Free blood 03 - blood chosen by Tamara Rose Blodgett Page B

Jacqueline. Power was.
    She strolled over to where Tony lay. His hands were latched onto his considerable nethers and she crouched down beside him, tucking her skirts underneath in an unconsciously ladylike gesture. Some things remained automatic. Bold as always, the hem of her skirt brushed the tense muscles of his arms.
    “Do we have an understanding, dog?” she inquired in a light mocking tone.
    Tony nodded. His reaction was all yes... but within those eyes something very like hate and plotting lurked. Jacqueline knew that their alliance would be tenuous at best... at worst- she would die by his hand.
    She straightened. “Let us come to terms then.”
    “You fucking kicked my nuts around my ears, lady... I think it'll be a minute before I can manage moving.”
    Jacqueline's lips curled. “As you were then.”
    She walked off as the eyes of someone who wished her the finest degree of harm followed Jacqueline into the shadow of the trees.
     
    *
    Julia
     
    Julia had felt despondent in the past... but still—there had been hope. Now she had turned her back on two familiar comforts. Jason, who had once been her rock and was now... someone who held nothing but scorn for her.
    Whore . His words came back like horse bites on her body, liquid quick, painful... and devastating.
    Fuck him , Julia thought, and the wolf he rode in on. She kicked a rock out of the way as she moved toward the compound, shoving her hands into the front pockets of her jeans, at least they'd been smart enough not to come after her.
    She didn't look up when the cavalry arrived. In all, it had been maybe ten minutes. They ran.
    That meant the Combatant had run five minute miles. Or maybe that was jogging for them.
    She looked up and met Victor's gaze. “My Queen.”
    Shit. “Yes,” she whispered.
    “Are you hurt?”
    Julia glared up at him. “No. I am not hurt, wounded, compromised or anything else.”
    Victor gave her despondent eyes and Julia wanted to scream. Instead, her eyes moved over the Combatant, minus Scott and she felt oppressed.  Julia knew that it was her new duty to accept the title, see tasks and obligations through because of her new role.
    But Julia yearned for normalcy.
    She took a deep, cleansing breath and walked to stand beside Victor and he tucked her against his body. “You know that it is your safety that I must secure.”
    It wasn't his fault, anymore than her being the Rare One was hers. Julia nodded, not trusting herself to speak.
    However, Victor had the uncanny ability to speak for her. “All will be well, Julia. The vampire and the Were will come to terms that all can live with.”
    “I don't think so,” Julia said and he drew her away from himself  enough to see her face.
    “I know that you do not.” His eyes met hers and she noticed again how beautiful he was. If a man could be called beautiful, it would be Victor. He gave her a small shake and it cleared her head. “But the Were is angry at circumstance... the vampire must fight his nature to be selfless. At the end of the day, it is you that they wish to have... to protect.”
    “Jason has a crap way of showing it.”
    If Victor was alarmed at how she expressed herself he didn't show it and she felt herself relax against him in stages as they walked back to the compound, a protective arm around around her shoulders.
    The others in the Combatant, having kept a loose circle around them, tensed, and Julia knew that Jason had caught up with them.
    Victor and Julia turned and faced him.
    It was a hard thing to describe, the expression on Jason's face was shut down, guarded. There were bruises on the face she had kissed, had loved.
    Did she still love him? Julia wasn't sure... now there was Scott and when they were together there was no one else. But she had loved him. What a mess , she thought.
    “Jules...”
    Julia put up her hand. “Let's get back to the compound,” she caught his eyes with her own, “and I'll see how Paul is doing. Then maybe we'll