sensation came from Alexia’s hands, a gentle throb against his chest. He pulled back, licking closed the punctures on her throat. “What are you doing?”
Her breath shuddered, deep and heavy. “What do you mean?”
“Your hands. That… pulse. What are you doing?”
“Oh.” She wiggled her fingers. “I’m not sure, to be honest. Agnessa did this weird thing a couple of times, some sort of energy transfer I think, and ever since then—”
Nessa. She’d gotten her hooks into Alexia somehow? Lee should have known. For God’s sake, nothing in Lee’s life was sacred to his scheming, conniving ex. “What sort of energy? What did she do to you?”
Alexia shook her head, suddenly eyes wide and body frozen in Lee’s lap. “I—I don’t know. It seems to relax me. I could tell you were in pain, so I thought maybe it could… I don’t know, help I guess.”
Shit. Lee’s head clunked the rock behind him. Whatever it was, anything to do with that bitch was tainted. Lord knew Lee himself was fucked in the head, thanks to his ex.
Thinking of Nessa dumped a bucket of cold water on Lee’s head. A reminder of what happened the last time he’d allowed himself to get involved with someone not of his own species. He put his hands on Alexia’s shoulders, nudging her off him. “Come on,” he said. “We need to get going.”
***
Siddoh carried Elder Esmerian’s lifeless body to the king’s mansion. The old male’s home sat a ridiculous trek across the estate. He’d gathered his uncle, surprisingly hefty as a heap of unconscious vampire, and shouted for everyone to follow. “The guest room next to Alexia’s room is free. I’ll put him in there.”
The doctor ran ahead of them into the front hall. “Good. We can move him once he’s stable.” He motioned toward the rest of the group. “I need one of you. Everybody else, give me space.”
Ivy, Thad’s property manager, rushed up the hall as Siddoh backed out of the room. “Is everything okay?”
Siddoh caught her arm. “Lee called a quarantine. What are you doing here?”
“I was out running errands. Once I found out about the lockdown, I figured it was too late so I might as well stay and get the house in order for when the king and queen return.”
Fuck. She should have been sealed in the storm cellar with the other women and children. He studied her face. Dark skin, dark hair. Very sharp fangs. He didn’t know Ivy well, but it was Siddoh’s understanding that she came from a traditional family. Old, pure bloodlines. “You don’t have any human blood?” For those with pure vampire blood, the threat from the guardians held less concern. With the perimeter secured, Ivy probably hadn’t risked as much as Alexia risked now, being out there who the fuck knew where.
Ivy rolled her eyes, which took Siddoh by surprise. She’d always struck him as… proper.
He turned and snapped at one of the other soldiers. “Go with Dr. Brayden. Also, try calling Lee so he knows the fence is back online. Text me with a status if you get through. The rest of you, pair up with the newbies and patrol the perimeter. If this new defense is doing its job, we shouldn’t see any guardians. Just the same, keep your eyes peeled,” he said quietly. He nodded to Brayden as the doctor slipped through the door.
After a moment of mumbling and shuffling, Siddoh and Ivy were alone in the hall. “No,” she said softly. “No human in me. One hundred percent, gold star vampire.” Something strange lingered in her eyes. In a case of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it, she went from something that seemed like humor to shrewdly assessing him, eyes narrowed and cold.
“Excuse me?”
“Poor joke.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Can I get you anything, sir? Coffee? Tea? Gauntlets of almighty power?”
What a strange young female. Alexia says strange shit on occasion, but I figure it’s her humanity, right? Or all that partying she used to do. I honestly have no idea how to
Her breath shuddered, deep and heavy. “What do you mean?”
“Your hands. That… pulse. What are you doing?”
“Oh.” She wiggled her fingers. “I’m not sure, to be honest. Agnessa did this weird thing a couple of times, some sort of energy transfer I think, and ever since then—”
Nessa. She’d gotten her hooks into Alexia somehow? Lee should have known. For God’s sake, nothing in Lee’s life was sacred to his scheming, conniving ex. “What sort of energy? What did she do to you?”
Alexia shook her head, suddenly eyes wide and body frozen in Lee’s lap. “I—I don’t know. It seems to relax me. I could tell you were in pain, so I thought maybe it could… I don’t know, help I guess.”
Shit. Lee’s head clunked the rock behind him. Whatever it was, anything to do with that bitch was tainted. Lord knew Lee himself was fucked in the head, thanks to his ex.
Thinking of Nessa dumped a bucket of cold water on Lee’s head. A reminder of what happened the last time he’d allowed himself to get involved with someone not of his own species. He put his hands on Alexia’s shoulders, nudging her off him. “Come on,” he said. “We need to get going.”
***
Siddoh carried Elder Esmerian’s lifeless body to the king’s mansion. The old male’s home sat a ridiculous trek across the estate. He’d gathered his uncle, surprisingly hefty as a heap of unconscious vampire, and shouted for everyone to follow. “The guest room next to Alexia’s room is free. I’ll put him in there.”
The doctor ran ahead of them into the front hall. “Good. We can move him once he’s stable.” He motioned toward the rest of the group. “I need one of you. Everybody else, give me space.”
Ivy, Thad’s property manager, rushed up the hall as Siddoh backed out of the room. “Is everything okay?”
Siddoh caught her arm. “Lee called a quarantine. What are you doing here?”
“I was out running errands. Once I found out about the lockdown, I figured it was too late so I might as well stay and get the house in order for when the king and queen return.”
Fuck. She should have been sealed in the storm cellar with the other women and children. He studied her face. Dark skin, dark hair. Very sharp fangs. He didn’t know Ivy well, but it was Siddoh’s understanding that she came from a traditional family. Old, pure bloodlines. “You don’t have any human blood?” For those with pure vampire blood, the threat from the guardians held less concern. With the perimeter secured, Ivy probably hadn’t risked as much as Alexia risked now, being out there who the fuck knew where.
Ivy rolled her eyes, which took Siddoh by surprise. She’d always struck him as… proper.
He turned and snapped at one of the other soldiers. “Go with Dr. Brayden. Also, try calling Lee so he knows the fence is back online. Text me with a status if you get through. The rest of you, pair up with the newbies and patrol the perimeter. If this new defense is doing its job, we shouldn’t see any guardians. Just the same, keep your eyes peeled,” he said quietly. He nodded to Brayden as the doctor slipped through the door.
After a moment of mumbling and shuffling, Siddoh and Ivy were alone in the hall. “No,” she said softly. “No human in me. One hundred percent, gold star vampire.” Something strange lingered in her eyes. In a case of blink-and-you’ll-miss-it, she went from something that seemed like humor to shrewdly assessing him, eyes narrowed and cold.
“Excuse me?”
“Poor joke.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Can I get you anything, sir? Coffee? Tea? Gauntlets of almighty power?”
What a strange young female. Alexia says strange shit on occasion, but I figure it’s her humanity, right? Or all that partying she used to do. I honestly have no idea how to
Similar Books
