“You are most definitely full of surprises.”
“And what of you, Paige? What do you want to be when you grow up?”
She reached out to shove back a branch overhanging the path, his hand shot out and he pushed it aside for her before she could touch it. “When I was a child I wanted to be an astronaut or a famous painter. I would have loved to have seen the stars, up close.”
“And painted them?” he prodded.
“I would have painted them all,” she said with a wistful smile.
“And as you got older?”
She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans. “I stopped dreaming of silly things.”
He rested his hand on her arm to draw her attention to him. “Why?”
Her hands fidgeted in her pockets, she pulled them out before taking a step away from him. “Because we all have to grow up some time.”
Before he could question her further, she turned away from him and started down the path again. Her shoulders were hunched; her head bowed as she walked away. She stopped at the edge of the path and took a step forward to look over the side of the hill. He remembered the view from earlier, but he still walked over to look down at the lake nestled in the valley below. The sun glimmering off the water lit a pathway across its smooth surface, turning it the color of a sapphire.
“Beautiful,” she murmured.
Sadness radiated from her as she stared at the water below. “It is,” he agreed.
Wrapping her arms around herself, she clasped hold of her elbows to ward off the chill of the breeze drifting through the massive pines. “How did you plan to be a teacher when you don’t age? People would have noticed that, eventually.”
“I’d planned to work at different schools. Move around, a lot. Change a few memories to keep my credentials relevant for another fifty years.”
“You won’t be going back to school now, will you?” she asked.
“No, I think my college days are officially over.”
“How much time did you have left?”
“A little over a month, then I’d planned to get my masters.”
“You could still change some memories and get a job somewhere. I’d think you know enough.”
He wouldn’t deny it hadn’t already crossed his mind. “I think it was always a pipe dream,” he reluctantly admitted. “My time will be better spent keeping my family safe.”
“So you’re going to give up your dream?”
“Yes.”
She turned to look at him. “Would you believe me if I said I’m sorry for that?”
“I would.”
“Good.” Without looking back at him, she began to walk again. “You’re right, you may not age or have the same concern about death us mere mortals do, but you do know loss and your life is as difficult, if not more so, than ours.”
He did a double take at her words. He’d never really expected understanding or sympathy from her. “It’s all what you make of it.”
“True. I never really liked most of the teachers I had over the years.”
“I was going to be one of the likable ones.”
“You definitely would have made the teen girls happy.”
He laughed as he ran a hand through his disordered hair. “I’d planned to work with the younger ones, and did you just compliment me?”
“Maybe, but I think your head is already completely swollen, my words can’t make it any bigger.”
They fell into a companionable silence while they continued down the pathway. He couldn’t stop glancing at her as they moved. What had she gone through, and why did that vampire keep coming for her? He wondered as he watched the sway of her hair against her back and the set of her shoulders.
She’d admitted some things to him last night, but even with a bottle of Scotch in her, she’d remained mum on her history. He’d like to think she’d tell him about it eventually; she was already more relaxed with him, but she shut down the minute he tried to learn anything personal about her. By the time they left here, she’d open up to him; he was determined to make it happen, no matter what he had to do.
After about an hour they turned and made their way back toward the cabin. They took another pathway that led down to the shore of the lake. Arriving at the water, he stepped onto the sandy beach by the water and picked up a flat rock. Throwing his arm back, he skipped the rock across the smooth surface of the water. Beside him, Paige began to search for her own rock before wrapping her hand around one. He watched as her stone skimmed across the lake five times before slipping beneath its depths.
“I haven’t done this since I was a little girl.” She bent to search for another flat stone.
He spotted another stone and threw it across the surface. “My siblings and I used to do this all the time at the lake near our house.”
Her stone kissed the surface of the water, nearly making it to the center of the lake before slipping beneath its murky surface. She laughed in sheer delight, her eyes shone with pleasure as she gave an excited little jump. “Further than yours!” she declared.
“A competition is it?” he inquired before sending his out almost as far as hers.
She laughed again and grabbed hold of his arm. He didn’t think she’d realized what she’d done, but a sizzling sensation shot through his skin, up his arm, and straight down into his groin. His smile froze as he stared at her striking face and stunning eyes. Her mouth parted, a small breath escaped her before she hastily pulled her hands away.
“Sorry,” she murmured.
“Don’t be.” His voice came out gruffer than he’d anticipated, but he could still feel the blood pounding in his dick, still feel the heat of her hand burning into his skin. He’d met thousands of women in his lifetime, but none of them had caused his skin to become electrified in such a way. None of them had made him want to spend more than a couple of hours in their presence, and none of them had made him feel so relaxed and yet so protective.
Before he let her go, he’d find the vampire who was tormenting her, and he’d put an end to him. He kept the sudden realization to himself; he didn’t think telling his plan to murder someone was the best way to work at gaining her trust.
Watching her, he could almost believe there could be something between them, but he knew better. He wasn’t the settling down kind, he didn’t know the meaning of the word monogamy, and she believed him to be a monster.
