A special breed of horses, the bloodkin horses were reserved strictly for the Imperator’s use. The strongest stallions were chosen for the task of insemination, as well as beautiful, pure mares. Once the seed took root, the breeders added blood essence to the mare’s feed. The process had been perfected in time, and the resulting animals were among the fastest and fiercest beasts in existence.
Vane hoped his brother knew what he was doing, because such horses could be very dangerous. But so far, Cole had not led them astray. They followed Cole to the stables. Yet again, they ran into a number of guards, but they didn’t bother with stealth. Cole and Eli took them out in a few swift and agile motions.
At last, they reached the corral holding the horses. The animals reared and bucked, neighing agitatedly and baring sharp fangs at them. “Are you sure about this, Cole?” Vane asked.
“We don’t have much choice, I’m afraid.”
Eli nodded. “I hate to agree with him, but the gateway is too far for us to reach before they catch us, and there’d be over three dozen guards between us and that area.”
Vane had no idea how Eli would know that, but it was, indeed, the case. Still, the horses looked like they were going to eat them alive. When Cole jumped inside the corral, one of the beasts lunged at him, missing Cole’s throat only because he backed away at the last moment.
“This is hopeless,” Kier said. “We’re wasting time.”
Eli sighed. “Let me. I’ve always been good with animals.”
“Yeah, I bet, since you’re not so good with people,” Cole answered, voice dripping with poison.
“Cole, drop it, please,” Kier said with a sigh.
Vane felt like he’d ended up in a weird triangle of emotions. This was a terrible time for Cole to be jealous. Thankfully, Eli didn’t take the bait. Instead, the elf slipped inside the corral, and the beasts immediately began to quiet down. As Eli murmured to them, Vane felt a weird emotion stir in his heart. It was as if Eli’s words held a silent sorrow. A flash of memory passed through Vane—Dante dying on the floor of his father’s lounge—and he swallowed against the knot in his throat. He shouldn’t care about it, but he did. Dante had died to protect Cole, and he’d been so young. Vane wished things could have been different. Why did ideals always have to kill?
Miraculously, Eli pacified the horses and led them out of the corral. There were three animals, so Vane and Moss took one, Cole and Kier the second, and Eli the third. Cole rode out of the stables, with Vane and Eli following.
They went so fast it even surprised Vane. Moss cuddled against his chest, obviously frightened, but not saying anything that would give him away. Moss’s heat felt good against him, and in spite of the entire situation, Vane’s dick hardened. Not that Vane intended to do anything about it, not anytime soon at least.
Cole led them out of the palace grounds, passing by confused guards and dodging flying arrows. In the distance, Vane thought he could hear Aran shouting, but he ignored it. The busy Tachaka streets were even more difficult to navigate through. At this hour, bloodkin of all ages filled the pathways, and it took all of Vane’s expertise in horse riding to avoid trampling the people in his way.
City guards tried to stop them, but failed. Then, Vane spotted the city gates straight ahead. They were closing. It would be a close call. Cole sped up, and so did Vane and Eli. They managed to jump over the guards blocking their way and slip outside seconds before the heavy gates shut.
Even so, they weren’t out of the woods yet. From the barricades, archers shot at them and the gates would reopen any moment now. They needed to make haste toward Manturanael.
As the only one who knew their current destination, Eli rode ahead. Behind them, a cloud of dust rose, visible even through the darkness of the Tachakan plains. Their horses bravely kept on racing, but they would begin to tire soon. Not even bloodkin-bred animals were immune to fatigue.
The miles seemed to stretch on and on, until at last, Eli began to slow down. “It’s here,” he said.
Vane couldn’t see anything, but then again, he was bloodkin, not an elf. Bloodkin had lost many of their original elf abilities, including the one allowing them to use the natural elven portals leading to Manturanael and back to the main continent. In a sense, Vane couldn’t be more thankful for it. Had bloodkin been able to use these portals, a war between them and the elves would have erupted a long time ago.
