The Power of One (The Forever series Book Two) (22 page)

“I want to know exactly how close to
Gladius Infernus
I can get without it killing me.”

“So why in here in these clothes,” I gesture.

He looks slightly flustered as he says huffily, “I didn’t
want to potentially ruin a hand made $4,000 suit, if that’s all right with
you.”

“Christ CK, I’m not worried about your suit. What about
you?”

“I’ll be okay, just don’t get too close with that thing,” he
says, normal composure returned.

“Fine. Here goes.” I draw on the virtual armory and pull out
my trusty GI. All three Vampires and one human step back as the flames lick the
air with what I can only assume is a searing heat. Not having much to go on I
turn to Nico who is watching me with that expression again that resembles
desire but can never tell as the shutters always close to quickly, “What do you
feel?”

Startled to be asked his opinion he hesitates before
answering, “An intense heat. But more than that, it feels like nothing I have
felt before. Evil almost.”

Evil, huh? Well I suppose it is made from the fires of Hell.

“You two. What do you feel?” I say spinning to Cole and
Devon and they retreat further away from me and my flaming sword.

“I can feel the heat rolling off it. It’s the strangest
thing. I haven’t felt heat like that since you turned me,” Devon says. “It’s
almost calling out for me to touch it.”

Cole nods in agreement.

“Well don’t, it’s not for you,” I warn.

Turning to my sire he is staring at it now intently. “And
you?”

Bringing his eyes up to mine, “It makes me feel weaker and I
know it wants to finish me. Be careful with that thing,” he smirks.

I take a step closer and he retreats. “CK, you can’t step
back, what’s the point of this exercise if you don’t let me get closer to you,”
I say, exasperated. “Don’t you trust me, my love?” I ask cockily.

“I trust you with my life, my sweet. That thing though has a
will of its own,” he says pointing at it.

I look at it in my hand, “Really? Is that what you can
feel?”

He nods but takes a step forward, “Be sure to keep it under
your control.”

I nod and grip the handle firmer. I start to get a feel for
it as my wrist works it into a pattern of crisscross through the air, the
swooshing sound the only noise to be heard. “Pretty handy with a sword there,
Liv,” Cole says a bit surprised.

Glancing at CK I smirk, “William taught me well,” and he
grimaces.

“Indeed he did, however, it wasn’t just swordsmanship he
wanted to teach you,” CK says with a scowl.

“Oh my love, you know I only had eyes for you,” I bat them
at him and he grins.

“Who is William?” Cole asks.

“We knew him as William the Second, Duke of Normandy. You
would be more familiar with his title of William the Conqueror,” I reply to
which my husband’s eyes bug out.

“What?”

“Do you not remember the story from the car?” Devon asks,
“You know the one she told after you were turned?”

“What story would that be?” CK asks now interested as Cole
says, “You never said you knew him personally.”

“Just a story about Normandy,” I say vaguely looking at CK. To
Cole I say, “Of course we did. William was a good friend of CK’s.”

CK snorts, “Hm, a good friend who tried to seduce you out
from under me.”

“Now you know what was never going to happen.”

“Not at the time my sweet. You gave as good as you got.”

Scandalized, I drop the sword that I had all the while been
twirling around, “What?” I snap.

“So seemingly innocent and sweet, he fell for it like a bear
on honey and you know it,” he says with a wicked glint.

Eyes wide in disbelief, “Is that what you really think?”

“Oh Aefre, your beauty and wiles turned every head. I was
the envy of every man we came across. Are you telling me that you didn’t play
on that?” he scoffs.

“Play on that?” I practically yell getting my back up and
letting the sword go. “Are you serious right now? I loved you, I wanted only
you. You know that,” I have tears in my eyes at the hurt his words cause.

Tilting his head to the side he seems genuinely intrigued by
my response. “You mean to say you didn’t mean to leave a trail of broken hearts
in your wake?” he actually asks expecting an answer.

“What are you talking about?” I ask perplexed.

He concentrates on my reaction for a while and no one else
breathes a word. “Well fuck me. You never fail to surprise. You really were
still my sweet Aefre, weren’t you?” he says softly.

