by I. T. Lucas
She hadn’t lied about being tired, but her exhaustion had been more mental than physical. After hours of thinking and rethinking what had happened with Emmett, her brain had felt foggy.
He was a charming bastard, charismatic, with a commanding personality and a powerful body. If she cared to be truthful with herself, the guy’s darkness resonated with hers.
Eleanor wasn’t a good person, and neither was Emmett.
She was devious and underhanded, and her loyalty to the clan was self-serving rather than innate. Emmett was a traitor to his people who compelled humans to serve his needs, and he'd thought nothing of kidnapping Peter to use as a bargaining chip to get into the good graces of his ruler.
Not that the two of them had clicked on any level other than physical. Emmett hadn’t even bothered to seduce her, and it hadn’t been real attraction on either side. The lust she’d felt had been chemically induced. His bite had forced multiple orgasms on her, but it hadn’t been meant as foreplay.
Emmett had used her as an energy drink.
Still, even though all of that was true, it didn’t make facing Greggory any easier. Except, there was no avoiding it, and postponing the inevitable would just make it worse.
The problem was that lying to an immortal was difficult to do. Even if she managed to hide her guilty conscience, Greggory would probably smell it.
Somehow, she had to manage to make it sound like she hadn’t felt a thing because admitting to having been attracted to another male would be the kiss of death to their relationship. Everyone knew that fated mates lost interest in anyone other than their one and only, and the fact that she’d felt lust toward Emmett was proof that Greggory wasn’t her fated mate.
The attraction had probably been chemically induced, but if she was bonded to another male, Emmett’s venom and his super pheromones shouldn’t have affected her.
Perhaps her and Greggory’s bond just hadn’t had a chance to solidify yet?
Yeah, that was probably the reason. Eleanor refused to accept that Greggory wasn’t the one.
She had no feelings for Emmett, and she didn’t want to be with him.
She wanted to be with Greggory. He was uncomplicated, straightforward, and with him, she would never have to fear duplicity.
Emmett was the opposite. He was complicated, dangerous, deceitful, and sexy as sin.
One was a keeper, the other one was only good for sex, and that wasn’t good enough.
She had to make it work with Greggory.
Eleanor picked up the phone and texted him back. I’ll be there when you get home.
Thankfully, no one was in the living room to ask her questions as she walked into the kitchen and poured herself coffee. Vivian and Magnus had gone shopping, Parker was hanging out with David’s sister, and Scarlett couldn’t ask her anything.
Wagging her tail and whining softly, the dog trotted over and pushed her head under Eleanor’s hand.
“Did you miss me?” She crouched down and gave Scarlett a vigorous scratching behind her ears. “Were you a good girl while I was gone?”
Scarlett tilted her head as if to say, you are asking me?
“Yeah, you’re right. I was a bad girl, not you.”
At least she could admit that to the dog. Her family was another story.
She’d confided in Magnus, who’d been surprisingly understanding and supportive, but she wasn’t sure his wife would react the same way.
Last night, Magnus had kindly shielded her from Vivian’s questions, telling her that Eleanor had been through a lot and needed some time alone to process what had happened to her. Was it naive of her to hope that he wouldn’t share what she’d told him with Vivian?
Yeah, fat chance.
Unlike her and Greggory, those two were truelove mates, and they kept no secrets from each other.
What a mess.
Eleanor shook her head. She was freaking out over nothing. She hadn’t had sex with Emmett, for God’s sake, and what she had done had been forced upon her. She could claim to have suffered from Stockholm syndrome.
Taking a deep breath, she rinsed out her mug, put it in the dishwasher, and headed out the door.
The walk to Greggory’s place helped clear her head, and when he opened the door, his smile thawed the frost that had settled around her heart.
“Eleanor.” He rushed down the steps and scooped her into his arms. “I missed you.”
He took her lips in a bruising kiss that should have made her all hot and bothered, but this time she felt only bothered.
Damn. Guilt was a nasty bitch.
Nevertheless, she kissed him back and wrapped her legs around his waist. “I missed you too.”
That wasn’t a lie.
He carried her inside and kicked the door closed. “I’m taking you straight to bed.”
Eleanor didn’t argue.
Perhaps sex was the cure, and Greggory’s bite would erase the memory of Emmett’s.
8
Bowen
“Thank you for the dress.” Margaret smiled as Bowen pushed a wheelchair into her room. “It’s so warm and comfortable.”
“I’m glad you like it.” His eyes roamed over her.
The nurse had helped Margaret shower and change, and even though she’d had surgery just the day before, she already looked like a different woman.
Her hair cascaded down her shoulders in soft waves, and the dark purple color of the dress brought out its natural highlights. She had no makeup on, and there were dark circles under her eyes, but she was beautiful nonetheless.
A fragile porcelain doll who was his to protect.
“Let me help you into the wheelchair.” The nurse started toward Margaret.
“I’ve got you.” Bowen’s long legs overtook the short distance to the bed in two steps. “Lean on me. I’m going to lift you.” He wrapped his arms around her slim form.
