| The halls were quite, almost as if they were mocking me in my quest. My booted feet made no sound, and why should they? I was a creature of the night like they. I paused in the doorway to a room, and I felt my dead heart constrict. It was a room I knew all too well, and I know my father was taunting me now . . . . . . It still hurt, even now, two hundred years later . . . The black translucent drapes fluttered in the darkened night, swaying the soft fabric upon the bed. I looked everywhere, seeing the room replicated in full detail. No, I thought, he wasn’t trying to taunt me; he was trying to drive me insane. I leaned my face against the wood of the doorway, just gazing into the room and not having courage enough to explore it. Finally I pushed myself away from the hall, gently closing the door behind me. I walked hesitantly into the room, almost like a pilgrim as I sheathed my sword in near homage. This room was holy to me. I know, it’s strange for me to say that . . . My gloved hand brushed the hair out of my face, tucking the wayward strands behind my ear. I sighed, looking around the room again. It was the same as it had always been: warm, inviting, and living. I started as I heard a very soft murmur, and the rustle of cloth. My eyes traveled the room again, searching for threats, and picked up no more movement. There was another rustle of cloth and the sheet upon the bed moved. I was drowned in near panic. What had my father done? Cautiously, I made my way to the bed, not bothering to unsheathe the sword. My heart throbbed painfully in my chest as I made my way to the edge of the bed, dreading what I would find. My eyes widened as they fell upon the delicate and slender hand that had fallen over the side of the bed. The arm was slender as well, but strong, and I nearly cried out in horror, seeing the person who slept soundly within the bed. Her body was slender, delicate, but I knew that it was strong. The skin was a pale hue, nearly like mine, only a pale golden color, and soft. The lips were slender, thin, but were sweet. Her nose was thin and small and fit the delicate face with its high cheekbones. Her eyes, I knew were almond shaped and fringed with delicate golden lashes that put spun gold to shame. The hair was long and curled around the bare shoulder as she slept on her side, glimmering a soft burnished color in the moonlight. I knelt beside the bed, my gloved hand fluttering close to her own hand, wanting to touch it, but not willing to risk the pain if she wasn’t real. I drew my hand back and slowly eased the glove off, reaching over with bared fingers to gently brush them against her cheek. I watched in fascination as her brows drew together, her face tightening in confusion. Her delicate lips parted and whispered my name softly. Not what most called me, but my true name. “Ad . . . rian . . .” I felt like I was suddenly thrown into the cold water down in the catacombs. My whole tortured soul froze in joy and in horror. Part of me just wanted to wrap her up in my arms and never let her go, but the other half . . . wondered what trick this was, and surely it must be a trick. Only my father could be as cruel as this. My fingers gently continued to brush against her cheek, almost willing her to open her eyes and see what color they were. I knew that if the color was off, then she wasn’t what I thought her to be. She wouldn’t be real, but only a horrible illusion, and a copy of perfection. She shifted in the silken sheets, more than her shoulder being revealed in the soft moonlight. Slowly those delicate lashes fluttered against her pale cheeks, and I was rewarded with an unfocused, confused pair of brilliant blue eyes. Her eyes . . . I couldn’t speak, nor could I move my hand as those sapphire depths focused upon me. There was something akin to fear in her eyes, something that I had never seen there before. Her slender hand rose and cautiously touched a lock of my pale blonde hair. I watched her as she looked intently at the hair, her slender fingers twining around it before she gave a hard yank. I fell back with a yelp of pain, rubbing my temple at the hair she pulled. I turned accusing eyes towards her, but it all disappeared when I looked into those haunted blue eyes. She hadn’t moved from where she lay, and the only part of her that did moved were those eyes as I rose to my knees again by the edge of the bed. She watched me intently with those eyes, and I tried to smile, but it didn’t reach my lips. I knew not to make any sudden moves, knowing that she could, and would hurt me if she thought she was in danger. I saw her mouth move before she swallowed and tried to speak again. “Adrian . . . what . . . are you . . . are you . . . real?” Now the smile actually made it to my lips, and I nodded, my hand gently resting beside hers so that she could touch me and know the truth. “I am real, and I thought you had left . . .” There was bitterness in my voice. I could hear it. She smiled lightly, shaking her head ‘no’. “I . . . never left, Ad . . . rian . . .” I blinked at her as she shook her head again ‘no’, her fingers gently brushing against mine before they captured them in a vise-like grip. I looked down at our hands. Hers were