Vampire born, p.49
Vampire Born, page 49
“True, but if Nick does decide to rejoin the family business, it would seem like a natural progression to have Blood for All benefit. Would that be a problem since you’ve already chosen other charities for partners?”
Tilting her head to one side, Gwen considered my question. “I can’t see that it would. It’s not like I approach these charities with an exclusivity contract. They have no claim on who else I may work with. That being said, Nicky and I would need to have a conversation around what any partnership with his foundation would look like. I’m sure it’s something he and I can discuss once he’s made a decision.”
It felt dismissive, and I was tempted to tell her that since I would be taking on more of a role with Blood for All, I’d be part of any discussion involving our charity. But Nick and I hadn’t determined what I was doing yet, and to allow Gwen to goad me into making false assertions would only prove that I felt intimidated by her.
“Of course,” I said, letting it go since it may be a moot point anyway if he chose not to return. “I’m sure he’ll address it when, and if, the time comes.”
“I’m sure he will.”
Graeco returned, carrying a white, square-shaped box with a large red bow, which Gwen took from him to hand to me.
“What’s this?” I asked, feeling uncomfortable with so much attention directed my way, not to mention the awkwardness of receiving a gift from what still felt like a stranger.
“Just a little token. It’s nothing really. Just another way to welcome you to the family and introduce you to our holdings.”
Lifting the lid from the box, I found an entire gift set of products from the ultra-luxe line of cosmetics called Vampyre’s Kyss.
My brain was slow to connect the dots, and once it did, I couldn’t hide my shock. “You own Vampyre’s Kyss?”
Her eyes were so bright they practically twinkled, and her chin lifted in pride as a hint of a smile played at her lips. “You’ve heard of it?”
“Of course! It’s one of the biggest cosmetic brands in the world, if not the biggest.”
“It is the biggest,” Gwen said, her smile growing and her pride even more evident. “I told you when you complimented my youthful appearance the first day we met that I have good genes and an excellent skincare routine. Now you know my secret.”
“Wow. I’m astounded. I had no idea. I’ve definitely heard about the products. People on social media say it works miracles.”
“It does. While my husband perfected synthetic cocktail blends in his lab, I worked on using components of supernatural DNA to develop skincare products in mine. The Council had a fit at first, but technically speaking, I’m not violating any of their laws. It’s all topical, so I’m not changing anything about the human in a structural sense. It alters their appearance just enough to get them addicted to using it, but not enough that it’s a lasting change. It ends as soon as they stop applying the product, which makes them want to buy more.” She sat back and folded her napkin to lay it on the table. “It’s my passion project, I suppose. Making women look fabulous and feel good about themselves, no matter their age. One of the plus sides of immortality is remaining youthful for so long. I decided to share that with my less fortunate human counterparts.”
“I’m sure the women who can afford it are all thanking you.”
“Well, if Nicky accepts this role, you’ll easily be able to afford it. Though you wouldn’t have to pay since you’re family.”
“Well, like I said, if he does, I don’t foresee us changing our lifestyle very much. We’re both happy with our lives the way they are.”
“You say that now because you’ve never been obscenely, filthy rich. It grows on you, my dear.”
FIFTY-FOUR
NICK
I was anxious to hear how Aria’s lunch went with Mam, and when she finally called, I answered on the first ring.
“How did it go?”
“Okay, I guess. As good as can be expected. I survived, so there’s that. She didn’t drink my blood or make me drink anyone else’s.”
“Were you seriously worried about that?”
“No. I’m just screwing with you. It was a lovely lunch. She asked a bunch of questions about my life before we met, she gave me an invitation to the Blood Ball and a guilt trip about all the reasons we should attend, and then she gave me a gift of her very expensive face creams. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me your mother owns Vampyre’s Kyss.”
“I didn’t think you’d care. And why is she giving you a guilt trip? You know what? Never mind. It’s my mother. She doesn’t need a reason to guilt someone. I hope you didn’t give in to it.”
“I told her we hadn’t decided if we’re attending, and that we’d let her know as soon as possible.”
“Oh.” I frowned at the prospect of attending the ball, though I’d already realized I’d probably need to.
“She seems to think it’s a big deal for us to be there,” Aria said, not sounding much more enthusiastic than I felt. “If you’re going to accept your dad’s offer, that is. Are you still leaning towards saying yes?”
“I suppose so. You still okay with that?”
“Yep. Wherever you go, I go. I just want us to make sure we don’t lose sight of who we are when we get there.”
“Not a chance. I won’t let that happen.” From across the office, Marcus waved to get my attention and pointed to his watch. I scowled at him, not wanting to tell her goodbye yet. “I need to jump on a conference call, but we can talk more about it later. I have a crazy idea I’d like to propose.”
“Oh? Crazy how? Like, what kind of crazy? Family business crazy? Or me and you in the bedroom crazy?”
