Trepidation | Trepidation Trilogy | The Empty World Sequence

Twelve

Their camp had been made just west of Choszczno, consisting of cars, trailer, several tents, and tethered team of horses. Claudia and some of their tribe were in town; Danjel expected they would be back shortly. He sat near a low campfire, Alaric at his side, whittling at a length of thorned vine he'd picked up while walking with Karina, as she foraged.

      He did that sometimes, without need, tagged along with someone else about their work, just to see. The ones who knew him least seemed to afford him the most honors. He was thinking it out of place. Claudia told him to allow such things. The curtseys and bows were romantic and all, fun at times, but he was beginning to feel they were serious. It was uncomfortable.

      Alaric snatched the length of vine. He laughed, and held it up before Danjel's forehead, as if to mock him with crown of thorns. Danjel swatted the vine away, then realized, afterward, as he glared at Alaric, that his fingers bled. Reflexively, he drew them to his mouth. Sweet. Not the taste, not to him, anyway. Just, the taste of blood made him think of that name, and that there were some who applied it to him. Daerick. Angelo. Estasi.

      A small hard-topped utility vehicle towed a trailer toward their camp, with several riders on horses cantering alongside, and Danjel was glad for the distraction. He stood and walked to meet them. Claudia looked down from her gray as he approached. There was a couple within the SUV, and a small child in safety seat behind them. "Who are these?" Danjel asked as he reached up and lifted Claudia from her horse.

      He shook his right hand to fight the lingering sting of the thorn. "Adelle and Patrick," Claudia said. Danjel noticed the spot of blood aside her left breast, but she seemed to be staring at his hand.

      Claudia took up Danjel's injured hand in both of hers, cradled it. "You've cut yourself," she said.

      "You really wanted to quit," Danjel reminded her. Claudia was breathing more heavily, breasts and little spot of blood just about heaving. Why did that make him want to kiss her? She was about to drink his blood.

      "I know," she whispered, but she pinched the wounded fingers so that the blood welled up. She bowed then, and just as Danjel felt her lips curl about his fingers, he turned them both away from watching eyes.

      "You don't want them to see," he hissed to her. Or, did he not want that? Claudia didn't even seem to hear. She was leaning back against his chest with the first two fingers of his right hand within her mouth, sucking forcefully for the blood she wanted. He had her by the mouth. He could just lift her mouth toward him. Danjel might just draw his fingers away from her and kiss her. He saw himself doing it. In his mind, Claudia was already naked.

      No, he couldn't really do that, especially not in front of everyone. Danjel pulled his hand from her. "Enough," he told her. Claudia looked hurt and pressed her cheek to his chest. Danjel thought she might be listening for his heartbeat. It raced.

      Adelle and Patrick, as they must be, had climbed from their vehicle. Patrick held a small girl in his arms. "Are you John?" he asked.

      Danjel turned to face the newcomer, as he made an attempt to discreetly wipe his fingers on his pants. He mad a nod. He sometimes introduced himself as John without even thinking, yet didn't think the name to himself in his head.

      "Claudia and Elzbieta said we might share your camp for the night. We'd feel safer."

      "You camp around here much?" Danjel asked.

      "We're from Bydgoszcz," Adelle said, "I lost my job, you might say, and we decided to go to a place I know near one of the lakes."  She was keeping the details to herself, but that was wise.