A Rip of Realms (A Shade of Vampire #39)(19)

“It works,” I announced dreamily. “It actually works!”

It was such a relief to finally be free from my never-ending hunger that I sank back onto the stone floor, lying with my eyes closed and letting all the tension drain from my body.

“Hazel, are you okay?” Ruby asked, peering down at me.

“Better than okay,” I replied. “Much, much better.”

“Did she take too much?” Ruby asked Abelle. “She looks kind of weird.”

“It’s just because it’s the first time,” the sentry replied calmly. “The more potent effects will wear off—the absence of hunger is quite powerful if it’s been a constant thorn for a while. Don’t worry.”

The two women fell silent, and someone cleared their throat.

“It looks like I’m interrupting something.” A stern, very familiar voice seemed to float over from the doorway.

“Are you okay?” Ruby exclaimed, rushing to her feet. Dazedly I sat up—what was wrong with Tejus?

I looked over to the doorway, seeing him slumped against the frame, his face pale and perspiring. I tried to stand up, every bone in my body feeling like rubber, and the ground moving when it shouldn’t have been.

“What’s wrong with her?” Tejus demanded, striding over to me.

“An elixir to repress the hunger,” Abelle snapped at him.

“I’m fine,” I interjected, finally standing up. I clutched onto Tejus’s arms, trying to get him in focus.

“You’re clearly not,” he muttered.

“What happened to you?” I persisted, desperate for him to stop analyzing me for a second.

“Queen Trina happened to me,” he replied with a deep scowl. “She’s gone—the Acolytes attacked, they’ve taken out five guards. Ruby, will you go and tell Ash? I couldn’t find him.”

“Of course.” She moved hastily toward the door. A moment later I could hear her footsteps running along the marble tiles.

Queen Trina had escaped. This didn’t bode well at all.

“And I would like to be alone with Hazel,” he said to Abelle, “so can you take all this with you?”

Abelle didn’t reply, but I could tell by the brusque nature of her movements, the rattling of the glass bottles as she packed them up, that she wasn’t happy about being ordered around by him.

“Let me know if you need anything, Hazel,” she muttered, glaring at Tejus before she left.

I pulled at his arms, wanting him to sit down by the fire with me—I was still feeling woozy and standing was an effort. Tejus didn’t look like he could hold out much longer either. Why hadn’t he asked Abelle to give him something?

“What were you doing with Queen Trina anyway?” I asked when we were both seated. I realized, happily, that I could be as close to him as I liked without any unwanted side effects.

“I was questioning her. I thought she’d be more inclined to give me answers than anyone else.”

“Because of your history?” I asked quietly.

“Yes. Our ancient history.”

“Did you find out anything useful?” I asked, trying to hide my smile at his emphasis on the word ‘ancient’.

“No, not really. The entire exercise was futile—her master will rise, he will kill us all, etc. etc. And now she is gone. My only saving grace is that I believe it would have happened whether or not I had gone to speak with her. It might stop me from getting beheaded by King Kitchen, at the very least.”

I leaned my head against his arm, disappointed that we didn’t know more, but very glad that I could once again be close enough to Tejus, smell his distinct musk and feel the warmth of his body against mine.

“I love you, Tejus,” I whispered.

“Is this the potion talking, or you?”

“Me.”

“After everything, still?” he asked, uncertainty creeping into his tone.

“Still… Always.”

He turned toward me, cupping my jaw in his hand. His lips grazed mine in a soft kiss. He moved away, leaning back down on the floor and motioning me to follow him. I slid into his outstretched arm, our bodies lying side by side in front of the fire. My hands ran across the hard muscles of his chest, and I was just grateful that I could be touching him like this, feeling nothing else but the hot prickles of desire flooding my body.

“Can I try to mind-meld with you—give you some of my energy?” I asked.

“You can try, but it doesn’t seem that strong. What did that fool crone give you?”

I tutted at his mean assessment of Abelle—she was only trying to help. Without her, none of this would be possible.

“So, let’s try,” I encouraged.

Tejus smiled down at me, the tender, loving gaze quickly becoming something else entirely.

“I have a better idea.” He smirked, running his thumb along my temples and down to my lips. I didn’t argue. Moments later Tejus had locked the door and I was a million miles away, sinking into Tejus’s soft caresses.





Ash





“Dammit!” I swore, kicking the chair.

“Are you angry at Tejus or the furniture?” Ruby replied, cocking an eyebrow at me, clearly unimpressed.