Present Tense (Out of the Fire #3) - Candace Blevins Page 0,47

Humans use their breath to express emotions and to vent energy. Vampires do it with intent when around humans, but not usually around each other.

James had the passenger door opened when they arrived, and Eunice scooted her onto it without fanfare. The next thing she knew, a grizzly’s arm was touching her lips, and she reached for it to hold it still, opened her mouth, and sank her fangs into the heated flesh with savory blood just below the surface.

Take what you need, James’ voice came into her head. I can change and replenish.

She aimed her intentions towards Etta and asked, Can you handle any humans who happen along?

I have it covered. Drink.

She drank, and drank, and drank some more. Eunice stepped forward to stop her at one point, but James assured him it was fine. She paid attention to the grizzly’s heart, and it beat strongly. He was a huge man with plenty of blood to give. It was probably good Eunice hadn’t offered. She’d have still needed to feed from someone else once he’d given all he could safely give.

She had to make her heart beat to push the blood through her system, and she felt the blood flowing down her head, but it couldn’t be helped. As quickly as possible, Kelsey focused energies to her scalp and felt the skin knitting back together.

When she was as healed as she could manage, and was topped up nicely, Kelsey carefully slid her teeth out and sealed the holes with her tongue and saliva before she let go of the grizzly shifter’s arm and pulled him into a hug. “Thank you, James.”

“You’re most welcome.” He stepped back and gave her a randy grin. “My biggest regret is that I can’t go into the shower with you to help you clean up.”

Eunice got into the driver’s seat. “Get in the back, asshole. I’m driving us home.”

Etta was already in the back seat, and when James joined her, Eunice pulled the jeep back onto the road.

Thank you for handling the humans, she told Etta. I sensed you making sure they only saw an empty Jeep, and no people.

You’re most welcome. I’m impressed you had the presence of mind to check in with me before you drank. You were in dire need by the time the mongoose got you to the bear.

You seem to be friends with the Slayer. Perhaps you can put a good word in for me.

Etta closed her mind without responding, so Kelsey leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

“I feel like a clumsy idiot. I was running too fast and didn’t know the trail.”

“Agreed, on both parts,” Eunice said from behind her. “And yet, my irritation around it has more to do with the fact you injured yourself than with your clumsiness.” He touched her arm a brief moment before pulling his hand back. “Your visible bruises and abrasions are mostly healed. It’s too bad you won’t be able to go to the D&D game with me.”

“She will,” Etta said from the back seat. “I’ll need the address of the home, so I can observe from outside. Based on Kelsey’s control of her hunger while you carried her, and the fact she checked in with me to be certain I’d cloud the minds of any humans who drove by, I believe we need to see how she does in a room full of humans. She’s made of stronger stuff than appears at first glance.”

Kelsey opened her eyes and turned to look at Etta. “You think I’m ready?”

“There’s only one way to find out. If you begin draining the humans, or the mongoose, I’ll step in.”

15

Etta contacted Eunice to let the deer shifter in shortly before the time Kelsey would wake. His mongoose didn’t like it when Kelsey smelled like prey, but he understood why it was important she didn’t have the energy of a predator in her while she worked through learning to control this new skill.

He’d always assumed the rumors about vampires being able to feed off of lust, anger, fear, or whatever were mere myths, but now they had a vampire in their home who could feed from lust. It was really too bad the Master Vampire’s NDA was ironclad, because Eunice badly wanted to share the information with his Drake coworkers. However, the vampires had the luxury of centuries to perfect the wording, so it was unlikely he’d find a way around it.

Tonight, he was happy to say, was about fantasy. Role playing. Nerdy, geeky