“But you like it?”
He found himself nodding, though he was surprised by his own admission. “And you? How long do you plan to stay?”
“Indefinitely, I guess.”
“You don’t sound pleased by that.”
“My father … he can be a bit … what’s the word?”
“Asshole?”
Another soft laugh came from her, this one making his entire body harden.
“Not exactly what you’d call the king of the vampires. Not if you want to keep your head, anyway.”
Oliver’s eyes rounded like saucers as he glanced over at the big vampire who was now sitting with Obsidian and Penelope. “King?”
“Technically, Alpha.”
“Wow. Is that an elected position?”
Bijou shook her head. “His father was the Alpha. When he died, it passed down to my father.”
“And that makes you what? Vampire royalty?”
She chuckled then ducked her head. “Actually, I’m a bastard. My mother and father weren’t mated when I was conceived.”
Oliver’s gaze swung back to her face. “And here I thought vampires were myths.”
She smiled sweetly. “We thought the same about humans at one time.”
Oliver laughed, couldn’t help it.
“You have a very nice smile,” Bijou said softly.
He could’ve said the same about her, but in that moment in time, he couldn’t find his voice. He felt a shift inside him, like puzzle pieces were being clicked into place or the final touches being put on a painting. Oliver felt whole for the first time in his life, complete in a way that confused the hell out of him.
And he had the distinct feeling Bijou was the final piece.
Chapter Sixteen
Eclipse woke to the sound of movement. First the shutters lifting, then bare feet pattering around the room. He knew where he was, even knew who was making the noise, but he kept his eyes closed.
“Crap,” Orianna muttered.
“Problem?”
He heard her sharp inhale of breath and smiled as he rolled to his back. Evidently, she’d thought he was still asleep.
“I didn’t mean to wake you.”
Easing into a sitting position, Eclipse pulled the sheet over his lap to cover the erection her nearness inspired, his attention turning to the female snatching up clothing and tugging it on piece by piece.
“Going somewhere?”
She turned to look at him. “I have a life to get back to. If I’m not at work in twenty minutes, I’ll be fired.”
Part of him wanted to throw out a barrier, keep her from leaving the room. He wasn’t too proud to admit he wanted her to stay forever. And not only because that cold loneliness would consume him once she was out of sight. No, he wanted her to stay because … well, because he wanted to get to know her. More than just how perfect she felt against him, how easily she soothed every part of his soul. Although a few more hours of that wouldn’t bother him in the least.
