“Ruby?” My entire body tensed at his voice. I could feel it making its way across my skin, leaving tingles in its wake.
Beside me, I felt Mila disappear and I turned to face Eli. My mouth fell open when I saw him in his well-fitted suit. He rolled his shoulders forward, adjusting the fabric before smiling sweetly at me.
“Y-you look great,” I stuttered, letting my eyes completely drink him in. An all black suit that hugged him just right and the black tie went well against the formal white backdrop of his shirt. “At least it’s not pink,” I added in a mutter.
“You don’t like your dress?”
I pulled at the loose fabric, letting it slip through my fingertips. “Yeah, I like it…not the color, but the cut is fine.”
He stepped forward before hesitating and taking his steps back. It sucked. I wanted him to touch me or hold me, to do something! I couldn’t bear not being able to stand near him.
“I love your dress…Faith picked it.”
My jaw clenched ever so slightly and I placed my hands on my hips. “Of course she did. While I’m dressed like a ten year old flower girl, Faith is wearing a dress that—”
“Leaves little to the imagination.” Eli smiled, his green eyes flaring. “Unfortunately for her, I like a little mystery.”
“Mystery?”
He angled his head and licked his bottom lip. “Well, there has to be something underneath all of that fabric.”
I stepped closer, as if a rope had snagged my waist and forced me forward.
“Isn’t her dress the most adorable thing you’ve ever seen?” Faith giggled, sliding in next to Eli and stopping me in my tracks. I gritted my teeth and stepped back.
“Adorable is for children.” Eli sighed, apparently bored. “Beautiful is more appropriate for a woman her age.”
My lips twitched as Eli fought his own smile at me. Faith rolled her eyes at his words, and to make matters worse, Hunter strolled up beside me. I glanced sideways at him and he looked fantastic, too, in an all charcoal suit. It really accentuated his bright blue eyes. He smiled smugly at me, like he read my thoughts, so I snapped my attention from him and back to Eli and Faith. Eli and Faith…it’s annoying even thinking their names in the same sentence.
“How about dancing?” she suggested, her eyes widening with excitement. “You two would look amazing together.” She sighed, slinging an arm around Eli’s. “Young love.”
Screw this. “Are you kid—”
Hunter snagged my arm, pulling me into him and away from Faith. A few feet away, his arm slipped around my waist.
“Can you believe her?” I growled, folding my arms tightly over my chest. “She loves to torment me and there’s only so much I can take before I lash out…again.”
Hunter swung me around, taking one of my hands in his while the other firmly planted itself on the small of my back.
“Who does she think she is and why the hell does she hate me so much? Fine, so I broke a couple of rules. Big deal! It doesn’t affect her.”
He shrugged. “She’s jealous.”
“Because I’m prettier than her?” Wow. That sounded a hell of a lot more self-absorbed than I intended.
“Jesus, vain much?” He chuckled and I nudged him. “She’s jealous because you aren’t governed by rules like she is. I bet she wishes she was you—not only because you’re pretty and funny, but because you actually live. Do you think she’s ever lived?”
I frowned. “And Eli? Why does she want him?”
Hunter’s lips curled slightly. “I’ve been asking myself the same question.” I paused in my step, but he pulled me along. “Enough of that,” he muttered, not wanting to dwell on the topic. “And ease up on the naughty talk. Do you know how uncomfortable it is not to be able to control how your own body works?”
I cringed. “Too much information.”
“You think I want to admit that Eli arouses me when he arouses you?” He shuddered. “It’s disturbing.”
I giggled, I couldn’t help myself. The mere thought of this conversation happening was funny enough.
“Sorry.”
Hunter pulled me closer until his body was pressed against mine. Through his suit, I could feel the heat of his body and it was surprisingly comforting.
“You’ve been sick?” Hunter mumbled and his chest vibrated against mine. I peered over his shoulder, watching for Eli and Faith.
“Yep, since the vampire exploded.”
We swayed a few times before he spoke again. “You don’t need to be scared…Lucian is dead.”
I flinched. “I’m not scared.” I sounded a hell of a lot more defensive than I wanted to.
“What you experienced today wasn’t in relation to the serum being injected into the vampire…you weren’t connected. It was because you saw a vampire and you panicked—throw in an explosion of blood and guts, and boom, we’ve got vomit.”
I thought about his words. He believed it was ‘panic’ related…maybe it was. I hadn’t vomited since I left my room and that was a plus. I’d hate to ruin Hunter’s suit.
“You will never have to fight another vampire again. It’s over.”
I wanted to believe his words but if there was anything this world taught me it was never say never. I was trained now to expect the worst. Every time I thought things were over, something else popped up. Not this time. I wanted to be ready if something else springs up out of the blue.
I spotted Eli a short distance away, dancing with Faith. She’d managed to drag him out to the dance floor and the sight angered me. Hunter sighed.
“They’re just dancing. It’s not like he’s going to take her back to his room.”
I watched them sway and she smiled away, but his mind seemed elsewhere. Then, his eyes fell on me and I wasn’t a hundred percent sure, but saw the warning in them. Strangely, as we locked eyes, I felt my stomach stir pleasantly. It was then I also realized Hunter was trailing his fingers up and down my side. I heard his breathing quicken on my neck and I just knew he thought I was feeling this way because of him. Truth be told, no one had ever made me feel this way but Eli…and I don’t think anyone else will.
