Lust (5 page)

“No one you need to know.”

Owen linked his arm with mine.

“He’s their other best friend.”

Allie put a hand on her hip. “But

you really don’t need to worry

about him yet. I’m sure you’ll meet

him eventually.”

“Maybe someday.” Owen pulled

me toward the door.

I decided not to press him. I had

bigger things to worry about. Like

meeting Levi’s grandmother. She

couldn’t be that scary, could she?

4

OWEN

Iwas glad that Daisy didn’t know

all the stories about Georgina. She

was going to have to meet her

anyway, so there was no reason to

needlessly stress her out. Usually I

was all about preparing someone

for an experience, but there was

too much going on. I wanted to

keep things as calm as possible.

“You can take a nap if you

want.” I turned from the front seat

to watch her in the back. She’d

insisted on sitting in the back again.

Levi had offered to chauffer us, but

Daisy was adamant he didn’t. She

seemed upset that we’d somehow

be putting him out.

“I’m fine.” She looked out the

window.

“Please stop saying that.”

“Why? What do you want me to

say?”

“Anything but fine. Fine is just

another way of saying bad.”

“That’s not true.”

“Would you two stop arguing?”

Levi watched me out of the corner

of his eye. “This is supposed to be a

peaceful job.”

“Who said it was going to be

peaceful?” Daisy snapped.

The expression that followed her

words said it all. She was horrified.

“Sorry.”

Levi laughed. “And I thought

Allie was the only one who would

ever talk back to me.”

“She probably hates me.”

“Why?”

“You were home for less than an

hour, you barely saw her, and now

you’re leaving again.”

“She understands.” Levi backed

out of the driveway. “You worry a

lot about my wife.”

“It’s more like redirected guilt.”

“Don’t feel guilty. Owen knows

I’d do anything for him, plus this is

Society business.”

“Why?” Daisy sat forward in her

seat. “How is this Society

business?”

“Because the Allures aren’t

supposed to be here. If they are, I

need to know about it, and I have

to make sure humans aren’t being

turned into them left and right.”

“I doubt that’s the case.” I

shifted in my seat. I wanted to get

into the back with her. “Taking

down an Allure couldn’t have been

easy for the witch to do, and from

what I understand, not all humans

could have been able to handle the

essence.”

“Oh, Daisy is special then?” Levi

raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, but for more reasons than

that.”

“Sweet.” He smiled.

We settled into a comfortable

silence as we drove on I-10 heading

toward the country.

Daisy broke the silence. “How

much farther is it?” Her voice was

strained, and I could tell she was

trying to stay polite.

“Not much farther.”

“And you don’t think she’s going

to mind us showing up at night like

this?”

“She’ll mind.”

“Then why are we doing it?”

Daisy threw up her hands.

“Because she’ll forgive us when

she finds out why we’re there. You

guys keep saying time is of the

essence. Waiting until morning

seemed like a mistake.” He sped up

to pass a slow moving truck.

“You think she’ll give us time to

explain?” Daisy fidgeted in her seat.

“I’m the king. Even Georgina has

to accept that.”

I chuckled. “Good luck with that

approach, man.”

“Let me do the talking.” Levi

changed lanes and took an exit,

and we turned onto a country road.

“I was planning on it.” Daisy

folded her hands in her lap. “I’m

more than happy to wait in the car

even.”

“You’re coming in. Like I said,

she’ll forgive the unannounced visit

if she knows it’s for a reason.”

“I hope you’re right.” Daisy

leaned back against the tan leather

seat.

The sky was pitch black when

Levi pulled into the long drive

leading up to Georgina’s plantation

home. The drive was surrounded by

a magnificent alley of oaks that led

the way to a beautiful, old home

situated on several acres of land.

Despite the distance from New

Orleans, I understood why they’d

moved out there. Maybe I could find

a place like this where Daisy and I

could stay close enough that I could

work for Levi, but we could still get

away from it all. I’d stopped

thinking about my future in terms of

just me. I was now viewing it as a

joint venture, and I liked it.

I met Daisy as soon as she

opened the door, and I held out my

hand. I knew she liked to do things

on her own, but I wanted to remind

her that she wasn’t facing any of

this by herself. I’d promised to

never leave her side and that was a

promise I fully intended to keep.

“Let’s get this over with.” Levi

walked right up to the front door. I

hung back a few steps behind him. I

figured he was more than capable

of handling the brunt of her

annoyance himself. He was the king

after all.

He knocked on the door.

A few moments later the door

was opened by a servant. “Good

evening, your highness.”

“Is my grandmother still up?”

“I believe she is.” The servant

stepped back to allow Levi to enter.

He put out his arm to stop Daisy

and I from following.

Levi pushed his arm out of the

way. “They are with me.”

The servant nodded and bowed

awkwardly, and I led Daisy inside

the large entryway.

Daisy gazed around her in

wonder. This was her second visit

to a Laurent house that evening,

and she had probably already

connected the dots and realized

they had certain things in common.

Both homes had modern ornate

designs that spared no expense.

Her eyes went directly to the crystal

chandelier hanging above us.

Levi looked at me. “Why don’t

you wait here?”

“You sure?”

“Yes. I need to make sure

Georgina is ready to see visitors.”

