Chapter Eight #2
Kadie shrugged. “Maybe it’s just a show of gratitude for bringing her and Kincaid together. Their anniversary is tomorrow. Or maybe, like the rest of us, she’s worried about you.”
“I don’t need the Ravenwood family and the others worrying about me,” Saintcrow growled.
“I’ve been looking after myself for a thousand years and.
...” Seeing the wounded expression on Kadie’s face, he sat beside her and pulled her roughly into his arms. “You’re all I need, darlin’,” he said, lightly stroking her hair.
“You’re all I’ve ever needed. All I ever wanted. ”
She rested her forehead against his chest, hot tears stinging her eyes.
“I know you’re worried and afraid,” he said quietly. “But, shit, so am I.”
“Did you learn anything from the witches?”
“Izabela summoned the image of a woman I knew decades before I was turned. Thinking about her tonight, I realized she was a vampire at the time.”
“That’s good, isn’t it?” Kadie asked, a note of excitement in her voice. “Maybe she can help.”
“Maybe, if we can find her. Alara says my blood is the problem.”
“Your blood?” Kadie shook her head. “I don’t understand.”
“It’s her opinion that something is causing it to turn toxic.”
“I’ve never heard of such a thing,” Kadie remarked. But then, she hadn’t been a vampire very long compared to Saintcrow and Kincaid. And then she frowned. “If it was toxic, the other vampires wouldn’t want it, would they?”
“Maybe it’s only toxic to me. It didn’t have any bad effect on Alara.”
Kadie rested her cheek against his chest. “I hate this, not knowing exactly what’s wrong and not even a guess as to how to fix it.”
Staring into the distance, Saintcrow lightly stroked her shoulder.
So, his blood was becoming toxic. It was the damnedest thing he’d ever heard of, and he’d heard a hell of a lot of incredible tales in a thousand years.
His blood had killed a rat. Would drinking it also kill the fledglings?
What if whatever was eating at him was nature’s way of culling the vampire population?
Or destroying it altogether? He needed to talk to Izabela and he didn’t want Kadie there when he did.
“I’m going out,” he said, abruptly.
“I’m going with you.”
“No. I need some time alone. I won’t be long.”
“Rylan–”
He silenced her with a kiss. “Why don’t you go soak in a nice hot bubble bath? I’ll be back before the water gets cold to wash your back,” he promised, and vanished from the room.
~ * ~
Izabela greeted Saintcrow in her nightgown and bathrobe. If she was surprised to see him, it didn’t show. She had gone back to asking if he meant her any harm.
“You know I don’t,” he growled. “Open the damn door.”
“Temper, temper,” she scolded as she unlocked the screen to let him in. “What brings you here so late?” she asked. And then grinned. “I guess it isn’t late for you, is it?”
He followed her into the living room and sat on the sofa while she settled into her rocking chair. “The witch in the Everglades. She thinks my blood is turning toxic and that’s what’s weakening my self-control and fueling my hunger. She also thinks it will ultimately destroy me.”
Izabela nodded, her expression thoughtful. “I suppose that could happen. Did she have a solution?”
“No. But I’m wondering if the blood from a vampire older than I am might neutralize the toxicity.”
Izabela rocked gently for several moments. “It might work.”
Saintcrow raked his fingers through his hair. Could it be that easy?
“You said the woman I summoned was older than you?”
“Yeah. She’s been a vampire longer than I have, although I don’t know how much longer.”
“Odd that she would appear to me,” Izabela mused. “It’s almost as if she knew you needed her. But I don’t see how that can be, since you said you never exchanged blood. Or am I mistaken?”
“Ancient vampires can usually find whoever they’re looking for, unless the other vampire has blocked them, or gone to ground. But I wasn’t a vampire when we met. Can you summon her again?”
“I can try,” Izabela said with a wry grin. “But I’m not sure if I summoned her the first time or she summoned me.”
~ * ~
Kadie smiled as Rylan materialized beside the tub.
Dropping to his knees, he took the soap from her hand and began to wash her.
He started at her back and slowly made his way around, lingering on her breasts before he moved downward.
When he finished, he dropped the soap, his magical hands arousing her until she was so hot she was sure that at any moment the water would begin to boil.
Chuckling softly, Saintcrow lifted her into his arms, stood, and carried her into the bedroom.
She never thought to protest as they left a trail of soapy water behind, her only thought to pull him down on top of her and urge him to ease the fire he had started inside of her.
He was naked when they reached the bed. She laughed as he almost slipped off of her soapy body when he lowered himself over her, his mouth a flame as he kissed and caressed her until everything else was forgotten and there was only Rylan, telling her he loved her, would always love her and no one else.
It was only later, when he had fallen asleep, her head on his shoulder, his arm holding her close, that she wondered how things had gone with Izabela.