"I don't know whether to cry or hope," Opal muttered, adding bread and butter to her list.
"Same here, Opal. Same here," Hank agreed. "Bill has just about given up, I think."
"Yeah. He was talking about buying a space in an Oklahoma cemetery. Any idea what that's about?"
"Breanne's sister's grave is there," Hank sighed.
"For real?" Opal looked up and blinked once at Hank.
"Yes. Not many know that."
"I'll keep it to myself, then."
"Where do you think Vernon Clark is?" Jayson asked as he rose to check Opal's growing list. "Add cookies," he pointed at Opal's phone.
"I hope he's still in New Mexico," Hank rumbled. "I really want my hands on him."
"I want to see your hands on him," Opal agreed. "What kind of cookies?"
"Oatmeal and white chocolate chunk," Jayson grinned. "I hope the store has a bakery and a deli," he added. "I like the ones baked at the store."
"Rome, until now, I had my doubts you'd recognize the inside of a grocery store."
"Hey, I used to go with Mom's housekeeper," he grinned. "I love grocery stores. I just don't get a chance to go anymore. Too busy with work."
"And Trina did it for you," Opal sighed. "Fuck."
"Yeah, we miss her," Hank agreed. "But she really is in a better place. We saw that."
"I'm glad we got to see it," Jayson muttered, flopping on the sofa again. "Mom's back in Tahoe and Dan's with her, but I worry that she's still not safe."
"I have my concerns about that as well," Hank agreed. "Not that we can do much about it at the moment."
"Yeah."
"Hey," Trajan wandered in—he'd taken a shower after unloading bags in the New Mexico heat and his black hair was still damp.
"You think Vernon Clark is still in New Mexico?" Opal asked. "And what do you want to add to the grocery list?"
"I think it's possible he's still in the state," Trajan replied. "Winkler seems to think so, too. It's almost a straight shot from Valencia to Juarez on I-25, and if he gets to Juarez, we might as well kiss him goodbye. When are the vamps scheduled to arrive?"
"Tonight, according to Bill," Hank said. "I'm just glad we were able to get this house. You don't find too many around with eight bedrooms plus a guest house."
"Winkler," Trajan coughed into his hand before flashing a grin.
"He knew somebody, didn't he?" Opal turned to the tall werewolf.
"Yeah. This belongs to a werewolf who lives in Chicago. Comes down here for the winter months with his family. He has a large family. He's also related by marriage to the local Packmaster, so there's no problem with the extended visit."
"You guys have to check in?" Jayson asked.
"Usually. Winkler has the Grand Master's permission to park anywhere, though, since we do a lot of investigative work for the werewolf community."
"You do, too—as Winkler's representative?" Jayson asked.
"You catch on quick," Trajan slapped Jayson on the shoulder. "Winkler notified the local Pack—they know I'm here, but they can't disallow the visit."
"Want to go to the store?" Opal asked.
"Yeah. Wolves eat a lot, you know."
* * *
Avendor—present
Breanne's Journal
"How are you feeling?"
Adam and Franklin, Merrill's son, had come for dinner. Adam and I hadn't had a chance to talk the night before. I didn't mind—I felt slightly embarrassed that my surrogate sire likely knew of my refusal to allow him to teach me anything else.
"I feel okay—if feeling weaker than a kitten is okay," I sighed. "I barely made it, walking three times across the pool this afternoon."
"You'll come back fast," Adam said. "Faster than a normal person might, anyway." He smiled gently at me. "I hear that Karzac wants to invite you to dinner. We've decided that NorthStar would be the ideal location—Ashe has extended his shield to cover it and EastStar."
"Kevis said that," I nodded, picking at my food.
"Eat, sweetheart. Nobody is here to pressure you or make you feel uncomfortable."
"That still doesn't mean I won't feel that way," I said.
"I understand that," he nodded. "I wanted to see you—tell you that I'm available if you need anything, or to run interference if somebody upsets you." He smiled at that—he was offering to act as a father figure if I needed it, to intercede on my behalf with what looked to be a gathering herd of potential mates.
"That may be the nicest thing anybody has offered to do for me, ever." I smiled at him, but my lower lip trembled slightly. Nobody had ever asked to be my parent before. I had someone stepping up now.
