Not me updating twice
I wake up to a knock at the door.
"Come in," I call out sleepily.
"Rise and shine, darling," Killian sings. "I brought croissants."
I glare at him. "Since when do you knock?"
"A-ha!" Killian yells and jumps on the bed, making me yelp. "I knew you liked waking up to me underneath you!"
I kick him in the stomach, inciting a grunt of pain out of him, which makes my smile genuine.
"This is how you treat the person bringing you breakfast?" Killian groans, holding his stomach.
I shrug, taking a croissant. "Remember this moment the next time you teleport underneath me."
"Oh, darling, I'll take a thousand kicks if it means getting to hear your adorable, content sighs just once," Killian winks, and dodges another kick I send his way.
"How are you feeling?" He asks, and the concern in his voice makes my guilt even worse, even though I know he's only worried I'll die before helping him find the wolves.
"Fine," I lie. Truth is, I felt weak today. Yesterday had drained my strength, and badly. Usually sleep helped rid my post-vision hangover, but not even the fourteen hours I slept seemed to help much. At least I wasn't vomiting blood anymore.
That's what we call progress, folks.
"Good," Killian exhales in relief. "Sure you're able to come with us? Everyone will understand if you need some more time to rest up."
I roll my eyes. "I'll be fine, thanks. Like I'd miss out on the chance to see the Viatoribus," I say in excitement.
Amusement sparkles in Killian's eyes. "They'll love you there."
I frown. "What?"
He gives a crooked smile. "Don't worry about it, dear. Now get your lazy Seer ass out of bed and get ready."
I wind my arm back to throw the rest of the croissant at him, but he disappears, leaving me scowling to myself.
Once I step out of bed, I almost hurl with nausea. I feel light-headed, and my bones feel like Jell-O. I would have to get a grip on this before Killian sees, or there was no way he would let me come.
I put on my black skinny jeans, boots, dark red tank top, and my gloves. When I go downstairs, the circulus is already waiting, even Maryn being on time for once.
"Alright. Knox, Jae, Layla, and Gabe will search this location," Killian points to an x on the map. "Maryn, Kage, Katrina and I will take the other one. Whoever finds the Viatoribus first, mindlink the other group. If my group finds them, I'll come get the rest of you right away. Any questions?"
Gabe raises his hand, and Jae elbows his ribs. "You don't have to raise your hand, moron," She whispers.
Gabe ignores her. "Won't the Viatoribus kill first, ask questions later?" He asks.
Killian hands him one of the leather cuffs. "Don't engage with them before mindlinking me unless if you have to. If they see you first, show them this. They won't hurt you."
Gabe clutches the leather tightly, but still looks terrified. I felt confused by his fear. Killian had said to Ares and I once in Blood Lake that the Viatoribus were peaceful.
Oh wait.
He said mostly peaceful.
The rest of the circulus don't appear to share Gabe's anxiety, seemingly much more relaxed, if not eager to get started.
Killian opens two portals. "Remember, if anything seems off, mindlink me immediately," Killian orders, and they nod, knowing the dangers of leaving the Crimson Shadow territory.
Knox's group leaves first, and then Killian's group. He grabs my arm tightly as we step through the portal.
We land in sand.
I know right away that this is the sand from my vision.
I start coughing, and try to hide that it's blood, but Killian notices immediately.
"This is the place?" He asks once my coughing fit is over, and I nod, wiping blood from my mouth with my gloved hand.
Killian disappears, and reappears with another portal, which the other team steps through.
"I love Seers!" Layla cheers. "See how much faster everything is?"
Maryn nudges her. "Chill. We still have to find them."
Knox puts his hand over his eyebrows, shielding them from the sun and looking into the distance. "We already did."
Far in the distance, past the mounds of white sand, I could see the outline of people, but not much else.
"Stay here," Killian orders before immediately disappearing.
After a few moments, he comes back. "Alright, they won't shoot. But best behavior please. Especially you, Maryn."
Maryn rolls her eyes and grumbles. We begin trudging through the sand, and I'm glad Killian didn't teleport us. Traversing between the dimensions was seriously making my nausea even worse.
Under the hot desert sun, my knees buckle, and I crumple into the sand. I was weaker than I thought.
Jae and Knox swear. "I'm fine," I groan, holding my hand up to stop Kage and Layla, who looked like they were about one second away from helping me to my feet.
"You said you were fine," Killian hisses, bending over, and I swallow my nausea, knowing that even a little bit of bile will get me sent through a portal back to Crimson Shadow immediately.
"I am," I snap. "It's just the sun," I insist, and rise to my feet, but when I sway slightly, Killian instantly picks me up and cradles me to his chest.
"Don't argue," He mutters, and he seems mad, though I'm not sure why. Perhaps because I'm slowing them down.