* * *
The sketch book lay open in her lap, but the pencil hovered above the dragon she’d been bringing to life as Ian tossed another log onto the fire. The flames flickered over his golden hair and danced across his tanned skin. Skin far darker than the other pale and pasty vampire she’d encountered, but then he’d already proven himself to be far different than her monstrous father. Every instinct she had told her she shouldn’t trust a vampire, but she was finding it increasingly difficult to keep her guard up around him. Every passing hour he showed her that what she’d been so certain of with his kind wasn’t entirely true with his gentle ways, patience, and death defying daylight walking.
She recalled how taut and supple his skin had been beneath her hand. Vividly remembered the powerful flex of his muscles. Mostly, she could still feel the pleasure the touch of him had given her. Her belly clenched at the memory and her mouth watered. What she wouldn’t give to touch him again.
Shaking her head, she forced herself to look at the sketchpad again. “What are you drawing?” he asked and gestured at her pad.
“Just the images in my mind. I’m a little rusty,” she admitted when he stepped closer to peer down at her drawing.
“Looks pretty damn good to me. Far better than I could do.”
A flush of pleasure stained her cheeks. “Thank you,” she murmured.
“Feel like another drink?”
She gave a small laugh and shook her head. “No, I’ve had enough for this month.”
“Some more cards?”
She closed the sketchbook. “That sounds like fun.”
He grabbed the deck from the stand beside the couch. The cushions sank beneath his weight when he settled beside her. She watched as he shuffled the cards before dealing them; she collected her hand. They didn’t speak much as they placed their cards onto the wagon wheel coffee table, but just being in his company was enjoyable. She took the first round of five hundred rummy, but he took the next.
It was nearly one o’clock when she tossed in the last of her cards and took the final round. He leaned back on the couch, stretched his legs out, and folded his hands behind his head. Her eyelids drooped, she yawned every other minute, but she found herself reluctant to leave him in order to go to bed. The warmth of the fire and the heat of his body created a cozy environment.
She couldn’t sit here all night, she decided. Rising to her feet, she stretched as she released another yawn. He rose beside her and gathered up the cards. She went to step around him, but her arm brushed up against his massive chest. Tingles erupted through her, goose bumps broke out over her arms as her heart gave a strange stutter in her chest. Her mouth went dry; she tilted her head back to take in his striking features.
Her breath froze in her lungs when she found his sky colored eyes focused on her mouth. Without thinking, her tongue flitted nervously out to lick her lips. His eyes rose to hers; they burned with a hunger she knew had nothing to do with her blood. The moment stretched onward, a part of her wished he would grab her, kiss her, and put them both out of their misery. The sane part told her to run and never look back.
A log in the fire cracked, sparks shot up through the chimney as the flames burned higher. She should go to her room and curl up on the bed. She should leave him here, he was her enemy; she’d been fighting against his kind for the past four years. Even as she told herself all of this, she found herself unable to step away from him.
Taking hold of one of her curls, Ian twirled it loosely around his finger. The increased beat of her heart sounded in his ears; her natural scent increased as her desire for him grew. “So soft,” he whispered and tugged lightly on her hair.
Was there any oxygen left in the air, or had she simply forgotten how to breathe? Paige wondered as she found herself fixated on his mouth. The index finger on his other hand stroked her cheek. Her knees almost buckled, but somehow they managed to keep her upright. His hand slid around to the back of her head; he cradled her as he pulled her forward a step.
Run. Stay. Run. Stay. The words bashed around her head more rapidly than a pinball in the machine.
She tried to get her hands up in order to push him away; she found her fingers curling into his shirt instead. Her hands dug into the hard flesh beneath her palm. His head bent toward hers; his lips were mere inches away. He was giving her time to tell him no, but all she could think about was what those lips would feel like? She craved to know the answer to that question more than she craved her next breath.
Ian didn’t breathe, his eyes remained locked on hers while his lips hovered over her full mouth. Never in his life had he longed to taste a woman as much as this one. Pulling her a step closer, his mouth was almost on hers when she spoke, “No,” it was a bare whisper.
To her amazement, he released her instantly and stepped away. Disappointment crashed through her, her entire body trembled as mixed emotions swirled through her rapidly. Inexplicable tears of disappointment and frustration burned her eyes. She hadn’t cried in years, she sure wasn’t going to cry now just because she hadn’t taken the opportunity to kiss him.
He’s the enemy, she reminded herself. But the reminder wasn’t enough, she couldn’t get herself to let go of his shirt. Then, finally, her fingers uncurled and she took a step away from him.
Ian forced himself to let her go. All he wanted was to grab hold of her and drag her up against his chest, strip her of her clothes, and savor every inch of her lithe body. The only woman who could make him lose his mind was also the only woman who wanted nothing to do with him.
“Good night, Ian,” she murmured.
She felt his gaze burning into her back when she hurried from the room. Her hands shook by the time she darted into the bedroom and closed the door. Leaning against the door, she took a deep breath to calm her shaking legs and racing heart as she stared at the window across from her.
