She was home.
I trust you, Malcolm.
He took her face in his hands and tenderly kissed the corners of her mouth. She knew that giving him her trust was the last step before she could give him her heart. She covered his hands with hers and leaned her forehead against his.
“Just don’t lie to me. Okay?” Her voice was weary. “Apparently, my very existence has been based on half-truths. I don’t know how many more surprises I can take.”
“Of course.” He kept his eyes closed and prayed he’d be able to keep that promise.
Sam placed a kiss on Malcolm’s forehead and stood up. His hands fell away from her with reluctance.
“Where are you going?”
She could feel his eyes on her as she moved to the doorway.
“Inside to take a shower, and then I’m going to speak with Nonie.” Sam raised a hand to silence him. “Look. I know you’re part of some secret race and everything, but…”
“We,” he corrected.
“Okay, fine,” she said, exasperated. “We’re part of some secret race, but Nonie is my family. She’s my only family. I have to find out what she knows. And if she doesn’t know, then I have to tell her.”
“I really don’t think that’s wise, Samantha.”
“Shit, you’re bossy,” she mumbled under her breath. She turned to confront him, and the small smirk on his face let her know he’d heard that remark. He cocked one eyebrow.
“Well, Malcolm,” she said defiantly. “This really isn’t up to you.” She turned and walked out the studio door without giving him a chance to respond. As she stepped outside, she was shocked to have Malcolm materialize before her out of thin air.
“What are you doing?” She quickly looked to see if anyone else was around. “What if Nonie saw you do that? Or Kerry?” She grabbed his hand and pulled him back into the studio. “You forgot to mention this little gift to me.”
“It’s our preferred method of traveling. Right now, Samantha, you are my primary concern,” he said with that same irritating calm. “And I don’t think that now is the time to be telling your grandmother anything.”
“Really, well I do.” She crossed her arms.
“Samantha. Are you going to fight me on everything?” He sighed. “Please. Just wait until you’ve gone through your first shift and learned to control it. Nonie may need some convincing, and if you can’t show her and let her see with her own eyes…”
“She’ll haul me off to the loony bin.” Frustrated, Sam went to the portrait of her parents on the windowsill. She picked it up and touched the images, their faces frozen in time behind the cool glass. “I have his eyes,” she said in an almost inaudible voice.
Malcolm wrapped his strong arms around her waist. He pulled her close, and she noted how hard his entire body felt. Her mind flashed back to that dream she’d had the night before she came home. There was no doubt that Malcolm had been the man who had been calling her all these years. She was home. She had never felt delicate before, but in his arms, she felt positively tiny.
Oddly enough, she also felt safe.
She placed her hand over his as he spoke softly in her ear.
“Yes you do, and he gave you so much more. Come to my home this evening, and I will show you how to enter our world. It is a world that you have only dreamed of.”
Sam placed the frame back on the windowsill and turned to him. She took his hands in hers and looked up into his incredibly handsome face. She knew deep down in her knotted up belly that she was falling in love with him. Staring into his shifted, glowing eyes, she knew she’d be linked to him and his foreign world forever.
Chapter 14
He’d watched the Logan woman running down the beach this morning. He was able to keep her in his sights almost the entire duration of her jog. His partner had informed him late last night that it was nearly time to finish them. Tony knew why he wanted to kill them both, but he was definitely stumped by his partner’s reasons. When Tony was approached a few months ago, he’d been more than a little surprised and definitely skeptical. He got over that quickly and figured whatever the reason was it worked in his favor. He shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.
He couldn’t track her the whole time because the creature was flying overhead. He was watching her too. Tony knew the creature would sense him, but he’d been able to block him enough to hide his position. That damn thing flying around meant he had to stay in the shadows. He’d been spotted at the restaurant, and he couldn’t risk being seen again. It would spoil everything. He wasn’t afraid of it. Oh no. He couldn’t wait to stand in front of it, look it in the eye, and drive a bullet through its black heart. In fact, he came up with a hundred different ways to kill it. He spent hours trying to formulate the most torturous ways to do it, but it had to be at the right time. He also had to be sure there were no other creatures around. Taking down one was hard enough, the last thing he needed was a swarm of them.