Eli ushered them into a small grove and gestured for them to gather around next to a tree stump. The portals were always in a seemingly innocuous place, but in a very specific spot. In Vane’s former residence, it had been marked by a gazebo. Ironically, Vane himself had built it, somehow feeling the special energies around it, but only after Kier discovered it did they realize a portal was there.
As they dismounted, Vane gave Eli an inquiring look. “Are we taking the horses as well?”
Eli nodded. “They deserve better treatment, especially after saving our lives.”
“Besides, if we just vanished into thin air, without the horses, it would be even clearer than it already is that we used a portal,” Kier added, entwining his fingers through the fine hairs of his horse’s mane.
No one asked any more questions. With Kier still weak, Eli did the honors of summoning the energies of the portal. Vane had been through this several times before, so the sensation of swirling didn’t take him by surprise. Animals coped with the transition well, but he didn’t know if Cole and Moss had ever been to Manturanael. His human might’ve visited since he knew Eli, but the process would still be difficult on him.
Still, when the dizzying void melted into the elven lands, Vane felt relieved. They’d gotten out of their predicament unscathed. That, in and of itself, was a miracle.
Vane had the distant thought Moss’s skin now matched the color of his eyes. Cole looked similarly affected, but he recovered faster. The horses, completely unfazed, ran off to hunt some dinner.
“So now what?” Kier asked, sitting on a tree stump positioned in an exact corresponding position as the one in the Tachakan plains.
Good question. They couldn’t stay here and risk the elves finding them. They’d be better off in Aran’s dungeons. Out of all things, he didn’t expect Moss to reply, and yet, his human did. “I have a suggestion, or rather, a request. Would you help me go back to Elmya? My parents and siblings might be in danger.”
Moss had a point. If Aran couldn’t find them, he might try to hurt Moss’s family instead. Moss didn’t seem to realize this, as Vane could sense no panic, only concern. Vane made a mental note to be careful what he said around his human.
Cole hummed thoughtfully. “You have a point. Given the prince’s death, Aran might want to take revenge on them.”
Moss’s eyes widened. “But they don’t have anything to do with this,” he cried.
“No, they don’t, but sometimes, that doesn’t matter,” Vane answered. He held Moss tightly, trying to be as comforting as possible in the circumstances. “We’ll go, Moss, if you want to.”
“You can count on me,” Kier offered. “What about your uncle? Would he be in danger, too?”
Moss trembled in Vane’s arms. “I–I don’t know. I haven’t seen him in many years.”
“We’ll split up,” Cole said. “Kier and I will go see your uncle. You and Vane can go to Elmya.”
The tone didn’t leave any room for comment, and Vane arched a brow at his brother. Cole’s sudden agreement to Moss’s plea had nothing to do with generosity or helpfulness. It was clearly sheer jealousy, him not wanting Kier with Vane.
How long had his brother stewed in his own poison? Did he believe Vane slept with Kier? Vane would have never done something like that. Kier was beautiful, yes, but Vane cared about him like he would, well, a brother.
“Cole, they need an elf to help them travel to the portals,” Kier said weakly.
“Eli can go with them,” Cole shot back. As he did so, he directed an ugly look at Eli. Jealousy toward both Vane and Eli, then.
&nb
sp; “My, aren’t you presumptuous?” Vane couldn’t help but say. “Perhaps Eli doesn’t even want to come, now that Kier is safe.”
Eli shrugged. “It doesn’t matter if I do or don’t come. I have nowhere else to be.”
Cole crossed his arms over his chest and smirked in satisfaction. “There you have it. Kier and I will travel over the Great Waters, and the rest of you can go to Elmya.”
Vane would have been annoyed, but he sensed something else under the smugness. Relief, perhaps? Vane imagined how he’d feel if he were separated from Moss for fifty years. He didn’t think he would be sane, either.
So he remained quiet and went along with it. Perhaps, in the end, his brother and Kier would manage to solve their personal issues as they should have from the very beginning, on their own. And perhaps Kier, with his love and affection, could quiet Cole’s demons. Vane could only hope so.
“But where will we meet up?” Moss asked. “Where will we take them?”
Eli smiled sadly. “Where else? Here.”