small and delicate, and mine where slender and strong. Both were smooth, and I shivered slightly, feeling the softness of her hand against mine. Even with all my training, I had never developed calluses. Father had once laughed at me because my hands gave away who I was. I told him once that I would live like the normal people did, and he laughed and pointed to my hands saying I had never done hard work in all my life. I knew differently. I had done work, but not the type that would exactly endear me to the populace. I sighed, squeezing her hand back as best I could. “Father said that you left . . .” There was a choked sound as she rolled onto her back. “He’s a fool and so are you for believing him.” Her laughter was bitter when it finally came out and I gazed at her, wondering in the change of her demeanor. I saw tears spill down her cheeks, which I now saw were gaunt, as she laughed hysterically. Then I saw her hand fall down upon her stomach, which caused her many more hysterics. My eyes widened as I saw the swell of her stomach, and I felt mine clench tightly into knots. “Phoenix?” I whispered silently into the night that was only broken by her laughter. “What . . . Who’s . . .” My mind was in turmoil, and my heart felt shattered. For some unreasonable reason, I felt betrayed by this woman I loved deeply. I snapped down on my anger. I knew there had to be a reasonable explanation for this situation . . . The laughter still continued as she choked out, “Whom do you think? Who told you that I left? He wanted me as his bride, but I refused because I had faith in my love for you. He mocked me, saying that you had already forgotten me. I, of course, refused to believe it until I saw you between . . .” She choked and turned her head away from me, gazing out into the darkened night. “I was shattered . . . but I still never submitted . . . I made his violations into me as painful as possible, resisting as much as I could to anger him, and hoping that the next one would eventually be enough to kill me.” She choked again, gurgling in laughter. “But, as you see, that didn’t happen.” I sat stunned into silence for once in my life. I still felt betrayed, but I was confused. Why should I hate her? There was no reason to hate her. My mind was being irrational. I felt her hand jerk away as she curled up into a ball and buried her head into the pillows. “Go now, before your father catches you here . . . He’d love to have you back . . .” I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to cry, to scream and rave, to butcher something and let the bloodlust take control of me. She was all I ever wanted, and damn him, he knew that! Slowly, I rose and tossing off my cape, sat upon the side of the bed, my hand gently brushing her hair off her shoulder. “No . . . Don’t touch me . . .” There was a deep anguish within her voice, and I clenched my free hand in agitation and helpless frustration. “Why?” I snarled back as my temper broke. “Evidently you’ve been touched by more than just me!” I saw her raise a shaking hand to her face, her eyes closed tightly as tears coursed down them. “Gods, Adrian. Do you think I valued you so little? Do you think I enjoyed being ripped, torn, battered and left bleeding? Do you think I enjoyed seeing you fuck that whore?” Her voice was low and it quivered. “Do you think I never loved you? That my pledge meant nothing?” Her voice became very thick with tears, and I instantly regretted my snapping. “Do you think I didn’t cry out for your help every time he violated me?” “Phoenix, I-” I held my hand out in a pleading motion. “Just shut up and get out.” “Phoenix,” I said a little desperately. “Just listen to me for a second.” Again I was cut off. “Just shut the fuck up and get the hell out of my chambers.” I felt what was left of my cold heart breaking, and I couldn’t take it. I felt tears fall from my eyes and I trembled, seeing red in my vision. I lashed out, grabbing her by her arms, hauling her around to face me. Her face was streaked with tears and ridden in misery and anger. Her eyes were shimmering with more tears and I wanted to shake her, knock some sense into to allow me to talk. “Phoenix,” I growled and continued before she could speak. “Phoenix, I never touched another woman after you. You shared with me what I wanted with no other, and despite my divided blood, you brought it peace. Both sides were in harmony within me. I believed father because I had no other reason not to. You disappear after that night. That wonderful night, and how do you expect I felt? I was searching all over trying to find you, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t! Phoenix, it killed me that you weren’t there, and he took advantage of that. I know that now, but Phoenix, you must believe me when I say I never touched her! I sent her away and he took her to his bed. He showed you himself, an altered image. He wanted you broken!” I looked at her, anger prevalent upon my face. “And it seems to me he succeeded in breaking you.” Her brilliant blue eyes were wide as tears fell down her cheeks again. Her slender hands were tight upon my upper arms, clutching them without mercy. Her face was drawn into a hurt expression that tore at my