Heavy footfalls sounded behind them, drawing them both up short. Obsidian strolled over, his eyes shielded by those dark lenses, but she could tell he was taking it all in, likely determining what was different from the last time he was there.
Out of habit, Acadia offered a slight curtsy to the male when he approached. It wasn’t that she’d always been formal with him, but right now, she felt the need. Probably had everything to do with the fact she felt as though she was abandoning him and had yet to explain herself.
“How’re they doing?” Obsidian asked, his question directed at Kaj.
“Just got here myself.” Kaj caught Huracan’s attention, motioned him toward them. “Perhaps we can get an update.”
The enormous male strolled over, a wide grin on his rugged face. “Greetings. You just missed Bijou. She stopped in to check it out.”
“What’d she think?” Kaj inquired.
Huracan smirked. “She didn’t say, but the vampires sure took notice of their princess.”
Acadia smiled at that. She could see how these trainees might be intimidated to have royalty in their presence. However, she’d had the pleasure of talking to Bijou, and the female was rather approachable. More so the longer she’d been here.
“Thought I’d give my female a tour,” Kaj said, his hand squeezing hers lightly when he saidfemale.
For whatever reason, that made Acadia’s heart skip a beat. After last night, the movie date, the erotic encounters afterward, Kaj had remained in her bed until nightfall. When he awoke, she had already been up, lying in the darkened room, watching his face as he slept. No sooner had he caught sight of her than he moved over her and gave her a grand wake-up with his body. Afterward he had slipped out to give her time to shower and get ready for the night. When she came down to join the others for the evening meal, he’d been there waiting for her, securing a table at the back of the room.
Needless to say, Acadia was enjoying this time with him. It felt strangely different than before. She had always expected to be utilized for her blood, sometimes engaging in sex because it offered the energy that would fuel her for longer periods. Never had the males made her feel like she was simply a tool at their disposal, but there’d never been any real intimacy, either.
Except with Kaj. He’d always been different with her. In the beginning, when she’d nursed him back to health, he had been hesitant. Then when he returned this time, they’d endured thegathenya, seeking one another out to quench that overwhelming need. Now that things had settled, it was as though they were coming into their own.
“So, what do you think?” Huracan asked Kaj and Obsidian. “Bijou gave them the idea of getting their private rooms built so they could work in shifts, filling the full twenty-four hours with work.”
“Bijou did?” Obsidian glanced around. “That’s a brilliant idea.” Obsidian smirked at Kaj. “Didn’t get her brains from her father, huh?”
Kaj chuckled. “Certainly not.”
“Their objective this night is to get all the walls for the sleeping quarters erected, insulated, and Sheetrocked. Tomorrow they’ll move on to tape and float, painting. Perhaps by Monday, they’ll be starting their shifts.”
Acadia watched as a group of trainees carried in lumber from an exterior door. As Fae, she could sense which were vampire and which were angel. They varied in all sizes, shapes and colorings. These were likely the most formidable of their species, born and bred for this particular purpose—protecting humans or providing backup to those whose sole responsibility was to protect humans, as was the case with the warriors.
As she watched them, she thought back to all the times a new male would come to the mansion, joining thefiestreigh. It was rare they came in multiples despite Michael’s best efforts to reproduce males who were as formidable as the warriors. She and the other Fae had been there to welcome them in, to help them get situated as well as offering them the life source necessary for them to remain on Earth.
“How often will they feed?” Acadia asked, recalling Kaj mentioning Michael had allocated angels to perform those duties.
“Daily for now. The angels come as soon as the sun goes down and it’s safe for them,” Obsidian noted. “As long as we keep our numbers low, we’ll have a one-to-one ratio for feeding. Once they’ve completed their task, they return to Heaven.”
It felt strange that Michael would’ve opted to utilize angels instead of Fae. Though Acadia knew they didn’t have the numbers to handle an additional twenty-seven who needed blood, she still had concerns as to what that would mean for her and the others. Would Michael one day replace them? Send them into the shadows for all of eternity? After all, there was nowhere else for them to go. And if they weren’t needed any longer…
“Acadia?”
The deep cadence of Kaj’s voice drew her attention from her thoughts. “Hmm?”
“Are you okay,balisra?”
Shaking off the negative energy, she stood a bit taller and smiled. “Of course. I find this place fascinating. I’m sure once it’s completed, it’ll be even more impressive.”
“That’s the plan,” Obsidian agreed. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to check in with Reidar. I’ve got someone coming to relieve you, Huracan.”
“Thank you,” the male said. “I figure we could work in four-hour increments so as not to ignore our own duties.”
Acadia listened with half an ear while the males chatted briefly before dispersing.
All the while wondering exactly how much things were changing for them.
Question was: was this for better or worse?