Tony sat in his room for hours, cleaning the various weapons in his arsenal. He had them all carefully laid out on his bed. He had a twelve-gauge shotgun, a long-range rifle with a sight scope, and two twelve-inch serrated daggers. His personal favorite was an enormous black crossbow with stainless steel arrows. It was perfect for puncturing the wings of the creature. He picked up the bow and carefully inspected every angle. He checked the sights to be sure the alignment was as it should be.
This was a graceful weapon. Exactly the kind of weapon one of God’s chosen would wield. Tony knew that’s what he was. He was a chosen one. He was sent to save the earth and save the humans from annihilation. He knew that one arrow in the wing wouldn’t kill it, but would render it flightless. Best thing of all, it would make it suffer. A smile spread across his face at the very thought of it.
He rubbed the polishing cloth along the cold steel of the arrows. He loved the way that they glinted in the sunlight from his window. Satisfied with that, he moved on to the black-handled daggers. He meticulously rubbed the steel to a mirror finish. Tony worked on the blade, slowly at first. However, the more he thought about killing the creature, the more furiously he polished. Soon beads of sweat formed on his brow, which was knitted in fierce concentration. After several minutes, he admired his handiwork and saw his own reflection.
“The end is almost here.” He spit on the knife and feverishly rubbed it with the cloth, striving for perfection.
Chapter 15
Samantha finally agreed to hold off speaking with Nonie. She also consented to see him at his home later that evening. He’d promised a wonderful meal and a lesson in shapeshifting. In exchange, he’d leave her alone for the rest of the day so she could work on her painting for Nonie. After the past twenty-four hours, all Sam wanted to do was immerse herself in something normal and tangible. Nothing kept her more rooted in reality than her art. She felt like her entire life was spinning out of her control, and that frightened her more than anything. The watercolor of The Bluffs kept her anchored; without it she might go spiraling into the void.
Sam spent the rest of the day in her studio, not even coming out for lunch. The music was set at a deafening level. It drowned out everything, except her thoughts. She had finished sketching the portrait earlier and had moved on to the actual watercolors. As she added various colors with her brush, she would lean back periodically to view her progress—the comfortable worn gray of each shingle, windows like eyes that gave the impression of smiling out from the canvas.
The dewy sea grass in varied hues of greens and browns wrapped up the little house in a hug from Mother Earth. The azure sea came into sight just behind the modest Cape, all of it capped with a cloudless blue sky. Sam stepped back to look at her nearly finished work. Her smile faded. The dark ocean behind the house held a sense of foreboding. It was as though a cold, sticky hand went right up the back of her spine. Sam jumped and brushed at her neck. It felt like she’d walked through cobwebs. “Ecch. Enough.” She started to clean up. “I need a shower and a very strong
drink.”
***
Malcolm left Samantha to the privacy of her studio and went home to see his waiting guests. He was comfortable leaving Sam to work because he could still feel her. If she ran into trouble, he would know and could be by her side in a blink. He knew his friends were going to give him a hard time and braced for it before he even got inside. The moment he walked through the door of the deck, he heard the smattering of applause and the occasional bravo coming from Dante and Steven. Both men were seated in the living room on the sofa barely trying to hide the smiles on their faces.
Apparently, they saw how upset Samantha was with him and found it amusing. William, however, was seated stone still in the far corner of the room. He did not look pleased. All three men, in true Amoveo tradition, were tall and well built. Each of them possessed the typical large Amoveo eyes. Dante and Steven were dressed comfortably in jeans and polo shirts. William, however, was as buttoned up as always. He wore a dark suit, crisp white shirt, and blood red tie. His shoes shone with a mirror-like finish, and Malcolm could see his reflection in them from where he stood. His long white hair, streaked with brown, was slicked back and tied tightly at his nape. Those sharp dark eyes sliced through the room and didn’t move from Malcolm’s face.
