Needs Blood

Laurel's red hair whipped about her shoulders as she held on the antlers, staring ahead with all the concentration as the stag ran at breakneck speed. The cold air made her shiver to the extent that her fingers and feet started freezing. Her pants were now covered with snow that was scrapped as the stag hooved forward and sprayed it behind him.

She didn't have time to use her magic, to snap her fingers to summon it, or even chant a spell to add warmth to her body. How could she? She was taut with tension that she might fall off the beast and break her neck. Damn this druid who insisted on traveling on stags! Moreover, whatever little attention she could spare, she spared that on glancing every now and then at Elize, who was perched atop the wolf she wanted to be on.

Elize was leaning forward and holding his ears, as he meandered through the thicket of snow-covered pines and firs, and climbed through the rolling pasture hills. Suddenly, Elize rested her back stomach on the wolf's back and grabbed him from both the sides. Caleb growled as if reveling in the touch and slowed his speed for her comfort.

Laurel's jealousy shot through the roof.

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Elize didn't know why she mounted Caleb, but when she saw Laurel walking towards him, she just raced her to sit on him. It was impulsive—and nothing much, she convinced herself. Besides, it would look bad if Laurel was riding her husband. Laurel didn't know that the rift between them was to the level of rejecting him as her mate. Her heart seized in a vise-like grip on thinking the word rejection. Maybe she would now start using a different word—turndown. Yes, that was a better word. She wanted to turn down Caleb. So, when she sat on her wolf, she was only trying not to be insulted by the sorceress. Wait, her wolf? Insult?

She shook her head to shove the thought out of her mind and mounted him. And when she was on him, gods! He had such beautiful fur. It was so thick and warm and soft. She immediately felt like patting him, brushing him and even scratching him behind his ear. He would have made a lovely pet. She was awed by his massive size for when she sat on his wide berth, her legs hung down comfortably. And the way he moved—all those powerful muscles were... amazing. When her wolf took off, she caught his ears to balance herself and she was once again astounded at his speed. Her wolf? No!

Two hours later, when they had made it almost halfway to the end of the forest, Caleb came to a stop and so did Auril. Auril glanced at Laurel who looked like a frozen statue. It was like if he tapped her body, she could shatter into a thousand pieces. Her hair was standing up, while some had twined all around her face that had lost all its glow.

He darted his gaze to Elize, who was shivering even though she was on the warm fur. "We will be resting here for an hour," he said and pointed to a cave's mouth on the left. It was important that they had some fire if Elize had to get out of here alive.

Laurel too looked at Elize. With concern in her voice, she said, "I think we should stop. The queen is too sick. If possible, can we get blood from somewhere for her. It will definitely warm her and heal her."

Auril gave one tight nod. He dismounted his stag and approached the cave, his boots crunching against the thin layer of snow as he stepped on the ground. He stared at the dark insides of the cave that was sitting quietly on the edge of a hill in the blackness of the night. The mouth of the cave was covered with spider webs and twigs and entrapped insects. He tore through them to make way and as soon as he entered, the fresh scent of damp moss greeted him. The air was warmer with the buzz of bramble beetles and light hoppers breaking the silence of the cave. It was as if the cave defied nature's phenomena and had its own flora and fauna surviving inside. He gestured to the others to come in.

Laurel watched Caleb going in carefully with his sick wife on his back. She clenched her jaw at the way he was taking care of her. She knew that as a vampire Elize needed blood and not animal blood. She needed to be blooded by a living human or a Lorean. This meant that she would seek Caleb's blood, and that was why she had told Auril that he should get animal blood for her. Laurel didn't want Elize to drink Caleb's blood. She had heard that the act of blooding a vampire mate often resulted in heated sex. Hell, she would go and hunt an animal herself and offer it to Elize rather than letting her have Caleb's blood.

When they reached inside, Auril scooped Elize off Caleb's back and then as soon as Caleb shifted, he took his bride back from him. She was so pale and cold. "We need fire and she needs blood!"

"I know!" said Auril as he immediately started gathering a pile of logs. He noticed that even Laurel was doing the same. When the pile was big enough, Auril said, "Can you light it?" She nodded and lit the fire. Auril exited the cave saying he would go and hunt a rabbit in its hole.

Caleb took his bride near the warm fire and held her tightly in his lap against his naked chest. He pulled her cloak over her body. She was so weak and fragile that it cracked his heart. He kissed her forehead and then tucked it in the crook of his neck. Involuntarily, he started rocking her back and forth. If it had been Pia, she would have created a ruckus by now and demanded that she be looked after. But Elize… she just didn't ask for help. The girl was too independent, had a strong mind to bend to anyone's will. She was just too… stubborn. He exhaled heavily.

"Your Highness," Laurel said, snapping him out of his thoughts.

He whipped his head. "Yes?"

"I was going to get animal blood for Her Highness. She is too pale and she will be very hungry when she wakes up," she said softly as if asking for permission.