Sweet Dreams (Sweetwater Book 2)

by Rivi Jacks

  There’s a pad, not unlike a keypad, only larger, by the door, and Lucas tells me, “Put your hand flat on the pad.” As soon as I do, I hear a click, and then he’s pushing the door open. “Good for quick entry,” he says.

  I give him a sideways glance, immediately speculating how he obtained my handprint for this nifty gadget.

  He gives me a roguish grin as he holds the door open wide, and I step into the entry area of one large room. The interior walls of the cabin are exposed wood, and the ceiling is open with beams.

  “I love the look of the logs,” I say.

  “Well, these logs are a little different.” He gives me a smile. “They’re made of concrete.” At my questioning look, he says, “Best for keeping you safe.”

  I search his face for a moment, not sure what to say before I turn to look around the cabin.

  It’s beautifully open and airy with ceiling fans. The fake golden timbers give the whole room a soft, mellow glow, and several windows sparkle in the soft lighting from lamps placed around the area. There’s an inviting fireplace on the wall directly to my left with a cozy fire already burning. A comfortable looking couch, positioned fireside, has a sofa table sitting behind it with a lamp at each end. One of the largest hand-loomed rugs I’ve ever seen lies on the hardwood floor, designating the seating area. The whole décor is done in beautiful earthy and dark jewel-tone colors. Just what I would have chosen. On a raised dais, across the room from where we stand, is a small kitchen area. Across the room opposite of the fireplace and living area, is a large, beautiful wrought iron bed with a room screen positioned to give the sleeping area privacy from the rest of the cabin.

  I’m conscious of the fact that Lucas is watching me closely. He takes my hand and leads me through the living area, across to the bedroom. There’s a large area rug on the floor here too. This one is a deep burgundy color with dark navy accents. The king-sized bed is covered with a gorgeous navy brocade duvet that matches the blue in the rug and several pillows, artfully positioned on the bed, are covered in a burgundy brocade.

  “What do you think?” he asks, his eyes assessing my reaction.

  “I think—it’s beautiful. Gorgeous.” I look around the cabin. “But don’t you think it needs a few curtains?”

  “I told you it wasn’t finished. You get to pick those out.” His eyes sparkle mischievously as he smiles down at me. “Just so you know, the windows allow us to look out, but they’re treated so no one can see in. You also don’t have to worry about the glass in the windows and doors breaking.” He takes hold of both my hands. “Sofie, you can change anything—or everything if you want to. I only had Max furnish it so it wouldn’t be empty the first time you saw it. I want it to suit you, so don’t hesitate if—”

  “Lucas, it’s perfect.” He watches me closely as I walk around the bed. It looks comfy and inviting.

  “There’s more,” he says, leading me over to a closed door. It opens into a small bathroom with a beautifully tiled shower. The shower is nowhere as large as the one at the main house, but it’s large enough for two, and I feel flushed remembering Lucas’ antics of the previous night.

  “Wow,” is all I can say as I open a drawer of the sink’s vanity to find a brush, comb, and hairdryer. Closing the drawer I look over at Lucas standing in an open doorway to what I think is a walk-in closet.

  A light comes on when he steps inside, confirming my suspicion. “There are clothes in here for both of us.”

  “I can see that,” I say a little hesitantly. Max bought me clothes? Besides hanging items of clothing, there’s a large armoire set against the back wall of the closet.

  “Come with me.” Lucas holds out his hand, leading me back to the main area where we step up into the kitchen. It’s small but fully equipped with a sink and stove top built into the counter. It has a built-in wall oven and a small refrigerator. There’s even a microwave. Opening one of the cupboards reveals dishes, and there’s a new Keurig coffee pot sitting on the counter. I open the fridge to find bottles of wine, assorted cheeses, and deli containers of what I suppose are tasty tidbits. There’s also eggs, juice, and a carton of cream.

