Blood Awakening by Tessa Dawn Page B

Marquis
first.”
    Ciopori took a deep breath and nodded. Her chest
felt like the weight of the entire world was sitting upon it. She had given the
wizard her word, and she never broke it. “I will wait, but you must convey how
desperately I need to see him.”
     “Of course.” Nachari held up the keys and pointed
to the dark panel he called a dashboard. “Would you like the radio?”
    “The what?”
    Nachari shook his head. “Never mind. I’ll be right
back.”
    Marquis stood in the back of treatment room number three, watching as Kagen
meticulously attended to Kristina’s wounds. His mind was still in a fog when he
heard a gentle knock on the door.
    “What is it?” Kagen sounded irritated. “I’ve told
the staff a dozen times not to interrupt me when I’m with a patient.”
    The door slowly opened, and Nachari stuck his head
around the corner.
    “Brother,” Kagen greeted, his concentration
remaining on Kristina.
    “Greetings, Kagen,” Nachari responded, and then he
turned to Marquis. “May I have a word with you?”
    Marquis blinked several times as if coming out of
a trance and snorted. “We’re busy right now, Nachari.” He had no intention of
answering his baby brother’s inquiries about what had happened.
    Nachari immediately switched to telepathic
communication: I realize that, Marquis, but there’s someone with me who
desperately needs to see you.
    Marquis eyed the doorway. Who?
    She’s in the car, Nachari explained.
    She?
    Yes…Princess Ciopori. She insisted, Marquis,
and frankly, if you don’t agree to see her, I think she might just have the
nerve to walk right into this room—even with Kristina sitting right over there. Nachari glanced at Kristina for the first time, and her responding blush
revealed more than a little appreciation for the wizard’s beauty.
    Marquis looked back and forth between the two. Unlike
Ciopori, Kristina didn’t have the grace to hide her reaction: She saw a stunning
male, and she looked momentarily stunned. How many times had she seen Nachari
before? Hundreds?
    Marquis cleared his throat, and Nachari lowered
his eyes respectfully. “Greetings, sister,” he said, as was proper in
addressing one’s brother’s destiny .
    Kristina blanched and quickly looked away, not
bothering to respond.
    She’s taking this well, I see, Nachari
commented.
    Kagen looked up at him then. Why don’t you
bring the princess around back to the patio, just outside of my office; my door
is unlocked, so Marquis can meet her there. He looked up at Marquis. Take
as long as you need; I’ll make sure Kristina doesn’t go anywhere.
    Marquis hesitated, while both of his brothers
stared, waiting for a response. He turned to Kristina, more out of courtesy
than need: “I’ll be back.”
    She jolted at the sound of his voice but never
looked up.
    Nachari let out a low whistle as he held the door
for Marquis, clearly realizing how bad things really were. As soon as the door
closed behind them, he whispered, “Wow, you two have quite a ways to go.”
    Marquis shot his youngest brother a heated glare
that would have melted ice, and Nachari quickly dropped the subject.
     “Bring her up the outside steps to the second-floor
deck. I’ll cut through Kagen’s office and meet you there.” Marquis ran his
hands through his hair, feeling suddenly weary.
    Nachari frowned. “Uh…yeah, I think we already
established where—”  His voice abruptly cut off. “No problem.” He headed out
the clinic front doors, and Marquis dropped his head in his hands.
    He was not prepared for this. For any of it. Seeing
the princess right now was the last thing he really wanted...because he wasn’t
at all sure he could go back to Kristina afterward. Maybe death was preferable.
He wondered: Could he exchange a lifetime with someone he didn’t love for thirty-days
with someone he did? Could he refuse the demands of the Blood Curse and spend
his last remaining days with Ciopori instead? He sighed, headed up