“You frightened us,” Lucien said. “The waterspout was a nice touch.”

Saba laughed from her belly. “So much fun to travel with Kato! I forget. Ziri has speed, but Kato—”

“Has style.” The ancient winked at Saba and pinched her chin. “We came up the river. It seemed the fastest way.”

“The river” must have referred to the Nile, which flowed from the Mediterranean all the way up to Lake Tana in the mountains. Because who else would walk the Nile river as if it was his own personal pathway?

Only Kato.

“Who… are you?” Makeda whispered behind him.

Lucien turned with a wide smile, Kato’s arm still around his shoulders. “This, yene konjo, is your new teacher.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

Makeda stared at the two vampires across the fire. If she’d had no knowledge of the vampire world—knew nothing of immortals or amnis or elemental power—they would still not seem human. The air around them crackled with energy. They moved through the world with inhuman grace. Saba’s wrist turned up, and six rocks appeared around the fire pit, perfectly smooth and suited for each person’s height. Hirut brought a pan of coffee to the fire and handed it to Saba, who roasted the beans as she and Gedeyon chatted about the island and her people who had been left in his care.

Kato sat beside them, legs stretched out on the ground as he leaned his massive shoulders against a rock. When Saba handed him a clay jebena filled with water, he held it in his hands and Makeda saw steam pour out of the neck. He handed it back to her and she set it over a warming fire until the coffee had roasted.

“Incredible, aren’t they?” Lucien whispered in her ear.

“Completely.” She glanced at him but looked away before the intimacy of eye contact tempted her too much. “Are they… together?”

Lucien stared at his mother as she performed the coffee ceremony for Gedeyon and Hirut, waving the smoke from the roasting coffee toward them so they could enjoy the offering of fragrance.

Makeda wondered if she’d be able to stand the richness of traditional coffee with her new taste buds. Most of her food Hirut had made bland so Makeda could become accustomed to flavors again. White bread and shiro were about as daring as she got these days. Well, white bread, shiro, and blood.

“Hmm?”

“Kato and Saba. Are they…?”

“Lovers?” Lucien frowned a little. “I don’t think so. They were a long time ago, but Kato generally prefers men.” Lucien shrugged. “But who knows? If either of them needed affection, the other would offer it with no hesitation. They are very close.”

Makeda watched Lucien observe the others. She had never seen him more profoundly at ease. “You love them.”

He looked down and smiled before he put an arm around her. “Very much. And you will too. Ziri and Arosh… I’ll let you form your own opinion.” Lucien tensed. “Don’t have sex with Arosh.”

Makeda’s eyebrows rose. “Excuse me?”

“Not just because I want you for myself, but because… Well, he’s Arosh. You’ll probably want to. Just know it’s a bad idea.”

Saba called out, “Sex with Arosh is never a bad idea, son. Don’t be so possessive.”

Makeda’s eyes went wide. Had Saba heard their whole conversation? If her cheeks could flame with embarrassment, they would have.

“Saba and Arosh are devoted lovers,” Lucien said. “They just aren’t constant ones.”

Saba waved her hand. “What is constant when you are as old as we are?”

Kato leaned back and looked up. “The stars. They are constant.”

“Even stars burn out occasionally.” Saba leaned over and gently kissed his mouth. “And then sometimes they shine again.”

“Why would I want to have sex with someone I don’t know?” Makeda asked. “I’m genuinely curious why you think I’d be tempted by that.”

Saba laughed out loud. Even demure Hirut smiled a little.

“Arosh is the fire king,” Kato said, also grinning. “His women love him, and he loves women. His harem is well-satisfied, but he always enjoys a challenge.” Kato nodded firmly. “You would be a challenge.”

“Why?” She frowned. “Not that I’m going to have sex with a complete stranger, so I suppose it doesn’t matter.”

“Your loss,” Saba said.

Kato looked at Lucien, and his smile grew impossibly bigger. Makeda looked over her shoulder.

Oh.

Lucien was staring into the fire, his jaw clenched. His fingers dug into her hip.

“Lucien.” She nudged his knee with her own. “I’m not going to have sex with the fire king. Just the name makes him sound like a pretty bad bet.”

His fingers relaxed, and his frown eased into a smile. “Good.”

“Not that I’m agreeing to anything else, so get that smug smile off your face.”

Kato laughed. “I like her.”

Saba poured the coffee, but her eyes met Makeda’s and she winked.

The excitement of the previous night couldn’t be matched by the routine of the second night, but Makeda enjoyed it more. She passed another quiet day in Lucien’s bed. This time, because she’d fed before she went to sleep, there was no raging hunger to overwhelm her. She woke to a soft kiss on the cheek and quiet words urging her to drink.

It was affectionate and so soothing she had to fight the urge to curl into him and sate her hunger for Lucien’s body. Every night she felt more and more in control of her emotions and instincts, except where Lucien was concerned. Her hunger for him only grew. Even when they fought, she wanted him.