Shadow Touched (Shadow Roamer #1) (4 page)

“S
hadow bound?”

“B
onded couples, like marriage but a far more lasting connection.” Cocking his head, he asked, “How does human food taste to you? Is it nourishing and satisfying enough?

Damn it all to hell and back, another blush crept up her cheeks. Keep it cool, Stella. “To be honest, I
had always had a weakness for almost rare steaks.”

“I thought so. Maybe
we should try and see how your stomach reacts to real blood.”

Nero was closer now.
Had she moved or he? “Um, ok. And…well, who should I…drink from?”

God, she couldn’t believe she was talking so casually about this – drinking someone’s blood. But most of
all she couldn’t believe how much she suddenly wanted to taste his.

“Anyone you wish. F
or now, you can feed from me, if you want.” His voice had gone a little husky there at the end, shooting shivers up and down her spine.

“S
o how do I do this?”

“You
bite me with your fangs.”

God, he was too close, too hot and too tempting. She was going to make a fool of herself.  “
I don’t have them…maybe I should better get myself something else.”

She spun around and was about
to walk away, when he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. “No, you don’t. I’m pretty sure you have them, but your human part suppressed them, like your ability to see the Tower.”

His eyes were dark pools she was drowning in as he looked down at her. “H
ow can we test that little theory of yours?”

His head dropped down and his mouth caught hers.

His taste flooded her as her mouth opened and their tongues danced. Desire rushed her, bursting through her veins and sweeping her away. Her hands reached for him, pulling him closer. Heat against heat. His tongue traced her lips, then slipped inside and did something wicked that had her heart thundering, her mouth watering for…more.

His lips trailed away, dropping kisses along her jaw,
that sensitive skin below her ear, making her shiver. Then his fangs grazed the skin of her neck and she moaned, the thought of him taking her blood so utterly arousing – when she suddenly felt a
pop
in her mouth. She searched with her tongue and found fangs had dropped down from her gums, but before she could react in any way, he was there again, stealing her thoughts and breath once more.

When they finally broke apart, they were breathing heavily.

His voice was deep, husky, “The fangs drop, if you’re angry, being attacked…or aroused.”

Stella tensed, suddenly realizing that Nero had only kissed her just to show her that and n
ot because he wanted to. Pulling back from him and wishing she could push away the hurt and embarrassment as easily, she nodded, and forced her voice to be light, “Okay. Thanks for showing me, but I guess I’m not that hungry after all. It was a tiring day, I’m gonna go. See you tomorrow.”

Hoping it didn’
t look anything like the escape it was, she headed for the door and left the room.

SIX

After a rather calm patrol and a couple of hours of sleep, Nero still wished he hadn’t given in and kissed her. It had been a mistake. After everything Stella had been through
,
losing his control there for a moment or two hadn’t been the way to go. Nero couldn’t even explain his reaction to her, this hold she had over him especially considering that they had only just met. But Stella had simply gotten under his skin
.
Her beauty, her smile and those fearless eyes of hers had pushed the right buttons in him from the start, and then the feel of her fangs which had never dropped down before until he’d kissed her. It had been quite the heady thought and it had pulled him under.

He was a patroller, a warrior of his race, and prided himself on control and
honor. Both had been utterly lost to him last night. God, that mouth of hers. And that tongue. Inwardly he groaned, in bliss and despair. No matter how much he had enjoyed it…ravaging her like that when her life had just been turned upside down? Definitely not one of his finest moments. Nero shook his head at himself and rubbed a hand across his face.

His feet had carried him to the
King’s private rooms, while he had been lost in thought. Gathering himself, he ordered his mind to the here and now, and after a nod towards two of the King’s personal guards guarding the door, Nero entered.

The King’s private rooms took up the entire floor – and not the upper floor, contrary to what most people and even most patrollers believed
– and didn’t resemble the throne room at all. Whereas the throne room radiated darkness and respect from the King’s sheer presence, the air laden with authority, these rooms felt welcoming. The windows were only slightly darkened, leaving daylight to spill inside and on the natural oak wood of the floor and furniture and on cream walls.

B
eing one of his best patrollers and, more importantly, having grown up with Vago after Nero’s patroller parents had died when he was still a child, Nero was one of the few to have entered the King’s sanctuary. Whatever Vago wanted to talk to him about, it wouldn’t leave the room – inside these walls Nero would talk to his friend, not the King.

Vago
came out of his bedroom, dressed in a fine, black suit and accompanied by a shadow that was Arnyek, his personal guard who never left his side, not even in his own home. A lot of people envied Vago the position as King, but that it went with having basically no privacy or alone time whatsoever was certainly something they tended to forget.

