Chapter 17

CHAPTERSEVENTEEN

That afternoon when Anna-Maria had turned up on her doorstep begging Stella to come and help at an event, she had seen it as an opportunity to do something normal to get her mind off Dom and the missing people.

Stella, Claudia, and Anna-Maria had all been friends since they were teenagers, and Stella normally jumped at the chance to hang out with any of them, even if they were working.

They had arrived together at the gates of the palazzo where the event was being held, and Stella’s stomach had just about hit her shoes.

The Aladoro palazzo.

The place was enormous. Everywhere she looked were motifs of winged and snarling shedu, from the wrought iron gate at the entrance to the mosaics on the domed ceilings and patterns on the red and gold curtains.

Dom was going to think that she had planned this, but it was the one place Stella would never dare to crash an event at.

She had made a promise to Anna-Maria, however, so Stella had prayed to Santa Maria and San Marco that Dom wouldn’t see her.

What a ridiculous waste of prayer that had been. Stella and Dom couldn’t help but find each other even in a massive, crowded mansion.

Stella had stayed in the background, helping set out drinks, and avoided mingling like the other servers.

She couldn’t help but wonder what it would’ve been like to grow up there, always surrounded by so much wealth and privilege.

Stella was by no means poor, but she and Pietro worked hard to achieve their success. She couldn’t help but pity the poor young Domenico, to have so much history and expectations thrust upon him.

She had spotted Carmella and Rodrigo early in the night. The former was clearly where Dom’s grace and poise had come from. The latter she couldn’t see in Dom at all, even before he had spoken to her. Rodrigo was leaner and shorter than Dom and didn’t carry the same presence. No, Stella had found the rest of Dom in his grandfather.

Stella had purposely singled out the old shedu and asked if there was anything at all she could get him.

They had talked easily about the people and the room, and Stella had discovered that Dom not only looked like a young Caesar, but they both had the same flirting light in their eyes.

Then Dom had seen them together, and her world had tilted.

I didn’t plan this, I swear, Stella tried to tell him through her expression. Dom had looked horrified and confused and…betrayed.

Oh, God, he was never going to believe that she hadn’t planned it. Caesar had seen the exchange and had laughed huskily, sending Stella off to get him a glass of scotch instead of the champagne. That was when Rodrigo had found her.

"You look good enough to eat, little lamb," he said, smiling at her.

"Is there something I can do for you, Signor Aladoro?" Stella asked as politely as she could.

"How about a night at the Danieli with you for a hundred gold soldi?"

Stella froze, momentarily stunned. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. It would be more than a girl like you would earn in a month. I promise I’d make it worth it for you," Rodrigo said, his hand subtly moving to touch her ass. This can’t be happening.

"Thank you for the offer, signore, but I must decline," Stella said, trying to keep the tremble out of her voice.

"You know it’s a dangerous thing to turn down a Council member. Especially me."

Even hours later, Stella felt a cold chill snake through her.

Dom had arrived before she could reply. He was rage incarnate as he got her away from that glittering room and Rodrigo’s roaming hands. She would never forget the hot fury in every line of Dom’s being.

Stella hadn’t known if that anger had been directed at her or his father, but she was glad to have a canal between them now.

"Don’t think about it," she said before having another drink. As soon as she had gotten home, she had drawn a too-hot bath to try and scrub off the feeling of Rodrigo’s touch on her skin.

Stella had been hit on many, many times over the years, but there had been something in Rodrigo’s dark eyes that hadn’t been lust or drunken flirting. He had looked at her like she was nothing but food. She wondered how many desperate girls would have taken him up on the offer.

Stella had never felt so small and powerless in her life.

Catching the eye of a Council member was dangerous, especially to someone like her, someone who was hiding magic. The terror of her nightmares had hit her in an instant, and the fact he was Dom’s father had made it so much worse.

I hope Dom doesn’t think I was flirting with Rodrigo…

It would explain his anger though.

Still feeling shocked and weepy, Stella went up to her rooftop garden and sat amongst the plants that were somehow still surviving the beginning of winter.

The night was cold but clear, and the burning stars above her made her feel a little less dirty. She should’ve told Anna-Maria no and never stepped into that world when she was already feeling vulnerable over Claudia’s absence and her own growing feelings for Dom.

A hard flap of wings sounded above her, and Stella spotted the shimmering gold tips of Dom’s wings mere moments before he landed and changed back into his human form.

His eyes ran over her and without a word, he shrugged off his heavy overcoat and put it around her shoulders.

Stella bit down a sob at his unexpected kindness. He wasn’t anything like his sleazy father. This wasn’t Domenico, the polished prince either; this was her Dom, with his hair tousled by the wind and a concerned look on his handsome face.

