Virgins and Vampires: Blood Falls (The Blood Falls Book 3)

The psychic channels glittered in front of me. Some spiraled up and away, others curved around space and time, disappearing far out of sight. I’d never tried to find a specific consciousness on the Plane before. It’s difficult to know how easy or impossible something might be if you’ve never considered it before. So today I was looking at the psychic energy of the Plane with new eyes.

I sat quietly in the library of the House of Gatlin with Kris at my side. Shoshanna and half a dozen others observed as well, including my mother. It was always easy to see the minds right in front of me. It was like having giant, powerful spotlights turned on and pointed at me. The rest always faded into background noise because it was the only way I could manage them.

This first test involved keeping my psychic wall up and only letting down one side. It was still a lot. It took several minutes to absorb all the energy and let it settle through me. For the first time in my life I didn’t fight it. My new goal was to try and work with it.

In the distance I heard Shoshanna. “She’s doing well.”

“We’ve underestimated her,” my mother murmured back.

“We’ve been overprotective,” Shoshanna countered. “But no more.”

Kris kept a hand on my shoulder, grounding me and reassuring me at the same time. Thanks to our new connection we could speak without anyone else hearing us, but since this was my first attempt he didn’t say much, letting me deal with one thing at a time.

The library at the House of Gatlin was very different from the House of Wren. It was a formal room with twenty-foot ceilings covered in filigree. The walls were blue with white and gold accents. Between heavy dark bookcases art hung prominently. There were treasures and artifacts on display as well. And the furniture was expensive instead of comfortable. Kris and I sat on a blue settee while my audience sat on rows of dining chairs brought in from the formal dining room.

“You’re getting tired,” Kris said.

“Just a little more.” Being on the Plane like this drained me, but I still had questions. If I navigated around the minds, could I tell one from another? Up close the answer was easily yes, but further away…much harder.

I had no idea how I might find Marhysa.

“That’s enough for today.” Kris tried again. “You don’t have to save the world on the first go.”

I knew he was right, even if I didn’t like it. I fully returned to my body and sat for a moment, letting a little of my energy return and the fuzziness of being back in the real world fade away. It was a lot like suddenly waking up from a very vivid dream.

When I blinked my eyes open my audience sat expectantly waiting for a report. “None the worse for wear.”

“She’s tired,” Kris said.

I glared at him. “I am tired, but I believe that will change with experience. The more I practice the easier it will get.”

“Your walls have kept you safe for so long…is it possible you’ll be able to live without them one day?” Shoshanna asked.

The idea scared me. “I doubt it. But these last few weeks have taught me I’m capable of more than I thought. And that I can adjust my needs to the situation.”

I answered a dozen more questions before I began fidgeting. Kris stood up. “That’s all for now. Rain needs to rest.”

“I’m fine.” But even as I said that I adjusted yet again and realized all the fidgeting was to distract me from the pain and exhaustion. I was more tired than I realized. I shot Kris a sheepish smile. “I’m not fine.”

“Rain can answer more questions at another time,” he said louder. The room cleared almost instantly. All except my mother.

Her eyes darted between us, full of questions and accusations. My heart rate kicked up a notch as I prepared for a new argument with my mother. But as I stood up and squared my shoulders, the room tilted a little and the edges of my vision turned dark.

“Oh my!” My mother shrieked.

“Fuck!” Kris barked.

The room kept turning sideways and suddenly I felt a thump on my side and two more at my knees and torso. It was warm on that side of me. My cheek collided with something too.

On the edge of my swimming vision I saw Kris above me, holding me against him. “I’ve got you.” And then everything went black.

I woke up to the taste of Kris’s sweet blood on my tongue and a thumb stroking my cheek. “Her color’s coming back,” he murmured.

I loved the sound of his voice. It had a rumble to it that vibrated against me.

“I would talk more but your mother is hovering,” he said in my mind. “How are you?”

I didn’t get the same rumble from a telepathic conversation, but wow was it hot to share thoughts like this! “I’m okay. Feeling stronger. Are you feeding me?” I had warm skin against my lips.

“Trying to. Turns out feeding the unconscious is harder than it sounds.”

He must have cut his wrist for me. I let my natural instinct take over, sinking into his veins and sucking his strength inside. The slow trickle he’d been feeding me had been enough to rouse me, but now that I was properly drinking, the energy surged through my veins, heating me up at lightning speed.

I had to be careful to keep it simple and not let my other desires kick in.

“Oh thank goodness!” my mother sighed. “Oh thank goodness!”

“She just drained herself, Malynda.”

“You’re supposed to keep her safe!”

I heard Kris sigh in his mind. “I was with her every moment. I never left her side. I warned her that she was tired but she wanted to keep going. I’m her protector, not her overlord.”

“You let this happen!” she gasped.

“Because she’s your only daughter and you’re scared, I’m going to let your hysterics slide for the moment, but do not doubt Rhiannon’s ability to take care of herself or my desire to keep her safe. This was a first attempt. It’s new to all of us.”

“Which is why you should have made her stop sooner!” I think I heard her stomp her foot. Which was a classic Malynda overreaction. I needed to rouse myself and help Kris out.

“Don’t you dare move until you’re ready.” The force with which he said that shocked me into staying exactly where I was.

Angry Kris was kind of hot.

“Rhiannon is a powerful, intelligent, grown female more than capable of deciding for herself what she needs. She is not hurt, she is not suffering, and in a few moments she’ll be back in top form. If you can’t control your emotions around her then I suggest you get out.”

I heard nothing but silence, which led me to believe Kris had just shocked my mother. I pictured her standing there agape with her jaw halfway to the floor.

I licked away and opened my eyes. Sure enough, Malynda stood there staring at Kris, who sat there staring right back. He gave his wrist a rub and flexed his fingers a few times to help the circulation return to normal. “How are you, princess?”

“Better thanks to you.”

He grinned.

“All good,” I said so my mother could hear me as I slowly sat up against the headboard.

Her eyes traveled over us. “Dinner should be ready. I’ll go down and check on things while you freshen up.” Her eyebrow cocked up. “Your father will be joining us.” Then she closed my bedroom door.

“I haven’t seen your dad in a long time.” Kris kept caressing my cheek.

“Those two can barely be in the same room, so this will be interesting.”

Kris smiled. “I can handle interesting. I’m more worried about you.”

I felt terrible that I worried him.

“I know,” he said. “And I meant what I said to Malynda. You’re in charge and I won’t ever question that, but I’d like it if you took my advice next time. Trust me?”

“I do trust you. I got carried away. I won’t let it happen again. Promise.”

“Are you sure you drank enough?” He rubbed his wrist again.

“I think I drank too much.”

He gave me a look. “I can handle all your needs.”

“Then why do you keep rubbing it?” I took his hand in mine and examined the healed skin.

“It tingles.”

“Still?”

He shook his head. “Not like the numbing agent. Something different. It’s…it’s almost electric.”

For a moment I slipped into my gifts and felt the energy around Kris, saw that there was more near his wrist than there should be. “Interesting.” I let go of his hand and turned mine over. “It’s like I have too much psychic energy and it’s seeping out of me.”

“From the Plane?” The tone of his voice changed.

I looked up and caught his gaze. “Yes. And I don’t know what that means.”