Adriana had gotten to know the two other Lamia Court leaders living in the manor, Deion Daktari and Edward Paul. From her conversations with them, she’d learnt a few embarrassing stories about Xander, and had learnt about their unique powers. Deion was a Medici, his brand a strange marking on his shoulder that reminded her of an exotic lotus flower, whilst Edward was a Somnum, his brand resembling something similar to a dreamcatcher on his forearm.
She had also spent time with their children, playing games where she would send bubbles from the lake for them to catch or sprout flowers across the ground they walked. There was Lucien, a quiet boy with dark hair, brown skin, and hazel eyes; Dreigo, who looked coincidentally similar to Deion and was the most confident of the three; and Ana, with her rosy complexion, blonde hair and pale blue eyes. Lucien was a Somnum, having been turned by Edward, while Dreigo and Ana had inherited Deion’s Medici abilities. Although they were second generation Lamiae, with identical brandings to their fathers, their powers were weak due to their young age and would likely never fully develop. Adriana bonded the best with Ana, who had even begun to accompany Xander in the mornings when he came to collect her from Amara House.
One summer morning, however, Xander arrived alone. Adriana stood from the bench in her gardens where she had sat reading one of Striga’s old books, brushing her trousers down and checking her shirt was tucked in. It wasn’t typical for a woman to wear breeches, but she found them to be far easier to train in than skirts or dresses.
“Tales of Daemonium?” Xander asked, as he tilted his head to read the title of her book. “If there is anything you wish to know,you need only ask. I am not sure a novel for children is the best way to learn.”
She rolled her eyes at him as she dropped the book on the bench and walked to meet him. “It is information in the form of short stories by Striga. She gave it to me for my sixteenth birthday to learn more about, well, everything. Some of the stories are about you, very heroic stories, I might add.”
“Well then, you should definitely be asking me, so I can correct you whenever Striga labels me a hero. Is that the book she stole my drawings for?”
Adriana’s brow shot up in shock. “Youwere the illustrator? I had no idea you could draw.”
“Well, there is much you do not know of me.”
A teasing smile played on his lips, but Adriana could detect the sadness within his words. She realised she had learnt to spot his false bravado quite easily, his subtle tells that gave away his inner thoughts. Whether it be the slight tremor in his fingers or restless wobble in his knee when he was nervous, the flinch of his brow when he was trying to hide his sadness, or his occasional obsessive tidiness that would distract from his anxiety; she spotted them all now. But he was right, there was so much she did not know. She didn’t truly know his past, only the stories told by his brothers and Striga, and as much as Xander told her she didn’t need to know his history to truly know him, she couldn’t help but feel shut out.
Reaching out, she entwined her fingers with his, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. Almost instantly, the slight twitching tremor in his hand ceased, the warmth of her skin settling him far quicker than she had expected. Adriana had often thought he knew her better than she knew herself, but she was beginning to wonder if she was drawing closer to knowing the true man that resided beneath the surface of the powerful Lamia. Though therewas clearly so much she didn’t know about him or his past, she seemed to understand his emotions better than her own.
“Where is Ana this morning?” Adriana asked, looking around for the little girl she had come to love as she made her way through the garden with Xander. She was only ten years of age, as was Dreigo, with Lucien being a year younger. They were so young to have fallen ill and thrown into a world of bloodlust and immortality.
Adriana saw a lot of herself in Ana, not just because of their similar features, but because of her stubbornness and perception of the world. She was such an observant child, often naive to the dangers around her, but full of curiosity that could never be satiated.
“I thought we could ride over today,” Xander explained, gesturing to his horse that grazed by the side of the lake. Adriana let go of his hand to pet the beautiful stallion. “I know it is only a short journey, but I thought it might be a pleasant change from walking now that it is warmer.”
“That sounds lovely. We can stop by the stables and I can take one of the horses. Although, I don’t think Jonathon would be pleased. He has not spoken to me recently and I am not sure why.” She frowned as she thought of how distant her friend had become over the past few weeks.
Adriana caught the smirk on Xander’s face before he quickly blurted out, “Why not just ride with me?”
She looked between him and the saddle on his horse with a raised brow, not convinced they would both fit.
“If you want to,” Xander continued, as he tucked his hands into his pockets, his voice growing more and more uncertain. “We can get another horse, if you’d prefer. Only… I would like it very much if you were to ride with me.”
Adriana smiled at his ramblings, she had never known him to be this nervous because of her. With a small laugh, she hauledherself up onto the horse, using a nearby rock as a step, and sat pushed against the front of the saddle.
“Come on, then,” she said teasingly, patting the space behind her in invitation.
Xander shook his head with a small laugh before he gracefully climbed up behind her. It was a snug fit in the saddle, she was practically sitting on top of him. She could feel the hard panes of his chest against her back and shoulders, his warm breath against her neck, his strong arms wrapped around her to hold the reins.
He said nothing as he brought the horse to a slow trot, allowing them to take their time as they made their way around the lake. With every small jolt of the horse’s steps, Adriana felt her backside shift against Xander’s crotch. She tried to shuffle forward, to give him some more room, but one of his arms wrapped tighter her waist and kept her against him.
She could feel his hardness pressing against her tailbone, his lips brushing against the side of her neck. Minutes passed, but they felt like torturous hours as her eyes closed and she rested her head back on his shoulder.
“Perhaps this was a bad idea,” she said.
“Do you not enjoy feeling what you do to me?” his voice whispered in her ear. “Do you have any idea how much I have wanted you, Adriana? How much I have wanted to taste you again?”
Adriana tilted her head to look up at him and found his eyes staring intently down at her rather than the direction they were riding in. They had only shared brief kisses since the barn, and despite Adriana desperately wishing he would take things further, he never did.
Using her newfound confidence, she took his hand that held her body to his and brought it up to her chest. He cupped herbreast, rubbing his thumb over her peaked nipple through her shirt.
“Taste me, then,” she breathed out. She had longed for his touch, longed for the feeling of his hands and mouth on her body.
“Hold the reins and keep your eyes on the path.”
She gripped the horse’s reins in her hands and faced her head forward, noticing they were halfway round the lake now. His leather’clad hand reached down the front of her shirt, whilst his other hand slowly slipped beneath her trousers, his fingers instantly finding that spot that made her see stars. She couldn’t believe what they were doing, knowing they could be caught by anyone wandering round the lake. The thought set her body ablaze in such a delicious way that made her eyes close and head tilt back.
“Eyes forward,” he growled. “Did no one teach you how to ride properly? Perhaps we will add that to our list of lessons.”
