Gods, I hope he is right.
“What if she is the real me and we are in the alternate universe?” I voice this awful thought.
“Not a chance. You are the real you and I am the real me.”
“Mm, I want to feel the real you,” I say suddenly, pushing my hand in between us and stroking him. He is rock hard within seconds but pushes me away.
“No, Liv. After what you experienced before…”
“Yes, Linc. I need to get rid of that image. I need you to get rid of it for me. Please.” I look up at him from lowered lashes and he can’t resist me.
“Take your clothes off. The regular way. I want to watch you,” he says gruffly.
Mm, a striptease. Too bad my outfit is the least sexy thing ever. But a girl has to work with what she’s got. I slowly and seductively get rid of the clothes. His eyes are burning into mine by the time I am naked. He slowly strips off his t-shirt and my eyes rake over his abs, so fine I want to drool all over him. He shuffles out of his sweats and I move closer to him. He kisses my stomach softly, trailing his tongue over the spot where Dream Lance had branded me. I turn around and lower myself onto his lap and he groans in delight at this position. He grabs my hips and lowers me gently onto him and then grabs my tits, roughly tweaking my nipples until I gasp. I move over him and he brings his hand around to play with me. He takes the opportunity to bite me again and I clap my hand to his as I come and we both feel me against our hands.
“Show me how much you love me,” I whisper to him and he does. Again, and again until night falls and I have somewhere else to be.
I am reluctant to leave him. I want to stay but I know I can’t. I must get back to Cole.
“I contacted the Shifters,” he says suddenly, grabbing my hand to stop me from leaving.
“Oh? And?”
“They are all in, of course. I expected nothing less.”
“How does that work then? Don’t they already have Packs?” I ask.
“Yes, but you can leave if you are asked by another Pack to join them. There is usually a big fight over it but seeing as you are Queen, no one really wants to take you on.” He smiles at me. “I don’t think it will be a problem.”
I laugh. “Well, at least there are some people out there who recognize my authority,” I say.
“Liv,” he chides me. “You know we all respect you. But it is different for us as we are so close to you. Intimate with you. Those that don’t know you, haven’t seen your vulnerable side, it is easier for them to treat you accordingly.”
Well, I suppose he kind of has a point, but I really do have to go now, so I kiss him goodbye and with reassurances that I will call for him if I need him, he watches me Astral out.
Cole isn’t back yet which is good in a way. It is unnecessary for him to know where I have come from. I already showered at Lincoln’s, so I just sit and relax for a few minutes before he comes home. I think over what Cade said. I really do need some discipline in my life. I want to get back to training and meditating and I think Xane needs to sit with me and instruct me on Demon magick. A girl can only pick up on so much by herself. This Thirteen character is not pleasant, and I don’t think in my current state of not being the most powerful creature in all the Realms (massive bugbear, that one) I can beat it. I reach a couple of decisions which are not going to go down well with anybody, except my husband, I think with a small smile. But tough shit. I said last week, it is my show and I will run it as I see fit. This is how I see fit. If anyone has complaints, they can take it up with Jess. She is, after all, my assistant and that is her job. Poor girl. She is going to get an earful.
Shortly thereafter, Cole returns, and I greet him warmly with a deep kiss. He greets me with a quick shag on the dining table and then we are happy again. I tell him of my plans, and he is delighted but then concerned about CK’s reaction.
“Don’t worry about him. He wants what is best for me and this is what is best. I…” I trail off.
“What is it?” he asks, concerned.
“I can’t defeat this thing. It is coming at me half-mast and It is still so much stronger than me, I must do something, Cole. Something drastic.”
“I get it. I will support you and make them see reason. All of them,” he adds forcefully. “You said in your message earlier that you know more about It?”
“Yes. Cade, Nico, and a woman called Serena dug up quite a bit. Xane wasn’t all wrong. Here.” I hand him the pages.
He takes them from me and proceeds to read them at normal speed.
“Baby,” I say to him after the third page and I am beyond impatient now.
“Yes, my love?” He looks up from his reading.
“You do know that you can speed read now. As a Vampire, like everything else, you can do it ten times as fast?”
“Yes, I know. I just want to read it properly, so I don’t miss anything,” he says and turns back to it.