Chapter Nine
A few days later
The houses of Elmya rose in the distance, beckoning Moss home. The familiar sight should have been comforting, and to a certain extent, it was. But shadows loomed over Moss’s heart. He had yet to figure out things with Vane, and he didn’t know how they would be received in the mostly human town. He feared what he would find in Elmya. Would his family be all right? And if so, how would they treat him once they found out he’d somehow become entangled with the same people who’d taken their home and fortune?
After the departure from Manturanael, Moss and his companions settled in a peculiar and awkward routine. Vane seemed to want to say something, but every time, he stopped himself and made random conversation instead. Vane had fed from him a couple of times, but always the way he’d done back in Dante’s quarters. The clinical efficiency bothered Moss. The closer they got to Elmya, the further apart he and Vane grew.
The elf’s presence made things even worse. True, Eli had been quiet. He hadn’t spoken a word unless addressed directly, and Moss wondered what thoughts passed through Eli’s head. The elf hadn’t been particularly talkative before, but this seemed a bit too much. He’d pretty much declared they’d use a gateway to transport themselves closer to Elmya, and from there, ride on to Moss’s hometown. After that, he focused on doing his part, keeping watch when he was due, hunting when he needed to, but avoiding any other interaction. Sometimes, Vane caught Eli muttering under his breath, talking to himself. It was creepy, and he didn’t know what to believe.
They were very close to Elmya now, and deep into human lands. Still, Moss knew the bloodkin presence to be powerful in the area, so Vane’s decision to enter the town under glamour didn’t surprise him. “We’ll have to use my powers to bypass the guards without being seen,” Vane said.
Moss nodded wordlessly, his eyes on the city gates. Originally a farming town, Elmya had grown in time, becoming a very prosperous establishment. The walls and gates had been built to prevent invaders from stealing the newly acquired wealth. But it hadn’t prevented the bloodkin from bursting inside, nor would they stop Vane. Technically speaking, Vane could have just jumped over, but Moss insisted in keeping things as ordinary as possible. He preferred to arrive on a horse, and at least hold a pretense of normality. Not that things could be in any way normal around bloodkin. Moss was learning everything he’d thought as a generally applied rule didn’t matter in the world of the bloodkin.
But with Vane’s arm holding his waist, Moss couldn’t quite bring himself to care. He wished Vane would just say something. He wanted his master to explain, to tell him what to do and what would happen. Sometimes, the memories of his whipping still came back, but they were fading now, the fear of losing Vane altogether taking their place.
At last, they reached the strong gates of Elmya. It was well after nightfall, a good thing since the cover of darkness made the bloodkin horses less jumpy. They’d taken two of the beasts—the same ones who’d previously saved their lives—and the speed of the animals ensured they reached Elmya in record time. However, bloodkin horses turned out to be quite restless in human establishments.
“Who goes there?” a guardsman asked from the top of the parapet.
“We’re travelers heading north,” Vane replied smoothly. “We seek to rest at your inn.”
Moss could feel the slight sway of power in Vane’s voice, and the guard’s watchfulness melted. “I see. Open the gates,” he shouted to someone else.
Moss heard the heavy barrier lift, and then the gates opened, revealing several more guards who gave them suspicious looks. “Thank you,” Vane said with fake honesty. “We’re very weary and who knows what beasts are out there in the wild.”
This time, the power was even more seductive, and the guards let them pass with well-wishes and direction toward the best inn. Naturally, Vane ignored them and headed in the direction of Moss’s home. Moss didn’t even ask how Vane knew where to go. The bloodkin must’ve seen it in Moss’s memories.
At last, they reached the outskirts of the city. The sight of their little cabin made Moss’s heart constrict, but relief flowed through him when he noticed the silhouettes moving around the house. Judging by the motions of the figures and the voices he heard coming from inside, his family was all right.
Moss bit his lip, anxiety and affection swirling inside him. He wanted to see them so much, but he’d tell them they needed to leave everything they knew and loved behind. He’d have to confess his affection for a bloodkin. Moss didn’t feel ashamed of it, but his father would never understand.
