Bound by Devotion

Chapter Two

WARNING I said I would warn when something happened. WARNING

The sun hadn't quite set as Eve followed the staircase below the earth. She didn't have to ask the palace for help for her men, it simply knew and when Eve woke one day, Coralia pulled her down the hallway to the top of the stairs. "Destiny," she said softly. The sight brought a smile to Eve face because every other room in the sprawling palace had windows that let in the night sky. What were they going to do when the Summer court took over and the sun brightened the dark land? The Winter court took care of them for her.

Now, as she rushed down the stairs, she couldn't help but feel a touch of fear at the thought of her conversation topic.

They understood her need for Kornae in her life. No one was upset about that. But... Now... She didn't want to tell them what she was supposed to do. Not while she, herself, was still reeling from the news. Being around them every night made it difficult and she was on her toes to keep it from her thoughts. Most of them respected her privacy and wouldn't listen in on her thoughts, But then there was Fallon. But she was tired of trying to hide it and it wouldn't be any easier to say later.

She stood outside Sebastian's door. He would be the first to wake. Was he up now? One way to find out. She took the knob and twisted. He was a light sleeper, but the door was silent as she gently pushed it open. He was on his back, sheet low over his hips. How could he be so perfect?

She moved up to the side of the bed and let her finger trail over the skin of his jaw. His eyes opened and she was caught in the warm dark brown.

"Good evening, sexy."

"It is now." His voice was low and man, she wanted to dive into that bed with him and lose herself in those eyes, olive skin, and passion.

"Behave," she whispered and he laughed.

"Are you talking to me or yourself."

"Both," she said, swallowing hard when he took her hand and nibbled the pad of her finger. "I'm serious." Her toes curled at the heat in his eyes and he grinned at her.

"I know you are. I can smell it on you. But let me have a little fun before you tell me what's worrying you."

She couldn't help the smile that crossed her face. "You want me to have a serious discussion with all of you while I smell like a big ball of lust? Because that's what going to happen."

Sebastian's grin turned wicked as he nipped harder of her finger tip before laughing at her curse. Letting her go, he threw back the sheet and the noise that broke from her sounded like a squawk as she ran for the door. "I'll meet you all in the study," she threw over her shoulder and she didn't have to worry if he could hear her over his laughter because he was a vampire.

Back up the stairs, she made her way down two hallways and entered her favorite room in the palace. Though it was too warm for a fire now, she still loved looking at the structure formed of stone and gems. The stone itself was black, but from it, much like Kornae's stone garden, there were large chunks of glittering colorful rocks. On earth, these rocks would be worth enough to fund a medium sized country. Natural uncut gem's aren't usually that beautiful, but these had had someone spend so much time to cut the exposed ends and polish them to a high shine. The one time she was in this room with the fireplace blazing, the lights cast off the these stones was mesmerizing.

She sat on the couch that faced the beautiful hearth and waited. Each minute, the butterflies growing until she was having to take deep breathes.

"Holy hell," Fallon was the first one to come in and she knew he got a whiff of her worry. "Eve, baby, breath." She blinked and he was on his knees in front of her. She sucked in a lungful of air. Ha! He called her baby. How appropriate.