Blood Betrayal

Chapter Twelve

Wrapped in a robe Zion quickly ducked downstairs to his room to put clothes on. He found a tee-shirt and some shorts of his that maybe Ghanny could wear until he got her something more suitable.

She needed to put something on or he might go insane. Jogging up and down the stairs had left him panting. It shouldn't have but he let it go considering that he had just lost some unknown amount of blood.

Still breathless he opened the door to the room that held his guest. He found her wrapped in two towels one draped loosely over her head and the other tight around her body. She was wandering around the edge of the room slowly dragging the tip of her index finger over the walls.

Zion entered and deposited the clothes on the bedspread. She didn't acknowledge his presence. He watched her move the heavy blackout curtain to peer out into the early dawn.

"It is Ghanny isn't it? Or do you want me to call you your majesty?"

Stressful situations called for sarcasm and jokes.

"You may call me whichever you like," she murmured absently clearly not amused by his attempt to joke.

"Uh here, I brought you these to wear. I don't think they'll fit but it's the best I got for now."

She turned towards him. Her eyes moved from the clothing on the bed to his face. "Why did you bring me here?"

Raising his hands he shook his head. "Whoa, I didn't have anything to do with bringing you here. Marthus brought you and asked me to make sure you stay here. To keep you safe. He said that you were hiding from something."

Again that small wrinkle formed between her brows. "What is this place?"

Her worried expression and small voice made him want to go to her and help wipe the fear from her only he had no clue how to go about it.

They had just met and barely talked but he felt strangely close to her. Of course, he had seen her naked and she had bitten into his flesh so maybe it wasn't all that strange.

"It's my house, well it's my dad's house but he isn't here right now so Marthus left you here with me. He asked me to take care of you." There was a touch of pride in that statement. He hated it but couldn't hide it. "I guess you know my dad, Alistair?"

That cute wrinkle in her brow deepened in confusion. "Alistair? Marthus's fledge?"

At least he wouldn't have to explain who his father was. "Yeah, he's sort of my dad. Adopted, I mean with him being a vampire I'm obviously adopted."

"Marthus wouldn't do that to him." Her eyes darted to the door as if she expected a monster to burst into the room at any moment.

Her small hands clutched at the towel as her face paled in panic. "Why would Marthus bring me here? Daxus would never allow it, he mustn't know where I am. We have to find him."

"Sure seemed like he knew, Marthus said the King so I assume he meant that King." Having such little information there wasn't much else he could think of to alleviate her worries. "He said that you'd be safe here."

Relaxing slightly she looked off to the side. "Safe? Yes, I was attacked by one of the humans but he wasn't what he seemed. He was a Fae disguised as a pretty human boy." Her eyes snapped up to his. "Like you but not quite. Are you a shifter too?"

"No, I mean I don't think so. I'm not sure, no one knows what I am. For the longest time, they thought I might be a shifter but I never changed or got anything else that comes with it." He shrugged. "For all intents and purposes, I'm human."

Tugging the towel from her head to her shoulders like a shawl she slowly circled him, all the while openly exploring him from his head to his feet then back. The methodical deliberate search of his body made him painfully aware of himself.

He was usually comfortable in his skin but just then he felt restless. Unsure what to do with his hands. When she brushed against his back he startled. She payed it no mind and continued to circle him.

Finally stopping in front of him she looked up and cocked her head. "Not a Fae? Just a pretty human boy with an interesting scent and blood like fire?"

She was getting him well and truly flustered. He wasn't usually so easily ruffled. He could feel his heartbeat in his cheeks steadily turning them a more brilliant shade of pink with each thud. "I-I guess?"

Keeping her gaze locked on his she reached up and stroked her fingers over his shirt. Her finger found the ring set in his left nipple making him flinch. He let out a fleeting nervous giggle. After an uncomfortable moment of silent eye contact, he looked down at her hand. "Yeah I uh, got it pierced. That and my tongue."

Her brows raised slightly. "Show me pretty human boy."

Licking his lip he considered her demand for a moment then opened his mouth. Leaning forward on her toes she seemed more intrigued than shocked by the metal stud.

He was about to close his mouth when she moved her hand up to his face. Slowly she ran a finger over the metal barbel and then over his tongue down to the tip. He pulled back closing his mouth. "Is it painful?"

"No, it tickles." He rubbed his jaw. "You're a bit forward."

"I suppose I am and you are very strange. Whatever it is that you are Zion."

She said his name and it sounded good. It made his heart beat faster and he could feel a grin forming. Everything she said sounded good. Her accent was just as unusual as the one Marthus had but it was much nicer.

He tried to wipe the grin off his face with only half success. "So, do you like strange?"

In an unmissable and unmistakably flirtatious move, her tongue slowly ran over at her bottom lip as her brows lifted. "Sometimes I do."

Knowing he shouldn't reciprocate wasn't enough to stop him. "Good."

Looking down at her feet she laughed. It was a warm and tinkling sound that washed over his skin like a shiver. At that moment he knew that he would do anything to hear her laugh again. He was also positive that he was heading down a dangerous path.

The girl was, in fact, older than anything in written history and she was a Queen. Not to mention she had a King, one that had a reputation for being scary. Every time Alistair or Marthus spoke of him they used hushed tones as if he were a Bogyman.