“No,” she said with a laugh. This one was more solid. “Why did you call me that?”
“I was under the impression that you used terms of endearments with people that you care about.”
“Well, like, care care about.”
“So, you think I only care, but not care care?”
“Honestly, I don’t know what to think. Not with you. You confuse the hell out of me, Sebastian.”
The hope inside him threatened to turn the cracks into holes. “Maybe, if we keep asking questions, we can sort me out. But I must be honest, you confuse me as well.”
“Keep asking questions? You mean… like… talk?”
“That’s exactly what I mean.” He wanted to shake to woman in his arms. Why couldn’t she have just listened to Gideon? Let him speak? He stood and leaned down, taking her hand in his. Her fingers gripped his and he pulled her to her feet. “To hell with tomorrow. This is going to happen now,” he said, and her eyes widened. Good. Maybe she would understand how serious he was. The light cut into the room as he opened the door then he was walking beside her, and her tear-stained face tore him apart. “Why are you so stubborn?” he asked. “This could have all been avoided.”
She glanced around as he led her into a new room. Sebastian motioned to the sofa and she sat. Gideon turned from a bank of monitors; eyebrows raised at Sebastian.
“Why are you calling me stubborn?” Eve asked Sebastian before glancing at Gideon.
Gideon stood as Sebastian sat beside her. “Because you are,” Sebastian said before looking to Gideon.
“It appears we’re going to talk now?” he asked Sebastian and the man at her side nodded.
“I don’t know what there is to discuss,” she said, looking between the two of them. “The marks will be gone. Sebastian will be safe. You won’t need me.”
“I see. We have some wires crossed. Let’s see if we can change that.” Gideon sat on the other side of her.
She was sandwiched between two beautiful men and there she sat, a teary-eyed, confused, broken-hearted wreck of a woman.
Gideon looked at Sebastian. The darker head gave a brief nod and Gideon turned his eyes back to Eve. “Sebastian is older than me by a couple of hundred years. Yet, I am considered the ‘leader’ of the group here. The reason for that is that I’m better at speaking what I feel than he is.”
“Okay,” Eve said.
“I’m more… in-tune with my emotions than he is.” Gideon shot Sebastian a quick grin. “When they brought you here that night, that was the most animated I have seen my friend in centuries.”
She frowned. “He hated me.”
“No,” Sebastian said, and she looked at him. “I was angry, and I thought you were something that you weren’t, but actually are…” He trailed off with chuckled. “And I wonder why I’m confused.”
“Because I’m better with this part, the first wires we’re going to fix are these. Just because you’re no longer tied to us, doesn’t mean we don’t need or want you here.” He took her hand and laced her fingers through his. “Do you understand?”
Eve was silent as she searched Gideon’s eyes. Finally, she nodded.
“Then there is the next set of wires. The ones in which you think they want to be free of you.” Gideon turned her hand over, tracing the invisible brand.
Her other hand was taken by Sebastian. “I rather like the idea of knowing if you are safe,” he said and she couldn’t look at him as tears filled her eyes once again. “Micah and I had both discussed it before all hell broke loose today.”
She blinked at him until he came into focus. Her hands were taken so her tears spilled down her cheeks. “I thought…” She trailed off; throat tight with emotion.
“We know. But things change,” Gideon said.
Dropping her head, she pulled her hands from the men at her sides and covered her face. Fighting for control, she took a deep breath.
“I’m a weakness for Sebastian,” she said, parting her hands a fraction. “I have to get rid of it.”
“You realize you would have died if not for that?” Gideon asked.
She nodded. “I do. But I can’t have him dying because of me. Because of something I did to him. We discussed this already.” She raised her head, meeting Sebastian’s eyes. “What happened to you when the car exploded?”
“Not what you think. It cut my back a little, but I healed.” The lie was easy enough to say. He wasn’t going to tell her how it really felt. The instant and overwhelming agony that had him on his knees. She never needed to know that.
