Page 30 of Kristin

Chapter 10 – Kristin

Fury rushed throughme as I disappeared into the night and a few blocks away. I hailed a transport for hire and as I sat in the back, I realized that I had nowhere to go. We have moved here to Philadelphia years ago, and I had barely been allowed to leave the hotel.

Suddenly, an address popped into my head and I compelled the driver to take me to it. I wouldn’t have compelled him if I weren’t alone, but I didn’t have a money card that was used these days.

I sat in the back as he navigated the streets, dwelling over how much of my life had changed. When had I become a prisoner within my own home? When was the last time that I had paid for anything on my own, done anything on my own? I couldn’t remember, but it had to be over ten years.

How had my life gotten so out of control? I suddenly wished that I was behind the wheel of my old Dodge Challenger. I could practically hear the roar of the throaty engine, feel the vibration around me as it moved down the roadway. Cars, or transports, as they were now called, had no vibration, no particular sound but the slight whirling of the electrical motor. There were few cars left that used gasoline, and most of those were in museums. I had one, but it was tucked neatly in storage.

It was time for a change. Maybe I hadn’t been as strong as my breed needed me to be. Perhaps it was time for me to get back out there and show them that I meant business.

The driver pulled up in front of Hugh’s building and I quickly compelled him to forget he had ever seen me and go on about his night. I found my way to Hugh’s door, pausing before I knocked to wonder if I should be here at all. Around me, I could feel the presence of others of my kind, but I closed myself off from them. They might feel me, might know that someone powerful was around, but they wouldn’t know who.

Hugh looked shocked that I was here, probably almost as surprised as I was myself to have come to him. The thing about it was, that I did like Hugh. There was something different about him, something deep within his DNA that called out for me.

As he pulled me to his neck, asking me to take his vein, I wanted to. In fact, I wanted nothing else, but I didn’t want him to be just that for me. I had taken a thousand human veins in my life, but to take his gave me pause. It was as if I knew that having his blood run down my throat might change me, change my purpose, and I couldn’t take that chance.

His scent was almost smoky, rich as it filled my lungs, his emotions high as he waited for me to strike, but that chance that things would change held me back. I was seriously in need of blood, but I would not take his. Not tonight.

I left him in his room half-dressed and flashed out to the hallway where I paused in front of Joshua, Ryker and Conner. “Not a word.” I said to them as I brushed past and flashed down to the street using the stairs from the fourth floor.

Angelina stood on the sidewalk, grinning as I came out the door, “Did we have fun?”

“Get in the car.” I snapped toward her but smiled afterward to ease the strictness of my words.

Cameron held the door for me, and I slipped inside with Angelina right behind me, and Joshua and Ryker following. Josh immediately put his hand on my knee, effectively hiding my presence from everyone, as Clay glared at me.

“That was stupid.” Clayton said.

“What? The fact that you all went behind my back and are trying to force me into mating with someone for political reasons?”

He cocked his head, giving me an annoyed look, “No, for running the way you did. You realize that didn’t help your case any.”

“Bullshit, Clay.” I growled toward him. “They are going to think what they want to think. I don’t need to be mated to be strong.”

“I know that, you know that, the people in this transport know that, but the other elders feel it would be better for you to be mated.”

“What is this? The nineteen sixties? Women do not need to be mated. They can have their own voices, be the leaders. We don’t need men to do things for us.”

“I know you do not, but Kristin, you are aware that for all of our existence, there have only been men in power.”

“And I have been in power for eighteen years, why is it now important that I have a mate?” I glared at him, “Do the elders really feel as if I have failed as a leader? Do they really wish for me to hand the reins over to a male?”

“No,” He said quickly. “This is not about you handing the reins over, Kristin. This is about you being safe. You need a mate to help you heal. Perilous times are coming, and you will need to be strong. You know how much stronger you are when you have a mate.”

I turned and looked at the glass side of the vehicle. I could see everything clear as day, but anyone looking at our passing vehicle would see only darkness with the tinted glass. Not that there were a lot of people on the streets. In fact, at night, humans rarely left their houses. Their fear of us kept them indoors.

I sighed, “Clayton, I can understand that reasoning, and I do agree. I am stronger when I am mated, but I will not take another mate until I find the right one. I will not allow the elders to put men in front of me like a fucking buffet to choose from. It’s not going to happen. When I find someone that I feel is appropriate, then I will take the steps necessary.”

Angelina was staring at me from the side, “Are you serious? You’re going to let them dictate that you get mated?”

“They aren’t wrong, Lena. I do need a mate for my strength, and to help me heal. Not just because things might get ugly here soon, but because it’s time to make some changes.”

Joshua stiffened beside me as Cameron asked, “Changes? What changes?”

“I’m tired of being locked up in that damn building. I need to live again. I need to be out there to show our breed that I’m strong, that I’m there for them.”

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