Shadow Queen (5 page)

              His mouth was boiling hot.  That reminded me of how little I believed him to be warm before I met him.  I’d expected a cold, hard man, not a warm, defined one.  He was making circles with his tongue on my finger.  I swallowed not knowing what this little display would lead to.  Then...then...I felt a sting and knew what he’d done.  He bit me.  Just a prick like the rose. 

              His body rose to the high temperature it did in the garden.  My own face crimson with embarrassment for the obvious sensuality of the act made me just giddy with girl admiration and outright curiosity of what he might do next.  Not once was my mind upset that he’d bit me. 

              His eyes glowed brighter than ever like the brightest of two lanterns in the dark, but it wasn’t dark by any means.  They rimmed red like before.  My hand was released from his mouth but he still held it.  With eyes closed, he inhaled.  Exhaled.  Again.

              I felt...oh.  My body cooled, then heated in a wave of flowing energy.  I knew what he wanted. 

              I backed up a step.  My body's thermal switch ignited, no
burned
in places it shouldn’t.

              “No, don’t leave me,” his voice shook.  “Just give me a second.”

              I wasn’t scared, but I really wanted to know what or how I’d just made him want to jump my bones at the second he sucked just a pinprick of blood and now I feel the exact same way.

              “I think we found another connection.”  His eyes remained closed.

              “You...made me feel that way,” I said shyly.

              Pop!  His eyes were open again.  Red again.   “No, you felt that way on your own.  YOU felt how I did...and still do.  And I can tell immensely what my female wants.”

              I couldn’t breathe, the air was shrinking.  Distraction.  I needed a distraction.

              “So we feel emotions, and each other on a higher level than even before, and our heartbeats seem to sync.  And now we feel so deeply that we sense weakness and...want for...” I couldn’t say it. 

             
I want you so bad right now Kissa it hurts
.

              I jumped five whole feet back from him feeling every bit of the emotions packed into those nine words.  I wasn’t ready for that yet.

              “When we first kissed we made the connection strong, but this is
so much more
,” he shuddered.

              Okay.  He was such a guy right now.  I stupidly asked, “Are you going to be okay?”

              He grinned lazily and shook his head slow from side to side, “Never around you, Kissa.”

              Well that’s just peachy!

              “So in the courtyard, you tasted my blood and it did what exactly?”

              I was still looking for that distraction, but my mind refused to cooperate.

              “It made me want to consume you but not in the way you think a Vampire would.  I wanted much more than that, though the thought of tasting your blood is sweeter than the finest wine.  It also made me strong.  I could feel it.  Like a super rush of adrenaline.”  He wasn’t holding back at least.  Honesty was the best policy, but oh boy!

              Wait.  “So that means that when we...oh, oh, double oh!”   I started to jump around like a crazed monkey.  “What can happen once we...”  I wasn’t helping matters in the Cas vs. restraint department.  He was on an edge that I as a female could never understand.  “What if it means that we are like way in tune with each other after...” 

              “Make love, Anastacia.  Say it.  I want you to say it.”

              The only word I could say was marriage, marriage, marriage.

              Courage found its way up with the steady look he gave.  I was grown and had already admitted to myself that I would marry this guy, so I just needed to put on my big girl panties and bite the bullet.

              I stopped the flustered hopping and faced him.  “Yes, one day I want to make love to you Cas when we are married and you can find out just what this magic the two of us have inside.  But for now, I think we should...”

              I was full of dying sentences today. 

              Of course, his eyes sparked again.  Here we go.

              “That’s all I wanted you say.  You’re mine, Kissa.  And one day you’ll be completely mine.”

             
Yours.

              When his eyes opened this time, they were calm. His heart slowed.

              “How did you do that?  Stop it so easy?” I asked.

              “Oh, it’s not stopped.  Tapered.”  A very pregnant pause followed then, “For now.”

              Ahhhh!  Ohhhh!

              We cooled off and headed to the Sun room.

              At the entrance Szar yelled from the sofa that he was watching a Saints game in action.  Then his yell died midsentence when he said, “It’s been twenty five minutes.  What the he—“

              His voice died staring at us.  Guess we still both looked a little
flustered
.

