Valerian and Nick continued to search the city with no luck. Nick had begun taking Megan with him not wanting to risk leaving her alone. By the time they returned to Nick’s home Megan was usually exhausted, falling asleep on the couch as Nick and Valerian updated each other on what they had found or more to the point, didn’t find. It left very little time for intimacy for either of them.
But the most unusual thing was the killing had stopped. Not one body had been found since Rovenski’s description had gone out to the police department. Nick thought it strange, as it wasn’t like Rovenski to let something like that deter or intimidate him. He feared that Rovenski had something bad planned and they would all find out about it soon after it was too late to stop it.
While he was out searching, Valerian would check in with Kaitlin ever so often. For some reason that Valerian didn’t understand, she had gone back to being cool with him. She was all business with him that next evening when he located her at the police station. He wasn’t too concerned at first, after all it was where she worked and he didn’t exactly expect her to be climbing all over him, but even the way she looked at him was cool and distant and it made him wonder. She had ignored his attempts to mentally connect with her and he left feeling rather grumpy. His heighten awareness of her didn’t help matters either. It only made him crave her more.
It wasn’t until two days later that he got his opportunity to talk to her alone. She was at the police station and had gone out to her car to retrieve some papers when Valerian approached her.
“What do you want now, Valerian?” Kaitlin asked, her back to him as she closed her car door. She had known he was approaching long before he actually got there. She could sense him now whenever he was near. It drove her crazy because when he was far enough away that she couldn’t sense him anymore, she felt lost and alone, empty. She had never needed anyone and she hated the fact the she needed Valerian.
“Do I have to want something in order to come see you?”
Kaitlin turned to face him. “Valerian, I am very busy. If you have something to say, then say it.”
“Dio, piccola! Why are you acting like this?” Valerian asked in frustration. “Why are you acting like the other night never happened? Like there is nothing between us?”
“Because there is nothing between us, Valerian. There can never be anything between us!” Kaitlin sighed. She had thought long and hard about this. She was attracted to Valerian and she cared for him, she did not deny that. But it didn’t change what he was. Valerian was a vampire and she was mortal. They lived in two different worlds.
Valerian moved forward, crowding Kaitlin. “You are wrong, cara mia,” he said. “The bond has already been started and it can not be broken unless one of us dies. You belong to me just as I belong to you.”
“Listen Valerian. I didn’t ask for this bond and I don’t want it. I don’t want this incessant need to be with you, this constant need to be a part of you. I just met you for Christ sakes, I know nothing about you and I certainly do not belong to you, so just back off!” She was getting pissed now and part of her felt like striking him, the other part wanted to kiss him and rip his clothes off.
Valerian continued to crowd her, backing her up until she bumped into her car. He leaned close. He could smell her, she smelled of vanilla. “You know I can not do that. When we are apart, I know you can feel it, the emptiness inside you. It is the same with me, piccola. I am empty without you near. I cannot stay away.” His lips grazed across her forehead as his hands came up to gently take hold of her shoulders.
Kaitlin sighed as she felt the emptiness inside her disappear with his presence, with his touch. She leaned into him as he drew her closer, his lips leaving little butterfly kisses across her temple, and over her cheek until she was lifting her face to meet his mouth in a heated kiss. Valerian growled softly as he crushed her against him, his tongue sweeping through her mouth teasing and stroking. Kaitlin moaned softly, her hands coming up to tangle in his thick hair. She loved his hair. It was thick and long, falling past his shoulders. Sometimes he wore it pulled back and tied with a leather strip of cord, but tonight it was loose about his shoulders, the color reminding her of a lion’s mane.
What the hell am I doing? She thought to herself as she began to struggle against him until he released her and she shoved him away from her. “Damn you, Valerian!” she gasped as she pushed past him. “Stay away from me!” she snapped and left him standing there alone in the parking lot.
That is something I cannot do, piccola.
And stay the hell out of my head, too! Came her angry reply.
Valerian returned to Nick’s home only to find Nick and Megan in a heated discussion. This surprised him since Nick had been doting on Megan since the kidnapping and had been agreeing to just about everything just to make her happy. Then as he drew closer, landing lightly on the balcony his body contorting and shifting back into his human body he heard the topic of the heated discussion.
“Megan, we have had this discussion before and nothing has changed my mind. I am not going to bring you over.”
