Forever (The Forever series Book One) (15 page)

Determined to at least acknowledge the elephant, I pull him
up and never taking my eyes off his, I drop my fangs and tilt my head in
question. He nods briskly and I duck my head to his neck. I inhale deeply and
sink my fangs into his neck. He hisses sharply then moans with pleasure. It’s
been too long since I’ve drunk from him and I feel his blood making me stronger
and the intense craving subsides. Retracting my fangs I swipe my tongue over
the wounds.

“Oh baby, you taste delicious,” I murmur and he looks
briefly startled. I come quickly after that, pulsing heatedly against him. Not
ready to surrender yet he flips me over onto my back and pounds his hips
against me. He clasps his fingers through mine and places our hands on either
side of my head.

“I love you,” he murmurs before he explodes inside me with a
low growl.

“I love you,” I murmur back before he kisses me.

Rolling off me he pushes his hand through his hair making it
stick up in a really adorable way. I snuggle into him and he pulls me close.

“Cole,” I start, meaning to do some fishing about the
elephant. He doesn’t respond. I notice his breathing has deepened and he’s
fallen asleep.

Great, I think, rolling my eyes at the timing. Careful not
to disturb him, I climb off the bed and get dressed. Pulling the coverlet over
him quietly I sneak out of the bedroom back into the Main Cabin. Still with his
earphones in, Devon raises his eyes from his iPad as he senses me. He pulls
them out and smiles. “Hey.”

“Hey, yourself.” I plonk myself next to him and pluck his
iPad out of his hands. “What you doing?”

He plucks it back and replies, “Watching a film.”

“Well at least it’s not work,” I say dryly.

He snorts, “Well it’s a good enough distraction from all the
fun you’re having,” he says softly. “Sleeping?” He cocks his head to the
bedroom.

“Yep. I may have gotten carried away and drunk too much.
It’s been a while.”

Devon stills next to me and I glance at him. His face is
hard as he registers what I’ve just said and I could stake myself. I haven’t
told him about the biting. Things have just been so busy it was nearly lost.

“I see,” he says eventually. “I didn’t realize. Although I
shouldn’t be surprised,” he adds bitterly.

“Oh Devon. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I normally
tell you everything as it happens, I guess this was lost somewhere along the
way and I forgot you didn’t know.”

He shrugs. “Doesn’t matter. I told you he would ask.”

Full disclosure? I suppose I better had lest it come back
to, ah-hem, bite me in the arse.

“He didn’t. I asked him if he wanted me to,” I sigh.

“I see,” he says again. “He obviously said ‘yes’ then.”

I nod, unsure of what to say. I take his hand in silence and
entwine our fingers. He lets me, as I knew he would and he sighs. “Don’t ever
be Elizabeth with him,” he says softly. “Please promise me, you won’t even show
him.” Taken aback by the plea I turn to face him. He’s looking out of the
window and I pull his head around to face me. Sorrow fills his big, blue eyes.

“Baby, I wouldn’t do that. You know I wouldn’t.”

“Promise me,” he whispers.

“I promise you. No matter what happens: Elizabeth will be
yours and yours alone.”

He closes his eyes and on impulse I lean over and kiss him.
His eyes pop open and he deepens the kiss. “I miss you,” he murmurs against my
mouth.

“I miss you too,” I whisper back. In an instant he pulls me
onto his lap and kisses me again. My Vampire hearing lets me know that Cole is
still sleeping, so I allow him to continue. His hands are all over me, as if he
can’t get enough of me. And he can’t. I feel the same with Constantine. I can’t
reject him. It would devastate him. I don’t want to reject him. I realize that
I am being unbelievably careless but he wants my comfort and I have to give it
to him. He unzips his jeans and pushes my panties to the side. He fucks me hard
and fast never once breaking our kiss. We come together as we so often do; we
are so attuned to each other. He pulls away, fangs already descended and
roughly bites me enjoying the thrill that runs through me. Releasing me, he
offers me his own neck and I feed hungrily, my craving at an all-time high. I
pull back as he zips up his jeans and he motions his finger from his ear and
towards the back of the jet. Hastily retracting my fangs, I leap back into my
seat wiggling to get my knickers back in order. Thank fuck one of us was still
listening I think and throw Devon a grateful look. He shrugs with a smug smile,
pleased to have had some sire time, especially with Cole in the next room. I
huff at him and go in search of Jenna to organize some food.

