King of Battle and Blood (Adrian X Isolde #1)(34)

“The mortals seem to love it,” he said, and then he sniffed. “And I can eat anything I want.”

“He’ll throw it up later,” said Isac from behind us.

“It’s disgusting,” Miha added. “But he keeps doing it.”

“Let me live my life,” Sorin snapped, glaring at them. I tried hard not to smile but failed. When Sorin looked back at me, he wiggled the beef stick in my face. “Take it. I know you’re hungry. I can hear it.”

I raised a brow. “Is that another power I should know about? Superior hearing?”

“I’d say yes but even the mortals at the back of the line can hear your stomach growling.”

I frowned. I was hungry, and I hadn’t been able to bring myself to eat dinner this evening, so I took the dried beef and tore a piece off, chewing vigorously. The meat was hard and papery but not unpleasant. I was just glad to have something in my stomach.

“Thank you, Sorin,” I said.

“Of course, my queen.”

We continued for a few hours more, stopping once to water the horses.

Instead of leading the horses to water, the vampires filled buckets for the horses to draw from. I left Midnight’s side, hoping to sink my hands into the cool river, but as I knelt on the bank, a hand clamped down on my shoulder.

“Do not touch the water.”

I looked up into Daroc’s severe face and rose to my feet. With his warning issued and no explanation, he left me.

“Ignore him. He isn’t very polite, though he means well,” Sorin said, coming to stand beside me.

“I think he hates me.”

“He doesn’t, but he is very focused on duty. You are his responsibility. He will take personal offense if you are hurt on his watch.”

“Sounds like you know him very well.”

Sorin raised his brows. “I do. Very well.” Then he pointed to the water. “Animals attract creatures just as humans do, some that live in the water. Alps, in particular, feast upon horses, but they are not picky when they are hungry.”

Alps were creatures that could morph into varying sizes depending on the prey they were hunting. They had frightening, demon-like faces, and their features were large, taking up most of their face—a wide, tooth-filled smile, a large, bulbous nose, dark, endless eyes, and tall, pointed ears.

“I have never heard of alps in Lara,” I said. Commander Killian took these paths with his soldiers; I was certain he had stopped to water his horses as well and never reported attacks.

“You do not have to hear of them for them to exist,” Sorin said.

“I suppose that is true enough,” I said.

It was also frightening, but that was the world we lived in. I stared at the dark water as it shimmered over the rocks beneath rays of moonlight and couldn’t help feeling a little betrayed.

“Allow me,” Sorin said. Retrieving a bucket, he then dipped it into the water.

“How are you able to approach the water?”

He smiled ruefully. “The only blood that pumps through these veins is that which I drain.” I did my best not to cringe, but Sorin caught my discomfort and laughed. “In time, you will come to understand.”

“I beg to differ,” I said.

His smile widened, but he said nothing as he held the bucket for me. I dipped my hands in the cold water, hating how much I mistrusted it after what Sorin had told me. As I pressed cool hands to my heated face, I looked at him.

“How did you come to be part of Adrian’s army?” I asked.

“I have known Adrian since the beginning,” he said.

I wondered what he meant by that. Was he referring to the time of Adrian’s curse? Or before that when he’d been nothing more than a man?

“You did not answer my question,” I said, and this time, when he smiled, it was not as wholesome.

“Nothing gets past you, does it, my queen?”

He looked off to where Daroc and Adrian stood together. My gaze followed, and I noted how Daroc stiffened and glanced toward us.

“Are you…lovers?”

“Daroc and I are two souls,” he said. “One cannot go where the other does not follow.”

“Why do I get the sense you did not choose this life,” I said.

“Mount up!” Daroc shouted suddenly, and I jumped at the abruptness of his voice. I wondered again if all vampires could read minds.

Sorin looked back at me and said, “I chose Daroc. I am happy with that.”

We continued. I’d felt a brief reprieve from my lethargy when I’d dismounted, but the steady sway of my horse made my eyes feel heavy. The next thing I felt was a hand grasping my arm. I jerked and straightened, looking into Adrian’s white-blue eyes.

“I will hold you if you wish to sleep,” he said.

His words sent a shiver up my spine that felt too thrilling.

“I’m fine,” I said curtly and scrubbed my face with one hand. I could not imagine what sort of line I’d be crossing if I agreed to share his horse and sleep in his arms. Sex was one thing—that required no trust and no affection—but this was a level of trust I wasn’t prepared to offer.

He did not argue, and once again, I found myself alone in the procession as I continued—and failed—to fight sleep. It wasn’t until Daroc halted his steed and held up his hand, signaling for the others to follow, that my body awakened, now pumped full of adrenaline. I tugged on my reins, staring into the darkness, feeling unease creep along the back of my neck.