Queen's Shadow || Kingdom at the End of the World - Book II

[22.2] Found Things

Lady Time seemed to speed her wheel.

There was a clatter as Sofia dropped the crystal blade. It shattered upon impact, the sound like a hail of arrows in the dark. Gabriel wrapped his arms around Iavor's torso by instinct. If the man lunged now – if he hurt this girl – there would be no coming back.

The bedroom door was not closed. Fair's large body darkened the doorstep before the sound had quite faded, and then the man was simply there, between the bed and Sofia. He had his sword in his hand. The blade came to rest at Iavor's throat, just below his chin.

The air trembled, as if the world itself held its breath.

Iavor tipped his head to one side, the movement gentle and slow. Eyes the color of old amber slid to Gabriel.

"What have I missed?" the vampire asked. His voice was shredded thin, but he spoke with care, so every word could be heard.

Relief had Gabriel smiling. Despite his posturing to Fair, the demon did not take the issue of Iavor's state of mind lightly. The vampire had been asleep for nearly a decade. His body was starved to emaciation, and could very well fall back onto animal instinct to insure survival. Yet, Iavor seemed sane and in control – or at least, not likely to rip anyone's throat out without the courtesy of a greeting.

Gabriel did not weaken his hold nonetheless. Better safe than dead, as the saying went.

"Lord Beaufort," Fair said.

Iavor nodded shallowly, so as not to aggravate the cold metal pressed against his skin. "Indeed."

Fair withdrew the sword. He maneuvered Sofia so she was behind him, hidden from view entirely. "Lord Todd, I leave this to you," he said, and departed with his charge. Moments later, Gabriel heard the front door open and close.

The this in question turned in Gabriel's arms, brows furled.

"I believe we have previously discussed your penchant for joining me in bed uninvited," the vampire said.

Gabriel could not help his laughter. He pressed his forehead against Iavor's shoulder, body shaking with a strange mixture of happiness and grief. Gabriel was not prone to feeling quite so much, all at once. It was overwhelming.

Hands hunger had whittled down to protruding bones and thin skin carded through Gabriel's hair. "Dear Gabi," Iavor sighed.

They remained close for some time. At last, the tremors in Iavor's hands grew too obvious to ignore – the vampire managed to snag at a few tangles in Gabriel's hair, prompting the demon to withdraw with an offended wince.

"I apologize," Iavor said. The words came out distorted, bitten through clenched teeth.

Gabriel took in the man's sunken face, the hazy gleam covering his eyes, and pulled them both to their feet. "Right. You need to eat, and quickly. I happen to know a place just beyond the village's border – what? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I fear that I cannot make the journey in my current state. If an innocent falls in my path on the way, I may not be able to hold the bloodlust at bay," Iavor said.

"I suppose I could deliver someone – oh, no," Gabriel snapped, hands coming up between them in a warding gesture as he tracked Iavor's eyes to his won throat. "Do you know what I went through to create this body? You are not feeding from me!"

"Be reasonable," Iavor said. Or at least that is how Gabriel chose to interpret the garbled growl that left the man's lips.

"You be reasonable!" Gabriel snapped. He let his hands fall and did not move back when Iavor took a step forward, already resigned to what was to happen but still determined to express his unhappiness. "I am submitting a complaint for unwanted vampire advances to the Dvor. Just you wait."