Eve opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling in her bed chambers. Her stomach churned with the oncoming heat of hunger and she pursed her lips. It was feeding time soon.
Her thoughts went to this morning. Hesta had been wrong. Katya had not been awakening. She had been having a restless sleep. Eve had stayed with her daughter until she’d settled back into a fitful slumber and then had gone straight to her bed chambers instead of Drago’s.
She recalled their passionate encounter and her stomach jolted.
Hesta may have been wrong about Katya awakening, but Eve had seen it as a blessing in disguise. If Lena hadn’t interrupted them–stop, she told herself. She couldn’t think of what would have happened.
She inhaled slowly and glanced around her room. What time was it? She knew from the darkness, it was well after sunset. She rose and walked to the dresser. Moments later, the room was lit with the warm glow of the candelabra. She was about to go into the adjoining bath chambers when her gaze caught the brass goblet filled with blood and a note resting on its side.
Slowly, she picked up the note and read it. I will have Lena move your things into my chambers tonight. D.
He still wanted her to move into his chambers. The thought both thrilled and scared her as she reached for the goblet and drank the blood.
She removed her nightdress and went into the adjoining bath chambers. She washed quickly, went back into the bed chamber and picked up her clothes. Her ripped top brought an uncharacteristic rush of heat to her cheeks as she recalled the hot and passionate trail his sensual mouth had incited on her flesh. Her stomach fluttered and she released a tremulous breath.
Reality ran cold fingers down her back. Her time here was temporary. As much as she would have liked to explore her feelings for him, she wouldn’t take the risk. Being with him would only end in heartache. Lycans mated with their one and he’d toss her aside the moment he found his.
After slipping into her pants, she rummaged through the drawers and found a black vest. Quickly she slipped it on and attached all her weapons on her straps.
She hoped Katya was up. The sooner Eve helped her daughter recover, the quicker they could leave.
She stepped out in the corridor and walked down the winding halls. Turning a corner, she stopped dead in her tracks and hid in the shadows. Her heart dropped like a stone to her stomach.
Frozen to her spot, she watched Drago and Gretchen coming out of his bed chambers. Eve held her breath as Gretchen threw herself on Drago and wrapped her arms around his neck. She heard Drago’s low, deep growl rise from his chest as his arms went to the woman’s waist.
Gretchen raised her face and kissed him. A fierce, hot stab of jealousy coursed through Eve’s veins and she gritted her teeth. Suddenly, he growled and snapped his dark gaze to her vicinity and she inhaled sharply, jumping back further into the shadows. He saw her! Turning sharply, she ran down the opposite end of the hall before she could see anything else.
Her jealousy rose in her chest, consuming her and she choked back a rising sob. She stopped in front of Katya’s chambers and took a deep breath, trying to compose herself.
She prayed her daughter was well enough so they could leave right away.
* * * *
Drago growled his annoyance and grabbed Gretchen by the waist. She kissed him before he could push her away. His heart thudded against his chest as a familiar scent drifted around him. Eve. Sharply, he withdrew from Gretchen’s kiss and snapped his gaze towards the shadows. Eve was hiding in the corner. For a split second, he felt her anger and jealousy and then she was gone. Angrily he looked at Gretchen who still had her arms around him. She clasped his head, raised her face and kissed him again.
His mouth tensed under her lips and he tightened his hold on her waist. Slowly he pushed her away and glared down at her.
‘That’s enough, Gretchen.’
Her eyes flashed ire and she growled under her breath. ‘Why now? We’ve been lovers for years, Drago. Why do you suddenly want to end things now?’
‘We were bed mates, not lovers, Gretchen. There is a big difference. I never made you any promises. You’ve known from the beginning this would end at any time.’
‘It’s her, isn’t it? I’ve seen the way you look at her. Why, Drago? Why? She’s a vampire, dammit!’ She paused. ‘A wolf doesn’t mate with a bat!’ she spat.
Drago had had enough. ‘You are trying my patience, wench. I blame myself because I’ve given you too much freedom in the castle.’ He narrowed his eyes on her upturned face. ‘Heed this warning. You will not barge into my chambers ever again, is that clear?’
She flung herself onto his chest and threw her arms around his shoulders. ‘No. I know you still want me. We are Lycan. You can never desire her as you desire me.’ She pressed her lower body against his and ground herself against his loins. He felt nothing. No stirrings, no heat, no lust. He watched Gretchen’s face harden as she realised his body did not react. Her face blazed with rage and she pushed herself out of his arms. ‘She’s cold, undead. She drinks the blood of innocents!’ she ranted with near hysteria in her voice. ‘I’ll drive a stake through her heart before I let her have you!’
Drago’s anger erupted and he growled, knowing his eyes were turning their eerie shade of amber. He was prepared to shift. For the first time she looked afraid and took a step back. ‘If I ever see you so much as ten feet from Eve, I will banish you from my kingdom. Am I making myself clear?’
Something on his face must have finally registered with her because her face went white. ‘You can’t mean that. You don’t actually love her! She’s not human, Drago. Vampires are immoral and she’ll never be able to control her thirst.’
He’d thought the same thing before he got to know Eve, but he remembered what she’d done at his well with her blood and how she risked her life going out into the fields to find a wild animal to feed on. ‘She is more human than anyone of us will ever be,’ he said harshly.
Eve was brave, courageous and honourable. She was beautiful and passionate–he stilled his thoughts as something violent hit him in the gut and he swallowed hard.
He loved her.
‘Leave now,’ he said. ‘And never step foot in my castle again.’
Gretchen looked like she was going to persist, but thought better of it and sped down the corridor.
Drago ran a rough hand at the back of his neck. He had to see Eve. Now. He had to make her understand things were over between him and Gretchen.
He also had to tell her he loved her.
Turning abruptly on his heel, he went down the opposite direction Gretchen took. He knew Eve would be with Katya and he strode to her daughter’s chambers.
He heard someone rushing down the hall behind him.
‘Master! Something has happened!’
Tensing, he turned around and stared at Hesta. ‘What is it? Katya?’
She shook her head. ‘No. Katya is fine.’
‘Shouldn’t you be with her?’
‘I’m on my way there right now.’ She clasped her gnarled hands in front of her and gazed up at him with a perplexed look on her wrinkled, elderly face. ‘I beg your pardon, Master, but something has happened,’ she repeated.
‘Well, what is it?’ he asked as he continued to march down the corridor, the healer bustling to match his long stride. ‘I don’t have time for this.’
‘Master, it’s old man Wallace. I just came from his home. I was going to give him some more medication for the pain, but…but…’
‘Speak, woman!’ he roared. The only thought in his mind was seeing Eve. He didn’t have time for the incessant rambling of his old healer. He tossed Hesta a quick, sideways glance and noted her shock.
‘Master, it’s his leg! His bone has completely healed and he walks!’
Drago stopped dead in his tracks and gave her a long look. His thoughts went to Eve the night she was at his well. ‘Don’t be surprised if more of our human villagers are cured overnight.’
She clasped her face, her expression lighting up. ‘So the rumours are true? Our vampire guest has cured all ailments?’
‘It would appear so.’
‘Oh, bless her! She is an angel in disguise,’ Hesta declared.
‘Yes. She is,’ he murmured as he opened the door to Katya’s room.
