Reunion by Felicity Heaton (e book reader free .TXT) 📕

His drinking slowed and before she knew it, it was over and he was licking the wound on her arm. She held it there for a moment when he stopped, the smallest part of her heart hoping he would continue. He didn’t. He lay back on the bed, his eyes still closed.

“Jascha?” she said and he looked at her. It seemed to take a lot of effort. Her blood was probably making him drowsy as it worked its way into his body. It wouldn’t quicken his healing as fresh human blood would, but it would restore some of his strength, more so than the stored blood he had been given. “Was it a vampire hunter?”

“Da,” he said.

“But not one like we’ve met before?”

“Niet,” he whispered and closed his eyes again.

Marise smiled now that he couldn’t see her. Ghosting her fingers down his cheek, not brave enough to touch him, she looked at him a moment longer and then rose from the bed.

“I’ll arrange for fresh blood for you. I have more questions I need to ask. If you remember anything, please ask for me.” She hated how cold she sounded.

Rolling her sleeve down, she stopped when she saw the marks on her wrist and stared at them. They were shallow and it wasn’t because he was weak. It was because he hadn’t wanted to hurt her. She ran her fingers over the marks and then buttoned her sleeve, covering it with her jacket.

Marise walked to the door, paused and looked back at him. It hurt to see him, to have the memories of their time together come back, and to see him in so much pain. She hurt so much. He had taken her feelings and smashed them. That much she could remember. They had broken each other’s heart that night.

She wanted to say something more but couldn’t bring herself to go through with it. She had already brought enough emotion into this investigation. If anyone found out, she was likely to be punished.

She reached out behind her and took hold of the door handle.

Turning, she opened the door.

She hesitated a moment when he spoke.

“Da svi’daniya, lubov moya.”

Marise held the smile inside on hearing such familiar words. Was she still his love?

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said and closed the door behind her.

She killed all her feelings the moment the door clicked shut and turned to look at the people in the corridor around her. The two guards were still there and she didn’t recognise either of them. They looked wet behind the ears. Younglings no doubt.

Her eyes sought out Tynan but he was nowhere to be seen so they settled on Timur.

“I will have more questions for him come sunset tomorrow. For now, he must rest. His injuries are extensive, severe enough that a full interrogation may be the end of him. If that happens, I will have no answers to support my involvement in this situation and you will have no Law Keeper to protect you from this human.”

Timur’s eyes widened, showing the white around his irises and exposing his fear to her again. He fidgeted and she frowned. He was petrified of the thought of this human coming after him. Having seen what this person had done to Jascha, she could understand that fear, but as lord of his bloodline, he shouldn’t allow himself to be ruled by it. He was safe in his home. Or did he think that he wasn’t?

“I will speak with the other guards and see what they know,” she said, hiding her true intention. She had to find Tynan. It was unlike him to leave Jascha suffering like this. She wanted to know what had happened to change him. “Ensure that only your guards are allowed out to hunt for the house.”

Timur swallowed, hard enough that she saw it.

“What is it?” She didn’t give him an inch as she stepped towards him, straightening to her full height and staring down into his eyes. He was still hiding things from her and all the secrecy was starting to annoy her. How was she supposed to do her job if she was being kept in the dark about things?

“No one is allowed to hunt,” he muttered under his breath.

She frowned, her eyes narrowing.

“Are you insane?” She was tempted to take hold of his shirt collar and rattle him. Either that or she was going to throttle him. She took a deep breath and forced herself to remain calm. If he saw how shaken she was by the sight of Jascha so hurt, he wasn’t going to give her the respect she needed and deserved.

“They are still out there.”

Marise ignored his worried look and the childlike pleading in his eyes.

“You are weakening your house. You are letting Jascha die!” She clenched her fists and struggled to rein in her anger.

A dark look entered his eyes and for a moment she thought he was going to remind her who ruled their bloodline. She couldn’t believe how weak he had become. She couldn’t believe that he was risking the lives of everyone in his house because he was frightened of a vampire hunter.

“I am sending your guards out to hunt whether you like it or not. This house needs fresh blood. You have to keep your people strong or they will be lambs to the slaughter should this vampire hunter attack with allies.” She didn’t wait for a reply. She turned and stormed down the hall towards the guardroom.

Fury fuelled her as she took the steps down into the basement level of the house. It had been given over to the servant ranks and the guards long ago, before she was turned. The guards had their restroom down here and the training rooms. She was sure she would find Tynan there. How could she have thought that it had been his choice to feed Jascha old blood? She should’ve known that he would never willingly allow Jascha to die like this. Timur had effectively tied his hands behind his back and forced him to watch his brother die.

