Then stillness. Panting, his and hers, filled the air. Her eyes widened at him before she tried to speak.
“I forgot.” She took a deep breath, trying to ease the burn in her lungs.
“Forgot what?” he said, dropping a kiss on her parted lips.
“That you still have to breathe.”
He laughed. “Aye, I do.”
Eve propped her head up on his chest and he pushed her hair out of her face. Her smile was, gentle, shy. “Thank you,” she said softly.
“I would say the pleasure was all mine, but I feel like you got some too.” He laughed at her blush. “I don’t know which Eve I like best. The one that blushes when talking about things that feel good, or the one that demands things in bed.”
“Doesn’t matter which one you like better,” she said, dropping a kiss on his chest, right over his pounding heart, “You get both.”
“Sounds perfect to me.” He grinned.
She lay her head where she kissed him, and he ran his hand over her hair. It didn’t take long until her breath evened out and he could tell she was sleeping.
Only then did he pull the blanket over them and close his eyes, unable to ease the smile from his face.
#
Green lightening flashed and in the middle of the road stood a blond man, hand raised, calling the lightening to him. He met her eyes as she stomped the breaks. The car fishtailed slightly. Time slowed as the green ball in his outstretched hand grew bigger before flying toward her.
There was a sickening feeling of space twisting around her as the road changed. What remained of the ball of light shifted direction as it went through the tunnel of warped space, hitting the front passenger side of her car, fracturing the windshield as she flipped into the river. The light was beautiful, she thought as she landed roof first in the water. The fractured windshield blew inward as water rushed in, the cold stealing her breath.
She hung in her seatbelt as the car filled, frantically trying to get free. Something in the back of her mind tickled her. She had been through this before. She could wake up from it. Wake up before she died.
Surrounded by water now, she was finally able to get the clip released. She kicked through the broken windshield. Lungs burning, she made for the light above her. The cough.
“Eve!” She heard over the sound of her death.
“I’m alive,” she choked out, hand on fire. She meant to say she was awake.
Micah’s warm arms surrounded her, pulling her into his lap.
“Yes, you are,” he said, rubbing his hands over her arms, but that couldn’t ease the chills running across her skin.
“I saw him.” She opened her eyes and stared into dark corner of the room lit by her glowing palm. “The one that tried to kill me.”
The hands stilled and before she knew what was happening, she was sitting on the edge of the bed, lamplight blinding her and Micah standing before her.
“I’m sorry,” he said.
She shuddered at the remembrance of the absolute coldness on his face. There was no hatred, that she could maybe have understood. No evil that she could feel. It was simply the complete absence of any type of emotion that shook her. But there, when she twisted somewhere else, her last sight of him was a slight curve of a lip. Then she was in water.
“I am too, but I know what he looks like now. I just wish I didn’t have to drown again to remember it.” She shivered again, still feeling the icy waters surrounding her.
Micah sat beside her and curved an arm around her.
“The others are awake. Do you want to tell them what you know? Then you only need to live through it the one time.”
“That would probably be best,” she said, not moving. She didn’t want to leave the comfort of his presence. Afraid that if she did, she would start crying. She was certain the mark was the only reason she hadn’t fallen apart.
“I’ve got you,” he said, pulling her to her feet and leading her to the bathroom.
“I’m such a baby,” she said as she leaned against his chest.
“Far from that.” He stood her in front of the shower. She managed a smile at Sebastian’s threat that she would be more tired if she showered with him. Sexy time was the last thing in the world she wanted right now.
“You’ve been through a lot in a short amount of time, Eve. Cut yourself some slack.” He stepped into the shower and adjusted the temperature.
“I need to stop using that as an excuse,” she muttered under the running water.
He held out his hand and she took it. He pulled her under the heat of the water, the warmth chasing away the chill of her death. She wrapped her arms around his waist and stood there as he ran his hands down the length of her hair. Despite her words to the contrary, she held him as he gently washed her.
Eve kept seeing that man in her head. The one who was going to kill her. As easily and as thoughtlessly as one would swat a fly.
Before she knew it, she was standing outside the shower, wrapped in a giant fluffy towel.
“I’m awful,” she said, looking up at Micah and gave him the best smile she could.
“It’s okay.” He kissed her forehead and she leaned against his chest, the thudding of his heart soothing her more than she cared to admit.
#
The living room wasn’t a place she had spent a lot of time in, but it was comforting. Over-sized brown leather loveseats circled the blazing fireplace, and this was where she found herself sitting, Micah beside her, keeping a tight grip on her hand. A grip she was grateful for as everyone except Fallon was there. Including Gabe.
Even with the mark glowing brightly between their hands, Gabe’s presence had shot her nervousness up to a whole new level. Was this how she felt when she was around the others at the beginning?
Fallon, yes. But the others, no. After the second night, she felt safe around them. Well, excluding the story time with red eyes as a prop. She didn’t know what to say in front of him. Did they tell him everything? That would be fine, except she didn’t know him. Him sitting across from her, staring at her like she was an insect, didn’t help matters.
