14. Damon

My eyes popped open, and it took several moments for me to realize where I was and why. My arms tingled beneath the pillow I'd apparently been hugging. I probably hadn't moved since I"d collapsed on the bed. How long had I been sleeping?

I rolled over and sat up, stretching my arms and wings. The clock on the nightstand said three o'clock. I couldn't believe I'd been out for so long. We'd stopped at six yesterday evening. I'd barely made it to the room before I lost my human form and collapsed.

A trickle of unease had me off the bed and rushing for the door between the bedroom and living area. I hadn't even stayed awake long enough to ensure Lorna and Kenrid made it to the room. Visions of Kenrid losing against an unknown foe, followed by Lorna's death or worse, had my heart rate soaring. I couldn't believe I'd abandoned my brother that way, leaving him to defend my mate on his own.

If something happened to either of them, I'd never forgive myself. The door swung open on quiet hinges. Even with the lack of light in the common area, I didn't miss the two forms sleeping on the sofa bed. I let out a sigh of relief.

I shouldn't have doubted Kenrid. Lorna was his just as much as mine. I moved farther into the room and looked down at the pair. The fae lay on his back with Lorna tucked into his side. Her head rested on his bare chest, and her fingers splayed over his stomach. As expected, his glamour was gone.

There was no hint of sex in the air. The fae were not shy about their sexual encounters. That Kenrid hadn't ravished her was a little shocking. After the many waves of desire we suffered in the truck, Lorna surely would've accepted such an invitation.

A pair of emerald green eyes suddenly glowed in the dark, and I thought I saw a flicker of fear. Kenrid had no reason to fear me.

"Is she okay?" I whispered.

"Yes," he replied, glancing down at our sleeping mate. "How are you?"

"Better. I won't leave you in this position again, where you have to defend her alone," I promised. "I should've insisted on stopping earlier yesterday."

Kenrid nodded but didn't argue with me. He knew I wouldn't accept any excuse he tried to offer in my defense. It was irresponsible, and we both knew it.

"I picked up toothbrushes and stuff from the lobby," Kenrid whispered. "There's pizza in the mini-fridge if you want it."

"If you two are going to chat, I'm going to the bedroom," Lorna grumbled.

Kenrid and I both smiled. Mine was more a baring of my fangs, but her mere presence made my heart swell with something I'd not felt since well before she came into my life.

"I'll take you," I offered, bending down and scooping her up. "I'm not ready to get on the road yet, so there's no reason for you to be awake."

She squeaked with the unexpected movement but wrapped her arms around my neck instead of pushing me away. I carried her into the bedroom and tucked her underneath the blankets. She mumbled incoherently before falling back asleep. My heart swelled again, aching with each thump in my chest. I leaned over and brushed my lips against her jaw. I would treasure her forever and kill anyone who dared harm her.

I returned to the common area. Kenrid had already taken a box of pizza from the fridge. I nodded my thanks and retrieved a slice while he folded the bed back into a sofa so we could sit.

"You talk to Nathan?" I asked between bites, not bothering with manners. I was hungry.

"No, but Elliott said they found some interesting information in the boxes you took from Conrad's estate," Kenrid said. "He wouldn't discuss the details, though. He also needed me to tell him to flip the laptop over to find the password to unlock it."

I stopped mid-bite to stare at the fae. "Do they print passwords on the underside?"

Kenrid laughed. "No, but it's not uncommon for people to write the password on a note and tape it to the bottom."

I grunted and kept eating. I'd have to keep that in mind for future reference. I didn't like technology, but I did my best to keep up with it, unlike Kenrid, who rose to the challenge to master it.

Kenrid finished rearranging the sofa cushions and sat. I carried my box of pizza to the coffee table and sat in one of the chairs, recognizing his need to talk.

"What's wrong?" I prompted.

"A couple things," he replied, glancing at the door to the room where Lorna slept. "I'm not sure she's convinced we'll share her affections. We talked about it, but she has concerns."

"We have time to convince her," I said, unsure why he was worried. She was our mate; of course she would accept us. "What else?"

Kenrid shook his head. "How would you feel about announcing her as your mate to the clan when we arrive?"

I paused and studied my friend, wondering where he was going with his question. "I have no reservations. Why?"

"No one will think twice about her wanting to be in your space if you're mated," he replied. "She'll only have to keep her desire for Nathan under wraps."

I stuffed the half slice of pizza in my mouth and considered his words. It made sense to me. No one would question us being close. No one would care if she leaned in and pressed her lips against her lover's neck. Anything to make Lorna's life easier was a win for us. I couldn't see Kenrid having issues with it, or he wouldn't have suggested it.

"I agree," I said. "What's your concern?"

"Elliott," he replied. "I'm not sure he'll be okay with an open display of affection between you two. And I'm still uncertain how Nathan feels."

Yes, Elliott's wolf would not sit back and let me hold his mate. After listening to Nathan speak to Lorna the night before, I wasn't sure how he felt, either. Before her rescue, I would've said he wanted her just as badly as I did. But now?

"The four of us need to talk," I said. "Without Lorna in the room."

"I thought so, too."

I grabbed another slice of pizza, letting silence fill the room.

"I think they put something in her food," Kenrid said, watching me eat. "She shouldn't have lost so much weight."

"I saw what they fed her," I growled, remembering the pitiful amount of bread and meat. "I also think it was more than that."

Kenrid raised an eyebrow at me.

"Lorna wasn't the only one starving," I said.

Both of Kenrid's eyebrows rose. "I hadn't considered her dhampir. It wasn't fully awakened, but her declaration that they'd both been starved makes sense."

