Supernatural Seduction (Book 2 of the Coffin Girls Series) (21 page)

“
Merci
, yes,” Sylvain hissed before
plunging his erection into her core and riding out the frustration
and lust their game had created between them.

Later, as they lay entwined, their hunger
slated, Sophie slipped Sylvain a look. He'd both mended and broken
her heart simultaneously. Turning around so he could spoon her, she
let her silent tears fall. Unrequited love sucked.

A week after confessing her dreams to
Sylvain, Sophie found herself once again seated at the plantation
kitchen table.

“I can’t do it anymore. I just can’t.” Sophie
had run into the arms of Miss Suzette as soon as she'd entered the
kitchen. Miss Suzette had been standing ready, waiting for her.
She’d known that Sophie was coming. Whether that was from her
voodoo magick or her strong bond with each of the girls, was
irrelevant. What was of greater importance was that Sophie could
readily go to her when her heart ached.

“There now, boo,” Miss Suzette stroked her
hair, much as a mother would her daughter. The Cajun woman did not
replace her maman, but was like a mama to her nonetheless. Sophie
felt blessed by the Goddess that she had been fortunate enough to
have two such women in her lifetime. And right now, Miss Suzette
was exactly what she needed.

Miss Suzette had allowed her to cry until she
felt numb, depleted, and couldn’t cry anymore. Sophie now sat with
a mug of warm café in front of her, fixed just the way she liked
it. Because of the emotional state, she was in, the drink tasted
like ash, but the love it was made with warmed her chilled insides
slightly. Seeking that comfort, Sophie sipped.

Anais was away with Conall on business
concerning their mock alliance with Yves and Rose was caught up
running the wedding businesses in the Quarter and Garden District.
Sophie was grateful for the absence. She didn’t think she could
deal with their questions or concern. She had needed the
no-nonsense, all-excepting love of Miss Suzette. Her gut had led
her here, and it had been right. Miss Suzette sat by her side
quietly. Sometimes stroking her hair, other times fidgeting with
her own mug. But, she sat and waited for Sophie to be ready to
speak.

“I’m an emotional push-over,” Sophie
stated.

Miss Suzette nodded, but said nothing.

“Thanks,” Sophie muttered sarcastically. “You
could deny it you know.”

“You want lies, boo?” Miss Suzette asked,
turning a beady eye on her.

Knowing that sympathy was not why she was
there, Sophie shook her head from side to side. Miss Suzette nodded
satisfactorily at the action.

“I soak up others’ emotions,” Sophie began
again. “I know that’s part of my gift. I’ve seldom seen it as a
curse, but I realize that it can be so. I’m so used to putting
others first, weary of how they feel, and instinctively wanting to
make them feel better, that I sometimes do anything to give them
that.”

“Sometimes?” Miss Suzette asked, continuing
to watch her.

“Okay,” Sophie conceded, “always. I always
put the feelings of others above my own.”

Miss Suzette nodded again as if to say,
“That’s better." So, Sophie continued. “I promised maman I would
find love, a husband, and a family. I’ve tried and I’ve failed. And
you know what?” Sophie asked, getting angry. “That was a helluva
thing to ask. It’s not like I could just order it online and have
it frikkin delivered. It’s damn hard.”

“That’s what makes it so precious, boo,” Miss
Suzette dropped that pearl of wisdom, gently.

“I suppose so,” Sophie responded. “If I
didn’t see what Anais and Conall have together with my own eyes, I
wouldn’t have believed that it existed. Sure, we see human couples
get married all the time, but few of those are true loves. People
get married for all sorts of reasons. But Anais and Conall confirm
that it isn’t only possible, it is possible for beings like
us.”

“Just because you’re not human doesn’t mean
that you can’t love and be loved,” Miss Suzette expanded.

“Yes, precisely,” Sophie confirmed. “I
thought I might have that with Sylvain; that he might learn to love
me. I’ve no doubt that he cares for me, but it isn’t enough.”

“You’re in love with him,” Miss Suzette
interjected.