“But what if the next thing cuts my head off or something just as horrifying?” She flipped his hand over and touched the edges of the rune. “I can’t have you dying because you were foolish enough to save me. You didn’t ask for any of this.” A quick glance a Gideon. “None of you did.” A deep breath. “I will not have your death on my hands. That would destroy me.”
Sebastian wanted to laugh at the challenge in her eyes. The seriousness. But he couldn’t. Because he felt the same. If something to happen to her…
“I understand your point,” he said, closing his fingers around hers. “Because the same would happen to me.”
#
“What does that mean?” she asked.
“It means that I care care, stubborn.” His smile was soft, and she swallowed.
“But—”
“Think about it, beautiful,” Gideon said, and she looked to him. “He’s old. Our kind only get stronger with age. It would take a lot more than an exploding car to kill him.” He stopped for a second, trying to choose the right words. Only the honest ones came to him. “You’re fragile.”
“That’s not an argument, Gideon.” She frowned at him. “One day, I’ll be gone anyway. You guys, pending catastrophes, are what? Immortal?” That thought made her head hurt. “So, we destroy the mark and I not kill him, or, I kill him and then die anyway, just at a later date. My outcome is always going to be the same.” She glanced at them, the mirrored looks on their faces. It couldn’t be more obvious that they hadn’t thought of that angle. She patted them each on a leg before standing, holding back the sound of her body protesting. “If you’ll excuse me, I need some water.”
She left the room and after a moment, Gideon frowned. “Well, how do you argue that?”
Sebastian shook his head. “I can’t, but that doesn’t mean she wins.” He stood and followed her.
“This isn’t over, you know,” he said as he moved up beside her.
“You’re face told me otherwise.” She grinned up at him.
“Take a right,” he said, looking away from the radiance shining from her brilliant green eyes. Eyes that swam with tears when she thought they would kick her out.
“You know, since I don’t have to leave tomorrow night, I might try to learn this place.” She laughed.
“I can’t believe you thought we were going to make you leave.” He took her arm and pulled her through the study where so much had happened.
“I still don’t know why you want me to stay.”
His smile was soft as she looked up but he said nothing. He pulled her into the kitchen before lifting her and setting her on a stool. After grabbing a glass, he filled it with water from the door of the fridge. Holding it out to her, she reached for it.
“So, you’re going to be gone soon,” Fallon’s voice cut through the silence and her fingers slipped, the glass dropping. The sound it made as it shattered made her curse.
“Actually, no,” she said, giving him a look. “You seem to be the only one that wants me gone.”
“That’s because I’m the only one with sense around here.” His lips smiled at her.
Sebastian knelt and started picking up the shards.
“I can do that,” she said as she hopped down.
A sharp sting flared in her finger and she held up her hand. As she watched, red welled up in the split skin on her fingertip before sliding down her skin. A single drop fell from her, landing bes
ide Sebastian’s hand.
Time slowed as a groan slid through the thick air. Eve pulled her eyes up from Sebastian’s curling fingers to Fallon, bent at the waist.
“Fallon, get Gideon,” Sebastian’s voice sounded different, a growling thing that raised the hairs on her skin. “Security. Don’t breathe.” She dropped her eyes back to Sebastian. His back rose and she knew. Knew that he could smell her blood.
Another drop. Could she get to the sink?
He shuddered and raised his head. The red that she had seen in Gideon’s eyes was now in Sebastian’s. Her Sebastian that was always in control. Her muscles tensed as adrenaline flooded her system.
“Be still,” he whispered.
She could see a flash of fang as he spoke, and some part of her head screamed at her to run. But it sounded like fog surrounded her, the warning distant, dream-like.
“Okay,” she said, taking her own deep breath. This was her chance to prove herself to him. To them. That she could handle the horrors of their life. Keeping her bleeding finger against her chest, she reached out with her other, grazing his burning skin with her fingertips. “I trust you,” she said softly.
