Reclaimed

by Diane Alberts

  He concentrated on calming his fury, and attempted to steer away the mental images of Elijah sinking his teeth into her neck. Although vampires liked the sensitive spot on the inside of the thigh, too. Elijah would probably much prefer that spot over a measly neck bite.

  No, those types of thoughts wouldn’t calm him down.

  Get a grip, man.

  When Isaac finally felt calm enough to confront Sabrina, he raised his head and glowered. Elijah still stood by Sabrina, but had wisely removed his hands from her. If he even so much as touched her right now, Isaac would lose the small bit of control he had. “And what, my love, would you accomplish if you got your way? Have you changed your mind, and would like to live with Elijah instead?” he bit out. He ground his teeth together in an attempt to stay calm.

  Sabrina ran to his side, halting Elijah’s panicked attempt to stop her with a glare of her own, and crouched down beside him. “No, Isaac. I love you. I thought maybe if I weren’t so weak—”

  He laughed somewhat hysterically at her line of thought. Shaking his head in bemusement, he sneered, “You thought you would become a big, strong vampire and defeat Louisa, and we could live happily ever after?”

  Sabrina blushed, but scowled at his condescending tone. “Yes, but God knows why I would want to be with an asshole like you.” They glared at each other, neither backing down from their icy stance.

  “Do you realize if he bites you, you would always be a part of him? That you’d have loyalty and attachments such as you’ve never known? Even Elijah feels drawn to Louisa, and he despises her.”

  She looked to Elijah for confirmation, and he nodded his assent.

  “Oh well, if it helps us all out of this mess, so be it. I’m strong enough to resist,” she insisted.

  “Even if that were true, it would take at least a week until you were able to fight Louisa. Until then, you’d be lying in bed, wracked with pain. Useless. You don’t become an invincible immortal right away.”

  “It’s true,” Elijah added softly from behind them. “It’s not something you should wish for, Sabrina. It is no way for anyone to live. You’d be better off dead, just as I should be.”

  She gasped and glared at him. “Knock it off, Elijah. You may not be a mortal, but you’re no monster.”

  Elijah scoffed at her words and looked away from her probing eyes.

  “Sabrina, you’re forgetting one fact,” Isaac interrupted. She swung her gaze back to Isaac and arched an eyebrow. Isaac continued, “If you become a vampire, we couldn’t be together. I’d be your enemy. We’d be apart forever, or damned and hunted down if I went to you. It’s no way to live.”

  “You’ll be damned and hunted down for pairing with Elijah as well, which doesn’t bother you. So why not be damned and be rid of Louisa’s threat in the process? I wouldn’t be a weak human, and we could be together forever.”

  Isaac let his breath escape in a hiss. “No. Absolutely not.”

  Sabrina crossed her arms and turned her attention back to Elijah. “If you won’t do it, Elijah, I’ll find some other way to make it happen. I won’t sit by and let Louisa hunt me down and kill me. I will fight.”

  “You will not!” Isaac yelled.

  Elijah interrupted once more, insisting. “Isaac, you need to get her inside. I know Louisa is nearby, and we don’t want to risk tempting her any longer. Go argue in the house, where I don’t have to listen.”

  Isaac nodded his head and grabbed Sabrina’s arm.

  She pulled back and drawled, “Yes, let’s hide the poor human girl. We wouldn’t want her to stub her toe.”

  Elijah hid his smile, feigning a cough, while Isaac growled.

  “Knock it off, Sabrina.”

  She glared at him and spun to Elijah. “Elijah, please….” His eyes softened, and Isaac picked her up in his arms.

  “Don’t even think about it, or I’ll kill you right here and now.”

  “Do you promise?” Elijah taunted.

  “Absolutely.”

  He turned his back on Elijah, and ran home.

  ***

  They were back at her house in seconds, and she opened her eyes to see him glowering at her.

  “This is unacceptable.”

  “No, my becoming a vampire isn’t unacceptable. Me staying a human, however, is,” she insisted.

