The Power of One (The Forever series Book Two) (14 page)

“Yes,” I cried out.

“Let go, my sweet. Let go.”

I cried out again as a second wave of pleasure rushed
over me to the place where we were joined and he cried out then too as he finished.

“Thank you,” I whispered in wonder.

“No, thank you, Aefre,” he said quietly as he rolled off
me and pulled our cloaks around us. “I have become so jaded, so disillusioned
with this world. You have shown me that goodness and sweetness still exist.” He
brushed my hair out of my face. “It has been a long time since I felt this
content,” he said and looked at me adoringly with those dark eyes. I fell in
love him, more in love with him, as I was sure that I felt that way the first
time he looked at me.

“Oh, Aefre,” he said again. “I want to teach you, to show
you how much I can make you happy and how happy you can make me in return.”

“Show me. I want to know everything you know.”

He closed his eyes and said, “There are things that I
want you to do to me, but you aren’t ready yet, my love.” My heart pounded at
his words “my love.”

“Can I see you the same time tomorrow?” I asked
hesitantly.

He smiled down at me and kissed me softly, “I will be
here.”

That night I waited for Radulf to return. I was not afraid
anymore. He didn’t scare me. I would endure his punishments but I will no
longer be afraid of him.

It got darker out and he should have been home by now. I
was not worried. In fact, for my sins I hoped something had happened to him on
the road home. Then I would be free, free to be with my true love, Constantine.

Sometime later after I fell into a doze at the hearth, he
staggered in. I awoke suddenly as he gruffly called my name, “Aefre.”

“Yes, Radulf I am here,” I said, relighting the candles
that have flickered out.

“Get the healer,” he ordered me as I stared at him. He
was bloody and beaten and his arm was hanging at an odd angle. “Now, woman!” he
yelled and pulling on my cloak I ran to the cottage of the healer. I didn’t
feel bad for him. He deserved whatever came to him. He told a tale of a gang of
men who surrounded him from the next town on the road home. It was a pity they
didn’t finish him off I thought to myself but remained silent. Mercifully that
night I was left alone as the healer had given him a sleeping herb that sent
him straight to sleep. I slept soundly for the first night in a very long time.

I smile as I think back on how naïve I was. I loved him so
much. He was my savior. My knight in shining armor. When I learned of the
beating he gave Radulf that night I fell just a little bit more in love with
him. I feel a flare of longing go through me. Longing for the days when it was
just the two of us.

Sighing I pull my attention back to the present. What’s done
is done, but I do resolve to ask him about why, really why, he left me in 1506.
I also resolve to tell him I know of him and bitch-face so he can stop
pretending he doesn’t know why I left him in 1112.

At some point.

Maybe.

We arrive at Milan Malpensa by G6 the following Tuesday
morning. All of us a bit fed up now of air travel but I can’t “Astral”--as we
are now calling it--here due to us needing to be here legally with our
passports stamped, etc.

Dragging our heels we exit private passenger security and
bump into Nico. I smile genuinely at him, pleased to see him.

“
Buongiorno
, Nico.”

“Liv,” he says, that smile still not reaching his eyes. “Mr.
D’Arcangelo sent his car for you.”

“
Grazi
. Is he here?”

“I’m sorry,” he shakes his head.

Disappointed, grouchy, and hungry, I tell Nico to take us to
the Bulgari Hotel where we are staying.

“Mr. D’Arcangelo asked me to bring you straight to The
Council building, ma’am.”

Ma’am? What’s all that about?

“Fine,” I snap and we pile into the backseat thoroughly
pissed off now.

“Livvie. Do we have to?” Devon whines. “I hate that place.
It’s so stuffy.”

“We won’t stay long, I promise. I am in no mood to see
Eloise and Gregor,” I shudder.

Pulling up outside The Council, we all pile back out without
waiting for Nico to open the door.

Cole looks up at the mediaeval structure in awe, “Wow.
That’s pretty impressive.”

I smile, remembering all the things he hasn’t seen yet that
I can show him. I take his hand and we enter the building.

“
Buongiorno
Giulia.”

