Page 2 of Call of the Blood

“Isaiah knows, but it’s local politics, not something he needs to worry about. The coven and I have peacefully existed together for centuries and have never needed to ask the Tribunal to mediate.”

We walked away from the crowds, and even the people we did pass were drunk or just not paying attention. Our voices were low enough that if someone was listening, they would get close enough for one of us to notice.

But I wasn’t good at that yet.

“Are we okay talking about this?” I asked softly as we kept going.

“Yes, no humans are listening tp us right now. We’re just a couple walking back to our car, wherever we parked it.”

“Did you bring a car?” I asked, frowning over at him. “Because I brought mine. Did you park close?”

“No, I walked. I remembered how to track your phone on the app thing you kept telling me about, so I caught up once you parked. I knew you would be okay without me while I walked.”

“You remembered our location sharing…” I almost laughed. In fact, I held it in for a few seconds, then it came out of me, piercing the quiet section of the block we were now on. I laughed until there were tears in my eyes, and I doubled over, trying to breathe. He stood beside me, still as a statue. I reached out and grabbed the coat, howling with laughter until I ran out of air in my lungs, which, while I didn’t need it for survival, it was necessary to make noise. I let him go as quickly as I could, with no idea how long I had been holding it. I wiped my eyes as I straightened up, finally able to take a full, normal breath.

“Oh my God. I’m sorry! I shouldn’t laugh.”

His face was inscrutable.

“It’s fine. We both know I’m not the best with technology.”

“Yeah, but laughing at you… you might not ever try again!”

“My ego is not that fragile,” he countered, a hand deftly grabbing my elbow and guiding. As we started walking once more, he pulled me closer, letting go of my elbow and reaching around me. I didn’t say anything, knowing he had some intention to the act. After ten or so steps, he leaned down.

“Someone was coming closer and seemed curious,” he murmured.

I glanced back quickly, and sure enough, there was a college-aged-looking young man watching us. I smiled back up at Alexius and told him the truth.

“He’s not my type,” I said, loud enough for the young man to hear me. “I turn thirty next year. College boys are too young for me.”

“And here you are, not looking a day over twenty-one,” he said, and for a moment I thought I saw a smirk. “One can’t blame him. You look beautiful.”

The young man, the next time I looked back, was heading back toward his friends. Once we lost sight of him, we could also see my car. I pulled away from Alexius, knowing I couldn’t hang on him like that for any longer than necessary, even if he did start it.

“I don’t look that young, do I?” I asked, frowning as I unlocked my car.

“Sometimes. Don’t most women like looking younger?”

“Not when it implies we’re not as mature as we really are. Twenty-one is very young. A lot of people are stupid at twenty-one. I don’t want people to make that sort of assumption about me.”

“You give people a lot of credit for being wise with age when I promise you, there’s little correlation.”

“Really?”

“You’ve met Isaiah.”

I couldn’t help but laugh, opening my driver’s side door as I did. He was smiling as he got into the passenger’s side.

“At least he’s smart in other ways,” I said, chuckling as I attempted to collect myself. I fiddled with the dials once the car was on, turning the music down so we could keep talking and messing with the a/c. A thought entered my head, a sobering one.

“Have you heard from him at all?” I asked softly.

“You know I’ll tell you when I do,” Alexius said, sighing. “He’s lost to the world right now. I know he’s alive. That much everyone knows. He still shows up to Tribunal meetings, puts on a normal face, and gets that work done.”

“But he still hasn’t talked to you…”

“And I can’t make him. I do wish he would pass along any intel, however. We’ve been treading water here for months.”