Phantom Love

Chapter 26: Leandre

        I watch as Raven disappears into our bathroom once we're fully into the penthouse and have the massive amount of books we borrowed settled on the coffee table. I look over to my brothers and raise an eyebrow to see if they've noticed what I have at all. At four simultaneous head nods we all make our way over to our usual seating arrangements in the living room. 

       Once settled Forrest looks between Kieran and I. We both shrug since, while we can both sense emotions and, in my case, surface level thoughts, she's always been locked up tight. We get nothing from her, no emotion, no random thoughts. I've even tried to go deeper than just surface level and I'm met with a hard wall. I'm sure her defenses are up out of habit due to her old life and it's damn impressive, not many would be able to hold me or Kieran back for long. 

       Since mind manipulation at a surface level, and sometimes an even deeper level, is relatively common for vampires, people usually automatically shield their minds against me but rarely do they shield their emotions and that's when Kieran comes in handy. Most people just assume that since he's an incubus he feeds off of nothing but sexual energy and they are highly mistaken. He feeds off of any overwhelming emotion, sex is just the most potent of them all. Sometimes he'll come by the hospital and just walk down the halls to help ease the pain of family members who are losing a loved one. Grief, much like sexual energy, consumes a person once they let it take hold. What he does simply siphons some of it off to allow the person not to fall a complete victim to their grief. He's our unknown empath and his abilities have saved us more than once. 

       "I dinnae ken." Kieran mutters, "She's hiding something, I just don't know what." He smirks, "She's such a horrible liar it's actually fuckin' adorable." 

       "Do you think it has something to do with something she dreamed? That was the only time she was alone." Emerson says. 

       "That's what I assume it was too but I can't tell if she doesn't want to talk about it because it's triggering for her or because she doesn't want to burden us," I hold up my hands and put air quotations around 'burden us' because while she may think she does, it's the farthest thing from the truth, "with whatever it was." 

        Drazik growls, and yes, literally growls, "When is that woman going to understand that she's not a burden on us?"

        Forrest leans forward, "If I was in her shoes I would think exactly that." When we all look at him with raised brows he continues, "We've rearranged our lives to make sure someone is here with her at all times. We forget that she followed us around for 5 years. She knows our schedules and she's well aware of how much we've done in order to keep her close and take care of her. If I didn't have a job or something to contribute I would think the same thing." 

         We all go silent for a beat before nodding in understanding. I had never thought of it like that but, put that way, it makes total sense. We cook for her because she is a straight up danger anywhere near a kitchen, she hasn't ventured outside of this penthouse except for our trip to retrieve the book, and we've been spending most of our time with her training her for the outside world and trying to coax her to use her powers. Being the person she is, I'm not surprised she hasn't exploded from the inability to help out and contribute. 

       "I have an idea for a date that, while it would still take place in the building, would give her a difference in scenery." Emerson says. 

       "Speaking of date." I say, "Kieran and I want to take her on one together but we would prefer it to be out of the penthouse. We want to take her dancing but it's damn difficult to do that with all these unknowns." 

        "Well then I have good news for you." We turn and stare wide eyed at a complete stranger. She's the same size as Raven but her face, hair, and style are completely different.