And history was repeating itself.
During their initial encounter, he'd tried to intimidate her into leaving Sutrelle because he feared harming her. Now, he was outright refusing to even discuss a step they may need to take for the same reason.
At the thought, Isadora's gaze returned to the bracelet around his wrist, reminded of her suspicion that his lack of trust in himself would end up causing a problem.
Now, he was proving her right—and she was going to nip this behavior in the bud.
— THIRTY-THREE —
Why did arguing with Isadora always feel like steering a sinking ship?
Mathias had no idea, though he knew the concept of letting her drink vampire blood—his blood—was ludicrous, and only one thing seemed more absurd.
But it wasn't her willingness to try—it was his hope that she'd convince him to allow it.
As hard as it was to believe, Marlese's suggestion reminded him of the strange lack he'd felt the previous evening, but couldn't explain. Now, almost every instinct he possessed said it was because he'd neglected to feed Isadora blood, and he didn't know what to think of the matter.
Was instinct directing him out of some misguided need to attempt turning her as he would with any other mortal? If so, they may be right back at square one where Isadora's safety was concerned—according to Artair, every fae he'd tried to turn had wasted away after several exchanges of blood.
Mathias could even recall his sire mentioning a lack of ability to communicate with them telepathically after feeding them. Of course, that was all in an attempt to turn one, which wasn't what Isadora wanted, and perhaps the notion of diluting her scent so other vampires wouldn't be tempted to drain her wasn't entirely irrational.
But how could he ignore the potential dangers?
Even if she showed no initial reaction, there was no way to know how his blood would affect her in the long run. Humans and elves had the unfortunate fate of becoming ghouls if they drank a vampire's blood without completing the transformation, and who was to say his lover wouldn't be altered in some similar manner?
Maybe she wouldn't become a mindless ghoul ravenous for flesh and blood, but even the remote possibility was too harrowing to consider.
Still, a part of him hoped Isadora would find a way to rationalize it even as he vehemently denied her desire to discuss it—and she took exception to his highhanded dismissal.
“Fine,” the fae started casually, “if you don't want to talk about it, then I only have one thing to say.”
“What's that?”
Without hesitation, she spoke the word, “Arizona.”
At first, the strange utterance confused him, but he soon realized she was activating the binding bracelet just as she commanded, “Now promise me we'll discuss this.”
Compelled by the bracelet's magic to do precisely as bidden, Mathias couldn't resist stating, “I promise we'll discuss this.”
Once the words were out of his mouth, the magic of the bracelet faded away, and he growled in irritation, grasping the now useless item to tug from his wrist and toss aside while asking, “Why would you waste this?”
“It's not a waste,” she countered, her tone as stern as his had been in denying her. “You wanted to keep that bracelet to be safe, and I appreciate the concern, but I'm worried about you, too.”
Worried about me? Uncertain why she'd have any cause for concern, he nearly asked. But she quickly grabbed his hands, offering a gentle squeeze while explaining with no need for questions.
“You need to trust what's forming between us, Mathias, and your own instincts. You're denying us a chance to make this work because you're afraid feeding me blood will cause me harm, but it could also save my life, or the life of someone in this room, and that's a chance we can't afford to ignore.”
Though his lips parted to respond, nothing came out. She was right of course, and he'd been too concerned with what could happen to care about trusting his own instincts. For thousands of years, he'd refrained from forming a new family, denying his desire for companionship repeatedly due to the fear of being unable to keep them safe.
Now, he had a lover who cared, and wanted their relationship to work, yet he was stubbornly falling back on old habits and refusing to take a step that could be precisely what they needed.
Still, he insisted, “Just tell me why you're so open to the idea? You said yourself the thought of drinking blood isn't appealing.”
Shrugging, the fae remarked rationally, “It isn't, but exchanging blood is in a vampire's nature, Mathias, and who understands nature better than a fae?”
For several moments, their gazes remained locked, and something in the confident, ocean blue depths of her eyes reassured him. Despite all his misgivings, he did trust Isadora's judgment. She viewed the world with an almost childlike enthusiasm, and yet her fae intuition had proven acutely tuned with a wisdom in her observations he was coming to respect.
She was right, after all. Vampires exchanged blood by nature. It was the way of their world—a world she'd been thrust into by fate. An affinity existed between them, and even with the lack he'd sensed, it was the strongest bond he'd ever known.
Such a tie shouldn't be dismissed, meaning a longer discussion was warranted after all.
But he wasn't leaving anything to chance. Just as Isadora had devised a safety net for offering him blood, he knew of a way to protect her should the worse come to pass, and all it would take was a bit of draconian blood.
In cases where a mortal had ingested vampire blood and risked transforming into a ghoul, draconian blood could neutralize the effects and reverse the change. So having it would be beneficial if Isadora drank and experienced any negative side effects.
All Mathias needed was an enchanted vial to keep the blood fresh, and to visit Dalris once they returned to Terra—his old friend would certainly understand their need.
So he finally agreed.
“Very well, I'll consider it once we've returned to Terra, and I'd like to depart now. There's no rush, but I want to consult Dalris about the attacks Ardilon mentioned.”
