"Might I remind you that I reanimated her, Yolando," Sebastian said, collectingElizabeth to usher her back to her new throne.
Yonnie held his hands up in front of him. "Hey, believe me. I am not trying to push up on your woman. Like I said, respect. I know who her husband is."
"Was," Sebastian snarled.
Elizabethtilted her head. "Was?" She turned to Sebastian, dark eyes kindling an emotion that was impossible to judge. "Draculawill always be my husband . . . there is no other like Vlad." She had enunciated every syllable, extending the second one for emphasis, making her exterminated husband's name sound like Dra-cuuu-la.
"But I reanimated you and gave you daylight . . ."
"Then, for that the debt is paid in full-I gave you my body.Once.Just as you gave me life again.Once."
"Plus, daylight," Sebastian argued.
"Then, when I use the daylight and appear in it, which I assure you will be rare, as I am used to the night . . . I will give you what you most crave. Until then, I suggest you do what the peasant farmers in the old country were forced to do in the absence of willing choices-mate sheep."
"You cannot mean that . . . if you do not take me as a new husband, then at least take me as a lover until your grief over Vlad's continued loss subsides. I know you're overwrought, but our coronation must mean something to you?"
"In twenty minutes, puhlease," Yonnie muttered to Nuit on the side, instantly bored by the debate between Elizabeth and Sebastian. "No wonder she'd rather ride a memory than that bullshit."
"How is it that I find myself in the odd and rare position of thoroughly agreeing with you, Yolando?" Nuit smiled and squeezed Lucrezia's hand, and then kissed the back of it. "You haveno idea what he interrupted."
"Yeah, I do," Yonnie said in a low voice.
Lilith gave them the eye and sent a private message to them both.It was so sad, torturous to witness. I should have made you all stay just so that I wouldn't have this tragedy locked in my mind alone. He humped her like a schoolboy would in the back of a car! Five quick pokes right in the throne, no imagination-couldn't hold off, so no wonder our new councilwoman is pissy.After Vlad . . . ? I would have slapped Sebastian's face, clawed out his eyes! Vlad's essence leapt from the Sea of Perpetual Agony at the affront and scorched three messenger demons that were standing too close to the lava . . . but, alas, there was nothing more that he could do but rejoin the wailing masses. I swear,I can still hear his voice cursing above the others .
I did not need to see that, Lilith,Nuit mentally shot back with a sigh.Five strokes without ambience?Non .I am offended for the poor Countess, but I will not be coaxed into remedying Sebastian's problem. I have already sent my objections to the permanent council session minutes in blood. Therefore, please tell me when it will be appropriate to return to my lair inNew Orleans to, shall we say, acclimate Lucrezia to the area?
Lilith smiled and winked.In due time. She then turned her attention to Yonnie, and her gaze raked him.From the condition of your aura, it seems Sebastian's quick callback left you in a state, darling .
Yonnie shrugged subtly.What can I do? Nobody even had the courtesy to hook a brother up, so I went topside . . . this is real f**ked up .
Blowing him a kiss, Lilith licked her bottom lip.They did leave you out in the cold . . . but I could make up for it before I head to theMiddle East ?
Yonnie froze. It was not that Lilith wasn't a good lay, or that he hadn't been with her before. But damn if he wanted her now.
I feel your hesitation, Yolando. I'm not toying with you. I want all my members of council happy and cooperative before I leave.
He made a tent with his fingers in front of his mouth and then allowed her to feel the pent-up desire full throttle. If Fallon was off screwing his new bride, and Sebastian was sniffing behind his new and very recalcitrant mate, it would give Val more time to get word to Carlos and possibly give the whole squad more time to maneuver. Then if he had Lilith good and occupied . . . that was one less headache for the team as well. Plus, the last he'd heard, the Dark Lord was making moves to secure his heir's survival-in theMiddle East . He could definitely take this one for the team.
Yonnie opened his gaze to Lilith and summoned every desire he could think of from his core . . . editing out the circumstances but letting her feel the raw emotion of the denial, allowing her to bathe in the heat waves of wanting something so close that was so far away. Hot-stored mental video fed it and hours of being unfulfilled slick-coated it until she finally writhed in her throne.
"Enough bickering!" she snapped, breaking off her transmission with Yonnie, and turning on Sebastian. "Give the lady room to adjust to her new circumstances. Make her happy-somehow! She is the Countess and is used to the best. Give her a blood bath, take her to the old country to feed, whatever it is that brings her pleasure, but my nervous system cannot handle this strife in council."
Lilith stood.Elizabeth bowed.
"Thank you, Madame Chairwoman, for understanding my . . . disappointment. I believed that Vlad had discovered a way to return and that it was he who had hired the necromancer's services . . . only to find out . . ." She covered her face with her hands and then broke down and wept.
"Fix this, Sebastian," Lilith warned. "She is no good to us in such a state. Had you properly-oh, nevermind. " Lilith ruffled her hair up from her neck. "Council is adjourned for three eves, barring any catastrophe."
Nuit and Lucrezia were on their feet before Lilith had finished her sentence. Yonnie stood slowly, resigned to his fate. Lilith smiled and crooked her finger toward him as she turned to leave chambers.
"I must design a consolation for you, poor Yolando. If you follow me, I think we can work something out."
Sebastian stood in the deafening silence staring at his back-fired fantasy. His gaze roved overElizabeth 's body, coveting it, wishing that he could again reach out to fondle the delicate pink ni**les that peeked through the sheer lace of her black gown. His mouth hungered for hers, just as his fingers ached to again touch her silky brunet hair and fragile alabaster skin. Her crimson mouth drew him and he still trembled from just thinking of how magnificent her fang-strike had been. That was what made him prematurely lose control. If only she would understand how long he'd wanted her . . .
"I am not Vlad," he said after her sobs subsided. He lifted his chin as she stared at him with angry, bloodshot eyes. "But I can bring things back from the dead if they haven't been mutilated by blessed weapons."
She was about to walk away from him when he caught her by the elbow. Hissing, she looked down at his hand until he removed it from her arm.