“I don’t think there is anything to joke about,” William said in a cold, steely voice. He sat motionless in the large upholstered chair.
“I have to agree with you, William.” Malcolm shot a reprimanding look to his cousin, Dante, and his friend, Steven.
“Sorry.” Steven held up his hands in defeat. “It’s just that our boy, Malcolm here, has always had a reputation for being able to handle the ladies, and it seems this one has him all twisted up.” A big grin cracked his face, and he ran a hand through his long sandy blond hair.
“My apologies, Cousin,” said Dante. “But you have to admit it. You don’t know if you’re coming or going.” He chuckled. Looking at Malcolm’s unsmiling face, his amber eyes grew serious. He cleared his throat as he stood. “We are here to help you, Cousin, and we offer ourselves in protection of you and your mate.” He gave a small bow before he seated himself again next to Steven.
“Thank you, Dante. Thank you all for coming.” He nodded. “I take it that the Council filled you in about what we’re up against?” Malcolm seated himself in the chair next to the fireplace.
“Sounds like the usual.” Steven grabbed a handful of peanuts from the crystal dish on the coffee table in front of him. “A Caedo hunter wants to bump off a couple of our own. We’re here to stop him and hopefully get rid of him in the process.”
“There is nothing usual or normal about this situation, gentlemen. Malcolm’s pairing with Samantha is unorthodox to say the least, and it has caused ripples of uneasiness through our race,” William responded coldly.
“Uneasiness in our race? I don’t understand,” Dante said with confusion, gesturing to the three of them. “None of us have connected with our mates yet, and this could be the answer to our very survival. Think about it. It’s more than likely that our mates are more highly evolved humans like Sam’s mother,” Dante said with more passion than expected.
William, however, seemed unfazed by Dante’s response and continued. “Samantha’s existence and now her pairing with Malcolm has reignited the Caedo’s mission,” William said with steely reserve. “None of us have been hunted by them since Samantha’s parents were lost almost thirty years ago. Now that the peace has been disrupted…” He paused as though he was searching for the perfect words. “Well, it’s unsettling for all of our people.” William reached down to rub a miniscule scuff mark from his inky black shoes.
“I hadn’t seen that side of it,” Malcolm said with some embarrassment.
“Well, with a spitfire like that, I can see how you might be distracted.” Steven nodded toward Sam’s house.
“How much more time will you need before the mating ceremony can be performed? Once the two of you are officially mated, your strength will be greater than you’ve ever known,” Dante said with a brooding look.
Malcolm was somewhat taken back by Dante’s reaction. He watched him carefully. Dante seemed restless. He rose from the couch and looked out over the ocean.
“My hope is that after tonight, we will be able to perform the ceremony within a day or two. I know Richard has said he will come on a moment’s notice to officiate the public ceremony.”
“Very well.” William rose from his chair and straightened his jacket. He glanced to the painting above the fireplace and stilled. “That is hers.” He said it as a statement—not a question.
Malcolm smiled and rose from his chair. “Yes. I purchased all of her paintings from that gallery in the city.” He crossed over and adjusted the portrait slightly by the corner of the gilded frame. “I thought that it would make her feel more at ease to have her work here in my home.” His smile faded when he saw the stoic look on William’s face. Malcolm frowned slightly. “Is there a problem?”
William didn’t answer but kept his gaze fixed on the picture.
“William, I asked you a question,” he said in a low menacing tone.
William’s dark eyes flicked back to Malcolm. “Not for me.”
Steven and Dante exchanged a confused look over this unexpected confrontation. Both men moved cautiously toward them as the tension in the room increased by the second.
“What exactly does that mean?”
William sighed and brushed a piece of lint from his lapel. “I don’t envy your position. The last time a mixed couple was openly mated it didn’t end very well. Did it?”