I did nothing to still Hunter’s wandering hand. Why? Because I was punishing Eli. What for? I had absolutely no idea. He hadn’t done anything to hurt me and yet, I was hurt. I was hurt he wasn’t willing to risk getting into trouble for me when I was so willing to risk it all for him. We could run away—we’d spoken about it a million times, but each time we had reservations. It wasn’t like it wasn’t doable, Mum and I had done it for years. Nobody chased us. Nobody bothered to even worry about us…and it had me thinking, would anyone really care if I did it again? Our society doesn’t hold us to these communities. They tell us it’s safer and it’s because they’re charmed, keeping the vampires out, but I didn’t want to be safeguarded. I wanted to live—to be free of all of the restrictions that came with living in these communities. Truthfully, I had no idea what it was like to live in a community outside of Sage, and if it was anything like Sage itself, I’d rather not.
“What are you thinking?” Hunter asked, still caressing me.
“That I want to run away.” I chuckled at the end to lessen how serious I really was.
“I know the feeling.” I felt him tense slightly. “You know, as crazy as it sounds, when I was with Lucian, it was the only time I felt truly free. When we weren’t…looking for you, I was able to go and do and see whatever I wanted.” He exhaled. “It was amazing…since my return I’ve been locked in an underground cell and dragged to a city with walls taller than the trees.”
“Story of our life, right?”
“Right.” I heard the sad smile in his voice and he cleared his throat. “Hey, if you do manage to get away, don’t leave us behind.”
I stopped swaying to the soothing music. “Who?”
“Mila, for starts, and me. You can’t leave Xavier behind—or Lyric—they crave more too, you know?”
I never thought about anyone else…only of Eli and I. It made me mad. How typical of me.
“Tell me, what is ‘more’ exactly?”
He shrugged. “Normality is more.”
For once, I actually agreed with the words that were coming out of Hunter’s mouth. I pulled back to look him in the face. His blue gaze surveyed mine, then they moved south to my lips.
“We can’t all be together forever, you know that, right?”
His stare flicked back to my eyes. “I know that, but in the meantime, all we have is each other.”
I nodded…because it seemed like the only thing to do.
“You look absolutely amazing tonight, by the way.”
I fought a smile. “Thank you.”
“And I have a very strong urge to kiss you while Eli watches.”
I tried to pull back from him, but he was too strong, holding me tightly against his body. “Don’t you dare,” I warned. It was one thing to dance, but to kiss, that would be unacceptable.
He laughed, pulling me even closer. “Relax, I wouldn’t do that to you.”
As he forced me to sway with him again, I began to relax. My muscles retracted, softening my limbs, and when I moved my feet, Hunter quickly closed the gap between us, rushing forward and crushing his soft, warm lips to mine. I snapped away from him like bare flesh to a flame and he let me go, allowing me to put space between us. My lips were heavy as I glared at him. He wasn’t mad, in fact, he was rather pleased with himself and his face showed it. He ran his index finger across his bottom lip, smiling down at me.
“Sorry, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to piss off Eli De Luca. It’s been a while.”
I looked past Hunter to find Eli, but all I saw was a confused Faith as she glanced around the room.
“Are you insane?” I snapped, grabbing a handful of my dress and pushing past him.
“Yes.” He called after me. “Certifiably. Someone once said ‘brilliance is impossible without a touch of insanity.’ Remember her?”
I clenched my jaw as he threw my own words back at me. How dare he! I was a different person back then. I was young and stupid…nothing I did or said made sense.
I pushed through the sea of dancing couples and out the other side. I only just saw Eli’s back disappear out the back double doors before he was completely lost from view. I marched after him, unsure what the hell I was going to say when I caught up with him.
When I stepped out into the cool night air, I saw him, leaning against the stone fencing of the courtyard. No one else was out here…just him and me.
“I’m guessing you’re not out here for the air,” I muttered, strolling past perfectly groomed hedges and over to Eli.
“Sure I am. The air is the only thing preventing me from causing a scene.”
He lifted the small glass of wine to his lips and took a huge gulp of the red liquid. I leaned my backside against the stone, keeping my sight straight ahead and not on Eli’s darkened face.
“I’m sorry,” I said, nervously pulling at the fabric on my dress. “I wasn’t expecting him to actually—”
“It’s okay.” Eli straightened his posture and turned around, leaning his back against the stone, too. “I know you never intend for these things to happen. The blame doesn’t lie with you, but with him.” He took another sip of his drink and handed the glass to me. I took it and slammed back the rest.
“One day there isn’t going to be anyone around to stop me from hitting him and when that day comes—” Eli shook his head and even smiled a little.
I cringed at the sound of Eli seeming so vengeful, but I understood. I was his and Hunter wanted to destroy that…although, it wasn’t without provocation on my part, I suppose.
“You can’t blame him for all of it,” I mumbled.
“Sure I can.”
I set the glass down on the white stone and stepped in front of him, taking his hands in mine. “C’mon, Eli. You’re a man of reason. I’m at fault here, too, you just don’t want to acknowledge it.”
Hi brows furrowed as he visibly tried to push the thoughts away. “Am I losing you already—and to him, of all people?”
“No!” I panicked, stepping closer. “You’re not losing me—you never will. I love you. I want to be with you and only you, forever.”
Eli’s face firmed, taking a more demanding expression. He pulled his hands from mine and the brief emptiness stung until his warm flesh engulfed my face and pulled me closer to his. “I will not share you.”
“I’d never ask you to.”
Even in the dim light I saw his eyes burning brightly. They fell to my lips and he leaned in closer, contemplating the taste of them. He inched further and further, quickening my heart and making my palms sweat. The world around me fell away, leaving only him. And I wanted him…I wanted him so bad.
The distinct sound of a female clearing her throat brought me crashing back to reality. Eli and I froze before slowly turning our heads in the direction of our interruption. Relief flooded me when I saw Mila standing next to us, her face drawn into a frustrated pinch.
“You two have a lot nerve to be out here alone together,” She scolded us in an urgent whisper. “Eli, unhand her and go back inside before Faith decides to come out here looking for you.”
Eli removed his hands from my face, but I grabbed them and forced him to stay put.