“I just don’t understand why you are so against it. I love you and I want to spend eternity with you. I want to be able to share all aspects of your life with you and I can’t do that if I’m mortal. Besides, I hate it when you have to leave me at dawn, if you made me like you we could stay together we could wake up together.” She made good points, Valerian thought. He didn’t understand Nick’s refusal to bring her across either, but for once he decided to stay out of it.
Valerian turned to leave. “Do not leave, Valerian. I’m going to bed,” Megan said in frustration.
Now how did she know I was here? Valerian thought as he entered the study. He saw Nick crossing the room to meet Megan at the door.
“Cara, please.” He stopped before her. He didn’t want her to go to bed angry with him.
Megan looked up at him with a sad smile. She reached up her hand and caressed his cheek. “Do whatever you need to do with Valerian and then come to me. It’s still a few hours before dawn and I have missed you.”
Nick’s eyes darkened at her meaning and he leaned in to press a kiss to her lips. “I’ll join you shortly, dolcezza.” He watched her go then turned to Valerian. “Don’t say anything, Valerian. I have my reasons for not wanting to bring her over.”
“I wasn’t going to say a word, Nicolae.”
“Bullshit!”
Valerian laughed. “Okay, fine. I don’t understand your refusal. I agree with Megan. There are you happy?”
“No,” he answered grumpily. “Megan is my light. I will not poison her with my darkness.”
“But she wants it, Nick. Haven’t you ever thought that maybe Megan would only brighten your life more by being what we are rather than you making her life darker?” Then suddenly it dawned on Valerian what was at the heart of Nick’s refusal to turn Megan in to a vampire. “Dio, Nicolae! You’ve never told her!”
“I don’t want to discuss this anymore, Valerian.” Nick moved past him to the bar and poured himself a glass of wine. “Besides it doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Nick, you can’t keep that from her, she has a right to know. I can’t believe you have never told her who you are.” Valerian was flabbergasted. He followed Nick over to the bar.
Nick’s eyes flashed a warning, “Who I was, Valerian, who I was! The topic has never come up and I warn you now, you will say nothing to her. I will tell her if and when the time comes.”
Valerian shook his head; “You are making a mistake, amico mio, keeping this from her.”
“Subject closed, now anything new with your detective?”
Valerian sighed in frustration as his thoughts turned to Kaitlin. “Nothing in regards to Rovenski. It’s like he has disappeared off the face of the earth, Nick. What do you think he is doing?”
“Waiting,” Nick answered. “His failed attempt with Megan pissed him off, that is why he began raping the women he attacked. It was more an attack against me than anything.”
“He raped Marianne before killing her, didn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“So what is he waiting for now?” Valerian never would understand the mind of Rovenski, but then he didn’t really want to either.
“Rovenski’s next move will be his final move,” Nick answered and drained what was left of the wine from his wine glass.
“But that would mean his next move will be against Megan. How will he get to her if she is constantly with you?”
“I haven’t a clue, Valerian. And that is what scares me the most.” Nick set the wineglass down on the bar and moved to leave the study. “Anything else we need to discuss?”
“We can call in the others, Nick.”
“No.”
“But Nick-”
Nick spun around, “I said no, Valerian. Rovenski is my problem and I will not involve the others. Besides, I don’t have the right anymore.” Valerian sighed.
“You are being stubborn, Nick and it will get us all killed.” Valerian saw Nick’s jaw tighten and he sighed, “No, amico mio, we have nothing further to discuss.”
Nick relaxed and turned to leave, stopping once again when he reached the door. He turned and eyed his friend closely. “Is everything alright with Kaitlin?”
“No, but I will deal with it.”
“She just needs some time to adjust, Valerian.”
“Megan didn’t need time,” he answered his frustration showing.
Nick laughed, his earlier tenseness gone, “Megan writes vampire romance, Valerian. She may not have known that vampires really existed, but she still believed in the concept. It made accepting the reality easier for her.” Valerian gave Nick an annoyed look bringing a smile to Nick’s face. “She will come around, Valerian. The bond has been set. She will have no choice or it will kill you both. Once we have destroyed Rovenski, you will be able to concentrate more fully on your relationship with her. Until then keep your mind clear of it or Rovenski will use it against you.”
Valerian nodded his understanding. “Good night, Nicolae.”
“Good night, Valerian.”