Malcolm’s eyes shifted harshly and every fiber of his body tensed. “Is that a threat?”
“No,” he said with his eyes firmly locked on Malcolm’s. “It’s a fact. You are my friend, and I am concerned for your well-being. I would hate to see you and Samantha meet the same fate as her parents.” William rolled his eyes and let out a sound of exasperation. “Your mate is right. You are a bit overbearing.” He glanced at Dante and Steven. “She referred to him as bossy, didn’t she?” His voice lilted in a teasing tone.
Malcolm cracked a small smile and chuckled softly. Dante and Steven joined in, and the tension eased slowly from the room. William was nothing if not direct. Malcolm shook his head and ran his hand through his hair. He felt foolish for getting so defensive and overprotective. Damn, this woman may be the death of him…or his dignity. He was ready to beat the crap out of anyone who even implied anything negative about her.
“Samantha will be here with me this evening, and I would be eternally grateful if you men would watch the perimeter of my home so we can be together undisturbed. Samantha has much to learn and very little time to learn it.”
Malcolm stood and made eye contact with each of the men in his presence. He extended his right arm out, his palm facing down. All three of them approached and formed a circle. Each man placed his right hand into the center. They grasped hands, their eyes shifted, and they uttered the ancient language, “Iunctus.” Each proclaimed their unity against the enemy, willing to lay down their lives to ensure the future of their race.
***
At the end of the day, Samantha indulged in a nice long bubble bath. She broke out all the stops, including candles and music. She needed any opportunity to clear her head before the evening ahead of her with Malcolm. After her bath, she took her time getting ready. Just as she turned off the hair dryer, she heard a knock at the door.
Nonie came in and sat silently on the bed. She smoothed out the white covers nervously. “Where are you headed all dressed up?” Nonie gave a sidelong look at Samantha.
“I’m wearing a cotton sundress. That’s hardly gussied up, Nonie.” Sam avoided the question.
“Come on now. You know what I mean.” She stared directly at her, her hands folded in her lap. “You’re going out with Malcolm again.” She stated it as a fact, not a question.
Sam leaned against the weathered oak dresser, fiddling with the hairbrush
in her hands. She wanted to tell Nonie what had been going on, but knew that it wasn’t the time. Not yet. “Yes.” Sam looked at her hands. “Is there a problem or some reason I shouldn’t be with him?” She looked back up at Nonie, searching her eyes for answers.
Nonie simply smiled as she stood and crossed over to Samantha. “Well now. The only person who knows whether or not you should be with him…is you.” She touched Sam’s necklace. “I see your necklace was returned to you.”
Sam smiled and took the small cross between her fingers and ran it back and forth along the chain. “Yes. Just like you said it would be.” Sam paused for a moment. “Malcolm found it and brought it to me.”
“Mmm hmm.” Nonie gently patted Sam on the shoulder and moved to the window.
She could tell that something was on Nonie’s mind, but knew she wasn’t in the mood for sharing it. “Nonie, how well did you know my father?” Sam saw her stiffen. She stood there silently, her hands gently splayed on the windowsill. They were interrupted by the shrill ringing of the telephone.
“I’ll get it,” Nonie said.
“Hello? Hi, Millie. What? Oh, sure I can. It’s no trouble at all. Fine, fine, see you later.” Nonie hung up and headed out of the room. “I’ve got to go dear. We’ve got another game tonight, and Millie said she wants to have it here. I have a feeling she’s going a little stir crazy with Billy’s family staying at the house.”
“I know. She was down at the beach this morning with Billy and the baby. The sun was hardly even up yet, and they looked like they’d been there awhile.” Sam smiled. She gave her hair a few last strokes. “Do you want me to help you get things ready?”
“No, no. Thank you, dear, but I’ll give Davis a ring and have him come over and help me.” She stopped at the doorway and turned back to Sam. “Samantha…”
“Yes Nonie?”
“Nothing, dear.” She smiled and waved.
Unleashed Page 17