by Nina Bangs
“Can’t. Don’t have enough power to change.” Every word he spoke seemed to be an effort. “Besides, I’m stronger in this form.”
Donna slumped to a sitting position. Something hot and painful gathered in her chest. “What to do? How’s this scenario? I call a cab on my cell phone. Cabbie gets here. I ask him to help my vampire friend into his cab. Cabbie runs screaming into the night. All right, let’s assume we find a cabbie with an open mind who takes us to a hotel. I tell the bright and perky night clerk that I’d like to check my vampire friend in, and that said vampire will be staying until he gets back his strength. Does room service serve blood?” The hot and painful whatever was expanding. She could feel the pressure.
“Forget it. Won’t work.” He paused to gather strength. “Doesn’t matter anyway. I failed Dacian.”
Anger washed over Donna. “You are such a jerk. If Eric was the cold-blooded killer you think he is, he would’ve squashed you like a bug when you were lying on the lawn. He was willing to give you more of a chance than you would’ve given him. Did you even investigate the fire?”
Confusion and doubt touched Taurin’s gaze for just a moment. “Didn’t have to. I know—”
“You know nothing. You’re living—or nonliving—proof that age doesn’t bring wisdom.” Whatever was in her chest was about to detonate.
“I—”
“Shut up. Just shut the hell up.” She didn’t know how to save Taurin. Eric was mad at her because he thought it was pretty much okay to leave your enemy in a field to die. Why? Because that’s the way they did it in the old days, by gum.
Suddenly every weird, crazy, impossible thing that had happened this week rose up to smack her in the face. And the dam in her chest broke. Tears streamed down her face faster and faster. She sobbed great gulping sobs that shook her body. She cried for Taurin who would die, for her own inability to cope one more minute with anything, and for Eric. And because she didn’t know why she was crying for Eric, she cried even harder.
Finally her sobs faded to dry rasping gulps. Wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she gathered the ragged remains of her control around her. She wouldn’t just sit here watching the sun come up, which was going to happen very soon. Scrambling to her feet, she ran to get her car. She’d do her best to drag Taurin into it.
Eric stood outside the castle. He knew where Donna had gone. She’d gone to save Taurin. But even as anger ripped through him, he admired her. She walked the walk.
He wouldn’t go after her. He’d been right to leave Taurin in that field. She thought he was a savage, but she would’ve thought his response tonight was mild if she’d seen him as a Highlander. He would’ve taken Taurin’s head back then. Even his civilized self probably would’ve taken Taurin’s head if he’d had his sword with him. Lucky for Taurin that Eric couldn’t conceal the sword when he wore a suit.
No, he wouldn’t go after her. She couldn’t do anything for Taurin anyway. By now he’d be barely alive and no danger to Donna. The vampire had been burned too badly to make it to safety on his own, and she wasn’t strong enough to move him alone. She couldn’t call for help because Taurin would still be in vampire form. He wouldn’t have the strength to return to human form. The most she could do was to sit with him until the sun came up and then watch him die.
Eric frowned. It wasn’t a good way to die. That bothered him. Maybe he should take his sword and give Taurin a clean death? Not a great idea. Donna wouldn’t think death-by-sword was particularly merciful. She’d be on her way back to New York before he rose from sleep.
He glanced at the eastern sky where the first faint rays of morning were beginning to show. Damn. He had to know what was going on. So, yeah, he was going after her. Her ability to mess with his resolve bothered him. Focusing his energy, he prepared to do what he hadn’t done since coming to Galveston. Moving into the deepest shadows, he stripped down, pictured what he’d become, and then became it. The great gray owl, the largest of its species, floated silently into the dark sky.
He landed as silently as he’d risen, unseen by the woman struggling in the overgrown field. Eric returned to human form, and as always it amazed him. There was no gradual change from bird to man, just the instant when one became the other.