  Across the room by the French doors is a pantry cupboard, which Lucas opens to reveal more food. There’s even a bowl of fruit on the small kitchen table.

  “Holy cow, Max—thought of everything,” I say softly.

  I look over at Lucas, and he reaches to flip a light switch that illuminates the area beyond the French doors. There’s a cinderblock for a step just outside the door. “Like I said, there’s more to finish,” he adds. I nod as I look out at the area cleared for a backyard, surrounded by woods. “Would you prefer a deck built or a flagstone patio put in?”

  I glance up at him. He’s like a kid with a new toy or a big surprise he’s about to reveal. And it’s infectious. I grin at him before I look back out the door. “A rock patio?”

  “Good choice,” he says.

  “This is—incredible,” I look around the cabin.

  “We tried to make it as complete as possible—”

  “Wait—is this why I’ve been hearing all the hammering that’s been going on?”

  He smiles. “Do you like it?”

  “Lucas—” This is a side to him I’ve never seen. It’s important to him that I like what he did here. Extremely important. All because he wants to please me. I glance around the cabin again, swallowing deeply against the sudden lump in my throat. I love it, and I love how he’s done this for us. I bring my gaze back to his and beam at him. “I really love it.”

  “I’m glad,” he says as he steps over to me. “Because—it’s yours.”

  “What?” My voice comes out kind of high-pitched. “What do you mean—it’s mine?”

  His lips lift slightly at the corners. “I had it built for you.” He tucks my hair back behind my shoulder.

  “Why?”

  I see a spark of laughter in his eyes. “You think I have an ulterior motive?” He steps back to lean against the kitchen counter.

  “Yes.” I slap my hand over my mouth. I didn’t mean to say that.

  “Sofie!” He looks more amused than annoyed. Thank goodness. I don’t want to hurt his feelings, and I didn’t mean it the way it sounded.

  Lucas reaches to catch my arms firmly and pulls me between his outstretched legs.

  “Lucas, I—”

  “Sofie—”

  I narrow my eyes, and he flashes a grin that lets me know I haven’t hurt his feelings. He continues to smile.

  “What?” I demand.

  He laughs. “You are so adorable.” Why is he laughing at me? He pulls me closer, and my body instinctively tightens when I realize how aroused he is. He continues to chuckle, and when I try to pull away, he easily wraps an arm around my waist. His other hand rests on my bottom, pulling me in against that hard erection. He leans down his lips just above mine.

  “Lucas—” I whisper.

  “Yes,” he breathes, kissing the corner of my mouth before tracing my bottom lip with his tongue. I go up on tiptoe, wrapping my arms around his neck and grab a handful of hair at his nape. When I take his earlobe between my teeth, his arms tighten around me.

  “Sofie—”

  “Hmmm?” I respond and release his earlobe, running my tongue up the side of his neck. I feel him shudder and just as suddenly, he’s pulling my arms free of his neck, holding me away from him.

  “Stop.”

  Hot color floods my cheeks. “I’m sorry!”

  “No,” —he pulls me back into his arms— “don’t ever apologize for wanting me, baby.” He kisses my forehead, and then puts a finger under my chin, raising my face to his. “I want you too and would love nothing more than to take you to bed—but we have a talk that is long overdue.”

  “O-kay,” I manage to choke out
. I step back as my stomach tightens into a hard knot. I bite my lip in a bid to quell the fear that’s been lying in wait—I think from the first day Lucas arrived here in Sweetwater. I knew from the start it was only a matter of time before I’d have to reveal all to him. Even before we became involved, I knew this day was coming. It was one of the reasons I fought so hard to stay away from him.

  I look up catching his frown as he watches me. “I need to make a couple of quick calls. I’m sorry, Sofie, it’s something I can’t put off since I was away all day.”

  “It’s ok.” I’m immensely relieved that I’m getting a reprieve if only a short one. He grins, and I have a feeling he knows exactly what I’m thinking. I step away as he pulls out his phone. “Are we going to stay here tonight?”

