Page 94 of Sergi
The two males turned to Alex, who leaned on the back of a nearby chair. Her hair was damp, her face freshly washed, and from what he could see of her combat attire, it fit her well, outlining the body he fondly remembered lying beneath him.
He stood, pushing the intrusive thoughts away as he picked up his bundle. “The House is currently on lockdown, but I’m sure a tour could be arranged once everyone is back and settled.” He lifted his bag. “I’ll take a moment to change.”
Sergi washed his face and armpits, then ran wet hands through his hair, which was sufficient until he got home. He’d always been one for cleanliness, but it wasn’t lost on him that he’d become obsessed with it over the last few decades. It was his one way of controlling some small portion of his life when everything around him fell to chaos and, at times, despair.
He buttoned the black shirt and wondered if Bella had purposely brought clothes that would fit him. It would have been her way to maintain the belief they’d find him alive. Her own way of staying in control.
He shoved the guard clothes back in the bag. They’d be tossed once he was home. When he left the lavatory, he found Alex sitting next to Cadfael, and they were eating from a charcuterie board filled with sliced meats, cheese, crackers,grapes, and olives. His brow lifted when he saw three glasses of red wine.
“Have a seat, vampire.” Alex pointed to the chair he’d been in earlier. “Now that you’re free, you don’t mind having a glass of wine with shifters, do you?”
He dropped the duffel next to Alex’s then took a seat. He lifted his glass of wine in a toast before drinking half of it. “Does Remus always have an excellent selection of wine on his planes, or did he plan for a celebration?”
Alex laughed, and it warmed his belly. “With my uncle, there’s always good wine and Scotch available, but I imagine he increased the number of bottles in hopes of something more.”
“What can you tell us of the vampire Council?” Cadfael changed the topic, eager to catch up on all he’d missed. “Remus told us a bit, but I imagine you have more insight into the topic.”
Sergi considered the question, and they spent the next twenty minutes discussing the divide that had been growing for years. He’d hesitated a moment regarding Devon’s plan to stop Venizi, then decided Remus would keep them in his confidence, so he provided a high-level explanation of their joint mission. He didn’t mention dreamwalkers, leaving that topic for Devon.
Cadfael stood after he set down an empty wineglass. “I probably shouldn’t have had that second glass. I need to go slowly until my body resets to decent food again. And since Remus spoke of a meeting before we land, I think a small nap is in order to clear my head.” He squeezed Alex’s shoulder and strolled toward the front of the plane, stopping to speak with both vampires and shifters on his way. His Alpha nature to ask questions and listen came naturally to him, and Sergi was pleased that his years of captivity hadn’t broken that.
Once he was alone with Alex, Sergi couldn’t think of anything to say. They’d never had a chance to speak of what happened between them. And this wasn’t the place to have that talk,assuming she hadn’t already put their evening together behind her.
He should have anticipated her shifter boldness. She might not be an Alpha, but she thought like one under her uncle’s tutelage. She’d make a good Beta for any pack, and his chest tightened at the thought of her leaving Santiga Bay.
“You look rested. You must have gotten fresh blood.”
“I don’t know how fresh it was, but it was enough to revive me.” He glanced toward the divider between sections. The curtain was still closed, and Cadfael was engaged in conversation. “You must feel better in new clothes. How are you doing?”
She sighed and leaned back. “Well enough for now. I’m still riding high, but sooner or later, that Blood Poppy rush is going to drop like a hammer.”
He chuckled, but they both knew they were avoiding saying it. Trauma. That would hit soon as well. He offered a suggestion that would help with either issue. “I find meditation and training helps.”
Her head tilted to the side. “You meditate?”
He grinned. “Not something you expected of vampires or of me?”
Her smile made his gut clench. “I was aware that vampires prefer meditation to calm their minds.”
When she didn’t elaborate, he added, “Warriors find meditation effective before battle.”
She leaned forward, clearly interested. “I would think mock battles would be more appropriate.”
“Some, especially the younger ones who’ve seen little battle or it might be their first campaign, appreciate the practice. Those more experienced understand the importance of mind control during battle, and can be the difference between walking off the field or being carried.”
She nodded. “Shifters like to play war games, but before a mission, they tend to party hardy.”
“I’d be lying if I said vampires didn’t do a bit of that. Devon always provided a banquet before a battle but let his army decide the best way to prepare for the following day.”
“And didn’t women play a part in that?”
“Both males and females fought in Devon’s army, and he never discriminated over how they readied themselves.”
“But you kept your preparation to just meditation?”
Sergi grinned. “It depended on the battle.”
She laughed, finished her glass of wine, then reached out to touch his knee. “My uncle is feeling rather protective at the moment. I think it’s mostly his own emotions he’s trying to control. But you and I need to talk if we plan on working together in this coming war.”
