Page 40 of Taste of Death

“Put this on,” I said to Amy, handing her my spare helmet.

I waited until her ears were protected inside the helmet before turning the motorcycle on. The initial roar filled the garage before it lowered to a rumble. Amy stood nearby while I did all the initial checks—tires, fuel, fluids. I didn’t take the bike out nearly as much as I liked to, so I always made sure it was in riding condition.

Once satisfied it was good to go, I threw a leg over and settled in the seat. “Hop on.”

Amy climbed on behind me and placed a tentative hand on my waist. Reaching behind me, I brought her hands forward until they rested on my stomach, her arms snugly embracing my sides.

“Hold tight and lean with me. We’ll go fast, but keep holding on and match your movements to mine. You’ll be safe as long as you hold on. Understand?”

Amy nodded, her eyes bright as full moons in the slim opening of the helmet.

I went slowly at first, minding the busy streets full of pedestrians and other riders in the Heart. Everyone seemed to be in a celebrating mood after the ceremony. Businesses and homes threw open their windows, letting loud music blast out onto the street. People danced on rooftops and as they crossed the street.

The celebratory atmosphere was infectious. I wanted to feel it too, but where it was quiet. And with only one person.

As soon as I found an open road heading north, I accelerated with a roar of the engine and tore across the landscape. Amy clutched me tighter with a gasp, and I couldn’t help the grin on my face or the leaping thrill in my blood as she pressed against my back.

The wind made her dress flutter behind us, baring her legs that cradled mine. When we got to a comfortable cruising speed my fingers itched to fall to the side, to rest on her knee that gently pressed on my outer thigh. My thoughts weren’t even sexual in nature, at least not entirely. I just wanted to casually touch her with no ulterior motives, because she was there.

I wanted to touch her to give her comfort, maybe even seek comfort from her. And something else I realized with the clarity of the cool evening wind whipping at my face: I wanted to touch her like she was mine.

While my grip tightened on the handlebars, Amy had begun to relax. Her hands rested on my hips, her torso leaning lightly against my back. The elevation began increasing as I headed for the mountains, and the roads started to wind.

Amy leaned her weight on me with every turn, just as I told her to. She remained relaxed, even as the roads grew steeper and the turns more harrowing. I knew these roads well and her body language suggested she trusted me. The higher we climbed, the more the temperature dropped, and the only tension I felt from her was an occasional shiver from the cold.

I pulled onto the next available turnout, which just happened to have a spectacular view of the full moon and the forested valley below.

After shutting the bike off, I leaned forward to peel my suit jacket from my arms. “Here, put this on.” I held it out toward Amy. “I could feel you shivering.”

“Thanks.” Her voice came out muffled from within the helmet’s padding.

“You can take that off if you want,” I said, sliding off the bike. “I’m not about to punt you into the valley.”

With a laugh, she removed the helmet and shook out her hair. “Is this our destination?”

I realized I was staring as she smoothed her hair out, and turned to look beyond the guardrail. “I didn’t have a destination in mind,” I admitted. “I just thought you’d want to get away for a bit.”

“Well, this is beautiful.” She walked up next to me, swimming in the jacket she’d put on. The moonlight made her eyes shine even brighter, like two galaxies in the cosmos. “Is all of that still Sanguine?” She pointed at the distant mountain range, the contours of the sharp, jagged peaks just barely visible.

“Yes, that’s the Crown. The northernmost region of Sanguine. If you head east,” I pointed to the right, “you’ll eventually run into Vargmore, the werewolves’ land. But those mountains are ours.”

“What’s with the names?” Amy wondered. “The Crown, the Heart. I’ve heard vampires say Sapien is in the Ribs. Is all of Sanguine supposed to be a body?”

“Yes, actually. We believe Sanguine to be the body of Temkra, our primary deity. The story goes that she lay down and sacrificed her flesh and blood so that her children, the vampires, would have a home.”

“Oh.” Amy fell quiet for a few moments. “I see. That’s really beautiful, actually.”

“Sometimes I do forget how beautiful this place is.” My gaze remained on Amy’s face. “It’s nice to be reminded.”

“And who is Rathka?” Amy walked forward, approaching the guardrail.

“Temkra’s younger brother. He’s an opposing force to Temkra. While the goddess is nurturing, patient, loving, Rathka is impulsive, vain, and violent.”

Amy turned to look at me, an impish smirk on her face. “And your clan chose to embody him over the goddess?”

“Correct again.” I sighed. “Rathka’s Order was a warrior clan, but we also enjoyed wealth. Obscene wealth, often to the detriment of other vampire clans. Some believe we took it too far, and that’s why Rathka turned his back on us, and cursed us.”

“With the sickness that made your clan monsters?”

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