Gypsy Moon (Page 16)
It’s then I realize what he said this morning about finally putting all the furniture where it goes to get it out of this basement. Because apparently he’s giving it to me to grow my apple trees.
No one ever wants me to grow the apples. Everyone likes the oranges.
I could even grow the taller trees in here, because there’s so much more height down here, instead of only using my dwarf seedlings that take so much more time and care just to get a single blossom from.
“But you prefer oranges,” I finally say like I’m convinced I heard wrong, trying not to get too excited about this really perfect space.
“If you want to grow oranges, fine. It’s your basement, Violet. Apples or oranges or both—your choice.”
For a moment longer, I stare at the very tempting space.
“It’s going to take me a lot of lights to grow the trees here. You’ll have to tell me how it affects the power bill, and—”
“Violet,” he says like he can’t believe I’m bringing up financial terms, “I’ve ordered the lights you need in accordance to what you already owned in your house. I can foot the bill. Just toss me some apples on occasion,” he adds on a lighter note.
I turn around and glance at his mostly stoic expression.
Without thinking about it too hard, I drag him down to me by his neck, and he comes all too willingly, lips crashing against mine as he lifts me from the ground.
Like he’s just been waiting for the signal, he’s inside me before my back hits the wall.
CHAPTER 7
DAMIEN
“It’s been two days, and it seems as though my chocolate has hardly been touched,” I tell Arion, not even surprised to find him as he drops down from nowhere and follows me inside Vance’s house. “See?” I say, pointing at the piles of it I could see through the window outside.
He says nothing as he goes to take a seat, steepling his hands in front of his face, as if he’s lost in thought. It’s scary when Arion thinks. Something diabolical always follows, and it usually turns into a hell of a mess.
“Has she even left his bloody house?” I go on, annoyed that Vance is busy compensating in our absence.
“He’s doing something right. I’m the one who always does things right. Not Vance. Vance doesn’t even try,” Arion grumbles, sitting back like he’s just as perplexed as I am. “As young, innocent, and timid as she is, she should be putty in my hand by now.”
“Sure,” I scoff. “You’re the fool who doesn’t realize she’s not timid unless she’s scared out of her wits.”
I grow more serious when the distinct scent of active pheromones catches my attention.
Bloody fucking bastard. I shared her with him, and he’s somewhere keeping her to himself.
The barest of giggles drifts through the room, sounding almost buried.
Arion is gone in the next instant, a blur of motion even to my eyes.
I follow the stench of sex, reminding myself my probation is temporary. The best part about Violet is that it’s hard for her to stay angry, and she doesn’t really punish us by any true standard of measure.
I finally make my way down to the basement, following the giggles that have turned into moans. Arion is at the bottom of the stairs, already watching, as Vance slowly drives in and out of Violet, his eyes devoted to her. He doesn’t even glance up to see us, as he savors each fucking selfish stroke.
Blankets are spread all over the floor like the concrete can be made softer by a quilted layer or two. There’s absolutely nothing romantic about fucking a girl on pallets in a semi-dark basement with boxes of lights strewn everywhere.
And my chocolate?! They’ve been eating some of the chocolate-covered strawberries, undoubtedly bloody feeding them to each other like honeymooners, and drinking the wine I sent over as well.
He’s not supposed to be rewarded for my actions, damn it.
Her fingers are twisted in his hair when she finally makes her telling, sweet little sound, finding her moment, as Vance’s thrusts grow more insistent.
Her head tilts back and her eyes open like she finally senses us, and she stares directly at Arion for a moment. Vance stares between their bodies, watching himself disappear inside her over and over.
Her eyes stay locked on Arion’s very intent ones for a second longer, before they flick to mine almost dismissively, as though she’s no longer surprised when she finds me watching.
I’m unsure whether or not this is progress, since my dick is dry and she’s not extending an invitation. Neither is the stingy Van Helsing.
All her attention returns to Vance as she pulls him down, and he kisses her the way I want to kiss her, as he groans into her mouth, his thrusts finally stilling, while he simply drinks her in.
