Exile: Sídhí Summer Camp #3 (27 page)

“Thank you,” Sarah said politely. Turning her
gaze to Miranda, she bent forward and kissed her sister’s cheek.
“We’ll talk later. Feel better.”

As if finally giving up the fight, Miranda
rubbed her cheek against her mate’s blue shirt and said, “Okay, see
you later.”

Exotic hothouse flowers filled the elegant suite of rooms. Thick,
velvet drapes framed the windows. Real gold trim graced several
works of art. All told, the area reflected very expensive
taste.

Ignoring the room, Sarah gazed out the
window. She hated the inactivity of just waiting. She needed to do
something, before she went bonkers.

Walking up behind her, Nick slipped his arms
around her narrow waist. “Want to go for a walk?”

“In that?” she asked, nodding toward the
swirling bits of snow. In the hours she had spent restlessly pacing
the room, the light snow had grown heavier. Several inches covered
the wide veranda.

Rubbing his cheek against her hair, he
pointed toward a closed door on the opposite side of the room. “Why
not? It’ll give us something to do, and they’ve provided all sorts
of clothes, including a couple of big coats.”

When she hesitated, he nuzzled her neck. “I
don’t know about you, but I’d like a little fun time without the
possibility of being watched through a peep hole in the wall.”

Chuckling, she turned in his arms. “We’d
smell them. Anyway, I did a mental scan and found a fairy enhanced
security layer to keep out the nosey neighbors.”

“Spoilsport,” he said, tugging her toward the
door.

Once through the door, her eyes widened in
disbelief. He hadn’t been kidding. Every type of clothing
imaginable, from riding leathers to ball gowns, stocked the room.
When they first arrived, she’d glanced through the doorway, but
hadn’t really looked at the clothes.

Giving in to temptation, she shrugged into a
thick coat and pulled up the hood. No point in advertising she was
a halfling in a city predominately filled with full blood
elves.

Nick did the same.

Holding hands, they slipped through the
balcony doors. High above the town, she searched for a good place
for them to arrive after the port.

“Let me,” Nick said, brushing a wisp of hair
out of her face.

Nodding her agreement, she relaxed into his
hold as he wrapped strong arms around her. A moment later, they
stood next to a two-story wall of stone. The barricade had a row of
sharp spikes dotting its top edge. The metal stakes had to be for
appearance, because they would never stop a grown Sídhí intent on
climbing the wall.

They walked for some time, strolling down
streets covered in a growing layer of snow. The cobblestone roads
were not straight. They were a twisting warren that offered no
indication of where they were. It was almost like walking down a
ravine built from multi-story buildings and thick, rock walls.

The large mansions soon gave way to smaller
homes. The occasional retail shop, most of them with an apartment
nestled above it, started making an appearance. Through the
windows, she saw everything from baked items to bolts of cloth.

No one stopped them.

Seeming intent on getting to wherever they
were going, and out of the building weather, most of the elves
ignored them. Others gawked at them like a unique zoo specimen.

Without much warning, they emerged onto a
street straight across from a large park. Spires of crystal graced
the park entrance. A waist-high wall of gray rock encircled the
wide-open space. The area was exactly the way she liked it - empty
of people.

Randomly picking one of the twisting paths,
they made their way through tall trees and thick blue bushes.

“Hey,” he said, grabbing her attention. Warm,
spice-scented breath tickled her ear. His feeling of anticipation
flooded her. “Rules of engagement: human speed only.”

He brushed her lips with his and grinned.
“You’d better hurry, your thirty second head start just
started.”

“Head start?” she questioned then gasped as
his words clicked. He wanted to play.

Laughing, she turned and darted away. Well,
she ran as quickly as a fast human would be. Nearly a minute passed
before she slowed. Turning, she looked behind her. Her tracks were
the only thing marring the snow.

Frowning, she nearly retraced her steps.
There was no way he could have lost her, not as slow as she had
been going. She took a hesitant step forward. Her instinct screamed
a warning at her. Turning, she caught the outline of a shadow an
instant before Nick knocked her into a snowdrift.

Even then, he protected her, twisting to take
the brunt of the fall.

