Part 14 (1/2)

Jared chuckled. ”A while. But I'd like some rest, too. So everyone get comfy, and maybe we can catch some shut-eye before we start out of here.”

The roar of a chopper overhead made all of us wince and Jared lowered his flaming hands a second later, plunging us all into semi-dark. But it was better than being spotted.

Mikjall moved to the mouth of the tunnel and crouched low. If anything came near, he'd be able to see it through the darkness before any of the rest of us. Rumbling growls resonated through the tunnel.

No one was going to sleep.

”We can't stay here, Eira.” Charlie groaned as she settled on the ground next to Travis. ”Not if they already have the soldiers searching out this far.”

I stretched my neck and sighed. I didn't need to sigh or breathe, but psychologically, it felt good to release tension that way.

”The farthest I could move everyone is the old house on Blackshear Lake. But I'll need to feed several times to carry so many.” I surveyed the group. Seven of us had come to Savannah. Only seven Lycans were returning with us. Then the mystery woman and her baby. I didn't know what she was, but for now, it didn't matter. She needed help just like the rest.

Fifteen people and a baby to carry two hundred miles. The trips would be easier if I took them one at a time. Especially when taking the men. They were more than double my weight. But that meant I would have to blur... I counted it up in my head and frowned.

”Please, take what you need. Please just help us.” A frail voice from the corner spoke up. It was the woman and baby Mikjall had carried off the street.

”Hush. She's not taking any of your blood,” the Drakonae growled.

If I wasn't mistaken, I detected a fair amount of possessiveness in his demeanor already.

”You can have as much of my blood as you need. I'm sure the others will be willing to feed you as well. No one else can travel as fast as you can,” he continued, turning to face me, his eyes still glowing with orange flame. ”If I thought I could fly us out of here, I would. But I fear that would only draw more attention.”

”Yeah, that didn't work out very well for your mother. I'm going to have to say no to the flying dragon plan.”

Mikjall let the corners of his mouth turn up for just a moment.

”Thank you, though,” I said, placing my hand on his forearm. ”I will need your blood especially. After several trips, I will be dragging.”

Killian leaned against my shoulder. ”You can do this, my love. We will help you any way we can.”

”You are welcome to my blood as well, Eira,” Jared called out.

Alek raised his hand and waved, acknowledging my request.

Perhaps, with enough help from them, I could pull this off. The wolves wouldn't feed me, and I knew not to ask. Travis and Garrett were doing their absolute best not to make eye contact. Even Charlie's gaze remained glued to the floor. Her guilt cried out so loud it could've raised the dead.

It didn't matter. Lycans were a superst.i.tious bunch. No matter that I'd practically lived with the pack for years, none of them felt comfortable donating even a single drop of their blood. Always concerned they'd fall under my thrall.

Killian cupped my face in his hands and pressed a kiss to my lips. His mouth covered mine with a hunger I wished we had time to explore. Instead, I was going to run cross-country, hopefully moving our group far enough away that Xerxes would call off his soldiers.

He'd lost this one.

At least I hoped that's what he thought. There still was the matter of the dagger he was after.

I ran my hands through Killian's thick, sandy blonde head of hair and then pulled away from his hungry mouth. G.o.ds, I wanted to just stay and kiss him, but the rumble of another helicopter nearing the mine brought my fantasizing mind cras.h.i.+ng down to our dire reality.

”Alright. I need to feed before I start. I hate to ask for more, my love. But-”

”I'll manage, Eira. Take what you need.”

I could see Killian in the dark. The tiny bit of firelight Jared was throwing off from his hands glistened against his skin. His bright blue eyes sparked with desire, and he nodded, leaning his head to the side, baring his neck for my bite.

The sound of his heart beating and his blood rus.h.i.+ng through his veins clamored in my head. My fangs descended, and the hunger I'd been ignoring since the fight overwhelmed me as I sank my teeth into his neck.

The sweet taste of his blood flowed into my mouth, revitalizing my tired body. The hint of magick in his blood was powerful in its own right. Even though Killian had no extraordinary powers, the magick that made him live thousands of years coursed through his veins, making his blood very strong and very satisfying without drinking a lot.

I sealed his skin where I'd bitten and pulled away, licking my lips. I could've drunk more. I wanted more. But I wanted him strong and coherent, too. We had a long night ahead of us, and he would likely have to feed me at least once more, if not twice. I needed to pace myself.

”I should take one of you first,” I said, turning to Garrett and Travis.

Travis stood and nodded. ”I'll go. How long will it be between your runs?”

”I can get to the lake house in less than five minutes.”

His eyes widened. ”Two hundred miles in a few minutes?”

A sigh slipped from my mouth. ”Yes.”

”I knew vampires were fast, but d.a.m.n...”

”Yes, well. We try not to broadcast our talents to the world, either. Mikjall, will you push open the gateway?”

The Drakonae nodded and pushed aside the steel grate, letting in a swath of bright moonlight.

I grabbed Travis before another word could be spoken and ran. The landscape pa.s.sed by as if we were in a jet plane. Everything was a dark grey and blue blur. The ground flew beneath my feet, changing from dirt to gra.s.s to pavement and again to gra.s.s. I stopped next to a rundown lake house and set Travis' large form on the ground.

He stood and bent at the waist, sucking in deep breaths trying to regain his bearings.

”You... You c-could've at least warned m-me,” he coughed out.

”Where would the fun have been in that?”

He grinned at my retort and gestured with a hand to the house behind him. ”How do I get in?”

”I recommend the door.”

”No s.h.i.+t, Sherlock.” His eyes flashed yellow, and a growl rumbled from his chest.

A snort of laughter left my mouth. ”The spare key is behind a loose brick underneath the big bay window.”

”Thanks.”

I nodded. ”I'll be back in a few minutes.”

He waved me off, and I left, running even faster without a body to carry.