  He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. She knew he was frustrated, but no longer furious, since no storm brewed outside. He clutched her to his chest and kissed the top of her head as he sighed.

  “Sabrina, I’ll keep you safe. I promise you, if it’s the last thing I do, I’ll kill Louisa.”

  She whispered, “I can’t accept the risk. I won’t allow it to be the last thing you do.”

  “You becoming my enemy will solve nothing. It’ll just serve to keep us apart. If you are a vampire, and I follow the rules I, myself, enforce, I can never see you again. If I go with you, knowing you are my enemy, I sign both of our death warrants. A leader can’t just do as he pleases and expect his followers to stay in line. The chances of them discovering anything about me and Elijah are a lot lower than them finding out I’m in love with our enemy. You might as well kill me now, and save me the pain.”

  “We can still be together. It will have to be in secret. But still, it’s possible. We could find a way.”

  “Stealing away at midnight for a romp in the forest? Not my style, thank you,” he said sarcastically.

  She rolled her eyes, and replied, “So you’d rather screw a seventy-year-old woman?”

  He looked at her in confusion. “What in the world are you talking about?”

  “I’m going to get older. You’ll always be twenty-seven.”

  Laughter filled his eyes, and she knew she had lost the battle. “I’m sure you’ll be a delicious old lady.”

  She growled. He nibbled her ear and laughed harder. “I won’t allow you to become my enemy because you’re afraid of a few wrinkles. There’s always Botox,” he joked.

  “I’m going to die sometime. You realize that, right? If I remain human, eventually you’ll have to hold my hand as I die. It’s inevitable. It might be in a few days’ time when Louisa gets her hands on me, or it might be in fifty years. But regardless of when it happens, it will.”

  Pain flashed over his eyes as he contemplated her words. It became obvious to her he’d never thought of this unavoidable fact.

  “Yes, of course. And there’s nothing I can do but make sure you live a full mortal life. I can do no more,” he maintained.

  She glared at him and bit her lip. He looked into her eyes and pulled her into his arms again.

  “This will pass soon, and Louisa will be gone. Now isn’t the time to be making rash decisions.”

  “Now is the perfect time to make decisions,” she insisted.

  They both knew they wouldn’t agree on this issue. He would keep her safe, and human, at all costs. She remained determined to keep him alive at all costs. They shared a common goal, yet had different plans on how to achieve victory.

  They were on opposite sides of the river, and neither would step foot onto a boat to cross to the other side.

  There was nothing more to say.

  ***

  “Hello,” she murmured.

  He smiled at her, his eyes both cynical and self-depreciating in the purple-strewn darkness. “I had to speak to you. I have to explain our conversation in your house. I haven’t had a chance to tell you why I killed Amelia.”

  Sabrina tensed, and stared at him in confusion. “You didn’t kill her. Louisa did.”

  Elijah looked away before turning back and holding his hand out to her. She put her hand into his, and they wandered to a fallen oak tree to sit.

  “I don’t understand, Elijah. I saw Louisa stab Amelia with your dagger.”

  “No, you saw Amelia with my dagger sticking out of her chest. My dagger I kept by my side, always.”

  “Of course it would be by your side, how else would she get it?” When he st
ared into her eyes, she comprehended the meaning behind his confession. “Oh.”

  “I killed her. I took her life—”

  “You did it out of love, Elijah. You have no idea how much pain she felt.” Sabrina shuddered. “She’d have thanked you if she could. I promise.”

  He stared at her and swallowed heavily. “How I wish I could believe you. It haunts me, the look on her face as she stopped breathing.” He put his head on his knees and moaned.

  Her heart twisted at his words, and she put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I got put inside her head. She loved you even after the stabbing. The last thing she thought of, the last thing she saw, was you.”

  He studied her intently and nodded, wonder in his eyes. “I think I believe you.”

  “You should, it’s the truth.”

  “I love you more than he ever will,” Elijah stated.

  She rolled her eyes at his brazenness and jumped to her feet, ready to go home. “Be free of needless guilt, Elijah. I know why you did what you did, and I approve. Were I her, I would demand the same. You remember that.”

