Read Online blood 03 - blood chosen by Tamara Rose Blodgett - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Tamara Rose Blodgett
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William said, circling an area about two miles north of the compound. Her weight swung like a pendulum beneath him as the ground rushed up to meet them and he slowed his descent.
William settled Julia on the ground beneath him and perched on a large stump, clear cut a century before Julia's birth.
“They'll come... all of them.” Her voice was furious in its fear.
He cursed as his bones and tendons slid back into position. Talons retracted, the sharp beak of his face melted into the familiar features of false humanity he normally maintained. His eyes would be last, glowing red in a pale face framed by hair that blended with the night.
William shook off the fatigue he was normally saddled with after the transition, catching his breath. “I know, but in this, I have solitude but for a few moments.” William straightened painfully, then took one step toward Julia. Then another.
She met him in the middle with a sob caught in her throat as she gripped the remaining tatters of clothing. “I don't feel him, William.”
“The Singer?” he asked, holding her, his hand gripping the back of her silky hair. He felt her nod soundlessly against him.
“He's gone after the primary threat and left you to your own devices. He knows that no force, no principality, no matter how great, shall have you.” William put her away from himself, smelling the salt of her tears and if there was ever one that he could ache for, it would be she. William placed a cool finger underneath her chin and lifted it until their eyes met. “He has placed you in good hands, Julia. He knows...” William took his eyes away from hers then felt them unerringly move back to hers. “He knows that I love you.”
Julia moved against him again, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I care about you. But love?” She stepped away again, holding her arms away from her small body. “I don't know how I feel about anything anymore. Confused doesn't cover it,” she said, and a shaky, hysterical laugh broke from her throat.
William grasped her hands. “Know this: we want you safe, the Singer, myself... even the renegade Were.”
Julia snatched her hands away. “Jason doesn't want me safe.” She turned away from him. “He just threw Paul... our Negator, against the wall.”
“I awoke as it transpired... Marcus has been most gracious in allowing me to stay at the compound. We vampire are usually burned on sight,” he commented in a droll voice as he paced away from Julia.
Julia felt her mouth quirk but would not be deterred. “You're different. Scott... he said you could stay.”
“Ah,” William said, lacing his hands neatly behind his back as he stalked toward Julia again. “But for how long and at what cost? It might be that I am tolerated until you come to some decision and then I shall be cast out or worse.”
Julia's head whipped in his direction. His gaze locked with hers. “No... they wouldn't do that.”
William hesitated to crush Julia's naïveté. He hesitated, then gave her his thoughts, “Yes, they most certainly would.”
“Then why bother with the principle of having the Rare One if she can't do the damn job!” Julia hissed her frustration.
“That is the biggest question. One I think your Region Two disappeared monarch was quite practical about.”
Julia stared at him. “Jacqueline?” she asked, shocked.
He nodded. Then William wrapped his arms around her. “Say that you feel nothing and I will go... I will not press the advantage of our time together, the blood connection we've shared nor hold the leverage of saving the world above your head.” He said it all with perfectly straight delivery. Only William could say the unthinkable and make it sound plausible.
Gee, thanks for that , Julia thought. But as she looked into eyes that had left crimson behind and moved to the familiar gray storm she remembered- she found no guile. Only one uncomfortable emotion was left in those drowning pools of gray.
Love.
Julia stood on
William settled Julia on the ground beneath him and perched on a large stump, clear cut a century before Julia's birth.
“They'll come... all of them.” Her voice was furious in its fear.
He cursed as his bones and tendons slid back into position. Talons retracted, the sharp beak of his face melted into the familiar features of false humanity he normally maintained. His eyes would be last, glowing red in a pale face framed by hair that blended with the night.
William shook off the fatigue he was normally saddled with after the transition, catching his breath. “I know, but in this, I have solitude but for a few moments.” William straightened painfully, then took one step toward Julia. Then another.
She met him in the middle with a sob caught in her throat as she gripped the remaining tatters of clothing. “I don't feel him, William.”
“The Singer?” he asked, holding her, his hand gripping the back of her silky hair. He felt her nod soundlessly against him.
“He's gone after the primary threat and left you to your own devices. He knows that no force, no principality, no matter how great, shall have you.” William put her away from himself, smelling the salt of her tears and if there was ever one that he could ache for, it would be she. William placed a cool finger underneath her chin and lifted it until their eyes met. “He has placed you in good hands, Julia. He knows...” William took his eyes away from hers then felt them unerringly move back to hers. “He knows that I love you.”
Julia moved against him again, wrapping her arms around his waist. “I care about you. But love?” She stepped away again, holding her arms away from her small body. “I don't know how I feel about anything anymore. Confused doesn't cover it,” she said, and a shaky, hysterical laugh broke from her throat.
William grasped her hands. “Know this: we want you safe, the Singer, myself... even the renegade Were.”
Julia snatched her hands away. “Jason doesn't want me safe.” She turned away from him. “He just threw Paul... our Negator, against the wall.”
“I awoke as it transpired... Marcus has been most gracious in allowing me to stay at the compound. We vampire are usually burned on sight,” he commented in a droll voice as he paced away from Julia.
Julia felt her mouth quirk but would not be deterred. “You're different. Scott... he said you could stay.”
“Ah,” William said, lacing his hands neatly behind his back as he stalked toward Julia again. “But for how long and at what cost? It might be that I am tolerated until you come to some decision and then I shall be cast out or worse.”
Julia's head whipped in his direction. His gaze locked with hers. “No... they wouldn't do that.”
William hesitated to crush Julia's naïveté. He hesitated, then gave her his thoughts, “Yes, they most certainly would.”
“Then why bother with the principle of having the Rare One if she can't do the damn job!” Julia hissed her frustration.
“That is the biggest question. One I think your Region Two disappeared monarch was quite practical about.”
Julia stared at him. “Jacqueline?” she asked, shocked.
He nodded. Then William wrapped his arms around her. “Say that you feel nothing and I will go... I will not press the advantage of our time together, the blood connection we've shared nor hold the leverage of saving the world above your head.” He said it all with perfectly straight delivery. Only William could say the unthinkable and make it sound plausible.
Gee, thanks for that , Julia thought. But as she looked into eyes that had left crimson behind and moved to the familiar gray storm she remembered- she found no guile. Only one uncomfortable emotion was left in those drowning pools of gray.
Love.
Julia stood on
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