11. Zachariah

CHAPTER 11

Zachariah

T he club Jocelyn rented out for her annual Halloween party is packed to the brim with not only the king's assassins, his inner circle, and rookie assassins, but with plenty of witches and warlocks and demons and even a few lycan.

Despite adjusting to the modern times, it's still a little shocking to see such open and trusting intermingling between the species. I spent the first two centuries of my life in conflict with all of these beings, and while it's hard to shut down old instincts, I'm impressed by the progress we've all made over the centuries.

I certainly admire Jocelyn—who's the most brilliant and powerful witch I've ever met—for hosting all of us tonight. I'll also be forever in her debt for the smile she's putting on Talia's face right now.

Talia and Jocelyn are across the club, leaning against the wide ebony bar, chatting about something I make an effort not to eavesdrop on. Especially as Talia tips her head back and laughs in a way I haven't seen her do in a very long time.

I could listen in—I'm that desperate to gain any insight into what made Talia smile—but I'll never betray her trust like that. Especially after what she said last week following our hot-as-hell session in the king's gardens.

She still didn't trust me. With her body, sure, but with her heart? With the significance of sharing blood? Not a chance.

But I'm doing everything I can to earn her trust back, including going against every primal instinct to protect her that I have and including her in every single aspect of missions and hunting and everything in between. I know how strong she is, how powerful. Know she doesn't need my protection…it's just the damned instincts screaming otherwise that I have to fight.

"She looks like she's adjusting well," Alek says as he walks up to my side. He glances at Talia, and then at his mate who joins Talia and Jocelyn at the bar, Grace and Cassandra following behind.

"I'll never be able to repay those females' kindness," I say, dipping my head toward the group of girls who are chatting and laughing. They clink their glasses together and take drinks as they all slowly move to the music that's thumping through the crowded space.

Everyone is in costume, as per Jocelyn's requirement—no, really, she warded the club so if you weren't in costume you wouldn't be able to pass through the doors.

There are several vampires who elected to wear a simple black mask over their eyes—me being one of them—just doing the minimum in order to join the party. There are some creatures in more elaborate costumes, several from popular comic book movies that I know Ajax obsessed over when we'd first awoken, and some more classic and simple costumes like ghosts and zombies.

Alek is decorated in a costume that complements Lyric's, the pair of them looking like the queens and pharaohs from ancient times.

Talia put on a pair of cat ears and a tail with her standard huntress outfit, the sight of which made me want to cross the space between us and wend her to the closest private space.

"We have a good family here," Alek continues, smiling and dipping his head at the lone, unattached human in the club, Daphne, who's dressed in an elaborate cream and pink colored Victorian dress that likely was plucked from one of the females' personal collection from that era.

Daphne waves timidly at the vampire king before she smiles and nods at her cousin, who's on the dance floor with her highlander mate.

Daphne does a small curtsey that looks terribly awkward before she moves toward the bar, only to make a quick left turn down a darkened hallway that likely leads to employee rooms.

My instincts prickle, and I shift my stance. "As the only unattached human in a building filled with supernaturals," I say to Alek, "should she be venturing down dark hallways unsupervised?" I ask, trying not to sound like an ancient prick. The women of this time are more than capable of taking care of themselves, but Daphne didn't have a supernatural escort, and in this room? It put me on edge.

"No," Alek says. "She really shouldn't, but she might just be needing a moment to herself. Let's give her a minute before we send out the search party."

I dip my head in agreement.

When there's no sign of her after five minutes, I share a look with Alek as we both start moving in that direction.

Her cousin Valor must be thinking the same thing, because her and Lachlan are heading our direction as well.

Daphne steps out of the hallway just as we reach the end of it, a flush on her cheeks. Her eyes widen and she jolts at the sight of us.

"You okay?" Valor asks first.

Daphne glances at each of us, shaking her head. "The human is fine," she says a bit sarcastically, and I cough to cover my laugh. "I'm just thirsty," she says, pushing away from her concerned cousin and heading toward the bar.

"What in the world was she doing?" Valor asks before a looming presence steps out of the darkened hallway a second later.

I always know when Xavier is close, as the air around him is slightly cooler and more shadowy than what would be considered natural . He's dressed in an immaculate black suit, and half his face is covered with a white phantom mask.

Valor glares, pointing her finger at him. "What did you say to her?"

Xavier arches eyebrow at the finger pointed at his chest.

