Pigalle Palace (20 page)

She picked up after a few rings. “Legend…”

“Essence.”

“Do you think you can swing by my place to talk?”

“We only have a few hours before dawn. I don't want to risk it. Can we talk over the phone?” I asked, checking my watch again as if I hadn't already looked at the time.

“No. I need to see your handsome face.”

“Can you meet me here, then?”

“I'm on my way.”

She hung up. I didn't trust her to meet her at her place. What if it was a setup or ambush? Essence was going to have to behave in my home.

I tapped my fingers against the side of my jeans and put my dreads in a ponytail. All the while, I couldn't help but feel as if I were making a mistake by allowing her to come by. I stared at my front door with my mind reeling. I popped my knuckles, took a deep breath, and rubbed my face before I straightened up. She knocked on the door.

I opened the door after a few seconds.

Her sweet fragrance greeted me. She had her hair in big curls, her face was natural without any makeup, and she had on a white tank top without a bra. I could clearly see her hard nipples. Her short shorts accentuated her wide hips as she turned to enter the room. Her legs were oiled and silky-looking.

Poison.

I kept my composure and took my eyes off her luscious-looking body.

“Thank you for allowing me to see you.” Her voice was like music to my ears.

From the first time I lay with her, I understood why Rain was so crazy about her. Something magnetic drew me in.

“So what's up?” I asked.

“Let's sit. So, we can make ourselves comfortable.”

We sat on a cream-colored loveseat and I made sure I sat on my side without touching her. I could tell by the color of her eyes that she had something up her sleeve.

“So what's up?” I repeated, keeping a stern face.

“I have something very important to tell you.”

“You came to tell me that you are done stalking my brother and that you won't be entering our dreams anymore.”

“I can assure you that I won't enter your dreams, but I will never stop stalking Rain,” she replied with a sly grin.

As soon as she said his name, I felt my temperature rise. I didn't want her trying to come between us any more than she already had. “What do you want with Rain?”

She handed me a piece of a golden medallion of some sort attached to a thin necklace.

“What's this?” I asked puzzled.

“This is what he gave me when he turned me.”

I shifted in my spot. “What is it?”

“That's what I want to know. He hasn't told me. He said to keep it in a safe spot. It's something your birth mother gave to him at a young age. Rain has the other half.”

I went in my memory to think about the necklace Rain wore. From what I could make out from my memory, it was very similar to the piece she was holding.

“He's been wearing that necklace around his neck for as long as I can remember. It has sentimental value because he almost lost his mind when he thought he lost it once. We all figured it's a piece of jewelry that he treasures. Why would he give this to you?”

“I'm not sure, but I think it's a key of some sort when the pieces are put together.”

“That's a very odd-shaped key. Why do you think it's a key?”

“An educated guess.”

“That's not enough for me.”

“Look, I called you tonight because I thought you would know something about it. Rain is hiding something very important and I want to know what it is. Don't you?”

I stared at her with a deep frown, causing my brow to wrinkle. Desperation was on her face. “You want me to help you?”

“Yes…”

“This doesn't make any sense. Why would Rain trust you over any of us?”

“Maybe it's because he knew you all would betray him and his judgment. He chose me for a reason. Before he met me, he knew that I was right for him. Rain has more power and insight than he lets us in on. I'm sure he knows exactly what's going to happen before it happens. He's a Daywalker and because we don't know any, we really aren't aware of what kind of powers he has. Your birth mother passed on something to him that he has kept with him for centuries. He took his time to search high and low for a suitable wife. You must not tell your parents about this. This is something I want you and me to work on, together.”

“My parents have to know. If they think I'm betraying them in any way, I will be disowned. As the oldest son, I have to remain loyal to my family.”

“Does it bother you that Rain is the youngest son with these powers? Do you ever get jealous?”

“Of course I get envious, but it is what it is. I respect the Divination.”

“You respect it so much that you were willing to sleep with his wife to go against him?”

I felt my anger rise. She was pushing all the wrong buttons. I stood up on my feet and yelled, “I think it's time for you to leave.”

“Why are you getting so upset, Legend?” Her voice was calm as she eased her hands around me to sit me back down next to her. “You must gain your brother's trust. You must find out what he's been hiding. As the oldest brother, your right is
to be aware. Why did your mother never pass this on to you? You were the first-born son. She didn't know about the Divination, did she?”

“She was murdered before the Divination was revealed.”

“Do you see my point? He was chosen as a favorite from the day he was born. Why is that? Your mother was a human. She had no powers, right?”

I stared at her with skepticism, but my mind was racing. Refusing to fall for a trap she was trying to set, I replied, “Well, I can't help you 'cause I have no memory of anything that happened before I became a vampire. None of us do.”

“Rain does.”

My insides were starting to boil. Rain never let on that he had any memories. He rarely talked to us about much, and now it seemed as if Essence knew more than the rest of us. That didn't sit too well with me.

“You should leave, now.”

“But, don't you want to know what this is and what it unlocks?”

I was very curious, but I was still confused. “If it is a key, why do you want to know? How will this benefit you?”

“I'm not sure whom it can benefit, but Rain does. Rain said to keep it in a safe place and I have a feeling that it unlocks something in that palace.”

I took a deep breath. I didn't want to be a sucker for her, but for some reason, I had the weakest spot for her.