              Both of us beelining it for opposite chairs, we avoided the conflicting embarrassment on my brother’s face as he mumbled, “Last time I’m coming here.  You two are too much.”

              “Szar.  Stop.  We have a discovery.”

              “No!” I jumped and yelled at Cas.

              “Kissa, they will need to know.”

              Really!  I gave him a look and pleaded my best case, “Please don’t Cas.  He’s my brother.”

              Szar covered his face.  “If you two do some kind of monkey act in front of me I’m never talking to either of you ever again.”

              Horrified I scaled the coffee table and started to pound on every part of my brother I could reach under his shield of pillows and arms. 

              “Shut up you perv.”

              Tackling my brother endlessly, he laughed like a madman and between breaths mimicked hand motions like he was cocking a gun, made zipping sounds, and said between exaggerated hollow breathes, “hurts...stun-gunned by the goddess...next time...I’m setting your stunner...on low.”

              Cas disentangled me off him and sat me in his lap locking my arms like handcuffs.  That
wasn’t
helping.

              “Sorry.  Had to be done.”  He turned to Szar.  “The bottom line is I’ve tasted her blood.  It makes us closer in mind. The only way either of us seemed to be able to describe it is like a...energy filled connection.  It’s stronger now.”

              “Freaky Vampire babies on the way,” Szar slapped his hands to both of his cheeks.  “You two are just...freaky.”

              “Thanks, bro.  Like you’re the norm.”  Not!

              “Just saying.”  He stood to go giving me a slow nod.  I knew he was creeped out.  “I'll be going now.  Any more TMI before I hit it?”

              Neither of us answered as we stared at one another.  We needed to be alone.  We didn’t need to be alone
at all
!

              “Big bad normal brother
out
.”  He left so fast I heard the door two seconds after his face disappeared from my peripheral. 

              That night Cas and I talked without too much red faced, burning ear action.  We talked about what would happen if he bit me.  I didn’t want to be a Vampire and he assured me it wouldn’t happen.  A long descriptive conversation later, I knew I could trust him.  He explained that to have another’s blood from one they cared about was beyond ecstasy, but he didn’t give a lot of detail.  He, of all things, appeared embarrassed.  I loved it.

              I told him about my discoveries after quizzing Liam about being marked.   He was shocked I would discuss this with Liam and not him. Oh well, at least I get it.

              Cas shared our discovery through a text to "save" my embarrassment.  I got the impression he wanted it said and out there showing his official claim over my body in his eyes.  I didn't protest it, but it was a little overboard in my eyes that not
everything
had to be shared.

              The next morning we were back to the important development of late.  Szar texted us all that Cord was in the camp Liam was watching for us and had wind about a sighting.  Cord sent someone in to take his place so Liam could eat and catch up to us.  We learned later the timing was perfect.  Borgon was going to attack and we needed to be there and waiting with him.  We headed to the warehouse to suit up with the needed weapons. 

              Close to the camp, I felt Cas tense up.

              “What’s wrong?” I asked.

              “Nothing.”  His mind was severely closed off.

              Liam rode with us.  Cas slowed the car and turned his head to the back seat in his direction and landed a field mine on me.  “Go on ahead.  A scout is just in the trees to the left.  Be sure she knows she is found out.”

              She.  I had my guesses.

              Liam exited the car and we drove on.  Since no one else was in the car with us, I forged a comment.  “Nara.”

              Cas flared his nose in the air and tensed further than before.  “Yes.”  He was short with me on the subject of her.  I still felt sometimes that he was protecting her more than dissuading her.  Like he felt obligated to see her unharmed.

              “You forget I hear you, Kissa.  If you wish for me not to, you have to control it.”

              “If I wanted to, I would.”  Not true.  I just forgot this time.  But I didn’t want him to think I was hiding things. 

              “She is that way with me like you think.  I know I am far from perfect, but she doesn’t deserve what her father did to her.  She spent her whole Vampire life being told I’d marry her even if my intentions were always the opposite.  I made it clear to her long ago I wouldn't, but it didn’t taper.”

              “But she is evil.  And you care about her.”

              The car swerved to the side and came to an abrupt stop.  His hands on the wheel didn’t move as he shot a knee up my direction, “Caring about someone means a little more than that.  I thought you’d know that by now.”

