The Power of One (The Forever series Book Two) (21 page)

He nods and I have no more room for hesitation as I grab the
man by the throat and viciously clamp down on him. He squirms as I hurt him in
my need but then he relaxes as the pleasure bit takes over. Trying to
concentrate on his heartbeat as I drink and drink--trying not to kill him--I
finally pull away sated and he slumps to the floor, alive but just barely. I
sink to the floor next to him and breathe in deeply, stamping out the desire to
kill him. “Get me out of here,” I snarl as the feeling gets overwhelming. Nico,
undisturbed by the fact I might bite and kill
him
grabs me by the arm
and hauls me up and shoves me out of the door unceremoniously. Feeling better
now that I am away from the human blood I lean against the wall and try to gain
control of my wayward self. Christ, what is going on with me? I shake myself
and feel loads better now that the human blood is flowing through me. I go back
to find Cole after having abandoned him two and a half hours ago, to my own
disgust.

He is still sleeping. Much to my relief. I watch him
sleeping for a few moments before my phone buzzes and I grab it quickly before
it wakes him. CK.

“What?” I snap.

“Hm, are you okay?” he asks briskly after my awful greeting.

“Yes I am fine, why?” I ask suspiciously hoping Nico hasn’t
spilled the blood beans.

“I feel your anxiety. I don’t like it. I am worried.”

Relieved I sigh, “I’m okay, just tense about what is to
come.”

“Yes, so am I,” he says dryly. “Have I told you how much I
hate this plan?”

I chuckle. “Yes, numerous times. You know I won’t get close
enough to him to attempt this any other way,” I state.

“I do, unfortunately. Liv?”

“Yes?”

“How far will you let him go?” he asks almost terrified of
my answer.

I slide down the wall I am leaning against and say, “Not
that far.”

“What is that far?”

“I don’t know!” I snap suddenly. “I will play it by ear.
Close enough that I can summon GI and take his life,” I snarl in loathing.
“Just don’t be close enough yourself to get caught in the crossfire, so to
speak,” I add, concerned.

“How close can I get?” he asks.

Perplexed by the question I hesitate. “Err, I don’t know. I
know I am immune to its effects but… I don’t know.”

“Then we need to find out.”

“What? No way. I am not risking you.”

“I want to know so I know I can still protect you if things
go wrong.”

“They won’t, trust me. This thing was built to kill.”

“Yes, built to kill me and my peers,” he states
matter-of-factly and my stomach sinks in dread. He really wants to test this
thing.

 I remain silent as Cole comes out to the sitting room with
just a towel slung around his hips. I breathe in deeply at the sight of him and
he looks at me quizzically sitting on the floor with the phone to my ear not
speaking.

“Aefre? Are you still there?” CK asks impatiently.

“Yes, I’m here,” I say as Cole comes to sit in front of me,
knees bent.

“I will send Nico to pick you up in an hour. We will test
this thing out here.”

“No CK, I don’t like it,” And once again I realize I am
talking to the dial tone as he has hung up, leaving no room for argument, the
infuriating beast. I start longing for the days of the old flip phone when it
was so much more dramatic and satisfying to end an annoying conversation by
slamming it shut instead of gently pushing the “End” button on a touch screen.

“What was that about?” Cole asks as he helps me stand.

“CK wants to see how close he can get to GI before it kills
him,” I state unhappily and Cole’s eyes widen. “So he knows where not to be
when I end Gregor,” I elaborate.

He nods in understanding. I go to him and pull him close by
his towel and lean up to kiss him. He drops his head to oblige but then inhales
sharply and stiffens, his mouth millimeters from mine. Gazing up at him in
confusion I see his anger and I realize that I have come on to him with Devon’s
scent still all over me. Cursing my stupid actions and the realization
dawning--as well why Constantine didn’t try it on as I went to him covered in
Cole’s scent. I step back as he turns around and walks back into the bedroom
slamming the door closed behind him. Damn Vampire senses!

Debating what to do I am startled when Cole storms back out
of the bedroom fully dressed and ignores me as he leaves the room. Part of me
wants to follow but part of me decides it’s probably best to clean up before I
do. Rushing to the shower I make quick work of the task and pull a black
stretchy mini dress over my head once I am dry. Stepping back into my favorite
black Louboutins, I head out of the bedroom to go find Cole, only to find him
back in the sitting room glaring out of the window.

