"If Vellum's any good at being what he is, this won't be too much of a sacrifice," Clay quipped.
Mariel smiled, but she could see that the Marshal was frustrated and angry. This was new territory for him. For both of them. But she meant what she'd told him: what he was doing for her was more than she'd expect of any man, and it touched her heart.
"I won't leave you," he went on. He shifted sideways and then rose up to his knees beside her. "We're in this together, Mariel. No matter what."
She closed her eyes as his warm, rough hands cupped her cheeks. "You're a good man, Marshal Clay."
"I'm your man," he murmured.
But she thought, That might not be enough.
~~~~
Vellum arrived with sunset. He stood beside the fire they had built, his dark eyes studying Mariel and Clay as if searching for something.
"We still have wolf from yesterday," Clay said from where he squatted beside the fire, stirring the wood, "so you don't need to hunt again."
Mariel watched from the corner of her eye as Vellum walked to the Marshal's side of the fire and stopped directly beside him. He stood so close that the fabric of his duster rested against Clay's side.
"Sometimes I enjoy the hunt," Vellum murmured.
Clay tensed, but then visibly relaxed. He twisted his neck around so he could look up at the vampire. "A good hunter knows to conserve his strength. For when it's truly required." He went back to tending the fire. "It's not required right now."
Vellum looked down at him, the barest hint of surprise slackening his features. Then he turned on his heel and walked out into the night.
"See?" Clay said to Mariel without raising his eyes from the fire. "I can play along."
"Something tells me you're the type to play him," Mariel said with a grin.
He grinned back, but she wasn't fooled; this wouldn't be easy. Clay was a natural alpha. However, Vellum was the ultimate alpha.
While Vellum was away, she and Clay finished off the saberwolf from yesterday and cleared the camp.
"There's water ahead," Clay noted as he came up beside her at her horse. "I saw a depression, full of green. We might make it by morning, maybe a little earlier, if we keep to a good pace."
"Water," she breathed. All at once she could feel how much trail dust had accumulated on her limbs and in her hair. "You think there'll be enough for washing?"
"I do. And I've got my fingers crossed that you'll be in need of an extra hand or two when washing your hair," he said with a wink.
She gave him an arch look. "Among other parts of my body?"
He brushed against her as he passed her. "Never said I had any self-control when it comes to you, Mariel."
She shivered at his murmured warning. Or was it a promise? She could take it as either.
Vellum emerged from the darkness moments later, his steady gaze moving over the camp, then the two of them. "You're efficient tonight."
"There's water ahead," Clay told him. "We could make it there before sunrise if that's something that interests you."
"Of course. We could use the water." Vellum hitched up his sleeping box. "And I wouldn't mind cleaning off." He looked back at them. "I'll make my feeding quick then, so we can be on our way."
"You can feed from me," Clay spoke up before Mariel had the chance. She held her tongue, understanding that he needed to do this. It probably helped that Vellum didn't intend to play with them this time. No doubt Clay was hoping to get through this with minimal contact between him and the vampire.
"That's very generous of you, Marshal." Vellum stood stock still, only his lips curving slightly at the corners. "I admire a man who's willing to shoulder his share of the burden. Though I hope that in this case, neither of you consider what I need from you to be a burden."
"It's fine," Clay muttered, rolling his head on his neck.
"Not a burden then?" the vampire purred.
Mariel clutched her saddle as she looked to Clay.
But the whiskey-eyed man only smiled at Vellum. "We all do what we must. You should understand that, hmm, vampire? Bloodsucking wasn't your choice."
Mariel sucked in her breath. Vellum heard, his obsidian gaze moving to her before settling once again on Clay. "The loss of choice is an unfortunate thing," he agreed softly.
Did he dislike drinking from them? She had always assumed it didn't bother him, that he might actually glean a great deal of pleasure from the act since it also fed his nature's need to dominate.
He drew his duster around him, and suddenly his imposing figure was no longer as imposing. "I'll take from your wrist this time, Marshal. That will be the least invasive for you."
Clay cocked an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Thank you."