“I can’t believe you thought otherwise,” I say sadly.

He steps forward and traces a finger down my face. “After
fifty years of living with me and my ways it never dawned on me you would be
able to hold onto that. You are truly the strongest woman I have ever met,” he
says in wonder.

I clear my throat and say, “Well, they weren’t the easiest
years of my life but I wouldn’t change them for the world.” And he laughs
loudly and with such delight.

“Erm, I love a good reminisce as much as the next immortal
but you do remember that we are still here, right?” Devon asks sarcastically
and we both turn to look at him.

“Yes, of course,” I blink and Cole is not looking too happy.

I shove CK off me and say, “We’re not done with that conversation.”
To which he replies, “No, we aren’t.”

I step back and pull on the sword again and it appears.
“Right, stay where you are. I want to see how close you can get to it.”

He nods resolutely and I step forward holding my breath,
swishing the sword back and forth. Mesmerized by the flames, we all watch the
movement as it gets closer and closer. The tip is now inches from him and yet
he is still standing there unflinching. I bring it up in a backhand and swoop
it down to his neck stopping just short. He glares at me but nothing. “You
don’t feel anything?” I ask, disappointed.

“Sorry to disappoint you but no,” he snarls at me.

Flinching at his tone I frown at him, “I only sound
disappointed as this is supposed to kill you. How am I supposed to finish that
fucking bastard off if it’s useless?”

Softening he says, “It’s not useless. I definitely felt it
when you first made it appear,” he says, baffled.

“You said to Liv to keep it under her control. Maybe that’s
what she’s doing. Controlling it not to hurt you?” Devon asks bright as button
as usual.

“Makes sense, I suppose, but how can we be sure. I can’t
pull it on Gregor if it’s not going to work.”

“Constantine, say something to piss her off, see how it
reacts then. I’m sure you know how to push a button or two,” Devon remarks
slyly.

Cole chimes in now and I could punch him in his gorgeous
face, “Yeah, tell her about you and Eloise.” Devon bursts out laughing and
slaps Cole on the back.

“Good one. That should do it.”

I turn on both of them sword still in hand and they shut
their faces and step back.

“Me and Eloise?” CK asks, confused. “What about me and
Eloise?”

Rounding on him, now I am getting pissed off with his
denials. His eyes meet my furious ones and he definitely feels something now.

“Forget it. Cole doesn’t know what he is talking about,” I
say through gritted teeth. I step forward and he twitches under the heat of the
sword. “Do you feel that?” I ask menacingly.

“Back up, Liv,” Nico says, standing at my sire’s side. So
focused as I was on CK I didn’t even realize he was there until he spoke.

“It’s okay, Nico. She won’t hurt me,” CK says confidently.

Snapping back to reality at his words, he relaxes as I stop
being angry with him and the sword falls back under my peaceful spell.

“Seems you were right,” CK says to Devon.

“Always am,” he says smartly and I roll my eyes at him.

“Although I am still curious as to why the mentioning of me
and Eloise pisses you off so,” he queries at me and I shake my head. Now is not
the time or the place for this discussion.

“Because the bitch won’t leave you alone,” I snarl and he
chuckles.

“Really Aefre, your jealousy is quite touching.” He smiles
his perfect smile at me and I scowl at him.

“So it seems the sword is fully functional and yet perfectly
harmless to me under your control. That means I can hold that fucking bastard,”
he copies my words, “down while you separate his head from his neck.”

I smile a vicious smile at the thought of that and bob my
head. “I can’t wait.”

Back at the hotel I tell Cole we need to talk. He doesn’t
look happy and as I launch into my “two days in Milan alone” plan he looks even
angrier.

“Baby, please understand. I need to be with him. You know
that. Being away from you, will make it easier. I do understand why you are so
upset over Devon this morning. If I am here and you are there it won’t happen
again. I know this is so much to ask of you to accept but it has to be this
way.”

“Why?” he asks sadly.

“I need him.” I have nothing else to say.

He kisses me fiercely. “Liv, I love you. Please don’t leave
me. Don’t leave me for him.”

