solution, I've got to agree with Elora."
"Oh, what a surprise!" Monq said sarcastically.
Baka pulled back a little and scowled like he was both puzzled and offended.
"Don't worry about it," Elora told him. "Monq thinks everyone is ganging up on him if he doesn't get his way."
Monq arched an eyebrow at her. "Got a better suggestion?"
She hesitated. "Yes. As a matter of fact I do. We'll test your plan on me. I'm the perfect test case. Immune and strong enough to keep things from taking an unfortunate turn. I'll give one lucky biter what I can spare. If all goes well and he behaves himself, then we can consider trusting them with humans. Of course, you still have to get volunteers and that might not be as easy as you think."
"No." Ram wasn't laughing anymore. Neither was Baka. Neither was Sol.
"No, it might not be as easy as you think?"
"No. You're no' goin' to do any such thin' and, frankly, 'tis inconceivable that you would suggest it."
"Ram, I..."
"No! 'Tis the end of it. You will no' be chew toy for one of those thin's."
Elora looked around the little group and said, "Excuse us." It was almost a whisper.
She asked her mate to walk with her to the other side of the room and spoke quietly. "Ram. What's scaring you about this?"
He looked back over his shoulder at the group they had left. "I do no' like it."
"I know. Me either. And what else?"
"You're talkin' about lettin' one of those thin's drink your blood."
"And that's bothering you because you think I'll be hurt or because you think it's an act that's intimate?"
Ram shoved his hand through his hair and looked exasperated. When he pinned her with those Hawking blue eyes, she could read everything in his heart.
"You're afraid I would enjoy it? A vamp taking my blood?" He searched her face and looked away. They were both remembering the last time she was bitten.
"Only if there's no other way and only if I'm there. Just so you know I can no' stand the idea."
Baka didn't feel any better about using Elora for an experiment than Ram did. They sat in an empty classroom a few doors down and argued, hashing out the logistics.
Which one?
How could they be sure it would just be one?
What if the other four got excited about the prospect of real blood?
Was she strong enough to protect herself from five of them?
The whole thing seemed crazy risky.
"I need a break." Elora left them arguing and stepped out into the hallway. She took out her intelliphone and called Litha's number.
Soon after starting the story, Litha said, "Just a minute. I'm with Storm. I'm putting you on speaker."
When Elora summarized what had happened and what they were thinking, Storm simply said, "No."
"Yeah. It's not like I haven't heard that one before. I'm just trying to make sure we haven't overlooked some other option. I thought Litha might have an alternative. Or maybe Deliverance?"
There was silence for a few seconds before Litha said, "Stay right where you are and don't do anything. Let me see if I can reach him. Maybe he knows something. I don't know."
Elora started to pace the hallway. She had a ten step path. Ten steps up. Ten steps back. After going back and forth a few times, she turned to start the other direction and nearly jumped out of her skin. Storm, Litha, and Deliverance stood in front of her. For once they didn't find startling somebody funny.
"Elora, my dad is going to take them to his place and keep them there until they sober up. At that point we can explain the situation to them and get their cooperation in finding a solution."
Elora nodded at Deliverance. "Thank you."
He stepped toward her, picked up a lock of red, pink, and blonde hair, looked into her eyes, and said, "You'll owe me."
Storm slapped the demon's hand away from his teammate. "Touch her again and there'll be trouble."
Deliverance smiled at his son-in-law, then vanished. When Elora reentered the classroom, she had Storm and Litha with her.
Storm looked around the room.
Baka raised his chin
"Oh, what a surprise!" Monq said sarcastically.
Baka pulled back a little and scowled like he was both puzzled and offended.
"Don't worry about it," Elora told him. "Monq thinks everyone is ganging up on him if he doesn't get his way."
Monq arched an eyebrow at her. "Got a better suggestion?"
She hesitated. "Yes. As a matter of fact I do. We'll test your plan on me. I'm the perfect test case. Immune and strong enough to keep things from taking an unfortunate turn. I'll give one lucky biter what I can spare. If all goes well and he behaves himself, then we can consider trusting them with humans. Of course, you still have to get volunteers and that might not be as easy as you think."
"No." Ram wasn't laughing anymore. Neither was Baka. Neither was Sol.
"No, it might not be as easy as you think?"
"No. You're no' goin' to do any such thin' and, frankly, 'tis inconceivable that you would suggest it."
"Ram, I..."
"No! 'Tis the end of it. You will no' be chew toy for one of those thin's."
Elora looked around the little group and said, "Excuse us." It was almost a whisper.
She asked her mate to walk with her to the other side of the room and spoke quietly. "Ram. What's scaring you about this?"
He looked back over his shoulder at the group they had left. "I do no' like it."
"I know. Me either. And what else?"
"You're talkin' about lettin' one of those thin's drink your blood."
"And that's bothering you because you think I'll be hurt or because you think it's an act that's intimate?"
Ram shoved his hand through his hair and looked exasperated. When he pinned her with those Hawking blue eyes, she could read everything in his heart.
"You're afraid I would enjoy it? A vamp taking my blood?" He searched her face and looked away. They were both remembering the last time she was bitten.
"Only if there's no other way and only if I'm there. Just so you know I can no' stand the idea."
Baka didn't feel any better about using Elora for an experiment than Ram did. They sat in an empty classroom a few doors down and argued, hashing out the logistics.
Which one?
How could they be sure it would just be one?
What if the other four got excited about the prospect of real blood?
Was she strong enough to protect herself from five of them?
The whole thing seemed crazy risky.
"I need a break." Elora left them arguing and stepped out into the hallway. She took out her intelliphone and called Litha's number.
Soon after starting the story, Litha said, "Just a minute. I'm with Storm. I'm putting you on speaker."
When Elora summarized what had happened and what they were thinking, Storm simply said, "No."
"Yeah. It's not like I haven't heard that one before. I'm just trying to make sure we haven't overlooked some other option. I thought Litha might have an alternative. Or maybe Deliverance?"
There was silence for a few seconds before Litha said, "Stay right where you are and don't do anything. Let me see if I can reach him. Maybe he knows something. I don't know."
Elora started to pace the hallway. She had a ten step path. Ten steps up. Ten steps back. After going back and forth a few times, she turned to start the other direction and nearly jumped out of her skin. Storm, Litha, and Deliverance stood in front of her. For once they didn't find startling somebody funny.
"Elora, my dad is going to take them to his place and keep them there until they sober up. At that point we can explain the situation to them and get their cooperation in finding a solution."
Elora nodded at Deliverance. "Thank you."
He stepped toward her, picked up a lock of red, pink, and blonde hair, looked into her eyes, and said, "You'll owe me."
Storm slapped the demon's hand away from his teammate. "Touch her again and there'll be trouble."
Deliverance smiled at his son-in-law, then vanished. When Elora reentered the classroom, she had Storm and Litha with her.
Storm looked around the room.
Baka raised his chin
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