He walked out in a daze. The hint of a smile that he left her with didn't hide the fact that something was wrong.
"What did I say?" Kallie asked his aunt who was helping her to a chair at the table. She still felt like shit and expected her legs to give way at any second.
"Nothing dear, he just found out something that he wasn't expecting. Nothing major yet." She said soothingly as she walked back to the fridge. Kallie groaned mentally at what she knew was coming. She felt like a baby being bottle feed.
"Well here you go then." Kallie looked up at Marguerite, who was holding out three bags to her.
"Excuse me." She asked confused.
"Well you thought you were being feed like a baby so I thought you might like to do it yourself." Marguerite said with a smile on her face.
Her mouth fell open at Marguerite's calm words. And then there was another bag sitting in her mouth. It was starting to get annoying.
What was that for then? Kallie thought.
"Well shock normally takes a few minutes for the brain to function again, but you can't wait that long before the pain comes back. I'll teach you with the next one. Now close your mouth before you spill any."
Kallie realised that her mouth was still hanging open in shock and closed it as best she could with her lips fitting around the bag.
So what, you can read my mind? Kallie thought again.
"Yes and your still not crazy, before you bring that thought back into your head." Marguerite moved to a kettle and added water from the sink. "Darius will teach you everything, hopefully. If there are any problems, any at all, just remember to call by son, Bastien. It's kind of his job to fix problems. Any problems that has to do with us."
Kallie nodded and took the empty bag from her mouth. "Why can't you help?" She felt worried at having this strange man who just turned her to this new life, which she still didn't want. Kallie didn't want someone who was still trying to convince me that this was better, trying to teach her how to live in this better life.
"I know you don't really approve of what Darius did, but what's done is done. It's the past now. No going back. And I won't be around much. I came on business and Darius offered for me to use the spare room during that time, though that may not be possible anymore."
"Oh no, please don't leave on my part." She nearly pleaded.
"It may be best if I did anyway. I can't find Nicholas when I'm around family. Julius will kill me when he finds out where I've disappeared to. But that's none of your concern. Think you can manage this yourself now?" She asked handing her another bag before stirring some hot water with some coffee.
"How many of these do I need?" Kallie took the bag and tried to imitate the action Marguerite had done earlier. It wasn't as hard as it looked.
Marguerite nodded in approval before answering the question. "For now a couple of bags every few hours, maybe just meal times. The amount will reduce after a while and as you learn when you're hungry. Darius will help with that to."
"Hmm." Kallie mumbled over the bag. She didn't agree with much of what Marguerite was saying. She still wanted her old life back.
"Yes well, no turning back now, only thing is to go forward. Here, finish that one and have this one. I'm going to drag Darius' but back down here, I need to leave soon." She handed Kallie another bag and then left the room.
She sighed as she pulled the now empty bag from her mouth and looked out the kitchen window. The window was tinted but Kallie could see the early morning sun rising. Darius had mentioned that the sun wouldn't hurt her, but she didn't really believe him. It was the only escape she could think of. She didn't know what would happen, but knew whatever it was would be better than this life, even death.
She stopped and questioned herself on that thought. Kallie thought of the life she would have now. Family for ten years, who might already think she's dead and that would be it. She had no job to turn to, no income to keep her going; she couldn't even keep herself content with exercise. It was all gone in her eyes, which meant there was no point in raising her family's hopes when she would just be leaving them soon again anyway.
She was just going to have to face the sun. It seemed to be her only hope.
His daze had carried him upstairs and into his room. Darius sat on the bed, oblivious to everything around him.
A lifemate? He'd found his lifemate.
He'd heard that this was starting to become a bit more common, but had been brought up not to expect this. After 3000 years he really hadn't expected this. Family was the only thing that kept him going. His mother had tried to keep him in the family and even Marguerite's efforts to claim this as a work trip didn't fool him. He'd seen what happens to the old ones and going rogue wasn't on his to-do list. Darius had no such intentions. He'd seen what his kind can become, he'd even help hunt them before growing bored of that activity, and killing just for fun seemed the worst way to go.
Marguerite picked that time to interrupt my thoughts. "Well it's nice to know you haven't been thinking of that path. Martine has been concerned about you for a while. Especially when you missed Lissianna's birthday a few years ago."
Darius threw up his guards, knowing that if the rumours of Uncle Lucian having trouble, there was no chance he would be getting any peace with his thoughts.
"Oh that was a fun time. Having a newly turned read your uncle. But don't worry, I'm heading off soon. Can't be interfering with your new guest can I?"
Darius growled as his guards were shot through. "The last I heard you quite enjoyed interfering."
"Yes, well, I'll see how you're doing in a week or so. I have another Lucian on my hands and my leaving would be my interfering." Darius had no idea what his aunt was talking about and decided to kept his mouth shut.
"I just came up to say bye. I'd rather not interfere and have cut my stay short. A taxi will be here in an hour. I would like it if you would call your mother. This news would put her at ease." Darius grunted a response. It was a nasty habit he'd picked up off Lucian while hunting with him. It was rude and he tried not to do it so often, but family got use to it.
"Now are you going to sulk up here all day or are you planning on entertaining your new guest?"
"Which one?" He grumbled. Even so, he stood up and followed an eager Marguerite out the door.
They re-entered the kitchen to find it empty. Darius swore under his breath. He didn't want to go looking for someone who didn't know how their body might or might not work. He turned to Marguerite who wore a confused and concerned look on her face.
Darius looked around the room, looking for answers. Eyes flying over the three empty bags sitting on the table and stopped on the open kitchen door.
Darius groaned as he walked over to it. The morning sun was shinnying on the wooden floor on the other side of the door. He crossed the thresh hold out of the kitchen and walked across the patio and down the back stairs. He stopped on the gravel path.
There sitting in the middle of the grass with her head on her knees was Kallie.
Darius walked over to her and sat down next to her. He noticed her head was down with her hands in her hair and she was shaking slightly. He put an arm around her shoulders.
She flinched before breaking down and turning into his shoulder. Darius just sat there and let her cry, rocking them both back and forth. The sun felt warm on his skin and he sighed internally at the thought of having to try to get her to take in more blood because of it.
She quietened down after awhile. He didn't speak until he heard a soft 'sorry' come from his chest.
"It's okay." He said softly. "Would you like to tell me why we're outside?"
"I was hoping you would be wrong about the sun." Her voice was muffled, but he heard her clearly and stiffened at her response.
Forget having a vampire that refused blood, Darius now had a suicidal vampire on his hands and one who was meant to be his lifemate.
I take no credit now or ever for Lynsay Sands's books.