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“Oh, I think it goes beyond being a blood rose,” Vojalie said. “I think it’s hard being in love with a man, period. I mean, there are times when all I want is a bubble bath, just a little alone time. I’ve poured myself a glass of my favorite sweet imported German wine, and I have Vivaldi playing softly on my cd player. I’ve climbed in and I’m just sinking into the soothing, floral scented warmth, then Davido comes in. The moment a man catches sight of your bare breasts, well, he starts doing things to you, the water starts sloshing and there goes your peace and quiet.”
Rosamunde laughed and Vojalie joined her.
Holly looked from one to the other and she got it or at least part of it. Love was knocking and she kept opening the door part way, feeling how wonderful it was, then trying to slam it shut.
The trouble was, the current circumstances of a new Invictus threat and her ability to help, weren’t giving her space to even breathe. “I’m very independent. Dammit, I built my house by myself. I mean I contracted the plumbing out and had a carpenter help me install the cabinets. I had roofer. But I was in charge, I hammered most of the nails myself, and it was my house. I just don’t know how to get through this or what to do or even what this is. And I really don’t want to love this man.”
Both women turned to stare at her. Rosamunde spoke first. “Stone has a short temper that still troubles me.”
Vojalie sighed heavily. “Davido has more secrets than forest gremlins have orgasms.”
Holly was shocked. Rosamunde covered her mouth with her hand but squealed her laughter. “Oh, my gosh, have you been around Joseph? He talks about his wife and sex all the time. He’s hopeless.” Joseph was a thieving forest gremlin who had helped save Stone’s life a couple of months ago. Holly remembered reading about it recently in one of the Tannisford blogs.
“What about Oregis? He’s a gremlin friend of Rez’s.” Vojalie lowered her voice. “He and his wife do it three times a day. No. I am not kidding. Davido told me. He arrived at Oregis’s office one day, and she was there, doing him, in the bathroom. Davido kept chuckling as he told me the story. Apparently, she’s a real squeaker.”
The images were too powerful to do anything but make Holly laugh and forget her troubles, at least for half-a-second. Holly knew Oregis well, herself, though with her he’d been more discreet. He was her black market contact. He’d helped her line up cheap labor while working on her house and he always let her know about new shipments of shoes.
What she hadn’t known was that Rez considered him a friend.
Rosamunde patted Holly’s knee. “Let me get a you a drink. Whisky okay?”
“Whisky’s perfect.”
She watched Rosamunde rise from her seat. Except for looking a little bluish beneath her eyes, she was glowing and beautiful.
She was also the woman who’d been so desperate to get rid of a built up extra blood supply that she’d sought Rez out at the Wild Boar. Holly at least understood this much, sinc
e she was now building a supply for Rez. She was sure it would cause her injury if she didn’t donate in a timely manner.
When Rosamunde returned, Holly said, “There’s something I need to know.”
Holly took the glass Rosamunde handed her. “Sure. Anything.” Rosamunde resumed her seat on the ottoman.
“That night, two months ago, when Stone beat up Rez, if Stone hadn’t come when he did, would you have had sex with Rez? I mean I know you would have fed him, but would sex have followed?”
Rosamunde’s eyes went wide and her fingers touched her lips. Tears brimmed and Holly instantly wished the question unasked. “I’m sorry. It’s too personal. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
But Rosamunde reached out and as she had before, she patted Holly knee. “No. No. You’re right. It’s the exact question you should ask.
“The truth is, I’m beyond grateful Stone arrived when he did. I was so lost in my blood rose need to donate that once I’d set my sights on Rez, I won’t deny I was thinking sex, too. It’s as though they’re a package deal and it’s frightening when I look back. So, the answer is yes, I would have had sex with Rez. And if that isn’t bad enough, I swear I would have climbed on his lap, right there in the middle of the bar and done him without thinking twice. How awful is that?”
“So, it’s not just me? What I’m feeling?”
“I’m afraid not. You’re a blood rose and this is your new normal. But this craving? It will not discriminate. You will feel the same powerful drive toward every unbonded mastyr you meet. You will want to feed him and the sex will follow.”
Rosamunde sat up suddenly. She was known to have visions.
“What is it?” Vojalie asked. “Invictus?”
Rosamunde shook her head, but her eyes were wide. “Worse. The men are close to fighting again. And this time, I think they’ll kill each other.”
Chapter Seven
Rez had steam coming out his nose or the nearest thing to it. He stood by the pool, a lit cigar in hand. He’d only had two puffs before the bastard started in.
“Don’t be so damn defensive. Just admit you should have returned to the Guard.”
“I had better things to do.”