Having now worked myself up into a bit of a temper about
this I snap, “I didn’t break the rules.”

He turns slowly to look at me. “No, no you didn’t. But you
did break my heart,” he says sorrowfully. I stare at him not knowing what to
say to that. He carries on, “I didn’t actually think you would do it a couple
of hours after we were together.”

I close my eyes at his pain and take a deep breath. “I’m
sorry, my love,” I say, opening them again and moving towards him. He stays
still as I reach for him. “I shouldn’t have come to you the way I did. It won’t
happen again.” Noting my lack of apology for actually doing the deed with Devon
and just for not hiding it better he turns from me again and says, “I’m sorry,
Liv. I should be handling this better but after everything that happened
yesterday, I am just feeling… I don’t know what I am feeling. All I know is
that I love you and I want you so much. I am still trying to deal with you
wanting them and being with them.” I go to put my arms around him and he lets
me this time pulling me close, his hands in my hair. We stand like this for a
few minutes not saying anything and he eventually pulls away. The look of
sorrow has been replaced with a neutral expression. “I love you,” I whisper and
he smiles sadly. “I know you do. I love you too.” And we are interrupted by a
loud knock at the door.

I go to answer and it’s Nico as expected.

“Ready?” he says briefly and I know he is still not happy
with me about lying to CK about the feeder. “Give us a minute,” I say quietly
and he waits patiently as I go back to Cole who hasn’t moved. “Come, my love.
We need to go.”

“Where are we going?” he asks.

“To CK’s penthouse. Remember, the sword thing?” I remind
him.

I pick up my purse and grab his hand and pull him over to
the door. “Ready,” I say to Nico and he leads the way out to the waiting car.
Devon is already seated in there and I am nervous about how this is going to
play out. Cole is still not his usual self and I could really do without
infighting right now.

I slide onto the back seat first and Cole follows. I am now
sandwiched between the two as Cole glares at Devon and Devon realizes why. Talk
about uncomfortable much. Three tense Vampires in an enclosed space is setting
off my Power Surge and I lean over Cole to crack the window. He grabs me and
pulls me onto his lap in a show of possessiveness, which I find both endearing
and irritating as I am now like a toy they are fighting over. Sighing, I sink
myself lower into Cole trying to get comfortable and he fidgets as I squirm.
“Oh for fuck's sake,” I mutter, “This is ridiculous. We are not going to walk
around on eggshells around each other. Cole if you have something to say to
Devon just say it.” I climb off his lap and go and sit on the sideways facing
seat leaving them to glare at each other on the back seat. 

Devon waits expectantly but Cole just huffs at him and looks
away. His face softening just a tiny bit, Devon whispers to him, “I need her
too. I’m sorry that it hurts you but it isn’t about you.”

Cole whips his head around to face him again looking
murderous but at Devon’s expression he softens as well and sighs. “I know,” is
all he says and everyone relaxes slightly.

Fortunately we are now outside CK’s apartment building and
Nico lets us out. We scramble to get out in the fresh air and Cole takes my
hand, much more at ease. The doorman lets us in, and I punch in the code for
the Penthouse elevator, not unnoticed by Cole whose fingers tighten on mine. I
smile at him and he returns it as best he can.

There is silence the whole ride up to the top floor, which
is getting really awkward now. I turn to Devon, “Do you even know why we are
here?”

He shrugs, “Something to do with the plan I guess. I don’t
know Constantine, just texted me to be here.”

Huh, curious.

“Yeah, something like that. He’s got a death wish,” I mumble
and Devon looks alarmed. The doors ping open and we step off. CK’s apartment is
fabulous. It is exactly how you would picture it. All lavish dark wood and reds
and blacks, seems to be a popular theme with us. Heavy ornate furniture and
plush carpets.  “Wow,” Cole says forgetting his tiff. “This place is nice.”

“You should see
Castello Ponte
,” I remark using the
shortened version of the castle name.

“Castello? He has a castle?” Cole says in awe.

“Yes in Tuscany. I have mentioned it a few times.”

“He still has that?”