“Eve, he’s not going to hurt you,” Gideon said after a moment of silence in which she was certain every being in the room could hear the obnoxious thumping in her chest. “Look at me, beautiful.”
She pulled her eyes from the gray ones in front of her and fell into Gideon’s. A swallow and a deep breath later, she was able to talk. “I don’t know if it helps anything, but I saw who tried to kill me,” she spoke in a rush. “I had another nightmare and this time, everything was slower.” Including her drowning. She could feel that in exquisite detail. “There was a man standing in the road. He controlled the lightening flash that I saw. I could feel me being transported here, and as he faded, he smiled at me. He’s going to try again.”
It wasn’t the same body Duglas tossed on the ground in front of her. That was a different assailant. No, the blond man was still out there.
She stared at the mesmerizing flames. “I don’t know anything about my race, but he seemed powerful. Blond hair and dark blue eyes.” The flames faded and she was back on that road, but this vision was still frame, giving her time to study the one who wanted her dead. “He’s tall, taller than Micah.” She stood in front of the man and looked back. She could see herself sitting in the SUV, a look of confusion on her face. It was that moment, in the past, when she noticed the road seemed different. The glowing ball of energy had already left the man’s hand and was heading toward her. Wavy bands of light arched over the road right before her car. That was where the road changed.
She looked back at him. There was a slight scar running down from the corner of his right eye. “He has a scar, his right eye,” she said to anyone that might be listening. She was no longer in the room with her men. His outstretched hand glowed and she turned her attention to it. A green jagged line ran from the tip of his ring finger to the base of his palm.
“He has a mark on his palm, sort of l
ike my mine, but green.”
She reached out to touch it, but at that moment, he moved, grabbed her wrist and said a word she didn’t understand. Pain filled her to the point of bursting, and she screamed. “I’m coming for you,” his voice stoked the agony in her body, bringing it to new heights. Screams burst from her like water escaping a damn.
“Eve, it’s okay,” Gideon’s voice called to her and she followed it back to the real world. Finally, she was able to breathe. And breathe.
“He saw me,” she panted, bolting off the love seat and her hand left Micah’s.
The terror spiked and Gabe made a face. Screw him. There was someone out there that was mercilessly hunting her down. He was, strangely enough, the lesser threat.
“Eve, he’s not here,” Sebastian’s words filled her ears and Gideon’s face filled her vision.
“We won’t let him get to you.” Gideon took her shoulders in his hands and from under his voice came a weird cracking sound.
She spun away, everything in slow motion, and stared at the window that was splintering. “You can’t stop him.” Her voice shook as her own power flared in response to the danger, a fraction of a second too late.
#
The thick window exploded inward and instinctively, she fired back, shooting… something at it. Something she couldn’t see as Micah launched himself at her, knocking her to the floor and covering her body with his.
Time suddenly sped forward as thick chunks of glass flew everywhere. She could feel him twitch every time a piece cut him. Then she felt nothing but a wash of liquid heat.
“Find him,” Gideon growled, and she felt more than saw Alex and Sebastian disappear from the room. Gideon was once again in her face, asking if she was alright. Sucking in a breath, all she could smell was the sharp scent of copper.
“I’m fine,” she might have said, but her concern was for Micah. The only thing he did was twitch his fingers on her waist. Why didn’t he look at her? She eased up and looked down at his head resting on her chest. Her wet red chest. “Micah?” Something was wrong. Terribly wrong. All it took was a deep breath, her fingertips in his hair, and his head fell away, revealing the massive gash cutting through most of his neck.
Gabe loomed over her, reaching out to pull him away.
“No!” she screamed, heart breaking. His soft touches, his warm glances, his boyishness. “Don’t touch him!” This time she pulled him up, tears falling on his face, as she held him against her chest. “Stay with me, Micah. Don’t go.” He was a vampire. He could survive this. But he wasn’t as old as Sebastian or Gideon. He still needed to breathe. Breathe through the horrific cut that severed his windpipe.
“Let me take him,” Gabe said, and she glared up at him.
“He’s mine.” She looked back into wide staring forest green eyes. She knew she was being irrational but knowing it and doing something about it were two totally separate things. Gabe reached for him again and she growled at him, flinging out a hand. Her fingertips brushed hand and blue light flared.
She could feel it this time, knew what it was. Oops, the new guy was branded. But this… This was something she needed.
As gently as she could, she laid Micah on the floor. One eyelid fluttered and she had hope. Such a tiny hope, but she stoked it, fed it, brought it to life as she looked up at Gabe. “Take my hand.”
Gabe hesitated, staring at the bright red mark on his palm.
“Give me your fucking hand!” Eve shouted and Gabe looked down at her. Wordlessly, he held it out.
Lunging, she grabbed it and held on tight. With her free hand, she placed it over the horrendous wound in Micah. Her sweet Micah. Closing her eyes, she whispered the words that filled her head. She had no idea what they were, but they felt… right. This was what Naiel did and she had to trust it. The abilities he gave her helped her, now it was time to use them for someone else.
