Blood Betrayal

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Ghanny woke in Zion's arms. The television had been left on and was still murmuring. There was a smile over his lips, a tenderness between her legs that reminded her of the strange overwhelming feelings that had flooded over her the night before. He had been so perfect it left her aching to feel more of him. She wanted to wake him and kiss him and talk to him. Being pressed against him wasn't enough. She had already taken to much, he had to sleep.

Carefully Ghanny got up without disturbing him. She dressed in a knee-length black dress and pulled her hair into a sort of high set ponytail. She had not had to do things with her own hair in so long it was not easy to wrangle it into the hair tie she found. It was probably Zion's. He wouldn't mind after the things he had let her do.

After indulging in more blood then she had in a long time she was feeling good, clear minded and strong. Too good to be cooped up in a room.

Tentatively she opened the door and peeked into the room beyond. It was large but not huge compared to the castle she knew as home. Carpeted in red with white walls it gave off a baroque air. There was a black object that trailed wires, it looked like the television that was back in her room only bigger. It sat in front of a plush looking couch that held pillows scattered in disarray. A table the colour of rich chocolate was behind the couch to the right. Beyond the table, a room that held boxes and cupboards. It looked interesting.

Moving closer to that interesting room she could smell food, solid, mortal foods.

It was a kitchen.

She had been in the castles kitchen but this new interesting one was much smaller. It held different smells and sights. There was no fire to cook on, not even a scrap of wood to stoke such a fire. She explored, opening cupboards, peering in. Inspecting all the small packages and cans before moving to one of the large boxes that whirred gently.

Her hand touched the handle, it was metal and solid. Pulling she found it took some force to pop the door open. Inside were rows of dark red bags hung from hooks. Touching one she found it unpleasantly cold. The whole box emitted cold air around her. They had no real scent. None of the hallmarks that blood should have. It was all too sterile and unappetising.

Letting out a small shiver she became aware that she was being watched. Among the food smells she could smell the clean wild scent of cat.

"You hungry?" a quiet voice asked from behind her.

"Not hungry I'm simply curious." Ghanny turned to see the boy speaking. He was lean with soft angles and hair as black as Zion's obsidian locks but the boy kept his far shorter. Clipped close to his scalp along the sides and wild curls in a mess at the top. He had lovely tawny skin around big brown eyes that watched her with interest. They grew a touch wider when she turned to face him.

Some of the colour drained from his tanned cheeks when he met her eyes. She was well aware that she did not look entirely human.

Most vampires could blend in somewhat with the human crowds but unlike them, she would never blend it. Dax took that fact poorly but she found that most still found her pleasing to look at once the initial shock wore off, most still found him pleasing to look at too but he only ever saw the shock.

The boy cleared his throat rearranging the distress on his face into the semblance of normality. "You ah, look like you're wanting some blood."

"No, I was only looking," she reiterated.

"So... you must be Alistair's friend. Nice to finally meet you. I'm Benjamin." The boy smiled warmly and held his hand out.

Ghanny looked at his hand before offering her own hand palm facing down. She had expected him to bend and kiss her knuckles the way her tame humans did. He took it awkwardly giving a short shake before dropping it causing a small frown to form over her mouth. "You are Zion's brother." She made it a statement. If his name hadn't told her that he was one of the brothers that he spoke of then the scent of shifter and his mere presence in that house would have.

"Yeah, that's right." He uncomfortably shuffled his feet rubbing the hand she touched with the other. "You ah... spent some time with Zion I take it."

"I have." Ghanny knew he could smell very well that she had slept with him. Leopards were known to have a good sense of smell and Benjamin was decidedly leopard.

"He is... um..." The boy stepped back a pace. "Alive, right?"

"Of course. He's asleep," she told him indignantly closing the cold box behind her. The cool air was beginning to agitate.

Benjamin flashed her an apologetic grin. "Just had to check."

Loud footfalls upstairs then down a hall made him look to the side just as three other boys came clamouring into view. They quieted as each saw that he was not alone. There were mutterings and expletives.

"Tommy, Liam, Nick this is um..."

"Ghanny," she finished for him.

"Ghanny, she's Alistair's friend," he continued, "she was just telling me Zion's sleeping."

It was clearly a poorly veiled attempt to assure them that she hadn't killed their brother.

The tallest and overall biggest by far came forward scrutinising her for barely a second before a sly grin slipped across his lips.

"Oh, I just bet he is," he said in a deep purr then softly chuckled down at her. "You wore him out did ya?"

"Shut up Tommy," another said, "you're welcome to hang out with us until Alistair gets back or Sam or Zion gets up. Speaking of I take it the sun doesn't bother your kind. Alistair never brought another race of vamp over."

He gestured with a heavily muscled arm to the window that let a good amount of sunlight in.

The last rounder boy with blonde hair nudged the other. "Hang out? Dude, I don't think so, she's off-limits. Besides she's a vampire. You know they aren't all like our parents," he whispered not nearly quiet enough to hide his concern from her ears.

That resulted in some arguments over what to do that could involve a vampire. The blonde one was obviously not keen for her to be around them at all while two only seemed worried about what she would find fun.

Tommy on the other hand only suggested things that she didn't like the sound of. Strip poker or showing her his room. Things like pool, video games, movies and monopoly got tossed around and promptly dismissed.

She had never heard of most of those things and wasn't interested in learning what they were. All she really wanted was to go back to Zion and ask him to save her from the attention the group was heaping on her.

Growing tired of the childish bickering she interjected before things got heated. "I hardly need to be entertained I will just go back to my own room."

"No, no come on we can take you out. Show you a good time." Tommy grinned sly and lecherous tossing his mane of unruly golden brown hair.

She could tell that his other form was something rare like the leopard but larger and more dangerous.

"Bet you want to see the grounds and the view now don't you," he asked walking further into the house. He beckoned with his hand. "Come on."

She slowly followed keeping him in sight. She and the other three boys followed through the hallways toward the back of the house. They passed doors and rooms that held endless wondrous things. She would have been happy being able to explore the house and its many rooms but he seemed intent she see the outside.

The large boy disappeared out one of the doors at the end of the hall. Late afternoon sunlight fell in a long sloping rectangle from the doorway. The closer she got the brighter the hallway became. Hot sunlight caught her eyes momentarily blinding her. Groping at the door frame she was plunged into a world of green grass and orange sunshine.