the lawn. “Then I’m surprised you aren’t the one coming to get me from Fairbanks tomorrow.”
Lucas didn’t reply as we made our way toward the gate. Kristen stood next to it waiting. When she saw me she gave me an apologetic look. I could tell she wanted to say something, but the stormy expression on my companion’s face must have kept her silent. At least she already had the opening ready for us.
The moment we cleared all the protection spells Lucas pulled me closer to him and flashed us away. I braced myself for the swirling miasma. It lasted for several long seconds before we appeared back in my bedroom. I felt dizzy again and had to grip Lucas. This trip was a lot more like the first time, which made me think it had to do with the distance.
“Give me a sec,” I said. He let me lean into him while the nausea slowly passed.
My senses reached out to make sure Emily was home, but that wasn’t the only thing I discovered as my head cleared.
“Your power is almost gone,” I gasped, pulling away from him. “That’s why you don’t want to bring me back tomorrow night.”
He looked away and set his jaw. I grabbed his arm and yanked at it until he brought his gaze back to me. “Tell me.”
This was the closest I’d ever come to seeing Lucas tired. His eyes had dark circles under them and his face had paled.
“You drain me, sensor,” he eventually admitted. “Tell no one of this. Using magic on you prevents anyone from suspecting what you truly are. Only Aeson, and apparently your friend Kristen, know the truth but they don’t know the side effects. It’s a vulnerability we don’t need. I have to be at full strength when you return.”
It surprised me how low his powers had gotten over the course of the evening. How had I not noticed it until now? It would take him at least a day to recover—if not more.
“Are you sure you have enough to get back?” I asked.
His lips quirked. “Concerned for me? I’m touched, but there is no need. I have enough to return without you along.”
“Fine.” I stood back. “Go…before I say something else irrational.”
He let out a deep-throated chuckle before flashing away.
Chapter Five
I took a snow machine—they didn’t call them snowmobiles here in Alaska—over to Nik’s house. I’d checked with Emily first to make sure she’d eaten and that Lucas hadn’t given her any trouble while he’d been over. She’d cooked up some hamburgers for herself in my absence and promised everything was fine. I supposed having a mother who hadn’t stayed home much had made her rather self-reliant.
It was already after ten o’clock, but I didn’t want to wait to speak with Nik. He had some serious talking to do for not warning me about my impending “job”. It only took a couple of minutes to drive over by cutting through the woods between our homes. Nothing but snow and trees separated us along the trail I’d used. New snow had fallen in recent days, but it didn’t slow me down. I left the machine at the front of the house and marched up to the entrance.
A vampire guard stood at his nighttime station inside. He would’ve seen me through a side window next to the door, and heard me coming before that, but it wasn’t until I entered the house that he grabbed me. I really wasn’t in the mood to deal with his crap. We’d had problems with each other ever since he’d taken the position a few months ago.
I glared at him. “Let me pass, Hagan. I have to talk to Nik.”
He tightened his fingers on my arm. “The master’s busy.”
“I’m sure he is,” I said through gritted teeth. “But this can’t wait.”
“Yes, it can.” He shoved me. I had to take a step back to keep from falling. “He shouldn’t tolerate you or any of your kind… sensor .”
Another shove and I went flying across the foyer. My head slammed into a set of medieval armor hanging on the wall. Pain exploded through my left cheek where it collided with the metal shoulder
Lucas didn’t reply as we made our way toward the gate. Kristen stood next to it waiting. When she saw me she gave me an apologetic look. I could tell she wanted to say something, but the stormy expression on my companion’s face must have kept her silent. At least she already had the opening ready for us.
The moment we cleared all the protection spells Lucas pulled me closer to him and flashed us away. I braced myself for the swirling miasma. It lasted for several long seconds before we appeared back in my bedroom. I felt dizzy again and had to grip Lucas. This trip was a lot more like the first time, which made me think it had to do with the distance.
“Give me a sec,” I said. He let me lean into him while the nausea slowly passed.
My senses reached out to make sure Emily was home, but that wasn’t the only thing I discovered as my head cleared.
“Your power is almost gone,” I gasped, pulling away from him. “That’s why you don’t want to bring me back tomorrow night.”
He looked away and set his jaw. I grabbed his arm and yanked at it until he brought his gaze back to me. “Tell me.”
This was the closest I’d ever come to seeing Lucas tired. His eyes had dark circles under them and his face had paled.
“You drain me, sensor,” he eventually admitted. “Tell no one of this. Using magic on you prevents anyone from suspecting what you truly are. Only Aeson, and apparently your friend Kristen, know the truth but they don’t know the side effects. It’s a vulnerability we don’t need. I have to be at full strength when you return.”
It surprised me how low his powers had gotten over the course of the evening. How had I not noticed it until now? It would take him at least a day to recover—if not more.
“Are you sure you have enough to get back?” I asked.
His lips quirked. “Concerned for me? I’m touched, but there is no need. I have enough to return without you along.”
“Fine.” I stood back. “Go…before I say something else irrational.”
He let out a deep-throated chuckle before flashing away.
Chapter Five
I took a snow machine—they didn’t call them snowmobiles here in Alaska—over to Nik’s house. I’d checked with Emily first to make sure she’d eaten and that Lucas hadn’t given her any trouble while he’d been over. She’d cooked up some hamburgers for herself in my absence and promised everything was fine. I supposed having a mother who hadn’t stayed home much had made her rather self-reliant.
It was already after ten o’clock, but I didn’t want to wait to speak with Nik. He had some serious talking to do for not warning me about my impending “job”. It only took a couple of minutes to drive over by cutting through the woods between our homes. Nothing but snow and trees separated us along the trail I’d used. New snow had fallen in recent days, but it didn’t slow me down. I left the machine at the front of the house and marched up to the entrance.
A vampire guard stood at his nighttime station inside. He would’ve seen me through a side window next to the door, and heard me coming before that, but it wasn’t until I entered the house that he grabbed me. I really wasn’t in the mood to deal with his crap. We’d had problems with each other ever since he’d taken the position a few months ago.
I glared at him. “Let me pass, Hagan. I have to talk to Nik.”
He tightened his fingers on my arm. “The master’s busy.”
“I’m sure he is,” I said through gritted teeth. “But this can’t wait.”
“Yes, it can.” He shoved me. I had to take a step back to keep from falling. “He shouldn’t tolerate you or any of your kind… sensor .”
Another shove and I went flying across the foyer. My head slammed into a set of medieval armor hanging on the wall. Pain exploded through my left cheek where it collided with the metal shoulder
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