Page 89 of Shadows of Eternity

Knowing he had only moments before Josiah recovered, Rohan lifted Leia, cot and all, and transported the two of them to her parents’ home.

Brian Winchester sprang out of his easy chair when Rohan suddenly materialized in the living room carrying a cot, which he gently placed on the floor. Winchester gasped when he saw Leia, her neck stained with blood, her face deathly pale. He couldn’t tell if she was breathing.

“What the hell have you done to her?” he asked, barely able to speak for the fear burning inside him. “And what the hell happened to you?”

“There’s no time to explain now,” Rohan said. “Hopefully, I saved her life.”

Winchester moved closer. Reaching down, he checked his daughter’s pulse, which was barely discernable.

“Lock all your doors and windows,” Rohan said, his voice sharp. “And then bring me a wet rag and some whiskey if you’ve got any. Dammit, Winchester, do it now! I’ll explain later.”

Spurred by the urgency in Rohan’s voice, Brian hurried to do what he’d been told.

Pulling his phone from his jeans, Rohan made a quick call to Frumusanu. “I’m at Leia’s parents’ house. Stop whatever you’re doing and get here as fast as you can,” he said curtly, and ended the call.

While waiting for Winchester, Rohan untied Leia’s hands and feet. Speaking to her softly, he removed her clothing down to her underwear, smoothed the hair away from her face. After wrapping her in a blanket pulled from the back of the sofa, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the sofa where he cradled her in his arms. Biting into his wrist, he held it to her lips. “Drink, love,” he murmured.

Compelled by the power in his voice, she suckled the wound.

Rohan watched, pleased when a little color returned to her cheeks. He wondered idly where her mother was. A moment later, Winchester returned with a wet washrag, a bottle of Jack Daniels, and a shot glass. “What the hell is she doing?” he exclaimed.

“She’s drinking my blood.”

Winchester stared at him, mouth agape, eyes wide.

After a moment, Rohan withdrew his arm. He took the rag from Winchester and wiped the blood from Leia’s neck and offered her a little whiskey. Gaining his feet, he carried her upstairs to her room and tucked her into bed.

Winchester trailed behind him, stood in the doorway as he watched Rohan make Leia comfortable. “What’s going on? What happened to my daughter? Why was she drinking your blood? Who the hellareyou?”

Rohan turned to face Winchester. “You said it. I’m a vampire. Another vampire kidnapped her and held her prisoner. He drank from her. She was near death when I found them. I gave her my blood to strengthen her. Now, she needs to rest.”

He didn’t tell Winchester how very near death she’d been, or that she wasn’t yet out of danger. If she started to slip away, he was going to have to make a decision that would change her life forever.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Leia wandered in an unfamiliar world. She had lost track of the time, didn’t know if it was day or night. Sometimes she was alone. Sometimes Josiah was there, taunting her, demanding that she choose between life and death. Sometimes Rohan was there, begging her to live, his voice soft as he whispered that he loved her, would always love her, vowing that he would never let her go. Once, she imagined that she was drinking his blood. It was hot and thick and should have been disgusting, but she swallowed it eagerly and wished for more.

She was warm now, drifting on a red velvet sea. Voices came and went. Her father’s, filled with anger and confusion, her mother’s, filled with tears.

Nothing mattered anymore, not life or death. Only Rohan’s voice, filled with fear as he begged her to come back, and the taste of his blood on her tongue. Why did he keep pleading for her to come back? Back from where?

And what was that ghostly white light flickering in the distance?

Chapter Thirty-Seven

“Winchester, go down and answer the door,” Rohan said, never taking his gaze from Leia. He’d taken a quick shower earlier and noticed that the nasty bite in his neck still wasn’t healing, but he’d worry about that later. Right now, his only concern was Leia.

“No one’s knocking.”

“Frumusanu will be here in a minute. Let him in and send him up here.”

“Who the heck is that guy, anyway?”

“He’s a vampire hunter. Now, go let him in.”

With a shake of his head, Winchester went to do what he’d been told.

Rohan stroked Leia’s cheek. Her mother had come in minutes ago and gone into hysterics again when she saw her daughter. Rohan had spoken to the woman’s mind, calming her, promising her that everything would be all right, because any other outcome was unthinkable. When Mrs. Winchester had regained a semblance of calm, he’d sent her downstairs.

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