Kara delighted in the way that Hallbjorn appraised her. The look on his face made her shiver, especially now that he'd shown her how amazing he could make her feel. Her knees felt a little weak when he used that rich, deep, and powerfully sinful voice. Kara's lips parted as he ran his finger over her bare back, and her breaths came a little faster.<br/><br/>His next comment had her laughing. “I don't have a garbage back in my wardrobe, luckily.” Kara's eyes softened when he kissed her shoulder. She kept hold of his hand and followed him outside like a silly, love struck fool. Kara took in her surroundings, with the massive trees and the green, green grass. She did not think she'd ever consider a place to be home if it was not in the desert, but here, with him, she could live happily ever after. Even though the night was chillier then she was used to, Kara was not really bothered by it.<br/><br/>She could tell that Hallbjorn was nervous on the drive, and sought to distract him from what was coming. Kara began to tell him about her dreams of the rose colored carved temple in the side of a cliff. As she spoke, she borrowed his cell phone and entered in various search terms. Kara was not at all sure that she would find any such place, so when her search turned up a picture that came straight out of her dream, she gasped.<br/><br/>“Its the ancient city of Petra, in Jordan.” Kara told him, and when they came to a stop light, she held the cell up so he could see the picture. “It looks exactly how I dreamed, except in my dreams, the doorway there seemed a little different. Though I'm not sure how to explain just why.” Kara saved the page on Hallbjorn's cell so she could read up on it later.<br/><br/>Soon they arrived at Helgi's home, and even though it was smaller then Hallbjorn's, the yard was lovely. Kara was not used to so much green. Even the smell of the plants and flowers were different from what she knew. It delighted her to be in the midst of so much greenery.<br/><br/>When Hallbjorn hesitated after they parked, she looked over at him and smiled tenderly. Kara took his hand in hers, and kissed his palm. “Whatever happens, I'm right here with you. We'll face it together.”<br/><br/>She remained pressed to his side as they made their way to the door, and had to calm her own fluttery nerves after he rang the doorbell. Kara wanted everything to go well for Hallbjorn. She was committed to fixing his and Helgi's relationship.<br/><br/>When the door opened, Kara had to do a double take at Helgi and the similarities in appearance he had with Hallbjorn. Even though he looked relaxed, Kara thought Hallbjorn the more handsome brother. She would not change a thing about Hallbjorn. He was her perfect made. Helgi's bride was beautiful, and not what Kara expected at all for a dryad to look like. She had been imagining bark like skin. That was obviously not the case.<br/><br/>Kara squeezed Hallbjorn's hand gently to let him know she was with him in anything. Though he showed no emotion and the couple before them wore looks of shock, she smiled pleasantly in an attempt to ease their nerves.<br/><br/>After Hallbjorn introduced them, and they were invited into the home, Kara followed Hallbjorn into the living room. The sight of crackers made her aware that she was hungry, but not unbearably so. Smelling blood mixed into wine made her curious about how wine would taste with Hallbjorn's blood.<br/><br/>She worried for her mate, because she could sense his tension even though he gave no outward sign. Kara's heart ached to make this better for him. She turned her attention to Helgi and Lyrata as she seated herself on their couch.<br/><br/>“You have a lovely home, and I'm glad we finally get to meet.” Kara said. “When Hallbjorn told me about you, Helgi, and that you were a vampire, I asked him to meet you. I'm a half vampire, something I only became aware of a week ago, and there are things I've not yet discovered or figured out.”<br/><br/>She paused, wondering if she should poke the elephant in the room. When Kara looked at Hallbjorn and saw him standing so solitary by the fire, she became resolved to do anything for him.<br/><br/>Kara turned her attention back to Helgi with a determined set to her shoulders. “Family is important, and brothers should never be at odds for as long as you two have been. Hallbjorn was cursed to feel the suffering of all he killed in a demon war. His curse could only be lifted by killing a primordial demon that seemed to have no weaknesses.”<br/><br/>Her eyes held a light sheen of tears as she recalled what Hallbjorn had gone through. “Years went by, where he felt that pain day and night. He finally found a way to kill the demon king. That is why the sword was so important to him. When it was gone, he chose to fight the primordial demon without trying to recover it. That decision led him to a century of suffering a never ending fight in a hell realm. If Nix had not brought the sword to him, he might still be there.”<br/><br/>That thought spurred Kara to stand and moved over to Hallbjorn. She rested her hand on his arm to give both himself and her comfort. When Kara looked back at Helgi, she let him see that she did not cast judgment on him. “Hallbjorn understands why you gave the sword away. He told me that a vampire would do anything for his bride.”  Kara smiled warmly at Lyrata, then looked back to Helgi. “Do you want your brother back?”