While
Arnyek became another piece of furniture - albeit a very alert one - Vago greeted Nero and asked, “How was your patrol?”

Following
Vago into his office, Nero replied, “Rather quiet to be honest.”

“Good.” Standing b
ehind his desk, Vago faced him head-on. “We have a problem. The…Council has gotten wind of your human.”

The way his friend paused, Nero knew that it wasn’t the Council but one of its members in particular they were talking about.
Fosco. Vago’s uncle but most untrustworthy Council member, given how he dreamed of - and worked towards - seeing his own son on the throne in Vago’s stead.

Vago
went on, “After I informed them that she was not a human but shadow touched and that I have given you four weeks to train her so we can judge her abilities as a roamer, it was decided to test her.”

Nero tensed.
“When? And what kind of tests?”

“You’ve still got your four weeks. Regarding the nature of those tests, I’m not allowed to reveal anything.” His eyes,
hardened by the burden of responsibility but lit with kindness from the heart within that no one had succeeded to tame or break, gained a wicked edge, “But I can advise you to train her as only you will be able to, in all matters of the roamers. Martial and shadow arts. They will most certainly test more than just her strength and capabilities. Make sure she can hold her ground and won’t break. You know Fosco.”

Yes, he knew him. The guy had a cruel streak to him and a way with words that always ended with the other Council members sharing his views.
He probably wanted to use Stella as more ammunition against Vago, as evidence of the King becoming too soft and being too concerned about humans. That human saying came to mind…no good deed goes unpunished. Not only was Stella’s life at risk, he knew it without his friend needing to tell him, but also his King’s future…in that instance Nero regretted bringing Stella to the Tower, pulling her into his world. But then again, she wouldn’t have survived in the human world much longer.

As it was, he simply had to make sure she would survive in his.

“Have you tasted her yet?”

Vago’s
voice pulled him out if his thoughts. “No, I haven’t. It turns out she has never drunken blood before and has sustained herself with human food so far.”

The King frowned. “So it’
s probable she is more human than roamer?”

“I don’t think so.
I think it shows how strong she could be once she starts drinking blood.”

“Well, let’s hope so, for her sake and mine.
” Vago started shuffling some papers. “I’ll be gone for a couple of days but when I’m back, we’ll talk again and I will want to know about her blood.” His friend’s eyes glinted mischievously. “Or did you lose your touch?”

His
mind most likely – Nero barely refrained from admitting that out loud.

Vago
suddenly paused clearing his desk and braced his hand, not looking up. “Is it just me or does she…”

“…look like Alba.” His fri
end’s gaze snapped to his and Nero was as relieved as Vago was to know that it wasn’t just him seeing the likeness.

Vago
nodded sharply. “Okay, then. Like I said, I’ll be back in a few days and then we’ll discuss this further.”

The moment Nero was back in the elevator and on his way to the training floor, he started wonderin
g
how he would react to her blood, when a kiss was all it took to make him loose control. Losing control was not something he easily endured, but with Stella…just the thought of his fangs in her flesh, her own in his…

Down boy
, Nero mentally ordered, debating whether he should get a cold shower before facing her for another round of training. But then the thought of the Council and especially Fosco testing her and basically using her in their scheming against the King, sobered him up and cooled him down more effectively than any shower would.

SEVEN

Stella was hungry. It didn’t surprise her that much given that she hadn’t eaten anything ever since coming here. But what did, was the fact that she was hungry for blood, specifically for Nero’s blood judging by the vivid dreams which were disturbingly dominated by the roamer.

Any minute now
she would have to train with him again, see him wearing nothing but sweatpants, that body of his so close and yet untouchable. Ombra had already told her that it would be just the two of them, what with the other’s already having gone through their training routine and because Nero thought it would be better for her concentration.

Right.
Just the two of them. Nero and her. Alone. They would sweat and pant - and she really should stop that train of thought. It was safe to say that she had grown incredibly frustrated.

Pulling herself away from her thoughts and into the here and now, she focused on the others.
The gang, as Stella had come to think of Nero’s patroller team, was slumped on the floor and on a sofa in a corner of the room while they waited for Nero to show up. Ombra had mentioned him being summoned by their King.

It seemed the gang was discussing politics as well
.

“Some of the opposition would calm down if
he would bind himself,” Scuro said, rubbing his chin.

Traves
snorted, “Poor fella. Still, I’d rather kiss a woman’s shapely ass than that of the Council’s.”

