“I’ll be leaving you unprotected as well. But we can do this. It isn’t as if either of us will really be alone. Does distance matter? Our bond is so strong, can’t we use it across a few miles? After all, you called me from thousands of miles away.”
His black gaze reflected pain, but he was becoming more resigned to the trip. It is true, we can touch one another at will, but it consumes my energy. Over a distance it may be difficult.
“Only because I always let you do the work.” Shea checked the loads in the shotgun and rifle and laid two boxes of cartridges beside the weapons, near his hand. “I’m getting good at this mind-reading thing. My mother was supposed to be psychic, and supposedly I inherited her gift. Who knows, maybe it’s true.”
Our bond is growing stronger with each blood exchange, with each passing moment we are together.
“So if we were apart I might stop wanting to be around you?” she teased. “If I had known it was that simple, I would have sat outside most of the time.”
He caressed her silky hair. I will allow you to do this thing, but do not—he broke off the thought abruptly.
But not before Shea caught the echo of the primitive, territorial male. Her eyebrows shot up. Sometimes he reminded her more of a wild animal than a man. “Less of this allow stuff. It offends my independent nature.”
She was smiling again, gently teasing him, and Jacques felt surrounded by her light. It seemed to shine through her vivid green eyes and lead him away from the yawning emptiness. She was making perfect sense, and in this moment of lucidity, he could do no other than acquiesce. Still, how was he going to be without her even for a short time? How would he survive as each minute, each second crawled by? Jacques closed his eyes, a fine sheen of sweat coating his skin at the thought of the darkness he would endure. The agony. The isolation.
“Jacques, don’t. You said you could shut down your heart and lungs. If you do that, do you feel or think? Dream?” Have nightmares?
No, but I dare not sleep in the way of our people. When you are separated from me or you choose the sleep of mortals, I must remain alert.
“I’ll be fine. Put yourself to sleep and escape for just a little while. I’ll take off and get as far as I can tonight.”
You must not allow anything to happen to you, Shea. You cannot comprehend how important it is that you come to no harm. I cannot be without you. You brought me back into this life. I know my mind is not right. You cannot desert me when I need you the most. I would not be able to find my way back from the madness of the beast.
“I have no intention of deserting you, Jacques,” she assured him.
Do not forget that you must merge with me this time. There was a trace of fear in his voice.
“I will check in often, Jacques. And you tell me if anything goes wrong on your end. Understand? No more of this chest-beating macho stuff.”
* * *
Chapter Six
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Dawn was streaking the sky by the time Shea managed to make the trip over the rough terrain to the nearest village. She needed fuel, herbs, sutures, various supplies, and, most of all, blood. Whole blood. She had always had to fight off fatigue during the daytime, but now it was more than simple fatigue; she was exhausted. She was terrified of being caught alone in her camper in such a weak state. She knew it would be virtually impossible to protect herself. More than anything else, she feared that something might attack Jacques while she was away.
Shea parked her truck at the village petrol station and slipped from the cab. Almost immediately she was uneasy, not certain why. Few villagers were out and about at such an early hour. She leaned casually against the truck, taking a long look around. She could detect no one, but she felt eyes on her, someone or something watching her. The feeling was strong. Lifting her chin, she forced herself to ignore her overactive imagination while she filled the truck, its reserve tank, and the two tanks for her generator.