Chapter 22 #2
“What is the matter?” Dru asked again. This time her voice held a sharp edge to it.
Tomesha sighed, flicking her gaze back out to the yard. A determined glint flickered in Dru’s eyes. She might as well tell her. If she said it was nothing, then it had to be all in Tomesha’s head.
“I…um…this may sound silly, but I feel as if someone was watching me,” Tomesha admitted. She placed her porcelain mug on the table.
“What?” Dru growled. She moved beside Tomesha and bent down to where they were eye level. She must have picked up on the sharpness of her tone as her facial features softened. “Tell me why you would think that, miere.”
“I’m not quite sure, but I even feel silly for saying it. But as I was eating I kept getting this feeling that someone was watching me. I don’t see anyone out there, but I swear there was. I told him—I’m sorry. I didn’t catch your name?”
“His name is irrelevant at the moment.” Dru’s tone dropped low. She eyed the guard over her shoulder. “And what did my guard do when you shared this information with him?”
Tomesha had a sense that Dru wasn’t speaking with her. The guard’s color faded as he met his general’s eyes.
“There is no one, General. I would have sensed them.” He cleared his throat and stood taller.
“But did you check? Did you send anyone to patrol to ensure that my mate is secured when she’s not feeling safe?” Dru slowly stood.
Tomesha’s eyes widened at Dru’s reaction. She was tempted to cut in, but something told her not to interfere when it came to Dru and her warriors.
“No, General. I did not,” he replied after a momentary hesitation.
A growl rumbled from Dru that sent a flurry of worry through Tomesha. She felt bad for getting him in trouble. Maybe she shouldn’t have said anything at all.
“It’s fine. He assured me that—”
Dru’s hand cut through the air, silencing Tomesha.
“I want the grounds searched. Now.” Dru’s voice was cold and hard.
“Yes, General.” The warrior slammed a fist over his heart and bowed his head.
He reached up and placed a hand to his ear as he spoke softly into something unseen.
He strode to the stairs of the veranda and jogged down them.
He headed to the area where Tomesha could have sworn someone had been watching her.
Seconds later, a few other warriors bursts through the doors and took off in the same direction as the guard.
“I do apologize, miere.” Dru returned to Tomesha’s side. She pulled the other chair closer to Tomesha and took a seat. Her bright-blue eyes still held the dangerous glint in them.
Tomesha shivered at the look. Dru was a vampire who was powerful and dangerous—but yet so gentle with her.
“I don’t want to get anyone in trouble. It was just a feeling I had. I didn’t see anyone,” Tomesha said softly.
“It matters not. You’re very important to me, and if you felt unsafe, he should have acted on it.” Dru took her hand and pressed a small kiss to the back of it.
Tomesha’s core clenched at the heat that now appeared in Dru’s eyes.
“If you ever get a sense of anything, you share it immediately. I get those same inclinations, and believe me when I say, it has saved my neck plenty of times.”
“Okay.” Tomesha reached out and held Dru’s face. Her skin was soft and warm. This vampire who led warriors, was a high-ranking member of the royal vampires, felt she was important to her. “So I’m important to you?”
She offered a teasing smile to Dru. Her vampire arched an eyebrow at her.
“You have no idea, miere. No harm will ever come to you,” Dru murmured. That dangerous glint appeared again. Her fangs appeared underneath her lips.
Tomesha’s breath caught in her throat at the memory of feeling those sharp teeth sinking into her flesh. She shifted in her seat and tried to remain calm. Her heart rate spiked.
“Do you have the need to feed?” Tomesha asked. She hoped Dru did. She’d be only too willing to lead her vampire upstairs to their private quarters.
“Not at the moment,” Dru replied.
Her gaze flicked over to the grounds where the warriors were returning toward the veranda.
She released Tomesha’s hand and settled back in her chair.
The veil that fell over her face let Tomesha know she was now in her general role.
Tomesha decided she’d remain quiet. This wasn’t her place to interrupt.
She wasn’t sure who she needed to be protected from, but she’d listen to Dru.
She’d know best.
“Report.” The one word dropped from Dru’s lips as the warriors reached the bottom of the stairs.
They stood to attention. The one guard who’d been with Tomesha was front and center.
“There would appear to be footsteps near the tree line,” he announced.
Dru sat forward and rested her elbows on her knees.
“I don’t recognize the scent. Not human. Not lycan.”
“Vampire,” Dru growled. She moved lightning fast.
Tomesha’s blinked and found Dru gripping the large male by the neck, and she’d lifted him off the ground. He gripped Dru’s hand while he struggled to drag air into his lungs.
“My mate detected someone watching her, and you failed to secure the area.”
She slammed the vampire down on the ground. Tomesha gasped. So she hadn’t been imagining things. Someone had been out there. She tore her gaze off the vampire who lay on the ground drawing in ragged breaths and focused on the area where she’d known someone had been watching her.
