Fires Of Solstice Part 36

He watched as the flames roared higher. "I just hope she caught him."

Two hours later, Keri led Rhys, Evelyn and Methuselah into the clearing. Bleddyn's wolves followed silently behind them. They followed Keri up to the bonfire and placed themselves at evenly s.p.a.ced intervals around it.

Rhys helped Evelyn to settle onto a log then turned to Damian and asked, "What happened?"

"Bleddyn ripped out Slade's throat while Meredythe set him on fire."

Rhys started. "Meredythe?"

The vampire nodded. "Bleddyn's ribs were broken, some of them probably pierced his lungs. He was dying so Meredythe dragged him into the fire. They're still there, I think. Oh, I tossed Shadow in too."

Rhys' eyes bugged out. "You 'tossed' Shadow in? She has to be touching him for him to live."

Damian shrugged. "I think she caught him. He'd have dragged himself in without my help and burned before he got to her."

"Calm down, Rhys. Everything will be all right," Evelyn murmured.

Methuselah jumped into her lap, his rumbling purr filling the clearing as she stroked him.

In the darkness just before dawn, the bonfire suddenly winked out. In the middle of the charred pile of wood sat Meredythe, Bleddyn's head on one thigh, Shadow's on the other. Her face streaked with exhaustion, she looked up and smiled tiredly.

"Why didn't you tell me how hard it was to keep a fire burning?"

Evelyn blinked as Shadow staggered to his feet then shook himself. His tongue lolled out and he wiped it across Meredythe's face. Then he jumped out of the fire's debris. Immediately, Bleddyn's wolves surrounded him. After mutual sniffing and tail wagging, they bounded off into the forest.

After Shadow disappeared, Meredythe's gaze returned to Bleddyn. He was smiling up at her.

"Did you mean it?"

"What, that I'd strangle you if you died? Yes."

He chuckled, grabbed a long, dangling curl and pulled her mouth down to his.

Rhys scrambled through the bonfire's ashes. "Meredythe, are you all right? Is Bleddyn..."

With a disappointed sigh, Meredythe lifted her mouth from Bleddyn's. He released the fiery curl he'd twined through his fingers and smiled. Then he rose to his feet.

"I feel fine." He smiled at Meredythe again. "Although I don't remember anything after Slade burst into flames."

Meredythe c.o.c.ked an eyebrow and held out her hand. As he pulled her to her feet, she said, "I was just supposed to let him crush you? What good is playing with fire if I can't use it for anything?"

"The wound in his throat was fatal. You didn't have to put yourself in danger."

"Too bad." She crossed her arms over her chest, the torn sleeve of her s.h.i.+rt dangling from her shoulder.

Frowning, Bleddyn traced a finger down her arm. "You were cut. I remember your arm bleeding."

She shrugged. "The fire healed it, just like it healed all of your injuries."

Bleddyn stared at her a moment then froze. His eyes became unfocused.

Meredythe grabbed his arm. "Bleddyn? Bleddyn, what's wrong." She looked from Rhys to Evelyn. Rhys looked puzzled, but Evelyn was grinning triumphantly.

Her attention was yanked back to Bleddyn when he pulled her into his arms and kissed her, deeply, wildly, pa.s.sionately.

She was completely lost in his kiss when he stopped, and would have collapsed if he hadn't been holding her.

His voice danced with joy. "It's gone."

She blinked, trying to bring her fired emotions under control. "What's gone?"

He kissed her again. "That h.e.l.lish darkness that fought me for my soul. It's gone."

Pa.s.sion dueled with logic. "What? How?"

"Your blood, dear," Evelyn answered. "The blood from your cut mixed with Bleddyn's. Then when you took him into the fire, the flames flowed into his bloodstream with your blood, burning away the darkness."

Emotions now under control, Meredythe leaned back in Bleddyn's arms and glared at him. "You still owe me an apology about all that virgin nonsense-a big one."

He grinned. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry! That's all?" She struggled to free herself.

Bleddyn pulled her into a tight hug and whispered in her ear, "I'll take you to dinner tonight. Then when we get home I'll show you all the different ways a werewolf can make love."

Meredythe crossed her arms over her chest. "Okay, that's a start."

"Now that everybody is fine, I'll be going," interrupted Damian, nodding his head in an eastward direction.

Meredythe turned to Damian, her reporter's curiosity beginning to stir. "It's true then that vampires can't be out in the sun? Are all those legends about garlic, holy water and all that stuff true too?"

Damian smiled. "I don't have time to answer your questions now, but feel free to visit me anytime. I'll tell you everything you want to know." He turned away.

She scrambled after him. "Wait, where do you live?"

He glanced at Bleddyn and shook his head. "The east tower. Bleddyn bought Winterbourne from me." Then he was gone.

Spinning around, Meredythe glared at Bleddyn. "What else is there about you I don' t know?"

Grinning, he held up his hands. "Nothing. I promise."

She raked his naked body with her irate gaze. "Wouldn't you be more comfortable with some clothes on?" She rubbed her arms. "It's cold out here."

Methuselah twined between her legs. He's part canine. That makes him too dimwitted to know any better.

She picked up the cat and cuddled him in her arms. "Thuse is nice and furry. Holding him will warm you up."

Both Bleddyn and the cat growled.

Chuckling, Rhys said, "Come along, children. It's time to go home."

About the Author.

Living in a small town in Central Pennsylvania, Judy Mays spends the time she isn't teaching English to tenth graders as a wife and mother. Family is very important to Judy, and she spends a lot of time with her husband and children. Judy's pets are a very important part of her life, and she's had many over the years. Currently, Zoe the cat and Boomer the Lab mix help keep things hopping around the house.

Judy loves reading-especially romance, the spicier the better. After reading for more years than she cares to admit, Judy decided to try her hand at writing romantica- and her wonderful husband of seventeen years provides plenty of motivation and ideas.

In the upcoming months, the tales by Judy Mays will contain werewolves, vampires, witches, and aliens from five planets on the other side of the galaxy. All of the heroes or heroines will fall madly in love and demonstrate their love in so very, very many ways.

Enjoy Judy's books, and after you've read one, she would love to hear what you think. Either stop by her website at www.judymays.com and sign her guest book or contact her directly at [email protected] She can't wait to hear from you.

Judy welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email address on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.

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