“I'll try my best to find out what I can.” I was waiting for her to say thank you, but the thought hadn't crossed her mind. “Has he asked for it back?”

“No. That's the strangest thing. He hasn't mentioned a word about it. It's almost as if he knows I'm coming back to him.”

“Maybe he forgot that he gave it to you.”

She shook her head, crossed her legs, and bounced the right one over the left.

“I doubt that,” she replied.

“Are you going to stop fighting your feelings and go back to him?”

“I love Rain. No one will ever make me stop loving him.”

I shook my head at her and folded my arms across my chest. “I can't believe you would feel that way, even after we've been together. If there's any way to make me jealous, that's one of them.”

“Is that because you want me?”

“You're crazy... or maybe I'm going crazy.”

She laughed at me. “I know the truth, Legend. I've been in your dreams, remember? I didn't have to trespass, as you so called it. You called me in, didn't you?” She scooted closer to me.

“I did, but…”

“Legend, you can't stop thinking about me. That's what bothers you the most, isn't it?”

I dropped my head, feeling lightheaded, confused, dazed, and stuck. She was trying to get into my head. She had already gotten into dreams and made it feel so real. The cruel game she was trying to play was actually working, probably better than she planned. I chewed on the inside of my jaw, thinking, looking at Essence, and wondering if all of this were a bad dream.

“You don't cheat on people you love, and you for damned sure don't sleep with their brother.”

She rubbed my arm and then placed a soft kiss there. “I'm sorry if I couldn't resist your strong arms, your smile, and your dreads. What woman can resist you, Legend?”

Though I knew she was stroking my ego, I allowed it. “When I came to you that night, you were so afraid and so lost. You didn't understand why Rain did what he did to make you belong to him. I took full advantage, but you opened up
for me, willingly.”

Without hesitating, she replied, “I needed you. From the moment I laid my eyes on the both of you, I fantasized about having both of you at the same time.”

I let out a good laugh. That was funny. It wasn't like Rain and I hadn't shared women in one bed before, but the thought of his beloved wife sharing a bed with his brother at the same time was ridiculous.

“Essence, you're so beautiful and you know that.”

She grinned sexily. “You came to me, Legend, and now, we are both guilty for the sins that we've committed.”

“Why did you have to tell him? It could've stayed our secret.”

“You threw me off. Seeing you…him…standing there. The look of surprise on your faces… The whole thing threw me off.”

“Here I am, hanging on to your every word. How do I know this all isn't a setup? How do I know you're telling the truth about the medallion that you think is a strange key?”

“Why haven't you ever paid attention to the necklace that's around his neck?”

“I haven't. Once I find out more about this
key
, then what?”

“Find out more and then we will go from there.”

I wished she hadn't come by. It was only to talk about Rain. I was hoping I could get inside of her again. The feeling she gave me when I came was a feeling I had never experienced, but it was time to let her go.

“Is there anything else you want to talk about?” I asked.

She sat in my lap. Her passion penetrated through me as she stared into my eyes. She kissed me easily and I didn't protest as both of her hands took hold of my dreads.

“Take me tonight.”

The temptation was there, but I refrained and stood my ground. “If you truly love my brother like you say you do,
and you truly want to be his Queen, then you need to stop this madness. There's still good inside of you, Essence. I see it. Go to Rain and you make it right with him.”

Tears came to her eyes. I continued, “Marry him. When you are Queen, he will reveal what that key unlocks. That will be the only way to find out.”

Easing off of me, she smiled as if she were proud of me, as if I had passed some test she had given. Her tears escaped her and cascaded down her cheeks.

“That's very noble of you, Legend. Your love for your brother is deep. You only came to me because that's what your parents wanted you to do. You make things right with your brother, too.”

“I will. Be good to him. Be good to yourself.”

After placing one last kiss on my lips,
in a flash, she was gone.

I
t wasn't hard to find Rain. He was sitting in his home, waiting for me. It was amazing how he could sense when I was coming. That's how I knew our bond was deeper than we both wanted it to be. I wasn't going to fight my feelings any longer. I was madly in love with Rain. I didn't want to harm him and I didn't want to see anyone cause any harm to him. Even if he would've never been crowned King, my feelings would've still been the same.

I fought against him because I was afraid of what I was becoming. I was afraid of my power. I had to get out in the world and experience everything I could about being a vampire. The good, the bad, and the ugly. To be honest, I didn't enjoy hunting down innocent people and ripping them to shreds. Their blood gave me a rush, but I wanted to have more control over my ill thoughts.

Being with Rain was my destiny.

He didn't acknowledge my presence in the room as he stared out of the window. I wasn't sure how to start the conversation, but looking at him, I could tell that he was a changed man. He was more confident, more handsome, and had the demeanor of a king.

“Sleeping with Legend was a mistake,” I said. “I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm here to beg for your forgiveness, Your Highness.”

He remained silent.

I floated over to him and fell to my knees before him. Placing my head in his lap, I cried. I cried real
tears. What I felt inside was something I had been fighting far too long. I discovered that I could control the dark side and I wasn't going to live without Rain again.

After a few moments of my tears soaking up his lap, his hands touched my head.

I looked up at him. “Rain, I want to fix us. I want to be with you.”