Origins (A Black Novel, #1) (13 page)

It really is breathtaking- all white satin, long and strapless. I could tell from the way the fabric clings in all the right places that it was made specifically for her. Her long, pale blond hair is piled loosely on top of her head and in one hand she holds a pure white mask on a stick, sprouting three perfectly formed white ostrich plumes.

I tune out when the two women begin chatting idly about decorations, guests and dresses, and resume my search for Vraiden.

There are a wide array of guests, all dressed exquisitely, though the main colors seemed to be black and white with a few of the more daring guests wearing a brilliant shade of red or a vivid shimmering gold. The masks the guests sport vary greatly, ranging from classic eye masks to full face masks. There are long nosed Venetian masks, masks on sticks, and masks with flowers or feathers. Everywhere I looked there’s a new, unique mask. Masks shaped to look like butterflies, bats, the Devil. Diagonally slit Phantom of the Opera style masks, Renaissance masks.

I begin to get dizzy as my eyes swim from one cloaked face to the next. There is something discerning about seeing shiny teeth and gleaming eyes all around me with no clue as to what the rest of each face looks like. One thing I know for sure: each and every one of these exquisitely dressed personages is a murderer. All of them have taken someone’s life so they could be Immortal.

I feel a hand on my shoulder and jump automatically, caught off guard. “Did I scare you?” Sera asks, her grey eyes searching mine through the slits in her black sequined mask.

“I’m fine.”

“Why don’t you go and mingle? Vraiden’s around here somewhere,” she says with a light wave of her hand.

“Okay. Have fun,” I reply reluctantly as I move towards the crowd.

“Wait,” she says, grabbing me and pulling me in close to whisper in my ear. “Don’t drink anything.”

“What?”

“Don’t drink anything,” she repeats with more conviction,

“especially the wine. Most of the beverages are laced with blood.”
Great. Of course a party full of Immortals would be serving blood in
a cup.
“I promise.”

“Thank you. Have fun!” She squeezes me into a quick hug before stepping back towards Moira with a small smile. I turn and saunter off blindly into the crowd.

Deciding that some fresh air would help soothe my nerves, I head towards the back of the house. I breathe a small sigh of relief when I reach the patio- thankfully most of the guests are inside with the exception of a few stragglers wandering around the artfully decorated garden. I walk further out, welcoming the gentle breeze, and rest my hands on the low banister that separates the patio from the lawn below.

A husky voice startles me out of my reverie. “You are absolutely breathtaking.”

“Vraiden?” I question as I spin around hopefully. Puzzlement washes over me as I take in the man before me. He is dressed in a classic black and white tuxedo and, from what I can see of his face beneath the masculine black mask, very good looking. The same blue, blue eyes as Vraiden peek out from the eye slits in his mask but I know without a doubt it isn’t him. For one thing he is taller than Vraiden and, for another, he has close cropped black hair, not the tawny blond of Vraiden. There is also something off about this man- a hint of something sinister lurking in his eyes. Automatically I take a step backwards to try and put some more distance between us which only makes his lips curl up cruelly.

“Close…” he says smoothly as he steps closer. “I’m his brother.” 

Black

“There dwell the children of the dark Night, the dread
gods Sleep and Death.” ~Hesiod, Theogony

“
B
rother?” I ask, perplexed.
Vraiden has a brother?! Why
hasn’t he mentioned him?

“Older brother. I’m not too surprised he never mentioned me. We don’t get along,” he whispers loudly. “I’m Luc.”

“Adelin,” I respond tentatively as I take his outstretched hand.

“What a beautiful name, very fitting,” he murmurs before dropping a delicately sensual kiss on the top of my hand, making me blush in response.

“Thank you.”

He lifts his mesmerizing eyes to mine. “Care to dance?”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not? Afraid of what Vraiden might think?” he retorts, eyes flashing momentarily.

I reply honestly. “It’s not him I’m concerned about.”

“Well, look at that! Brains as well as beauty! That settles it, you’re too good for my brother. Now, will you please stop being rude and dance with me?” He takes a deep bow. “Just so you know, I’m going to keep pestering you until you agree.”

“One dance,” I reply, letting him lead me back inside.

