Chapter 6

Six

I sit in front of the mirror in the bathroom in Kelly’s room as she pins up my hair in a neat bun. There’s to be a celebration tonight at Duval House and Damien is going to announce that Bran will be Co-Head of House.

I know he did it for me.

Even though Bran has the influence and the self-assurance to be a leader, I get the distinct impression he never wanted to bother with it, almost as if the responsibility was beneath him.

But I guess being a co-leader is better than a sole one, as much as I liked the idea of him having his own house.

Maybe that was my own selfishness, wanting to desperately get away from vampires like Sky. She’s going to make my life miserable here. As much as Bran promises to shield me and protect me, he can’t be with me at all times.

I guess I better learn to deal with it.

Pins hang from the corner of Kelly’s mouth as she works her way around the bun. When she plucks one from between her teeth and sinks it into my hair, I notice a new ring shining on her pointer finger. It’s thin with a low profile but it’s encrusted with several tiny diamonds.

Kelly has always loved her nice things, but I’ve never seen this piece of jewelry before.

“Where’d you get the new ring?”

Her face immediately pinks and I think I have my answer.

“Damien?”

She keeps working at my hair. Damien must know my sister well if he’s gifting her shiny objects. It’s literally the interstate to her heart. “If he’s giving you gifts, that must be a good sign.”

She snorts and then talks around the pins still hanging in her mouth. “Damien is literally a billionaire. This is like pocket change for him.”

“Are you exaggerating?”

She shakes her head. “Bran is too, I’m sure.”

“How—”

“They’ve been around a long time and they are both incredibly smart.”

I knew they were rich, but that rich? Duval House is elegant and luxurious and huge, but the brothers don’t act like billionaires.

“Well, regardless of the cost, it’s still a gift.”

Kelly sighs. “It’s just another way for him to mark me as his. Damien has always been extremely possessive. And I maybe?—”

She frowns at my hair, but I think she’s lost in thought.

“You what?”

She sets the pins on the vanity and they plink against the marble. “Sometimes I push him too far just so he’ll show it. I get a perverse sort of satisfaction when he acts all possessive like that. And then we’re both pissed off and obsessive and then when we end up in bed—” She meets my gaze, reading my thirst for more. “No. Stop it,” she says.

I pretend to be innocent. “So tell me, how long has it been since you’ve ended up in his bed ?”

She whacks me on the arm.

“Hey! I could use a distraction and your screwed up love life is exactly what I need. Please.”

Folding her arms over her middle, she leans into the vanity. The color of her cheeks flushes a deeper shade of scarlet.

“Kelly?” I coax.

“Okay, fine. While you were gone.” The smile that spreads on her face nearly swallows her up.

“Ohhhh, ohhh, sister. Okay. Okay. I thought you were going to say like a few months ago or something or… You have to tell me. Tell me what it was like.” Bran is in the main house with Damien as far as I know, so he can’t scold me for asking about our siblings’ sex life. And I really want to know.

“Damien and I…when we’re…” She winces and trails off.

I think it’s adorable that my sister is having a hard time getting the dirty details out. Come to think of it, she’s never really divulged this kind of thing to me. For a very long time, she’s been more parent than sister.

But maybe that can change now.

“Go on.” I lean forward.

“When he lets go, and I let go?—

“Yes.”

“It’s—” Her eyes sink closed and her entire body shivers. “It’s consuming. Mind-blowing.” She lets out a breathy sigh and then, “Okay, listen. I have to tell you this because I have to tell someone. But promise me you won’t freak out.”

A secret. YES.

“I promise.”

“Sometimes he’ll tie me to the bed.”

I know the shock must register on my face because Kelly pulls back. “Is that weird? I shouldn’t have told you. Am I crazy for letting him do that?”

“Um, no. Not at all. Do you like it?”

“Yes.” She tilts her head, looks at the floor, her eyes wide, maybe revisiting their last encounter. “I like it a lot.”

I feel like I’m relearning who my sister is. How is it that you can live with someone in the same house and yet barely know them? “Then it’s not crazy,” I say. “You like what you like. As long as you’re safe.”

She nods. “Before him, I had never done anything like that. Like my sex life had been so vanilla until Damien and I didn’t know it could be that way. Like…I don’t even know how to describe it.” She shivers again. “Sometimes when I’m with him, it feels like I leave my body. Like all time and space ceases to exist and there’s only him and me and the euphoria .”

“I know that feeling well.”

