Betrayal (Blood Haze: Book Three) A Paranormal Romance by Tara Shuler

what?”
    “For everything.”
    “It is I who should thank you. No one has
ever cared as much about me as you do. Even if you never fall in
love with me, I think that might be enough.”
    He turned to leave, but then he turned back
and added, “But I still hope you will fall in love with me,
someday.”
    “I know.”
    He left, and I hurried to get ready. I
showered, dried my hair, and changed into fresh clothes. I decided
to pack a bag, because I didn’t know how long we’d be staying, or
if my room was still like I left it back at the compound. I assumed
it was, but I couldn’t be certain.
    We met in the foyer, and there was already a
group of clan members there to open the random portal. I was
admittedly a bit nervous at the prospect of falling through a
portal to a completely unknown location, but I wasn’t going to let
any of them know it.
    “Are we ready?” I asked, coming down the
stairs with my bag in hand.
    “Yes, come on,” Alexi said, extending his
arms toward me. I must have looked confused, because he added, “I
am going to carry you, so I can protect you if we land somewhere
dangerous.”
    “I’ll be fine, Alexi…”
    “This is not open for discussion,” Alexi said
sternly.
    I sighed. Once again, he was leaving me with
no option. I knew Alexi would be stubborn, and he would probably
delay everything until I relented. I wasn’t in the mood to argue. I
just wanted to get it over with.
    “Fine,” I groaned, and I allowed him to scoop
me up into his arms.
    His arms closed firmly around me, and he held
me close to his body. He was so strong and protective, and it did
make me feel safer to be in his arms that way. I guess it wasn’t so
bad to give into him now and then.
    The portal opened, and Liam went through
first, followed by Kai. Alexi’s grip on me tightened protectively,
and he jumped through the portal. I felt the familiar falling
sensation, and in a moment, Alexi landed deftly on his feet. I
hardly felt the jostle when we landed. Still gripping me tightly,
Alexi surveyed the area. We’d landed in a parking lot, but
fortunately, it was deserted. No one had seen us falling from the
sky.
    “Any idea where we are?” Kai asked.
    I looked up and down the street, and in the
distance, I noticed the sign of a fast food restaurant I
recognized.
    “We’re on Bleaker Street,” I said
confidently. “We’re only about a half mile from the compound.”
    “Wow, they got us pretty close,” Kai
admitted.
    “Um, Alexi?” I chimed. “You can put me down,
now.”
    He hesitated for a moment, and then he let my
feet fall gently to the ground. He kept his arm firmly around my
waist for a moment, and then he reluctantly loosened it.
    “Let us go,” Alexi said.
    It didn’t take us long to reach the compound.
Alexi had called ahead, and they were expecting us. We were met at
the gates by a security detail, and they ushered us quickly
inside.
    I took my bag upstairs to my room, which was
just as I had left it. I placed my bag on the bed, and went into
the bathroom to wash my face. While I was in there, I heard a knock
on my door. I quickly dried my face, and I went to see who it
was.
    “Your presence is requested in the dining
hall,” a young man in an acolyte’s robe told me.
    “Thank you,” I said.
    He bowed, and I followed him to the dining
hall. Alexi, Liam, and Kai were already sitting at a table. A tray
of food was sitting in front of an empty chair.
    “Alice,” Alexi greeted me. “I took the
liberty of getting you something to eat. I hope I chose something
you will enjoy.”
    I sat down and took a look at the food. It
was a plate of spaghetti with meat sauce, garlic bread, and a
salad. A bottle of Dr. Pepper sat beside it.
    “This looks great, actually,” I admitted.
    “Yeah, except he gave you Coke, before,” Liam
snorted.
    “I like Coke just fine,” I said.
    “But you prefer Dr. Pepper these days,” he
countered.
    “Oh, good grief!” I snarled. “I don’t care
what I