Oriana. Saintcrow muttered an oath. Of all the rotten timing... He gave Kadie a quick kiss and went to invite his guest inside.
Kadie stared at the woman who followed Saintcrow into the living room. The vampire was petite, with translucent skin, curly brown hair and pale brown eyes that missed nothing. Her figure, clad in a body-hugging, long-sleeved black sweater, tight black jeans and boots, was perfect. Kadie felt like a clumsy giant asshe watched the vampire glide across the room, her feet barely touching the floor.
“This is my wife, Kadie,” Saintcrow said. “Kadie, this is Oriana, an old acquaintance of mine.”
Kadie forced a tight smile. “Welcome to our home.”
“Thank you.” Her voice was like silk over satin.
“Please, have a seat,” Kadie invited, gesturing at the chair beside the sofa.
Saintcrow hid a grin as Kadie waited for their guest to sit down, then took a seat on the sofa, obviously expecting him to sit beside her, which he did. Her jealousy was almost palpable. Not that he could blame her. With the passage of time, he had forgotten how attractive Oriana was. But it was a cool beauty, like an ice sculpture, whereas Kadie was soft and warm and retained a hint of humanity that most vampires lost over time.
“So,” the vampire said, getting right to the point. “Who has told you that your blood is toxic?”
“A witch who dwells in the Everglades.”
“Alara,” Oriana murmured. “Yes, I met her once. Was she in human form when you met?”
Saintcrow nodded then frowned. “Is she really half reptile and half human?”
“Yes, though she rarely appears in reptile form. She is quite vain. I believe the reptile guise embarrasses her.”
Saintcrow chuckled. “Interesting. What does the other form look like?”
“It’s hard to describe. She still appears mostly human, though much thinner. In reptile form, her skin turns a sort of yellow-brown and is reptilian in texture, her hair thins and conforms to the shape of her head. Her tongue is always black and forked, which seems odd to me. How did she determine that your blood was becoming toxic?”
“She drank a little and said it tasted foul and that when she fed it to a rat, the rat died.”
“Fascinating.” Oriana’s gaze moved to Saintcrow’s throat. “May I?”
Frowning, Saintcrow said, “ Do you think that’s a good idea?”
Oriana didn’t qualify his question with an answer. Rising, she lowered her head to his neck. She took only a small taste, grimacing as she lifted her head and then resumed her seat. “It does indeed have a bitter taste, rather like ashes. You said you’re losing control of your anger and feel driven to kill your prey. Those traits are generally only manifest in the young.”
“Yeah. You don’t think I’m regressing, losing my power, do you?”
“No. I can feel it burning bright and strong within you. If anything, I’d say you were growing stronger.”
“Alara thinks it will destroy me in the end. If it doesn’t drive me insane first.”
A small, non-committal sound rose in Oriana’s throat. “Have you tested your blood on anything other than a rat?”
“No.”
“You might consider it. Just because it killed a rat doesn’t necessarily make it toxic to you or others.”
That was something to think about, Saintcrow mused.
“I’ve never heard of anything like this,” Oriana remarked. “I’m not sure taking my blood will help.”
“It couldn’t hurt.”
She smiled a conspiratorial smile. “There is nothing in all the world quite like the blood of the ancient ones, is there?”
“Nothing,” he agreed as he gained his feet. Oriana turned her head to the side, her eyelids fluttering down when Saintcrow sank his fangs ever so lightly into her neck.
Red-hot jealousy flared within Kadie’s heart as she watched Rylan close his eyes and drink from the vampire, jealousy thatburned even hotter when a low moan of pleasure rose in his throat. She knew that feeling, that warm, sensual feeling aroused by drinking the blood of a vampire. There was nothing as seductive in all the world. She clenched her hands into fists to keep from grabbing a handful of Rylan’s hair and dragging him away from the petite vampire.