Just before dawn, Nick swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat up. Thoughts of his earlier discussion with Valerian still heavy on his mind. His friend was right; he would have to tell Megan soon. This was something he would not be able to keep from her indefinitely. He felt her shift behind him and then felt the warmth of her hand against his back. He closed his eyes enjoying her touch. His sigh was barely auditable. He too hated leaving her with the dawn, but the thought of bring her over, to make her what he was turned his stomach.
“I love you, Nick. No matter what our future holds, always remember that.” He turned his head and looked down at her. Her hair was fanned out on the pillow and she looked like an angel.
Twisting so he could lean over and kiss her, he whispered against her lips, “Ti amo, Megan.” His heart swelling with the love he just professed. He prayed he could protect her. If Rovenski were to succeed . . .
Stop it, Nick! Megan’s voiceless words chided him. He smiled against her sweet mouth and lifted his head to look down at her.
“I must go.”
“I know. Is everything alright with Valerian?” She asked. She had no connection with Valerian, but could usually pick up on his stress through her connection with Nick.
Nick smiled, “He’s experiencing woman troubles.”
Megan laughed softly, “I bet that is a first for him.”
Nick nodded, grinning. “He is beside himself on how to deal with Kaitlin. She apparently is immune to his charms.”
“Didn’t you say that she is his chosen like I am yours?”
“Yes, but she is having difficulty accepting what Valerian is. It isn’t always so easy like it was between you and I.” Nick sat up again and stood to put his clothes back on.
Megan admired his naked body as he moved, his muscles rippling. “You think it was easy for us?” she laughed.
Nick shot her a hard look, “You know what I mean, smart ass.” Megan grinned and Nick winked at her. She loved it when he was playful like this. So much had changed between them the last week. The argument they had had earlier had been the first since she’d been kidnapped by Richard and even then it wasn’t really an argument. At least not like the arguments they had had in the past.
“Would it help if maybe I talked to her?” she asked.
“I don’t know, cara. Don’t worry about it for now.” He leaned over fully dressed now and kissed her. “I will see you this evening.”
“Sleep well, Nicolae.” And he was gone.
The next night disaster struck.
Chapter 15
Kaitlin entered the warehouse and looked around. She had received an anonymous phone tip about an hour after she’d gotten to work tonight saying that someone wanted to meet her with important information regarding Rovenski and to come alone.
Pulling her gun from its holster, she held it ready. “Hello?” she called out as she moved further into the warehouse. There were palates stacked up high to nearly the ceiling in neat rows making paths throughout the warehouse. Glancing down at her watch, it was nearly midnight. The caller had said, midnight. Kaitlin continued to move cautiously into the warehouse. She was quite a ways inside when she realized her mistake.
“Detective Sanders, I can not begin to express my pleasure in finally meeting you.”
Kaitlin spun around and gasped. “Rovenski.” She recognized him immediately from Valerian’s description.
Mikhail Rovenski smiled and bowed at the waist. “In person.” Kaitlin was stunned at how handsome he was. He looked nothing like a serial killer, but then again they never did. Rovenski was tall, with brown hair and brown eyes. Very distinguished looking, very upper class.
“What do you want with me?”
“Bait, my dear.”
“Excuse me?” Kaitlin asked confused.
“I will use you to draw out Valerian. Valerian will then draw out Nicolae, leaving Megan exposed,” he answered simply.
Kaitlin shook her head, “I won’t help you.”
Rovenski laughed, “My dear, you will have no choice in the matter.” Kaitlin raised her gun and pointed it at Rovenski. He laughed again, “And what do you expect to do with that? Guns cannot hurt me.”
“You’re right, but this can.” Kaitlin put her gun away and reached into her back pocket, pulling out a wooden stake. Ever since Valerian had told her what Rovenski was, she’d taken to carrying extra weapons with her. Vampire weapons.
Rovenski laughed again and he moved his hand in a slight motion. The wooden stake flew out of Kaitlin’s hand and landed in his out stretched one. Kaitlin gasped. “You have no hope against me, mortal,” he smiled as he moved towards her. His eyes began to glow and Kaitlin watched in morbid fascination as his fangs lowered.
She waited until he was close enough then she reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a water bottle. “Oh I don’t know about that,” she said as she twisted the top off and flung the contents into Rovenski’s face.
