Roran moved back and stood in front of me, creating a small wall with Rilen and Aiko. The king chuckled.
“I could take her if I wanted, you know,” he said.
“And I’d punch you so hard you’d wake up at the next full moon,” Dorian said, casually. “If you need blood, take mine.”
The four of us started, shocked at Dorian’s casual offer. We stared at him, and he shrugged.
“We’re brothers. It’s not the first time I’ve had to.”
“But… the…” Rilen stuttered.
“He’s mybrother,” Belshazzar answered, curling his lip. “I’ve had his blood since I was a child. You think it would turn him on? Foul.”
Dorian held his arm out.
“Just like that?” I snapped and shoved through the wall of males in front of me. “Just like that you offer your blood to him while you stand there and preach to me about taking what I need when I need it from people who offer it willingly?”
“You’re in for it now.” Belshazzar laughed.
“You’re damn right he’s in for it! You claim me to your bed and then won’t let me find what I need when you say no! You are just the worst kind of hypocrite, Dorian. You don’t even realize how small and unimportant you make me feel with your actions and words. I’m always shoved off, pawned off, ignored by you.
“Rilen and Roran are always apologizing for you, smoothing things over! They have the decency to speak with me, to enjoy time with me that isn’t in a bed or a practice space. Aiko sends me letters and flowers, and while he has resisted what was growing, he’s not rude or mean and downright cruel about it!”
I walked over to him. “Give your blood to your brother. And stay the hell out of my bed.”
I strode past the two brothers sitting on the ground and marched out into the high grass behind them. I didn’t want to have to deal with this anymore. Just as I finally got Aiko relaxed, and Rilen and possibly Roran to understand this, Dorian had to go and show his ass again.
I didn’t go far into the grass. Just away from the rest of them, to take some time to collect myself. I sat in a little circle of the wild grasses and pulled a dagger from my belt.
I picked at the ground, flicking pebbles into the air and away from me. I didn’t want to think anymore. I was tired of fighting with the men who were supposed to love me. I sat there for a good long few minutes, flicking the pebbles out.
A scraping to the right had me freeze and listen to the night around me. The sound was footsteps, and I didn’t dare move until they stepped into the clearing in the grass.
They didn’t step, though. They charged.
The dagger in my hand flew straight into their heart, and my sword was out in the next second, against their neck. But there was no need for the sword. He was burbling and gurgling and would be dead in seconds.
“Who are you?”
“Destroy the interlopers,” he hissed, and the blood ran out of his mouth, choking him.
I heard more footsteps in the grass, and turned and took off running back to the campfire. The footsteps sped with me, trying to match my speed.
But I had learned how to tap into my vampire speed and picked up my pace so they couldn’t catch me, heading for the fire ahead of me.
I saw all five of the males there stand up, and in the next moment, they all had their weapons out, and faced the incoming attack—or whatever it was that was chasing me.
“To me!” Dorian screamed.
That was the last place I wanted to head, but if no one was contradicting him, I wasn’t going to either. I charged toward him and Belshazzar to the right, and as I got closer, I ducked around and leapt over the fire to keep it between me and the things chasing me.
The rapport of Belshazzar’s gun was impressive and halted all fifteen pursuers almost dead in their tracks. He shot four more times and dropped four more men before they all snapped out of their shock.
But they were down to ten, and we were six, all swordmasters.
I never put my sword away, and I pointed to Belshazzar with it. “Keep one alive!”
“Mm, dinner.” He grinned, his fangs fully extended.