own heart, and I could see the furry rising in the way her body was tensing and vibrating. She hissed into my face, taunting me. “I am not broken, Adrian, or should I call you Alucard? That seems to fit you better now than ever.” Tears flowed even more from her eyes as she shrieked, “I AM NOT BROKEN!” She collapsed against me in wracking sobs, her thin frame nearly convulsing with the force of them. I did what I could, my soul and heart hurting as I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her against me to cry. She kept sobbing, crying that she wasn’t broken, that she couldn’t be broken. I could feel the frailty in her body, wondering when the last time she ate was. She had never been this thin before, and I sighed as I brushed her hair out of her face, allowing her to steal into the crook of my shoulder. My hand gently stroked down her back, feeling the ridges of her spine push back even through the glove, and I glowered. Had he treated my mother this way? No, he loved Lisa . . . it was quite evident he didn’t care about my Phoenix. It was just a petty smack at me, and it worked. I buried my face into her hair, breathing her scent. It was like it always was, the soft scent of jasmine on a warm night, but there was something deeper, slightly more provocative. I buried my face closer to her, my nose running against her neck as I held her. There it was again. The scent was soft, but different, and not unpleasant. It was like . . . a woman, only deeper, more seductive tinge to the flavor. I pulled her closer to me, pulling her into my lap as my sense of smell picked up that scent again. I nuzzled my nose as close as I could get to her skin and I heard her give a soft gasp, her fingers tightening upon my back. Suddenly, it made sense. That scent was a woman, but because Phoenix was with child, of course her scent would be different. That smell was her pregnancy. I held her closer and tighter in my embrace, not wanting to let her go, until I heard her soft voice whispering. “Adrian . . . I want to leave . . .” I pulled her back slightly, gazing into her eyes that were calm now, at peace for some reason. Her voice wasn’t quite normal either. “Phoenix, what do you mean? You wish to leave this?” She looked at me; a slight, strange smile curled her lips. “Yes, Adrian. I wish to leave . . . it is not . . . good for life to thrive here . . .” She looked around at her room, which I know she had inhabited for well over 400 years, and she sighed. “Yes, lead me on, Adrian. Help me and heal me.” She seemed odd, almost, despondent . . . “Phoenix,” I whispered as I brushed my fingers against her cheek. I knew there wasn’t something right. “What is the matter?” The strange smile never left as she shook her head. “Not a thing, Adrian. Not a thing.” The smile faded and she closed her eyes, her hand to her head and she whimpered. Her eyes snapped open, the brilliant blue eyes panicked. “He knows you’re here, Adrian. Oh gods,” Her hand flew to her mouth as I swept her up in my arms, quickly wrapping my cloak around her. I started towards the balcony door when I heard her gasp and felt the tug on my hair. “My sword! I won’t leave that sword, Adrian!” I nodded and quickly stopped at her dresser while her shaky hand retrieved the glimmering blade and a bundle of cloth. I walked out onto the balcony, the crystal doors opening for me, and I looked down. Not that bad of a drop, and hopefully, we could make it across the courtyard to the other tower. I looked down at the woman in my arms, remembering her condition, and winced. “Do you think you can make the jump?” There was a very faint smile tugging at her lips. “You’re the one jumping, Adrian.” She twisted in my arms so that she was pressed against me, her arms around my neck and her face buried in my shoulder. “If you’re going to jump, I’d suggest now because in a few minuets, he’ll be walking through that door.” I nodded, my arms clasping her tightly to my body as I took a jump onto the railing, then, to a prayer to any god that was listening, jumped straight down. I landed perfectly, crouched down with Phoenix still within my arms. There was a slight noise in my ear, and I felt her soft lips brush against me. I shivered as I stood, starting to run across the courtyard. I know I moved like liquid, barely seeming to touch the ground as I darted through the door and into the safe room. I gently sat her down upon the ledge, looking at the spinning coffin. I shook my head, reminding myself that I did not need rest at the moment. I turned back to Phoenix to find that she was watching me intently. Her blue eyes were wide and her skin pale as she curled up under my large cloak. The black only seemed to heighten the beautiful pale hue of her skin as it hung off her shoulders. One of her hands curled around the silver sword that she had always carried, and it sat across her body, the tip being ground in-between stones. Her arm was thin and trembled as the cloak slipped lower, baring her smooth shoulder. I walked over to her, gently taking the sword out of her hand and setting it to the side. Her hand fell on her lap, fingers absently stroking the gentle swell of her stomach through the cloak. “Phoenix, I’m must