He maneuvers us easily through the crowd until we are about halfway through, lost in the sea of bodies surrounding us, before stopping and pulling me towards him. Slowly he wraps one arm securely around my waist and rests his hand against the small of my back. Taking a deep breath I place one hand on his shoulder and bring the other up to sit in his waiting palm, training my eyes on his black tie. We begin to move slowly in time to the music, gently swaying at first before letting our feet guide us. Not thinking I lift my eyes to his, startled when I realize they’re not as identical to Vraiden’s as I first had thought. Instead, his eyes are a pale grey-blue surrounded by a ring of darker blue and dotted with flecks of grey. A small, satisfied smile appears on his face and he leans in to bring his lips closer to mine.

“
Lucien
,” snarls a familiar voice, startling me back a step. My eyes flick towards the voice, breaking the spell I had been momentarily lost in.
Had I seriously almost kissed Luc?!
First Vraiden, now Luc…..

What was it about the Black men that I found so appealing? Both boys had a way of getting under my skin and turning my insides upside down.

“Why there you are Little Brother,” Luc says with a chuckle. “I was just keeping the beautiful Adelin here company in your absence. We were having a wonderful time….”

The hostility between the two is palpable, the air slightly shimmering like gasoline on a hot day. I take a deep breath and step forward in the hopes that Vraiden will focus on me instead of Luc, trying to diffuse the situation before it gets out of hand. It almost works too. Vraiden glances towards me, his eyes softening as he drinks me in. He is dressed deliciously in an expensive looking pair of black slacks, a matching jacket laid over a crisp black button-up with the top two buttons sitting open to reveal a hint of smooth, tan chest. His gorgeous blue eyes peek out from behind a simple gold mask, further adding to their beauty.

“Get away from her!” Vraiden growls, his eyes flashing as Luc steps up behind me.

“Oh, this is just priceless!” Luc laughs cruelly. “You actually care about her! Does mother know? What about Eris?” Before I know what is happening Vraiden grabs me and maneuvers me behind him, holding me in place with his hand firmly grasping my elbow. “What the two of us do is none of your concern,” Vraiden states, his voice low and barely controlled.

“Suit yourself, dear brother. But, remember I tried to warn you. I guess I can’t really blame you though……” Luc trails off.

He takes a step in my direction but Vraiden quickly counters him, effectively cutting off his path. “Oh, calm down. It’s not as if I was going to bite her. I just wanted to tell her good-night.” Luc puts his hands up in a gesture of surrender, a faux wounded expression on his face.

“If you so much as insult her you’ll regret it,” Vraiden breathes as he steps to the side allowing Luc direct access to me.

“There’s the Vraiden I remember!” Luc exclaims before advancing towards me. Gently he clasps my left hand in his, raising it to his lips to plant a lingering kiss on my flesh before lowering it. “Adelin, darling, it was a pleasure to meet you. If you ever get bored with my brother here let me know. I’m sure the two of us could have a lot of fun together….”

“I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you,” I reply with a sweet smile.

“I don’t date assholes.”

“I’ve got somewhere for you to put that mouth of yours, Sweetheart.” Luc says with a lewd grin. “I promise you’ll like it.”

“I don’t think you would though. I bite,” I respond, baring my teeth.

“Where did you find her?” Luc questions Vraiden with a loud laugh before refocusing once more on me. “Darlin’, the things I’d like to do to you…..”

“That’s enough,” Vraiden cuts in as he resumes his place as my shield. He crosses his arms over his chest and scowls.

“Careful,” Luc warns, glancing around. “We have an audience.” My eyes quickly flit around the crowd to take stock. Luc is right- we definitely have an audience. An awkwardly shaped circle has formed around the three of us, made up of an array of different masked guests. Most of the onlookers are whispering quietly amongst themselves and blatantly staring at us. I can feel the heat building in my cheeks with each passing second. Both boys are standing their ground, each unwilling to yield to the other. Growing increasingly more uncomfortable with where the situation is headed, I reach out and put a hand on Vraiden’s arm to calm him down. I can feel his arm begin to relax after a moment and I silently breathe a sigh of relief in response.

“Well, this was fun,” Luc smirks, “but I’ve got to get going. I’ll see you later, little brother. Adelin, I hope to see you again.” He turns to leave but, changing his mind, spins back around. “Vraiden, I hope you know what you’re doing…..” He trails off before sauntering off.

