“Why not?”
“Because this asshole says we’re not permitted,” Ezra speaks up, his glowering expression still focused on Kaleid.
“Too many cooks in the kitchen,” Kaleid explains with a show of his palms. “I can get the three of us to one of the worlds where my father has retreated, maybe four, but Wolf and Ezra would be too easy to detect. They don’t blend in the same way the locals do. Besides, if we do need reinforcements, I can always ask Valtu.”
“Dracula?” Wolf repeats. “You’d ask him?”
“Wait, what? Dracula?” I ask, perking up. “Like the real Dracula?”
“His name is Valtu,” Kaleid says patiently, ignoring Wolf. “Valtu Dracula. He inspired Bram Stoker.”
“He’s an ass,” Wolf says to me. “I wouldn’t trust him anymore than I’d trust Kaleid.”
“Then it’s a good thing you’re not going,” Kaleid fires at him.
“Lenore isn’t going either,” Solon says. “And that’s final.”
I shake my head, feeling the anger flare up inside me. Sometimes his controlling tendencies are flattering, but right now it’s annoying as fuck. “Then I am going. How about that?” I look at Kaleid. “Count me in. I want to get rid of Skarde as much as anyone, and if you need me to do it, then I will go where I’m needed.”
I can’t even look at Solon. His anger is palpable.
Kaleid is watching him though. “See, your lover came through. But, Jesus Solon, I think you better get some blood in you soon. You’ll need your strength for this.”
Solon doesn’t say anything to that, and I’m reminded that both of us are starving for each other. Literally.
I slam back the espresso in one gulp, the scalding liquid not hurting my throat at all, and get out of my chair. “Then it’s all settled. Just tell me when we leave so I have time to pack.”
“A couple of days,” Kaleid says. “I want to enjoy the city first. Feels good to be in California.”
So I guess there’s no real rush. Hopefully it doesn’t give me too much time or I may back out of the whole thing. Clearly I haven’t thought this through that much.
I give him a quick smile. “It was nice to finally meet you Kaleid. I hope for all our sakes that this works out.”
Then I give Wolf and Ezra a quick head nod, catching Solon’s eye briefly as I turn to leave, heading toward the doors to the house.
My vampire is quickly at my side, stopping me before I step through.
“What?” I eye Solon warily, so painfully aware of how close his body is to mine, how all the blood in my veins is rushing to the surface, begging to be with him.
“You don’t have to do this,” Solon whispers harshly to me.
“I know,” I tell him. “But I want to. I think it’s the right thing to do. The only thing to do, apparently.”
“The risks are too great,” he says with a firm shake of his head, pressing his lips together into a white slash.
“And some of those risks aren’t yours to make,” I say. Against my better judgement, and the whole giving us space aspect, I reach up and press my palm against his cheek. His cold, pale skin, the rough scrape of his stubble, send shockwaves into my hand, traveling down my arm and straight to my heart. His eyes close in response, his nostrils flaring as he takes in a deep breath. Fuck. Why does this have to be so hard? Why couldn’t Jeremias have taught me what to do? Maybe, just for this one thing, to be able to tame the beast, maybe it would be worth going dark and giving up my soul for.
Suddenly Solon’s eyes open, piercing me with their intensity, the blue practically glowing. “No,” he rasps. “You are not giving up your soul for anything, especially not for me.”
I wince. “You weren’t supposed to hear that.”
“And I wasn’t trying to. But I did. Lenore, listen.” He covers my hand with his and pulls it off his face, intertwining his fingers with mine. “I love you. I’m not going to lose you, no matter what happens. But you can’t do anything for me that comes at a high price. I won’t let you. I don’t deserve it.”
I swallow hard, heat pricking my eyes. “Why don’t you let me decide what you’re worth, okay? I’m not giving up on us, okay? I’m going to figure out a way.” I peer at him, noticing the gaunt look to his face, the purpling under his eyes. “But Kaleid is right in that you have to feed, especially if we’re going to Finland.”
He shakes his head. “I’ll be fine.”
“Solon,” I say firmly. “You’re a fucking vampire. You need blood. And maybe I’m not the one who should be giving it to you right now, but you need it from someone. Take one of the donors. Do it before we leave.”