“Of course I am ready to receive

visitors.” Georgina walked down the

sweeping staircase. “Allison told me

to expect you and some guests.”

She walked down and right over to

Levi. “Lovely to see you, Leviathan,

but I hope there is a good reason

for such a late visit. Allison assured

me I’d understand once you

explained.”

“Hi grandma.” He hugged her.

Daisy smiled. I’m sure it was

interesting to watch the king greet

his grandmother. I wondered if it

made him seem more human and

less royal.

“Owen, how nice to see you.”

She kissed me formally on the

cheek. She’d always liked me, but I

didn’t really understand why. I

wasn’t exactly from a high ranking

family.

“Do you mean that?” Levi asked.

I never would have had the nerve.

“Possibly.” She turned to Daisy

and gave her a long look. “And this

must be Daisy. Allison said I would

like you.”

Daisy flushed and did this half

bow thing.

Levi chuckled, but Georgina

merely held out a hand. “I’m

Georgina Laurent. Pleasure to meet

you.”

“Pleasure to meet you too.”

Daisy kept eye contact with her.

That in itself was impressive for a

first meeting.

“Allison told me you needed

information on ancient beings and

lands.” She looked between Daisy

and me.

“Yes.” I was glad we didn’t have

to go through the whole story

again.

“Boys, why don’t you start

reading through the books I laid out

in the library?” She gestured down

the hall. “Daisy and I are going to

have a talk.” She turned and

walked out of the room leaving us

no room to argue.

“I guess that means I follow.”

Daisy shrugged.

“You’ll be fine. I can already tell

she likes you.” Levi smiled

reassuringly.

“I can probably thank your wife

for that.” She hurried after Georgina

into the hall.

“You look more nervous than

she does.” Levi ribbed.

“I’m allowed to worry about

her.”

“You are, but you also have to

accept she can take care of

herself.”

“Quit trying to sound all wise

because you’re married now.”

“I’ve always been wise. I just

understand women more now.” He

laughed and headed down the

hallway.

The doors to the library were

ajar, and we walked right in. The

last time I’d been inside, I’d been a

kid. I remembered Levi’s

grandfather reading us a story

about ancient dragons, and our

friend Jared declaring he was going

to own one someday. At the time

we’d laughed. Dragons were long

extinct, but if Allures were here,

then what else could be?

“Should we divide and conquer?”

Levi handed me two books.

“Sure.” I accepted the books and

took a seat in an upholstered

armchair.

Levi sat down on the chair next

to mine with his books. “I guess we

should look for any mention of

Energo.”

“I don’t see any other choice.”

“We’re going to figure this out.

Georgina knows nearly everything.

If anyone knows, it’s her.”

“Then why is she having us read

these books?”

“Because she wanted time alone

with Daisy.”

“Then why bother reading

them?”

“Because you love this girl.” He

didn’t need to say anything else.

I opened the first heavy, dusty

volume and started scanning the

pages. “Think these will ever be

available electronically?”

Levi laughed. “Not as long as

Georgina is the one in charge of

them.”

“It’s probably more secure this

way, but it’s dangerous to have only

one copy.”

“I’m sure Georgina has some

sort of backup.”

“Good point.” I continued

scanning through the pages. Other

than the word Energo I wasn’t

certain what I was looking for, but I

figured any mention of secret cities

or places would help.

Levi set aside one of his books.

“We knew the Allures weren’t dead.

We shouldn’t be so surprised.”

“All I ever heard was they ‘left.’”

I’d never been curious enough to

ask more questions. I was

regretting that attitude now.

“But they had to have left to go

somewhere.”

“And you think that place is

Energo?” It was the only lead we

had, so I hoped he agreed.

“I’m guessing there has to be

some connection.”

“That’s what I’m banking on.”

We spent another twenty

minutes searching through books. If

we could only find Energo, maybe

we’d find answers.

5

DAISY

“You don’t have to look so

petrified.” Georgina sat perfectly

straight in her chair. I’d already

relayed my story to her. I figured

holding back any information would

only hurt me.

“You can be intimidating.” I

wasn’t generally scared of old

ladies, but Georgina had this air

about her that made it difficult to

speak coherently or make eye

contact.

“You say that as though it is a

bad thing.”

“Not bad, but it explains my

nerves.”

“Straighten up your shoulders,”

she scolded.

I straightened in my chair. “With

everything else going on, I haven’t

been worried about my posture.”

“What does having a lot going

on have to do with sitting

correctly?”

“I’m just saying—”

“Don’t just say anything.

Everything spoken should be for a

reason. Once we get this little

problem fixed, I want you to start

meeting with me for lessons. If you

are going to be mating with the

king’s chief advisor, you must look

and act the part.”

“Mating… uh?”

“Don’t play games, Daisy. I

rather like your honest and upfront

personality. Owen would have

never brought you here if he didn’t

plan to spend his life with you, and

from what you’ve told me, one of

your greatest fears with becoming

an Allure is losing your feelings for

him. Therefore, you will be his

mate.”

I wondered if she realized Owen

had taken a break from his job at

The Society.

She read my mind. “Owen will

return to serve Levi. He has always

been dedicated to The Society, and

no amount of soul searching will