Her morning urge was briefly ignored as she stepped into the room. It was a wonderland of white-streaked, gold-flecked black marble. All of the fixture handles were gold, even the toilet’s.
There was also a lot of red present; the linen- and under sink-cabinets were a rich, red wood, while blood red rugs lay before the toilet, sink, shower stall, and huge corner tub. Morgan took care of business before peeking into the linen cabinet. The towels were also black, red, and white. “Guess he likes this color scheme a lot.”
“For a reason.”
Startled, she turned to find him standing in the doorway. “You’re quiet.”
“You’ll be the same way.”
Morgan turned back to the linen cabinet and chose a red towel. More high quality, silky Egyptian cotton. “What’s the reason?”
“Red for blood, black for death, and white for hope.” He nodded at the toilet. “If you don’t mind me joining you in the shower in a few minutes, I’ll explain further.”
“Are you going to wash my back?”
Calhoun grinned. “Sure.”
“Okay.” She moved toward the shower stall and hung the towel on a handy hook. Stepping in, she shut the frosted glass door and turned on the water, discovering there were dual shower heads, one on each end of the stall. Steam was rising by the time he joined her.
He didn’t waste time making good on his promise. “Blood is interwoven into everything. It’s food for the vampires, their method of creating more of themselves, and they spill it often. For us, it’s a tie of kinship, and a reminder of our duty.”
“Black for death,” she prompted when he paused.
“Black represents the loss of innocent lives, our own dead, as well as our duty to exterminate vampires.” He leaned back to wet his hair, and slicked water from his face while straightening. “White—hope—is for our future. Hope that we’ll eventually win this war, rid our world of the vampires completely.”
Morgan frowned. “Then what happens? If there’s no more vampires, there’s no more reason for us, right?”
U s . She’d come along further than he’d expected her to, in such a short time. Pleased, he smiled. “We’ll continue to guard, in case others come.” And then he changed the subject. “I’d like for you to stay here until your Awakening is complete. You’ll be vulnerable in the final hours.”
As he’d expected, she didn’t like that idea. Morgan lifted her chin and looked him directly in the eyes. Challenging little minx . “I can take care of myself.”
“Of course you can. Against humans.”
“I took that vampire down.”
Cal nodded and kept his tone neutral. “You were lucky, had a surge of strength because you’d begun Awakening. There’s no guarantee it’ll happen again when you may need it to.”
Gold gleamed into life around her pupils. “I can take care of myself without super strength.”
He leveled his most patient look at her. “Morgan, even the men stay in safe places during the final stages.”
“Oh.” She frowned, and began scrubbing her left arm. “Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to play it safe.”
He repressed a smile. “Thank you. I’ll take you home after breakfast, to pick up whatever you need.”
Turning around, she presented her back, and the soapy washcloth over her shoulder. “What about bad Morgan’s disappearance?”
Cal took the cloth and went to work on her back. “I’ll get your info while we eat, and start the ball rolling before we leave.”
He didn’t feel guilty over having already gotten the work started. Morgan was definitely the sort of person who’d be angry, learning someone had stuck their nose into her business. Now he had her permission, after the fact as it may be.
Later, he’d show her the records, and ask about the problem with the drug dealer. That could be handled as well, one way or another.
They ate breakfast downstairs, at the west bar. Cal finished his first and ducked into the office to make a few calls
There was also a lot of red present; the linen- and under sink-cabinets were a rich, red wood, while blood red rugs lay before the toilet, sink, shower stall, and huge corner tub. Morgan took care of business before peeking into the linen cabinet. The towels were also black, red, and white. “Guess he likes this color scheme a lot.”
“For a reason.”
Startled, she turned to find him standing in the doorway. “You’re quiet.”
“You’ll be the same way.”
Morgan turned back to the linen cabinet and chose a red towel. More high quality, silky Egyptian cotton. “What’s the reason?”
“Red for blood, black for death, and white for hope.” He nodded at the toilet. “If you don’t mind me joining you in the shower in a few minutes, I’ll explain further.”
“Are you going to wash my back?”
Calhoun grinned. “Sure.”
“Okay.” She moved toward the shower stall and hung the towel on a handy hook. Stepping in, she shut the frosted glass door and turned on the water, discovering there were dual shower heads, one on each end of the stall. Steam was rising by the time he joined her.
He didn’t waste time making good on his promise. “Blood is interwoven into everything. It’s food for the vampires, their method of creating more of themselves, and they spill it often. For us, it’s a tie of kinship, and a reminder of our duty.”
“Black for death,” she prompted when he paused.
“Black represents the loss of innocent lives, our own dead, as well as our duty to exterminate vampires.” He leaned back to wet his hair, and slicked water from his face while straightening. “White—hope—is for our future. Hope that we’ll eventually win this war, rid our world of the vampires completely.”
Morgan frowned. “Then what happens? If there’s no more vampires, there’s no more reason for us, right?”
U s . She’d come along further than he’d expected her to, in such a short time. Pleased, he smiled. “We’ll continue to guard, in case others come.” And then he changed the subject. “I’d like for you to stay here until your Awakening is complete. You’ll be vulnerable in the final hours.”
As he’d expected, she didn’t like that idea. Morgan lifted her chin and looked him directly in the eyes. Challenging little minx . “I can take care of myself.”
“Of course you can. Against humans.”
“I took that vampire down.”
Cal nodded and kept his tone neutral. “You were lucky, had a surge of strength because you’d begun Awakening. There’s no guarantee it’ll happen again when you may need it to.”
Gold gleamed into life around her pupils. “I can take care of myself without super strength.”
He leveled his most patient look at her. “Morgan, even the men stay in safe places during the final stages.”
“Oh.” She frowned, and began scrubbing her left arm. “Well, I guess it wouldn’t hurt to play it safe.”
He repressed a smile. “Thank you. I’ll take you home after breakfast, to pick up whatever you need.”
Turning around, she presented her back, and the soapy washcloth over her shoulder. “What about bad Morgan’s disappearance?”
Cal took the cloth and went to work on her back. “I’ll get your info while we eat, and start the ball rolling before we leave.”
He didn’t feel guilty over having already gotten the work started. Morgan was definitely the sort of person who’d be angry, learning someone had stuck their nose into her business. Now he had her permission, after the fact as it may be.
Later, he’d show her the records, and ask about the problem with the drug dealer. That could be handled as well, one way or another.
They ate breakfast downstairs, at the west bar. Cal finished his first and ducked into the office to make a few calls
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