The Power of One (The Forever series Book Two) (19 page)

“But I will do it anyway.”

He sighs, “Are you ready to
go? You need to feed after everything you’ve been through today.”

“A few more minutes, please.”

He nods.

Another few minutes pass in
silence and I say, “Thank you. For this.” I point at the grave. “I know it
couldn’t have been easy to get him and I haven’t ever said it before.”

He shrugs, “I couldn’t leave
him to be… with the others. It was nothing.”

I sit up and look at him
seriously, “It was everything. It IS everything. You will never know how much I
appreciate what you did and for giving me back this.” I open my hand where I
had been clutching at the wedding ring I gave to Fraser, that I had called to
my palm.

Shifting uncomfortably, his
face impassive, he just nods and I drop it, knowing I won’t get any more from
him than that.

“We can go now. I’m ready.”

He stands and pulls me up
with him. I step into his open arms and he Teleports us back to the warm, dry
hotel room in Milan without another word.

Still clinging to CK even
though we are back in the hotel, I don’t want to let go. He steps back first
and appraises me critically. “Feed, then bath,” he says decisively. Insulted I
look down at myself but then I have to concede I look a mess. Muddy and wet, I
definitely do not look my best.

“You’re back,” Cole’s voice
comes from behind me. I turn to him and he smiles softly. “Everything okay?” he
asks in concern over my freshly tear-stained face. I nod and he takes me in his
arms. He smells delicious, fresh from the shower.

“I have a bath ready for you.
There’s also a feeder waiting for you in there.” I smile my thanks and step
away from them towards the bathroom, fangs already dropping.

Taking my fill, I step away
from the human and dismiss him. He retreats hastily in case I change my mind
and again I wonder what makes people do this. Struggling again with the zip on
this dress I let my shoulders sag in defeat. Slouching back into the sitting
room I ask for help of no one in particular and all three jump up at the same
time. Disappearing back into the bathroom they all follow and I grimace. But I
need them. All of them around me now. And I need more blood.

Somehow they know exactly
what to do and silently Cole unzips my dress as CK untangles the tiara that is
still miraculously somehow on my head. Devon hands me a Scotch which I down in
one gulp. Letting the ruined dress fall to my feet Cole picks me up gently and
lowers me into the bath and I relax instantly, as does he when the bubbles
cover me up. CK hands me another Scotch, which I take from him but hand to Cole
as I grip his wrist instead. He knows what I want and pulls up his sleeve.
“Take as much as you need, my sweet,” he whispers and I let my fangs descend
and bite down hard. Human blood is the best medicine but this is a close second
and I drink and drink until he hisses, as he wants more from me. I pull back
and quickly snap my fangs back. Cole is watching jealously but has the good
sense to remain silent. I lean back now feeling better, physically at least. My
heart is still ripped into a thousand tiny pieces but I won’t show them my
weakness anymore. It’s time to step up and put a plan into motion that will
destroy the traitors once and for all.

“I need you to
seduce Eloise,” I say, eyes closed but pointing in the direction of my sire.

I feel his shock
and open my eyes as he says, “Excuse me?”

“Oh please. No
need to look so scandalized, it’s not like it would be the first time,” I scoff
and his features radiate confusion at my words. Not letting him deny it as I
just couldn’t bear it again I press on, “I will get to Gregor first but she
will feel the shift when I kill him, as will you. I need you there to distract
her, so she doesn’t realize what’s happening and teleports away before I can
get to her. I propose we go about this in The Council HQ, that way I can get
from Gregor’s office to hers in a matter of seconds before I lose my shot at
her.”

CK is gaping at
me as if I have lost my mind. Devon just looks uncomfortable and Cole is
scowling at me clearly not liking this plan.

Snatching the
forgotten Scotch out of Cole’s hand I gulp it down and hold it out for more.
Devon obliges. “Wine this time. No more reminders,” I murmur.