“
Buongiorno
, Liv. Nice to see you arrive by more
conventional methods this time,” she says with a wink.

I smile back, “Giulia, you remember Devon and this is Cole,
my husband.”

She smiles at each in turn handing us our visitor’s badges.

“Husband? In the mortal sense? You kept that quiet, didn’t
you.”

“Didn’t she just,” comes Eloise’s tinkly, annoying voice
from the elevator. “You never mentioned it on your unsanctioned visit here last
week.”

Oh fuck off bitch, like I need to tell you anything.

I sneer at her, “Well after tomorrow I shall be free to come
and go as I please. I won’t need the welcome wagon.” I wave dismissively at
her, no longer concerned by her status as I am now better than her. She looks
outraged that I have just dismissed her but makes no move on me. My point made.
Clearly a chatty sire has been telling tales of my rage-fuelled Power.

“Where is he?” I ask Nico.

The other elevator pings open and he sweeps out in all his
majestic beauty. The pang I felt after my reminiscing the other day returns.

“Aefre, you came,” he calls me by my first name. “I had half
a mind you would tell Nico to shove it and go straight to the Bulgari.” He
smiles, clearly pleased about something. He kisses me tenderly. “I’m glad the
lady saw reason,” he murmurs against my lips as my mouth drops open.

“Pardon?” I whisper.

He winks at me, “Come, let me show you your office.” He
pulls me into the elevator and I tow Cole along behind me. Devon steps in under
his own steam, as does Nico.

Fortunately there is now no room for Eloise who is staring
at me with open hatred. I pull CK closer to me with a wicked smile aimed at her
as the doors close.

CK’s mood is infectious as we travel up to the top floor. I
wonder what on earth is up with him. I think the other three occupants are as
equally baffled by his joviality.

We step off and he pushes open the door of the office next
to his, with a flourish.

“This is yours,” he says. It’s much like his own and my one
at home. I am impressed and say so.

“I knew you would like it,” he says smugly.

“CK, what is going on with you? Is everything okay? Oh god,
you haven’t… you know…” I dread to ask making a slitting motion at my neck.

He laughs at my expression, “No, my love. His head is still
attached, unfortunately.” He grimaces briefly but then the brilliant smile returns.
“Can’t a sire be happy to have his charge return to the fold?”

I blink at him. “CK, I told you I’m not moving here,” I say
stubbornly and he shrugs offhand.

“You are still going to be closer to me, more of the time.
And that, my sweet, is all a sire can ask for.”

Cole and Devon are listening to this with bad grace and I
don’t blame them. There is still something off about CK’s attitude.  Especially
in light of his words earlier.

“Can we go now?” Devon asks rudely.

“CK is there a reason you wanted us here right away?” I ask.

“No, there is a reason I wanted
you
here right away.
The others are free to leave,” he says mildly.

“The others” both snort in unison and say “Yeah, right.”
They glare at each other while I snicker and end up on the receiving end of two
sets of annoyed gazes.

“What is it, CK? We are all grouchy and hungry.”

Nico disappears and returns shortly with three glasses of
blood that we accept with thanks and gulp down.

“How are your cravings now?” CK asks me.

“Fine,” I respond and add after his grimace, “Better, thank
you.”

“Good. I need to speak to you alone. Come to my office.”

“Fine,” I say again. I kiss Cole and tell them I’ll only be
a moment.

Following CK to his office I sigh, “What is it, my love. I’m
tired.”

He holds me to him, “I just wanted to see you and tell you
that I know.”

“Know what?” I ask confused and in no mood for guessing
games.

“That you’ve been thinking about me. About us.”

“Yes, well it’s hard not to. I have seen you more these last
few weeks than I have for a long time.” I reach up and touch his face softly.

“That is true, my love, but that is not what I mean,” he
says mirroring my gesture. “I had a vision of my own, you could say.”

“What?”

“After we spoke, when we discovered about The Power’s
dislike of… you know who… I saw you, in my head, in your office. I saw exactly
what you were thinking of.”

“What?” I say again stupidly. “I don’t get it.”