  He looks up. “Would you like that?”

  “Yes. If you don’t think it would be rude to Walter and Maryanne.”

  “I think it will be fine.”

  “Ok then, I’m going to take a quick shower and let you take care of business.”

  The shower was just what I needed. With a towel wrapped around my body and another around my hair, I look through the clothes in the walk-in closet. It looks as if there are several changes for both of us. The armoire holds underwear for Lucas and new lingerie for me. There is something incredibly sexy about seeing our things sharing the same shelf space. But that thought is quickly overshadowed by my embarrassment, thinking of Max buying underwear for me. I pick up a few pieces and then hurriedly sort through more when I notice their transparency.

  Oh. My. Gosh.

  All of the lingerie is expensive, barely there creations clearly meant for Lucas’ enjoyment.

  I will never be able to look Max in the eye again.

  Taking a deep breath, I rationalize that it is nice to have clean underwear to put on after a shower—Max just doesn’t need to be the one to buy them. I don’t mean to be ungrateful, but….

  I grab up a white panty and bra set and discover another drawer with folded sweats and t-shirts. I braid my damp hair, and when I come out of the bathroom, Lucas is in the kitchen area leaning against the counter with his arms crossed over his chest. He’s barefoot, having removed his shoes and socks. Why is that so sexy? He walks across the room to the couch and crooks his finger for me to join him.

  I feel as if I’m on my way to the gallows.

  “Sit.”

  “Yes, sir,” I snap, sitting cross-legged in the corner of the couch.

  He fights a smile as I look up at him. “I need a drink,” he says, walking over to a tall cabinet sitting against the wall between the kitchen and bedroom area. As he opens the door, I see it’s a mini bar with an assortment of bottles and glasses. “Would you care for something?” He asks as he pours a liquid the color of rich butterscotch into a glass. One of his favorite liquors is Tequila, the kind you sip to enjoy. Sam told me that a bottle of the brand Lucas drinks could buy an older used car. I’ve yet to tell him that Emma Rae, Diane and I downed a bottle one night doing shots.

  “No thanks.” I glance around the cabin. This is ours. Tucked away, just for us. I like that he had this idea. It’s so hard for us to have alone time. “The cabin is beautiful, Lucas. Did I mention I love it?” He smiles at me. “How long did it take to build?” Part of me is hoping to delay the inevitable. I feel sick to my stomach at the prospect of speaking about things I’ve spent most of my life keeping buried and hidden. I know I won’t be able to postpone the talk, but if I can stall, maybe something else will come up. Like a toilet from the space station hurtling through space to crash through the roof and land on top of me.

  One can hope.

  Lucas walks over to sit in the middle of the couch near me, his long legs stretched out toward the fire. He turns his head to study me from under his black lashes, his beautiful silver-green eyes intent. I start to get nervous when he finally raises an arched brow. “Would you like to go first?”

  I swallow convulsively and shake my head slightly.

  “No? It was my understanding—you had questions.”

  Oh! I thought he meant for me to tell him my secrets. “Okay! I mean… yes, I have questions.” He gives me the smile that makes me think he’s secretly laughing at me. I push my annoyance aside. “Tell me about—vampires.”

  Again with the pensive look. “What do you want to know about the vampire, my sweet?”

  His question startles me. “I… um…” I’m not sure what to ask.

  “I assume you’ve seen movies, maybe read a book or two?” I can tell he’s trying not to smile.

  I nod.

  “Well, thankfully, most of the world’s perception of us is—wrong.”

  I have quickly learned that is for certain. “Well, I know you don’t burn in sunlight.”

  “No. I don’t burn in sunlight. I also don’t sleep in a coffin” —He smiles seductively— “as you well know.” I feel my face heat, and he smiles smugly at me. “I also don’t shy away from a mirror. Garlic does not repel me. Silver does not harm me—neither does holy water.” He sounds a little annoyed.

