Blood from Stone, chapter 10

Chapter 10

Puffy jacket zipped up to her neck, Liliana stuffed her hands into her pockets as she took a self-guided tour of the buildings that made up the Winterbourne complex. Her breath rose in clouds above her, and she inhaled the open air gratefully. While the Winterbournes had been extremely welcoming, she still needed a taste of solitude to level herself.

The buildings that spanned over the vast estate were definitely built like castles, from the outside. But she now knew that the interiors were unexpectedly modern. All the bells and whistles, with old school external defenses. Had she truly been meant to protect them, the stone architecture would have been a welcome comfort, an addition to the arsenal of weapons at her disposal. But now, she felt obsolete in comparison to the stoic, indifferent walls. They didn’t need her to be safe, so what was she going to do with her copious amounts of free time?

Maybe she could take some online classes. Pick up a hobby, or something. “Yeah, right.” She murmured aloud. “What the fuck kind of hobby would you even want to do?”

The sound of someone clearing their throat behind her caused her to spin on her heels, dropping low into a crouch with her hands held before her defensively. Draven stood six feet from her, his hands up to show he meant no harm. “If you’re worried about going nuts rattling around this old place with nothing to stay sane, I think there’s something you should see.”

Liliana stretched to her full height, gnawing at the edge of her lower lip as she contemplated whether going somewhere alone with Draven after dark was the smartest of ideas. Her reticence must have shown on her face, because he broke the tension and silence with a soft chuckle. “I know you have no reason to trust me, but if I felt like I couldn’t control myself around you, I wouldn’t even consider coming out here with nobody else around. No matter how delicious you might smell, my lizard brain isn’t going to overpower the logic center that doesn’t want to hurt you.”

She closed her eyes and sighed heavily, willing her heartbeat to slow. She looked up to meet his gaze with a weary smile. “I’ll get there. To a place where I’m less on edge around you all, I mean. But yeah, I’d love to see what you have in mind.”

Draven got a few steps ahead of her and turned around to face her, walking backwards with uncanny grace as he led her across the grounds. Their footsteps were muffled by the fog, a comfortable quiet settling over all of creation like a blanket as the sun descended fully beneath the horizon. “I know I don’t know much about you, but you strike me as the outdoorsy type. And while this is kind of an outdoorsy thing, it’s also a bit domestic. You could probably kick my ass, so I just want to preemptively say that I’m not implying this is a woman’s place or anything.”

Liliana arched an eyebrow at him, chuckling with confusion. “Alright?”

They finally came to a darkened building that only had a few fairy lights hanging from the ceiling that could be seen through the large windows. The shape of the building reminded Liliana of a carousel. She could see the glint of metal and glass reflected in the moonlight. “Gotta be kinda quick going inside, alright?” She nodded and Draven turned away from her to open the door, a rush of warm air flowing over her from the aperture.

She scurried in after him and he flipped a switch, activating more lights, although the bulbs were miniscule. As her eyes adjusted to the level of brightness and Draven shut the door behind them, she was overwhelmed at what lay before her. “A greenhouse!” She walked around slowly, taking in the variety of fauna stored here, her chilled skin gratefully soaking in the warmth that kept the plants happy year-round.

Draven couldn’t keep the lopsided grin from his features at her excitement. “Just be careful not to touch anything if you don’t know what it is. Most of these plants are safe, aside from thorns, but some of them are noxitanous.”

“I’m not familiar with that word, but I’m assuming you mean it’s going to hurt me if I touch it.”

“Exactly.”

Liliana spotted a cozy looking wicker chair with plush red cushions seated under a metal filigree archway covered in climbing roses. “You come out here to get away from the noise, huh?” She guessed, looking back over her shoulder at him.

He stuffed his hands further into the front pocket of his black hooded sweatshirt, eyebrows knitting together. “I love that they’ve taken me in like I’m family, but they can be.. a lot to be around.”

“How are they not family? I thought you all had the same father?”

Draven took her hand in his, his long fingers dwarfing hers, and led her to the chair. He sank down onto the cushion and pulled her onto his lap. Before she could protest, he said: “You’re warmer than I am right now, so don’t overthink it.” Liliana huffed a bit but got herself as comfortable as she could. “They all share the same father. I don’t. I never knew my biological father. My mother was engaged to Papa Winterbourne.”

He paused, looking around at all the lush greenery and gorgeous blooms that filled the night air with their heady fragrances. He wrapped one arm around her back and his other hand rested on her thigh in a way that was so natural and unintrusive that it made it hard for her to focus on his words. But his voice becoming more solemn, softer, made her take notice. “And when she passed before they could get married, they officially adopted me. It was only a few years ago. This greenhouse was built for her. For my Mom.”

Liliana brushed a lock of hair back behind his ear, feeling like she should say something but totally unsure of what. As an adoptee herself who knew nothing of her birth parents, she couldn’t help feeling a sense of kinship with Draven in that moment. They sat in comfortable silence for a few moments before Liliana said softly, “I’m sorry that she never got to enjoy it, but I’m sure she’d think that what you’ve done here is absolutely beautiful, Draven.”

“Thanks,” he murmured. “I really miss her, sometimes.”

Liliana nodded her understanding. “I can’t imagine. The man I call my Father adopted me, too. I don’t even know anything about my birth parents.”

“Guess we’re just a couple of misfits that got dropped in a basket on the Winterbourne’s porch, huh?”

They shared a laugh, but she couldn’t help noticing that Draven’s smile was more strained, less overtly boisterous. It must have been exhausting for him to put on a show like everything was fine, all day.

“I know that everyone copes differently, but if you ever want to just talk about anything, I’ve got ears.”

Draven laughed harder at that. “Thanks, Lily Guns. I think for now, I’m just going to appreciate the fact that I have my hands on your thighs and you aren’t slapping the shit out of me.”

