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More than long enough for me to become aware of the hardness of Hudson’s long, lean body pressed against my back, his fingers resting lightly on my waist to steady me.
As the eagle, too, disappears from view, Hudson pulls slowly away from me. I want to protest, want to grab on to his hands and hold him in place for just a few more minutes. For just a little longer. There’s something so peaceful about standing up here at what feels like the top of the world, looking over land that has been untouched by humans for centuries…maybe even forever.
It’s awe-inspiring, but it’s also humbling. And a reminder that no matter how grave my problems are, they’re only a momentary blip in the grand scheme of things. The world turned for a long time before I was born, and it will keep turning no matter how long Hudson’s and my immortality lasts…provided climate change doesn’t destroy it all before then, of course.
“We should get going,” he says, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like that he sounds as reluctant as I feel.
“I know,” I answer with a sigh. Then I hand him my flowers. “Will you tuck these in the side pocket of my backpack? I don’t want them to fall out when I fly.”
He doesn’t say anything, but he seems pleased as he does what I asked, zipping the pocket snug around the flowers’ stems so that only the blooms stick out. He holds on to one stem, however, with several clusters of white flowers in it.
I start to ask him what he’s going to do with it, but the words turn to dust in my mouth as he leans forward and slowly, carefully weaves the flowers through the windswept curls that aren’t tucked into my hat.
“How do they look?” I ask, tilting my head so he can get a better view of the flowers.
“Beautiful.” But he’s not looking at the flowers when he answers. He’s looking at me…and somehow that makes everything better and worse, all at the same time.
Follow the
Blood-Soaked
The rest of the trip to the Bloodletter’s cave is uneventful. A storm is moving in—I can feel it in the damp air all around us—so we travel fast, without any more rest breaks.
I check Jaxon’s directions on the fly, and as expected, they’re right on. All of which means we get to the Bloodletter’s faster than I thought we might, and as we stand on the icy ground directly above her cave, me downing a granola bar while Hudson drinks from his thermos of blood, I can’t help wondering if we should wait a while before trying to enter. It’s barely noon, and I don’t know if she’s napping…or maybe enjoying a particularly fresh lunch.
Just the thought turns my stomach a little as I search for the opening to the cave, but it is what it is. And since this is my world now—especially considering I’ve been mated to two vampires at this point—I need to get used to the whole drinking-blood thing. Or, if not used to it, at least comfortable to the point where it doesn’t traumatize me every time I think about them feeding from humans.
“The entrance is over here,” Hudson calls, pointing to a small opening at the base of the mountain. Since the snow is melting, it’s thankfully no longer hidden behind a giant snowbank like it was when I came with Jaxon, which makes it a lot easier to find and, more importantly, to access.
I cross over to where he’s standing, then crouch down and prepare to enter the cave. “Ready?” I ask over my shoulder.
But Hudson’s hand snakes out to stop me. “You forgot the safeguards. If we don’t disable them first, they’ll fry us alive.”
Horror sweeps through me as I realize that he’s right. I hand him my phone and say, “Jaxon sent instructions to remove them here.”
He does a few complicated moves with his hands, then reaches for mine and says, “Come on. Let’s get this over with.”
He tugs me to him and then walks with me straight through the entrance of the cave. He keeps my hand in his as we start down the steep, slippery path that will eventually lead us to the Bloodletter’s antechamber. I’m expecting the same long, challenging, and slightly gruesome walk as before, but this time is different.
Because as soon as we make it around the first curve, she’s right there waiting for us, with her green eyes blazing and a grumpy frown on her face.
Why Can’t
You B Positive?
“Maybe I wasn’t as smooth getting through those safeguards as I thought,” Hudson tells me in an aside, even as he shifts to put his body in front of mine. It’s a move that should piss me off—I am a gargoyle, after all, and more than capable of defending myself.
Then again, the Bloodletter is basically the oldest and most powerful vampire in existence. Something tells me she won’t need to rely on her powers if she wants to make me bleed…or break me into pieces.
So, just this once, I don’t complain about him stepping in front of me. Especially since this position means I get to watch his back—just in case, you know, she decides she wants to break him into pieces instead of me.
“You unraveled the safeguards perfectly and you know it,” the Bloodletter snaps at him. “Which makes me wonder if Jaxon has been telling tales.” Her tone says that there will be hell to pay if he has.
I start to jump in to defend Jaxon, but Hudson beats me to the punch…and lies. “Do you honestly think I need my little brother’s help to get through a few measly protections?”
Her laser-green gaze locks with his, and she looks nothing like the sweet old grandmother I originally mistook her for and a lot more like the deadly predator she actually is. “Those measly protections are the strongest in existence.”
Hudson never even blinks as he answers, “Oops.”
My stomach climbs into my throat, but the Bloodletter doesn’t move. For long seconds, I’m not even sure she breathes. She just tilts her head and studies him, like he’s a bug under a microscope and she’s contemplating pulling off his wings.
Or wondering how he’ll look draining into her blood bucket.
“Interesting that you would lie to me, Mr. Vega.” Her eyes narrow on Hudson. “Very interesting.”
Just when I’m beginning to think Dead Man Walking refers to a lot more than a book title, her too-bright gaze flicks over to me. And my stomach goes from my throat to my toes.
“Grace, my dear. It’s so nice to see you again.” The subtle emphasis she puts on the word “you” doesn’t go unnoticed by Hudson or me.
“It’s nice to see you, too.” I give her the best smile I can muster, considering I’m pretty sure there’s no chance Hudson is getting out of this cave alive.
“Come here so I can see you, child. It’s been too long.” She holds out a hand to me.
And my mouth feels like it’s full of cotton, my mind racing with how many times Jaxon has warned me over and over to never, ever touch her, that she hates to be touched.
“It’s been six weeks,” Hudson tells her flatly—right before he moves to block me as I start to come behind him.
“Like I said. Too long.” She continues to smile, continues to hold out her hand. But there’s a look in her eyes now that warns me disobedience won’t be tolerated.
It’s not a good start to the visit, especially since I’m hoping to convince her to help us. But why does she want to touch me now? Is this a trick? Is it a test? Well, if it’s a test, I decide, I have every intention of passing. This visit is too important.
It’s my turn to give a warning look. But mine is directed at Hudson as I shove his arm out of the way. He responds with a low growl, but he doesn’t try to block me again.
I move past him, pull in a deep breath, and take the Bloodletter’s hand.
I only have a second to register that her eyes are swirling green orbs as we touch; then I kind of freeze as she pulls me in for a hug, like I’m some long-lost relative or something. I’m so confused—this isn’t the kind of relationship we had last time—until Hudson snarls, and I realize that this performance isn’t for me. It’s for him. Part boast and part threat, all payback.
“I thought I warned you that he was the dangerous brother,” she murmurs to me. And though her voice is soft, I know very well that she means for Hudson to hear.
Also, she’s not wrong.
“You did,” I answer as she releases me. “But there have been some developments.”
“Developments.” Her eyes gleam with interest. “Do these developments have anything to do with my Jaxon not being with you?”
Hudson snorts—whether at my use of the word “developments” or her use of a possessive pronoun to describe Jaxon, I don’t know. But I count my blessings when he doesn’t say anything…and when she does nothing more than lift a brow at his rudeness. Not that I know exactly what she could do to him, but I wouldn’t put it past her to smite him, or whatever it’s called when a vampire as powerful as she is unleashes her power.
“Yes.” I answer quickly, before Hudson can do anything else to upset her.
She looks between us, like she’s weighing her options. Finally, with a sigh, she turns back toward the depths of the cave. “Well then, you’d better come in, shouldn’t you?”