Authors: Toni Kelly
Savannah’s stomach rumbled as the scent of coffee woke her. “Mmm, you read my mind.” Her eyelids fluttered open. “Hello?” Rays of sunlight streamed into the room, caressing a sofa and wooden table several feet from where she lay.
“Luke?” She smoothed the long-furred rug beneath her with a hand. Images of his muscled body covering hers heated her cheeks. Aware of her nudity, she pulled a blanket up over her shoulders. What was she thinking? Of course he wouldn’t be lying next to her—not unless he wanted to go up in flames before daybreak.
A sudden wave of loneliness washed over her, and she reached for her undergarments. She tugged on her shirt, ignoring her bra. It was obviously too much to ask for one decent guy. No, she fell for pathological liars or egotistical pigs.
She paused, stepping into her jeans. Luke was neither but his need for blood and the fact he couldn’t walk into daylight definitely put a damper on any potential for a relationship. Of course, she wasn’t thinking about a relationship with him, not really.
Liar.
“Oh, shit. Sorry. Call me when you’re done.” Broderick turned to walk back down the hallway.
“No, wait.” She pulled her jeans over her hips and buttoned them closed. “I’m fine.”
He faced her then headed toward the coffeemaker. “I swear I didn’t see anything and thanks for being quick. I’m in desperate need of this stuff.”
“You drink coffee?” She stood and left the blanket folded on the sofa.
“Sure.” He poured himself a mug. “You didn’t think Luke would drink this, did you?” He held the pot up. “Want some?”
“Yes, please. I didn’t think he needed it. I assumed someone made it for me.” Her lips twisted. “Silly thought, I guess.”
Broderick shrugged and handed her a steaming mug. “Not really, but he needed to head out of daylight a few hours ago. Coffee would have been stale. I like mine real fresh.” His gaze combed over her as she took a sip. “Did you sleep well?”
“Mm-hmm.” Cradling the mug, she looked downward and drew a circle on the floor with the tip of her toe. “Do you know if Luke is going to stay in his room all day?”
“Not if he has his way.” Broderick topped off his coffee. “He usually prefers I pull down the blinds and close the curtains but he’s been a prickly bastard, so I think I’m going to let him stew a bit. Besides, he can handle a bit of sunlight if it’s indirect or he stays to shadows. Not my fault, if he chooses to behave like a dick.”
“Oh.” She wasn’t going to argue with his reasoning.
“Help yourself to whatever’s in the fridge. I’ll be down the hall if you need me.” He strolled away.
Savannah took a sip and pulled open the refrigerator. Eggs, cheese, mushrooms…an omelet. Her stomach growled at the thought. She didn’t do much eating last night. It hadn’t exactly been a priority. She bit her lip and smiled to herself.
A knock at the door startled her. Putting down the half-carton of eggs, she stepped around the kitchen island and glanced down the hallway leading to the bedrooms. Neither Broderick nor Luke left their room, which either meant they didn’t hear anything or didn’t much care. “Fine.”
She approached the door and peeked through the peephole. The guy on the other side wore a snowsuit. A stray tourist? And yet he seemed familiar. She backed away slowly.
Don’t be paranoid.
If the guy was a vampire he wouldn’t be out in broad daylight. Probably someone she recognized from their stop in town. And yet, as she pulled back the lock, a light wind swept across her cheeks. Down the hall, Broderick all but flew toward her. His short, unruly waves fluttered around his face and his eyes burned a pale blue.
He lifted an arm. “Savannah, no. Don’t open it.”
She didn’t have time to contemplate the change in him or the reason for his warning. Someone shoved open the door and clamped a leather vise around her throat.
“Let go.” She kicked, digging her fingernails into the man’s gloved hand. Nothing helped; his grip was unrelenting.
“Don’t even try it.” Hauling her by the neck, the male dragged her across the cabin porch into the forest. Savannah’s bare feet scraped against snow-covered ground, shoving aside a thick layer of icy powder as she scanned for some sort of fallen branch or root to hook onto. He moved fast.
“Let her go!” Broderick raced outside the cabin, sliding in the snow as he closed in on them.
Thank God. She tried to scream but a pitiful mewling replaced her words.
“Or what?” The man half-turned, spinning her as if she were a rag doll. His grip on her never loosened. His eyes burned the same otherworldly blue as Broderick’s.
“Or I’ll drain you dry and leave you to local wildlife,” Luke said.
Her stomach flipped at the sight of him standing on the cabin stoop, dressed in black with shades on.
Broderick spun around. “Get the fuck back inside. I’ve got this. He’s a halfling.”
Luke ignored him and took a step forward. “Made a decision yet?” he snarled at her captor. “You will not take her and get away from both of us.”
“And if I kill her?” the halfling spat, squeezing her neck tighter. Savannah coughed, wheezed for breath.
“You would be dead either way.” Luke’s voice was calm but his jaw clenched. “And whoever is paying you would be none too happy.”
She blinked, struggling to stay awake as her captor seemed to contemplate his options. Daylight flickered.
“Damn it.” Broderick leaped forward, tackling them to the ground. She rolled to the side as his fists pummeled her attacker’s chest and face. Barely able to control her wheezing, she gripped her chest.
“Get up.” Luke wrapped an arm around her torso and carried her up the short set of stairs into the cabin. For some reason, her feet wouldn’t cooperate. “Can you breathe?” he asked.
She nodded, coughing an affirmative answer.
