Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 144404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Tears shimmered in the queen’s eyes, and I knew this was killing her. She pushed back her chair and stepped away, Devinshea following her.
“I’m sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say.
“It’s not your fault.” Donovan watched as the door closed. “Evan made the choice she made, and now we have to figure out the consequences. Something has changed in her. I don’t know what it is, but her glow is different now. I can…feel her in a way I didn’t before.”
“Do you think she’s going to become a primal?” It was my worst fear. That the blood that saved her would change her into something else. I liked the primals. They’re the gentlest of vampires, but they were physically different than a normal vampire. They must hide in their nests. I can’t stand the thought of beautiful, smart, loving Evan stuck forever in a cave.
Fenrir was a wolf. He couldn’t live underground.
“From what I understand, if that was going to happen, it would have.” Donovan seemed to think for a moment. “I don’t think she could fight that. It would be too overpowering, but some of the smaller changes, she might be able to fight for a while. I’ve talked to the primals, and they believe there might be changes coming. Physical changes.”
“Can we help her fight it?” I wanted to talk to Liv about it. She’d been excellent at healing.
“I don’t know if we even should,” Donovan replied, pushing back from the table. “Maybe someone in Gray’s house will have some knowledge, or perhaps simply being away from this plane will help. I don’t think she wants to make the transition in front of her mother and her papa. I know she doesn’t want it to happen in Faery where it could have political implications. No one on the Hell plane will care if she grows claws or her eyes change to full black.”
They wouldn’t. Demons were pretty tolerant of physical weirdness. “I’ll take care of her, Dan.”
He gave me a ghost of a smile. “I know you will. I think it’s easier for her to relate to you. I have to hope it gets better with time. Sasha, thanks for your counsel, and I promise you’ll enjoy the Faery plane. It’s not as bad as it sounds, and I will speak with the witches about taking care of your problem. I know why you really don’t want to go, and I’ll fix it for you, my friend.”
Donovan left, likely going to find his wife and partner.
I was out of chicken wings and seriously considering how rude it would be to lick the plate. I was also curious. “What’s your real problem?”
The Russian turned my way, his lips curving up. “Only you would ask, Kelsey.” He stood and walked to the door that led to the kitchen. “Eddie, your mistress is out of food.”
I heard a gasp and knew Eddie was hustling.
“As for my real problem,” Sasha began, “I find it hard enough to avoid sex with a Green Man around. Over the years I’ve gotten used to Rhys’s power. Mostly because he hadn’t truly come into it until recently. Now there are two fully powered sex gods walking about, and I’m struggling.”
My heart hurt for him. Vampires feed on blood and the energy that comes from sex. “You haven’t…?”
I let the question dangle, knowing it wasn’t really my business.
“I have,” he replied. “I’ve been in two relationships over the last twelve years. We were friends, and I cared for them both. But they weren’t my wife.” His hand went to his chest as though there was a knot there he could ease. “Two years ago, I felt her. Maybe I’m fooling myself, but I felt her. Her soul is out there on one of the planes, and that means everything I have belongs to her. I cannot share that part of myself with anyone but my wife. She is coming.”
“Let Devinshea focus some of the energy,” I advised. “Maybe if he hits you with a big bang, you won’t need it so much on a daily basis.”
“I would bet that is quite the experience,” he said, obviously amused. Then he sobered. “There is something we haven’t talked about. Something about Olivia that I don’t believe you’ve factored into the equation.”
“What’s that?” I could hear Eddie banging pans around.
“She’s been on demon blood for years,” Sasha said, a grim look on his face.
“I know. I’m hoping once it clears her system she’ll be more like herself.” I’d noticed her veins were starting to look more normal and not like they were a vessel for evil.
“She’ll be in agony. She’s addicted to it. She can’t be anything else. I believe the demon blood was another way for Myrddin to control his Profane. He got them addicted and then controlled the access to the blood. When you said you wouldn’t torture her… Well, I think she will feel tortured. Good day to you, Hunter.”