"I contacted Gavin earlier, and we set up an account for you on Le-Ath Veronis. It'll be there, if you need to access it. Trajan has the information, whenever you want something," Adam continued. "Kiarra, Lissa, Kyler and Cleo bought the clothes in your closet. If you don't like any of it, let Lissa know. It was purchased in Casino City."
"How is Teeg doing?" I asked.
"Ah. He's doing well. There was a meeting yesterday, with the renewable energy commission. Things went smoothly." Adam smiled.
"Good. I was a little worried after the stabbing." Adam knew. I knew he knew, and he gave me a slight nod. Tybus was fitting into his new role easier than anyone might have expected.
"I can arrange to invite him to dinner, when you come to NorthStar," Adam offered.
"Would you? I think I'd like to talk with him," I said. "How soon?"
"I think you can go in two days," Kevis spoke up. "Provided everything else proceeds as planned."
"We can make arrangements for that," Adam agreed.
* * *
"We have two days to plan," Kiarra smiled at Kyler. "Think we can pull this off?"
"Yeah. No problem," Kyler nodded. "Cleo wants in, too. Daddy wants to bring a contingent from Grey House—they owe Breanne a lot."
"Conner says no way we're leaving her out of this," Kiarra said. "That means Shane will be helping us with the food."
"Will this place hold everybody?" Kyler asked, grinning impishly.
"We'll make sure it holds everybody," Kiarra replied.
* * *
Breanne's Journal
"Kevis, why are you here?" I wanted to moan, but he'd just tease me about it. I was already in bed reading, with four lion snake shapeshifters for company. All four were coiled or draped around me, waiting for me to turn out the light.
"I'm here with the finger," he held up an index finger. I blinked at him.
"Huh?" I wasn't getting it.
"It goes like this," Kevis took a step toward my bed. "I hold up my finger like this," he illustrated by holding his hand high, the finger pointed toward the ceiling. "And then let it descend, until it touches your forehead, like this." He poked me in the middle of my forehead. Darkness came immediately.
* * *
"I can't believe you pulled that off," Ashe shook his head at Kevis. He'd misted in beside the healer and watched as Kevis placed Breanne in a healing sleep. Both worried she'd get no rest with the bite scheduled in the morning after breakfast.
"I don't believe you'll manage that a second time," Kooper changed to humanoid long enough to blink at Ashe and Kevis. "So savor it while you can." He changed back to lion snake and blinked again at both before lowering his head to rest on Breanne's shoulder.
"Dad always says not to argue with those guys," Kevis stated sagely.
Four lion snakes sniffed in unison.
* * *
Breanne's Journal
I didn't wake until after sunrise. Hell, I didn't even wake when Kooper, Chazi, Bekzi and Perzi got out of bed and prepared a bath for me. That meant Kevis had somehow managed to place me in a healing sleep, just as his father could. I was glad to have four lion snakes as guards the night before, or I'd have felt completely vulnerable.
"Get clean," Chazi grinned when he lifted me off the bed.
"You like this, don't you?" My question sounded
slightly tart as Chazi carried me into the bathroom. Kooper, Bekzi and Perzi waited inside. I would have help—and an audience—while getting clean.
"We like. Yes."
It's a good thing the bathtub was quite large—I had three reptanoids in it with me within seconds. Kooper just grinned and washed my skin and hair while the others ducked and rolled around me. They were having a good time while I did my best to wash their scales. I swear, if lion snakes can grin, they were grinning.
"Feel better this morning?" Kooper leaned in to kiss me after rinsing my hair.
"Honey, I feel better. Kevis and I may have a discussion, though."
"You got the sleep you needed," Kooper tapped my nose gently.
"Yeah. But he didn't ask first."
"We took care of our girl," Kooper soothed. "Nobody was going to get past us. Trajan's wolf slept outside your door, too."
"Oh, for heaven's sake. On the hard floor?" I stared in disbelief at Kooper.
"Nah, he had a mattress," Kooper grinned. "I heard something and crawled out of bed to check out the noise. Turns out, it was just Traje, flopping the mattress on the floor before turning to wolf. Damn, he's huge."
