Page 54 of Queen Takes King
Looking at her, I could see my blood in her. I could feel it spreading through her like a soft, warm glow. She carried a piece of me now. I suspected that if I closed my eyes and felt for her in the tapestry I carried in my mind, that I would see her. Wherever she went in theworld.
I looked at Dr. Borcht and she smiled apologetically. “I’m a doctor, Shara. I’ve studied blood-born diseases all my life. I’m afraid that the thought of sharing blood is too risky for me. I’ll still serve you as faithfully as Ican.”
I nodded and smiled back. “Yeah, it never occurred to me either. Not until Rik and Daire showed up. I understand.” I turned to Frank. “No pressure. If you change your mind, I’llunderstand.”
“Are you really Isis’s daughter? Thegoddess?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll swear.” I held out my wrist and he came closer, taking my hand in his. “Your Majesty.” He pressed his lips to my skin, shuddered a little, but swallowed. Again. And it was the same as with Gina. I didn’t feel anything but my blood glowing inside him. Nothingsexual.
Relieved, I smiled at Rik. I didn’t want to be some kind of sex fanatic anytime someone touchedme.
His bond rumbled with low laughter.:You can be our sex fanatic whenever you wish, myqueen.:
Frank lifted his head, his eyes wide, his pulse thumping rapidly in his throat. I felt all that, now. I felt the tremor of nerves in his stomach. He was afraid he’d throw up and embarrass himself. Or worse, crave my blood like some kind of beast. But as each moment passed, his nerves settled. He didn’t feel any different, other than a spreading warmth, like he’d drank a shot ofwhiskey.
“I, Frank McCoy, swear my life to Shara Isador, daughter of Isis. Is thatright?”
Smiling, I nodded. “As far as I know. This is a first for metoo.”
Rik took my wrist and licked the small cut. One swipe of his tongue and my eyes fluttered closed and my nipples hardened. I was very aware of being naked, in bed, and surrounded by a bunch of people. Three of which I didn’t really want to have see me in the throes ofpassion.
“Are you ready to heal yourknee?”
I was so tired. All I really wanted to do wassleep.
He scooted closer and eased me back on the pillows, still holding my hand. “It doesn’t have to be hard or take long, my queen. There’s plenty of blood in this room already. Draw it to you and let it healyou.”
I closed my eyes and brought up the billowing fabric. Everything glowed, blood like fiery rubies, but the bones and weapons gleamed with liquid sunlight. It was so beautiful—I still couldn’t quite wrap my mind around the fact that it’d been used to try and killme.
:Do you see this?: I askedRik.
:Fuck. It’s like a beacon, telling his servants exactly where to come. We have to get rid ofit.:
:How?:
Aloud, he asked, “Everything they left behind is glowing with his magic. I’m surprised every light fanatic in the state isn’t camped outside. Is it safe for her to pull that magic to her, like herblood?”
Xin frowned. “I don’t know that she can. If it will respond to her call, since it’s nothers.”
“But will it hurt her? Otherwise how do we dispel themagic?”
“The fuck if I know,” Guillaume grumped. “Xin and I are old, but we’ve never messed with the sun godbefore.”
I knew someone who might know. If I dared askHer.
24
Shara
For the first time,I tried to deliberately enter the dreamscape. The place where I’d met a goddess and seen Her pyramid and tasted Herblood.
Closing my eyes, I brought up the pyramid in my mind. Gentle breezes across the sand dunes. Incense and night-blooming jasmine on the air. The gleaming golden pyramid rising in a night sky, a crescent moon hanging above, almost hooked over the tip of thepyramid.
I was there. Barefoot. Hair blowing in the breeze. I called out. “Isis? This is Shara Isador, your last daughter. Your queen. I need yourhelp.”
A gust of wind whipped my hair around the opposite direction, right into my face. I started to brush the hair away, and not all of it was mine. It was dark like mine, but heavy with oil and sweet perfume. Her hair tangled with mine, Her arms drawing me back into Her embrace. She wasn’t warm or cold against me. Only hard. Like a statue come tolife.
