AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You can’t blame yourself. I felt the same way. Whatever this is, fundamentally we both felt the same way.”
Even as Hannah said the words, she felt very strange, like she was in the supply closet all over again and Jude was there watching her. She took a deep breath, trying to settle the butterflies down, but once more her knees felt really weak.
For her — and this was the hardest part of all — she felt so much for Jude, longing to be with him, craving him.
He still held her hands, but he moved closer. “I just wanted to be near you.” He then smiled. “And I’ll never forget that moment, which now seems absurd. I mean, you had a bottle of ammonia in one hand and ugly yellow cleaning gloves in the other. It wasn’t exactly a romantic place or time. I thought what harm could there be?”
At that, Hannah chuckled softly. “No, not romantic at all. Then everything changed.”
“Hannah, I’m so sorry. If I could undo that moment, I would. I’d meant absolutely nothing by it.”
“I know. I believe you.”
When movement hit the corner of her eye, she yelped as two vampires landed on her porch. Jude even moved to position himself in front of her protectively. He relaxed immediately afterward, of course, when he saw who they were, then headed to the door.
She recognized them both as well. Paul was one of Jude’s lieutenants and the other was one of his team leaders, Alex. Her heart warmed at the thought that Jude had sent two of his best men to guard her.
He glanced back at her. “Your detail has arrived.”
She offered each a beer, but their refusal was firm; they were on duty. After Jude talked things over with his men, Paul and Alex took to the air to stay in flight above her house.
Jude returned to her. “You won’t be seeing them, Hannah. They’ll be in the air, patrolling your home the entire time. If anyone approaches, they’ll hold them for questioning, then they’ll call me. I’ll return immediately to deal with the situation. Okay?”
“Of course.”
“And when you’re ready to head to the Gold Rush, or anywhere else, just contact Longeness, and he’ll let either Paul or Alex know.”
For the first time since Jude had pushed her to an awareness of what she’d become, she finally began to trust that things might just be okay. “That sounds good. And thank you so much for bringing Vojalie and Davido in. I adore them both, and Vojalie really did calm my nerves.”
“Good, I’m glad.” He nodded briskly, moving back to her, but his gaze suddenly caught and held in a way that stole her breath.
“What is it?” she asked.
“I’m remembering. And Hannah, for what it’s worth, the time I spent with you in the bunkroom was one of the finest experiences of my life. I want you to know that.”
Her chest rose and fell with each deep breath she took. “I feel the same way.”
She leaned toward him with no particular intention in mind, but he must have read something deep in her soul because he quickly took her in his arms and kissed her.
Hannah held onto him, feeling sad and aroused all at the same time. The divide between them was so great, as big as the entire breadth of the Strait. Despite the changes she was undergoing, she was human and intent on living a human life and Jude was, well, Mastyr of Kellcasse Realm.
She gave herself to that kiss, however, feeling it could possibly be the last time she’d ever feel his lips on hers again or his powerful arms holding her tight.
He pulled back, but before she could say anything else, he strode to the open doorway, then launched into the air.
~ ~ ~
Jude headed to his house situated on Castle Island in the middle of Kellcasse Realm. The island was renamed in the last century to reflect the home his wife had built for them. Despite his sadness of losing his family, some of his best memories were inside the castle. Of being with Naomi, and of course, his daughter, Joy, who had been born there. The castle was always a welcome destination point.
He flew carefully, however, even a bit slower as he headed home, his gaze panning the horizon constantly for sign of the Invictus, or anything else out of the ordinary. He passed over a number of villages, many lit with candles and oil lamps, and a few with electricity.
He loved the variety of communities in his world, the trolls with their love of drinking and dancing, the howling shifters towns, the industry-oriented elven population and the magical, warm-hearted fae.
Because of the diverse population, he had strict codes of conduct between species to prevent racial slurs and prejudice, and a small squad of elves and trolls who kept the forest gremlins from pilfering their neighbors. It was as hard to get a forest gremlin to embrace honest labor as it was for a rock to pick up and move all by itself.
When he reached the largest lake of his realm, with Castle Island at the south end, his heart both warmed and ached. He’d built this home with Naomi when she was with child. He’d let her have her choice of architecture and didn’t blink twice when she said she wanted a castle. ‘After all, Mastyr Gerrod has a very large one and the structure I have envisioned will be quite small by comparison. But we will have a boat house.’
A couple of years later, his little girl, Joy, with curly blond hair, had run up and down the stairs of his home scaring the shit out of him since he was afraid she’d fall and tumble down those same stairs. That is, until he realized she’d been half-levitating the whole time. She’d had that much power even as a child.