              I searched the enigmatic look and finally responded with, “I do.  Of that I have no doubt.  But it is the unearthly push I see in you to protect her that gives me fear.  I don’t like it.”

              His legs shifted toward me more giving the stick shift in the middle that separated us our only obstacle.  “I am not protecting her for any reason other than I feel like she was given a raw deal.  I have the upmost hate for the girl and find her vile and without any remorse for what she does.  She would have you dead and that alone makes her number one on the hit list.  I am not trying to keep her alive as much as I’m trying to make myself feel like I’ve proven her injustice to her father.  He’d have her a weapon in any instance and not shed one tear if she perishes.  She has no one.  And...she is one of my own.  I have an obligation to watch over her.”

              That’s exactly what I mean.  One.  She was like him.  And two.  The word obligation.  “Will that obligation ever be fulfilled?  Because I’m not standing in the wings and watching her win.”

              His brow lifted,  “Your jealousy is profound, but I assure you that the only debt I owe her is the fact that she is still alive.  And she knows this.  Liam sees to her for the most part, covering things with Drac more than I.”

              “So she doesn’t think she’s going to get you back?” I asked looking hard at him for dishonesty or the slightest flinch in composure.

              “She never had me.”

              I was satisfied for the moment, but I’d feel better if she was out of the picture.

              “Kissa, you will have to accept that my people need a leader.  I can’t even begin to tell you what you put me through with your sordid circle of friends.  At least your jealousy is unfounded.  I’ve never given her one glance.  She’s been evil since the day I knew her.  You still have obsessively warring thoughts within you when you near our little band of misfits.”

              “I do not.  You’re reading me wrong.  I haven’t the slightest thought of any of them.  What you’re reading is the inept ability to be creeped out by the magic we all have that transfers through me.  It’s uncomfortable and I don’t like it.”

              He seemed to like this.  He kissed me from across the seat and drove off.  We were half a mile from the turn off. 

              Inside the wolf inhabited compound, I felt like a ball of nerves.  It wasn’t my comfort zone for hominess. 

              Cord walked out of the main area house that was much like the one we’d destroyed at the last camp. His swaggered look was just what makes him so appealing and right for other Were girls.  I couldn’t not see his good looks, but they were plastic to me.  He was too perfect. 

                “About time you two.  The others have been here for half an hour.” 

              We were talking that long?  I dared a look at Cas whose smug face told me he was sending guy vibes I didn’t care for.

              “We were detained,” he told Cord.

              “Uh, huh!” Cord raised a brow and flipped to go back in the door.

              I blushed all manner of hues and followed behind throwing Cas a dirty look.  That wasn’t nice.

              Neither is the way he was looking at you.  I don’t like it.

              At least we were both on the wavelength of territorial “mineness” in regards to who belonged to who.

              Of course, Liam picked that opportune time to inform Cas of the scout's whereabouts. 

              “She said you’re out of time.  That’s all she would say,” Liam stayed gallantly straight-faced.

              Cas only nodded and pulled me up to his hip.  I wished he'd open his mind a little.  It might ease the pain he caused by helping her.

              His body told me he was listening but nor his mouth or thoughts were talking. 

              We sat down at the table inside and held a rapid fire discussion on who would be where when the poop hits the fan.  I took in the cabin like features to note how it was easily destroyed in the other camp.  This one was better kept and nicer in design.  It had been upgraded in ways and uncannily fit Cord perfectly.  Rugged, but with a little class.  I could see where this made him happy.

              "You didn't tell me this was your place," I asked Cord in an interruption to whatever they just said.

              "It's not.  But my love nest in the back will suffice if that is what your wanting to see," he smirked.

              Cas clipped him in the jaw.

              He nursed casually, "It was worth it to see her reaction.  Go on and use it you two.  We've all been waiting on it."

              I huffed and returned the conversation back to a safe zone.

