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But what charmed her the most were all the villages with lights glowing in windows and doorways, on streets, and patios. Not all realm-folk had excellent night-vision.
As she sipped, she felt her blood rose ability suddenly vibrate, a very soft sensation, but she couldn’t quite understand the reason, unless of course Jude needed to feed. She hadn’t really discussed with him how often he would need to tap into her vein. The very thought of his fangs biting her neck sent a surge of desire flowing through her, and once more her blood rose-ness responded. A flush drifted over her skin as well.
It would seem what she was as a blood rose also translated to her fire-gift.
Without giving it much thought, she set her coffee cup down and left the window seat. She headed out to the balcony, crossing to the far western side, which had a long flight of stairs broken by two landings.
But when she made her way down the stone steps, her heart suddenly felt laden again. Maybe Jude really did need to feed.
A walk might ease her. At least that’s what her rational mind thought. But her body seemed to have a very dedicated purpose that had not yet translated to her brain.
She turned abruptly in a southwesterly direction. She’d never seen the place where Jude’s wife and daughter were buried, though she knew it was in the orchard. But her thoughts weren’t on Jude’s grief-stricken past, but on something else she didn’t understand. She felt really warm again, and the vein at her throat throbbed.
Then she realized that someone was already in the orchard.
Again, her feet seemed to know exactly where to go and before long she saw a Guardsman from behind, wearing the traditional coat, his long dark hair caught in a clasp at the back of his neck. Something about the set of his shoulders and his bowed head spoke to her of a kind of despair even Jude didn’t possess. Her heart, always ready to jump with great tenderness to anyone in pain, started reaching toward him.
His shoulders straightened suddenly, and he looked around.
She aimed her telepathy at him. I’m here. Now, why had she spoken those words exactly?
When he turned in her direction, she recognized Mastyr Malik of Ashleaf Realm. Of course she knew him. He was one of Jude’s closest friends. He and Mastyr Seth of Walvashorr sat at the top of the list.
“Malik,” she said, surprising herself that she’d addressed him so informally.
“Hannah? Sweet Goddess, stay back.” He even held up a hand.
But her feet wouldn’t let her do anything else but move in his direction. “I can feel your blood starvation. Let me take care of you?”
Her heart pounded now in her throat, and by the time she was teen feet away, she craved Malik, needed him, felt as though she’d die if he didn’t come to her.
But he held out his palm and a soft blue light met her gaze, forcing her to stop, preventing her from reaching him no matter how hard she tried.
“Hannah, please stay were you are. Oh, Sweet Goddess, I can smell your blood.” He looked as though he was in pain.
She had to breach the distance somehow, to give him what he needed. It was imperative for the entire realm that she serve him with her blood and her body.
If he wouldn’t come to her, she wanted him to see her, so she stripped off her blouse.
“Hannah, don’t!”
~ ~ ~
Jude held the door for the Civic leaders. He’d achieved what he’d wanted, their cooperation and understanding in a tough situation. And he’d been right about one thing; having Malik and part of his Guard already on the way had eased tensions like nothing else could have.
He’d also given them very specific descriptions of what the mist looked like and to have their county teams patrolling each village for any sign of mist and to alert the Kellcasse Communication Center no matter how insignificant the mist-sign might seem. He also knew there would be many false reports, but his Guardsmen flew fast and the shifter brigade could move like the wind, so he?
?d be able to put eyes on any sighting as soon as Margetta made another attempt.
But when he shut the door, Malik busted through his telepathy. Get out to the orchard! I can’t hold Hannah off much longer!
Holy fuck! What was Hannah doing out there? He then realized he hadn’t warned her. He’d been too caught up in kissing her that he’d forgotten to let her know Malik was coming and to stay away.
Jude ran to the side door, pulled it open, then flew as fast as he could into the orchard. A blue battle light guided him straight in, and he was shocked to find that Malik, sweating profusely with effort, was holding Hannah off with a low level of his battle frequency.
Taking hold of Hannah’s arms from behind, he shouted, “Malik, get the hell out of here. Head to my training center. Fuck, I should have sent you there in the first place.”
Malik didn’t wait but launched into the air and disappeared.