“Gotcha,” he whispered.

Sprawled across his chest, she smiled down at
him and did what she’d wanted to do for months. She kissed him
without hesitation, knowing her heart was in her eyes.

His mock growl ceased, replaced with a
rumbling purr of pleasure. Firm, cool lips met hers. The beginning
flicker of a flame simmered through her body.

Pulling her closer, he offered his neck to
her.

She shook her head. “No, you first,” she said
softly, baring the tender part of her neck to his hungry eyes.

She had a feeling even if her straight-laced
Clan vampire didn’t approve of recreational neck biting he would’ve
accepted her offer just as quickly.

Deep in her mind, he chuckled.
“Yes, I
would have.”

Rolling with her, she ended-up beneath his
warm body. Lowering his head, he licked her neck, once. She felt
the rasp of his fangs skim across her neck. A slow burn started in
the pit of her stomach, pulsing in places she couldn’t name.

The glands of a vampire, the small lymph node
that normally produced venom, also created a sexual stimulant when
in close proximity to their lifeMate. She had heard about it, but
this was the first time Nick had produced the intoxicating
substance.

A pale version of the stimulant was why
biting between younger, unmated vampires was such a forbidden
activity.

Another lick and she whimpered, softly
begging him to bite her. Kissing her neck, he ignored her plea.

By his third lick, she was squirming under
him, breathing hard as the aphrodisiac entered her system in
greater quantity. Gently, almost reverently he kissed her hard
beating vein and sunk his fangs into her neck.

Her body exploded with feeling, rapidly
building with each draw of blood. As if stars were exploding within
her, she shattered in his arms.

He shuddered, coming unglued in her hold.

“Wow,” she murmured breathlessly.

“A bit more than wow on my end of things,” he
said, curling around her.

Hours later, back in the warmth of the
castle, Sarah patted her arm dry with a soft towel, letting her
skin absorb the fragrant oils from her bath. Taking a bath in the
river had been fine, but nothing took the place of a long soak in a
tub of hot water, especially after their romp in the snow.

Pausing in front of the mirror, she inhaled
the sweet scent of lavender and heather.

“
You’re killing me,”
Nick said with a
heartfelt groan. His earnest words reached her as he sent her a
glimpse of what he was doing on the wide terrace. Heavy clouds
covered the area, turning the pale sky dark as night
approached.

Pulling on a pair of soft, brown pants, she
chuckled.
“Next, you’ll be asking for a peek.”

“
Now, I know you’re trying to kill me. I
wonder what kind of priests they have on Sídhí?”
he asked
thoughtfully.

Hearing the yearning in his voice, she
couldn’t help but agree.

Finished drying off, she slipped on a hunter
green blouse with brown and black embroidery, one that matched the
pants, and pulled on knee-high boots.

She found Nick, also freshly showered, on the
balcony. The palace, carved into the side of a mountain, overlooked
the town beyond. The front of the massive citadel was a blending of
beige and brown marble with ribbons of synth crystal embedded
throughout.

According to the solemn faced escort that
showed them to their rooms, the sprawling city was Elfheim, capital
of the elf nation of Elysia.

Built from granite and topped with colorful
clay tiles, the bulk of the city sprawled down the valley. Here and
there, spiraling towers and soaring archways of pure crystal
appeared throughout the city, enhancing the ethereal feel of the
place. A light snow continued falling from the sky.

“Want to go play in the snow,” Nick whispered
wickedly in her ear as he curled strong arms around her waist.

She snorted. Yeah, better not go down that
road again. They had nearly gone too far, doing something they both
wanted desperately, but would have later regretted. The time in the
park had been wonderful, but now that they were back in the real
world, her mind kept dwelling on those they left behind on
Earth.

They needed to finish checking on Miranda,
find out the secret of opening a gateway, and return to Earth.
Unfortunately, that didn’t look to be in the immediate future.
Leaning her back against him, she sighed, knowing she might as well
enjoy their unexpected vacation.

“I agree. I can’t help but worry about Jared
and Emily,” he said gruffly, putting voice to her thoughts. Pulling
her snug against his body, he angled her away from the cold wind
howling up the mountainside.