apologize. I shouldn’t have spoken that way to you. I don’t doubt you, nor your love -” I was stopped as I felt a gentle finger pause on my lips. “It is I who must apologize. I chose to think that you did not care, and yet, despite what happened, you take me into your arms and become my knight in shining armor. As you always were despite the age difference.” Her fingers gently brushed my white-blonde hair out of my face, fingers tenderly caressing my cheek. “Know this, Adrian, my oath still stands. The love that binds us is stronger than mere bonds.” She showed me the slender wrist, which had two delicate white marks. Her hand trailed over to her neck, gently showing another set of delicate white marks. For some reason, Phoenix was the only woman, the only person I would ever bite. It completely infuriated my father, which made me happy. She was the only person I had ever bitten, and I enjoyed it, knowing that she would welcome me, that she wouldn’t die. She had always accepted what I was, comforted me when I was tormented, let me be who I was inside, not what I was forced to be outside. That’s why I think I loved her as much as I did. I smiled lightly as I took her free hand and gently kissed the palm. “If you accept my apology, I’ll accept yours.” Now it was her turn to smile, a real smile. “Agreed, Adrian.” I knelt beside her; not being able to stand the distance anymore, and gently placed my uncovered hand upon her cheek. My fingers gently caressed her smooth cheek before they slid into her hair. I brushed my cheek against hers, feeling my body trembling in desires that I would not release. I felt my long hair slip over my shoulder to spill between us. I looked into those blue eyes, so ravishing in their seeming innocence, and I couldn’t help myself. I brushed my lips against hers, tasting the sweetness that I thought I could never find again. I felt her stiffen slightly before she relaxed into the touch, slowly pulling me closer as her hand pulled on my jacket. My knees braced her legs and I gently deepened the kiss, my gloved hand gently stroking her shoulder. I felt her worm her other hand free, the cloak being pressed between us as she pulled me closer. I leaned against her, the gentle swell of her stomach touched mine and I paused. It lasted only a moment before I was drawn back into the kiss. She laughed softly against my lips as she pulled back, her eyes shining. “I think the last time we were in this close, our rolls were reversed . . .” She pushed her forehead against mine. I shook my head, my eyes shinning in mirth. “And as I recall, you were fussing that my hips were too thin, and my hipbones poked you.” She smiled and nodded, and then she sighed, her arms coming around to encircle my neck. “It doesn’t matter, as long as you take care of yourself.” I held her gently, brushing my hand through her hair. “I could say the same for you.” She looked away, a shadow in her eyes. “That’s kind of hard when you’re not permitted out of your room, and they rarely send you anything to eat.” One of her hands fell to her stomach. “I’m sorry, Phoenix.” I placed a hand upon the cloak-covered belly, my hand gently resting beside hers. I saw her turn those expressive blue eyes towards me, and she moved my hand. “‘Tis not your fault, Adrian. Don’t worry about it. I’ll be fine as soon as this is gone.” She waved her hand vaguely around her, but she turned back to me and gave me a faint smile. “I know your hands are sensitive, now do you feel?” I tilted my head, about ready to ask what she was talking about when I felt a faint stirring under my hand. I blinked, my gaze falling to my hand under hers. Her eyes watched my expression, but I couldn’t respond to her, the knowledge of the life within was too shocking. I couldn’t think of anything to say, mostly, as shock ran through my body, freezing it in place. Before my mind had time to think, my heart spoke loud and clear. “Phoenix, I will accept the child and protect both of you from him. You will never have to fear him again, my Phoenix.” Then my lips claimed hers in a fiery kiss, heedless of the small stomach as I pressed against her, our hands held between us. Yes, I was in pain, but I could handle it. After all, it was not her fault. I knew that right away, and I knew, deep down in my cold heart, that it was unthawing. It was like the start of spring: how the ice melts and runs down the mountainsides to pool into the streams and into the rivers. How the flowers slowly come back to life and blossom. My soul trembled in pain as I hoped that she would never leave again. I pulled back slightly, my lips sill brushing hers as I leaned my forehead against hers. I sighed, feeling her arms tighten around me. Slowly, I opened my eyes feeling the cool brush of silver tears against my nose. I pulled back farther to gaze at her. Her eyes were closed, and there were silver tears falling down her gaunt face. She was trembling slightly, and I gently brushed my fingers against her cheek wiping the tears away. “Thank you,” she whispered softly. “I was sure you wouldn’t want . . .” She choked, her eyes swimming when she finally opened them. A faint smile curved my lips as my thumb brushed the tears away. “It’s still part of