"Really? I'm looking at somebody who turns into a twenty-foot snake," I pointed out.
"I was trying to be modest," he chuckled.
"Uh-huh. And how about all those times you climbed right into bed with me, letting me think you were just a friendly snake?"
"Oh, baby, those were the best times," Kooper sighed. "You'd be asleep, and I'd wake up and hold you for a few minutes like this before you stirred."
"You, well, you snake sounds like a compliment, doesn't it?" I blinked up at him.
"For me it is. Come on, you're clean. Let's get you dry and dressed."
* * *
Ashe didn't look up from his plate at breakfast, making me sigh. I was already nervous and he wasn't helping any. If it weren't for the images of Kalia's past invading my mind in unguarded moments, I'd have refused to have contact with Ashe Aedan Evans.
"I feel queasy," I muttered, staring at scrambled eggs and fruit.
"Sweetheart, you don't need to be sick," Bill murmured. "If you can't hold onto, well, it won't do you any good. Eat a little, at least, and Kevis will do what he can to help."
One scrambled egg was all I managed, and Kevis had to put his hands on my belly to keep it down. I wanted to retch and had to put it out of my mind. Trajan carried me to Ashe's suite, which was at the top level of the behemoth he called home, and took up the entire floor.
At any other time, I might have wandered through it and studied the paintings, sculptures and furniture scattered throughout the space. His bedroom was walled off with a door, as was his study, but the rest housed a massive library, with seating areas and artwork scattered throughout. Kings and presidents didn't often have that kind of luxury, I imagined. It certainly competed (nicely) with what Lissa had on Le-Ath Veronis.
"In here." Trajan carried me through the door into Ashe's bedroom, and I gaped at the luxury of it. A massive bed was placed against the inside wall, and opposite that was a wall of windows, overlooking miles of gishi trees. Ashe could see half the grove from his bedroom.
Ashe was already waiting inside—with his father, Aedan Evans. Nervously lowering my shield, I read Aedan. My to-do list got longer in the few seconds it took to learn all about him. Aedan was vampire, and more than a thousand years old. He'd come to make sure I didn't damage his son. Did that rankle and make my stomach rebel? The short answer is yes.
Trajan set me down and helped straighten my clothes while I studied Ashe and Aedan. Think of Kay, Trajan told me in mindspeech.
Or close my eyes and think of England? I paraphrased.
"Yeah. Think of England," Trajan said aloud and grinned. "Come on, let's do this." He propelled me gently toward Ashe.
* * *
Ashe's Journal
She was shivering. I didn't expect that. With my enhanced hearing, I could hear her breaths tremble. Breanne was terrified of me.
"There's no need to be frightened," I said, discovering that my voice wasn't exactly even.
"I'm supposed to say that to you," she told me, lowering her eyes. "I can't reach properly if you're standing," she added, gesturing with an unsteady hand for me to sit on the side of the bed.
"Better?" I stepped back and sat on the edge of my bed.
"Yeah. Now," she breathed, doing her best to ignore my father, who stood closer than either of us wanted, "I grip the back of your neck firmly, so you can't move. You'll have to help with this, because I'm too weak right now to prevent movement."
"I won't move," I promised. I hadn't noticed before that her eyes were a deep, cobalt-blue.
"Please don't," she said, gripping her lower lip in her teeth to keep it from trembling like the rest of her. "I could tear your skin, and I really don't want that."
"I don't want that either," I said. "Kevis is here, now, just in case."
"Yeah, I got his scent a second ago," Breanne murmured. "Now, I look into your eyes and tell you I won't hurt you," she went on. "And I won't. If it hurts, it'll be unintentional, I assure you."
"You won't hurt me," I insisted.
"Don't be all macho," she quavered. "That's pure stupidity. If it hurts, it hurts. End of story."
I wanted to tell her I understood. I didn't. I had no idea what depths of pain she'd endured in the past. Actually, some of it was quite recent. I hadn't stood my ground and taken a beating from that evil masquerading as a god. Breanne had. Was it to give us time to gather—Wisdom and me? Was it to allow Griffin and Thurlow time to escape without threat of pursuit? I still hadn't determined the answer and frankly, I was afraid to ask what her reasoning was.