I laughed at how much her enthusiasm level had changed. “I was talking about an idea regarding the family business, but I’m down to get crazy in the bedroom with you if you want. Or any other room. You just name the time and the place.”
“Any time. Any place.”
We ended our call, and the more I thought about my father, his letter, the family company, and my marriage, the more certain I became that maybe my idea wasn’t so crazy after all.
I picked up take-out for dinner on the way home, and then we broke the news with Sage that this would be our last night in the Nyack house.
As we’d expected, she had a small cry-fest over leaving the pink room behind, so we surprised her by telling her we’d take the furniture and decor back to remodel her old room at the New Windsor house, a solution that left her over-the-moon happy.
“When are you going to tell me this crazy idea of yours?” Aria asked once Sage was in bed for the night. “Should I be nervous?”
“Probably,” I said with a grin. “Here’s what I’ve been thinking. I don’t know if there’s a definitive right answer on what to do about my father’s will. But if I back out now, I can’t change my mind later and accept the position. If I accept now, I could always decide to step down in the future and reassign the roles.”
“Right,” she said as she rubbed her make-up remover on her face. “But we already knew this. We already discussed it. What’s the crazy part?”
“If I do accept it, I don’t know that it’s something I want to do permanently, but I’d like to be involved long enough to get to the bottom of what happened to Papa, and I’d like to try and accomplish what he asked of me as far as making changes.”
She stopped rubbing her face and looked at me. “Something tells me that’s not the crazy part.”
“It’s not. I’m getting there. My father’s explicit instructions were to take the company and do some good with it. I gathered from his letter that he means outreach into the human community.” I joined her at the double vanity, resting my hip against the sink as I watched her go through her nightly routine. “I don’t think my family and the other members of the board are gonna go for that so easily. They’re adamantly opposed to change. Especially change regarding humans.”
“Hey! What’s wrong with humans?”
“Nothing, Angel. But many supernaturals consider them inferior. I think I’ve told you before the goal of VCBI has always been finding a cure for vampirism. The company strives to make enough profits to fund that research while also affording my parents and the other members of the board a comfortable lifestyle. Something it’s done very well.”
“And they don’t want any of that money or energy going to us lowly humans?”
“Yeah, something like that,” I said as she bent to rinse the cream off.
She rose and buried her face in a towel, and then she lowered it and made eye contact with me in the mirror. “I’m still waiting to hear the crazy part.”
“I want to appoint you for a board position.”
“What? Are you insane? No. Absolutely not.”
“Hear me out.”
“No. No, no, no.” She tossed the towel on the counter and put her hands on her hips. “I can’t be a board member. I know nothing about how to do that, and I know less than zero about what VBCI does.”
“It’s VCBI. VanCleave Blood. But you wouldn’t be there to run VCBI. I mean, yes, you’d have to vote on things for the company, but you’ll learn as you go, and I’ll be there to guide you. My mother can teach you as well.”
“About many things, it seems. And how’s your mother going to feel about you putting your human wife on the board of her company? The company she thought she’d be running?”
“She adores you,” I said, taking her hands in mine.
“First, I think adore may be a bit strong to describe her feelings for me.” She pulled her hands away and turned back to the sink. “Second, you can adore someone and still not want them on the board of your company.”
“I need a human voice on that board. I need someone to speak from the human point of view and advocate for the human community.”
She turned back to me with a scoff. “Basically, you’re saying you want me to be the lamb for slaughter? You’ve already said they don’t like humans, and they don’t want to make changes in favor of us. Why would I want to be the in-person target for that hatred and resentment?”
“One, because it elevates you to be their equal in position and power. It makes it that much harder for them to disrespect you in any aspect of our lives.” I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her to me. “Two, I think you’d be really good at being an advocate. You’ve always been a justice fighter, jumping in whenever things don’t seem fair. This is a way to channel that rebellious energy into good. And three, my father appointed his entire family to the board to ensure he’d have the votes he needed to override the board members appointed by the Council. I was never replaced when I left, and now with my father gone, that leaves an empty seat even when I return. I want to ensure I put someone in that seat who I know will back me up.”
“I don’t know, babe. It’s one thing for me to fill in as secretary at Blood for All. This seems like a stretch. And what’s the time commitment? I still have to finish school, you know, and with you taking on more work, I’ll need to be with Sage.”
“It’s minimal. Valentina only shows up when there’s a vote.”
She put her arms around my neck and bit down on her bottom lip as she considered my request, which made me growl as I jerked her hips closer to mine.
“Don’t do that bottom lip thing. You know that drives me wild. It makes me want to toss you on that bed over there and do all the things I’ve been wanting to do to you since we got off the phone this afternoon.”
“And what if we’re in one of these board meetings and I happen to do the bottom lip thing then? How are you going to remain professional?”
“By asking you to step into my office and locking the door.”
She grinned, and I leaned in closer, teasing her mouth with mine.
“Enough business talk,” I whispered against her lips. “This is our last night here in the Nyack house. Whaddya say we take advantage of that shower you love so much?”