Without allowing himself to muse over the great number of ways this could go wrong, Moss dismounted. Behind him, his companions followed his example. Vane squeezed Moss’s shoulder and walked with him toward the house door. “It will be okay.”
Moss offered Vane a smile he did not feel and nodded. At last, Kier tied the horses’ reins to a nearby tree and joined them. “Here goes nothing.”
Taking a deep breath, he knocked at the door. The noise inside dwindled, and heavy steps approached. “Yeah? Who is it?” a rough voice asked.
Moss immediately recognized it as belonging to his father. “It’s me, Dad. Moss.”
The door burst open in a flash, and Moss found himself pulled into a strong embrace. “Where have you been, boy? What happened to you? I sent your uncle a letter and just got a reply saying you never got there. We were so worried.”
Moss broke away from his father and tried to figure out a way to explain. “I’m sorry. It’s just that…”
He trailed off, unsure of what to say. I met a bloodkin and fell in love with him? No. He didn’t even know if he truly loved Vane, or if his relationship with the man had any future.
Before he could find a way to explain, his mother approached. “Duncan? Who is it?”
She held a mug of steamy liquid in her hand, and when she saw him, she gasped and dropped the cup. It shattered against the floor, milk spilling out in a marble-white pool. Moss registered all this almost as through a dream. His mother had deep circles under her eyes, and her hair had more threads of gray than before. Had she aged since he’d last seen her? That was impossible, right? He’d only left home a month back, although it seemed like at least a year now.
“Mom?” he asked hesitantly.
Olivia rushed to him and engulfed him in a tight hug. “Moss, oh, Moss…” His mother sobbed, clinging to his shirt. “I thought you were gone. I thought you were dead. I’m sorry, so sorry. We never should’ve sent you away.”
Guilt showered Moss at her words. Why had he never written to tell them about his new job? True, they’d have been concerned if they knew the truth about his new employer, but he could’ve made up some lie instead of delaying it indefinitely. He was such a coward.
All the noise drew the children’s attention and Moss heard the thud of little feet approaching. “Moss?” Jo’s voice asked.
Olivia released him and Moss’s gaze
fell on his siblings. “Hi there, squirt.”
Lam and Jo ran toward him, hugging his knees clumsily. “Moss, Moss! You’re back.”
Moss picked Lam up and smiled. “Indeed, I am.”
And then, Lam tilted his head inquiringly and looked over Moss’s shoulder. “Who are they?”
All this time, during Moss’s reunion with his parents, Moss and Eli had remained cloaked. Apparently, Lam had somehow seen through the glamour. Duncan cursed and took a few steps back. “Bloodkin.” From behind a shelf, he retrieved a bat. “Get out. Get out of here, you monsters.”
Apparently, Eli’s outlandish looks were enough to classify him as bloodkin. “There’s no need for that,” Moss rushed to say. “They’re friends of mine.” Distantly, he registered the fact that his father knew about the identity of the bloodkin now.
“Friends?” Duncan repeated in disbelief. “You’re not serious.”
Vane chose this exact moment to introduce himself. “Greetings, Lord Hayden, Lady Hayden. I’m Vane Bloodmoor and this is Eli Starburst.”
Olivia looked very pale now. “This isn’t happening.”
Everything was moving too fast, and his parents were already drawing the wrong conclusions. “Don’t be afraid, Mom. They’re good people.”
Instead of helping, the words seemed to inflame Duncan further. “Good people? How could you do this, Moss? How could you consort with a bloodkin?”
“Father, I…”
“What did I tell you when you left home? Are you so daft you cannot listen to one word of advice?”
Moss winced. His father had never once spoken like this to him. He’d also never let on he might have known more about the strangers in their time than Moss had originally realized.
“Daddy, what’s wrong?” Jo asked in a small voice. “What’s the matter? Did Moss do something bad?”
To Moss’s surprise, Eli answered in Duncan’s stead. “Not at all. Your daddy just didn’t expect extra visitors.” He took a few steps forward and knelt next to the children. “I’ll tell you a little secret. I’m an elf.”
Bed and Breakfast [Bloodkin 1] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove) Page 17