Chapter 20: Chapter 20

Julian sighed as his memories juggled back to when his father was still king and he was prince.

The kingdom of being one of the biggest Kingdom in the midlands. The kingdom of the shades. His mother and father had roots the entire kingdom perfectly well.

Julian Smiled as he remembered his younger sister who was so full of life and happiness. He couldn't imagine what she would be like right now. But he knew she was a very powerful woman. His sister had been the only person he could die for. His beloved sister.

"Lord Julian,"

Julian turned towards the sound of his name. It was one of the servants. " I just wanted you to know that the meetings with the elders has been set for when you're ready." The servant explained.

"Alright, Justin. Thank you. You may go."

The man nodded slightly and walked out of the room, leaving Julian to his thoughts.

Erin wrapped up the paper and passed it to the messenger with a mischievous smile. She didn’t know what his reply was going to be but she already had an idea. She had invited him to the game fair that was taking place among the people of the mountains. Seb had woken her up early this morning and they’d taken a very long drive here and next thing she knew, they were watching a game amongst supernaturals. It still felt so unreal.

“Do you think he will show up?” Feesh asked, glaring at Sebastian who was glaring back at her. These two were like cat and rat.

“I highly doubt it, Feesh. Mr Ferrari is an overly principled man, he may even find this invitation an insult to his person.”

“Yes because what would a lord be found playing rough with his people for? He has a reason to be offended Miss Erin.” Seb chimed in, his tone annoyed.

“You bitter old man! You better–”

“I got an invitation, lucky me. Thank you Erin”

Erin gasped and turned back. It was Julian Ferrari in the flesh. He had gotten her message and he had appeared here so fast.

“Julian?” Sebastian questioned with shock. “You’re here?”

“Yes, i am. Can’t a guy have fun once in a while” Julian replied with an amused chuckle.

Wow. Okay, so Erin hadn’t really thought he would say yes. She had just sent that message in a light teasing manner, thinking an immortal would’ve lost their sense of adventure along the eons, but Julian was apparently up for playing. He’d shocked her to her bones, and damn, it had been a long time since someone had surprised her. Even Sebastian appeared too shocked to be able to speak.

The people of the estate, as it turned out, were all down to shotgun beers, and so they gathered around the fire pit, Bud Lights in hand, as A young man who looked in his thirties explained the technical side to poking a hole in the bottom. Everyone was apparently new at this shotgun game, so it looked, so Julian was in good company. Erin watched him relax and laugh with the People of the estate, his own people, as he prepared his beer, and in that moment, everything faded away. The background became blurry and dull while Julian drew up into focus. His muscular shoulders pressed against the crisp white material of his shirt, and his Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed and prepared to pop the top of his beverage. God he was an angel. He was too beautiful and perfect and Erin felt like she was a tiny thing compared to him.

“One!” A woman said with the happiest grin on her face.

From the way the people called the Estaters acted, Julian didn’t cut loose with them often.

“Two!”

Erin jammed her finger under the top of her can. Her breath halted as Julian turned that demon-black gaze on her and mouthed, Are you ready? Heart-stopping smile. Heart. Stopping. Oh my God.

“Three!”

With a giggle, she popped the top of her drink and chugged her beer from the hole near the bottom. She spilled everywhere, but most of it got into her. She leaned over, cracking up as she wiped her mouth. Julian didn’t spill a drop. Of course, he was good at shotgunning. She’d bet he was good at everything he tried.

He took her empty can like a true gentleman and disposed of it, then returned with a proud smile. He nodded his head magnanimously and drew her hand to his lips, then murmured, “Wish granted.” Lifting a hungry gaze to hers, he whispered, “And you didn’t even have to rub me.”

Erin's breath froze in her throat. The naughty man wasn’t as cold as she’d supposed. He knew how to tease her back. She wouldn’t have believed he was flirting so easily with her had they not been in public. And as he dropped her hand and turned to say something low to Seb, who was clapping him on the back, Erin blinked slowly and had to focus on staying upright. Her legs had turned to noodles when he had brushed his lips across her knuckles. It was an old fashioned kiss, yes, but a kiss just the same, and now her stomach dipped as if she were falling.

