Quickly Lanias finished eating, and once done, she placed her fork on the table. “Thanks, even though we’re meeting for the first time. Would you like to work for me? That was delicious.”
Roni laughed at her words, as he cleaned the pots and pans piled in the sink a short distance away. “Ha-ha, you’re not the only one who’s asked me such a question.”
“I’m not shocked,” Lanias said, pushing her empty plate toward him. “You’d have been a must have talent back when I ran the Shade.” Her smile turned sad. “Too bad, I’m no longer the full owner.”
Seeing her expression turn wistful. Alek placed his free hand on top of hers, as she looked at him. “You will return one day,” he reassured.
Laughing she shook her head. “No, that part of my life is over. It’s time for me to move on.”
“Surely, you miss your sister, and your cousin?”
“Alek,” she said his name softly. “Stop.”
He wanted to push.
Why was she so determined to continue this farce of being dead?
When she only needed to stretch out her hands and her family would come running. He’d seen the admiration on the faces of the Witches who worked under her and the clear fear and respect in their client’s eyes when she passed by.
He’d heard stories of The Black Witch, who ruled the Shade with an iron fist. Her black eyes held not only secrets, but the sparkle of mercurial ruthlessness. At first he’d been curious, then fascinated, and finally, seduced.
That very woman had greedily guarded her plate of food from his wandering fork. Had argued with him over her clothing choices, and was currently making eyes at the cook. Though he forgave that, as he knew it was more about the clean plate than the man himself.
“Are you interested in seeing it?” Roni suddenly asked, drawing Alek’s attention to him. Though he was obviously speaking to Lanias.
Alek eyed him. He couldn’t sense anything from him, even though it was obvious he had magic.
If Alek had passed him on the streets he’d have thought he was human, or even rarer, a male Witch.
Roni continued, “After all you didn’t come all this way not to see your mother’s home.”
Lanias tensed in his arms. “My mother’s home.”
The way she repeated it, Alek knew she wanted to go
Lanias had told him earlier she was searching for her origin. Her reason for existing.
This journey had led to her “dying” and hiding her existence.
For a Being who’d always known his origins and where he’d come from, it was alien, the idea of having no history. He could only join her search for answers.
If it was important to her, it was important to him.
He grasped ahold of her hand. Letting her know without words he was there.
LANIAS
Lanias felt Alek give her hand a reassuring squeeze. It helped, even if she didn’t show it. Expressing her deep emotions had always been hard. Yet Alek never demanded that she verbalize what she was feeling.
It was damn near shocking how easily they seemed to flow together. In essence they operated with similar thoughts, she had allowed him intimacy with ease. The old her would have blocked his involvement, not demanded his protection. The old her would have endured the cold and lonely adventure alone.
She wondered if this was what Sabina meant, when she said being with Raijin wasn’t hard, wrong or difficult. She fought and disagreed with Alek about almost everything topical, but they always found themselves back on the couch cuddling and laughing.
Biting her bottom lip, she mentally performed a reality check. She and Alek weren’t in a romantic relationship. They were bonded by a deal of protection. She wasn’t his future, or hislove interest. He was possessive of her, but vampires weren’t the type to share their new toys.
The sex, that she was inwardly anticipating would happen soon, would be amazing. But that wasn’t about her heart. A heart that she had no intention of ever sharing. She was too damaged for love. Unlike Sabina in the past held on to her innocence, but Lanais sadly happiness, innocence and stability was torn from her own arms then slaughtered.
“I want to see it,” she answered. “I started this for this very reason.”