Rovenski screamed as his face began to smoke. His hands moved swiftly to cover his face and began frantically to wipe off the burning liquid. “You bitch!” he growled and backhanded her hard. Stars exploded in her head as she felt herself fly across the small path to hit against a stack of pallets. She landed on the ground with a grunt, then rolled over groaning. “I will make you suffer for this.” He growled again as he bent over and grabbed the front of her jacket, hauling her to her feet.
Kaitlin tried desperately to clear her head. Dear god, where was Valerian? She tried to locate their mental connection, but her brain was too rattled to concentrate. If she didn’t find it quick, Rovenski was going to kill her. She felt Rovenski rip the front of her blouse open. Oh God no!
“I am very aware that you and Valerian have not had sex yet so your bond is not complete. I will take great pleasure in telling him how good you are,” Rovenski smiled. Kaitlin looked up at him in horror, his face was red and blistered where the holy water had burned him.
He forced her to the ground as he straddled her hips. Kaitlin tried to swing her fist at him, but he blocked it easily. He grabbed both her wrists with one hand and forced them up over her head pinning them to the ground. His other hand grabbed at her bra and with a hard jerk the snaps in back broke. Kaitlin screamed as Rovenski bent his head and she felt the scrap of his fangs against her bared skin.
Valerian!!
Valerian had just left the police station looking for Kaitlin when the fear that slammed through him as her cry echoed in his mind drove him to his knees. He couldn’t breathe for a moment as the shock of it nearly overwhelmed him. “Kaitlin,” he whispered. Locking in on their connection he vanished.
When he appeared in the warehouse, his form had changed into a huge wolf. With a vicious growl he plowed into the side of Rovenski knocking him off Kaitlin. Rovenski rolled and when he came back up, he too had changed into wolf form.
Kaitlin rolled the other way and scrambled away from the two wolves. When she felt she was a safe distance away, she turned around and watched in horror as two of the biggest wolves she’d ever seen attacked each other. One brown, one a tawny color.
“Valerian,” Kaitlin whispered as she realized who it was. The warehouse echoed with the growls of the two fighting wolves. Kaitlin could see that the brown one, Rovenski was the stronger of the two, but Valerian was cunning and quick. Suddenly there was a loud yip and the brown wolf pulled away with a bloody jaw. The tawny one limped back away from the brown one. “No,” Kaitlin gasped.
Rovenski shape shifted back into human form and kicked out at the tawny colored wolf. Again there was a loud squeal as the wolf flew across the small space and collided against a stack of pallets. When the wolf hit the ground, it shape shifted and Valerian lay there stunned a deep gash across one leg where Rovenski had bitten him. Rovenski walked towards Valerian stopping to pick up the stake that Kaitlin had brandished against him earlier. He stopped as he reached Valerian and grinned deviously down at him. “I’ll enjoy every moment with your woman, Romano. Think of that as you rot in hell.” Rovenski raised the stake to plunge it into Valerian’s heart. Kaitlin screamed as she tried to rush to help him. At the last second, Valerian moved the stake missing his heart but buried into his shoulder. Ignoring the pain, he rolled and kicked out, sending Rovenski stumbling back.
Nick, I need your help. NOW! Valerian sent out the call for help as he fell back. Kaitlin was at his side instantly.
“Oh god, oh god!” she was frantic as she hovered over him.
Valerian groaned as he tried to push her away. “Katy, get back.” But when Valerian lifted himself slightly to look around, Rovenski was gone. He collapsed back to the ground.
Kaitlin was back at his side, lifting his head into her lap as she bent over him. “Please don’t die, Valerian. Please don’t die.” She was crying and leaving little kisses all over his face. “Don’t leave me,” she whispered near his ear. She felt his hand tighten on her arm in response.
“What happened?”
Kaitlin shrieked and jumped moving to place herself between the new voice and Valerian. She looked up to see a tall dark and very good-looking man standing over them. “Who are you?”
“I am Nicolae Kristof. Are you Kaitlin Sanders?”
Kaitlin relaxed and nodded. “Yes. Valerian is hurt.”
Nick moved around her to squat down next to Valerian. He eyed the stake buried in Valerian’s shoulder and the deep gash in his leg and the bruises that were forming elsewhere. “Damn it, Valerian, I told you not to take on Rovenski by yourself! What the hell were you doing?”
Valerian groaned and closed his eyes. “He was saving me, I’m afraid,” Kaitlin answered softly.
