Heir of Night by Emily Goodwin
Chapter 17
Iclose the book and rub my temples, letting out a sigh. “I wish I could have more coffee,” I tell Freya. She’s lying on the floor in the library, not helping me go through the books Evander dropped off this morning. Lucas has another few to translate, and I’m wishing for his vampire speed right about now.
My heart has been constantly racing since Julian’s visit yesterday. I don’t want my dad to get in cosmic trouble because of me. Rumors that he teamed up with his younger brother are bad enough, but what will happen if they find out he killed Remiel? Would he be sentenced to death? Thrown in Hell and cast in chains along with Lucifer?
The doorbell rings and I get up. I ordered food from Suzie’s and paid extra to have someone deliver it, giving in just this one time to Lucas’s insistence to spend money for unnecessary things because we can. Grabbing cash from Lucas’s wallet, I go to the front door.
“Hi,” I tell the young delivery driver.
“I have an order for Callie,” the girl says, curiously looking behind me. She’s a non, and I’m sure this house renovation has been a subject of curiosity amongst the nonmagical people in Thorne Hill. Lately, I’ve kind of forgotten we’re surrounded by so many normal people. Oh, to be blissfully ignorant and have no fucking clue how much danger the entire world is in.
“That’s me. Thanks so much.” I hand her the wad of cash and take my food. I’ve never ordered the chili cheeseburger before yet had to have it as soon as I saw a photo of it on Suzie’s Instagram page. I might have spent a good deal of time scrolling through social media instead of doing research this morning.
It was Betty’s idea to feature us as well as the books, and the post she put up today about Kristy is getting a lot of love and interaction. The photo is of her and Olive in her garden, tending to the insane number of herbs and potted plants she has. The post tells our followers a little about Kristy and her “pet” bunny and how gardening is her favorite hobby. The post ends with asking what everyone’s favorite hobby is, and it’s fun seeing so many people comment.
“You have a package over here,” the delivery girl tells me, motioning to a box that was set on the bench to the right of the front door. “I’ll grab it for you.”
“Oh, thanks so much.”
The box isn’t heavy, and I tuck it under my arm, more interested in my food. I set the box on the counter and then notice it’s addressed to me, not Lucas. I take a big bite of my burger before I get a knife and slice open the packing tape. I pull a white box out of the plain cardboard box. There’s a logo on the pretty box that’s familiar but I can’t place it right away.
I put the box down and take another bite of my burger.
“Oh, good.” Lucas comes into the kitchen. “I wasn’t sure if it would arrive on time.”
Wiping my fingers, I go back to the white box and carefully take the lid off.
“What’s all this?” I ask, holding up a midnight-blue dress. It’s from a designer brand that makes maternity clothes, and I only know that because Eliza insisted I order myself “something nicer” than what I bought when I went shopping with my friends a few weeks ago.
Lucas’s eyes meet mine, making my heart flutter. “I’m taking you on a proper date, and I won’t take no for an answer.” He strides over and takes me in his arms, one hand going to the small of my back, and pulls me against him. “You are my love, my wife, and you deserve a night off. Plus, I like showing you off.” His hands slide around and settle on my stomach. “Especially when everyone looks at you and knows I fucked you.”
“I love you,” I tell him, on the verge of tearing up. “Thank you.”
Lucas kisses me, and if I didn’t want to finish my burger while it was still warm, I’d push him down and have my way with him. But priorities, right? A warmed-over burger just isn’t the same. “Where are you taking me tonight?”
“The French restaurant you liked before, but this time we won’t be interrupted. Unless you’d rather try something new.”
I shake my head. “I want to go back to that place. I might have dreamed about baguettes the other night.”
Lucas laughs. “Good. I’ll cancel the backup reservation I made just in case you did want to go somewhere else. And after dinner, I have a private tour set up for us at the Art Institute.”
“When did you do all this?”
“I ordered the dress a few days ago, and when I saw it was on track to arrive on time, I set everything else up last night.”
“You were able to get two dinner reservations and a private tour with only twenty-four hours’ notice? I don’t want to know how much that cost.” I raise my eyebrows. “And here I was thinking I was living large by paying for someone to deliver food from the local diner.”
Lucas chuckles and slides his hands from my stomach to my back. “Being able to surprise you and give you a night away is worth every cent, my love. If it makes you feel better, I’m selling one of the cars to a collector for over a million.”
“Which car?”
“A 1954 Bentley. It’s in the garage in California, remember?”
“Maybe.” I make a face, thinking back to when we spent a glorious two weeks at the vineyard. Lucas did take me on a “garage tour,” excited to show me all his prized cars. “I drank a lot of wine on phase one of our honeymoon.” I shrug. “You’re not sad to part with that car?” I’m not a car person by any means, but I do think it’s pretty fucking neat that Lucas has bought all his classic cars brand-new and has held onto them since.