Dom had never made her feel small and worthless despite his title and his authority. If anything, he made her feel safe and valued. And right now, protected.

They stared at each for a tense moment before Stella crashed into his chest, throwing her arms around him. Dom pulled her closer, and she fought not to cry again.

He scooped her up and carried her over to where the outdoor couch was. He sat with her in his lap, just holding her for a long, quiet moment.

"Are you sure he didn’t hurt you?" Dom asked softly.

Stella nodded. "He just upset me, that’s all. I’m so sorry if I caused you any trouble tonight, Dom. I really didn’t know the party was going to be your mother’s, and then once I realized, I couldn’t back out—"

Dom lifted her chin. "Stop apologizing. It’s not your fault, and you didn’t cause me any trouble at all. I should be apologizing to you for having had someone in my family treat you so abominably."

"But you were so mad."

"At him, not you! God, Stella—when he touched you, I wanted to rip his hand off. That my own father would harass a woman like that makes me furious. I’m so sorry I didn’t intervene sooner." Dom curled into her, breathing in her scent. "And I’m so glad you aren’t running from me right now. I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to."

"You’re nothing like your father, Dom. Nothing," Stella insisted, and his grip on her tightened. She let herself be comforted, wrapped in his warmth and scent, until the coldness in her slowly went away.

"Did you get anything out of Ciro?" she asked.

"Nothing worthwhile. He denies being at the Silver Doves the night Claudia went missing, he says he was meeting with Rodrigo. I don’t know. He didn’t seem to be lying, but maybe he’s just that good," Dom replied, rubbing her back thoughtfully. "We’ll put him in the ’further investigation’ list and check out the others."

"I’ve got Luca on it. He’ll find out where the other two live and get back to me tomorrow. He’s staying with a friend tonight. Otherwise, I would have seen what he had found out already."

"You know, usually on a night this shitty, I would go flying," Dom said as he tucked her hair behind her ears, his fingers skimming along her face and neck. "I don’t suppose you’d like to come with me?"

Stella smiled. "How?"

"On my back, how else? I’m strong, Stella. I won’t drop you." When she still hesitated, he added, "Do you know that in Babylon, there was an elite group of warrior sorcerers that used to ride shedu into battle? I’m talking full battle armor on both. That’s how strong shedu are. I would barely feel you there."

"You’re honestly going to let me ride you?" Stella didn’t know anything about the shedu of old, but the shedu of her time would never, ever suffer the indignity of someone riding them like a pony.

"Come on, you’re meant to be the adventurous one," Dom said as he set her back on her feet. He zipped up the panels on the overcoat she was wearing and fastened the buttons up.

"It will be breezy, but I’ll keep you warm."

"This is probably the craziest thing I’ve ever done. If you drop me, I swear I’ll haunt you beyond the grave," Stella warned, making Dom laugh.

"I doubt this is the craziest, but it will be unforgettable. You are going to have to lean forward between my wings and hang onto my mane," Dom instructed before he gave her a quick, excited kiss. "Trust me."

Dom shifted with a flash of gold, and Stella knew she couldn’t back out. He really was huge as he stretched out his wings, giving her a lot of space to get adjusted.

"Yep, this is definitely the craziest thing I’ve ever done," Stella confirmed as she climbed onto his back and laid down between his wings. She buried her hands in his mane and hung on as he shook himself and tested his wings. Seemingly satisfied all was well, and that she was situated properly, Dom leapt off the roof.

Stella shut her eyes tight, half expecting them to plunge straight into the freezing canal. She squealed and clung tighter to him. When nothing happened, she peeked one eye open.

Dom soared up and over the buildings, banking around the dome of the Santa Maria della Salute and out over the lagoon.

Stella was breathless as the world flashed underneath her. They soared straight over Giudecca and kept going until there was only dark blue ocean beneath them and the stars and moon above.

Stella’s fear left her as her artist’s eye fixated on the night’s calm, and she laughed with unbelievable pleasure. Her death grip loosened a little.

No wonder Dom flew after a bad night. There was no way anyone could feel bad with so much freedom and beauty around them.

"Thank you so much," Stella said, not knowing if he could hear her. She hugged Dom’s warm back. "This is pure magic."

He took them out to the Lido and back around again, Venice glowing like an enchanted palace of light rising out of the dark sea. He landed back on her roof gently, and she slid off him.

"That was…I loved it. Thank you for protecting me tonight and coming to check on me. It means a lot to me, Dom. You mean a lot to me," Stella admitted, touching his golden face. She bent down and kissed his head, making him purr.

"Go on, handsome. I know you took it easy on me."

Dom bumped his head gently against her before lifting back off. Stella watched his silhouette shrink against the full moon before disappearing entirely.