“Oh, the shower!” She moaned with great exaggeration, laying her head back as I kissed my way down her neck and then back up again. “I’m going to miss this shower so much. How many shower heads do you think we could fit in our little stall at home?”
Drawing back to look at her, I grinned. “Maybe two? But keep in mind, the Gilde will still own this house. Any time we want, we can come back for a weekend.”
“The practical side of me says I should refuse so we don’t get caught up in the wealth trap, but the part of me obsessed with that shower and that tub tells Practical Me to shut up.”
“Why don’t you go turn on the water and get it just like you like it, and I’ll put some towels on the warmer for us?”
She kissed me before walking away. “When are you going to tell the family your decision?”
“I thought we were done discussing business for the night.”
“You know it’ll be on my mind, so we might as well finish the conversation so I’m not distracted.” She pulled her shirt over her head and tossed it to the floor, and then she removed her bra as well.
The sight of my bite still visible on her breast sparked my desire even hotter, and I shoved the towels on the warmer and began to shed my clothes.
“I can think of things I could do to ensure you won’t be distracted,” I said as I slid my pants over my hips.
“I’m certain you can,” she said with a smile, reaching to brush her fingers across the puncture marks.
She stepped into the shower and underneath the stream, and I watched the water cascade down her body as I moved to join her.
We took our time lathering each other, keeping things tender and slow to prolong our final shower experience. But as the steam filled the enclosure and the heat generated between us grew hotter, we began to pick up the pace. By the time I’d lifted her legs around my hips to take her against the shower wall, we’d worked ourselves into a frenzy.
She collapsed against me afterward, her body limp in my arms, and I carried her to the bed and gently lay her on the down comforter. Then I grabbed the warmed towel and slowly dried every inch of her, covering her in kisses from head to toe as I worshiped her with my hands and my mouth.
“I love you,” I whispered against her skin, and then after planting a kiss on her lips, I laid on the bed beside her.
“I love you, too. More than you even know.” She shifted her weight so that we lay facing each other, her head propped on her bent elbow and her leg thrown over my hips. “But I want you to love you, too. I want you to be happy with who you are.”
“Slowly but surely, you’re convincing me that I could.” I tucked a strand of wet hair behind her ear as I stared into her beautiful eyes. Eyes that looked upon me with so much love that my heart felt like it would burst. “You’ve made it possible for me to begin loving myself. The way you’ve accepted me. The way you’ve forgiven me. The way you love me. I thought before the secret to finding peace was being a human. But now I realize the peace I felt as a mortal was rooted in our love for each other, in the family we’ve built, and in the purpose I’d found in my work. If none of that goes away just because I’m no longer human, then I just need to learn to accept peace in this state.”
“That’s what I wish for you. For us. That you could be at peace being yourself without needing to hide who you are.” She reached to stroke my cheek with her fingertips.
“I’d like that. I don’t know how to achieve it yet, but I’m working on it. On some level, it feels like I’ve been running forever. Always trying to escape the legacy I’d been born into. I’m hoping by going back, by shaping my role there on my own terms, I can finally stop running. My father was always pushing me to fully accept who I am. Perhaps this was his way of making that happen.”
“I want you to be successful and fulfilled in this new role. I want it to be a positive thing for our family.” She drew in a deep breath, and she blew out her words with the exhale. “I’ll do it.”
“Do what?”
“I’ll be on the board and help you bring your vision to VCBI.”
Tucking my knuckle under her chin, I tried to read her emotions. “Are you sure?”
She nodded. “Let’s build our future together.”
I pressed my lips to hers, and then I lay on my back and stared at the ceiling as my mind whirred with plans. “I’ll call my mother tomorrow to tell her my decision. She should be the first to know. Then, I’ll need to talk with Valentina and Matteo, but I’d rather have that conversation in person. The board is already scheduled to meet next week for a recap after the Blood Ball. We can announce my return then. I’d like you to be with me. I want to establish your presence right from the start.”
“If this doesn’t work out…if I don’t like it or if I suck at it—”
“Then you can quit. We both can. We don’t need any of this to be happy. Not the money. Not the positions. We were happy before. We can be happy again. So, we’ll go in and do what good we can do, and if it’s not working for us, then we walk away. Deal?”
“Deal.”
FIFTY-FIVE
NICK
As soon as I dropped Sage off at school the next morning, I called my mother.
“Is everything all right?” she asked when she answered.
“Yes. More than all right. I mean, life is not without its challenges, of course, but all things considered, I’m doing great.”
“Have you made your decision?”
“I have.”
“Well, are you going to tell me? Don’t beat around the bush. Just spit it out.”
“I’m going to honor Papa’s wishes.”
She was silent for a moment, and when she spoke, her voice was husky with emotion. “Your father would be beyond proud, as am I. And Aria? She supports your decision?”
“Yes, if anything, she encouraged it.”