“Careful,” the nurse warned.
“I am.” Holding Margaret against his chest for a little longer than necessary, he was aware that he enjoyed the feel of her way too much. It wasn’t sexual. He reminded himself that he liked his women with a little more meat on their bones. But the tenderness that had washed over him went deeper than sexual attraction, and he refused to ponder what it was and why the feeling was so strong.
It was probably nothing. Margaret was hurting, and he wanted to ease her pain. That’s all.
As he gently lowered her into the chair, she groaned, her pale face getting even paler.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” She watched him with rounded eyes as he knelt at her feet and put one pink fluffy boot on her good leg. “It doesn’t even hurt that much. It’s the fear of making a wrong move and causing damage.”
The nurse shook her head. “As long as you don’t step on the foot, you should be fine.” She handed Bowen the crutches. “The wheelchair needs to stay in the hospital. You need to return it to the entrance.”
“I know.” He gave the crutches to Margaret to hold over her lap. “Thank you for the good care you’ve taken of my friend.”
The discharge documents had already been signed by the doctor, and there was nothing else that needed to be done. They were ready to leave.
“That’s what we are here for. Do you have Margaret’s meds?”
“I do.” He motioned to the plastic bag hanging from one of the wheelchair’s handles.
“Then you are good to go. Take care.”
“Thank you.” Margaret waved goodbye as he wheeled her out.
In the parking lot, she turned her head and looked at him over her shoulder. “Are you sure that we don’t have time to stop by Safe Haven to collect my things?”
“The detour would take more than two hours. I’d rather stop at the mall and get you what you need. If you have anything in Safe Haven that you can’t live without, we can arrange for it to be mailed to you.” Bowen stopped in front of the rented car and clicked the doors open.
Clutching her p
urse, Margaret shook her head. “Other than some clothes and toiletries, it’s all in here.”
It was a sizable bag, but it was still sad that she owned so little.
Taking the crutches from her, he tossed them on the backseat. “I pushed the passenger seat all the way back, so you should be comfortable up front.” Bending at the waist, he wrapped his arms around her tiny middle. “Hold on to me. I’m going to lift you and help you get inside.”
“I can hobble on one foot.”
“No need. On the count of three. One, two, three.” He lifted her off the chair and held her gently to him before putting her down in the seat. “Okay?”
Margaret nodded. “You’re very strong.”
“You don’t weigh much.”
He doubted that she weighed more than a hundred pounds, which wasn’t nearly enough for her height even though she was small-boned.
“What’s your favorite food?” he asked as he got behind the wheel.
She chuckled. “Chocolate.”
“That’s not food, but I’ll get you a couple of pounds of it. What else? Do you like hamburgers? Because I grill mean ones. Steaks too.”
She arched a brow. “Are you on a mission to fatten me up?”
He gave her a mock stern look. “I am, and it’s not open to negotiation, so don’t even try.”
Relaxing into the seat, she cast him a soft smile. “I’m not a big eater, but that’s because I’m usually too rushed to remember to eat. That’s not going to be an issue now that I can’t do much.”
He liked it that she hadn’t found his intent to fatten her up offensive or tried to argue against it. Admission was half the battle already won.
“I need to call Safe Haven to tell them that I’m not coming back.” She sighed. “With everything that’s going on, I don’t think the administration will even notice that I’m gone, but I need to let someone know.”
He pulled out his phone, unlocked it, and handed it to her. “Do you know who to call?”
“Yeah. We have an 800 number for emergencies.”
For some reason, it bothered him that Margaret was still referring to the Safe Haven community as we. He wished she could leave the damn place behind and start a new life, but he knew that she wasn’t ready to even contemplate it.
Perhaps he could work on that during their stay in the cabin, convince her that she was wasting her life hiding in the cult.
“Hi, it’s Margaret. I need to speak with Riley.”
“How are you doing?” asked the guy who answered the phone.
“I had surgery, and I need someone to take care of me while I recover. That’s what I need to talk to Riley about.”
“One moment.”
“What are you going to tell her?” Bowen asked.
She covered the microphone with her finger. “I’ll make up a story.”
“Margaret. How is your leg?”
“I had surgery for my knee. How are things over there? Are you holding the fort?”
“I am. I just hope Emmett returns soon. People are nervous and unsure, but they are adjusting.” The woman sighed. “I’m bracing for the possibility that he might be gone forever. What about you? When are you coming back?”
“That’s why I’m calling. Until I can use the crutches, I will need help twenty-four-seven, and I don’t want to burden anyone in the community at a time like this. I’m going to stay with my cousin.”
“I understand. Get well and then come back to us. The community needs you.”
“I know. Good luck, Riley.”
“You too.”
Margaret ended the call and handed him the phone. “That was easier than I expected. Riley didn’t even try to convince me to come home.”
“She has her hands full.”
“I wish I could be there to help her.” She looked down at her cast and shook her head. “What bad timing.”