He was naked, but he didn’t intend to approach her. He’d just observe quietly from the shelter of the destroyed house to make sure she was okay. Uneasy, he watched her straining to lift Taurin into her car. Taurin was too far gone to give her any help at all. When he slipped from her hands, she grabbed him again to make another attempt. Eric could hear her labored breathing and sobs of frustration.
He wouldn’t help. If he helped, he’d be admitting he was wrong and she was right. Worse yet, he’d become responsible for what happened to the vampire. And once Taurin regained his strength, he’d probably take another shot at Eric. All good reasons for not helping.
Loki’s flame! Donna did this to him—made him resort to the old oaths, made him waver in his belief that he was right, made him unsure of himself. The last was her greatest sin, because he’d always been confident in what he did.
Eric couldn’t watch this any longer. With a muttered curse, he strode toward her. He moved silently, and she didn’t realize he was behind her until only a few feet separated them. Just before she turned, he touched her mind with the suggestion that he was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt.
She spun around and yelped in surprise. “Where’d you come from?” Hope and suspicion warred in her gaze.
He knew his smile didn’t do a thing to help her decide whether he’d come to help her or kill Taurin. He was glad. It was his small revenge for her causing him so much . . . So much what? He didn’t know. “I flew here.”
Eric watched a puzzled crease form between her eyes.
“Never mind.” He glanced at the lightening sky. “It’s almost dawn. Get out of my way.”
Wisely, she moved away from Taurin without arguing. Taurin was too weak to speak, so he had to make do with angry glares.
Eric grinned down at him. “Jeez, you look like hell. Too bad you can’t curse me out. In fact, you can’t stop me from doing anything I damn well want.” He let Taurin think about that for a moment.
Then he bent down, picked Taurin up, and deposited him none too gently on the backseat of Donna’s car. He glanced at Donna and nodded toward the passenger seat. “Get in.” Then he slid into the driver’s seat.
Once Donna was in her seat with the door closed, he pulled out of the vacant lot and sped toward the castle in a race with the dawn. He didn’t have time to dump Taurin off at a motel. Besides, Eric wanted him someplace where he could be watched. Glancing in the rearview mirror, he was relieved to see that Taurin had passed out. Relieved? He was absolutely not relieved that his enemy couldn’t feel pain. Had he wandered so far from his Viking and Highlander roots? If so, it was Donna’s fault.
She remained quiet, staring out the window for so long that he almost spoke to break the uneasy silence. “You did the right thing, Eric.”
“Hmmph.” She could interpret that any way she wanted.
“I didn’t realize before tonight how really different our life viewpoints are.” She leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. “I guess part of the way I feel is shaped by the fact that I’m human. We have finite lives, pretty short as lives go. So I value any life. Every moment is precious.” Her eyes popped open. “I’m not insulting you, but let’s face it, you’ve lived for centuries, so you’ve seen a lot of people die. Maybe that makes you more casual toward death.”
“That’s a bunch of bull.” Almost to the castle. Good thing, because he couldn’t take much more without exploding. “Watching people die, whether it’s one or a million, never makes death easier.” She’d shoved his face in a truth he’d tried to ignore since he met her. If you let yourself care for a human, you’ll eventually have to watch them die. Most of the older clansmen stayed away from human relationships, because losing loved ones never stop
ped hurting.
“So tell me why you chose to fly this time.” She’d decided to back off on her discussion about how each of them saw death. Smart lady.
He parked the car near where he’d left his clothes. “In owl form, if I decided not to interfere, you’d never know I was there.”
She got out of the car and watched as he walked over to his pile of clothes. “Okay, why’re those clothes on the ground? You’re already . . .” Her eyes widened. “Wait, you couldn’t be dressed if you changed from an owl to human form. That means you must be—”
“Naked.” Eric said the word with relish, and then he freed her mind to see him as he really was. Naked. It would make the end of a crummy night a little less crummy if she lost her cool. She didn’t.
