Blood Sacrifice Read Online Free Page A

at daybreak, tending to the property while we all slept. Adam had built this resort as a hangout for his small tribe of bloodsuckers, most of whomdisliked preying on humans and wanted to explore alternative sources of nutrition. He’d bought this particular property in the Texas Hill Country to be near me.
    I sat in one of the side chairs across from Adam’s desk, attempting to remove the fripperies from my hair with Adam’s help, as Tucker studied the document my mother had handed over. “What is it then if not a fight to the finish? Don’t most of these things mean a real fight—like spells, weapons, and so on?” I tugged at something tangled in my hair. Adam pushed my hand aside.
    “Let me,” he said. “I have a better angle.”
    I dropped my hands and pushed the long flowing sleeves from my dress to my elbows. What I wouldn’t give to be dressed in my usual jeans and tank top.
    Tucker tapped with his index finger. “In legend, yes. But, this doesn’t seem to say anything about war or a battle specifically. I’m not a hundred percent sure, but… Adam, would you mind taking a look at this phrase?”
    “Ouch!” I yelped. “Watch the hair, please.” A piece of my hair had re-tangled in one of the beads that dangled from the intricate headpiece I’d worn for the Reception. A pretty thing, but really a pain to remove.
    “Apologies, love,” Adam said and quickly freed me. “Niko, could you take over here whilst I read with Tucker?”
    “Certainly.” Niko left his post at the door where he’d been standing guard. “Adam, if you don’t mind?” Niko motioned to the now empty doorway.
    I closed my eyes. Men. No matter what bloody species. With a quick mutter and hand wave, I cast a do-not-disturb ward. Nothing complicated, but just enough togive us fair warning if anyone approached. “There. It’s not as if you need to physically guard the door, guys,” I said. “I trust that all of us can move fast enough in case of an attack. Besides, he gave us Truce. Unless he’s got something else up his evil sleeve, he’s not breaking that. There are consequences, right?”
    “There are.” Adam crossed the room to join Tucker at the desk. They bent over the elaborately illuminated scroll, muttering to themselves as they studied the calligraphy.
    Niko took up where Adam left off, his hands gentle and fingers nimble in my hair.
    “You’re good at this,” I said in a quiet voice.
    Niko gave a grunt of assent and kept unweaving my hair from the ornate decoration, placing all the bits and bobs of jewelry onto the table next to me. “I’ve done it before,” he said. “Back when…”
    “Yes, back when.” I closed my eyes and let him work his magic. His hands soothed the tightness out of my scalp. I was so unused to hairstyles fancier than a braid but had succumbed to dressing up to suit the occasion. As he worked, I wondered about the details of his “back when,” as a lonely child born in the first Elizabeth’s era, purchased by some court noble as a plaything. Niko never spoke much about this part of his background. I could empathize with the loneliness, but couldn’t even imagine being someone’s toy, someone’s property.
    “Tucker’s right.” Adam straightened and turned to me.
    Niko patted the top of my head. “Done,” he whispered.
    I shook my hair free and ran my fingers through it. It felt so good to be loose of that crap. “Right about what?” I began twisting a braid as I spoke.
    “They are not asking to fight us. It seems to be a challenge of proof.”
    “Proof? Sorry, I don’t follow.” A part of me was disappointed. Actual physical battle against Gideon? Oh yeah. I could do that. Niko handed me a hair tie as I finished braiding. “Thanks.”
    “Background or short version?” Tucker asked.
    “Short version first.”
    “We need to prove that we belong here. That the land is tied to us.”
    I stood, sweeping my gown out of the way. I couldn’t wait until I could go home