“What smells so damn good?” she heard Alex as he came in. She spun as he sucked in a breath. “Jesus,” he spit out as he hit his knees, hands over his face.
The fear spiked, clearing the fog and Sebastian made a sound from somewhere deep in his chest.
She looked back down at him, claws against the light gray tiles. Terror swamped her and the red eyes narrowed into slits. Unknown arms wrapped around her and as she pulled in air to scream, she stopped at the quiet order, “Hush.” She heard Gideon’s softly spoken order and before she could blink, she was snatched up and in another room. A bathroom. Her finger was under running water as the normally in control Gideon ran his hands through his hair.
“I should go,” she said after drying her hands. There was only a slight sting now from the white edges of the split skin.
Gideon said nothing as he took her arm, pulling her behind him. She hurried to keep pace with his longer legs and was startled to find herself in front of his bedroom door. He opened his door and motioned her in, looking both ways before he followed her, closing the door behind him with a thud. He hadn’t spoken a word since his terse order, and she was starting to wonder if he would when at last, he broke the long silence.
“You’re right. You should. It’s what you were planning,” he said. He collapsed into a chair that matched the one in her room, dropping his head into his hands. “You should get as far from here as you can and never look back.” He looked up at her and her hand rose to her throat. Not in fear. No. That would have been simpler.
His eyes were tormented as they met hers. Silently, she stepped closer to him. One step. Two steps. She dropped to her knees, taking his trembling hands in hers. “Is that what you want?”
“God, no. What kind of question is that?” he asked, leaving his hands in hers as he leaned his head back.
“The normal kind,” she said, looking up into his eyes. “Do you want me to go? Do you want to save me from you? You? Gideon, you protected me.”
“I can’t say that I would again,” he said, closing his eyes and squeezing her hand. “Because I won’t pretend that I didn’t taste you in the air.”
His grip tightened painfully but she kept her lips shut against the ache. This was as honest as she had ever seen him, and she needed to know. Needed to know if she was wrong about him. “Gideon look at me,” she said, pulling a hand free.
The muscles in his throat worked before he did what she said. Using her free hand, she pulled her hair away from her neck, tilting her head. She was taking a big chance. Massive, if one wanted to be honest. Gideon’s eyes widened before a darkness fell over them, dimming the light brown of his eyes.
“What are you doing?” he asked, voice rough.
“What does it look like?” She rose higher. “Bite me.”
He let go of the one hand he still held and gripped her arms. “Stop. You don’t have a clue what you’re doing.”
“I know exactly what I’m doing, Gideon. I’m proving a point.”
His breath was soft, hesitant. “You’re scared.”
“A little.” She wasn’t going to insult him by lying.
He took a deeper breath, his fingers tightening on her a bit. “Do you know what that scent does to those like me? The scent of fear?” He pulled her up, closer to his mouth.
“Mmm, I have an idea,” she said, taking her own breath. How could she not? His hunger hit her with the force of a hurricane, but she had faith. She rested her hands on his thighs. “But come on, quit playing with your food. Bite me.”
The challenge in her words, in her eyes, riled the leader in him.
“Fine. But keep in mind, this was what you wanted.” He leaned forward while pulling her to him. His breath against her skin woke something to fight the fear, to wash it away. The softest brush of his lips touched the flesh over her pounding pulse, and she shivered as chills covered her. He took another breath, this one more certain. Her head fell back as he nuzzled her throat. This wasn’t what she asked for, but it was killing her all the same.
His teeth felt different as he grazed her throat and she swallowed her moan, letting her own hunger swamp the tiny rise in fear. His mouth opened over her vein and the flat of his tongue rested against it, swirling softly and she shuddered, curving her fingers into his legs.
“My God, Eve,” he groaned, pushing her away from him.