Her breasts barely peek out from his chest when he moves his arm out of the way, shoving one hand into her hair to draw her as close as possible. Like she’s finally his.
“I distinctly remember extending an invitation to you,” I remind him as I glance around at the mostly bare room.
“How do I get from here to there?” Arion asks more seriously, pointing at where he’s standing to where Vance is comfortably lounging between her legs.
Vance makes a frustrated sound as he looks up from kissing Violet.
“Maybe this is why it only almost worked,” Violet mutters almost too low for me to overhear.
Vance resists the urge to smile, like they’re sharing in some inside joke.
I’m going to box that cock right in the face the moment Violet isn’t looking.
“No, it only almost worked because Idun broke the rules,” Arion says very matter-of-factly, as though he’s on the inside too.
Vance looks at him with the same confusion I do, and Violet snaps her attention to us.
“How long exactly have you been spying?” she asks very seriously.
Vance’s eyes narrow on Arion, even as he keeps his body acting as a cage around Violet, effectively trapping her and staking his claim.
I need her to leave so I can clock that pompous prick in the stupid face.
I’ve been fully feeding with Violet enough to get back a surprising amount of strength.
I think I can take him.
My fists unfold when I see her start kissing a trail up his arm with far too much comfort and ease—something she hasn’t really had with him until now. It’s certainly more comfort and ease than she’s had with even me, and I thought I was out in front.
Damn it all to hell. Now I sound as stupid as Arion.
“I’ll let the three of you talk about whatever while I go get supplies,” she says in a small whisper when her lips reach his ear.
Clearly she thinks our hearing is far less significant than it is.
He still has one hand tangled in her slightly messy hair, and he holds her to him like he does a prize trophy around possible thieves, eyes glaring at us.
Now I also see why Vance has been missing in action for two solid days. Why is Violet treating him like her damn boyfriend?
She kisses the side of his neck again, and he reluctantly releases her.
I barely catch a glimpse of all that pale, supple skin before she’s tugging on one of his good shirts.
Vance stands and starts pulling on a pair of discarded trousers.
Arion blocks her way before she can get gone, and her eyes lift to meet his, as she patiently awaits whatever it is he wants to say.
“I may have thought of you as a replacement for Idun while you were presumed very mortal,” the vampire tells her as he presses closer.
She stands still, unflinching.
Vance shakes his head and rolls his eyes.
Arion, careful not to directly touch her, adjusts the warped collar of the button down that hits her mid-thigh.
His eyes grow more serious as they narrow.
“But you’re not mortal. I only learned that just before you went missing. Be glad I learned it, Violet. That monster you threw yourself in front of so quickly was a tamed version, because there was only tempered rage. Don’t ever do something like that again.”
She just continues to stare directly into his eyes until she finally gives a small nod.
He steps out of the way, and she jogs up the stairs.
“You bugged my fucking house, didn’t you?” Vance asks the vampire the second we hear the door shut up top.
Violet’s senses aren’t quite as good as ours.
I look over at Arion, idly wondering if he’s that clever.
Arion nods like it should have been obvious. “Of course I did. She’s not going to tell us directly what we’ve done wrong. I needed to know, and now I do,” he answers unapologetically.
“I really should do a better job of keeping up with technology,” I note aloud to myself.
“I just got tired of waiting on you to come out of the basement. It’s the one room of the house I didn’t bother to bug,” Arion adds on a breath of annoyance.
“How did this even happen?” I decide to ask, gesturing around at the sex pallet they’ve thoroughly ruffled.
Vance’s lips tug into a smirk. “I gave her a gift.”
“She doesn’t like gifts. All that chocolate is wasting as effectively as the flowers I sent,” I’m quick to argue. “Aside from the shit you’ve been feeding each other down here.”
“Wrong gifts, apparently,” Arion says before taking a seat on the floor. “I’m seeing she likes a softer approach. Damien stays in too much trouble.”