Seventh Seal - Jacquelyn Faye Page 0,76

be filled by all your domains. Let's just hope your hunger is sated long enough for us to recoup what we lost."

"I hope to goddess it is." I frowned, not wanting to contemplate the implications if it wasn't. I could barely feed from my friends. The thought of strangers opening a vein for me turned my stomach. Just not in a hungry way.

"Now we need to talk about my uncle."

I couldn't roll over to face her as I was covered in hunk, but I turned my head and almost frowned at the seriousness etched upon her face. Yuki was many things. Broody, comical, angsty, and even snarkastic, but serious wasn't one of them. It was kind of scary. "Do we have to?"

"No. You can wait until he launches a rocket at someplace without wards and shields. Like the diner or the vampire's house."

"He wouldn't do that…" I trailed off. Judging by the look on her face, he would. He might even enjoy it. "But they're innocents?"

"And you love them. And it would wreck you."

"It would," I answered thoughtfully.

Yuki put her hand on my cheek. "Bring the war to him before it spirals out of control."

"So, what? You just want me to pop over to Ashville all willy-nilly and assassinate your uncle?"

"Yes! That's exactly what I want you to do."

"Yuki…"

"Please, master, for one time, just please listen to me."

I silenced her with a finger to her lips. "I hear you, and on some level, I agree with you. I have no problem killing in self-defense. I have no problem killing when there is no other option. But as long as the thought that there is another option is in my head, I can't do it. That's not who I am and that's not who I want to be."

"But he almost killed innocent people in your store!"

"And if he had, this conversation would not be happening."

"So, you're going to wait until he does?"

"No. I'm going to scare the fucking shit out of him. I'm going to make him understand that he is nothing compared to me. Want to know why? Because I have all of you." I poked her in the forehead.

"Never bring a gun to a Yuki fight." Dar chuckled against my chest.

Yuki blushed and it was the cutest thing ever.

Chapter 21

The sound of the end credit symphony woke Yuki up. She hadn't even lasted half the movie before putting her head on my thigh and interrupting the quieter parts of the movie with soft snores and mewls. Yuki's dreams were apparently scarier than her real life, and she only quieted with a soft touch on her shoulder or face.

Josie and Candace hadn't even made the attempt at a late-night movie. They snuck off to their room as soon as it started. Even Chief hadn't been tempted and wandered off for a shower and bed as soon as he walked through the door. With all the energy coursing through my veins, I knew better than to try to sleep.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" Yuki humphed from my lap.

"Because you're so damn cute. When you're sleeping."

"Well, I'm going to my room to be cute. I donated too much blood tonight. Can't keep my eyes open."

"Sorry, sweetie."

"No worries, Master. I'll see if I can get one of the other vamps to donate, too. Amir would probably be happy to take one for the team."

"Yeah. Now I just need another demon, shadow walker, and dark elf." I rolled my eyes.

"Probably not. Vampires are anemic by nature. We don't produce blood, we consume it. You don't feed enough to bother the others."

"We'll see." The thought of having to feed off another vamp bothered me more than it should have. I could barely accept Yuki's sacrifice. To feed off someone who wasn't close to me… It wasn't a pleasant thought at all. "Night, Yuki."

She leaned and looked out the front window. The subtle glow of pre-morning illuminated the street in blue. "Closer to good morning, but whatever. Night, Master."

I smiled as I watched her retreat into her room, listening for the subtle click of the lock. Once I heard it, I let the shadows swallow me into the couch.

Dreading what had to be done, I walked through the realm of shadows slowly, playing voyeur along the way. Most people were asleep, some were getting ready for the day, some were still in the throes of passion. Whatever they did, I smiled as I passed, getting a tiny thrill at the ability to peer into everyone's