“You’re wrong,” he said finally when she continued looking at him.
“I’m right and you’ll soon know it for yourself. I promise you that.” She walked back to his side, tiptoeing to kiss him on the cheek. When she pulled away, a twisted smile had touched his lips.
“Goodbye kiss?”
She shook her head. “Second chance kiss.” As she opened the door without looking, Misty missed seeing Ivory turn around the corner, nearly running in her haste to ensure that she was not caught eavesdropping.
This was what she had been waiting for, Ivory thought. Finally, the Master’s plans would be fulfilled.
~~~
Domenico was waiting at her front door and she hurried to him. She had this crazy urge to spill everything out, to cry on his shoulders and just let him fix everything that was wrong in her life.
He cupped her chin, his eyes hard as they scanned her face. “You’ve been crying,” he accused.
Misty laughed. “And you’re going to punish me if I was?”
“What happened?” he demanded.
She shook her head.
“Were you with Cavalier?”
She grasped the excuse desperately. “Yes.”
Misty did not fool him one bit. Worse, he could smell Lysander’s scent all over her, and it meant that she was lying to him. The knowledge nearly sent him to his knees. Was he really too f**king late? And was this all a f**king trap to avenge herself for the heartache he had caused her?
“Domenico?”
She looked so beautiful, so heartbreakingly innocent when she stared up at him like that.
It was too late.
It was just too f**king late.
Even if all this was a trap, the most elaborate of plots to hurt him, it no longer mattered. Domenico could not live without her. If allowing her to fool him would give him more time to spend with Misty, then he would take it with his eyes wide open, his heart ready to bleed.
She swallowed when Domenico still didn’t answer. She couldn’t help asking, “Domenico…you believe me, don’t you?”
In answer, he pulled her close and kissed her hard. “It’s more than that,” he whispered, uncaring of whoever could hear them. “I don’t just trust you, don’t just love you.” He breathed raggedly. “You are my life.”
Chapter Fourteen
Misty woke up bleary-eyed for the second consecutive time, but she again managed to eat and shower in a hurry before knocking on Milo and Daryl’s front door. Domenico had stated in no uncertain terms that Jayme Cavalier was not allowed to sleep in her house – “not even if he was taped and gagged on your living room floor” were his exact words.
Jayme was yawning when he opened the front door, but he was already fully dressed. “I would have stayed longer if not for my grandfather calling me back.”
She grinned. “I’m thinking he misses all the fun caused by having a grandson playboy seducing all the women in his company.”
“You have a point,” Jayme said so seriously she burst out laughing.
He smiled. “There. Don’t you feel better now?”
“Unfair! That’s going to make me cry, you know?” She sniffed.
Jayme shook his head quickly. “Don’t. Cry. I’m still hurting from the last time we got into a fight over you.”
She gasped. “Did he hurt you?”
“No.” He grimaced. “It’s worse. He got my grandfather to send me on a real business trip and do actual work.”
“Jayme!” But she couldn’t help laughing.
He ruffled her hair. When her laughter died down, he said quietly, “You’ve forgiven him, right?”
She nodded.
“That’s great.” He glanced up at the sky with a frown, wondering if it was the right time to tell Misty that he had the oddest premonition of danger. The sky above him felt wrong…different. He knew how the realm’s shields worked but even so – there was just not something right about today’s sky.
“What is it?”
Jayme shook the thoughts away. “Nothing. Just…take care, okay?” He added seriously, “I mean it, Misty. Be careful.”
She looked at him oddly but nodded. “I will. You take care, too.”
“Say goodbye to Domenico for me.”
She smiled. “Shall I kiss him goodbye for you, too?”
He shuddered. “Never.”
Misty walked him all the way to the edge of the realm. The feeling of danger persisted, making his skin tingle, but Jayme did his best not to show it, not wanting Misty nervous for no concrete reason.
“Come back soon!”
The moment he stepped out of the realm, Jayme wasted no time running. He knew that somewhere behind the foggy regions of the Midways the entire Lyccan army was hiding. Maybe it would be overkill, but that was better than having innocents killed.
Misty would be in for a surprise. She had invited him to come back soon, and Jayme was taking her on her word – and much sooner than she would ever think, and he would not be alone.
~~~
Misty was about to walk back to the Main Hall when a Faerie servant rushed to her, handing Misty with a folded piece of paper that had her name written in the front. She unfolded it with a frown.
I’m sorry for lying. Please meet me one last time at the cave next to the brook. – Lysander
Dared she believe him? Dared she not?
In the end, she knew it was only right to give him another chance. She walked towards the meeting place Lysander had chosen, wincing once in a while as she tripped and twisted her feet the wrong way because of the heels she was wearing. For several times, Misty considered returning home just to change her shoes but knew it be too big a risk. Lysander could very well think she had rejected his plea and leave before she arrived.
She was about to cross the brook leading to the cave when a familiar feminine-sounding voice called her name.
Misty turned around, rearing back in surprise when she saw who it was. “Ivory?”
“Hello, Misty.”
All at once she knew. Maybe it was the vicious gleam in Ivory’s eyes that gave her away. In the end, it didn’t matter. All Misty knew was that standing before her was the traitor that had led or at least helped in planning the vampires’ ambush.
“What do you want, Ivory?”
“Not going to cry?” she jeered.
Misty didn’t answer.
Ivory’s laughter was a sharp scraping sound. “Perhaps later then? You will need to hear what I want you to do first.” She gestured to the treetops.