Legacy of Blood Read Online Free PDF Page B

me.  “Finally!  You’re really one of us.  I knew it wouldn’t be long before you decided to accept the gift of immortality.”
    I frowned but hugged her back.  “I didn’t choose this, Aoife.”
    “Details, darling,” she leaned back and flicked her wrist dismissively as Seamus took my hand. 
    “Aye, you’re in fine form now,” Seamus smiled as he lightly punched my shoulder.
    “She was always in fine form,” Lochlan wagged his eyebrows as he picked me up in a bear hug and spun me around once.  “Welcome to the family, feek.”
    My brow furrowed as Lochlan set me back down.  “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves here.  I’m under no false illusions.  I know I’m a freak of nature.  Ruarc may still decide to kill me simply because of that… even if I pass his tests.”
    “We won’t allow that to happen,” Hunter said from his place by Archer.
    “I’m not going to let you guys go down with me,” I shook my head. 
    “It’s not your decision,” Quinn grumbled from the back of the group as he crossed his corded arms over his chest.  “Our father’s blood is within you and that makes you family.  We will always protect our family.”
    Oleif’s growl drew our attention and I glanced over to see his deep scowl.
    “Uh,” Pádraig spoke as he carefully eyed his colleague, “maybe you guys should go ahead and get her cleaned up.”
    “Yes, I think that’s a good idea,” Trey said quickly, sensing the precarious mood of my new guard.  “I’ll go lay you out an outfit.”
    “Need any ‘elp washing your back?” Lochlan wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and winked at me.
    Quinn scoffed and gave him a playful shove toward the stairs.  “The last thing the poor girl needs is you horn-balling all over her, Loch.”
    “Hey,” he smiled widely and held his hands up in surrender as he trudged up the stairs, “I was just trying to be helpful.”
    Seamus laughed out something to him in Gaelic that had the rest of them laughing as well.
    I watched Aoife, Quinn, Seamus, Lochlan, Hunter, and Trey climb up the stairs, their cheerful voices fading slightly with their ascent, and I turned to glance over my shoulder at Oleif.  He cocked one eyebrow and motioned for me to follow with his hand.
    I quickly looked over at Pádraig and Hagan before turning back around and walking over to where Archer was waiting by the stairs.
    I put one hand on the bannister and stopped to look up briefly into his eyes.  Trepidation and uncertainness coursed through me as I spoke silently to him.  I’m scared Archer , I admitted for the first time. 
    He gave me a small, sad smile as he brushed the tangled hair from my forehead.  “It’ll be okay,” he whispered.
    Do you honestly believe that ?
    Archer studied my face in silence for a few heartbeats.  I would have given anything to have known what he was thinking at that exact moment as his eyes slowly traced the curve of my jaw, my bottom lip, and then lastly my eyes.  He gently cupped my cheeks, his thumbs lightly stroking my skin.  “Yes, I do,” he whispered.
    I looked up at him, a bit surprised by the sudden intimacy but oddly comforted at the same time.
    Someone cleared their throat behind us and it immediately broke the spell.  I twitched my mouth apologetically at Hagan and Pádraig and took a step up the stairs.
    I can’t tell you the surprise I felt when “walking” up the stairs was a foreign concept to my new body.  I flashed involuntarily, it seemed, up the stairs and crashed into the small wooden table in the center of the foyer.
    I gasped and caught the crystal vase that had toppled off as I righted the table I had knocked over.  Hagan’s laughter echoed up the stairs as I pushed the hair out of my face.  I took a deep breath and prepared to feign normalcy again.
    “Don’t hurt yourself, Morrison,” he said, suddenly beside me, as he shoulder bumped me playfully.  “Just breathe and try again.”
    I heard Archer, Pádraig and