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Tristan swiftly moved Kyla out of the room to the outside with his arm hooked around her neck, his hand cupped around her shoulder, effectively blocking her entire throat as they left. She was aware that every eye in the place, other than those of the people in orange scrubs, was on her. The people in orange scrubs appeared to be humans, deer-in-the-headlight humans. There were at least a dozen others around, staring at them as they left. Tristan’s fangs were out the whole time he stalked out the door.
Tristan walked her with a determined angry stride that invited no approach, past people in an area with patio tables, a fountain, and gardens and down a long wide staircase paved with colourful mosaic tiles toward what looked like a labyrinth-like garden bordered by many hedges but low-like, so it wasn’t as if you’d get lost in a maze. It was gorgeous, painstakingly manicured. When they got beyond that garden and were in a large open field approaching forest, he continued, radiating fury. Kyla got a stitch in her side from the pace and winced and as soon as she did he hefted her up in his arms and they whooshed for a few seconds, their surroundings blurring by.
He stopped and put her on her feet. She glanced up at his face and his eyes were steely and jaw was clenched. He’d gotten them behind a large tree and let out a breath and caught her face in his palms, “Fuck, baby,” he breathed.
“I’m sorry…” she whispered, “I tried not to react but then his fangs were so close to me and I---”
“Not your fault. Fucking fuck,” he bit off, “Most vamps who’d smell you but who’d see you on my arm, who’d see that collar, they would know better. He was fucking dying to taste you. Told you vamps have varied strengths? Well, he’s old. Really old. And he’s ill so that’s obviously fucking with his deference to me. He clearly knows all about enchanted blood and royal bloodlines and royal pets because of how old he is. Adrian will do damage control but damn it…he should’ve ensured we had a clear coast. I’m so out of my goddamn element, here. This is no ordinary environment. There are dying vamps here, there are diseased vamps both mental and physical, and this could happen again. It can’t. I’ve gotta do something.”
Kyla was hyperventilating.
“I wouldn’t put it past him. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s doing it on purpose, Tristan. Something about him…”
He grabbed her shoulders,
“Listen, it’s worse than I thought so I can’t even talk to you properly in there. Please try not to put me on the spot with questions that I may not be able to answer in front of others and be careful with that temper. I’m already fighting to do damage control. We’ll…” Tristan’s cell phone interrupted him, he answered, “Adrian…” He let go of Kyla.
Kyla sat on the ground putting her back against the tree trunk listening to Tristan say, “You made assurances to me and so far you have fucking failed. This is unacceptable. If you have a series of tests planned that involve scenarios like these I’m telling you right now think again because I won’t be a fuckin’ lab rat, got me?”
He moved farther away but she heard him say a series of yes’s and okays until he hung up, telling Adrian he’d meet him shortly.
“The cover is that you’re a test subject. You’re a co-operative pet who is semi-lucid based on taking a formula he’s developed. He’s saying it’s a step between functional trance and fully lucid. That’s what anyone who needs to know will be told. That’ll help with reactions. Just be quiet, do your best to act as mesmerized as possible. People will think you’re either in a functional trance or if anyone asks questions it’ll soon become wide knowledge that you’re under Adrian’s care. This works in our favour as this is a research facility so it makes things plausible. Any rumours out there can be quashed by the fact that I’m here with you, and that we’re working with North America’s most respected vampire doctor. This’ll work.”
He visibly relaxed, “People know who I am. Few know much about royal or enchanted pets so risk is minimalized. I’m being assured Ruben was an anomaly. I don’t trust that but we’ll be careful.”
Kyla let out a breath of relief but it wasn’t deep relief. There were so many things to figure out, so many dangers.
They walked back inside and as they entered Sam and Adrian merged with and then flanked them, Sam on Tristan’s side and Adrian on Kyla’s. Kyla could only assume they were serving as bodyguards. They got back to their room without incident. She felt eyes on them when they got back inside but she avoided eye contact and tried to just focus on getting to their suite.