As we continue walking through the sand, Killian doesn't seem bothered nor slowed down by now having to tow me along. In fact, his mood has significantly improved, and I see a ghost of a smile on his lips as we get closer to the leathered people.
Once we're almost there, I struggle out of Killian's arms, and he gently places me down after a moment of hesitating.
The people in leather stare at us in interest. A muscular man with dark skin wearing only a pair of pants and leather cuffs similar to Killian's steps forward. He looks dangerous.
And hot.
"Hello, I am Akoni," He greets, his voice a deep rumble.
The circulus and I stare at the man, speechless. There's something about his aura that just screams power.
Killian grins. "Akoni is the Princeps Viatorem. The leader of the Viatoribus."
Akoni clasps Killian's hand. "Welcome back, Ultimum Viatorem."
Killian rolls his eyes. "Don't you start with all of that, Akoni."
Akoni smirks slightly. "What brings you here, frater?"
"We need guidance," Killian answers, a shadow casting over his face despite the bright sun beating down on us.
Akoni's smirk falters. "Very well. Let us move into a tent and get out of the sun, and you can introduce me to your circulus."
Akoni and Killian lead the way, and we pass by various people in leather outfits with dark skin and deep blue eyes, like Killian's. Almost all of them have bows and arrows strapped to their backs, as well as various weapons sheathed to their arms and legs.
Mostly peaceful my ass.
"He's so hot," Maryn whispers, ogling at the muscular back of the Princeps Viatorem.
I nod in agreement, and Layla giggles while Knox rolls his eyes.
"Don't even think about it," Knox mutters. "Viatoribus don't date."
"Who said anything about dating?" Maryn whispers. "I'm just trying to spend the night in his tent."
Maryn winks, making Layla laugh even harder, and Killian turns around to glare at them, and Layla slaps her hand over her mouth.
We pass by rows and rows of tents, before reaching a large white one at the very end. We step inside, and there's only a small cot in one corner with a few weapons and backpacks, otherwise completely empty.
"Is this supposed to be a room?" Maryn whispers.
Gabe stomps on her foot. "The Viatoribus only own what they can carry on their backs," He whispers back.
"That's so sad," Layla whispers.
Killian rolls his eyes. "You know that we have enhanced hearing and can hear what you're saying, right?"
Layla's eyes widen. "Oops. Sorry, Viatoribus. It's a nice tent."
Jae and Knox roll their eyes, but Akoni just chuckles. "It's alright," He reassures is. "I'm sure to pack wolves, the way we live must seem absurd."
"I don't think it's absurd," I say quietly, looking at the bare tent. "The greatest pleasures lay in the simplest of things."
Akoni's head turns to the side. "You," He muses, looking at me with interest. "You are not of Crimson Shadow."
I blink, not sure how he gathered that, and also not sure what to say. Killian interjects, "She's assisting my pack with a problem. She's a Seer."
Akoni's eyes widen. "A Seer?" He repeats in surprise, and immediately walks over to me and drops to his knees, taking my hand in his.
"It is an honor to be in the presence of one of your kind," He murmurs, and brushes his lips against my hand. "Please let me know if I can be of service."
I blink in surprise, not quite sure what to say. When most people hear I'm a Seer, they immediately distance themselves or try asking for a favor. Certainly not asking if I need something.
Killian's eyes sparkle in amusement, and I remember his earlier words. They'll love you there.
Akoni rises to his feet, and looks to Killian. "What brings you and your circulus here? How did you even locate us?"
Killian motions to me. "Katrina is a very competent Seer. We found you through her. And as for your first question..." Killian's voice trails off.
"Let's take a seat, hm?" Akoni suggest, sitting cross-legged on the floor, and the rest of us sit, creating a circle. "Now, what seems to be the problem?"
Jae is the one who speaks. "This last month, we've had five wolves go missing. Not dead, we still have their bones to the rest of the pack. But they disappeared."
"Could they have voluntarily left?" Akoni asks thoughtfully, and Jae snarls, offended that he would ask.
Killian raises his hand, silencing Jae. "They did not go willingly. We found traps in my territory, made of wolfsbane and silver."
"It sounds like hunters," Akoni says after a pause. "Maybe they kept your wolves to torture them for information about your pack."
Killian glances towards me. "My Seer seems to believe that it is not a human nor a wolf taking the wolves. She had a vision about the missing wolves. A sea of blood."
Akoni doesn't look surprised, only very, very weary as he answers.
"If they're not hunters or wolves, and the Seer saw blood, that leaves only one answer," Akoni says slowly.
"What?" Knox asks impatiently.
Akoni shares a look with Killian, and Killian's eyes darken as Akoni answers.
"Vampires."
Read the rest of the book now on my Patreon!
www.patreon.com/vviticus