  He shook his head. “I’ll not take your life again.”

  “Even if I want you to?”

  “Even then.”

  She sighed and knelt in front of him.

  “Elijah, you did the right thing. Please don’t feel bad anymore.”

  “I do feel a little better, and I’m glad you understand. If only….”

  She put her finger on his lips to silence him. “Don’t, please. I have to go. I don’t want to worry Isaac.”

  Anger passed over his face, and his fists tightened by his side, but he stayed seated. She knew it couldn’t be easy for him.

  She looked at him one last time before walking away. She knew he followed to ensure her safety, but he kept himself hidden in the shadows.

  ***

  Sabrina awoke at the bottom of her steps inside her house. Isaac gripped her arm tightly and glared at her. She gasped in confusion and stared at him in question.

  “What are you doing?” Isaac demanded.

  “I-I don’t know. I d-d-don’t even know why I’m down here,” she babbled. “Why am I down here? What happened?”

  He glared and pointed at the door. She looked at it and turned to him in question.

  “Look next to the door, Sabrina,” he spat.

  She followed his directions and saw her shoes sitting there, coated in wet grass and mud. “Oh my God,” she muttered. A glance at her feet showed traces of grass and moisture as well. Her legs weakened and her heart raced. It brought to mind the dream she’d had where she woke up and found her feet muddy, and her bed covered in dirt.

  She’d never sleepwalked before in her life. Why would she start now, of all times? Had the dream happened, or had she imagined it while sleepwalking?

  “I don’t understand,” she whispered.

  “Where did you go, and who came there?”

  She told him of her dream, and he glowered at her another moment before he melted and pulled her into his arms. He breathed in her scent and moaned. “You scared the shit out of me when I woke up and you were missing. I ran downstairs, only to find you walking inside and removing your shoes. I didn’t even realize you were asleep at first.”

  “I’m sorry. I’ve never done this before, I swear. I don’t know what happened.” She wrung her hands, mutilating her pajamas in the process.

  “Actually, you have. Once before.” He shifted on his feet, not meeting her eyes.

  She cocked her head and studied him before his meaning suddenly dawned on her. “That night wasn’t a dream? When I woke up with sticks in my hair?”

  “You fainted. I made sure you stayed unconscious, cleaned up your sheets, and washed your hair. I cleaned you and tucked you back in. I didn’t want you to be scared.” He shrugged and grinned ruefully.

  She drew in a breath and stared at him in horror and surprise. “You stripped me naked and washed me?”

  Isaac grinned. “My eyes were closed the whole time.”

  “Really?”

  “Absolutely not,” he chirped. His lips quirked as if holding back laughter. She tried to resist the laughter trying to burst out and failed. He lost his own silent battle and joined in.

  “Pervert,” she quipped.

  “You wouldn’t have it any other way.” Isaac smiled at her, and the smile dissipated. “We need to be more careful, though. There are dangerous things out there, and you need to stay inside. We need to keep you safe.”

  “Me and my frail humanness?”

  “Is humanness a word?”

  Sabrina cocked her head and glowered at him. “Does it matter?”

  He grinned, sweeping her into his arms. “No, I guess not.”

  Isaac carried her upstairs, and she pulled his face down to hers for a kiss. Isaac swept in a breath at the desire clenching him, and he deepened the kiss. He grew hard, his cock seeking the warmth only Sabrina could give him.

  He set her on her feet and removed her shirt over her head. Watching her delicious body appear inch by inch proved to be more torturous than anything else in the world. Her nipples hardened in the cool air, and they taunted him to take them into his mouth and plunge inside her. But he forced himself to continue his slow seduction, pulling her pants down using soft caresses on her legs, before allowing his hands to roam back up to her inner thighs.

  Her legs quivered, and she let out a small breathy sound as he grew harder yet. What she did to his body equaled pure insanity; surely he’d die from the pleasure one of these days—immortal or not.