She had to get out of here. She couldn’t stay. It would drive her crazy if she did. He would drive her crazy if she did. She may actually end up sleeping with the enemy. It was a notion she would have found ridiculous just a week ago, but that had been before she’d met the golden playboy in the other room. She refused to lose anymore of herself to a vampire, even if he did buy her sketchpads, ooze sex, and make her feel like she was the only woman on earth.
Chapter Eleven
Paige carefully slid the window open, wincing when it made a small squeak. Holding her breath, she stared at the door, but she didn’t think the sound had traveled beyond this room. Placing her hands on the sill, she boosted herself onto the sill and slipped outside. The cool air caressed her skin as she tried to figure out which way to go. Tried to figure out why exactly she was doing this. Then she recalled his mouth inches away from hers, the heat of his body, the firmness of his flesh, her intense need for him, and she ran.
She slipped around the back of the cabin and into the tree line. Branches slapped at her hands and face, but she continued heedlessly onward as she ran parallel to the driveway. She certainly couldn’t cover forty miles in five minutes, but she’d spent the past four years working her body into peak physical condition. She could run an eight-minute mile and maintain it for at least five miles.
She stumbled over a log and nearly went down. She managed to snag hold of a branch and catch herself before she sprawled onto the forest floor. Reducing her rapid pace, she eased her way out to the driveway. Out in the open wasn’t where she wanted to be, but it was better than breaking an ankle, or her neck, by continuing to run crazily through the trees. She glanced over her shoulder, but all she saw were the shadows of the trees blowing in the breeze. She didn’t get the sense he was following her. She didn’t know how much time she’d have until he realized she’d left, but she doubted it would be much.
The nearly full moon lit the driveway far better than it had the woods; she still found herself stumbling over ruts and nearly falling on her face while she ran. Her rapid pants caused plumes of air to trail behind her. Her heart raced in her chest, her legs burned, as the thumping echo of her feet sounded over the uneven earth.
Where she was going was something she didn’t stop to contemplate, she simply knew she had to escape. She had to get away from him and the frightening feelings he aroused in her. She couldn’t be fraternizing with her enemy, and she definitely couldn’t start making out with him. She wheezed for air as she pushed herself to keep going, to keep running and never look back.
She almost stumbled over the pavement when she finally made it to the road. She managed to keep her balance and came to an abrupt halt, her chest heaving. She strained to catch her breath as she looked up and down the deserted road. The moonlight caused the surface of the asphalt to shimmer, but there was no other light to illuminate her way.
Her mind spun as she tried to figure out which direction to go, but it was a toss of the coin, and she didn’t have one of those right now. In the end, she settled for running down the mountain instead of up it. Turning, she put her head down and continued to pump her legs as she raced over the pavement. She’d never be able to run all the way, but she had to put as much distance between herself and the cabin as possible before exhaustion took over.
After a few miles, she slowed and moved to the side of the road when a cramp in her side became too much for her to take. Inhaling hitching breaths, she pressed her hand against her side to ease the stitch there. She forced herself to walk onward while she rubbed at the cramp. She wiped the sweat away from her forehead with the back of her arm and pushed aside the straggling curls stuck to her cheeks.
What have I done? She didn’t think
she’d ever know the answer to that question, but despite the growing urge to turn around and go back, to undo what she’d done and see him again, she kept moving forward. Maybe he wasn’t the enemy she’d expected, the enemy she’d grown to hate over the past four years, but he was the enemy.
She glanced over her shoulder, but the shadows of the trees dancing across the ribbon of roadway were still the only thing behind her. An unexpected lump formed in her throat, she forced herself to keep walking. She couldn’t consider herself much of a vampire killer, if she allowed herself to be swayed by a pair of sky colored eyes and a body that would make Adonis jealous.
Rubbing at her head, she took another deep breath before breaking into a brisk jog. No matter how badly she lusted for him, she’d spent the past four years working toward one goal, and she couldn’t turn her back on it now. The cool air helped to dry the sweat on her body, but she would have given anything for some water. She tried not to think of her thirst as she continued forward.
* * *
Paige rested her head against the cool window and watched the trees pass by in a blur. She’d spent the early morning hours within the woods, sleeping with her back against a tree and praying a bear didn’t come across her. Fortunately, nothing had decided to make a happy meal out of her during the fading hours of the night.
She’d re-emerged from the woods when the sun broke over the top of the mountains and continued on. A couple hours later, the middle-aged man sitting in the driver’s seat beside her, had pulled his car up beside her to ask if she needed a ride. She’d hesitated, wary of everyone right now, but the idea of getting off her feet had been too tempting to resist. Besides, he’d looked harmless enough with his twinkling green eyes, easy smile, and graying hair. Looks could be deceiving, but she was convinced she could take him if he tried anything funny.
The wheels of the car against the pavement began to slow before the man pulled into the parking lot of a silver, boxcar diner. Her eyes traveled over the small cluster of buildings surrounding the diner, but the restaurant looked to be the only place open at this early hour.
The Vampire Awakenings Bundle: Books 1-5 Page 95