Taken aback I reassure him, “I’m not leaving you my love. I
just need to… manage… my relationships better. I will never leave you. Do you
understand?” I take his face in my hands and he nods woefully, kissing me as if
the end of the world is coming. We make love slowly and for a long time.

XXXXX

Stepping out of the shower and getting ready to get back on
the G6 to L.A., I hear low voices coming from the sitting room, clearly trying
to keep the conversation from me. I eavesdrop from the bedroom door. It’s Cole
and CK. Curious.

I hear CK say in that voice that brooks no argument, “I will
have her here for two days of the week, alone.”

“No,” Cole says forcefully.

“I don’t need your consent my boy,” CK growls at him. “Trust
me when I say you will be better off accepting this.”

“Threatening me won’t do you any favors with her,” Cole
snarls and I have to admit I am surprised by his boldness and his acuity that
indeed if CK were to hurt him I would never speak to him again.

“It’s not a threat,” CK says, unconcerned, “I am just
telling you that I am taking two days with her.”

After a long pause Cole asks, “You want her back, don’t
you?”

“Yes,” CK answers. “But I will honor her marriage to you
until such a time that you no longer want to be with her or vice versa.”

My mouth drops open in shock at his words and my heart
starts to speed up. What is he saying? Is he insane?

“So you are saying you are just going to what? Wait?”

“Precisely. Another hundred years or so is pocket change to
me. I will have my two days every week or that will change.”

“Meaning?”

“Meaning, I will fight for her. And trust me if I throw my
hat into the ring, you will lose,” he says with the utmost confidence.

Cole, realizing that he probably would be on the losing end
of that fight, says in defeat, “Two days. And I have your word you will honor
our marriage?”

“Of course,” CK says, smug now that he has his own way.

“Good, because I have no intention of leaving her or letting
her go.”

“Charges always leave their sires, it’s just the way it is.
You will go and I will take her for my own again and this time it will be
forever.”

Absolutely shocked to my core over this exchange, I just
don’t know what to think. Bloody Devon was right again. It’s true, he really
always is. Oh CK, why now? Why not three months ago, six months, a year, a
century? What game are you playing? My head reeling, I back up and sit down
quietly on the bed.

Cole startles me out of my pensive thoughts. “Hey. Are you
ready to get going?”

Trying to gain control of my features I nod, “Yes. All
ready.”

“Good. Constantine is here. He wanted to say goodbye,” he
says offhand.

Frowning at him for lying, I wonder if CK will neglect to
inform me of this conversation as well. Standing, I make my way into the
sitting room where my sire is standing casually flicking through his phone.

“Ah Aefre. I just came by on my way to work to wish you a
safe flight.”

“Work? As in your actual job? There’s a first.” I laugh at
him as he pulls his face at me.

“I don’t employ thousands of people so I have to go in every
day you know,” he says haughtily.

“I do,” I say smugly and he smiles one of his better
patronizing smiles.

“You will learn my little butterfly that kingdom’s are
seldom run by just the king.”

“Humph,” I mutter. Trust him to compare himself to a king,
but there again he has precedent. “Speaking of work, I do want to run something
by you. Can I talk to you about it next week when I am here?” I ask to see if
he will mention his and Cole’s little conversation.

“Of course, my sweet. I look forward to it,” he says and
leaves it at that. “I must go now. I have a meeting that I cannot afford to
miss. I will see you Tuesday.” He kisses me swiftly and leaves via the door
with Nico in tow who nods at me as he leaves.

Hm, was Nico privy to that conversation, I wonder? Not
having much chance to ponder that as Devon barges in unannounced and declares
it’s time to go.

“Dev, sweetie. There’s this thing called knocking,” I
reprimand him.

“Whatever. It’s not like we aren’t all family up in here.”
He dismisses it and I let it go this once and we head out to the airport for
the long drag back home.

“So what is Constantine’s real job?” Cole asks curiously as
we buckle up to take off.

“Investments, mostly,” I answer.

“Oh. What did you want to talk to him about? An investment?”

“Of sorts. I am struggling to get a client to sell me a
property they have in France. I thought he might be able to help.”