Vitus smiled broadly. "I have very good night vision.”
He reached an arm around her waist to help her to the floor, making sure to lean her body into his so he could take most of the weight off her injured foot. A part of him wanted to sweep her up into his arms and carry her back to her house, but that likely wouldn't go over well with the shy woman.
Although she might be a bit on the quiet side, Grace was incredible in every way that mattered. She was patient with her younger employees, and he'd often seen her giving discounts to the older patrons living on a fixed income. She had an unassuming presence, but her quiet and steadfast nature made her essential to the people of the town.
Vitus had been captivated by her from the moment he stepped into the store, everything from her demeanor to the way stray strands of her wavy brown hair would dip down into her face.
When he’d first seen her that day, she had been helping an elderly woman with her groceries. He watched as she applied a small discount and put the pie inside the woman's bag. When the smile spread across Grace’s small face, his heart responded.
"Lean on me as much is you need to," Vitus said to Grace.
He was somewhat surprised when her small frame leaned against him. Her foot was likely hurting worse than she had let on before.
Slowly they made their way out through the front door, and he turned to lock it behind them.
A fresh dusting of snow lined the sidewalk. They carefully made their way down the sidewalk. It wouldn’t help if she fell again.
She slid slightly, and his arms tightened around her. He held her small body in place with ease.
"Thank you," she said quietly.
Something warmed in him at the feel of her next to him. It was the same sort of tingle he'd felt before when she touched his tattoo.
“Aren’t you cold without a coat?” Grace asked after a moment.
Vitus frowned. He hadn’t even thought about it. He’d heard the back door open as she called out and didn’t even think as he made his way into the store. It had just been luck that he’d been wearing the brown contacts that concealed his naturally bright blue eyes.
He shook his head.
“I’m used to this kind of cold,” he said, and winked at her. “I hear that makes me manly.”
A small blush spread across Grace’s cheeks, and she turned away. Vitus cursed himself for being so forward. She wasn’t the kind of woman that handled things like that well.
Despite how often he told himself it was a bad idea to get involved with her, his heart and body screamed for more. He couldn't help but watch her, the fear for her safety a constant in his head. But he was finding that keeping his distance wasn't something he could manage.
They arrived at her house and carefully made their way up her porch steps, his arms still wrapped around her middle. When they reached the top, she held out her hand for the keys.
“Thanks for getting me home,” she said softly.
Vitus felt something pull inside of him. He didn’t want to let her go. Not yet. It was the first time she’d said more than a few words to him, and he couldn’t just walk away now. Not when he was so close.
He leaned past her and placed the key in the lock. Turning it, he glanced sideways at her.
“Go in and sit down. I’ll take care of that ankle.”
Grace’s breath hitched a little. Her pupils dilated.
She stepped into her house and turned on the light, Vitus close behind.
The place was exactly as he would have thought. Soft and sweet like she was.
“I’ll really be fine,” she said as she hobbled her way to the couch.
Vitus raised a brow. “Bathroom?”
She sighed softly and pointed to the back. He could tell she was too tired to fight him.
He made his way quietly through her bedroom to the bathroom, not even daring to look at the bed. The scent of her filled his senses though. Calling to him. His cock stirred.
Ignoring the beast within him, Vitus searched for a bandage and was relieved to find one quickly. Everything was organized nicely in the medicine cabinet.
It was unsurprising considering her profession. He smiled to himself.
Vitus stared at himself in the mirror as it closed. What was he doing there? He could have easily bandaged her foot at the store instead of forcing himself into her home.
Truth was, he was tired of always watching from the outside. He wanted to find a way to reach her. Grace had built all these walls around herself, and he knew that if he ever wanted a chance with her, he was going to have to find a way to get her to drop those walls for him.
He sighed loudly. This was so not like him. He wasn’t used to being wound so tightly. Glycons or not. Usually, he just took things as they came and dealt with them.
Vitus glanced over to the door. He wasn’t sure just what the hell he was supposed to do anymore. Nothing was as clear as he would have wanted.
Chapter Three
What the heck was she thinking inviting a strange man into her home? Grace could already guess what her parents would have said. Just being alone with a man was something they had frowned upon, especially someone so handsome and playful like Vitus.
Her heart pounded as she thought about the well-muscled man and how she’d felt against him. His body had been so firm when he’d walked her home, his strong arms holding her up and keeping her safe. For the first time, she could understand what it meant when someone said they felt protected. That was exactly what she had felt.
More heat spread across her face as she stared down at her long, frumpy skirt. For the first time she felt a little silly wearing the thing. She’d not worried about dressing to draw a man, always figuring she should focus on comfort rather than style. All her friends and even her sister had gently teased her about her clothes, but it was what she felt most comfortable in.
Grace shook her head. That wasn’t entirely true. Sure, she felt comfortable in the oversized sweater and broomstick skirt, but that was only because she didn’t like calling attention to herself. She didn’t know what to do with attention, or even if she really wanted it ever. At least she’d thought that way until recently.