But for the life of her, she couldn’t figure out if it was good to fall for a man like Julian Ferrari, or epically bad. Bad Erin, Bad!

***

A smile lingered on Julian's lips as he looked out the window of the Towncar. It was dark outside, but his night vision was impeccable. Every branch and every pine needle, every set of reflective animal eyes and every blade of wild grass was as crisp and clear as it would be in the daytime.

Turning his head slightly, he snuck a glance at Erin, but she was watching him, too. Busted. Her answering smile turned shy, and she dropped her gaze to the hem of her shirt, which she was fiddling with.

Seb suddenly had nothing to say and, sure as anything, Julian was going to deal with him tomorrow, but right now, he had this tiny tangle of giddiness in his gut. Shotgunning a beer. Truly? Julian shook his head and tried to get a grip on the stupid smile tugging at his lips. What was the woman doing to him? Daring him to step out of his comfort zone with that beautiful challenge in her dancing green eyes, and like a lovesick adolescent, he’d risen to the dare just to see that smile on her full lips. Hers was a smile he would fell entire mountains for.

She was nothing like Chlorine. The woman he’d been about to marry those many years ago. The woman his parents, his father especially had forced on to him. He’d grown to like Chlorine naturally because of her charming spirit.

Chlorine had been shy and had trouble speaking her mind, while this wild creature could look him directly in the eyes and tell him exactly what she was thinking. And her hair. Bright like his fire and curled into little corkscrews. Chlorine's had been a darker auburn, and she’d kept hers pulled tightly back in pins, as was the style at the time. Her eyes were also gray instead of the clear mossy green of Erin's. And if those differences weren’t enough, the second Erin opened her mouth, there was no mistaking her with Chlorine.

And yet Julian had that same kind of pulse-pounding, dick-hardening response he’d had to Chlorine all those centuries ago. This was all confusing, and though he’d never admit it aloud, terrifying.

It would be best for everyone when she left in the morning.

The thought of losing her before he got to know more about her made his demons unfurl uncomfortably in his middle. A single click cracked inside his chest. A warning from his firestarter that he needed to settle down or this car would go up in flames, and it's inhabitants along with it. And as much as Julian wanted to pretend Seb and Erin meant nothing to him, he’d been trying to change since his mistakes with Eve. The woman he’d truly loved all those years ago but hadn’t had enough courage to fight for her. And from that day forward, he’d begun to feel for the people who worked in his mountains and estates.

Feeling and caring were agony for a warlock like him because like all the rest, his friends would age, wither, and die. And he would bury them one by one and break all over again. Weak. He was weak to let mortals affect him, and yet he couldn’t tame his attachment to them. Not anymore.

“Can I tell you something and you forget it in the morning?” Erin asked so low he almost missed it.

He nodded once, curiosity piqued.

“I like your smile. You seem like a man who doesn’t give it often, and I felt special tonight that you gave it to me.”

Julian inhaled deeply. Fuck. What was she doing to him?

“I’m not a good man to get attached to, Ms. Erin Dexter.” God he hated uttering her surname. He had to distance himself, but really he wanted to put his mouth around her real name. Erin. Beautiful, wild, strong Erin. Dangerous Erin.

Her face fell, and she looked out her window, hiding those vivid eyes from him. Pain slashed through his middle. He would have to hurt her a lot more if she didn’t stop knocking on the stony walls of his heart. The game she played could kill everything he’d built.

“Do you know what the tattoo on your shoulder blade symbolizes?” Of course, she did. It was the perfect replica of a special family crest, down to the most minute detail and line work. She’d researched her lineage.

“No. It’s just a picture I get in my head.” She was still hiding her gaze, staring at the passing evergreens as they bumped and bounced up the dirt road toward his home.

Julian frowned. “Where have you seen it before?” Perhaps there were scrolls from her genealogy that she’d found.

She swung her gaze to him, and he could see it now. Honesty pooling deep in her eyes. “I told you I see it in my head. I get these headaches, and then I get these flashes of…something.” Her voice dipped to a wisp of breath. “Teeth and fire and wings.”

A seer then. A true seer, not the untalented powder witch she fancied herself. Erin was housing great power to draw on images that far past. She had powers that could well kill her.

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