Besides, anytime she’d gotten near the book, it had somehow disappeared on her. She figured she’d be able to read it when she turned twenty-five, which for some reason seemed to be a magical year for her people. It was the year her mother and father had mated, and it would probably be the year she chose a mate as well. She was months away from that, so she didn’t bother getting her feet wet trying to reach the elusive book.
She looked around at the tall trees. They were pine and some spruce with maybe a tamarack thrown in. Across the river were birch. Sometimes, her dreamworlds held fantastical trees and a colorful ocean, but this time she’d decided to go with realism.
A small sandy embankment spread out into the river, and she walked down it, feeling the rocks beneath her bare toes. She probably should have worn shoes, but who cared? There she took a seat and waited, concentrating on Drake. The minute she thought of his name, he appeared across the river, his eyebrows up.
“Oh,” she said. Huh. That had never happened before. Usually people were right where she put them.
He lifted his shoulder and strode easily across what appeared to be shallow water. He wore the black uniform of the Kurjan soldiers. In the last year, he’d grown even more. He had to be about six foot seven or maybe even eight. His skin was still pale, and his eyes were still green with a purple rim, but his black hair had grown out to his shoulders.
“At least you didn’t drop me in the river,” he said, approaching slowly, his gaze piercing.
She stood and dusted pebbles off her butt. She knew enough about the Kurjans’ ranks to see that he was now the leader of the nation, according to the many silver medallions on his left breast. “Hi.”
“Hi.” His lips twitched, and he looked around. “Just us here tonight?”
“Looks like it,” she said. She could bring in Paxton or Libby, and maybe Drake’s cousin Vero, but she chose not to involve anybody else.
He reached out and clasped her good hand. “It’s been a rough year without you.”
She nodded. “I know. For some reason I can’t create the dreamworld unless Paxton is near.”
Drake took a step back. His face was chiseled and sharp, his body tall and lean. He was definitely muscled and strong, as she had always known he would be. “Paxton Phoenix is here?”
“Well, not here,” she murmured. It was so odd to be seeing Drake again.
“Why is your arm in a sling?” Puzzlement wrinkled his brow.
She watched him closely. “We were attacked by two squads of Kurjans in Nuremberg earlier today. Were they after me, or were they after Paxton?” She’d been mulling the situation over and hadn’t reached a conclusion. “In addition to a bullet, I took darts filled with ingredients we don’t recognize. How about you tell me what you’re up to?”
“Oh, they were definitely after Paxton,” Drake said easily. “I know he’s your friend, but he killed my father, and he’s going to die.” Drake’s voice remained low and steady but determined.
She gulped. Paxton and her uncle Garrett had killed Dayne in a battle three years earlier. “I know he killed your father, and I’m sorry about that. But it was during a battle after Ulric had kidnapped Garrett’s mate. They were only fighting to rescue her. You know that, right?”
“I don’t know much of anything,” Drake admitted. He shoved his hands in his pockets. “I’m sorry, but Paxton’s fate is not negotiable. Now answer my question about your arm.”
She swallowed. For years, she’d kept from Drake the fact that she could become ill. It was silly, but she hadn’t wanted to appear weak to him. “The drug in the darts could mix dangerously with vampire blood, so I’m not taking any until it dissipates. What was in those darts, anyway?”
“The unit was tasked with securing Paxton and bringing him to me. They did not use any darts.” Drake shook his head. “I didn’t order anybody to shoot you with drugs.” His frown darkened. “Damn it. This wasn’t me.”
She searched his face for any sign of deception and didn’t see it. “All right.”
He stepped closer to her, blocking the sun. “Not all right. Heal your arm yourself.”
It was time to be honest with him. “I can’t. I don’t have the healing cells that most immortals do.”
He took a step back to better study her. “Just now? Or have you never had them?”
She felt exposed. Vulnerable. “I don’t think so.”
He studied her for several long moments. “When you mate, you’ll gain the cells, then. Where are you living these days?”
“I’m back in Idaho,” she admitted, her heart opening. He didn’t care that she was deficient. Good. It was common knowledge that the Realm headquarters were in northern Idaho, so she wasn’t giving anything away. She also knew where he was. “How is Canada?”
“Cold,” he said. “We’re training hard outside. I have to tell you, it’s freaking frigid.”
She smiled and kicked a rock. It had been a rough year, not seeing him. They’d known each other since birth, and she’d always thought they would have something to do with fixing the world. But sometimes she felt so tired, she wasn’t sure. “I guess you’re leading the Kurjan nation?” She’d wondered about that.
“I guess I am,” he said. “I’m a little young, but I’m doing my best.”
“And Ulric?” she asked. Hopefully Drake had taken care of the monster, but something told her he hadn’t.
Drake looked up at the sun, closing his eyes. “Ulric is still knocking on my door,” he muttered. “He’s in charge of the Cyst, and many of my people listen to him. We waited so long for him to return to this plane, and he survived circumstances that would’ve killed any other being. That has earned him both respect and incredible power.”
“That’s understandable.” She looked up at the sun, able to stare directly at it. Ulric led the Cyst, who were both the spiritual leaders and the most deadly assassins in Drake’s world. While Kurjans were pale with dark hair that had red tips, the Cyst were pale with a shocking white strip of hair down their heads. “Do you need us to help you fight him?”
His lips twitched. “No. I don’t need the Realm’s assistance, but thanks.”
“Sure,” she said, feeling silly. But she did have quite the fighting force on her side. “Drake, we have reports that enhanced women are still being kidnapped around the globe. Is that true? Is it you?” She already knew it was the Kurjans, but she couldn’t figure out his part in the kidnappings, if he had one.
“No, it’s not me,” he said, taking his hand out of his pocket and ruffling his hair. His fingers were long, probably longer than Pax’s, but Pax’s hands were wider.
It was odd, or maybe it wasn’t, that she kept comparing them. She had done so her whole life. Right now, she was extremely angry at Paxton, and she wasn’t too happy with Drake. “Who is taking the enhanced females? It has to be Ulric, right?”
“I believe so,” Drake said. “I’m working on it.”