except ..." "Except what?" "I don't think that he could have blocked your memory so well if it wasn't a real exchange.
A human, yes.
But you are strong-willed." He shrugged.
"Most Master vampires feed off their get--other vampires.
Blackwood will tolerate no other vampires in his territory, and I don't know that he has any get himself.
Maybe he makes up the difference by exchanging blood whenever he feeds." I mulled over what he'd told me, then dozed a little.
I woke with a start as we took the exit onto Highway 395 at Ritzville.
Only a little over seventy miles until we got home.
"He won't be able to coerce you if you find another vampire to tie yourself to," Stefan said.
I looked at him, but he was staring intently at the road--as if we were threading through the mountains of Montana instead of gliding down an empty stretch of mostly flat and straight pavement.
"Are you offering?" He nodded.
"I am perilously short of food.
The exchange will feed me better, and I won't have to hunt again for a few nights." I thought for a minute.
Not that I was going to do it, but there was more to his offer--with vampires, I was learning, there usually was.
With Stefan that didn't necessarily mean that he was hiding some benefit to him.
"And you'll gain yourself an enemy," I guessed.
"James Blackwood holds Spokane, all by himself, against all the supernatural peoples, not just vampires.
That means he's obsessively possessive--and tough.
He won't be happy with you for keeping me from him." He shrugged.
"He probably can't call you all the way from Spokane when you are in the Tri-Cities.
He probably wouldn't even try, if he exchanges blood every time he feeds.
But if you are tied to me, that would be certain." He spoke slowly.
"We already have had one blood exchange.
And I can make sure it won't be horrible." If Blackwood called me to him, if he took me as one of his sheep, Adam would bring the pack in to rescue me.
Mary Jo had almost paid the ultimate price for my problems already.
As long as I stayed in the Tri-Cities, he might not even realize that the reason he couldn't call me was Stefan.
"Adam is my mate," I told him.
I didn't know if I should tell him that Adam had made me one of the pack.
"Can Blackwood get Adam through me?" Stefan shook his head.
"I can't either.