Setting her down on the sofa, he leaned on a large chair beside her. Broderick entered soon after, dragging her struggling attacker with him. “Would you like to do the honors before I tie him up for questioning?” he asked Luke, who turned and punched the halfling in the face. The man sagged in Broderick’s arms.
“Who is he?” The burning in her throat made her voice hoarse.
“Not sure,” Broderick said. “But we will find out.”
Luke stood before the fireplace. He flexed his fists. She wanted to comfort him and assure him she was now okay, but his expression frightened her.
“Where do you want him?” Broderick held her attacker up.
“Put him in my room. No need to mess up your whole cabin.”
Savannah glanced at Luke. “What are you going to do with him?”
“That is none of your concern.” He wiped his brow then rubbed his eyes. “Shit.”
Damn his stubbornness. “Not my concern? In case you didn’t notice, it was my neck he strangled outside.”
“Savannah, stop. I am not arguing right now.”
“Neither am I. I want to know what you’re going to do...” Her voice trailed off as his forehead and cheeks blistered. “Your skin—you’ve been burned.”
“I know.” Irritation laced his tone. He bent and supported himself against the wall next to the fireplace. “Please call Broderick.”
“What do you need?” She stood, suddenly worried about his moist, yellowish complexion. Beads of water or sweat—she was not sure which—dripped down his brow. “What’s happening?”
Luke stumbled, slid against the wall. “Fuck.”
“Luke.” She ran to where he’d collapsed.
* * * *
Luke came to in darkness. He turned his head and scanned the dark wood and plaid decor. Somehow he’d made it back to his room or rather, the room he stayed in at Broderick’s cabin. Bloody bastard had not closed the blinds as he was supposed to. If Luke hadn’t been so bewitched by Savannah the night before, he might have done it himself.
“I swear I can hear your mind snarl,” Broderick drawled as he entered from the bathroom, carrying a warm glass of blood. “Breakfast, dear?” He held up the glass.
“Stupid ass stunt you pulled. What if we had not gotten there in time?” Luke tried to stand up from the bed and wavered, grasped one of the bed’s posts. His exhaustion unnerved him even as it pleased him. For once in a long time, he felt a human’s frailty. Savannah’s blood inside his system probably did nothing to help his state.
“Damn it, you’re weak. I’m sorry about the blinds. You’re right. It was stupid, but she is okay, not even a bruise on her neck.”
“For now,” Luke replied.
“If we’re dealing out blame, you pulled a piece of shit stunt yourself. You could have gone up in flames.”
Exposing himself to sunlight had been idiotic but he would do it again if it meant making sure Savannah was okay. “Maybe. I still have no regrets.”
“Here, take this.” Broderick held out the glass of blood. “And wipe that accusatory look off your face. I may have been annoyed by your latest tantrum but I wouldn’t ever put Savannah at risk.”
Luke accepted the glass and sat down on the coverlet. Broderick probably could have handled the halfling but probably was not a guarantee.
“I wouldn’t have let anything happen to her.”
“I know—I know you would have tried everything.” He bowed his head. “I am not sure I could have stopped myself even if I’d wanted to. She consumes my mind.”
“Yeah, I can tell.” Broderick sat beside him on the bed.
Luke sensed his curiosity but nothing came of it. “Where is the halfling?”
“He’s restrained in my room. Not quite conscious but he’ll be there soon. I punched him a few more times to make sure he wouldn’t wake up.”
“I want to question him before I do anything further.”
“I figured,” Broderick said. “What do you want to do with Savannah?”
Luke sighed. He was not ready for her to see him as the true monster he was. “Keep her occupied.”
“Easier said than done.”
“I imagine she is fairly shaken up.” He stood. “Make her some food, keep her warm. Both ought to help.”
“Seeing
you
would help. She wants to know you’re okay.”
He staggered into the bathroom. Even in the dim lighting, he could see blisters muddling his reflection. He now looked a grotesque part. “Tell her I am fine.” He braced himself with his hands on the wash basin’s counter.
“Luke.”
“What?”
Broderick hesitated a moment before he said, “I know you love her.”
Loved her? Luke took a deep breath, not because he needed to breathe but because he did not know how to respond. This was not how it felt with Victoria. Victoria had been innocent and sweet and what he wanted in his life. Perfect for him. Savannah was not perfect. Far from it. At times he felt fairly certain he wanted nothing to do with her, and yet, he needed her. A need ingrained so deep it threatened to squeeze the life from him. He turned away from the mirror. “I am no good for her.”
“Why don’t you let her decide what’s good for her and what’s not? Are you going to deny what I said?” Broderick neared.
“No.”
“What are you going to do?”
He bent his head, rubbed his neck. “I am going to change her.”
24
Take time to deliberate; but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.
—Napoleon Bonaparte
Savannah paced the living room, flinching as a man howled at the other end of the cabin. The pain in his screeches made her skin crawl. She brought her hand to her neck and released a sigh. He couldn’t touch her now.
“Hungry?” Broderick flipped an omelet and pulled a couple plates from a cupboard.
How could he eat after what had happened? Her stomach growled in protest but the thought of food brought nausea. “No.”
He sliced the omelet down the center then shoveled the two halves onto plates. “Try to eat, you need the nutrients.” He placed one of the plates before her. “Sit.”
She sat on a stool, but pushed the plate away and frowned. “No thanks. I’m fine with coffee.”
“Suit yourself.” He shrugged, forking a mushroom into his mouth.