They were talking about the King she assumed. Stella cut in, “What would that change?
Him being shadow bound, I mean.”

Nebbia
, who managed to look almost elfin with her silvery hair despite the muscle beneath her skin, explained, “Some people aren’t comfortable with the King ruling on his own. We roamers are real big on equality and it’s custom for either a shadow bound pair or a brother-and-sister tandem to rule us. The King used to rule with his mother, something that hadn’t happened before but the union of youthful strength and wisdom of age was greatly respected and appreciated. However, it’s been two years since she died and more and more people would like to see someone beside him on the throne again. A group his uncle, Fosco, and cousin have gathered around themselves are using this and don’t hesitate to point out what they believe to be other failings.”

“Such as?”

“They think the King’s wasting too much energy, and with that I mean resources, on protecting the humans. They’re saying that humans have reproduced en masse and that letting nature run its course might not be too bad.”

“So…
let the demons eat them?”

Nebbia
shrugged, a small, apologetic smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Basically, yes.”

Stella’s eyebrows went up. “Nice.” Then she frowned. “A
nd him being married, or shadow bound, would change what exactly about that?”

“I
t would simply stabilize his position.” Another shrug. “A show of strength of sorts that would calm the people and take some of the wind out of the opposition’s sails.”

Huh.

At that moment Nero entered the room and the gang swiftly got up on their feet. There was a hard set to his jaw and something about his eyes that showed he had received some kind of bad news.

He nodded towards his team, “I’ll see you guys later.” And they filed out.

Once alone with him, Stella wasn’t quite sure what to do.

He motioned towards the couch and she sat down, watching him. He was in his
black sweatpants and pacing towards the window, muscles tense beneath his skin, his strong gait reminding her of a caged animal. Sighing, he turned to look at her. “I’m sorry I brought you here.”

Those words tugged at her heart, even as her mind was busy finding out what he was talking about. The bad news must be related to her. “What’s going on? Did the King change his mind?”

“No, I actually think he’s already on your side. But his Council is not.”

Ah.
“That Fosco guy?”

Eyebrows twitching in surprise, he cocked his head. “What do you know about
Fosco?”

Stella shrugged. “The others filled me in some. He wants the throne for his son. So my guess is having a so-called shadow touched here with the possibility to go crazy and run
amok, makes another good argument against the King. Like him becoming too soft regarding humans and all that.” She almost snorted. As far as she could tell there wasn’t anything soft about the guy.

“In a nutshell, yes,”
Nero nodded, a glint of something akin to respect in his eyes and a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, while some of the tension left his shoulders.

“So what exactly is going on?”

The small smile disappeared. “In four weeks they’ll test your abilities as a shadow roamer to see…”

He broke off, but she nodded her head in understanding, “…to see whether I’m more roamer than human…and less likely to go crazy, huh?”

“Yes.”

She swallowed and stood up to stand to join him. “So, what kind of tests?”

“I wasn’t allowed the details, but they will test your strength, your abilities of working the shadows.
Fosco is a cruel man, so I guess you’ll probably have to fight while they’re watching and assessing you.”

Her gaze drifted, taking in the view of the city as the sun caressed it with golden rays. “Sometimes I wonder when I’ll wake up and discover this was all just a weird dream.” Her eyes flicked back to his.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. You said I would have died sooner or later.
In the light.”

“Yes.”

“No regrets then.”

Something wicked entered his eyes. “Don’t be so sure. You might have them…after I’m done training you.”

After an hour of working with the shadows – or rather unsuccessfully
trying
to work them – Stella thought he might have been right. Their training room was dark, flickering candles here and there their only source of light and creating a maze of shadows. And an atmosphere that reminded Stella a tad too much at another form of exercise that could have them panting and sweating.

Giving herself a mental shake out of that particular gutter, she concentrated on the task at hand.
Pulling the shadows towards her.

Closing her eyes she tried to feel them as a part of her, like he had advised her to. They were cool and yet warm…like water caressing her skin…a blanket she wanted to grab. The shadows flowed towards her. And Stella stared, amazed.

She had seen the others do it a hundred of times by now and still she couldn’t believe that she had done so. I’m one of them, the thought struck her and brought a warm wave of joy.

“Good.” He was behind her, his breath tickling her ear and
sending a delicious shiver down her spine, smoothly turning the joy into heat that burned her in all the right places. “Again.”

She almost groaned.

“And then we’ll start with the obstacle course.”

Yup
, if an overdose of hormones wouldn’t be the death of her, then this training certainly would.