Cole and Devon are chatting amiably when I return.

“Dinner is on its way,” I state sitting down next to Cole.
Better to eat now than after New York. “We should be landing in about an hour
and a half, Jim said.”

I look at Devon, so much happier and relaxed now and I
smile. “Going duty free shopping?” I inquire.

“Yep,” he replies. “Think I want a new watch.”

I nod my approval. “What about you?” I turn to Cole.
“Anything you want?”

He shakes his head. “Nothing I can think of. You?”

“I have to pick up a bottle of Talisker Scotch and possibly
some new Ray-Bans.”

“You could have bought those in L.A.,” Cole points out.

Devon and I exchange an amused glance. “Not duty free
though!” I exclaim in delight.

“Are you serious? You’re a multi-millionaire and you wait to
buy duty free?” Cole laughs.

“Firstly,” Devon says, “Multi-billionaire and second, didn’t
get that way without being a bit frugal.”

Cole gapes at us. “Billionaire? Holy shit. I guess it kinda
figures though,” he says, gesturing to the jet.

I giggle at his incredulity. “You are no stranger to money
yourself, I believe.”

He shrugs. “I know, but mine has a shelf life. Yours… not so
much.”

And there it was again. I grimace as I feel Devon’s eyes on
me, knowing he picked up on it again.

Ignoring it, he says to Cole, “I could help you with some
investments if you want?”

Cole nods enthusiastically. “Yeah, that would be great. Liv
tells me you are a finance wizard.”

Devon preens at the compliment, “Did she? Well someone has
to be the brains of this operation.”

Insulted, I chuck the first thing I can get my hands on
directly at his head. He deftly catches my Blackberry with his Vampire
reflexes. “Hey, that’s a bit shitty,” I scowl while the chuckle brothers laugh
it up.

Tossing my phone back to me he says, “You know I’m only
teasing. If I had half your brains we’d be even better off.”

Cole smirks at the “we’d” of that remark but remains silent.
Flicking his gaze back to Cole, he says, “Get your accountant to send me your
files when we get home. I’ll hash out a portfolio for you.”

“Great, thanks.”

And dinner arrives.

“Who’s the scotch for?” Cole asks as we stroll through JFK
duty free.

“CK,” I say, absently still thinking about the elephant and
its unsavory ramifications.

“You know, I think I’m going to need to know a bit more
about how to successfully navigate this meeting,” he says meaningfully.

I snap back to the present, “Yes of course. Anything you
want to know, just ask.”

“Well, you said if he senses fear, he’ll pounce? How do I
show him I’m not afraid?” he asks quietly.

“Hold his gaze. Don’t flinch and don’t look away unless
there’s a reason to. Stand up straight and don’t be defensive.”

“Defensive?”

“Don’t cross your arms. Stay relaxed but alert,” I clarify.
“He can be… no, he
is
intimidating, don’t let it faze you and don’t let
him bait you. And he will try,” I warn.

“How so?” he asks, genuinely riveted to my advice.

“Sires are very territorial, as I’ve mentioned,” I explain.
“He won’t perceive you as a threat but he will see you as taking my attention
away from him. He will be possessive of me. Touch me, to make a point. Even
kiss me.” I look him dead in the eye. He might as well know what he’s in for.
Although in all fairness, in light of recent events, I fear this meeting is
going to tank in the biggest way. I can’t tell Cole why, but I can prepare him
the best way I know how.

“Kiss you? As in
kiss
you?” he asks, a bit annoyed.

“Yes. Don’t let it bother you. It’s just him staking his
claim. He’s smug, arrogant, self-assured, shrewd, cold, calculating, and can be
a colossal arse.” I huff as I think about my sire’s less-appealing traits.
“Don’t back down and don’t lose your temper. He sees both as weaknesses.”

“Gee, he sounds great,” Cole says dryly but I can see he’s
worried.

I smile. “He is, to me. I love him dearly and he loves me.
Don’t let my familiarity with him influence you. He tolerates my defiance and
behavior because he enjoys the challenge and it amuses him that someone has the
nerve to stand up to him. Oh and don’t, whatever you do, call him ‘CK.’ He
likes the moniker but only from me. Remember all that and you’ll be great.” I
smile to soften the seriousness of my words.