“Well, lets get this thing out,” Nick said as he reached over and grabbed the stake. In one quick jerk, he yanked it out. Valerian groaned again, but remained still. “I need something to wrap around his shoulder.”
Kaitlin thought a moment, then said, “Here, you can have my blouse, it’s destroyed anyways.” She got up and moved around behind a stack of pallets and removed her jacket, then her torn blouse. She put her jacket back on and zipped it up. She walked back over to Nick and handed him the blouse.
A few minutes later, Nick and Kaitlin were helping Valerian to stand. Kaitlin located her gun and went to help Nick take Valerian home. “Rovenski attacked you? Did he lure you here?” Nick asked Kaitlin.
“Yes, he . . .” Kaitlin suddenly remembered what Rovenski had told her about luring Valerian here and then Nick. “Oh my god!”
Nick looked up at Kaitlin. “What?”
“Megan! He’s gone after Me-” But Nick was already gone.
Megan sat on the couch in the study reading a book waiting for Nick to return. He’d left suddenly, only saying that Valerian needed him. She hoped everything was all right. She never heard Rovenski appear behind her.
Strong hands clamped down on her arms from behind and yanked her back up over the couch. Megan shrieked as she felt herself collide with a hard body. “Hello again, my sweet,” he whispered gruffly in her ear.
Megan froze as she recognized the voice. “Rovenski,” she breathed as her body began to tremble with fear.
Rovenski reached his hand up and stroked her cheek, her hair, then he pulled the hair away from her neck and his fingers rested lightly on the pulse in her throat. “I bet your blood is so sweet. I can hardly wait to taste it.”
“Release her!”
“Well, hello Nicolae!” Rovenski lifted his gaze to pin Nick with it. “So nice of you to join us.”
“Release her! Nick repeated, his eyes glowing.
“I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
“What do you want?”
“I want you to watch her die,” Rovenski growled as he suddenly buried his fangs into Megan’s neck. Megan screamed as Nick lurched forward.
“Nooo!” By the time Nick reached them, Rovenski dropped Megan’s limp body to the floor and disappeared only to reappear across the other side of the room. Nick caught her before she hit and he laid her down carefully. “Megan-”
He spun with a growl his fangs bared as he launched himself at Rovenski. He hit Rovenski hard, crashing into the bookcase behind them. Rovenski pushed Nick off him and he flew a few feet and hit the floor on his back. Seconds later Rovenski was on top of him with a stake in his hand. Nick caught his wrist with one hand before Rovenski could bury it in his chest and shoved him back. Nick was vaguely aware that Valerian and Kaitlin had appeared and were tending to Megan.
“Dio mio,” Valerian breathed when he saw Megan lying on the floor unmoving. He knelt beside her and lifted her carefully examining the bite marks. Her breathing was labored and her pulse weak. She was dying.
“Can we do anything for her? Get her to a hospital?” Kaitlin suggested.
“There is not enough time. She would die before they could get the first transfusion in her.”
“Valerian, we can’t let her die, we have to do something!” Kaitlin was frantic. She felt responsible for all of this. If she had of remembered sooner of Rovenski’s plan and not been so caught up in her feelings for Valerian and him being hurt she could have warned Nick. Instead she had sat there worried about Valerian and had forgotten and wasted precious time while Nick had attended to Valerian’s wounds.
She felt Valerian’s hand on her arm. “It’s not your fault, piccola. Do not blame yourself.”
“I thought I told you to stay out of my head,” she snapped, but grabbed a hold of his hand and clung to it. “Is she going to die?”
“I’m afraid so, unless Nick decides to bring her across.”
“You mean make her a vampire?” Kaitlin asked, her eyes wide.
“Yes. She wants it, he doesn’t.”
“Can’t you do it?” Kaitlin looked over at the two battling vampires across the room. “He’s rather busy right now.”
Valerian shook his head, “It’s against our laws. Megan is Nick’s chosen. He must do it.”
“I don’t understand, Valerian. Megan is going to die unless someone does something, that’s all I know.”
Nick landed in a heap nearby. He rolled over and stood up. Glancing over at Valerian, Valerian met his gaze and shook his head.
She is dying, Nick.
He saw Nick tense up, his nostrils flaring. Rovenski stood across the room laughing back at him. Suddenly 5 men appeared out of nowhere. A handsome dark haired man stood near Nick and bowed his head slightly in respect.