  “So—why do we believe the way we do?”

  “All of these myths were invented to make humans feel better—to provide the human race with a false sense of security.” His eyes bore into mine. “There is no security against us, Sofie.”

  I shift, at once uncomfortable. Is he trying to scare me?

  He takes a sip of his drink. “Vampires have walked the earth as long as humans. We are not a curse, and we did not get this way because of a virus. We… just… are.”

  He contemplates me for a moment as if he’s gauging my reaction. I wonder what he thinks my reaction should be.

  “We have always kept our ways quiet, living among humans as peacefully as possible. A human is no match for a vampire, though. Humans do not possess our cunning, our tenacity—or our strength. However, human beings do exceed our numbers. Even in the early centuries, when no laws were governing the turning of people, we were always outnumbered. But even with the vast difference, we still have the ability—if desired—to rule.”

  He gives me one of those smiles meant to make me nervous. Right from the start, I recognized that he liked playing with me like this.

  He leans his head back against the couch. “Sorry. Sometimes I can’t help what I am.” He smiles again. “We have never wanted to treat humans as cattle—”

  “Ewwww.” I can’t help myself.

  “We understand,” he continues as if I never interrupted, “the importance of co-existing. The vampire and other supernatural have interacted with humans since the beginning of time, but not always peacefully. This is how most of your so-called fairy tales came about—from a bad episode between a supernatural and a human. Through the millennia, the fear your kind have had for us, has led to mass hysteria and horrible results have ensued.

  “Our elders made the decision long ago that we could either subdue the human race and treat them as” —his lips quirk at the corners— “food, or learn to live together.

  “We also had the example of what befell the Kihn. There is no guarantee that something similar would not happen to us if we chose to subjugate humans.

  “However, the elders soon found there was no learning to live together. The fear that humans have for anything they don’t understand, or anyone different or more powerful than they, made it impossible.”

  “So you had to learn to live—out of sight,” I say softly.

  Lucas gives a quick nod. “But,” he looks into my eyes with a seriousness that causes me to hold my breath, apprehensive of what he’s going to say. “We still need humans.”

  Okay. He is trying to scare me.

  “Even before my father’s time, it was decided, by the Vampire since we are the—strongest of the supernatural world, that we would keep the peace b
etween our two races and live in obscurity.”

  He takes another long draw on his drink, watching me over the rim of the glass. “Sofie,” —he hesitates as if gauging his words— “do you understand what I mean when I say, we still need humans?” His eyes lock with mine.

  I nod slightly. He doesn’t say anything as he holds my gaze. I sit there looking into his beautiful eyes and honestly try to let the thought of him drinking blood, maybe my blood, frighten or repulse me.

  “I’m not frightened… by what you are, Lucas.” I want to say the right words, so he will know and understand that I love and trust him. “You need… blood to live. Nothing either of us can say or do… will change that fact. It doesn’t make me love you less, and it doesn’t… scare me.” I catch his rueful smile.

  He reaches over and pulls me over onto his lap. When he looks back into my eyes, what I see in his lets me know I chose the right words. “How did I ever, get lucky enough to find you—even luckier for you to fall in love with me.” He doesn’t ask it as a question, more just saying it to himself.

  “How… I mean, I do wonder how or… who…” The thought of him taking blood from another woman bothers me.

  “We don’t drink from unwilling victims—though it happens. There are so many eager to let us bite them that attacks of that sort are rare but—” His gaze traps mine again, and I shake myself mentally at the thought of someone being attacked. He picks up the end of my braid and wraps it around his finger. “We also buy blood.”

  I frown. “You do?” Wow. That’s— I inhale sharply. “Is that what’s in the basement? In the room near the tunnel? I saw cases of what looked to be wine, but there were so many bottles—”

  He nods, his expression serious. “Yes, it is shipped to us that way.”

  “But how is that possible?” I frown deeply. “Doesn’t blood have a short shelf life?”