But were they watching her or the inn? Maybe she just happened to be eating while they were observing the building.
“There is no room for mistakes when it comes to the safety of my mate,” Dru growled. She was in full warrior mode. This woman wasn’t the same person who’d brought Tomesha to multiple orgasms on her tongue. This was the deadly vampire. A warrior. A killer.
And she was Tomesha’s.
Tomesha blinked and exhaled a shaky breath. She clenched her legs together, signs of arousal between her legs. She’d never thought she’d be turned on by violent actions, but seeing this side of Dru did something to her.
It was all in her honor.
Again, she was unsure why she’d need to be protected. She was just a regular human. A sex worker. Who would want to do harm to her?
“I want the grounds on lockdown.” Dru snarled.
She glanced at the other warriors who snapped their heels. The one on the ground stood and got in line with the others.
Dru stood in front of him. “Will there be any other mistake, Leland?”
“No, General,” he wheezed. He attempted to clear his throat. He turned his attention to Tomesha. “I must apologize, my lady. It will never happen again.”
“You’re dismissed,” Dru barked.
The warriors immediately moved. Instead of entering via the door they’d exited, they walked around the yard and disappeared around the front. Tomesha pushed up from her seat and made her way to Dru who stared off in the direction of trees.
“Dru,” Tomesha whispered. She arrived at Dru’s side. She slipped her hand into Dru’s and entwined their fingers together. She rested a hand on Dru’s arm.
“I know you’re confused,” Dru began. She had yet to look at Tomesha.
There was still a hardness to her. The muscles underneath Tomesha’s hand were tense.
“I’ve made plenty of enemies in my lifetime.
Any of them would want to retaliate at any time, and they’d go for the one thing they know would hurt me. ”
“What is that?” Tomesha whispered.
“You.” Dru turned to Tomesha.
The raw emotions on her face almost had Tomesha stepping back. She’d never seen Dru look so vulnerable. She was a woman who was always intense, could be hard to read, calculating—who only showed emotions when she wanted to.
“Me?”
“Yes, you. There is nothing I won’t do to keep you safe.
Nothing.” Dru reached up and brought Tomesha flush to her.
Dru’s hand gently rested on the base of Tomesha’s neck.
Her thumb drew small circles on Tomesha’s skin, sending a shiver down her spine.
“You belong to me and will be with me through all time.”
“How? I’m human. Eventually I’ll get old and die,” Tomesha said. She’d cherish the times she’d have with Dru who’d already lived centuries and would continue to do so. A sadness spread through her that she wouldn’t get to have a true forever with this vampire.
Dru brought her head down and rested her forehead on Tomesha’s. “Once I claim you officially, you’ll walk through eternity at my side.”
“What?” Tomesha’s voice ended on a squeak. She studied Dru and saw she spoke the truth. “How?”
“I’ll explain everything at the time, but I need to know if you’d be willing to spend forever with me?” Dru asked softly.
Tomesha nodded without hesitation. She’d fallen completely in love with this vampire in such a short time. She wasn’t going to question this. It had to be fate. Vampires believed in it. Why couldn’t she?
“You didn’t even think about what I’m asking you.” A smile appeared on Dru’s lips. She sighed and rested a hand on Tomesha’s hip.
Her touch was something that Tomesha had begun to crave. She liked having Dru’s strong hands on her. She leaned into Dru, enjoying the feel of her firm body against hers.
“What is there to think about?”
“Forever means that your family and friends will grow old and die, while you will continue to age in calendar years but will forever look as you do now,” Dru said gently.
Tomesha’s heart skipped a beat. She couldn’t bear the thought of losing her grandmother or her brother. She bit her lip. She hadn’t thought of that. How would she function without the woman who’d raised her? Or her elder brother who’d always been a protector for her?
Forever, forever?
She never would have had forever with her family.
They would all eventually pass. It was a little morbid to think this way, but it was the honest truth.
Humans did not live as long as vampires.
It was a hard pill to swallow to think that one day her family would perish.
She’d just have to cross that bridge when the time came.
“I’m not changing my mind. I want to be with you.
” Tomesha reached up and cupped Dru’s face.
She had a feeling this was even new for her vampire.
If they were fated mates, then it meant Dru would have continued walking this earth alone without her had they not met or entered the draft.
Sadness crept inside her at the thought of this woman never truly knowing love.
What if Tomesha had never applied for the job at the club? How would they have met? How would Dru have sensed what was ingrained inside her about Tomesha?
The draft. There was no changing that. Tomesha would still have been called down to enlist in the registry. Would they match?
“Wait? Aren’t you going to register?” Tomesha had almost forgotten Dru was doing that.
“That was what I was going tell you when I first came out here.” Dru dropped a soft kiss on Dru’s lips. “I am leaving now. Would you like to come with me?”
“Absolutely.”