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“I doubt he would see it as a bother.” Regina shook her head. “You invest too many emotions in the act, you know. Sex is a bodily function.”
But I just shook my head. “No, please, no.”
“Very well, but either Leo or one of your friends had better soothe your passion or you’re going to be a very sick little girl tomorrow.” Regina let out a short laugh. “At least Lannan remembered the way to harness the Blood Oracle’s thirst.”
“Tell me—if you would . . . why is it against the rules for him to drink from the living?” I looked up at her face, which was unreadable. She was stroking my hair, gently playing with it in an almost endearing way.
Regina pressed her lips together, then abruptly said, “That should never have come up in your presence. You’d do best to forget it. But you have nothing to worry about. The Blood Oracle never emerges from his temple. He will not come stalking you.” She paused, then added, “See, here we are—your home. Leo, you and your lady friend should get Cicely inside quickly and call us tomorrow night should she fall deeper into the blood fever.”
The limo waited as I scrambled out of the car and, with Leo and Rhia’s help, I made it through the snow, up into the house. Then it pulled off into the night and we shut the door behind us.
I dropped on the sofa, still burning from Lannan’s blood, from his touch. “I need water. I need . . . a cool cloth.” The blanket Geoffrey had wrapped me in was driving me nuts and I wanted nothing more than to tear it off.
Kaylin took one look at me and motioned to Rhiannon. “Get a towel and an ice pack.” He knelt beside me. “Cicely, I can feel your blood, it’s racing through your body. Did you drink from a vampire tonight?”
I nodded, stammering out what happened as best I could.
“She’s got blood fever.” Kaylin swept me up and carried me to the sofa. “I can’t stem it, but I know someone who can. I’ll head out and bring her back. Meanwhile, keep her temperature down.” And with that, he was out the door.
I thrashed as Rhiannon placed the ice pack on the back of my spine and a cool cloth on my forehead. All my instincts were on overload, my mind clouded with a haze of lust and pain from the intense sensations flooding my system.
Leo stood behind the sofa, shaking his head. “I don’t know what to do—everything’s going to hell and I can’t stop them from touching her, from doing what they want with her.”
“Then why are you still working for them? How can you stand by and watch them do this to my cousin?” Rhia’s voice was harsh against my ears, her emotion too much for me to handle.
“Argue somewhere else—I can’t bear listening to you.” I shot up, my skin crawling. “I need it dark and quiet. This is just too much. I should have just finished fucking him and gotten it out of my system.”
Rhiannon shot Leo an angry look. “Carry her up to her room and then come down to help me prepare a cooling poultice for her.” She grabbed the already warmed washcloth off my forehead and marched out of the room.
Leo collected me and carried me up the stairs, his lips pressed tight. He gently laid me atop my bed covers and whispered, “We’ll be back, with help. I’m sorry, Cicely. I’m so sorry.”
As soon as he left, I was able to calm my thoughts enough to search for Ulean. Are you there? I need you.
I’m here . . . oh, Cicely, I wish I could help you, but there’s nothing I can do.
Stay with me.
Cicely—Cicely . . . A different voice echoed off the slipstream and my wolf shifted. I pressed my hand against my stomach and almost cried, the desire and hunger were so great.
Grieve . . . are you there? I need you. I need you now.
Come outside. I’m here for you. I can feel you. Hurry.
I pushed to my feet and staggered to the window, where I shoved it open. There, in the far corner of the backyard, I could see the figure of a wolf, huge and silvery-gray, gorgeous and wild. He was staring up at my window, waiting.
I shuddered as the blast of air met the prickling of my body. My breasts quickened in the wind, nipples stiffening as I raised my nose to catch the scent of ozone and snow. Even the chill couldn’t dampen the heat flowing through me—I was a wild horse, aching to be broken, and nothing could stop the fire that burned through my veins.
Except . . . except . . .
I crawled onto the sill and, with only my pendant hanging around my neck, closed my eyes and dove. I came up, pulling aloft, spiraling over the yard, reveling in my flight. And then I dove toward Grieve, pulling up short to land gently on his back.
He glanced over his shoulder, his wolfen eyes glowing, and as I held tight with my talons, he loped into the bushes with me astride him, not into the Golden Wood, but to the other side of our property. As soon as we were out of the yard, I hopped off his back and shifted back into myself, as he did the same.
Grieve was full Fae; he could fashion his clothes out of magic if he wished, but I was naked and shivering under the slow drift of flakes that floated down to blanket the yard. He was wearing a fur cloak, and he pulled it off. As he wrapped it around my shoulders, I lost all caution.
“I don’t care, I don’t care if you kill me. I just need you—now, forever, in my life. I need you to be with me, to touch me, to love me.” I burst into tears. “I can’t stand this—I’m in pain.”
“I felt you call. I heard your shriek on the wind. What happened to you?” He turned me around, lifted the cloak, and crumbled to the ground. “How—how did your back get marked up?”