With those words, Heliger's magical barrier faded from sight, and no one disagreed with his need for haste. Isadora also seemed excited by the prospect of seeing her friends again, gifting him with a heartwarming smile.
Yet she asked as if confused, “I'm not complaining about visiting Dalris, but why not just speak with Maddox instead?”
Because I'm not risking your life, he thought without saying so aloud, deciding it was a better idea not to admit his plan at that precise moment. If Isadora took exception, they'd waste time arguing instead of departing, and consulting Dalris wasn't the reason for his haste.
He was also looking forward to having his lover all to himself.
Because time passed more slowly in Sutrelle, they could literally spend weeks doing as they pleased in Terra and still be back by the end of the day. This left plenty of time for leisure before handling more official business.
So he answered simply, “We'll visit her as well, but I'd like to know how Dalris is dealing with this, and offer assistance if it's warranted.”
Thankfully, Isadora seemed to believe him, nodding with a grin. “Sounds like fun, saying he even needs our help. But I've been meaning to ask, how do you know Dalris, anyway?”
“That's a long story, one I'll be happy to share once we've left. So does anyone have any issues to address before we go?”
“Only one,” Marlese replied, though her focus was on Isadora.
With an apologetic look he knew to be rare but genuine, the blonde remarked, “I just wanted to make certain you know I would never intentionally try to hurt you, or Mathias, and I'm sorry for what just happened.”
Mathias knew that was true—Marlese was nothing less than a sister, and he couldn't fault her for being drawn by Isadora's scent. Thankfully, Isadora was just as forgiving, casting the blonde a smile with her response.
“Don't apologize, Marlese. I know you didn
't mean it personally. I also hope drinking Mathias' blood works because I'd like to know you all better.”
A smile raised the corners of the vampiress' mouth as she offered a nod, admitting, “I'd like that as well, and I have several controversial stories of Mathias to share, though he'll claim they're all flagrant lies.”
Much to his dismay, Isadora's face lit with interest—and he wasted no time grasping her upper arm to drag her toward the door.
With the sound of Marlese's laughter trailing behind them, Isadora called a goodbye, then cast him an amused look once they were alone in the corridor.
“What's wrong? Are you afraid she'll embarrass you?”
Glancing down at her with a smirk, he returned, “No, though she's right about one thing.”
“What?”
Without hesitation, he promised, “Anything she tells you will be utter nonsense.”
— THIRTY-FOUR —
When Mathias said there was no rush to complete their tasks, he certainly meant it, though Isadora didn't consider why until after they returned to Terra. Instead, as they traveled to the southern gate, his desire to procure an enchanted vial from one of the Citadel’s blood pantries captured her full attention.
It was the only stop they made before leaving Sutrelle, and seemed innocuous enough, but when asked why he needed it, his only answer was, “I'll explain later.”
The vague statement seemed dubious, as if Mathias had something to hide, and she couldn't quite shake the feeling it had to do with drinking his blood. Regardless, she decided not to push for information. He'd promised to explain, and she wanted to trust him as much as she hoped he'd trust himself.
That aside, she was too eager to see her friends again to delay their trip with a lot of questions.
There was only one problem—by the time they arrived in Page South Cemetery, the sun was only half an hour away from rising.
The early morning hour limited their ability to visit anyone, let alone learn more about the recent vampire attacks. They also couldn't go to her cottage to seek assistance from the fairies since morning in Georgia meant high noon in Norway.
Still, it wasn't a huge setback. Waiting a day to take care of current affairs only meant an hour passing in Sutrelle. So Mathias was right, and there really was no reason to rush. In fact, they could spend days doing whatever they pleased and still be back at the Citadel in time for dinner—a prospect Isadora found alluring.
After all they'd dealt with, having some leisure time would be enjoyable, and her ability to travel through natural bodies of water would make it easy to visit any part of the world where it was night.
But Mathias didn't seem interested in frivolous activities. Instead, after they reached Page South Cemetery and realized the sun was soon to rise, he commented, “Since we'll have to wait before visiting Dalris or Maddox, I must ask if fairies are nocturnal?”
“Not specifically,” she started, “though I wouldn't call them diurnal, either. Every fairy is different.”
“Then they won't be difficult to contact?”
At the shake of her head, he nodded as if glad to hear it, and Isadora pursed her lips. The fact that contacting her fairy friends wouldn't be difficult only made it easier for them to have a little fun first, and she nearly suggested the idea before he could continue.
But he derailed her train of thought in stating, “Good. That gives us more time.”
“Time?”
“Yes. We're alone, and haven't had much time to do anything enjoyable. So if you're amenable, I thought we'd spend a few days traveling to places a little more … ”
As he searched for the right word, Isadora snatched his hand and suggested, “Exciting? Fun?”
Their gazes locked, and his lips curled into a smile as he squeezed her hand, remarking, “Precisely.”
Giggling, she nodded eagerly, allowing him to transport them to a nearby lake where they began a two day journey around the world. The only question was where to go first, particularly after Mathias instructed her to surprise me.
So she started with a place where the sun would’ve just set—Sydney, Australia.