She smiles over at me. “We may have strapped ourselves to a rocket ship.”

“Maybe. But it’ll be a wild ride. Has he bitten you?”

“Yes, but it’s been a while. When I was with Locke House, we were able to cover our scent with witch charms that we got from a Vane witch. But a bite leaves a stronger scent.”

I pinch my fingers together and bring it to my mouth. “When Bran bites me—chef’s kiss.”

She shakes her head and I can tell she’s fighting her sister/mom reaction, which is to reprimand me. “I still can’t wrap my head around all of this. You being with Bran. Me here at Duval House. How the hell did we get to this place?”

“I don’t know but I don’t hate it. I just wish Sky didn’t hate me so much.”

“I heard.” Kelly grabs a bottle of hairspray and gestures for me to close my eyes. She blasts my bun with spray. “Damien said if Sky doesn’t behave herself, he’ll kick her out.”

“Seriously? Over me?”

“I don’t think you realize how much sway you hold here.”

It’s hard for me to believe that I’m anything other than the old me. The skin is much harder to shed even though it’s peeling off and starting to chaff.

I don’t know who I am as this new person and I guess I won’t fully know until Rita unbinds me and I find out more about my origins.

“I don’t want her to get kicked out,” I tell Kelly. “I just wish she’d leave me alone.”

“And that is entirely up to her at this point. She’ll learn quickly once Damien puts her in her place.”

I can’t imagine witnessing that.

But not going to lie, I’m kinda looking forward to it.

By the time Bran returns to me, I’m a vision of party perfection thanks to Kelly. She finished my hair, then my makeup, and helped me pick out a dress. We decided on an emerald green lacy dress with a silky lining underneath. The scalloped edges of the bodice neckline plunges all the way to my navel and the back is completely bare, making it clear I’m not wearing a bra.

Jimmy let me borrow some jewelry—a set of gold tassel earrings and a tiered gold necklace with a simple star charm on the end. The charm hits at my sternum.

When Bran sees me in our bedroom, he does a double-take and my insides light up like a supernova.

He comes close, slides his hand around to the back of my neck, and draws me into him so he can speak directly at my ear. “You look lovely, Mouse. I’m already fantasizing about all of the things I will do to you in this dress.”

I warm beneath him and then pull away so I can look up at him. “First, we celebrate. You deserve that much.”

“It’s not as special as you’re making it out to seem.”

“Bullshit.”

He tilts his head down, narrows his eyes. “Careful, little mouse. I’m not above making the party wait for me.”

I breathe out and grin. “So you can fuck me?”

He drags his thumb over my bottom lip. “So I can punish this smart mouth. Give me an excuse. Any one will do.”

His touch turns punishing as his fingers trail down to my chin, forcing me to turn, exposing my neck.

My breath quickens, heart thumping loudly.

And then a knock sounds on the door and Bran groans. “It’s Jimmy,” he tells me even though the door is closed and there’s no way for him to see through it.

He darts over to it and whips it open. “You have impeccable timing, Jimmy.”

“If you’re going to be Head of House, you’ll have to get used to everyone always needing something from you.”

The line of Bran’s shoulders rises with a deep, exasperated breath. “I detest it when you make points I can’t argue.”

“I’m glad to be of service.” She nods at me. “You look beautiful, Jessie.”

My face is probably still flushed. I’m sure she heard us. “Thanks, Jimmy. You too. That dress is amazing.”

She’s left her hair natural and the curls spring with her movements. Her gauzy gold dress looks gorgeous against her dark skin. Giant emeralds swing from her ears.

“Thank you.” She gives us a spin. “It’s vintage Chanel.”

Bran scowls. “Coco was insufferable.”

“You hated her because she was brilliant.”

“I hated her because she bought that flat I wanted. Right out from beneath me.”

Jimmy rolls her eyes. “Ignore him. He collects real estate and when he loses out on it, he gets grumpy.”

“When isn’t he grumpy?” I counter.

“Also another excellent point.” Jimmy smiles innocently at Bran.

“I can see the two of you together might very well be the death of my last nerve,” he says.

“And how we will delight in it.” Jimmy waves us on. “Now hurry up. You both are the guests of honor tonight and the party is waiting for you. Chop-chop.” She disappears from the doorway.

Bran winds his arm around my waist, drawing me to his hip. “Stay by my side tonight,” he tells me. “And if you’re a good girl, maybe I’ll treat you like a bad one after.”

I try to pretend like that doesn’t sound like the best night ever.