The heat in her palm became unbearable, but still she chanted. He saved her life. She could stand some heat to save his. Gabe tried at one point to pull away, but she wouldn’t let him go. He sank to his knees beside her with a groan and she knew it was draining him, but he could hold on. Just a little longer.
She stared at the jagged skin and could see it healing. Just a little more and she collapsed over him, dropping Gabe’s hand and putting both of hers on Micah’s chest. There was a double heartbeat. Thudthud. A long pause. So long she almost hit him, willing his heart to beat again. Thud. Another one. She could feel the tears flowing from her eyes as his chest rose and his eyes closed.
Hands gripped her shoulders, pulling her away from the him and she fought like an animal, twisting to get away.
“Eve. I have it from here. You can’t help with what he needs now.”
Micah’s eyes opened again and instead of the beautiful green; they were now the color of blood. Blood he needed. Gideon knelt beside the him, blocking her view and while she couldn’t see what he did, she could hear a sound that would always haunt her. A lush sound. Drops of red hit the paleness of Micah’s skin and she knew that that sound was one that would haunt her. Gideon bit himself to feed Micah.
“Come on, princess,” she heard Fallon’s voice behind her, and she spun into his arms. “You don’t need to see this.”
He picked her up and took her away from their world.
#
Fallon cursed his uselessness as he carried Eve into the library. Her soft cries plucked at his already damaged soul as much as her hands plucked at his shirt. He should have been there when evidently all hell broke loose. Although he didn’t know what he could have done to make things better. He only caught the tail end of the destruction.
She hiccupped against him as her sobs quieted.
Was this going to do it, he wondered. Was this going to be the thing that drove her away? Seeing Micah feeding? He wouldn’t be surprised. It was a lot to take in. She may have had an abstract idea of what they were, what they did. But seeing it would be something completely different.
Was that why she was crying?
And how hurt was Micah that he needed to feed then? A lot, going by the amount of blood on her. Again, he should have been there. But no, he was out roaming the woods, beating himself up about the woman who he was now carrying.
He sat on the chaise with her in his lap and while he could have set her beside him, she needed someone, and he was the only one capable then. Capable. That was funny. The crazy one was the one to help the human. Well, not human, but close enough. She turned into his arms, burying her face in his now wet shirt. Against his will, he held her tighter. While she wasn’t crying anymore, he didn’t want to be the first to speak, knowing he would say something stupid or mean or both. He could feel the words already on his tongue.
“He almost died.” Her words were soft, verging on tears again. “He could have died.” Her body shook with the realization of how close he came to giving up his life for her.
“That would explain the feeding thing,” Fallon said and immediately knew he should have remained silent. Her flinch was instant and violent. “Sorry,” he muttered, awkwardly patting her back.
How long had it been since he comforted anyone? Pre-vampire days. A long time. To say he was rusty was a gross understatement.
She shook against him and it took a moment to realize it wasn’t tears. “No, I’m sorry.” She looked up at him for the first time and there was a slight smile on her lips. “It was just a shock to see.” She took a breath and lay her head back on his chest. This time, he ran his hand down her back. That must have been right because her sigh was soft.
“Don’t cry again. I don’t know what to do when you do.”
Her laugh was weak but there. “This. This is what you do when I cry, Fallon. Just hold me.”
That was easy enough. They sat quiet for a few long minutes before he couldn’t take it anymore. “What happened?”
Her smile was rueful when she looked up at him. “I’m surprised. That would have been the first thing I asked and
be damned the consequences.”
“You’re kidding. I’m not that much of an asshole, am I?”
She sat up and brushed his hair back, meeting his eyes. “No, Fallon, you’re not.” She brushed his lips with hers, soft and sweet, before leaning her head back against his chest. “Long story short. I had a nightmare about my accident.”
“No, that wasn’t an accident. That was almost murder. Nothing accidental about it.”
“I stand corrected. Anyway, in my nightmare, I saw the person that did it. Went to tell the others what I knew. Somehow, I slipped into a vision of sorts. I was able to pause the vision and get a better look at him. Well, he found me there, hurt me, then told me he was coming for me. I came to, panicking, because that’s what I do best. While freaking out, the window exploded because of magic.” She took a deep, shaky breath. “Micah pushed me down after I did something with my hands.” Another deep breath. “He protected me from the flying glass, and in return, almost lost his head. I, once again, freaked, marked Gabe with a healing thing,” she waved her hand in the air, “then fixed Micah’s neck. That’s where you came in.”
“When you long story short something, you really mean it.”
Her laugh was more certain this time.
“Micah will be fine, you know.” He stroked her cheek and she nodded. “You saved him as well.”
“Well, I could hardly let him die because he kept me from dying.”
“Yeah, that wouldn’t be fair.”
She laughed again. “Thank you.”
“For what?” he asked, honestly confused.
“For being normal with me right now.” Her arms tightened around his back.
“Baby, I’m far from normal.”
“Well, what you are doing right now is normal for me. I didn’t know you before not normal.”
“Fair enough.” He hesitated on his next question but decided to ask it anyway. If she wanted his normal, she was going to get it. “So, I have a question.”
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