He’s pale and I take his hand. “Don’t worry about it, my
love. You will be prefect. And if all else fails, at least it can’t go as badly
as when he met Devon,” I joke weakly, knowing that it can. It really, really
can. He smiles then, reassured.

“What about Devon?” Devon inquires, joining us at the
checkout.

“Liv was instructing me on how best to deal with Constantine
at our first meeting,” Cole informs him.

“Ah well don’t threaten to hunt him down and kill him and
you’ll be golden,” Devon comments and we all chuckle.

Once back on the G6, the mood is still light and I am
enjoying every second. This stretch of the flight is eight and a half hours but
none of us are ready for sleeping yet. Devon is in great humor after our
earlier encounter and is playing music from his iPad. Drinks are flowing and
the joking and teasing is in full force. I’m glad to see my darling boy happy
again. He has been so sad for a while now, and it has me worried. I push that
thought away as he whisks me off my feet to the opening beats of “She Sells
Sanctuary” by The Cult.

With about five hours to go until Nice, Cole decides it's
time to crash, not having our Vampire constitution for booze and little sleep.
He falls asleep face first on the bed and I sigh. Well, that’s that then.

Shaking my head, I close the door quietly and make my way
back to the bottle of champagne and kill it. Devon just stares at me.

“He passed out,” I state unhappily and he chokes back a
laugh.

“That’s humans for you,” he smirks.

“Haha, funny. Shut the fuck up and go back to doing whatever
it was you were doing,” I wave a hand in his general direction.

“Do you really think he will hold his own with daddy
dearest?” Devon asks with a trace of sarcasm.

“Well he can’t do any worse than you, at least,” I retort
and he grimaces at the memory.

“Yeah, that was pretty bad. However, I stand by my
conviction. He was threatening you and I was protecting you.”

“Yes you were, my hero,” I smarm at him while I bat my
eyelashes and he grins.

“God, it was so long ago and yet it seems like yesterday.”

“Tell me about it. I remember every second.”

“You never did tell me what happened after I left,” he asks,
suddenly curious.

I pause. “We talked, you know sorted stuff out…”

“Did you fuck?” he asks coldly and I glare at him.

“Not that it concerns you, but no… we didn’t fuck.” A lie by
omission perhaps but now wasn’t the time to tell him my sire, unusually not
wanting me to Shift, had been with Élisabeth that night, making passionate love
for hours on end after so many years apart. I am of half a mind that he didn’t
want the Shift because of Devon, knowing I was his sire and it would annoy him.

Needing to distract him from this line of questioning, I sit
down next to him and lean my head on his shoulder. He grunts and pulls me
closer. We sit in silence until exhaustion pulls me under.

I awake a couple of hours later with my head in his lap. He
is asleep as well with his fingers in my hair. I untangle myself and stretch.
Checking the time, an hour to landing. As I stir, Jenna appears with coffee.
Smiling gratefully, I accept the cup and stand. Taking another for Cole I head
to the bedroom. Still flat out, I shake him gently and he wakes with a start.
“What?”

I smile at him, “Coffee?” I present him with the cup.

“Yes, please,” he gulps it down. “Fuck. Vampire metabolism
obviously not affected by alcohol?” I smile and shake my head. He snickers in
response, “Lucky you,” and downs the rest of the coffee. “Food?”

“Follow me,” I say and he does, slowly.

After a hearty breakfast Cole is feeling better and I leave
him and Devon to banter while I shower and change. Can’t pitch up in Monte
Carlo in day-old clothes!

I carefully selected my arriving outfit: a crisp Chanel
strapless dress in black. Tight fitting, drop to the knee with a matching knee
length jacket, and just because I’m still me, my spiked black Louboutins. Smart
and casual, yet elegant, with a touch of pizzazz.  Pleased with the result, I
tuck a last strand of hair into my high, deliberately messy bun and head to the
Main Cabin. They both turn and look at me appreciatively and I glow under there
admiring stares. “Both of you… get moving
,
” I clap my hands. “Not
landing with you two looking like that,” I gesture in their general direction.

Cole leaps up first to shower and change. I picked out a
navy Armani suit for him with a crisp white shirt to wear with no tie. Devon
will no doubt be in his usual black pinstripe, albeit tieless today. Monte
Carlo arrival is smart casual, emphasis on the money.