"I won't be macho," I answered instead, making my voice as gentle as I could.
"Good. I won't hurt you," she repeated, massaging the back of my neck gently. "Hold still, now," she breathed against my neck before placing a kiss over my artery. That sent an unexpected shiver through me. Dad told me a kiss was expected, but my reaction was unanticipated.
The moment her fangs were in my throat, my body stiffened in the most intense climax I'd ever experienced. She pulled away too soon. Much, much too soon. I wanted it to last. I wanted to savor it. When I came back to myself at her whimper, I discovered my arms were wrapped around her—so tightly I was likely squeezing the breath from her body.
"Shhh," I loosened my grip slightly.
"Bro, I'll take her," Trajan said.
"No. Let me have this moment," I mumbled my reply.
* * *
Breanne's Journal
I almost fainted from the intensity of the climax that bled from him back to me, and the energy that came with it. When I came back to myself, his arms were wrapped so tightly around me I couldn't breathe.
"Shhh," he soothed, loosening his arms slightly. Had I made a noise? Obviously I had.
"Bro, I'll take her," Trajan said.
"No, let me have this moment," Ashe's chest rumbled with his reply. I whimpered—I couldn't help it. He didn't get to do this to me—he couldn't cast me away with one hand and hold onto me now with the other. I couldn't handle that and suddenly I wanted to cry.
"Hey," fingers stroked my face. I shivered.
"Ashe, she's going into shock," Kevis said softly.
"No, no, no," his arms tightened around me again. Kevis' fingers touched my forehead and I was out.
* * *
Ashe's Journal
"What happened?" Trajan glared accusingly at me.
"Traje, I can't explain how intense," I raked fingers through my hair. For those moments I'd spent with Breanne, all thoughts of Kay fled my mind and it had been the two of us, connected in an intimate way. I couldn't tell him that—he was in love with her. Hadn't ever had what I'd just experienced, either.
"I've never been bitten by a female vampire," Dad spoke up. We were still inside my bedroom—Kevis and Bill had taken Breanne back to hers. "I can't say how in
tense that experience might be. I recall the climax I received with the bite lesson very well, but as it was delivered by a male, there was some guilt and shame attached to it."
"You were worried she'd hurt me. I think the opposite just happened," I rubbed the back of my neck in embarrassment.
"Son, she's relatively inexperienced. I just wanted to be present, in case there was additional instruction needed."
"I understand that," I nodded. "But I think we upset her."
"And I understand that," Dad agreed. "Is she all right?"
"Kevis says she's still out but her breathing is normal and her vitals are good," Trajan broke in. He'd had a mental conversation with the healer, apparently.
"Traje, look, we'll sort this out, I promise. I'm just worried how this is going to affect her, going forward."
"Yeah. Me, too, since this was my idea." Trajan stalked out of my bedroom. I watched him go with a sigh.
* * *
Earth—past
"Hey, bro," Trajan offered Charles a grin as he and Gavin dumped bags in the foyer.
"Good to see you again," Charles smiled back. "Anything new?"
"Nothing yet. We're waiting on you to help us hunt down Vernon Clark. Last known location was in Valencia, just south of here," Bill said. He, Opal and the others had gathered to greet the vampires when they arrived shortly after midnight, local time.
"I read up on Valencia—has a scattered population of less than three thousand," Charles let the strap of his laptop bag fall from his shoulder as he set the bag down carefully.
"Charles, I'd hire you in a minute if you weren't otherwise employed," Bill grinned. "Are you tired or do you want to get started tonight? I have a couple of addresses to check out."
"We can go, I just want to change and brush my teeth," Charles said.
"I agree. I despise this man, and worry that he may get away from us," Gavin growled.
"Same here, man," Jayson sighed.
"We're rested and ready, so whenever you say, we'll hit the road," Opal nodded.
"Give me five minutes," Charles said.
"I'll take you to your room," Hank offered.
"Thanks."
* * *
"I don't like this—it's kinda creepy," Opal shone her flashlight in the bedroom of the empty house. "Power off, cleared out, carpet stinks of blood," she added.
Blood Love (God Wars, #4) Page 6
