In the Dark by Lila Rose (16 page)

Isaac leaned back in his chair. He stared at his drink, a deep red wine, and swirled it in his cup with a thoughtful look upon his face.

I placed my hand on his to stop the motion, before he spilt it. He looked at me. I smiled and he gave me a half one back.

"Isaac, what's on your mind?"

He cleared his throat. "I was wondering how you came to live with your uncle. Why did your parents leave?"

Rolling my eyes, I smiled. "Is that all? It looked like you were going to say something I really wouldn't like."

"I know you don't like speaking of them. Why is that, Leila?" he probed, not in a naughty way either, which I wouldn't have minded.
God, woman, he's trying to have a heartfelt conversation. Control yourself.

Audibly, I sighed. "It's true I don't like talking about them, but with you, I can handle it. Really, it's not as if I don't like talking about them; it's more that when I do or when I think of them, it makes me remember how much of a disappointment I am to them. They wanted a normal, perfect life and instead they got me, 'The freak.'" I held up my hand before he could comment. "I now know that some people
can
handle what happens in their life, the struggles some have to face." I shrugged. "My mum wasn't one of them. Don't get me wrong, they took great care of me. Showed me a lot in the time we had together, gave me a, somewhat, loving home. I guess there was too much to put up with from people around town.

"Still, in the end, she… my mum always had a need to get out of the town, out of the life she was leading, and when I turned thirteen, I gave her just that. The morning of my thirteenth birthday, I walked out into the kitchen. My mum was standing at the stove. I told her something was wrong. I was in agony. At first, I saw concern flash through her eyes."

I ran a hand through my hair. My emotions were catching up with me. Talking about it made me want to curl up in a ball and cry, but I didn't. "It soon vanished and was replaced with disgust, fright. I transformed right in front of her for the first time. She… I guess she didn't like what she saw." I snorted and then sobered. Leaning my forearms on the table, I looked down at my clasped hands. "She tried to kill me, Isaac. Before I passed out, I heard my father come running in. He managed to stop her from doing too much damage. When I woke, bruised, I found my dad was sitting next to me, petting me while I was still in my cat form."

I laughed humourlessly. "Ironic, right? He told me he was sorry, but he had to leave. Take Mum away. That… that he loved me no matter
how
I was. Still, he left with her."

Isaac reached for me. Before I knew it, I was sitting in his lap. He stroked my back up and down while he whispered, "I'm so sorry you had to go through anything like that."

"Don't, Isaac. I stopped feeling sorry for myself a long time ago. I stopped crying about a lot of things a
very
long time ago. What helps me the most, now especially, is that I have you, your family and even my uncle."

"Oh, so not
just
me," he teased, lightening the mood and it was exactly what I needed.

"Sorry, you can't take all the credit." I waited for his smart reply, but it didn't come. Instead, he gently turned my head and kissed me. I curled into him and let myself go, allowed myself to only feel and happily forgot the sadness from talking about my parents.

Much later, Isaac suggested we go for a run to clear our minds. A thrill burst through me and I told him I wanted to be in my feline form so I could whip his behind. He chuckled and then proceeded to inform me—the bastard—that I needed to be faster if I wanted to burn off the food I'd ingested, because he couldn't have
his
woman getting fat. With that, he bolted for the back door and fled into the night. I quickly stripped, transformed, and chased after him.

I wasn't sure if he was letting me, but I soon caught up to him and tackled him to the ground. I head-butted him before I licked his cheek with my rough tongue and then flew up the nearest tree. As I walked up and down the biggest branch, I watched Isaac as he laughed. He rose from lying on the ground to stand in one second, and in the next, he was up in the tree next to me. Without thinking, I leaped to the next tree and so on with Isaac following me. Eventually, he'd had enough of the chase. Grabbing me under my ribs, he flew us to the ground. With no effort at all, he held me up like a little baby with his hands under my arms and looked me in the eyes. His were twinkling beneath the moonlight, and were the darkest of blacks I'd ever seen.

"The only problem with you being in this form is that I don't get to have my way with you at the end of the chase. Next time, you stay in human form," he growled.

