Page 40 of Scales of Time
She focused on keeping herself relaxed. He carried her through the halls and to his rooms. He settled her in his quarters and eased her slippers and clothing off her skin. No fabric other than sheets was allowed in his bed.
He flipped the sheet back and settled her, getting naked himself before he widened her thighs and dropped to his belly between them.
His fangs sprang down, and they gleamed with some kind of venom. She started to tense, but his razor-sharp teeth sank into the joint of her thigh and groin.
The burn of the bite made her smack him on his pointy ear. He remained steady, and soon, the pain was gone, replaced by a soft warmth that filled her and made her limbs languid and her senses dull. When he opened his mouth to a startling degree—something she normally appreciated—his fangs folded up, and he smiled. “Get some rest, Kris. We have a guest that you may find interesting arriving tomorrow.”
Kris was dopey and only vaguely heard him. It turns out that she had been feeling pain for longer than she had known. When it stopped, her body just wanted to revel in it by healing the nerves that ached and giving tense muscles relief.
She snuggled against Essan when he cuddled her against him. His wing wrapped around them both, and she fell asleep surrounded and safe.
* * * *
Kris was curious. She was wearing a colour that matched Essan, and he was nervous, so she was wondering who was visiting that could make him nervous.
The court was sparse, but they were quiet. There was a strange feeling in the air. It was like the feeling of a storm when lightning was about to strike.
Kris murmured, “Essan, do you have lightning storms?”
“We do, but not over the city. Why, what do you feel?”
“Power, and it is coming this way.”
“Good. That is what I am sensing as well.”
The doors opened, and a figure in a white cloak carrying a heavy staff walked toward them until it was standing in front of them. “Overlord Essan, I am Sister Wyford of the Abbey, here to visit your consort.”
Kris froze. “Wyford?”
The deep hood and gloves didn’t give a hint as to the species, but Kris knew that name. She stood up and walked to the figure that was taller than the one in Kris’s memory.
“What is the cloak for?”
“To give uniformity to the sisterhood. The cloaks are recognized in any Hmrain-touched world. It provides us with anonymity and has the added bonus of freaking out most citizens we are walking toward.”
The English words got Kris excited. “Are you someone I know? You are taller now, so I am guessing they tampered with you a little.”
“Lady Kris, you are now just over six feet tall, and your Hmrain is watching you with concern. I believe you have been frequently tampered with. Just like when we watered Grandpa’s truck, and the gas cap was open. The poor thing was never the same.”
“Teddy?” Kris whispered.
“Yes, Crunchy?”
Kris lunged and hugged her cousin. There was crying and sobbing on Kris’s part, but the cloaked figure was merely hugging her back. Teddy had been bubbly and emotional. She laughed, and everyone around her was happy. Now, this creature was still and powerful and didn’t feel the need to fill the moment with chatter.
“Teddy, what happened to you?”
“The story is long and horrible. The madness it brought on is why I was transferred to the Abbey and became a sister.”
Kris looked at her. “Can we talk about this?”
“No. Overlord Essan has hired me to be your guardian during our trip to Aten. Harwin has been told that you are unavailable, and it is only seven day’s journey to Aten. You will be reunited with your friend.”
“I was just reunited with my cousin. This is going to be quite the week.” She looked down. “Well, packing will go quickly.”
There was a light snort from inside the hood.
“Can I see your face, Teddy?”