The couple emerged on the shore of Port Jackson with a perfect view of the Opera House in the distance, a sight Mathias had never beheld. Apparently, his time spent living in a vampire paradise left him clueless over several modern marvels Isadora was eager to show him.
Even better, his form of mist allowed access to several places that were off limits—and touring Sydney was just the beginning.
From observing a lively festival in Tokyo to lounging amidst the palms of a Maldivian beach, Isadora couldn't recall the last time she'd had so much fun. Even better, their trip allowed her to learn more about her new mate, and it was surprising how much they actually had in common.
Neither were interested in restaurants since they had no need to eat food despite possessing the ability, and both enjoyed a good prank. One such joke involved boarding a roller coaster only to leave the ride in mist while passing through a darkened tunnel, baffling the mortal passengers with their unexplained disappearance.
Isadora hadn't thought Mathias capable of such mischief, but it seemed her vampire had a bigger sense of humor than first assumed. The notion truly made her wonder about the stories Marlese could tell—and she definitely wouldn't take anything the vampiress said with a grain of salt.
Beyond humor, Mathias was also generous. At a shopping center in Prague, Isadora found herself glued to the top of a jewelry display case, exclaiming, “They're so pretty!”
Leaning behind her, the vampire mentioned at her ear, “If you like jewels, I have a vault filled with them at the Citadel.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” he murmured, adding, “and as far as I'm concerned, it's yours.”
Isadora stared at the vampire with no idea what to say. The offer was flattering, and she was eager to browse this vault of gems. Even more appealing was the prospect of touring a castle he'd built high in the Swiss Alps and obscured with magic—apparently, her mate either owned, or had access to several abodes worldwide.
But instead of traveling to see them, they spent the day in the Parisian Spire. It was one of the most luxurious Spires in the world, and the extravagant setting was only outmatched by the looks garnered from other supernatural beings within the sanctuary.
No one seemed to know what to make of the vampire and fae who'd acquired a private suite together, and Isadora found their baffled expressions amusing. But she refrained from making any public displays of affection, fearing if rumors started, other vampires would hunt her sisters with more frequency, hoping to find a lover of their own.
Mathias agreed, keeping to himself as they traversed the Spire—but things changed inside their temporary quarters.
The moment the door closed, he backed her against it and captured her mouth in a hard kiss, and the abrupt movements weren't surprising. She could sense both his arousal and hunger, though he didn't take her blood—at first.
Instead, they made love, starting at the door before eventually moving to the couch. From aggressive acts to gentle caresses, it was an exploration, each learning how the other liked being touched and putting that knowledge to good use.
And it wasn't until Isadora was on the verge of her third orgasm that Mathias finally pierced her neck.
Instantly, she came so hard she would've bucked away had he been mortal. But the vampire didn't let go, holding his bite until they were both spent. Perhaps he was locked in the bliss of his own release, or simply showing possessiveness, but having his fangs in her neck as he thrust between her thighs intensified her orgasm in a way she couldn't explain.
Afterward, they bathed in the suite's jacuzzi tub, then fell asleep sharing random stories of their pasts—and through it all, Isadora was amazed. Her connection to Mathias was already strong, but their trip had her feeling closer to him than anyone she'd ever known. He was attentive, thoughtful, and just the right amount of playful—the exact oppo
site of everything she would've expected a vampire to be.
And for the rest of their travels, she had only a single question. Is this what it feels like to fall in love?
It wasn't easy to say, nor were her feelings easy to describe. Isadora only knew the butterflies in her stomach were swarming nonstop, as if hosting a rave party complete with booze and bumping music—and she never wanted this impromptu trip with her vampire to end.
Sadly, they couldn't keep ignoring obligation to do as they pleased, and after another day, the couple finally adjourned to her Norwegian cottage for the chance to contact the fairies. The only problem was the nearing dawn—her cottage wasn't equipped to shelter a vampire from the sun, meaning Mathias would have to sleep underground.
Somehow, the notion was bothersome. He'd obviously sought refuge from the Terran sun in such a manner numerous times over his long life, but she wanted him to be comfortable, not packed into a hole with no room to breathe—literally.
According to Mathias' description, sleeping underground wasn't always ideal because the lack of air would leave him awakening in blood lust. Yet he insisted, unwilling to spend any time away from her, and she found his desire to remain close endearing.
Still, as they entered the waters of the North Sea to make the trip to her pond in northern Norway, she promised to have a lightless room added to her cottage just for him.
Mathias kissed her in appreciation of the gesture while wrapping his arms around her body as they sank beneath the surface. Holding her breath, Isadora nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder, allowing the current to carry them away.
Soon, the water's temperature dropped, the roar against her ears softening to a gentle murmur, proving they'd reached their destination, and breaching the surface again had them under a canopy of branches partially obscuring the glow of the northern lights above.
The pond was centered in an area much like the grove where she'd spent her stay in Sutrelle, though the surrounding forest wasn't as rocky, nor was there a pair of high griffins sleeping nearby. But this place spoke to Isadora as no other ever would, the swish of leaves in the breeze and the distant chirps of crickets stirring a very old, very familiar feeling.
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