I nodded. "My thoughts exactly. I can't think of anything else that would explain it."

Silence filled the room for several seconds.

"I'm glad they're dead," Kenrid said, his voice low and harsh. "I've never understood that mentality. The desire to make someone suffer for one's own pleasure is sickening."

"We are in agreement." I didn't want to go down that road. Conrad's death hadn't diminished the anger I harbored. "I still need to give her my blood. We should find out how she reacts before we leave."

"Of course, you're right," he agreed. "Let me put a privacy spell on the room first. Just in case."

"You haven't already?" I asked, then finished off yet another slice of pizza.

"No, just wards to keep everyone out."

He rose and moved to the wall between the common area and bedroom. Once he finished the spell, I pushed open the bedroom door. Lorna wasn't where I left her. She'd kicked off half the blankets and rolled to the center of the bed.

She hugged the same pillow I'd used throughout the night. Was she seeking me out? I strode to the right side of the wide mattress and assumed my human form. My blood wouldn't change, but my human didn't take up as much space. Besides, I doubted her tiny fangs would be able to pierce my demon hide.

"How do you want to do this?" Kenrid whispered. "Do you want me near her? Or do you want to see how much she can handle first?"

I stared at Lorna's face, so peaceful in sleep. "Stay close to her. Let's see how she reacts to my blood," I replied just as softly. "I don't want to traumatize her. She's had enough of that already. If what we suspect about her hunger is true, she needs food more than anything else."

"Then I'll lay on her other side and wrap her in my magic," he said.

"Good idea."

It wasn't a good idea. We should've been testing her, seeing if she could back off on her own, but I just couldn't stand the thought of putting her through yet another challenge. Besides, she'd done really well being around me since she left Conrad's estate. She couldn't hide her desire, but she hadn't acted on it despite the fact she had to be starving.

Kenrid's idea about making our relationship public would eliminate her need to hide her longing for me. It felt good to be wanted.

I pulled back the blankets and crawled into the bed next to her. Kenrid did the same on her other side. I immediately felt his fae magic surround us. Lorna sighed, and her eyes fluttered open. She still held the pillow, the only thing separating her from me and only by a few inches.

"Good morning, little d'laej," I whispered.

She smiled and yawned. "What does that mean?"

"If you do well with your next test," I said, tugged at the pillow in her arms, "I'll tell you."

As she released the pillow, Lorna's smile faded into a pout. "I haven't even had a chance to wake up."

I grinned. "I love the sleepy look on your face."

Her cheeks flushed, as I knew they would. "You're cheating again."

"Most definitely." I glanced over her shoulder at Kenrid. "I have an accomplice this time."

The blush on her cheeks consumed her neck as she half-rolled over and saw Kenrid behind her. He wasn't touching her, but he was very close. A ghost of a smile from him made her squirm. Maybe more had happened between them than I thought.

"And what is this next test?" Her voice was low and a little husky. A wave of desire filled the air.

I could only imagine what she was thinking, but I had to stay focused. "We need to see how you react to my blood," I said. "But I won't stop it from turning into something else if that's what you want."

Her head snapped back to me, her eyes wide. I wasn't sure how well she could see either of us. The only light in the room spilled in from the common area through the bedroom's open door. I had no problems watching her run her tongue over her lips.

"Kenrid?" she whispered.

"Yes."

"Don't let me hurt him," she pleaded.

"I won't," he promised. "But I don't think Damon needs my protection. You're strong enough to do this."

I glanced up at the fae. He couldn't lie, so his words meant a lot. Apparently, I wasn't the only one to think so. Lorna rolled over to face him and reached up to run a finger along his jaw. The tender look he gave her confirmed my suspicions about their time alone. They hadn't had sex, but they'd talked about their connection. It looked like Lorna accepted him.

I wanted the same thing from her.

"Let's do this," Kenrid whispered, then pressed a kiss on her forehead.

"Okay." Lorna scooted away from the fae and sat up facing me. "I'm ready."

I propped my hand beneath my head and raised myself up on my elbow. Lorna looked down at me, and her eyes widened again. She must have realized I was only in a pair of blue jeans, leaving my chest bare for her. She'd seen my demon several times, but she hadn't seen my human's bare skin.

I smiled and said, "Yes, you can touch while I explain what's going to happen."

Kenrid chuckled, and Lorna's hands covered her face.

"Is my desire that obvious?" she croaked.

"Yes," I said, "but I don't mind. You can express your desire for me anytime you like."

"Oh my God," she mumbled. "Shut up, you horny bitch."

Kenrid and I both laughed, knowing she was talking to her dhampir. I shouldn't be encouraging the side of her that could possibly kill me, but her dhampir was nothing like I assumed she would be. I reached up and pulled one of her hands from her face and placed it against my chest. The warmth of her palm made my skin pebble.

"Can I see your demon?" she asked.

"No. Your little fangs are not strong enough to pierce my scales."

"Oh." She bit her lip, then licked them again. "I hadn't thought of that."

"I wouldn't expect you to know," I said, pulling my hand from hers to give her a choice of what to do with it. "I don't think your first bite should be on my neck. Maybe my arm or chest where the blood flow is a little slower and not so close to a major artery."

Her fingers trailed across my pectorals and headed for my abdominals. Her eyes followed her hand, even after my suggestion.

"Whatever you think is best," she said, her voice a little edgy, as if the line between her and her dhampir was losing definition. "I'd really like Kenrid at my back, just to make sure I don't do something stupid."

"Then let's get in a better position," I suggested.

She didn't trust herself. That alone gave me the reassurance that she wouldn't be consumed by her hunger. She had too much awareness of what could happen—everything that would be lost. She could do this.