“I see you’ve met my brother,” Vraiden says dryly as he pivots to face me.

“He has such a lovely personality,” I state sarcastically. I am instantly rewarded with a dazzling smile in return.

“You look beautiful, by the way,” Vraiden says. His eyes skim over me from head to toe and back again making my stomach clench nervously.

“Thank you. You don’t look too bad yourself.”

“Dance with me,” Vraiden requests, eyes smoldering.

“I’d love to,” I reply, allowing him to pull me in close. We dance together until my feet are numb, the couples around us slowly changing as time passes. Exhausted, I slump against Vraiden, breathing in his cinnamon scent.

His warm breath tickles across my face. “Tired?” he chuckles.

“Mmm-hm,” I mumble, nodding against his chest.

“Come on.” He wraps one arm around my waist for support and begins leading me away. I half close my eyes as we walk, trusting him to guide me safely. I feel my knees give out from under me and wait for the impact but somehow, instead of crashing to the floor, I am floating.

I open my eyes, baffled, and find myself looking right into Vraiden’s shining blue eyes- a flicker of amusement apparent within their depths. It takes me a moment to realize he is carrying me and then I try, in earnest, to get him to put me down. “No,” he replies with a shake of his head.

“Vraiden, put me down!”

“No. I’m perfectly capable of carrying you.”

“And I’m ‘perfectly capable’ of walking,”I reply stubbornly.

“Princess, I hate to say this but, you can’t even stand up by yourself.

Now be quiet- you’re ruining the moment.”

“What moment?” I ask confused.

He flashes a dazzling smile. “The one where I get to be the chivalrous gentleman helping out the poor little damsel in distress….”

“I’m not a da—”

“Just humor me,” he cuts in with a roll of his eyes.

“Fine,” I reply crossly as I relax back into his arms, “but you better not drop me. Or expect any ‘favors’ in return.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it. Besides, you don’t look like you have the kind of energy it would require to do me a ‘favor’,” he responds with a smirk, making me blush.

“Where are we going?” I question, attempting to change the subject.

“Up to my room.”

“Your room?!” I squeak.

“Don’t worry,” he laughs. “I’m not going to try anything. My room is probably the quietest place in the house right now and you look like you could use some rest.”

“Oh,” I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Why…what did
you
have in mind?” he asks wickedly, earning himself a swat in the chest. “Ow.”

Once inside his bedroom he deposits me carefully on his bed and walks over towards the terrace. Throwing open the middle set of doors he stands in the opening, arms braced against the door frame on either side. The lights in the room are off, the only illumination coming from the soft white glow of the moon streaming in through the doors around his silhouette. When he turns around towards me, his face completely hidden in shadows, his hair is haloed in a stunning silvery-white from the moonlight. He lightly treads across the hardwood and pauses at the head of the bed to deposit something on the nightstand before coming to a stop directly in front of me, inches away. Slowly, cautiously, his hands reach out towards me and gently tug at the ribbon tying my mask on, freeing me.

“Thanks,” I whisper as he places my mask on the nightstand. Silently he kneels down in front of me and begins deftly removing my shoes, setting them down on the floor beside the bed.

“I’d help you with your dress,” he says as he straightens, a seductive edge to his voice, “but you’d think I was trying to seduce you.”

“My dress?” I ask, breathless.

“You can’t sleep in that thing. I’ll loan you one of my shirts so you’ll be more comfortable.”

“You mean here? You want me to sleep
here
?”

“That’s the plan,” he says with a small laugh.

“What about Sera?” I ask, panicking.

“Sera always spends the night after one of my mother’s parties, as do most of the guests. Tomorrow there will be meetings all day and a big dinner later that night for a few select guests- it’s a way for the Immortals to deepen their connections. And, no offense, your mother’s not in a position to turn that down. Now, I’m going to grab you a shirt, all right?”

“All right,” I agree reluctantly as he stalks off in the direction of what I assume to be the closet. Returning a moment later he thrusts something at me, which I accept.

“Stand up and turn around. I’ll help you with the zipper,” he says huskily. “I’ll turn around and not peek when you undress,” he adds in response to my hesitancy. Not seeing any other option I obey silently. The tips of his fingers whisper across the bare skin on my back, just above the fabric, and I shiver from the softness of his touch. “Cold?”