“Not this one, and it’s going to an automotive museum on the East Coast. Others will get to look at it and enjoy it as well.”
“You are such a nerd,” I tease. “Which is a huge turn-on.”
“For your sake, I won’t mention Star Wars then. You won’t be able to resist me. You’re struggling already.”
I sink my teeth into my bottom lip and tilt my hips up, trying to rub against him, but my stomach just gets in the way. “Let me finish eating and then I’ll rock your world.”
Lucas chuckles again. “Save it for tonight. We’re staying at the apartment at The Waldorf.”
“Eliza’s fancy apartment?”
“Yes, that’s the one. It has a fantastic balcony view of Lake Michigan, and I intend to fuck you on it tonight.”
“I expect no less.” I run my hands down his arms and then splay my fingers over his chest. “We can pretend to be fancy people tonight.”
“We don’t have to pretend. We are fancy people.”
“You are, since you’re basically Batman. Hot, rich, and able to beat up bad guys.” I gasp. “I do have a type!”
“I will take one for the team and dress up if that gets you going.”
I narrow my eyes. “Why do I feel like you already have a Batman costume hiding in a closet somewhere?”
“I might have a Darth Vader helmet I bought back in the eighties, but no Batman.” He kisses my neck and warmth goes through me. “Finish your lunch,” he says, pulling away.
“When are we leaving?”
“Whenever you’re ready. Our reservation is right after sundown, and I’ve arranged for Eliza to watch Scarlet for us tonight.”
“And she willingly agreed?”
“She did once I told her I’d go shopping with her.” Lucas makes a face, very much looking like a dad who just got suckered into a day at the mall with his teenage daughter. Really, that’s what Eliza is. Just a lot deadlier.
“You’ll have fun with that.” I sit on a barstool and pick up my burger. “Since Eliza is moved into the house on North Orchard, does anyone stay at the Waldorf apartment anymore?”
“Eliza does occasionally.”
“Are you going to sell it?”
“In a few years. I won’t get much more than what I paid for it yet.”
“I don’t stop and appreciate this side of you enough. I’m more into the fangs and the super strength. I’m a very lucky lady to get both brawn and brains.”
“You are,” he says matter-of-factly. “Feel free to show your gratitude in the form of sucking my cock when we’re fifteen stories up in the Chicago skyline.”
God damn. This man.
“Wow,”Eliza says when I come down the stairs after getting dressed. “You look hot.” I didn’t want to put on the fancy dress and then sit in the car from Thorne Hill to Chicago in it. We ran into traffic too, and since Scarlet was in the back of the Range Rover, Lucas was all huffy by the time we finally got to the house on North Orchard Street, grumbling about how she’s going to get fur and drool on the leather. But it’s not like I suggested we take my Jeep, which I don’t care if it gets covered in fur or drool…noooo, I didn’t suggest that at all.
“I’m not sure if the shock on your face is insulting or not.” I narrow my eyes and come down the last few stairs. “It’s almost as if you didn’t expect me to look good.”
“I didn’t,” she admits, and I love her bluntness. “You’re pretty but pregnant.”
“Okay, now I am insulted.”
Eliza rolls her eyes, and if she weren't holding a guinea pig, she’d follow through with putting her hand on her hip as she stares me down. “Lucas might be into pregnant women, but I’m not. If my head was between your legs, all I’d be thinking about is the baby only being a few inches from me. I have no prejudice against pregnancy, but sexually, it doesn’t do it for me.”
“But right now, I do?”
Eliza nods. “I’d do you if I didn’t have a date tonight. Actually, I still would.”
“Well, thanks? I think.” I pause in the foyer, looking at myself in the mirror. The dress is a silky material with a low neckline and an empire waist tied with a matching sash. It’s loose and flows but still shows off my figure. I paired it with low black heels that I think I’ve worn maybe twice in my life. I put on my mom’s silver bracelet that Michael gave me and grabbed one of the many expensive necklaces Lucas has gifted me since we’ve been together.
“It’s a compliment. Or maybe I’m just getting turned on because you’re the savior of humanity,” she says with a smirk.
“I’m regretting telling you that,” I deadpan. “And for the record—again—Kristy said it, not me.”
“She may not be wrong.” With that, she speeds past me up the stairs. I find Lucas in the den with Scarlet, watching TV. He’s wearing a dark gray suit with a black button-up underneath. He looks up, and my breath catches in my chest and desire runs rampant through my body. He’s exactly what I imaged the vampire in the romance novels I used to read would look like. I've known vampires existed since I first landed at the Academy. I knew they were dangerous and not to be trusted, and that probably added to their appeal when I’d sneak dirty romance novels into my dorm, reading at night instead of sleeping.
