One Heart

17. Time to go

As Sorah watched the indigo sky melt into the rare magenta of morning, she allowed the memories in her mind to wash over her. She was beginning to become desensitised to their potency and could analyse them, taking the information she needed and discarding the rest. She was starting to become detached. Where they initially burned into her as past experiences, they now felt more like something she had watched on television.

It allowed her own memories space to breathe and her mind circled back to Beth. Knowing what she knew now, she couldn't be sure Ehrik Kahahn wouldn't be torturing her just for the fun of it. He was a twisted man. Paranoid and obsessed with power. So fixated on returning his people to the throne. He hadn't thought twice about killing Daroah, and only stopped long enough to grin in triumph before killing Isha as well.

Now he had Beth—Isha's own sister. He loathed companions for all they stood for. For their ties to the very first companion who managed to throw his family from the throne. Bait she may be, but that didn't mean he wouldn't be tempted to make the most of their time together.

Kensie stirred from beside her. "Quiet."

Sorah cocked her head, a quizzical smile on her face.

"You're thinking too loudly and I'm not ready to wake up yet."

"No?" Sorah ran her hand over Kensie's abdomen as she leant in closer to kiss her cheek. "What if I do this?" Neck, collar bone, chest. She worked her way down Kensie's body, kissing her all over.

Kensie hummed in delight. "Well, if you insist."

The sound of a car pulling in off the road caught Sorah's attention. She stopped, her senses reaching out to search for the intruder. They weren't human, or vampire. "There's someone here." Her eyes narrowed further. "A companion someone."

"Right. That's Andrew, Daniella's fiancé. We've kept him away for the last few days so you could have some privacy, but he'll be coming home with us."

The pounding of Sorah's heart lessened a little as she relaxed. "I should probably go down and meet him then." She flashed Kensie a wicked smirk. "But I'm sure he'll want to spend some time with Daniella first, so..."

They didn't take their time as they would usually, but they also didn't hurry. Sorah wasn't content until her lips had tasted every part of Kensie's body. Until she was well and truly sated. And Kensie hadn't spared any effort in doing the same before moving them to the shower for round two.

At last, clean, dry, and clothed, they were ready to leave the confines of the bedroom.

They followed the sound of Josh's video game into the loungeroom, where he sat, controller in his hand and a half-filled suitcase by his feet. "Hey," he said, his wide grin in place. "It's about time you guys got up."

Maggie lifted her head from the box of belongings in front of her. "Joshua Ducall. Aren't you supposed to be packing? You don't want to be left behind do you?"

His eyes widened and he dropped the controller on the couch cushion. Daniella laughed from where she stood by the kitchen counter, her expression turning serious as her eyes locked with Sorah's. She tugged on Andrew's arm, pulling him toward the loungeroom.

"Sorah," she said, her cheerful demeanour turned hesitant. "I'd like you to meet Andrew. Andrew," she turned to face him, "meet our queen, Sorah the Second."

With gusto, Andrew slammed his fist to his chest and dropped to one knee. "It is an honour, Your Majesty."

It was an effort to hide the cringe. Sorah glanced sideways at Kensie, projecting her concerns, forming the words in her mind and sending them through their connection for the first time. "He's family, right? I mean..."