“Well?” I snap as
no one says a word. “In or out? I will get them both one way or another.”

“Aefre, this is
not a good idea. I don’t want you going near him in that way.”

“Well I am not
mad keen on you hitting on Eloise but it’s either you or Cole and no way am I
sending my husband into the lion’s den,” I say with force and Cole looks
pleased at the husband reference, but then annoyed that I don’t want my sire
hitting on Eloise either.

“What about me?”
Devon asks affronted.

“Sweetie, I love
you and you are devastatingly handsome but there is no way she will buy it from
you. You’re too close to me.”

He is thrilled
with my comments while the other two sulk in the corners.

Geez, I can do
without the amateur dramatics right now.

“Fine but Liv,
this could backfire. What if he overpowers you and you know… before you can
stop him?” Devon asks, concerned. “Even with your newfound Powers, he is still
older and stronger.”

A look of disgust
crosses my face. “Trust me, he won’t get that far.”

CK sighs and runs
his hand through his hair. “Fine I will do as you ask, just promise me you will
make it quick so I don’t have to…” he waves his hand about in distaste, being
unusually coy about the situation.

Humph I think.
Sure.

I narrow my eyes
and say sarcastically, “Will do.”

“OK then,” Devon
claps his hands together. “Now that we have a plan in place, when do we go
about executing it?”

“A couple of
weeks. Gregor will be suspicious enough without me pouncing on him with no
prior indication.”

I sit up suddenly
and find three sets of eyes staring at me and my naked breasts and a heat
flares through me as I realize how easy it would be to take them all now. A
self-satisfied smirk on my face as my newfound Power surges up under the
attention, I sit back again denying them the view as the bubbles froth back
over my chest.

Devon clears his
throat, “So how will you approach him?”

“She won’t,” CK
growls changing his mind. “I won’t let you do this.”

“Me either,” Cole
says bold enough to stand up to me with my sire’s support.

I blink at them
as they look at each other in solidarity. “Oh, look at you two. How sweet. It’s
quite amusing that you think you can stop me.” Standing swiftly, bubbles
dripping from me, CK and Cole stand rapidly from the side of the bathtub where
they had been perched. Devon shakes his head at me in exasperation and hands me
a towel. I accept it and wrap it around myself as I hold my hand out for Cole to
help me out of the bath. Oh yes, a girl could definitely get used to this. Too
bad I promised no four-ways, I sigh.

“I need to wash
my hair. I’ll see you back in the sitting room in a few,” I say effectively
dismissing them and to my delight they all leave as bid, even CK although he
does so with bad grace which tickles me further. Stepping into the power shower
I feel the water beating down on me and I stand there head under the water my
hands on the wall for support, for a few moments remembering the Scottish rain
falling on me not so long ago. Pushing the thoughts away, I just can’t bear to
think about it anymore I gather my resolve with every ounce of strength I have
I breathe in deeply and concentrate on the task at hand. One step at a time to
get over his loss… again.

Returning to the sitting room
in just my robe, my long hair still wet and loose, I hand the comb to Devon who
accepts it and starts to work the comb through my hair. I sigh in bliss and
relax under his touch. Cole just glowers at the obviously familiar act between
the two of us.

“Where is CK?” I ask.

“He went back to his
apartment to shower and change,” Cole says. “He said he'd come straight back.”

“Liv?”

“Yes?”

“I am really worried about
this plan of yours. What if you don’t get him quickly enough? What then?” Cole
asks worriedly.

“Don’t worry baby, he won’t
get away from me. I don’t need to chop his head off right away, although that
is my preference. GI will wound him enough with just the slightest touch,” I
reassure him.

“GI?”

“
Gladius Infernus
. The
sword,” I clarify.