you, neh?” I saw her head nod faintly. “And I love you, correct?” A faint smile now. “So why wouldn’t I love anything, or not protect anything, that is a part of you?” Her eyes, those wonderful blue depths, shimmered with more tears and with joy. I always loved those eyes, even when I was a child. They always captivated me. Even if she was furious, her body would never show it, but her eyes would. They were like a pond, rippling with emotions and swirling with thoughts. They would glimmer a sapphire when she was happy; a deeply polished lapis when she was angry, which wasn’t often considering she lived under my father’s rule. I remember one night; she tried to explain to me why she was there. She was an old creation, from times long past and from gods long forgotten. She had told me she had lived several thousand years before my father found her on the slave blocks of southern kingdom. She would only say, ‘I got careless.’ But my father had seen her and bought her for her beauty, or so I thought. She said that she owed her life to my father many times over for that act. She had no liking of my father, but she felt she owed him for the favor. She said she would have been in a brothel. She helped my mother before I was born, and was there when she did give birth to me. She was always one step behind me as I grew, and was there to pat my head when I crashed into the walls when I couldn’t stop. She and my mother were pillars for me, as was my father when I was younger. I was torn to pieces when villagers burned my mother alive . . . She was there to help me through, even though I fell, and failed to do as my mother wished me too. Phoenix pulled me back from the brink of insanity. Yes I killed with my father, but I never did enjoy their blood . . . It was strange . . . I had fallen one time, slipped really, and fell to the courtyard. My body had been broken, but she was there before my father. Like he cared if I had been to the point of death that night. She hauled me to sit up, despite the pain as I cried. She slipped behind me, supporting my shattered bones as she gently held her wrist out. This horrified me. She was someone I cared for, and I didn’t want to do that to her. I thought that I would kill her. She gently chided me, telling me that she didn’t care about me for just my human side, nor for just my vampire side. She accepted both with open arms and would not deny what I was. If I was to heal, she said quite calmly, then I needed to take her blood. I tried. I honestly tried, but I was too weak to break her skin, besides, I didn’t want to do it anyway. Leave it to Phoenix to make sure I was well. She took out a small dagger, and lightly traced the vein of her wrist, barely breaking the skin, but causing the blood to trickle from the wound. She nestled the back of my head against her shoulder and held up the slightly bleeding wrist to my mouth, gently brushing my hair back with her other hand. Her wrist touched my lips, the warmth gently slipping against me. Slowly, I opened my mouth, gently settling it upon the wound and cautiously flicking my tongue out. I felt her shiver as I did this, my eyes closing to taste her. Her blood was coppery, faintly metallic, and yet there was something underneath this taste. It was something I couldn’t quite place my finger on. It wasn’t a human flavor as they tasted mostly the same . . . this was . . . intoxicating, and I wanted more. I gave a slight whimper, feeling the power held within it as it slid down my throat. I felt that power race along my skin, kicking my vampiric healing properties in gear. I wanted to taste more, and my canines gently pushed against the thin skin, slipping it open. I felt the warmth of her life slip into me as I felt my bones knitting back together. I heard her soft moan as she pushed her head against mine, burying her face through my hair to rest at my neck. She was shivering as my tongue lapped against her skin. That’s one thing most humans don’t understand. Yes, vampires bite, but they don’t keep their teeth embedded in the flesh. That would block the flow of blood. Instead, most lap at the wounds they create, or suckle at them lightly. It took me several seconds to realize that she had been calling my name, whispering it in my ear, and I slowly stopped, placing a last, lingering kiss upon the nearly healed wound. I slipped my shaking hand around hers, drawing it to my chest and gently pressing it there in the folds of my shirt. My body didn’t hurt, and I turned around, pulling her into my arms. I felt her nuzzle her face against my cheek as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders, tugging me close as she shivered. My senses were heightened, and I brushed my nose along her skin, breathing in her scent. As I said before, she smelt like jasmine on a warm night, soft, seductive, and beautiful. I gently tipped her face back, seeing the slight flush that adorned her face. She gave me a soft smile, her left hand resting upon my shoulder, her body seemed to hum against mine while my arms held her close. I leaned forward slowly, my lips gently settling upon hers. I’ve no clue what possessed me to do this, but I knew, somewhere in my mind, that it was all right. I