              When someone mentioned Borgon and his two sidekicks I felt my body consolidate into one huge tension ball.  I listened as Liam told all of us what all he’d heard exactly.  The crazed drunk Elf at the club said his leader was going to attack the Sweetgum Camp in less than a week and would destroy the head Were leader since he was aware he was currently staying there.  I wondered how Borgon knew this when even I didn’t know he wasn’t staying at his main house, the Were Manor.  No, his house didn’t have mansion status like the Valkyrie and Vampire courts, but neither did the Hunter house have anything of the likes.  I imagined it as dirt floors and bones in the corner.  Cabins were good.

              The Elf intended to meet his friends and head back to the hidden area just south of the camp where they were holed up in an underground hideout.  When they had time to build it was beyond me, but it made me wonder how long all this has been going on right before the eyes of all.

              Liam was finished and Calum spoke up.  “Lee said it would be in the next two days.  That was yesterday.”

              Stupid trusting Lee in my opinion, but I didn't share it.

              “We are ready,” Cord responded.  His second, as I’ve learned, stepped beside him and called his name except it wasn’t what I was accustomed to but knew well. 
              “Perimeter secure Scorpion.”

              I learned from Cas this nickname of sorts originated from his childhood.  I also learned from Kassie he had a tendency to overuse the image to entice the opposite sex with a lead off of' "Want to see how my scorpion stings?" Hence the name stuck.  I didn't foresee ever liking Cord for his playboy ways, but my heart still rang out for his loneliness. I knew how it felt.  I didn't want anyone to feel that way.

              “Thanks Jarod,” Cord said without looking his way.

              I looked this guy over.  Tall, rakishly handsome, combat boots, and severely badass weaponry.  I had no doubts about his skills in battle.

             
Kissa!
 

              I snapped my eyes away.  “And our fathers and courts and other places are protected just in case?” I asked attempting to multitask.

              All nodded.

              A silence followed by Calum who spoke directly to Cas.  “Lee said he would be with him.”  He paused.  “To be aware of the fact that he would be acting on Borgon’s orders.  He didn’t make sense, but he told me to be sure Stace didn’t try to go all heroic on him.”

              To be sure I didn’t try to go
heroic
on him?  What the hell?  He didn’t just come see me.  Did he see Cas or Szar without me knowing?  I looked at both of them to see if their faces gave them away.  Neither were phased by my glare.

Calum cleared his throat for a second time.  He lifted his bottled water he brought and eyebrow at the same time. He finished it off and tossed it in the huge trash bin eight to ten feet away for the effect he intended to leave on me.  “Though I’m not aware of what that means, Stace, you seem awfully zoned in on it.”

              I didn’t give any indication for him to think that, I thought.  It seems likely they need to know.  Without looking at Cas, who I knew for sure was aware because he was there, I announced, “He asked me to stand my ground no matter what he says to me directly.  I don’t know what’s coming, but he does.”

              All eyes twisted to mine.  Then, like a crowd hired to show a universal reaction to the plot twist scene, they each squinted their eyes in fury.  I saw them each swallow and hold back their anger at being the last to know.

              “And what of the Vampire bit—the girl with Borgon?” Calum asked.  He didn’t know all that much about her either. 

              My fists couldn’t help it.  They balled under the table just as Cas inched a hand on my knee. 

              Cas said, “She came earlier and scouted out the place just before we arrived which means Borgon is closer than we like.”

              Calum asked in innocence, “I get Lee’s fascination with Stace, but what’s this chick’s story?”

              Szar and Cord both started at once. 

              “She is—

              “The Vamp wants—

              Cas stopped them both and looked at Calum sternly, “She was told things long ago that were not to my choosing and I haven’t been able to thwart her intentions or revenge from the start of it.  She aims to take out Anastacia to get back at me.”

              Calum huffed loudly, “What kind of Wheaties box did you piss in to make her that angry?”

              I stilled waiting for it.  Cas sat quiet too.

              Szar barely said, “She was told that her and Thorn would be married when she turned eighteen.  Neither of them ever liked each other from the start...yadda, yadda, yadda... and both hate each other for who they represent.  She’s just pissed it wasn’t a Vamp who stole him from her.  Valkyries disgust her as I well know.”

              I turned my head up at that. “What the hell?” I asked my brother.

              “She’s a man hater.  No matter the race, she hates us all.  She just made it known that anything other than Vampire is beneath even being a man.”