  She clutched his shoulders with unsteady fingers as his hands caressed her inner thigh and moved inward to her moist heat. He laid her on the bed, and he couldn’t miss her sigh of relief as he rose over her.

  But he hadn’t finished yet. She’d have to wait for him to enter her. Whether she liked it or not.

  Ignoring the primal instinct to thrust himself inside her, he instead took her nipple into his mouth, like he’d been longing to do since he’d bared them. His other hand caressed her clitoris, causing her to squirm in delight.

  Jesus, she was wet and ready for him.

  It tortured him to feel her heat beckoning him and, moaning her name, he plunged a finger inside. Her hips rose off the bed as she arched her back and whimpered his name. Her small sounds of pleasure urged him on, and he kissed a hot path to her stomach and down her left leg. From there, he traveled to her inner thigh as he caressed her sensitive nub with his thumb. Her body jerked off the bed, and he pressed her back down. He closed his lips around her clitoris to savor the sweetness of the intimate spot.

  Jesus, she tasted like summer and sunshine. She moved against his mouth urgently, her hands gripping his hair. He deepened his caresses against her sensitive bud and felt her whole body tense as she neared her climax. His senses heightened from knowing he had mere seconds until he could thrust inside her body. She let out a cry, and her whole body froze. He tore his lips from her intoxicating taste, and thrust inside her. Her muscles squeezed him as she climaxed again, and he lost all control.

  After a few more thrusts, he threw his head back and yelled hoarsely, collapsing on top of her. She trailed her fingernails down his back, and kissed his neck tenderly.

  “I love you,” she breathed in his ear.

  Her hot breath made him harden once more, and reflexively, he pressed himself further inside. She moaned and moved her hips against his, making his heart quicken in response. He thrust again, and soon got carried away by passion. She flipped him onto his back and straddled him while grinning naughtily.

  “My turn,” she whispered as she kissed his neck and traveled down to his nipples. Her hand trailed down his abdomen until it closed around him, and she stroked him exactly the way he loved it.

  Jesus, she might really kill him.

  ***

  The next morning, Isaac left Sabrina at dawn. He told her he had a merger meeting to go to, and she knew he lied to her. He may have “work
” to do, but it had nothing to do with real estate, and probably everything to do with evil vampires.

  She twiddled her thumbs for a few hours, even picked up her latest knitting project she had been neglecting, before deciding to visit Connor at McGuiness’s. Her hatred of being alone had caught up to her and slowly drove her insane. Though Isaac had reminded her to stay home, he couldn’t truly object to her going to see another Enforcer, could he? She and Isaac came there often to enjoy the quietness of the tavern before opening hours, and Connor’s divine omelets.

  She’d be perfectly safe.

  Her decision made, she hopped in the car and drove straight to the tavern, windows cracked despite the coolness of the autumn breeze. She inhaled the fresh air, feeling a sense of rejuvenation. The outdoors always brought her to life. She hated being trapped inside. And she’d spent way too much time there lately. Once this whole mess ended, she’d sleep outside, just because she could.

  As she drove the winding roads through the hills, she racked her brain for any possible solutions to get her and Isaac out of their current predicament. It seemed a hopeless endeavor. She’d only been able to come up with one suggestion, and it hadn’t gone over well at all. She shuddered as she recalled Isaac’s anger upon hearing her plan.

  Arriving at the tavern, she hopped out of the car before heading inside with a light skip to her step. Zeke lurked nowhere in sight, causing her to wonder if the homeless act had indeed been a front all along. He probably lived in a flat somewhere with a wife and kids, she snorted. She made a mental note to ask Isaac about it later on. The tavern might not be open, but she knew Connor would be there. He was always here early if he wasn’t at her house.

  The door had been left cracked open, a piece of cardboard jammed in the lock, like it always was before hours, and she walked to the kitchen unannounced. The scent of eggs cooking teased her nose, and her stomach growled in eagerness. She paused mid-stride when she heard low voices. Smiling smugly, she recognized Connor and Sheila’s voices. Maybe she’d been right about them. Hopefully she wouldn’t interrupt a rendezvous.