“Raven,” Nick whispered softly as he looked at the vampire and then at the rest.
“No! This isn’t supposed to happen this way!” Rovenski screamed as he looked at the vampires that surrounded them.
With Rovenski distracted with the appearing of the others, Nick materialized a stake in his hand, flipped it point down and threw it hard like a dagger. It embedded itself in Rovenski’s chest, piercing his heart. Rovenski’s head whipped around and his surprised gaze met Nick’s. “Owe,” he exclaimed softly then shattered into dust.
Nick turned immediately and was on his knees next to Megan. He gathered her up in his arms and cradled her against his chest. “Megan,” he cried softly as he gently rocked her back and forth. Blood red tears trickled down his cheeks as he kissed her forehead.
“Nick, you must bring her over.”
“No,” Nick denied it.
“Damn it, Nicolae, you can not let her die. She wants to be one of us, why are you fighting this?” Valerian argued with him. “Why are you denying her eternal life, when it’s what she wants!”
“Valerian is correct, my Prince.” Raven spoke from behind them. “She is your chosen, if she dies, then you die. We can not afford to loose the Prince of our people.”
“I am not your Prince any more,” Nick growled. He turned his head to meet Raven’s stare. “I walked away from it.”
“Walking away does not change what you are, Nicolae. The counsel has met and have declared it is time for you to return back to your duties.” Raven smiled encouragingly at him. “Bring her over, my Prince where she will be at your side always.”
Nick
“Megan?” Nick looked down at her face. “Talk to me, cara mia. Tell me what to do?” He buried his face in her hair. “I cannot live without you, bella.”
I don’t want to die, Nick. Please. She was so weak, their connection barely there, but he heard her.
Are you sure, Megan? Once it’s done, it cannot be reversed.
I want to be with you, Nick. Always.
“Ti amo, Megan,” Nick whispered in her ear. He moved his lips down her throat until he reached the pulse that barely beat there. He bit back a sob as he bared his fangs and sank them into her neck draining what little blood was left in her. He gently pulled his fangs out and tore the flesh at his wrist pressing it to Megan’s mouth, forcing her to drink. Megan latched on to his wrist and began sucking at Nick’s blood greedily until he had to force her to stop. “It is done.”
Megan opened her eyes. They glowed lightly; her fangs glistened when she smiled up at him. “Nick-”
Nick gathered her to him and hugged her fiercely. “Stay with me,” he cried softly.
“Always, my love! Always,” Megan answered as she kissed him.
Slowly they became aware of the others in the room. Megan noticed the new arrivals and frowned. “Who are all of them?”
Nick helped her to her feet and Megan smiled when she saw Valerian. “This is Kaitlin, belleza,” he introduced her. Megan smiled broadly at Kaitlin and she took a step back her eyes wide. Valerian laughed softly, “You will have to learn to put away the eyes and teeth when you greet people, Megan. It tends to put them off.”
Megan frowned, then gasped. “Oh my, I’m so sorry.” She heard Nick chuckling behind her his arms wrapped securely around her. When Megan looked over at Kaitlin again, she looked normal. “Forgive me, Kaitlin. This is all new to me.”
“Um, yeah,” Kaitlin answered. She moved closer to Valerian who put an arm around her shoulders.
“My Prince, can we inform the counsel of your return?” Megan turned to the handsome man that stood next to Nick.
“Who are you?” Megan asked politely.
“I am Raven Dominick, Princess.” He bowed formally to her.
Megan turned her confused gaze up to Nick who was looking everywhere but at her. “Nick? What is going on?”
“I told you, amico mio that you should have told her.”
“Oh shut up, Valerian,” Nick snapped and sighed as he gazed down at Megan. “Come on, bella. It will be dawn soon and we have much to discuss before we rest.” Nick turned to Raven. “Thank you for coming when you did and tell the counsel I will return in a few days.”
Raven smiled, “Excellent. Is there anything we can do for you before we go?”
“No, I’ll see you in a few days.” Raven bowed respectfully and turned and signaled for the others to leave with him and they disappeared.
“Will you be alright?” Nick asked Valerian.
“Yeah. I think I will have to take my rest in the soil though.” Nick nodded and he gazed briefly at Kaitlin.
“Good night then,” he smiled at them both and led Megan from the room.