She glanced over to the door and wondered what the easy-going man really thought of her. Maybe she was just an easy mark. He probably thought that a shy and reserved woman like her would melt under his attention and sleep with him without much effort.
Grace snorted. Not much of an easy mark if she was still a virgin.
Heavy footfalls came from the direction of her room, and she looked up just in time to see him enter the living room, his mere presence almost filling the entire space
She tried not to gasp. Every time she saw Vitus, she always had the same reaction, like all the oxygen in the room had suddenly been sucked out, and she was left gasping for air.
He was tanned with a light olive complexion that only made his black hair stand out more.
Tina, one of her teen checkers at the store, had called him a bad boy. Something about that seemed very accurate, given just the air around him and the lop-sided, wicked smiles she’d seen from him.
“I found some tape and an ice pack,” he said, holding the two items up so she could see.
Grace watched as he made his way around to where she sat on the couch and knelt down in front of her on the stool she had by the fire. She scooted back onto the couch, not really sure what to do with him so close. She wasn’t so sure if she didn’t trust him or didn’t trust herself.
“Now let’s get that shoe off,” he said softly.
She jumped when his hand touched her boot and jerked her foot out of his hands.
“I can do it,” she said quickly.
Vitus stared over at her from his spot. He was so tall that even on the stool he was nearly the same height as her. “Let me help you. I promise I’ll be gentle.”
For about the millionth time, her cheeks heated at his words. The double entendre wasn’t lost on her, despite her innocence o
therwise.
Vitus slowly reached forward for her foot again, as if she were some sort of rabid dog ready to bite at any moment. Grace sighed and moved her foot into his hand.
He made quick work of the boot and gently worked it off. Already she could tell her ankle was swollen. Without the pressure of the shoe, her ankle started to throb.
The touch of Vitus’s fingers against the skin on her calf pulled her mind away from the pain.
His warm fingers wrapped around the back of her leg. She watched as he shifted the edge of her skirt up until it rested on her knees, exposing her pale legs against his tanned skin.
Grace bit her lip, and for a brief moment she felt panic rising before he eased off the sock and had her foot wrapped in his strong fingers. Her body shook a little as she leaned her head back to stare at the ceiling.
This was silly really. She was acting like he had his head between her legs when, in reality, he was just looking at her foot to help her.
“It’s a sprain for certain, but you don’t seem to have hurt anything major,” Vitus said finally.
She looked away from the ceiling back toward him.
“You deal with this sort of thing often?” Grace asked, curiosity in her voice.
A small smile played on his lips, as if there were some secret in what she asked. The thought made her heart thump even harder.
“You could say that,” Vitus said.
She watched in silence as he placed the beige bandage on her heel and started to wrap it. His warm hands were still holding her as he did so.
“Vitus is an unusual name,” Grace said. “Is your mother an immigrant?”
She honestly didn’t know. She’d never run into someone with the name Vitus before.
A small frown briefly passed over the man’s face. When she thought about it, she realized it was the first she’d ever seen from him.
“I didn’t know my mother,” Vitus said stiffly.
Guilt racked her. She had just assumed. “I’m sorry,” she said softly.
His brown eyes looked over to her and softened. After a moment he shook his head.
“I didn’t always have the easiest life,” he said quietly. “Eagle Ridge is the first place I’ve ever felt like I belonged.”
Grace nodded although she wasn’t certain she totally understood. “Eagle Ridge is the only place I’ve ever been, so I guess I’ve never really had that. I’ve always sort of done the same thing.”
Vitus stopped what he was doing to listen to her. The intensity of it was almost intimidating. Most people seemed to only half hear what she was saying, and that’s if they bothered to pay attention to her at all.
“I mean, you have a cool tattoo,” she murmured. “I’m sure you’ve done lots of interesting things, seen a lot of the world. Not just one tiny little town in Washington.”
She remembered what it felt like to touch the tattoo. It was almost electric. But that couldn’t have been more than a sheltered woman overreacting to touching a handsome man.
Her mouth ran dry as Vitus placed her foot on the floor and knelt in front of her, raising his shirt as he did so.
“It’s not a tattoo,” he said.
“It isn’t?”
“It’s more a birthmark than anything.”
Grace stared at the bright blue lines that snaked around the side of his body and wound their way across the muscles there. Could a person really be born with something like this on their body?
Without even thinking, she leaned forward and traced a finger over the blue skin. The same tingle shot through her once again, and she jerked back, staring at her finger in disbelief.
It had to be something more than just overreacting to a handsome man, but she just didn’t know how else to explain it.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” Grace said quickly.
Vitus stared at her for a moment before dropping his shirt. “I didn’t mind,” he said quietly.
She licked her lips at his words. She couldn’t seem to function with him so close to her. It was as if he clouded her brain.
Grace nearly yelped when he placed her foot back on the floor, her mind still foggy from being so close.
“All finished,” Vitus said with a small grin, as if he knew just what he did to her. Bad boy, indeed.