felt her right hand tangle in my hair as she leaned into me. She tasted sweet as I took my first true kiss. She pulled back, watching me with shimmering eyes as she leaned forward. She brushed her lips against mine once, whispering something in a language I didn’t know, and then claimed my lips in a deep kiss . . . Then I knew she felt the same about me . . . I still remember what happened after that . . . We . . . spent the night sharing her bed, for lack of a better word, and we became closer. I broke from my thoughts of the past and wrapped the cloak tighter about her. “If you want to get out of here, we need to get you some clothes . . . I’ll not have you running around nude in my cape.” She laughed, looking up at me and wagged her finger. “Why can’t I just go around like a Venus Weed?” I sighed, looking at her with a suffering expression. She shook her head, pointing at the bundle of dark clothing. I nodded, sliding to sit beside her, back to the wall. “I think you’d better get into your clothes, Phoenix . . .” She nodded, slipping out from beneath my cloak, and walking over to her bundle, gently shaking out the clothes. I watched out of the corner of my eyes as she slipped the clothing on, and smiled at the mark on her back. It was indeed my Phoenix. Her tattoo was still there. She told me that when she was born, there was a prophecy, and she was taken by the priests and marked. It was the symbol of her father, so she said. The marking was that of her namesake, a phoenix, spread in flight. The wing tips brushed the tops of her shoulders and the tail feathers wrapped around her hips. It had a delicate gold hue to it, not really the bluish black that I had seen on the traders from the north. The lines were delicate and a shade darker than her skin that was quite attractive when she showed it. Personally, I was glad I was the only one who would see that back, and I smiled, finally turning away from watching her dress. It really wasn’t my place to watch her anymore, but she still was as beautiful as the day I first remember seeing her. “You know there’s a Belmont in the castle, as well as a mortal female.” Her voice shook me out of my thoughts and I turned to look at her. She had donned a white shirt that fell to her hips, adequately concealing the small parcel. Her black leather pants were laced low, and the shirt fell nicely over that as well. The sleeves were puffed, the lace hanging down to the second knuckles of her hands. She was just loosely tying the silk laces, leaving her neck bared to the hollow of her throat. I watched her as she ran her hand through her hair, quickly tying it off with a black band of velvet at the nape of her neck. “Yes, I know the Belmont in question, and . . . the woman and I have met.” “Oh?” She turned her eyes towards me, curiosity plain within them. “Well, who is she, Adrian?” “Her name, she said, is Maria . . . Renard, I think.” “Ah, she must be the sister of the wife of this Belmont. He did marry a Renard five years ago before he was . . . stolen from her by your father if the village rumor is to be believed.” “Yes, this Belmont, Maria said his name was Richter, was under some sort of spell . . . She gave me these.” I reached into my coat pocket and tossed her the pair of holy goggles that the Renard woman had given me. I saw Phoenix’s hand shoot out and snag the goggles midair. She was almost as fast as my father, but knowing her as I do, she was probably far faster than he ever could be. “Well, I’d like to know where she found this,” she murmured as she turned the goggles around. “They’re for seeing the truth.” She then tossed the goggles back to me. “You’re going to rescue the Belmont?” I looked at her curiously. “That is what Miss Renard wishes . . . and he is a Belmont . . .” She nodded, her eyes still commanding. “Good. He’s innocent, just controlled.” She snorted in laughter. “Even Vlad’s own son won’t call himself the lord of this castle.” I arched an eyebrow, curiosity clearly evident on my face. “Oh?” She flashed me a smile before she picked up her sword, swinging my cape up in her other hand. “I saw your nice confrontation with the Minotaur. Nice job, by the way.” She paused beside me before she tossed me my cape. Phoenix reached up her free hand and brushed the fingertips across my cheek. “If you had not succeeded, I would have been most disappointed. You are a great swordsman, Adrian, and you make me proud.” She stepped back, turning her back to me to look out the door so she didn’t see me shiver. She was proud of me. “However,” Her voice startled me out of my basking. I blinked at her as she stood casually against the doorframe, her arms crossed under her breasts. “Huh?” Mentally I smacked myself, my mind stuck on certain parts of her anatomy that was being shown off. Sounding very intelligent, Fahrenheit. “I don’t agree with you making ribbons out of those were-wolves. They’re just doing their duty which is to guard, and I told you that they all had names.” She sighed and shook her head. “Then again, Tsung was always jealous of you, so it’s no surprise that he’d attack.” She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “Anyway, we should leave this place as we’ll soon have company.” |