Essence (Nectar 3)

But she knew he was concerned that programming might not be enough to keep her 100% safe with a larger group. Others could arrive; news would travel. For now, only Sasha and Sam were aware he was there. And now Sergey Voitenko. Tristan said he wanted to leave first thing in the morning in case Voitenko had any designs on arriving early or having someone else arrive.

Instead of joining the community fish fry, which was being done at that vampress Brandy’s place on the opposite end of the island, Kyla shopped in Sasha’s greenhouse and then chopped some fresh picked vegetables for a salad that she made for them while Tristan made them some chicken quesadillas while multitasking on his computer sending some emails and texts as well as making a few calls at the kitchen table.

But he’d walked to the greenhouse and watched. He’d followed her to the bedroom when she went in to change after getting salsa all over the front of her top, and seemed to be unwilling to be more than ten feet from her.~~~Kyla was being gently jiggled.

“Wake up, princess. Time to go.”

“Arrrgh. But it’s nighttime.”

“Yeah, but our ride is here.” He lifted her up and planted her on his lap. She nuzzled into his throat and kissed his jaw. He was dressed.

She didn’t even remember falling asleep. They’d eaten dinner in the bedroom and then she’d wanted a nap afterwards. They’d been in bed, Kyla snoozing and Tristan on his computer doing work stuff, and it wasn’t even dark yet. Now he was jiggling her.

“What time is it?”

“Just past three o’clock.”

“Why are we leaving in the middle of the night? Did something happen?”

“I don’t want Sergey coming early and catching me off guard. I don’t wanna chance someone stopping over like Brandy did yesterday. I just want distance so we can figure shit out. I don’t want to be caught off guard at all.”

“Mmkay. I have to pee and brush my teeth and pack.”

“I packed. Get dressed and ready quick.” He passed her a bundle of clothes and her toiletries bag.

When she emerged from the bathroom in yoga clothes, a ponytail, no make-up, and unsure if she wanted to have coffee or to simply curl up and sleep on the ride home. She found Tristan in the kitchen with Sasha and Sam. Both Jaspers were half asleep-looking.

“I’ll call you when I have those answers. Just be careful in the meantime. Watch how she’s adjusting,” Sasha said and then gave Kyla a smile.

“Take good care of Kyle, please,” Kyla said.

“Always,” Sasha smiled.

“Thank you for everything,” Kyla said, “Sincerely.”

Sasha smiled bigger, “Hope to see you back here soon. I was telling Tristan we have a beautiful log home available next door. We have about half a dozen empty homes on the island here, ready for occupants. I think the one next door is the best of the bunch. Beautiful beach. It would be lovely if you two took it over, if we became neighbours. I’m going to make sure it’s reserved, just in case.”

Kyla smiled noncommittally but was thinking she’d love to see that home and would love to be here, close to her brother. Life on a small island with very few threats compared to being in a big city? It was something that really appealed to her. For now, at least.

Tristan took her bundle of sleeping clothes from her as well as her makeup bag and tucked them into the gym bag on the table and then zipped it up.

“Okay, we’re off.”

“What about Adrian?” Kyla muttered as they descended the stairs, “Did you already…uh…” She didn’t want to say the rest. Didn’t want to acknowledge that Tristan may have committed a murder. Well, another murder.

Even if the monster deserved it.

“He’s comin’, too,” Tristan replied.

“He is?” Kyla was startled.

“I’m not letting him far out of my sight. I’m just keepin’ him for now until we get all the shit sorted out from his lab.”

Sam followed them to the seaplane parked at the dock and then he went into the boathouse. Tristan put Kyla on the plane, sat her in the seat and buckled her in and then stepped back out to talk to Sam and deal with that “cargo”. He got on the plane alone.

“No Sam?” Kyla asked.

“No. He’s scoping things out here, watching things for me. And he’s getting reacquainted with his sister and acquainted with himself. Something’s shifting in him. He forgot to change the patch and was cool around you. Completely cool. I don’t know how or why. It could be just my influence, ordering him not to want you, not to hurt you. But that doesn’t always take for a hungry vamp and there are no non-vamps on this island so he’s been living on blood bags. It’s working now but we’ll see what happens.”