“Very funny.” Amber sighed and felt Lay begin to stir in her arms. “You really want me to do this?”

  “You’ve kinda already done it.” Jessica added and shrugged, “It isn’t as though you haven’t kissed another woman in front of me before.” She winked, “It’s fine, Dumpling.”

  Other than Jessica, Amber in her minor time as a vampire hadn’t tried to create another ward to serve out of respect for Jessica and her fear of using the ability without full knowledge of how to control it. “I don’t suppose intent counts, because I didn’t intend on kissing Lay.” Amber watched Lay’s eyes flutter. “Lay.”

  “Humm?” Lay cuddled deeper into Amber’s arms. “You can do that all day if you want, Amber. Your lips are rose petals with a little hint of copper or rust…I adore it.” Lay sighed contently.

  “Dumpling, If she’d been in Phantasmagoria we'd have identified her as a blood bunny. Part of the group, don’t feel guilty.” Jessica rubbed Amber’s back reassuringly.

  A twinge of guilt passed through Amber and she knew that there would be a long talk coming up with Lay in the future, but she didn’t want the dy to leave under the effects of the partial bond and leave her confused. “Lay…” Amber softly coaxed and pced her hands on Lay’s cheeks tenderly and pulled the couple into a heartwarming embrace. Pleasantly shocked by the natural feel of their embrace, Amber gave herself completely into Lay’s honeysuckled lips and crushed the pair together with a passion that Amber didn’t know honestly existed. A sense of relief and excitement passed through Amber and she shivered lightly when Lay slipped her dainty arms around Amber’s stocky shoulders. Feeding into the moment, Amber gently urged Lay to part her lips and slowly entwined their tongues as one. Lost in the moment, Amber let herself enjoy the dizzying moment that matched the couple’s first meeting. With a gasp from Lay, Amber locked her fangs in pce and found Lay’s heavy pulse and pierced her neck to feed from her like they did when they first met.

  “Yes…oh yes, Amber…” Lay breathed seductively. “Fill your need…my…” Lay lost herself for a couple of seconds, “...beloved.”

  Suddenly devoid of the scented struggle that Amber wrangled with for months, the huntress easily stopped her drinking before any sting damage had been done to her new ward. While still highly stimuting, Lay’s blood changed enough that Amber didn’t have the worry of feeding too much. Licking her neck closed once more, Amber gently kissed the small holes that were slowly fading away. “Beloved?” Amber purred and held Lay in her vision. “I am trying to hold back for your benefit, Lay…”

  “Don’t.” Lay and Jessica uttered together.

  “Amber, you and Lay get comfortable with each other, I will get her…us something to drink.” Jessica hugged Amber close and whispered, “Don’t hold back, she’s family now. I’ll love her the same as you.”

  Rubbing her forehead gently, Amber delicately unwrapped Lay from her and grabbed Jessica’s hand. “You and Lay get your soda, I need a bit of time to..” Amber inhaled and exhaled a few times, “...clear my head.” She then snickered, “Jess, you and Lay figure out the living arrangements, I simply don’t have the ability right now.” Watching as Jessica pulled her dreamy-eyed fellow ward with her, Amber smiled until the two were out of view. “Crap.”

  Barely paying attention to her customers, Amber went on autopilot and answered questions posed to her, sold most of their peaches and strawberries while putting on a happy and entrancing smile. It was a deep and sensual unknown female voice that shook Amber out of the mindless tasks she’d been engaged in and she saw the woman who’d been hiding in pin sight. “Oh, hello.” Amber batted her eyeshes innocently, “Can I help you? I don’t think I have seen you in town before.” She offered the woman a small card. “I am Amber, we have fresh fruit every night.”

  “I am not here for fruit, Amber Lane.” A set of vampiric brown magical eyes gloated before Amber. “I am most certainly not from around this tiny pce.” She wiggled her nose, “Enly has very little…variety.” With a smooth gesture, the woman offered her pale hand to Amber, “We met briefly on New Year’s Eve, I am Marianne Kaas.” Withdrawing her hand fluidly once Amber finished their greeting, Marianne continued. “I used to work with a mutual friend, Daniel Cole.”

  “I see.” Amber quietly stood up, her instincts on edge. Relishing the feel of her inner huntress scanning and studying the vampire before her, Amber bowed her head carefully to never break eye contact. “Daniel is a good friend, what can I do for you, Marianne?”

  “You can come with me tonight. There is a regional veil council meeting…” She half-purred, “...waiting for your attendance.” Marianne flipped out a small scrolled parchment. “All official.”

  Given the events of the night thus far, Amber took a heavy breath and groaned, “Crap.”