Oh, my God. I cursed myself black and blue for being in cat form because I wanted to know what Isaac would have done with me.

He rubbed his cheek against mine. "Now I must hunt. Dare to accompany me?" He smiled.

Purring, I rubbed my face against his again, while reaching my mind out.
Would be my pleasure,
I said through our new connection. He set me down and sped off toward the area where we both already scented some prey.

The following three weeks were the happiest of my life so far. Isaac and I attended classes every day with Darik, and every lunch, we sat in the cafeteria with Ty. I really enjoyed getting to know him. And the more comfortable he got with us, the less stuttering there was in his sentences. I also discovered Ty was strong when, a few days over the weeks, he'd come to my place and there he met Xavier, Adan, Jezanna and Caelen. Even though we had a guest present, Adan and Darik wouldn't let up on my training of swordplay and martial arts.

It served as a constant reminder that there could come a day that would doom my good mood.

It was in those times I witnessed Ty at his strongest. He joined in with the martial arts, and once he started sparing with Adan, he won. It made it hard to believe he was blind. Ty explained his mum made him study the techniques so he wouldn't be picked on so much, not that he ever used it against the dickheads we knew, because honestly, it wouldn't be a fair fight. Ty could kick arse.

Other days, when we weren't training, I got to play the Xbox against Jeremiah and Xavier. Of course, I kept beating their butts every time. The steam coming from Jeremiah's ears was always a pleasure.

Gregory had a go at teaching me to cook, but after so many attempts and failing them miserably, he gave up and became everyone's personal chef. Okay, well, mainly mine, since no one else really needed to eat normal food except Gregory and me.

Each night, I got to run with them while they hunted for food. Most nights, it was animals. Still, I wasn't so stupid to believe they'd left humans off the menu, and one night, I was witness to their drinking. A hunter stumbled in our area as we were out playing. Isaac, who thought I wasn't admiring him, crept up on his prey and sank his teeth in for a feed. As I stood there watching him, his eyes met mine. It caused primal emotions from me. I wanted to be the one Isaac fed from. I wanted his teeth in me while he was inside of me.

Lust caused me to flush. Isaac removed his fangs and was in front of me in seconds. His mouth met my urgent one. At the time, there was no thought to our audience. I moaned when his tongue demanded entrance. Jumping up, I wrapped my legs around his waist. Isaac's hand went to my butt, where he ground my heated core against his firm dick.

A need pulled at me. I wanted Isaac right there and then. That was until he had to go and be the sensible one and break our connection. I swayed when I lost his support and found him metres away from me. Both of us panted hard.

Jeremiah, Darik and Xavier burst out laughing. Kicking at the ground, I swore at them under my breath and walked back to the house solemnly.

I didn't understand his restraint. His not wanting to go further with me was like a hit to the stomach. However, I understood we couldn't do it in front of people.
Though… No, Leila, just no.

Also over the three weeks, Jezanna had become like a sister to me. We shared everything with each other. I'd never had that before, a girlfriend to talk to about anything. I ended up asking her if she had the same problem I did every month. She laughed and said, "Of course I do. Just because I'm a vampire, it doesn't mean my body isn't the same as a human's. I still have my monthlies. I can still fall pregnant. My insides are still very much alive. The only differences we have with humans are we're strong, faster and also need blood to survive."

Apparently, most of the vampire stories were filled with lies.

She told me that when it was that time for her, she wore a charm her mother had given to her to help with anyone else scenting
it
. Turned out she had two charms and gave one to me.
Thank God!

It was towards the end of the few weeks, I could tell Isaac grew more worried about the fact Hamish and Seraphine hadn't returned. I tried to reassure him everything was okay, though I still had doubt myself. When I was over at his house one night, having dinner, I went to the toilet and overheard Isaac telling everyone he would give it until Saturday the following week for his guards to return. If they didn't return, they'd be leaving. He tried to bring it up with me a couple of times, but every time he did, I either changed the subject or distracted him in other ways.