She narrowed her eyes at him in warning. “You said you were cold, so these thighs that are blessed by the God of Thunder himself are providing you with nourishing warmth. Don’t make me revoke the gift of the Gods.”

The vampire she was perched upon snorted. “You, madam, are absolutely ridiculous. I’d never dream of refusing such a bounty from the heavens, themselves.”

"Damned straight, you wouldn't." Liliana said with a certainty she felt down to her toes. She wasn't sure what it was about Draven, but she felt more connected to him than the other brothers. She'd certainly managed to bond with Maverick after their accidental shared bliss, but Draven was another story entirely. She wouldn't say she was in love with him or anything that extreme. But there was definitely something that was drawing them inexplicably together.

The sensation of the rough pad of his finger lightly tapping the tip of her nose. She blinked rapidly and her grey eyes met his nearly black orbs. "You looked like you just wandered off somewhere in your mind and got lost, Liliana."

She shrugged. "Just trying to figure out why I'm so weirdly comfortable with you after having just met you yesterday."

Draven smirked. "If I was a pompous jackass like Aubrey, I'd say my looks have something to do with it. But you don't strike me as the type of girl to just lose her head because a man is closer to a ten than a two."

She shrugged. "So... Since you're not a pompous jackass, what do you think it could be? I'm assuming you felt it, too. Unless you just have random women sit on your lap like it ain't no thing, on the regular."

He laughed. "Quite the opposite, actually. I'm not really shy, per se. But I also don't have that suave 'I've seen many seasons come to pass' wisdom that my step brothers do. I mean, Maverick isn't a fossil compared to the rest of them, but he's still a fair bit older than I am. All things considered, you and I probably have the most mundane, non-fated life stuff in common."

Her hand settled on top of his, soft fingertips idly dragging back and forth across his skin. She pursed her lips as she thought about it, finally nodding her agreement. "I feel like that honestly makes the most sense." Liliana stared off into the darkness that oppressively hovered outside the greenhouse. This small haven of light and warmth was an experience that she was grateful for. "You are kinda cute, though."

"Cute, huh?" His tone changed, friendly and approachable demeanor rapidly becoming predatory in a way that sped her pulse in her veins. Liliana swallowed hard, not wanting to let on that she'd physically felt the atmosphere around them shift. Long fingers firmly gripped her chin, pressing hard enough to express his intentions, but not so hard that she couldn't escape if she wanted to.

Her tongue darted out to wet her lips and his gaze followed it, lingering before his dark eyes lifted and peered into her soul. Neither of them spoke for a moment that felt like it stretched into eternity. Long lashes rested against his cheeks as he chuckled. "I always thought it was ridiculous to call someone so much bigger than you 'cute'."

Leaning in close enough that her body was practically humming from the nearness, Draven gently brushed his lips against hers, asking permission without saying a word. Unsure if she should take control of the dance or let him lead, she wrapped her fingers around his, pressing his palm more fully against her thigh. She didn't move otherwise, afraid that speaking would somehow break the spell that held them both captive.

Draven's kiss was tentative, careful, almost like he was expecting her to bolt and run away at any given moment. She slid her fingers up the back of his neck, gripping a fistful of his silky hair and crushing his lips up to hers with the pressure she was craving. His rumbling moan of approval against her lips caused her own to lift in a pleased smirk. She coaxed his tongue forward with urging caresses of her own, the soft, heated slide of their moist flesh together making heat curl low in her belly.

She settled her hands on his shoulders, dragging them downward to rest on his chest, palms curved over the swell of lean muscles hidden beneath his heavy sweatshirt. His fingers that had rested on her waist slid beneath her jacket and up her back, seeming content to just feel her bare skin against his. Liliana squirmed a bit under his touch, murmuring an apology. "Your hands are chilly."

He shoved his other hand under her coat to rest beside the other one, a louder gasp coming from her lips as he nuzzled his face into the hollow where her throat met her shoulder. "You don't mind helping me warm them up though, do you?"

Before she could muster the brainpower to respond, he shifted her entire weight as if she weighed no more than a house cat. He brought her around to face him so she kneeled on either side of his hips, her body settling atop him like they were pieces of a puzzle that couldn't be complete unless they were together.

His persistent and increasingly rougher kisses against her throat drew breathy murmurations from her lips, her soft sounds of acquiescence urging him onward. His hands slid down to fully cup her ass, the edges of his teeth scraping against her collarbone. "You're gonna have to be louder than that for me, Lily. I couldn't quite hear you." His voice was firm, his tone no longer questioning, but demanding in a way she hated to admit to herself that she absolutely loved.

It took her several tries to find her voice, her words shaky as he continued to tease her. "I d-d-ont mind," she finally managed.

"Good girl," Draven purred against her pulse, pinching her skin between his teeth in a way that she knew was going to leave a mark. Her body arched toward him from the microdose of pain that brought an even greater surge of pleasure coursing through her.  "Goddamn, do you smell fucking amazing." His groan of ecstasy seemed to roll all the way up his body from the depths of his toes.

Not skipping a beat, Liliana fired back with: "You bite me, I'm gonna kick your ass once the venom wears off."

He slid a hand between them, his hand fully cupping her slick sex through her jeans. He pressed his palm more fully against her heated core, watching her fight not to squirm. Even she wasn't sure if it was to gain more friction, or to scoot away from him.

"Don't get me wrong, Lily, your blood does smell delicious. But I'm talking about this," he arched his fingers upward, the ghost of a caress through her clothing not being nearly enough contact. "And the scent of your skin," he moved his lips along her shoulder, inhaling deeply.

"And this is you not being suave, huh?"

He chuckled against her skin. "If that's all it takes to impress you, my brothers are gonna give you a heart attack, honey."