“Mac’s there. They’ll be fine. I’m more
concerned with the crystal activating the ruins.”

“Yeah, there is that small glitch.”

“Small?” she repeated, snorting at his snarky
words.

“I’m not worried about the ruins, because I
know you’ll fix it. Now, please, explain to me what I’m not seeing
in your golden boy. You seem to trust him completely. I know the
two of us started out on rocky ground, but he has an attitude that
won’t quit. He’s like a strutting peacock that needs plucked,” Nick
said with a touch of exasperation.

A tall, black-feathered peacock with Mac’s
face popped into her head. She couldn’t help it, she chuckled at
the image he flashed her. “I’m not sure where to start. Growing up
I didn’t have very many playmates. Miranda, Mac, Jessica, Aaron,
and a couple others made up the core of my friends.”

“You’ve never mentioned Jessica.”

Remembering the time Jessica attacked one of
Sarah’s trainers, because she thought he’d intentionally hurt her,
Sarah smiled. “She’s a nymph with the protective nature of a
vampire. She thinks she’s indestructible.”

“Dangerous attitude for a nymph,” he said,
and she agreed heartily. Other than the long life of a normal Sídhí
and telepathy, a nymph was no stronger than a mundane human was.
“I’m surprised you trusted her with your secret.”

“Her family is part of my family’s trusted
inner circle. And the Inner Circle, as I call them, knows I’m
Chi’Kehra. Unfortunately, knowing I could flatten the entire castle
in a temper tantrum was not necessarily a good thing.”

“Did you have many tantrums?” he asked
hesitantly, as if sensing her dislike of the subject.

“Yes, but I only really remember the last
one.” She shivered at the memory. “I demolished a three-thousand
year old marble statue. Chunks of stone flew everywhere, shattering
mirrors and windows. My mom and Miranda were just outside, having a
picnic in the courtyard. Shards of glass flew. Mom threw herself in
front of Miranda, but she wasn’t fast enough. A shard sliced open
my sister’s leg. I was only three, but I remember she cried, and
cried. I never had another tantrum.” She shook her head, not
realized how sad she must have looked until he growled, and she
glanced at his surface thoughts. “The people had a right to protect
their children.”

“You were just a baby,” he snarled.

“Yes, but a very dangerous baby.” She rubbed
his arm, trying to calm the bubbling anger she felt flowing through
him. “Anyway, that’s why Miranda and Mac mean so much to me.
Miranda and I were inseparable. When we found Mac, he could care
less how powerful I was. Well, neither could Aaron or Jessica, but
Mac was special.”

“When you found him?” he asked curiously, no
doubt hearing a story behind her words.

“It’s a long story.”

“We have time or shorten it. I’m
curious.”

“Yes, I can feel it thrumming through me. I
think unquenchable curiosity must be a trait all the Andrews
carry,” she said, snuggling deeper in his arms as a gust of icy
wind whipped around them.

Seeing her chill bumps, he muttered something
about the wretched weather and pulled her behind him into their
suite of rooms, leaving the cold winter outside. A cluster of
chairs and a large sofa created a cozy sitting area in front of a
large fireplace. Sitting on the sofa, he offered her his lap.

She didn’t need to be asked twice.

Sitting down, she curled onto his lap. The
heat of his arms and the flickering flames of the fire quickly
thawed her chilled body. “I was twelve when Miranda got it in her
head she wanted to see animals in their natural setting. We both
knew our parents would flip so we kept our adventures to ourselves.
The day we found Mac we were researching mega-grizzly.”

At his groan of horror, she glanced up at
him. “No comments from the popcorn section.”

He nodded and tightened his hold on her.

“I ported us to Alaska.”

“One question.”

“Nick,” she warned, “do you want to hear the
story or not?”

“Yes,” he hurried before she could interrupt,
“but you were only twelve. You couldn’t have gone through puberty.
How could you port?”

“I’m Chi’Kehra.”

“So is Colin, but he makes a gateway.”

Sarah snorted. “He’s an elf, I’m part
vampire. I guess that makes a difference.”

He nodded his head and pretended to lock his
lips with a key.