She glared at him for a moment, recovering her wits. Finally, she stood. Muttering curses to herself, she turned in time to see his look of desire smothered by an indifferent mask. She sat on the side of his bed, staring at him.
Gideon wondered what was going through her head when she spoke again.
“Is that how you bite everyone? Or don’t bite?” She rubbed her hands over her arms, trying to banish the feelings inside her. Not only of her own hunger, but also the other one. The one that felt an awful lot like jealousy. “I mean, damn…”
He tilted his head, considering her words. “So, that was the point you were making? That I won’t do that to you?”
She looked up, a sheepish look on her face. “Yeah.”
“That was quite the risk you took.”
“Well, not really. I mean, Sebastian would have been pretty pissed.”
She blushed as Gideon burst out laughing.
There was a knock at the door, and it opened. The man himself stood there and Gideon laughed harder.
Sebastian glanced at Gideon with a slight frown before immediately turning back to stone, meeting Eve’s dancing eyes. “Am I interrupting?”
Three words and Eve dissolved into her own fit of laughter. Unable to speak, she tried to wave him over. Of course, he wouldn’t move. Getting to her feet, she walked up to him and took his hand. “Come here, big guy,” she said, trying to pull him. He finally followed her to the bed.
“I came to apologize,” he said as she pushed him to the mattress.
She shook her head at him as she continued to laugh. After she sat down, she took his hand in hers. Finally, she was able to speak. “Don’t do that,” she said. “I have my own apology to give.” She gave him a quick glance before looking back at his hand. “I… I might have almost put your life in danger. Again.”
He frowned at her as she started laughing. Looking back to Gideon for answers, he was amazed to see his shoulders still shaking.
“She asked me to bite her,” Gideon was finally able to say. “To prove a point. I think we both forgot that it would hurt you, not her.”
“Going with the fact that I’m not bleeding, you didn’t.”
“Couldn’t.” Gideon took a breath, letting himself calm down. “And she knew it.”
“He seemed to be feeling too sorry for himself to listen, and yes, I admit, at the beginning, I forgot that it would be you,” Eve said, gaining control of herself. She turned his hand over in hers and touc
hed the last visible part of the symbol. The blue that shown was weak, barely holding steady. “By the way, you win. We keep the mark.”
#
Sebastian snatched his hand back like she burnt him. “Like hell we do!”
Eve was confused. Didn’t he want it to stay? To protect her. “Why?” she asked. “What happened to you liking knowing what was going on with me?”
“That was before I realized that it worked two ways.”
“Oh, so it was okay for me to keep it when it was only your life in danger?” Eve felt the flicker of anger and tried to squash it. Easier said than done.
“Yes,” he said, looking away.
“If that isn’t the most chauvinistic—” She was getting wound up when he met her eyes again.
“Eve, you don’t understand.” There was a redness rising in his olive skin.
“Then, please, enlighten me. Because from where I’m sitting, you have a hero complex going on.”
Sebastian glanced at Gideon for help and his best friend shrugged at him. “Fine. When I eat, it’s not always… neat.”
“So, you need a bib?”
He made a strangled sound, somewhere between a laugh and groan. “No, well, I mean maybe, but the part I’m talking about is I get…” He trailed off, unwilling to go into detail about his feeding habits.
“You get what, Sebastian? Let’s pretend that I’m an adult. Granted, I haven’t given you much reason to believe that, but, I swear, I am.”
“Fine. I usually get cut up a bit. Claws. Fingernails. Something breaks my skin.”
“I’m fine,” she said, looking away from his brown eyes. “I’m totally fine. I’m an adult.” She had to close her eyes against the visions in her head. “Shit.”
“So, you see where the problem arises?” He took her hand this time while touching her cheek.
She dared herself to meet his gaze. “Well, I see me still dealing with your diet…”
“I stuck a piece of glass in my finger and you bled for it.” His tone was abrupt but at the same time, his fingers tightened on hers.
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