a
house full of women who adored him?
Tapping
on a card at the top of the spread, Carlie continued the reading. "This is
the card that shows what you think is the best outcome of the situation. The
Seven of Wands is about taking a stand, defending your cause."
For
the first time, Ilona liked what Carlie had said about a card. As far as she
was concerned, she'd already taken that stand outside with Terek, and she
intended to stick to it. The problem was that there was no denying her hunger.
It pressed on her like a weight, and every minute she put off having blood, she
felt weaker.
"The
next card shows the immediate future. Hmmm...the Queen of Swords. She's a tough
one." Carlie looked up into Ilona's eyes. "Like you."
"Carlie,
I think I need to lay down. I don't feel up to this now."
"Honey,
what's wrong? Should I get Terek? We told you that refusing blood would do
this."
Ilona
desperately reached for Carlie's arm, grabbing it tightly. "No! I don't
want his blood."
"Why?
It's what you're meant to have."
Knowing
she had to have blood, Ilona relented. "Would I feel better if I had
yours?"
Carlie
shook her head. "I don't know about this, Ilona. I think it could help,
but I don't know if Terek would want me to do that. You really should have his
blood."
"But
we're both his vampires. Isn't that enough? I'm sure you've had his blood
recently."
Just
saying that made Ilona cringe with jealousy.
"You're
a new vampire, though. You need your sire's blood."
Dropping
Carlie's arm, Ilona turned her head. "I won't take his. If you won't give
me yours, then I'll just be sick."
She
hated being like that to the only real friend she had now, but the urge for
blood was so strong she might just give in if Carlie got Terek.
Carlie's
face twisted into a fake grimace. "Okay, I'll do it. But don't ask me not
to tell him. And if he's upset with me, I'm blaming you."
She
sat beside her on the bed and smiled. "You're just like my sister was. I
never could say no to her either."
"Thank
you, Carlie. I won't forget this."
Piercing
her wrist with her fangs, she held her arm out in front of Ilona's mouth.
"I just hope it helps. My blood is nothing compared to Terek's. And just
so you know, if this doesn't work, you're going to have to drink his, willing or
not."
Ilona
pulled her wrist to her lips and slowly sucked Carlie's blood into her mouth.
It took the edge off her hunger, but when she was done, the sorry truth was the
hunger remained.
No
matter. Carlie's blood rejuvenated her enough to pretend she felt fine.
Ilona
hugged her. "Thank you. It means the world to me that you're willing to
help."
Carlie
pushed her away and took her face in her hands. "You can't avoid him
forever. He's your sire, and if he wants you by his side, you will take his
blood. Our world isn't like the human world. We are seen as males' equals in
many things, but none of that matters when it comes to sires. Male, female, if
they want something from one of their vampires, they get it."
As
she left Ilona's bedside, undoubtedly to tell Terek she'd just given her blood,
Ilona closed her eyes and tried to silence the voice in her head that told her
Carlie was right. No, she wasn't going to fall in line like the rest of them.
He made her a vampire, so now he was going to have to deal with the
consequences.
Sadly,
she admitted to herself that she would miss some things about his place if she
was forced to follow through on her refusal of his blood and couldn't receive
anyone else's. The women had treated her well, and Terek...
Just
thinking about him lying next to her made her smile. She didn't know how or
why, but she'd fallen for him, in spite of herself.
But
she couldn't be the woman he wanted, even if he was exactly the man she wanted.
Chapter Ten
After
waiting for Ilona to return and being disappointed once again, Terek had headed
to Romania before the sun came up. At least there he didn't feel like he was
fighting the impossible,
house full of women who adored him?
Tapping
on a card at the top of the spread, Carlie continued the reading. "This is
the card that shows what you think is the best outcome of the situation. The
Seven of Wands is about taking a stand, defending your cause."
For
the first time, Ilona liked what Carlie had said about a card. As far as she
was concerned, she'd already taken that stand outside with Terek, and she
intended to stick to it. The problem was that there was no denying her hunger.
It pressed on her like a weight, and every minute she put off having blood, she
felt weaker.
"The
next card shows the immediate future. Hmmm...the Queen of Swords. She's a tough
one." Carlie looked up into Ilona's eyes. "Like you."
"Carlie,
I think I need to lay down. I don't feel up to this now."
"Honey,
what's wrong? Should I get Terek? We told you that refusing blood would do
this."
Ilona
desperately reached for Carlie's arm, grabbing it tightly. "No! I don't
want his blood."
"Why?
It's what you're meant to have."
Knowing
she had to have blood, Ilona relented. "Would I feel better if I had
yours?"
Carlie
shook her head. "I don't know about this, Ilona. I think it could help,
but I don't know if Terek would want me to do that. You really should have his
blood."
"But
we're both his vampires. Isn't that enough? I'm sure you've had his blood
recently."
Just
saying that made Ilona cringe with jealousy.
"You're
a new vampire, though. You need your sire's blood."
Dropping
Carlie's arm, Ilona turned her head. "I won't take his. If you won't give
me yours, then I'll just be sick."
She
hated being like that to the only real friend she had now, but the urge for
blood was so strong she might just give in if Carlie got Terek.
Carlie's
face twisted into a fake grimace. "Okay, I'll do it. But don't ask me not
to tell him. And if he's upset with me, I'm blaming you."
She
sat beside her on the bed and smiled. "You're just like my sister was. I
never could say no to her either."
"Thank
you, Carlie. I won't forget this."
Piercing
her wrist with her fangs, she held her arm out in front of Ilona's mouth.
"I just hope it helps. My blood is nothing compared to Terek's. And just
so you know, if this doesn't work, you're going to have to drink his, willing or
not."
Ilona
pulled her wrist to her lips and slowly sucked Carlie's blood into her mouth.
It took the edge off her hunger, but when she was done, the sorry truth was the
hunger remained.
No
matter. Carlie's blood rejuvenated her enough to pretend she felt fine.
Ilona
hugged her. "Thank you. It means the world to me that you're willing to
help."
Carlie
pushed her away and took her face in her hands. "You can't avoid him
forever. He's your sire, and if he wants you by his side, you will take his
blood. Our world isn't like the human world. We are seen as males' equals in
many things, but none of that matters when it comes to sires. Male, female, if
they want something from one of their vampires, they get it."
As
she left Ilona's bedside, undoubtedly to tell Terek she'd just given her blood,
Ilona closed her eyes and tried to silence the voice in her head that told her
Carlie was right. No, she wasn't going to fall in line like the rest of them.
He made her a vampire, so now he was going to have to deal with the
consequences.
Sadly,
she admitted to herself that she would miss some things about his place if she
was forced to follow through on her refusal of his blood and couldn't receive
anyone else's. The women had treated her well, and Terek...
Just
thinking about him lying next to her made her smile. She didn't know how or
why, but she'd fallen for him, in spite of herself.
But
she couldn't be the woman he wanted, even if he was exactly the man she wanted.
Chapter Ten
After
waiting for Ilona to return and being disappointed once again, Terek had headed
to Romania before the sun came up. At least there he didn't feel like he was
fighting the impossible,
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