Page 5 of The Vampire King's Gift

He watched as Balthazar and Christian with Ridley’s help assisted Elena into the house. Her mind was too broken at the moment for Balthazar to do anything safely. She needed to feed–or be fed, if she wouldn’t take care of herself–and then Balthazar would be able to pluck her mind like a musical instrument.

Elizabeth’s presence neared them. With just a look at Sophia, the child Vampire took the older woman’s hand.

“Let’s go inside and find Henry,” Sophia suggested, but there was just the slightest thread of Vampire Seduction in it to overcome Elizabeth’s desire to stay with Julian.

She reluctantly allowed Sophia to lead her away.

Fiona turned to them and said with a slight bow, “I will go search out Arcius unless you need–”

“No, Fiona, we are well. Thank you for your assistance,” Daemon said.

And he was appreciative. Of course, he had not needed her assistance, but that she had acted to help him. It was the first step.

“I will see you both later then.” Another bow and she teleported away.

“That is such a cool power,” Julian breathed, looking longingly at where she had been.

“You will learn to do it just as easily,” he assured his fledgling. He would make it so.

“I don’t know!” Julian let out an uncertain laugh. “I keep imagining half of me appearing in one place and the other half staying where I was.”

“I will make sure that does not happen,” Daemon said. The image of that happening though was now in his head. He already had the image of Julian’s heart being ripped out by Elena. This was not adding to his mood. “I wish to walk.”

“Okay. Where?” Julian asked.

“Anywhere. Take me to some place you love.”

“Shouldn’t we stay here though? I think some of the Mirryr and Kaly Houses are coming to see you and–”

“Then Idefinitelyneed to walk. They will wait. They will benefit from my calmer mood.”

Julian nodded. “I think I have the perfect place. Do you like the water?”

“It has been some time since I was near the ocean. Is that where you wish to go?”

Julian nodded again, a smile breaking across his lips. “I want to take you to the beach.” He looked a little sad for a moment. “The beach is the one place where I think I might miss the sun, though it’s too cold for swimming.”

Daemon let a slow smile cross his face. “Not for Vampires.”

Julian’s eyes widened even as he turned his body so that he could latch onto Daemon’s waist. “Something tells me that you don’t wear a swimsuit.”

“What’s a swimsuit?”

Julian just shook his head and laughed. But then his fledgling was eagerly pulling him towards the front of the house. He laced one of his hands with Julian and the two of them jogged to the front of the house and then onto the sidewalk. It was much like their first walk to Julian’s house.

“I feel naughty doing this,” Julian admitted with a laugh. “Like we’re playing hooky.”

“Perhaps we are. But it is a good thing,”

As Julian led him down the sidewalk towards the direction of the ocean–Daemon could smell the lovely salt water–his fledgling cast a glance back at Ravenscroft Manor with a slightly worried expression.

Reading Julian’s thoughts, Daemon answered, “They will be safe. If an attack were to occur, I would know and teleport us there in moments.”

“Balthazar and Christian might worry where we are though, even if no one comes to attack them,” Julian pointed out, but he did turn back towards the direction they were going.

“Balthazar knows we are headed to the beach.” Daemon tapped his temple.

“Ah, yeah, of course, you and Balthazar can talk to each other telepathically. Like we can.” There was a pause and then Julian, looking rather shame-faced admitted, “I’m sort of jealous that he can do that with you. I thought it would be only you and me.”

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