“Yes, he would never give it up.”

“Give what up?” CK’s asks as he makes an appearance on the
upstairs balcony.

“Your castle,” I raise my eyes to him and I nearly keel
over. He is wearing a tight black vest and loose fitting sweats and that is it.

Smiling down at me he notices my reaction to his very casual
attire and beckons us up the stairs. He leans over to kiss me and I resist the
urge to run my hands over his well-defined muscles. Oh no, that wouldn’t do
right now at all. Unable to help myself though I do place my hand lightly on
his bicep as I lean into his chaste kiss. He nods to the two boys and raises an
eyebrow at the tension still radiating there. “Something amiss?” he asks,
knowing full well that there is.

“Nothing you need concern yourself with,” I say brightly.

Devon, ever one to stir the pot though, remarks loudly,
“Cole is pissed with me for having sex with his wife.” I know he has just said
it to get it out in the open and to stop all this passive aggressiveness.
Forthright as ever, but we all stare at him open mouthed and even Nico’s facial
expression changes to one of surprise. I gasp as Cole punches him smartly in the
face to which I then flinch as I sense the pain from Devon. Man, he has a mean
right hook, I think proudly.

“Feel better?” Devon asks as he rubs his jaw.

Cole unable to remain serious now replies, “Actually, yes I
do.” Then he winces, “Sorry Liv, I suppose you felt that?”

I nod in pride and Devon snorts, “Not bad for a newbie.” And
we three chuckle as we remember the conversation we had in Monte Carlo about
this very thing.

CK clears his throat and says, “If you are quite finished,
we have business to attend to. Liv, change your clothes, my sweet, we can
hardly do this with you looking like that.” He gestures to me and I look down
insulted. I realize then that I suppose it isn’t the most practical get up for
sparring with your 2759-year-old sire. “I don’t have a change of clothes with
me,” I say.

“Magick some up my dear. I am sure you can if you put your
mind to it,” he says as he turns and leads us to the gym on the far side of the
corridor.

“Magick some up? What the fuck am I?” I snap.

“The Power of One,” he snaps back and I shut my mouth.

Okay, I can do this. I have only ever moved something over a
short distance, with the exception of the hair clips in the cave and the ring.
Clothes are something else though. I think of my own training clothes back in
L.A. and call them to me. I am quite impressed with myself when they appear at
my feet and grin broadly at my achievement.

“There, you see?” CK says with pride and I slip my shoes off
and pull my sweats on underneath my dress. Pulling the dress over my head I
slip my training top on over my head and pull it down, pulling my hair back and
summoning a hair band to tie it up in a high ponytail out of my way. I clap my
hands together then. “Right let’s do this,” I say as they all stare at me.
“What?” I snap, getting a bit sick of being stared at all the time.

CK shifts slightly and clears his throat, “Not that we three
mind, my sweet but I am sure that Nico is not interested in seeing your tits no
matter how lovely they may be.”

Oh. I didn’t even realize what I had done, feeling so
comfortable around these men I just sort of did what I would normally do,
forgetting of course about Nico.

“Sorry Nico,” I say abashed and he just shrugs
uncomfortably. Well, I suppose it's not like he hasn’t seen them before but not
in front of his boss, who also happens to be my sire, my husband, and my best
friend.

CK beckons me over to him in the middle of the room. I feel
tiny next to him now in my bare feet. I grin up at him from my five feet, three
inches and say, “Now I remember this feeling.” And he chuckles.

“What feeling?” Cole says.

“Being a short shit,” I remark dryly. “They didn’t have
six-inch heels back in the day.”

Cole laughs, “Is that why you refuse to wear flats now?”

“That would be a big fat yes. Centuries of no choice but
flat shoes.”

“Why don’t you just… you know… make yourself taller?” he
asks, genuinely confused.

“Because then she would not be herself,” CK answers for me.

“That is not a bad thing,” Devon points out.

“Elizabeth is taller?” he inquires, his anger forgotten now.

“By about four inches,” Devon replies warily, not liking
where this is heading.

“Enough about the various forms of me,” I say, bringing this
conversation back to safer ground to which Devon shoots me a grateful glance. I
turn to my sire, “So what are we doing here exactly?”