George finally found a sheltered overhang to a building, but not before the rain finally came to a stop. He needed to look at her injury without the rain and with something more than the moonlight. He winced as soon as he saw her temple. The accident happened several minutes ago, and Ana hadn’t healed yet. George knew this wasn’t good. She probably didn’t feed regularly in the last few weeks because Mary wasn’t there with her. Food and drink laced with blood could sustain them for a short time, but it did nothing for them if they were injured. She needed more blood to heal. There were no humans near George was aware of and their driver wasn’t any benefit, as he was dead. George couldn’t be upset at the driver for being so fragile. But currently, his death created more difficulties. Now he wasn’t sure by the vacant look in her eyes if he could get her to their new residence and their feeders there. A phone would help, but the one he
George watched as the wound on Ana’s head healed before his eyes and he relaxed a little. Now he needed to deal with Ana and the feelings his blood evoked in her. There was no way he could hide how he felt from her now. This bond was one-sided, and he couldn’t feel her emotions. To feel them, he would need to close the bond and drink from her. That was going too far and treading too closely to mating with someone outside of your caste. At least, he had a reason for this partial bond and Ana might skate through any prosecution if anyone discovered she fed from him. She’d been injured, and he needed her healed so that he could get her to safety. That was the next thing on his list. Ana clung to him while he tried to lead her down the road again. “We need to get to our destination now. It’s not far, but neither is the sunrise. Come, let’s get back to walking.” He pulled her along even as Ana protested and complained
Now she understood what the stories meant when they spoke of an obsessive fascination with the vampire you drank from. She could feel his emotions, and all she wanted to do was thank him for caring. Ana felt like he was the first person she’d ever had in her corner. It felt eye opening, the concern he felt over so much. It felt so heavy and weighing down, that hurt her heart to know that. Someone she could trust that wasn’t something she’d squander lightly. “Ambassador, I have Heidi here to help get you to your new rooms. She says everything is ready for you. I must go deal with a security issue before I can retire for the night. I’ll look in on you after I’m done.” Heidi gave George an odd look. It wasn’t appropriate for him to do that. But at this point, he needed to know that she was safe and looked after properly. George gave Heidi the look to just go with him on this. She could believe he was lying about it. Or she could repor
Ana was slowly beginning to feel more like herself. The blood worked to help her heal, but the ability to feel his emotions and her own would throw anyone a little off at any time. But with a head injury, she felt overwhelmed. The need to question who felt what was a little confusing, but it told her one thing that she didn’t need to know. If they hadn’t already kissed before, it would have blindsided her. But his feelings about her were a lot stronger than she expected. Now she was trapped with this knowledge and couldn’t do anything about it. She couldn’t talk to anyone for fear it might be overheard or repeated to the wrong person. George was trapped in her world now, even if no one knew about the connection between them. “Ambassador, do you need assistance preparing to sleep? Perhaps a nightcap?” Heidi wasn’t offering to make her a drink. This was a polite way to ask if Adriana needed to feed.
Ana leaned against the door after she closed it. This was the first time she’d ever been curious about what a male looked like without clothes on. Really without clothes on, not just removing his shirt while he trained. George probably didn’t know that she’d secretly watched him train in that state of undress. But now Ana wanted to peel it all away and see everything up close and personal. Have the entire experience. “What am I thinking? Am I going mad? That would be suicide.” She spoke the words the little angel on her right shoulder chanted. But on her left shoulder stood an equally loud devil, telling her step-by-step instructions on what to do with him. It was enough to make her blush if she could. Her head injury truly must be worse than she thought if she could contemplate such risky behaviour. Had her father sent her here with George to test her limits and weed her from the offspring waiting for the throne?
George finally got a quick letter written and, in the mail, back to return to court. He hated this aspect. This was another job he took on that wasn’t in his job description, but he did it anyway. At least this time. Ana should have written it. He put it down to her, having suffered from shock from the accident why he was doing it. He’d added in that she asked him to deal with it because she felt so horrible for the family of the driver. Now his wrist itched, and it reminded him of Ana’s sweet lips tasting him. George had shocked himself because he’d feared that he wouldn’t have the ability to resist the pull to feed off of Ana. It wasn’t a picnic for him. The temptation felt so overwhelming and that was what sat upfront in his focus as he entered his rooms. His mind ran over every tiny detail from the red glow of her beast staring back at him, the sound of her eager excitement, and the feel of her taking a part of him. He wanted m
George walked back to his rooms after a meeting with his staff for the day. Nothing so far beyond the accident and other investigations appeared suspicious in any way. He couldn’t study the vehicle today since Ana needed to go to a social event. The Druid ambassador announced they’d host a gathering to celebrate the first successful sitting of the Ruling Council. George tried before his meeting to persuade Ana to let him stay behind and look over the remains of the vehicle. She insisted she must go, and she would not go with Maximus, as she feared he would say or do something that might expose the discontent with the Vampiric delegation. Now here he was dressing to take her to this event, and he knew it would become a lesson in humiliation for him. George’s rank within the Royal Guard would most likely place him as the lowest ranking official there. With no title or power of his own. Add to that, he was a guard an
They arrived at the event, though they had to use a different vehicle from the small pool of vehicles they had. George assisted Adriana from the vehicle. He could feel her nervousness from riding in a vehicle so soon after the accident and George prayed, she could keep herself together for the few hours they’d be here. “You’re sure you want to attend this event? I’m sure they’d understand your situation.” Adriana straightened her sapphire blue gown and fox fur stole after she stepped from the vehicle. Her hand finally gently touched her hair to ensure it was still neatly in place. Adriana sighed, tired of all the arguing over this specific subject. This was only one of many social gatherings she’d be forced to attend. “George, I’m sick of arguing. I’ve been arguing with Maximus and yourself for hours now. I’m fine, and this is important.” “I feel like I’m a terrible choice for this evening’s events.” George tried