Daughter of Nyx (Book Three)

Chapter Eight

Elliot shook his head at the departing vampire.

"When are you leaving?" Chevonne asked.

"Trey is getting ready now. We will only be gone a couple of nights, I promise."

She nodded. "I believe you. And this is important. I'll try not to be too worried."

He held his arms out. "Come here," he said and thought it wasn't an order, she gladly obeyed.

She was surrounded by him as he closed them around her and she listened to the steady thump of his heart. Strong fingers ran through her hair and she had to take a deep breath, filling her lungs with his scent, in order to not give in to the pleas that wanted out.

"Chevonne?"

"Elliot?"

He chuckled and she smiled, waiting for what she knew was coming.

"I love how you say my name," he whispered, head dipping to whisper the words in her ear. And somehow, despite her entire being screaming 'I love you', she kept the words in her heart.

"Chevonne?"

"Elliot?"

"When I get back, we need to talk," his voice was a rumble in her ear.

"Why am I afraid?"

He laughed and pulled back, holding her shoulders. "You're not, but you should be."

"Silly vampire, those days are gone."

"So they are."

His eyes traveled her face and she had memories of standing in her hallway and him looking at her like that. The night they met. Well, met again. Right before he got on the elevator that took him from her. Did she know then that she was going to love him with everything she had in her? So much had happened since that night. But he had been there. Through it all. Maybe not in all the ways that he wanted to, like the time she left him sleeping. Him and Nikolas.

There was the sound of a throat being cleared and she looked past Elliot. Trey was standing in the doorway, looking awkward.

"It's okay," she said, smiling at her new bodyguard. "You can come in."

"One last thing, Chevonne," Elliot said. "Jaylen will be waking up tonight, if he hasn't already. Even with Draven helping him, he's still going to be hungry. Be careful around him."

"I will."

"And you don't need to be told this, but be careful around Draven as well."

There was no way she could stop the laugh that welled up in her throat. "I promise to be on tiptoes around him. But I meant what I told Caleb. I trust him."

"I know you do, and while I like to think he is still honorable about what he does, I don't want him to abuse that trust to abuse you."

Yes, they needed to have a talk. She had no idea what was on his mind, but she needed to make it clear to him, to the others, that if she were to do anything with Draven, once again, it was her choice. Did he not have a similar relationship with Lily? By his own words, he had admitted as much. And Chevonne, over time, had accepted it. They would have to do the same.

As much as they understood the warmth that filled them, they needed to accept the fact that she felt it for Draven as well. She, herself, needed to accept that fact. But she wasn't going to spend the last few minutes with Elliot thinking about another vampire.

"Elliot, I gave you my word. I'll be careful."

"If you need to go anywhere at night, Nikolas will go with you," he said.