“You’re absolutely stunning.” He turns the TV off and comes over.
“So are you,” I tell him and extend my arms, hooking my hands over his shoulders. “You’re going to get hit on tonight, I can feel it. Maybe it’ll be my turn to get a little possessive and remind those thirsty bitches you’re taken.”
“I don’t plan on leaving your side, so it will be obvious you’re mine.”
“You mean it’ll be obvious you are mine.” I arch my eyebrows. “The possessiveness goes both ways.” Lucas bunches up the hem of my dress and cups my butt with his large hands. “Also, you’re going to order an appetizer so I can eat it.”
“The owner knows I’m a vampire, but I’ll order food for you.” He gives my butt a squeeze and kisses me. “Let’s go, my love.”
“Tonight was perfect.”I close the fluffy white robe tightly over my body. We’re still on the balcony after having sex against the railing, which was exhilarating as fuck. I came three times before Lucas even pushed his big cock inside of me, and leaning back, head dangling above the city below, while Lucas ate me out was something I’ll never forget. “Thank you for making this happen.”
“We both needed this.” Lucas smooths a blanket over our legs. We’re squished together on one of those egg-shaped hanging lounge chairs. It’s a cold spring night, and being this high up and close to the lake makes it even colder. If Lucas produced any body heat, it would be a lot more bearable. I’m content out here, and even though I’m cold, I’m not moving just yet.
“We did.” I rest my head against him and close my eyes. Dinner was amazing, we weren’t interrupted by the Martins this time, and finishing the night with a tour of the Art Institute was the icing on top.
“Let’s do this at least once a month.” Lucas laces his fingers through mine. “Especially after our daughter is born. We need to make sure we take time for each other.”
My heart swells. “I agree. Do you think it’s going to be hard leaving her?”
“Yes,” he answers honestly. “Maybe we don’t do overnight dates right away. We’ll start with dinner.”
I smile. “You’re going to be a good dad.”
“I’m confident I will.” He puts his other hand on my stomach, and Elena kicks right on cue. “The closer we get, the more I do find myself almost nervous.”
“Almost?”
“Yes. Almost.” He’s smiling when he talks and brings his lips down to kiss my neck. “I can’t say I’ve been truly nervous since I became a vampire. Though I will say I’ve feared for your life more in the year we’ve been together than I have for anyone’s over the course of my sixteen hundred undead years.”
I snort with laughter. “Should I get an award for that?”
“I was thinking more along the lines of a safehouse, hidden away somewhere. With a moat.”
“Will there be sharks in the moat?”
“Crocodiles. They’re more likely to kill if anyone attempted to cross the water.”
“Sharks are cooler. Oh! You could have motion-activated chum buckets that dump when someone attempts to cross so the sharks start going crazy.”
“Motion-activated chum buckets?”
“Yeah.” I laugh. “It’s a brilliant idea that totally won’t stink at all before they’re dumped.”
“The moat needs to be filled with holy water then as well.”
“With UV lights to keep bad vampires out.” I yawn and bend my legs up, trying to get comfortable.
“There’s no reason why we can’t do this to our current house,” he says seriously. “Though the crocodiles won’t survive the winter.”
“A moat would be pretty cool, but our Victorian-era house doesn’t really go with one.”
“Sell it and we can build a castle. A safe room in the basement is something I’d like to have.”
I tip my head so I can look at him. “We are not selling that house. Ever. And I can magic us a safe room that’s safer than a real safe room. Kinda like how I did tonight.”
I cast a circle of protection on this apartment as soon as we got in it and added a cloaking spell for good measure. If anyone is looking for me, they won’t be able to find me easily.
“We can sleep easy tonight.” Lucas adjusts the blanket over us. “Are you getting cold?”
“I am cold. I’m fine, though. It’s nice being out here with you.”
“You can be inside with me.”
“Stop being logical.” I yawn once more, followed by a shiver. We go inside and get ready for bed. I didn’t realize just how late it was, and I haven’t yet enchanted the windows. Since Eliza lived here before, every window has thick blackout curtains, so Lucas will be fine. Maybe in the morning I’ll close the bedroom door and enchant the windows in the living room at least so I can have some natural light.
Not bothering with clothes, I get right into bed after brushing my teeth and taking a shower. Lucas turns on the built-in electric fireplace and gets into bed next to me. Neither of us remembered to bring the heated blanket, so Lucas tucks an extra fleece blanket around me that feels good now but will probably make me wake up all sweaty in a few hours.
“Goodnight,” he whispers, snaking an arm around me and getting as close as he can with all the pillows I have shoved under my back and stomach to keep me from rolling off my side in the middle of the night. “I love you, Callie.”
“I love you too.”