“Your memories of our trysts by the bell tower and our first
encounter in the barn,” he murmurs. “Christ, Aefre. You were the sweetest, most
beautiful, innocent creature I had ever met. I couldn’t stop thinking about how
much I wanted you. I wish I had been able to tell you about me. I was waiting
to see if you felt the same about me as I did about you.”

Staring at him in surprise I clear my throat, “You saw what
I was remembering?”

He nods, “Yes.”

“What does that mean? I have always thought you could read
my mind,” I say with a slight smile.

“No, Aefre. I just know you. I don’t know what it means. I
wish we could go back in time to then. Do things differently. The way I
planned. The way it should have been.” He traces a finger down my face to my
lips.

“Oh my love. I wish things had worked out differently as
well but things are the way they were supposed to be.”

He closes his eyes at my words. “After tomorrow we should
learn more about everything. I know how frustrated you are feeling. Tomorrow
will be here soon enough.” He pulls me close and I sigh in contentment.

XXXXX

Back at the hotel, we all crash as soon as we hit the beds. I
can’t say for sure why we are all so tired. Wasn’t sure if Vampires suffer from
jet lag but it seems to be the case. After a couple of hours, I awake refreshed
while Cole still sleeps. I take a moment to take in his features in repose. He
must sense me staring at him as his foggy blue eyes pop open.

“I’m sorry, my love, go back to sleep.”

He grunts and pulls me on top of him. “If you are going to
wake me up, I’d rather you at least do it properly.”

I giggle and oblige him by making slow love to him to which
he is very appreciative.  We spend a leisurely day in the pool and spa and meet
up with Devon for drinks and dinner.

Feeling thoroughly pampered and prepped for tomorrow’s
ceremony I am in good spirits now, which in turn makes my boys happy too.

“Hey, I have a question which has been bothering me,” Devon
says suddenly. “As you are not an Initial Vampire, how will you have an equal
standing on The Council?”

This is something that I have always wondered myself should
a fourth member ever be chosen, however now in light of my Power boost I
understand it. I don’t get the chance to answer though as CK turns up and
answers for me, “By The Power of One, of course.”

We three turn to look at him. “Yes, but still. It doesn’t
make her one of you,” Devon persists.

“No, it makes her better,” CK replies with pride.

“How so?”

“All will be revealed after tomorrow’s ceremony,” he says
cryptically and Devon scowls at him.

“Are you looking forward to La Scala tomorrow?” CK asks me
changing the subject and sitting down.

“I am. It will be strange though,” I say hesitantly.

“Do you think anyone will notice a resemblance?” Cole asks
curiously.

I shrug, “That photo doesn’t really look like me as I do
today.”

“Is it common for professional athletes to be… you know… our
kind?” he inquires.

Amused by the question, we three older “you knows” glance at
each other. CK answers, “Not really in traditional sports. It’s too difficult
to keep the speed and reflexes in check. Classical ballet and dance are
different though. Controlled, precise. Every step requires thought.”

“I have known both male and female Vampires who have taken
up dance professionally,” I add.

“You said before, it’s almost like cheating though.”

CK scoffs, “Hardly. Technical brilliance, poise, and grace
don’t come naturally to us. Maybe we have an edge on strength but all that
Svetlana accomplished was by her own talent and hard work.”

I beam at the praise and blush, just a teeny tiny bit.

Cole looks at me proudly. “Svetlana? Sexy! I wish I could
have seen you.”

“Well if she’d get off her stubborn ass and dance again
you’d be able to,” Devon pipes up and CK nods in agreement.

“You totally should,” Cole exclaims and I know when I am
being ganged up on.

“Maybe,” I concede and they all look pleased.

XXXXX

CK takes his leave soon after. I don’t like seeing him go.
It’s affecting me more than it should but I brush it aside blaming The Power.
It’s getting late so we all head to our rooms and Cole watches me as I steam
out my dress for tomorrow.

“You will look so beautiful,” he murmurs.

I grin at him over my shoulder.

“I wonder what this ceremony is going to entail?” he asks.

“CK said it would be simple. Words and a blood oath. Should
only take about ten minutes tops. The rest of the afternoon will be drinks,
etc.”