says in a hoarse shout and throws Marquette at Titus.
Titus catches her deftly, still running in the shrinking shadows which line the trees before the open meadow that begins to spread in a v-shape toward a great moat.
Maghnus, Imogen, and Quinn stand by the huge arched solid wood door.
Quinn and Maghnus remain slightly behind Imogen. Daylight has broken through the trees, and Baird hears Imogen gasp as the sun captures the day and the night falls away.
Carrig runs full tilt toward the open door. As he draws closer, a low broil-like smoke rises from his skin. Baird has never seen one of his kind so close to bursting into flames.
“Hurry!” she cries. “Carrig is burning!”
Baird watches the huge door split up the middle. The crack widens, early morning light entering. A wedge of sunlight grows bigger on the cobblestone floor.
Maghnus and Quinn lean back, sweat beading and sliding down their half-naked bodies. The Reapersʼ toes light up, turning black instantly.
Carrig leaps inside, rolling to the left where the shadows pool.
“Carrig!” Imogen cries.
Baird leaps in after him.
He whirls around as Siana makes the jump. He stands ready to catch her.
She fails.
Baird moves in a blur, snatching her out of the air with one hand. He grabs the dangling ropes of the bridge with the other hand.
With their combined weight, the bridge falls swiftly.
“Baird!” Siana screams.
“ I have you.”
Baird swings up, landing on the opposite side of the moat.
The bridge slaps the ground, echoing with the hard contact. He clasps Siana to him.
Sunlight hits his skin, and he grimaces.
The searing heat feels as though someone has lit a match and struck it against his flesh. Likewise, Titus tenses, running across the bridge with Marquette in his arms. The other nine Druid breeders follow.
Baird moves last, hauling Siana underneath his arm.
Even the sun cannot make him give her up.
They move through the doors, and Baird sets Siana gently on the ground.
Then he moves into the harsh morning light, his skin erupting into a smolder.
Grabbing the chain, he yanks it against the pulley and wraps it around the cleat, snaking it through the port. He uses his weight as leverage and wraps the chain around forearms that feel like melting flames. He heaves, and the bridge lifts, rope swaying as the bridge slowly makes its way up.
Finally the bridge seats in the upright position.
Baird staggers inside, and the great doors close behind him as he falls to his knees.
The last bit of sun leaves his skin, and the blessed darkness of the fortress claims the inside in a cool and tender embrace once again.
Flame is all Baird remembers.
And his love for Siana.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Siana
Siana feels as though she is dreaming.
The horrible attempt to save their lives before the sun claimed the day has turned the Reaper fortress into a mewling nightmare of two smoking Reapers.
Carrig is charred, not one piece of him unharmed by the sun's rays.
Imogen tries to find a spot she can touch. Finally, she leans over his still form. Deep healing of his body is all she can accomplish.
Biology takes over, and Carrig lunges at Imogen's throat.
Quinn and Maghnus have to pry him off her as he nearly takes every drop of blood she possesses.
“Stop!” Quinn says, driving his fist into Carrig's face.
Carrig staggers back, fangs punching, and lurches for Quinn.
“She is with child! Our child!” Quinn says.
Carrig hesitates. Imogen is in Maghnus's arms. Still and pale, she is now the one who needs healing, energy from blood loss.
“Oh goddess, no,” Carrig says.
Quinn nods. “You cannot blame yourself. You were rabid after that touch of the sun. However, she bears our young and is not a common human who can be drained and discarded.”
“Of course not,” Carrig says, moving toward Imogen.
Siana watches large patches of skin fall off him as he stands beside her. What the sun does to those who do not hold Exotic blood is a miserable
Titus catches her deftly, still running in the shrinking shadows which line the trees before the open meadow that begins to spread in a v-shape toward a great moat.
Maghnus, Imogen, and Quinn stand by the huge arched solid wood door.
Quinn and Maghnus remain slightly behind Imogen. Daylight has broken through the trees, and Baird hears Imogen gasp as the sun captures the day and the night falls away.
Carrig runs full tilt toward the open door. As he draws closer, a low broil-like smoke rises from his skin. Baird has never seen one of his kind so close to bursting into flames.
“Hurry!” she cries. “Carrig is burning!”
Baird watches the huge door split up the middle. The crack widens, early morning light entering. A wedge of sunlight grows bigger on the cobblestone floor.
Maghnus and Quinn lean back, sweat beading and sliding down their half-naked bodies. The Reapersʼ toes light up, turning black instantly.
Carrig leaps inside, rolling to the left where the shadows pool.
“Carrig!” Imogen cries.
Baird leaps in after him.
He whirls around as Siana makes the jump. He stands ready to catch her.
She fails.
Baird moves in a blur, snatching her out of the air with one hand. He grabs the dangling ropes of the bridge with the other hand.
With their combined weight, the bridge falls swiftly.
“Baird!” Siana screams.
“ I have you.”
Baird swings up, landing on the opposite side of the moat.
The bridge slaps the ground, echoing with the hard contact. He clasps Siana to him.
Sunlight hits his skin, and he grimaces.
The searing heat feels as though someone has lit a match and struck it against his flesh. Likewise, Titus tenses, running across the bridge with Marquette in his arms. The other nine Druid breeders follow.
Baird moves last, hauling Siana underneath his arm.
Even the sun cannot make him give her up.
They move through the doors, and Baird sets Siana gently on the ground.
Then he moves into the harsh morning light, his skin erupting into a smolder.
Grabbing the chain, he yanks it against the pulley and wraps it around the cleat, snaking it through the port. He uses his weight as leverage and wraps the chain around forearms that feel like melting flames. He heaves, and the bridge lifts, rope swaying as the bridge slowly makes its way up.
Finally the bridge seats in the upright position.
Baird staggers inside, and the great doors close behind him as he falls to his knees.
The last bit of sun leaves his skin, and the blessed darkness of the fortress claims the inside in a cool and tender embrace once again.
Flame is all Baird remembers.
And his love for Siana.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Siana
Siana feels as though she is dreaming.
The horrible attempt to save their lives before the sun claimed the day has turned the Reaper fortress into a mewling nightmare of two smoking Reapers.
Carrig is charred, not one piece of him unharmed by the sun's rays.
Imogen tries to find a spot she can touch. Finally, she leans over his still form. Deep healing of his body is all she can accomplish.
Biology takes over, and Carrig lunges at Imogen's throat.
Quinn and Maghnus have to pry him off her as he nearly takes every drop of blood she possesses.
“Stop!” Quinn says, driving his fist into Carrig's face.
Carrig staggers back, fangs punching, and lurches for Quinn.
“She is with child! Our child!” Quinn says.
Carrig hesitates. Imogen is in Maghnus's arms. Still and pale, she is now the one who needs healing, energy from blood loss.
“Oh goddess, no,” Carrig says.
Quinn nods. “You cannot blame yourself. You were rabid after that touch of the sun. However, she bears our young and is not a common human who can be drained and discarded.”
“Of course not,” Carrig says, moving toward Imogen.
Siana watches large patches of skin fall off him as he stands beside her. What the sun does to those who do not hold Exotic blood is a miserable
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