I couldn't handle telling him I wouldn't go with them when they left. And I refused to think about it, because it hurt too much. Knowing I could possibly be losing my world soon was too much to bear. Every time the thought filtered into my mind, it left behind a residual thread of agony, one that burned its way into my soul, leaving me breathless and near tears. It was much easier to ignore the possibility and pretend everything would be fine.

* * * *

It was Saturday, just a week before Isaac would be leaving with his family, when I asked, "So, what are you doing tonight?"

As we sat on my bed together, the rest of the house was quiet. Ty had just left with Adan, who'd offered to give him a lift home and then he would continue on to Isaac's house and keep an eye out there. I had the music going from the stereo on my desk, which once lived in the lounge room, but I transferred it there so our guards for the night, Darik and Xavier, couldn't overhear our conversation.

"I was thinking of joining the others at
Boozers. More of my people have come to see me." He shuddered.

A couple of nights earlier, Caelen had come over from being at Boozers and told us there'd been an increase of vampires in town, ones who travelled to swear their allegiance to Isaac. Isaac hated the thought of any of it. However, I hoped one day he'd accept his responsibilities, because I did believe he was the right vampire to run things.

"Would you want to come with me?" he asked. "Although, I've been a bad influence on you. I can see you've had too many late nights." He ran a finger gently under my eye, before he placed a kiss there.

"Are you saying I look like crap?"

He laughed and pulled back so I could see him shake his head. "Always so blunt. But no, I'm not. You're
always
beautiful to me."

I blushed, which I seemed to do a lot when Isaac used sweet words. "Thanks," I mumbled and quickly continued, "Anyway, I was thinking of having an early night." I raised my brows up and down quickly.

Only he didn't get it.

"If that's what you wish, I'll get going then..."

For a 398-year-old guy, he sure could be so dense sometimes. Still, it made me smile and think he was the cutest thing out there.

"Isaac." I groaned in embarrassment for having to spell it out for him. My cheeks heated once again. "What I meant was I wanted an early
night
." I sent him a wink. My gorgeous man looked puzzled still. Looking away, I blurted out quickly, "Isaac, will you spend the night here with me?" I felt him freeze.

Great. I'd stunned the guy into shock. He should have known it was coming. Sure we did other things, but I'd been hinting at taking our relationship further. I was just about ready to jump his bones. I swore, I was so worked up to take the next step with Isaac my panties were constantly wet anytime I was around him.

Doubt grew in my bones, because he'd still said nothing or even moved. "I mean you don't have to. Gregory probably won't like it, and think of all the hell we'd get when the guys found out. Look, I get it. It's okay. It's… all right." I went to move off the bed, my heart sinking, pain travelling into my chest at his rejection, but he grabbed my arm.

"Leila, it's not that. I would love to stay here with you, to hold you all night—"

"I'm sure we can come up with better things than that." I gave him a sly look. He smiled, but it didn't shine in his eyes like it had ever since he kissed me that first time. He seemed distracted.

"Another night perhaps, when I can pay all my attention to just you. However, then I'm afraid I'll never let you go again."

I gulped loudly and stuttered, "O-okay."

He stood quickly. "I must go."

"Wait, what, why? Isaac, is something wrong? Have I—"

He silenced me with a kiss and left in a flash so I couldn't ask any more questions, leaving me frustrated and confused. Again. My gut twisted. You'd think he'd know me better. No one left me curious, and I knew something was going on. Now I had to find out what.

Darik would have gone with Isaac, so that left me to contend with Xavier. My best option was to sneak out my window. I was already in the right clothes for a late night run, black leggings, running shoes and a hooded black jumper. The nights had turned cold in the last week.

With a jump, I was out the window, only to stumble back against the house when a face appeared in front of me.

"Curiosity killed the cat." Xavier smiled.

"Don't worry about curiosity. You'll do a damn fine job of it. You scared the bejesus out of me, Xavier."

"I won't apologise for it. However, you should to me, for trying to sneak away while under my care, which could lead to having me killed by my master. I knew the moment Isaac left it wouldn't take you long to want to find out why he disappeared so suddenly."