“I am,” Sophie nodded. “Is it too much to ask
that he love me back?” Tears began to spill from her eyes again. “I
sound like such a wimp. I’ve a good life. I know. I have sisters,
you, and Raulf. Conall is becoming a big brother to us and Sylvain,
despite our relationship, is a friend we can count on. We have this
plantation,” Sophie waved her hand around the kitchen. “Some people
would kill for it alone. Now, we have those lovely girls to teach,
nurture, and help shape into strong, kind women. But, back to
Sylvain I have a good relationship with him. We enjoy each other’s
company, have mutual respect and friendship and the sex is amazing.
I should be happy, but I feel as though my heart has been ripped
out and shredded to pieces. Why can’t I be happy?”

Miss Suzette looked at her girl. Despite the
good relationship with Sylvain that they had, she wanted to go rip
the wings off that manly piece of Tinker Bell. Inwardly huffing
while her blood boiled, she kept quiet. Partly because she didn’t
want to say something she’d regret later and partly because Sophie
knew the answers, and had come to her because she needed a sounding
board. That’s what a mother did, Miss Suzette grumbled, regardless
of instinct. A mother would do what was best, well a good mother
would, at least. And, her girls were the children of her heart. She
would do for them what she would not be able to do for the children
of her womb. Blinking back the tears that sprung to her own eyes as
she watched Sophie quietly cry, she sat and waited.

“I’m an emotional rag,” Sophie stated. “And I
allow it. Sylvain is not in love with me and is happy with the
status quo. I’m not, but because I want him to be happy, I allow
our relationship to continue as is.” She kept quiet again, staring
into the swirling brown coffee as she moved the cup around in
circles. She looked up at Miss Suzette, painful realizations
reflected on her face, “I have to break things off with him.”

Miss Suzette didn’t nod, and said nothing.
Instead, she took Sophie into her ample arms and held her close.
Resting her chin on her little one’s head, she wished she could
take the pain away. They’d be there for her. Her sisters. And she’d
be there to wipe as many tears that came. She didn’t know how to
fix this. She wished she did. Mothers didn’t have all the answers,
she realized and said a prayer for some answers to come to her.

xxx

Sophie saw Sylvain waiting for her in the
meadow. She had just come from Arianna but instead of her usual
lesson, she had made arrangements for the lessons to continue at
the plantation. She’d used the excuse that she was needed there and
had to return. She knew that the fae sorceress had her own
suspicions, and they were likely accurate, but she wasn’t in the
mood for sympathy or chit-chats about their mutual former lover.
She valued Arianna’s friendship and wanted to keep her relationship
with Sylvain out of it from now on. Arianna had been shrewdly
accepting of the new relationship, asking questions only pertaining
to the logistics.

Now came the hardest part, Sophie
acknowledged. She looked around, allowing herself to relish in the
warmth of the sun on her skin, the beauty of the visage, and the
tranquility she found there. This was the last time she planned to
come here. After this, only dire circumstances would find her at
the hollow. Arrangements could always be made with the girls’
tutors for school business and with her sisters, Conall or Raulf
for Coffin Girls duties.

She rested her eyes on Sylvain and felt her
heart ache. He was sitting under their favorite tree, quietly
watching her, and waiting for her to join him. He was masculine
beauty epitomized. She sometimes stole a look at him and wondered
how she had come to deserve such a wonderful, intelligent, and kind
man. Turns out she was right? She wasn’t what he needed because she
wasn’t what he loved. She’d grown enough backbone though in her
recent experiences to realize that though she might not deserve
him, she deserved the love of a man and staying with him was not
going to help her find it.

“Hi,” Sophie greeted him, when she reached to
the tree.

Sylvain got up to kiss her, but she stepped
back from him. She saw his puzzled look, but ignored it. “I have to
go back to the plantation.”

“Is everything okay?” Sylvain asked in
concern.

“Yes,” Sophie replied, then took the plunge.
“We have to end this Sylvain. Whatever it is that we have between
us, I’m in love with you and I know that you can’t love me back.
So, I’m saving us the pain of losing our friendship and
self-respect for each other by ending it now.” She growled in
frustration at herself then looked him straight in his handsome
face. “Who am I kidding? Look. I love you. You don’t love me. I
deserve to be loved so I’m cutting my losses although my heart is
breaking and I’m leaving you. I’m going back to the
plantation.”