CK pops back into the room
then all clean and gorgeous, I smile at him and take in his beauty. He is
causal now. Well, the most casual I have seen him in a good long while. Still
in pants but not suit pants and a tight black short-sleeved shirt that clings
to him, buttons undone at the collar. I inhale sharply and cover up the sound
of my desire by blaming Devon for pulling on my hair too hard. Looking
chagrined he apologizes and I feel bad, but a promise is a promise, I think
wryly.

“You’re not doing this
alone,” he states clearly.

I open my mouth to speak but
he interrupts. “I have another plan. Unfortunately I have to agree the best way
to get Gregor’s guard down is to… seduce him,” he chokes out the words, “but I
will be there with you. I am not going to let you face him alone and besides
which I want to be there when you finish him. It’s not up for discussion,
Aefre, so don’t even try.” He pre-empts my strike and I stare at him, going all
mushy. I love it when he goes all authoritative.

“But what about Eloise? I
need her distracted enough so as not to pay much attention to the pull she will
feel when he dies. I can’t have her Teleporting out, never to be seen again
before I get to her.”

“Cole will do it.”

“Oh hell no!” I snap and jump
up getting the comb all tangled in my hair in the process. “Not a chance. I
told you before, no way. She will eat him alive.”

Cole looking somewhat
insulted by my comment pipes up, “I think I can take care of myself, Liv.”

I look at him apologetically
as Devon tries to untangle the comb. “I’m sorry, baby. I didn’t mean to suggest
that you couldn’t but she is… I don’t want her touching you. She can overpower
you and make you do things I don’t want you doing,” I add, hypocritically jealous.

Cole sees it as well and
chuckles at me. “Oh really? And what of the ‘if you so choose I would not stop
you’ speech?” he inquires wickedly and I glare at him – caught by my own
actions and words.

I sense Devon’s grin behind
me as he gets the comb free and even CK is trying to hide his smile but fails.

I huff, knowing when to pick
my battles. “Fine. Go be her sex slave. See if I care,” I pout and he bursts
out laughing as do the other two Judas.

Walking up to me he pulls me
into a tight embrace. “Oh Liv, I do love you. There is no way I could ever do
that to you. Especially with her,” he whispers and kisses me. “But I will
help,” he says in normal tones. “I would much prefer if you go this course that
you have Constantine with you.” He grimaces as the thought crosses his mind,
“Although I am not thrilled that you have to pretend to engage in… you know…”
he falters.

“Neither am I,” says CK,
“well at least not with him.” And Cole glares at him but he ignores him and
continues, “But he did, after all, mention sharing yesterday. Although I think
he meant just you, he might not object to joining us as a twosome.”

“Okay, well that thought just
grosses me out now,” I say with distaste, but then inspiration hits me and I
turn to Devon. “Hey, maybe you
could
tag team Eloise with Cole, with a
bit of prep work. That way, I at least know he’ll stand a fighting chance of
resisting her.”

Devon sputters as does Cole
at the thought, but I am resolute. “It’s this way or we go back to the original
plan. Cole is not to be left alone with that woman.”

Devon shrugs and agrees as I
knew he would anyway and in light of that Cole, ever competitive, agrees too.
CK just shrugs--as long as he is with me he isn’t too concerned about anyone
else. “Now that is settled, there is the other matter we discussed to attend
to, Aefre?”

I stare at him blankly, “What
matter?”

“Of you being here in Milan
two days of the week,” he prompts me and I cringe. This isn’t something I
particularly wanted to discuss right now. “I suggest we start with Tuesday and
Wednesday next week. We can get you settled into work and you can start your
cozying up to Gregor.”

“Can we discuss this another
time?” I say through gritted teeth.

“Why, now is as good a time
as any,” he says mildly.

“We’ll see. Just let me think
about it. It’s been a long day. I am shattered. Can we discuss it later?”

Not happy, but he agrees.
“Fine, I will leave you be, but I will be back later to see you before you go
and we will discuss it then.” He pulls me to him in a gentle hug and whispers,
“Make it happen or there will be consequences, Aefre. I promise you.”