“I…” She fumbled with her words as she glanced down at her bandaged foot. “Thank you.”
Vitus nodded and stood. “I guess I should let you get some rest now.”
She watched as he stepped over to the notepad by her phone and scribbled down something. He tore it off and brought it over to her.
It was his number. Her heart thundered.
“In case you need anything,” he said, and winked.
Grace’s cheeks turn to fire, and she looked away.
His soft laugh made her look back to him. He was already making his way to the door.
She struggled to stand and held on to the couch as she did so, the foot far more tender than she expected.
Vitus opened the door, and the cool air slipped in under the storm door, making her shiver.
“Goodnight, Grace,” he said quietly.
She stared at him, searching his face for something. She didn’t even know what. Answers? His feelings? It was silly.
“Goodnight, Vitus,” she said softly.
He gave a nod and stepped out the door. The darkness quickly swallowed his form, and she closed the door behind him, locking out any thoughts of calling him back for something she wasn’t even sure she was ready for.
Chapter Four
Vitus made his way back over to the grocery store. Alec waited for him there outside the front door. The quiet, younger man leaned against his car, his arms crossed and staring off into the wilderness behind the grocery store.
He didn't know much about the younger man. Although none of them knew much about one another outside of their time with the Horatius Group. Some might have been with the Group for years, others decades. The Group hadn’t just robbed them of their freedom, but also their memories.
None of them knew what their lives had been like prior to their hybrid lives and their cryogenic sleep. But Vitus liked Alec well enough. He didn't seem to have as much experience as some of the others, but with their camp on alert, that meant that they all needed to be out keeping guard.
A surprise attack by Glycons could easily lead to more dead bodies, and even if Agatha had gone rogue, she could also still get the Group’s attention. One crazed woman and her Glycons they could deal with, but not the entire Horatius Group.
"Trouble?" Alec asked. “You weren’t clear in your text message.”
Vitus shook his head as he reached inside the car. He pulled out his contacts and scanned the street around them. Most honest townspeople made sure to be indoors by nightfall. Even if they hadn't been following the news, they could almost feel the oppressiveness in the air, the hungry warning that deadly predators lurked on the edge of town.
Glycons, Thrax, Agatha. So many threats lurking so near people who led simple and honest lives. The mere thought of it nearly choked Vitus. They needed to end the threat, both for the safety of the hybrids and that of Eagle Ridge.
"I thought I heard a noise," Vitus said. "Then she slipped closing up."
Alec nodded, satisfied with the answer. Vitus was glad to not have to answer any questions about his Vestal. Everyone seemed to have an opinion on how he should approach Grace. Hell, if it'd been him, he certainly would've had an opinion as well. A woman, especially a Vestal, being hunted by some twisted hybrid/Glycon mix seemed like something they should talk about.
Vitus knew that Grace’s sister Allison wanted him to be direct with Grace and, if necessary, force her to live at the hybrid compound. She was adamant that they would be able to keep her safe there.
He grunted to himself. Likely, the mayor was right, but Vitus doubted Grace would be willing to come so easily. Just because she was shy and quiet didn’t mean she had no backbone. He’d seen it in her interac
tions, could sense it just by being around her.
She was an independent woman and someone who seemed to like the quiet of her life. As it was, he was already pressing the boundaries on these things. He knew she was uncomfortable with her touching his foot earlier, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave the hurt woman without making sure she was helped first.
“Rem said you could head in," Alec said behind him. "Joran is in the surrounding woods. Nothing has come up so far. You know how it is. Hard to tell anymore since the bastards are all over.”
Vitus shook his head and turned around. "I'm on duty tonight," he said firmly.
The younger man looked like he wanted to say something but kept his mouth shut. Vitus knew his actions were concerning to his comrades, but he had to be with Grace.
Every fiber of his being said he needed to protect what was his. Not like some piece of property, but like she was the only thing that really mattered. And to Vitus, she was. His Vestal, his soulmate.
Alec nodded after a moment and clapped him on the shoulder, his short blond hair making him look almost boyish for a moment. Vitus wondered when the younger man had been turned. He seemed so very young at times but still wise beyond his years.
"I’ll let Joran know,” Alec said. “You taking position at the house?"
Vitus nodded as he glanced down the road. "The closer to her, the better. Thrax is damn fast.”
Alex followed his eyes and then turned to stare at him. "You think they’ll really come for her?" he asked. "It's been so quiet. Maybe they moved on."
“If they’d moved on, it wouldn’t stink so much of Glycon. No, those bastards are out there, just waiting for their chance.”
Alec nodded slowly.
Vitus turned to look out into the woods once again. The whole town was surrounded by trees, which was a draw to the hybrids, but now it seemed like the enemy was taking advantage of that to stalk and circle them just outside of the sonic barrier.
"It doesn’t matter in the end,” Vitus said. “Agatha might leave, as well as the Glycons, but Thrax is a different story. The call of the Vestal is a hard one to walk away from, and if he’s convinced Grace should be his, there’s nothing that’s going to pull him away.”
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