She saw the shock on Sylvain’s face,
registered him absorbing her tirade, and then turned around. He
didn’t call after her, didn’t stop her. She wouldn’t look back. Her
pride bid her to do that. So, she took the first steps. They
required courage but with each step away from him, she breathed and
felt her spine strengthen. She could do this and she would be okay.
Maybe not today, but sometime in the future, she’d look back at
this differently, and she wouldn’t feel her heart breaking.

xxx

“Seriously?!” Vérène screeched at
Sylvain.

He was splayed out across the chesterfield
sofa in his library. The room was in darkness, the only light was
coming from the fireplace. It was a broody space and suited his
mood. He flicked a glance at his sister. His pissed-off twin did
not suit his mood.

“Go away,” he growled, taking another swig of
the amber liquid beckoning in the crystal glass. He clutched it as
though his life depended on it. And really, it did. It made him
forget and helped him not to think.

“Thank you, Vérène, my dear sister for coming
to see what’s wrong with me,” she bit out sarcastically. “Really?!”
She huffed. “I get this feeling that you’re in deep trouble, in
immense pain, and rush my fae toosh over, granted it is a nice
one,” she glanced behind her, “but, instead of finding you in a
life and death situation, you’re getting drunk.” She growled, “What
a douchebag!”

“You’ve always been a master of the art of
kicking a man when he was down, dear sister.” Sylvain held his
glass up in salute, “thank you. You’ve been loads of help.”

“Oh, is my sanctimonious ass of a brother
feeling sorry for himself?” Vérène cooed. “Why, your witch-vamp
friend not giving it to you lately?”

“Don’t be a bitch,” Sylvain growled at her,
while inwardly flinching.

Vérène gaped. “That’s it! Isn’t it?” She
walked towards the sofa and sat next to him. “You are in pain. She
broke you heart.” Sylvain remained silent.

“Sophie is not the type to hurt someone
else,” Sylvain corrected. “It seems that I pushed her away.” For
once, his sister was blessedly silent, which made it easier to
carry on. He didn’t know why he was spilling his guts, just that he
needed to. If nothing else, Vérène got him, just as he got her. The
blessing and curse of being fae twins and rulers of their kind.

“She came to me and said that she was ending
it because she loved me? What kind of stupid is that?”

“It’s not really stupid, Sylvain,” she
replied. “Do you love her?”

“I don’t know,” he answered. “Honestly, we’ve
been friends for a while, but this relationship with her is new.
One minute we’re having the best sex of our lives and the next,
she’s breaking up with me because I don’t love her back.”

“She’s an empath right?” Vérène probed.

Sylvain nodded, “According to Arianna, she is
one of the strongest she’s come across.”

“Then you knew how deeply she would feel and
how quickly she would fall in love, when it was the right match.”
She looked at the lines marring her brother’s face, noticed the
grip he had on his glass. “You are her right match then. Empaths
are rarely wrong about such things. You, of all people, should know
that.”

That was the problem, Sylvain thought. He did
know and if experience taught him anything, it was that it was
better to leave things alone. Not take the risk.

Vérène watched him, her eyes missing nothing.
“Why, brother? After all this time, surely you deserve to have love
in your life. You can’t…” Vérène inhaled deeply, “you can’t still
be mourning Marianne?”

“Don’t you dare speak of her,” Sylvain’s
voice reverberated off the walls.

Vérène arched an unimpressed brow in
response. “It has been three thousand years since she died. Surely,
it is time to move on. Even your stubborn ass must realize that
this more than qualifies as an appropriate period of mourning.”

He didn’t respond, didn’t look at her. He
stared into the darkness of the room, face tight, muscles clenched
and nursed his drink. “But, you haven’t moved on,” she observed.
“That much is clear. Bitch-Goddess, but you’re stubborn!” She
swore.

Sylvain’s lips twitched despite his intention
to send her on her way as soon as she had berated him enough to
listen. Only his sister would dare to attach the Goddess to a
profanity and with such nonchalance. “As are you, sister,” he
replied. “Must be a family trait.”

“Well your stubbornness is allowing you to
lose something that has made you happy. Is this pain you’re feeling
right now, worth it?”

“It is if it will keep her safe,” he
replied.

“You don’t know that it will,” she shouted in
exasperation. “Freaking hell. She could get staked! Their Cajun
cook told me about the witch-nappings. Any of those situations
could drain her.”