Winning the Legend by B. Kristin McMichael Page A

all the time?”
    “That’s just men in general,” Rhys replied.
“They can’t help themselves.” Rhys gazed outside as if someone were
out there also watching in.
    “Why’d you stay here alone?” Arianna asked,
following his gaze, and also looking for the mystery person.
    “I wasn’t needed back at home,” he replied.
“My retainer went back to take care of everything. Nothing left for
me to do then, so I was ordered to stay here.”
    “Ordered? Aren’t you the leader?” Arianna
asked. Rhys was acting strangely, but then again all the men
competing were eccentric.
    “Not ordered,” Rhys quickly corrected,
turning his attention back to Arianna. “They asked me to stay here
as they felt it would confuse everyone if I returned. I’ve pledged
to win this tournament and free you. If I return home now before
the tournament is done, they will consider that a failure and a
disgrace. I cannot disgrace my people,” Rhys gave his long-winded
explanation. It didn’t sound very logical, but Arianna let it
go.
    “Don’t you miss your home?” Arianna asked.
She was greatly missing her home by now, having been gone for over
two months.
    Rhys shrugged. “Sometimes you don’t get a
say in things even when you are in charge, am I right?” Arianna
nodded. Rhys was stuck much like she was. Both were a bit homesick
and there was nothing either could do about it.
    “Ari, we need to go back to feed you,”
Andrew said, softly touching her back to get her attention.
    “Yes, boss Devin has declared that, hasn’t
he?” Arianna grumbled as she stood and followed Devin. Rhys smiled
weakly. He seemed to understand her situation completely. Being in
charge didn’t mean others would not feel the need to tell you what
to do.
    Arianna followed Andrew to her rooms. She
was trying her best to keep her anger away from Andrew and aimed
just at Devin. It made things easier to blame Devin for her
changing powers, than to wonder if she had caused it by not feeding
for a month. It was easier to just blame Devin for everything in
general.
    “Come here,” Andrew pulled Arianna to the
couch by the burning fireplace. Arianna smiled and melted into his
arms. He was safety and comfort. He was truly her home now. “Devin
said he can tell you are strained by not enough blood. What have
you been doing?” Andrew asked.
    “Nothing, I swear. I’m not even practicing
now. I’m doing nothing to use my blood up,” Arianna insisted.
    “Devin thinks you must be doing something or
that I’m not really feeding you each night like we tell him,”
Andrew stroked her head as she leaned on him. “He thinks I’d lie to
him if you’d asked.”
    “Would you?” Arianna sighed. Just his touch
was intoxicating.
    “Yes, but that’s not the point,” Andrew
replied, getting back on subject. “Since I know I’m feeding you,
and you aren’t doing anything to use your blood, somehow it must
not be working.”
    “Is that even possible?” Arianna asked, now
becoming worried at the prospect. “Is it possible for the blood to
stop working? And from you of all people? You’re my mate.” Arianna
blushed as she said it out loud for the first time. Andrew beamed
and his love grew even greater. She never wanted to call him that,
but he loved to hear it.
    “I’m your what?” Andrew asked, getting off
the subject himself. It was too good an opportunity to pass up.
    Arianna closed her eyes to respond. It was
hard enough to tell him without his look of absolute devotion. “You
are the love of my life.” She waited for him to laugh, but he did
not. Instead he crushed his body to her, pulling her close enough
to kiss her as much as he pleased. Arianna giggled, not expecting
that reaction. He pushed her back, pinning her to the couch as he
assaulted her with kisses.
    Arianna quickly sat up, feeling Rhys’
presence outside the doorway. Rhys paused before knocking. Before
his hand hit the wooden door, Andrew had moved and was standing
directly in front of