Bowen reached over and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Who knows? Perhaps the timing was just perfect because you need a vacation as badly as I do.”
Or maybe the Fates had something to do with it?
Was it possible that Margaret was a Dormant? Anastasia hadn’t mentioned her having any paranormal abilities, and she seemed to be just an ordinary human who, for some reason, tugged at his heartstrings.
But then, not every Dormant had a paranormal talent.
Nevertheless, it was foolish of him to hope that Margaret was more than she appeared, and he pushed the thought away. His job was to take care of her so Leon and Anastasia were free to pursue their happily ever after.
His wasn’t there yet, and perhaps never would be.
9
Eleanor
As Eleanor lay next to Greggory, listening to his even breathing and his steady heartbeat, she was envious of his calmness and his simplicity.
He wasn’t stupid, he was just uncomplicated. Given his past, his proverbial closet should have been full of skeletons, but he’d never talked about them. He’d never become moody for no apparent reason either, so she had to assume that he wasn’t dwelling on what he’d done during his time in the Brotherhood. Somehow, he’d managed to bury who he’d been back then and live in the present.
Lucky bastard. She wished she could be like him.
Sprawled on his back, his muscular chest rising and falling, his handsome face relaxed, and his lips lifted in a smile, he looked like the epitome of a satisfied male.
It made her feel good that she’d done that to him, but the truth was that her heart hadn’t been in it, mostly because of the damn guilt.
She’d put on a convincing act, pretending to be as desperate for him as he had been for her, and luckily, Greggory hadn’t noticed a thing.
For the first time since they had become a couple, he’d fallen asleep right after the sex while she’d remained awake.
Eleanor no longer blacked out from his bite, and the floaty euphoric feeling didn’t last long. According to Vivian, it was common for the venom bite to lose its potency over time, and the other mated females reported the same thing.
But if that was true, then why had Emmett’s bite knocked her out for hours?
Was his venom different? Or maybe the blood loss had amplified the effect of the venom?
How much of her blood had he taken? She had been too out of it to register the passage of time, so he might have taken a lot.
Damn bloodsucker.
It was all his fault. If not for him, she wouldn’t be questioning her relationship with Greggory, and she wouldn’t be tormenting herself over her so-called infidelity.
They needed to talk, and she had to tell Greggory what happened, or it would keep corroding their relationship, at least from her side.
What Greggory didn’t know couldn’t hurt him.
Before turning immortal, Eleanor had had no problem lying to get what she wanted. But she was no longer that person—a loner who cared for no one and had no one to care for her.
She was part of a community of goody-two-shoes now, and they were holding her to higher standards, which kind of forced her to hold herself to higher standards as well.
Besides, if what she and Greggory had was real, then he would understand and accept what had happened to her, and they could put this hiccup behind them.
Except, it was more than just a hiccup. It was a sign that Greggory wasn’t the one for her.
With a groan, Eleanor draped her forearm over her eyes.
Things would have been much simpler if she didn’t overthink everything. The bottom line was that she wanted to be with Greggory, not Emmett, and not any of the other immortal males.
Greggory’s inner peace was an antidote to her inner turmoil, and his simplicity made him predictable, reliable, and comfortable to be with. He was her perfect counterpart.
Or was he just safe?
And what if he was?
Being safe in a relationship was top priority for her, and what Emmett had to offer didn’t even make the list.
Hell, he didn�
��t offer anything. He had taken her without permission.
“You’re awake,” Greggory murmured and pulled her into his arms.
“And now you are too.” As she nuzzled his neck, her stomach growled.
“Are you hungry?” He nibbled on her earlobe.
“It would seem so.”
“Do you want to get up and grab something to eat?” His large hand traveled down her back to cup her ass. “Or are you up for another round?”
“After we eat. I didn’t have lunch yet.”
They needed to talk, but if his roommate was home, they would have to do it somewhere else. She wasn’t going to have a heart-to-heart with Greggory while Boleck was around. The guy couldn’t stand her, and the feeling was mutual.
“Is your roommate home?”
“He won’t be back until six. We have the place to ourselves.”
“How come Kalugal is having you work on Saturdays?”
“He wants to expedite a project he’s been working on for a while.”
“What is it?”
“I can’t really talk about it.”
The old Eleanor would have been intrigued and pushed for details, but the new Eleanor couldn’t care less. The personal crap she was dealing with didn’t leave room for much else.
“Fine.” She pushed out of his arms. “I’m going to grab a quick shower first. Can you start the coffeemaker?”
“Uh-huh.” He didn’t move.
“Are you getting up, or what?” She tossed him a look over her shoulder.
“I’m enjoying the view.” She could see his hand moving under the blanket to fist his erection.
“You’d better have coffee ready when I get out.”
“Yes, dear.”
Feeling his eyes on her as she walked naked to the bathroom, Eleanor smiled.
The man thought that she was beautiful, and he wasn’t shy about telling and showing her that at every opportunity.
But even more importantly, she knew that he meant it.
Definitely a keeper.