Pushing the door to the guardroom open, she strode in and scanned the faces. She recognised some of them. They all looked stunned to see her. Before she could locate Tynan, he was standing beside her, silent as always. She didn’t acknowledge him, instead she kept her eyes fixed on the others.

“You are to hunt in groups. Bring fresh blood to the house. Timur will not punish you. I have seen to that.” She held their gazes and then whispered out of the corner of her mouth to Tynan, “I need a word in private.”

He nodded and left the room. She waited a moment and then followed him out into the hall. Looking around, she caught a glimpse of him heading into the armoury. She casually walked to it, her whole body shaking with the release of emotions that the idea of speaking to him brought. She knew that with him, she had no chance of remaining cold and business-like. Her heart said that he would never tell anyone about how she acted in private with him, and it seemed to give her feelings free rein to do as they pleased. She couldn’t control them no matter how hard she tried.

It was a dangerous way for her to feel.

“I need a moment,” Tynan said as she entered the room.

The guards gathered there nodded and left without questioning Tynan’s order. He must have gained rank in their time apart. Her eyes traversed the room while she waited, taking in the assortment of swords, spears, bows and axes that lined the dark walls.

She had never liked it in the armoury. It was gloomy and reminded her of death. Her family never took up arms lightly, so being assigned to work in the armoury was almost a punishment. No one came here and the long hours each guard had to work were often passed alone.

Tynan turned to face her.

Marise avoided looking at him for as long as possible and then lifted her eyes to meet his. He looked concerned. She wished he didn’t. She was having enough trouble holding herself together without him encouraging this revolt by her feelings.

He sighed, his broad shoulders heaving with it. He was taller than Jascha and had a far broader build, but other than that they looked so similar. Their hair was black as midnight, although Tynan’s was short, and they were both incredibly handsome, their fine features lending them an unusual air of grace and distinction.

When she had first met Tynan, she had never seen a man as beautiful as he was, until the night she had seen his brother Jascha.

He had made her feel as though her heart was pounding even when that was impossible.

Tynan’s dark eyes searched hers. She was glad that he differed from his brother there too. It meant that he could never wholly remind her of Jascha.

No one had eyes the stunning colour of Jascha’s.

And no one could set her heart on fire with a single look like he could.

Marise paced the room and fought for control, gathering her scattered emotions. This was no time to fall apart, not even if Tynan would keep her secret for her. She had to be strong, as a Law Keeper should be, and stick to procedure on the case. Her old feelings for Jascha shouldn’t be allowed to interfere with her work. Even this meeting with Tynan shouldn’t be taking place.

She convinced herself that if she could get Jascha on the mend again by having this talk with Tynan, then she could get on with her work and forget about him again. Not that she had ever forgotten. He had always been at the back of her mind. The trouble was, now he was at the front of her mind and she couldn’t concentrate. She had to find a way to put him to the back of it again and this seemed like the most reasonable solution.

“They’re feeding him old blood,” she said, barely holding Tynan’s gaze for a split second, but it was long enough to see in his dark eyes that he already knew and he didn’t like it.

She paced across to the other side of the room. Tynan leaned against a table and folded his arms across his chest, making it clear to her that he was waiting to see why she had wanted a word with him.

“Why didn’t you get him fresh blood?” She didn’t give him a chance to answer before stepping up to him, a frown darkening her face. “You should have gone out to hunt regardless of the orders from Timur. You know as well as I that the lord of our bloodline is not thinking clearly. This vampire hunter has made him weak with fear.”

“I did,” Tynan said.

The sound of his voice made her think of Jascha, lying in his death bed with no company and no comfort. She bit back the tears and reminded herself of her duty and her position.

Tynan stepped past her, running his fingers over his short black hair and sighing heavily. “I hunted for the first two nights, but Timur threatened me... if I disobeyed his orders again, I would be tried.”

“Tried?” Marise frowned, trying to understand just what was happening in her house.

“For sins against my bloodline.”

“Ridiculous. The Law Keepers would never condemn you for trying to help your brother.” She turned on the spot, following his progress around the room.

Her senses told her that he was agitated, angry, and she had witnessed how he could be when enraged. Timur had been treading a very fine line with him.

“Were you with Jascha that night?” she said.

He paused, eyes fixed on the floor, shoulders tense.

“No.”

“Did Jascha say anything when they brought him in?” She took a step towards him, torn between giving up her questioning and continuing. She didn’t want to cause him hurt by reminding