“As you keep demonstrating through evading the protection detail I have assigned to you. However, youdoneed my assistance. Did tonight not serve to highlight that?”
I shuddered. “I’ll… be better next time. Prepared. Make sure I’m always wearing my tactical gear.”
“Tactical gear will do nothing to withstand a single blow from the likes of Halrow.”
“That’s not—”
“He tossed you through a building with a flick of his hand.”
“He did more than that,” I muttered under my breath.
Absolutely futile with an Ancient Vampire standing right there.
“He will burn in Hades for laying hands on you.”
“You’re going to kill him?”
“YouandI will take his life.”
I started. “What? No. You don’t know what he—”
“I have the capacity to hear over a distance of several hundred miles. Iheard.”
“What, were you speeding across land and sea to help me or something? That massive distance, even as an Ancient, to cover it—”
“I was.”
“Fuck. That’s… wow.”
“Emotion can enhance a vampire’s capabilities more than you realize.” He eyed me. “Especially one who feeds properly.”
I went to speak, but he cut in, “Not just once in a while from an Immortal. Yes, it will provide you with a temporary surge of power, but it is offset by the lethargy it also causes. Even if you are spelled against feeling thathigh, that is still a factor.”
“I don’t like feeding from the vein.”
“Only during sex?”
“Yes.”
“That is how many new vampires start out feeding from the vein, finding it an easier way to sink into it, to accept it. But in your case, you can only do that with an Immortal, because the blood of your other two loves is toxic to you. Especially the necromancer, given the awful sickness that plagues him.”
“You know about his sickness?”
“I am fully aware, yes. The Shadowed is researching viable solutions now.”
“Because of me?”
“Your love for him is a factor. But there are also others at play. A bigger picture we are concerned with.”
“A bigger picture?”
“Not to be discussed at this juncture. Your priority is to learn.”
“Learn?”
“To embrace your vampire sideandyour Ancient blood.”
“I’m wolf first.”