Lachlan grabs his mate's hand, dragging her back toward the dance floor. "We don't point fingers at the demon king," he mutters before they disappear into the crowd.

Xavier lets out a smooth, cold laugh, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Alek," he says as he slowly walks past us.

"Xavier," Alek returns the sentiment, and his shoulders loosen as he watches the demon king head out of the club.

I blow out a breath too. Despite the demon king being our ally, there isn't really any sort of ease when it comes to him.

I return my gaze to the bar, and catch Talia's eyes on me. She pulls me in like a magnet, and I find myself weaving through the crowded space to get to her without even saying goodbye to my king.

"You look exquisite," I say once I reach her.

She smiles, reaching up to trace a finger on the outline of my mask. "And you look downright villainous in this mask. Isn't this so much more fun than the balls we used to sneak out of?"

"I certainly enjoy the attire more," I say, pointedly dragging my eyes down her body, over the corset that pushes up her luscious breasts and down the tight leather that hugs her legs.

"And the dancing?" she asks.

I offer her my hand. "I have yet to dance in this century," I say.

She takes my hand. "Why is that?" she asks as I lead her to the dance floor.

I find a spot where we can move and draw her flush against me as I shift us to the melody pulsing throughout the club. "I didn't have my favorite partner," I answer honestly.

Something serious flashes over her features for the quickest of moments before she smooths it away, returning to her previous casual fun mood.

"You certainly seem to have adjusted well," she says, moving her hands up my chest to link her arms behind my neck as my hands fall to her hips.

"It isn't hard to move to music," I say, shifting against her as the beat changes. I slip my thigh between hers, relishing the blush that rushes over her cheeks as my hand glides around her lower back, and I dip her slightly before bringing her back up flush against me. "Especially with someone I can't keep my hands off of."

Talia bites down on her smile, like she might be able to hide the fact that she enjoys my company.

But she can't hide it from me. Not when we were once fated to be mates. Not when I still believe she's the one for me.

I hold her tighter, moving us to the music, the two of us getting lost in the beat, in the places our bodies touch, and the way we complement each other even when doing something as simple as dancing.

I can't deny I certainly enjoy this century more than I did the stuffy balls she mentioned earlier. The fact that I'm allowed to have my hands all over her, my thigh pressing against her heat, her shifting against it ever so subtly as if she just can't help herself. These things weren't acceptable back in our time, and it makes me wonder if fate knew what it was doing when it forced us apart all those years ago.

Not that I wouldn't go back and change things if I could, but what if fate had a plan all along? What if it knew that Talia would turn into this powerhouse of a female who thrived in this time? What if the two of us were meant to live in this century for a reason?

"Are the king's inner circle parties always like this?" Talia asks when one dance has turned into three.

"I don't know," I answer honestly.

"Have you never attended one before?" Talia tilts her head.

"No, I have," I say. "Mostly to support my friends or the king, but I never paid them any attention. I never really partook in them like I am now."

"Why?"

I lean down, pressing my cheek against hers, my lips at the shell of her ear. "You know why," I whisper.

She has to know that my present joy is completely linked to her.

I pull back enough to catch her gaze, stunned by the intensity of it.

"You certainly know all the right things to say," she says. "You always have."

"They're all true." I continue to move us to the music, driving myself mad every time she allows me to manipulate her body to the melody.

A mischievous smile shapes her lips. "From the sound of it, it's almost as if I have you wrapped around my finger."

"You do," I say.

She grips my arms a little tighter, her nails digging in. "So you're saying you'll do whatever I want?"

"I failed you once," I say. "I have no intention of ever doing that again. Speak it, and it's yours."

She raises her eyebrows, shock flooding her eyes. "From someone as powerful as you, that promise packs a lot of punch."

Worry streaks through me. "Oh, no," I say, smirking. "You're going to get me into so much trouble, aren't you?"

"Maybe," she says. "What if I asked you to leave all of your friends here and take me somewhere?"

"I would do it."

"And if I asked you to go on a hunt with me right now?"

"I have my weapons bag in my car."

Her grin deepens at that.

She slides her hands up my arms again, resting them on the back of my neck, her fingers toying with my hair there. "And if I asked you to stay here and dance with me until the sun comes up?"

"I'm at your disposal," I say, moving us around on the dance floor. She goes quiet for a few moments. "Which will it be, Talia?"

She leans closer to me, embracing me in a way that feels so much more than a dance as she rests her cheek against my chest. "It doesn't matter what we do," she whispers so softly I almost don't hear it. "As long as you stay with me."