night after that; and she shivered deeply now, thinking over not just her tryst, but those dreams also. A maelstrom of energy flowed through her as her Vampiric obsessiveness revisited both recollections, vivid. Sinking into the sensation, her eyelashes fluttered. Her chin rose as she felt Quinn’s touch slip over her hands, her body, and her lips.
And then he was behind her for real – moulding to her back as he slipped his fingers up her arms.
“I can feel you… reminiscing.” He breathed with a smile at her ear as his hands slid upward.
“There’s a lot to reminisce about.” Ariana answered, undone by him as her heart raced. Inhaling by her ear, Quinn nuzzled his nose under her chignon, easing his lips over her neck.
“There is.” He breathed, truly smiling now with a dark, hot glory as they shared the memory. As he spoke, Ariana felt his heart race – before he took a deep inhalation, pulling his energy back.
Quinn had invited her to his suite early this morning to have a quick breakfast as they discussed their plan to see the Summer Fae King today. Part of Ariana still couldn’t believe they’d had such hot sex together through their magic last night. But though there was tension between them this morning, she knew they had to hold back in person. As Quinn practiced slowing his heartbeat now in their strangely intimate sharing, Ariana reached up, trapping his cheek to hers.
“You’ll be there with me today?” She asked, oddly comforted by their bond now and the intimacy they’d shared last night, though her passions wanted so much more.
“The entire time.” Quinn answered as he laced his long fingers through hers sweetly. “Lucca was a fool sending you into the lion’s den alone for your trial three weeks ago, Ariana. I will stand by your side today in the Summer Fae King’s throne hall, as he should have done… and nothing will hurt you while I am there. I promise.”
“Thank you.” Ariana breathed back, meaning it. Turning, she came to face Quinn as he gently re-laced their hands. Wearing one of his slim all-black Armani suits, Ariana saw a flash of a bright, bloody crimson satin lining as he checked the jacket’s button. It was exceedingly Vampire-chic, modern yet classic just like the gown he’d chosen for her to wear today. As usual, Quinn wore his onyx and gold rings, Rolex, and cufflinks for their audience before the Summer Fae King, though he had a new ring of filigreed onyx and diamond that matched Ariana’s ensemble, she noted.
“Are you ready?” He asked, watching her intently as his ardor was put away now to their pressing political matters.
“I think so.” Ariana nodded, though deep inside, her nervousness surfaced now that she was no longer reliving sexy memories. Everything about today was unknown. Though they had a plan, there was no guarantee things would go their way, or that the Summer Fae King could be convinced that letting Lucca court Ariana was his best option at winning her.
Taking Quinn’s arm, Ariana maneuvered carefully down the wrought-iron staircase in her stiletto heels, and felt steadiness pour through her from Quinn’s stately grace. He had calmed his heartbeat now, even though they were still touching. As if their powers bonding last night had given him both more passion but also more intent, Quinn was a pillar of strength as he escorted Ariana down, then out through the ebony doors of his suite.
On the other side, his Second in the Dark Haven of Florence, the Vampiress Devina Scarlotti waited with her statuesque perfection. Wearing a tight-ruched little black dress with her regular badass heels and long crimson nails, her dark curls were clipped half-back with gold and ruby adornment today. Beside her was Quinn’s Third, the Hotel’s Head Concierge Curio Silverfrost, wearing all black today on his silver-white Winter Fae coloring, a fitted vest and chic slacks accentuating his slim, graceful height.
Though Devi startled to see Ariana and Quinn together, Curio gave Ariana a knowing wink. But both Devina’s fierce tongue and Curio’s teasing sexuality were quiet today as they fell into step behind Quinn – and Ariana felt her steadiness quadruple from their resilient perfection.
Besides being adept at their high-level positions managing the Florence Hotel, Devi and Curio were Quinn’s two strongest warriors in the Dark Haven of Florence; and Ariana felt how much vicious readiness the power duo offered their Master now as they egressed through the Hotel’s vaulted halls.
With a sensation like wrathful scarlet light from Devi and a dire winter wind from Curio, the duo were fierce as they accompanied Quinn and Ariana through a courtyard to a circular drive where manticore carriages waited. They gave Ariana steadiness all through their bond to Quinn, Kissed to the entire Dark Haven of Florence as she was now.
Helping Ariana up into the nearest manticore carriage as the black beasts snarled and scratched the cobblestones with their lion-claws, lashing their scorpion tails, Quinn settled to a seat next to Ariana as Devi and Curio took the bench opposite. As the driver’s whip lashed over the manticore’s backs and they roared, hauling the carriage forward, Quinn took Ariana’s hand.
“Everyone is aware of the plan today.” Quinn spoke as he regarded them all. “We get in to the Palace of Light, gain audience with the Summer Fae King, and present Ariana. Once we are in, let me do the talking… until it’s your turn, Ariana, and then say whatever you damn will. We begin in the Throne Hall, but if the King is serious about speaking with us, he will adjourn to have breakfast with us in his Butterfly Solar. Devi, Curio, you two will wait outside the solar on guard duty if we are invited to have breakfast.”
“Understood.” Devi spoke shortly with her brisk Italian accent as Curio nodded with a dire humor, as if he might enjoy a fight today at the Summer Fae Palace.
“As you wish, Master.” Curio spoke languidly, smiling.
“Quinn… are you sure you want me to go wild with my magic today when we see the Summer Fae King?” Ariana fretted now, feeling her heart hammer with nervousness as a tendril of her rainbow-dark energy curled out from her inside the confines of the carriage. “Are you sure that’s the best idea? What if I say the wrong thing and ruin our plan?”
“Actually, I don’t believe you can.” Quinn spoke with a wry smile now as he laced his fingers more securely through hers. “We already know your powers are felt by the strongest Vampires and Fae. You will turn heads at Court; which is good, as we want the Summer Fae nobility watching you, feeling your power when it rises. If your magic riots, let it; take the moment to be passionate like you were at the waterfall when you turned the ears of the King’s Darkwatch. We will see how much your power ensnares the noblefae to listen to us. And then see what happens next.”
“But my magic doesn’t work on the Summer Fae King. What if he decides to pursue a different avenue to win me than having Lucca court me?” Ariana stated, feeling unease despite Quinn’s confidence in their scheme.
“We will do all we can,” Quinn sighed with a dark frown now as he betrayed unease also. “But at the end of the day, some things fall to chance, despite all best-laid plans.”
Though Ariana nodded, it didn’t help her tension as they drove through the city of Florence to the Summer Fae Palace. Arriving with Quinn and his Vampires felt more bolstering than the day of her trial three weeks ago, but it was still unnerving as they passed through the massive portal beyond the Arno River into the palace grounds, then turned in to the circular gravel promenade.