“You have a spectacular body, and under other circumstances I wouldn’t mind doing some heavy-duty ogling, but right now we need to get you and Taurin inside the castle.” She glanced at the sky. “Because in case you haven’t noticed, daylight is officially here.”
“You’re no fun, talk-show lady. I was hoping for a little more reaction, maybe a bright red blush or an outraged shriek. It would’ve made up a little for the rest of the night.” He turned his back to her and bent over to pick up his clothes.
She made a strangled sound behind him. “Wow, that is so . . . energizing. Hurry up and dress so we can get Taurin inside.”
Eric pulled on his clothes. Then he picked up the unconscious Taurin from the backseat and carried him into the castle with Donna right beside him. He’d finally caught some good luck. No one was in the great hall. At this time of the morning only the cleaning staff would be working. He carried Taurin into the elevator and hit the button for Donna’s floor.
She frowned. “You’re putting him in the room across from me?”
He waited until the elevator doors opened before answering. “Uh-huh. Guests checked out yesterday. Once we have him settled, I’ll call the desk to tell them the room’s occupied until further notice.”
Donna trailed him to the door. “You didn’t stop to get a key. Don’t—”
He focused on the door and it clicked open.
“Right. No key needed.” She trailed him into the room and watched as he dropped Taurin onto the bed.
Eric turned to study her. “You might want to go to your room. I’m going to strip him before I leave.” He walked over and pulled the drape closed to make sure no sunlight seeped into the room. “And before you accuse me of performing a kind act, I’m taking his clothes so it’ll be harder for him to leave. He won’t have the power to cloak his presence for a few days, and someone would notice a naked man walking through the castle.”
She nodded. “What about his burns?”
“Blood would speed his recovery, but he doesn’t get any blood from anyone in this castle. He’ll sleep for a long time, and his body will heal itself while he sleeps.” Eric turned away from her and started taking off Taurin’s shirt. He heard the soft click of the door as she closed it behind her. He smiled.
“You’re a real pain in the ass, but you served one good purpose tonight.” Eric finished stripping Taurin and flung a sheet over him. “And when you wake up, we’re going to have a long talk about your existence, or lack of it.”
Eric gazed around the room before leaving. He didn’t think Taurin had the power to shape-shift, but just in case, he put a shield across the narrow window. Then he strode from the room, closed the door, and placed a shield across it also. No one would get in or out until he was ready.
Now for the fun part. Stepping across the hall, he opened Donna’s door and went inside.
She’d just changed into her nightshirt, and the look she sent him should’ve left a smoking hole in his chest. “And you’re here why? Since I’m not in danger anymore, you can sleep in your own cozy bed today.” She looked like she really thought he was going to leave.
“Sorry. You could still be in danger. I don’t know when Taurin might wake up, and I have to be ready for him. I’ve already underestimated him once, and I won’t do it again.” He hoped he wore his guardian-warrior expression.
“He’s still a danger? I thought he’d be down for at least a few days.” She looked really worried.
And he felt really gleeful. “You never know with a vampire. He could fool us and be well enough to make trouble in a few hours.” He’d told bigger lies, but none so personally satisfying.
Donna sighed and ran her fingers through her hair, giving her that sexy tousled look. “Fine. Go down and get something to sleep in.” She reached for the remaining cookies. “I’m hungry.” As she munched on the cookies, she eyed her box of chocolate-covered cherries.
He dropped onto the bed and pulled off his shirt. “I don’t wear anything when I sleep. Too confining.” Eric smiled as her gaze turned wary. “And don’t even think about those cherries. I have plans for them.”
14
Donna paused before leaving the room to look back at her bed where Eric still slept. She wanted to recapture her old confident and in-control attitude, but she was, well, conflicted.
One part of her, the part that felt a sisterhood with Sweetie Pie and Jessica, wanted to strip off her clothes, wake Eric, and put her chocolate-covered cherries to their rightful use—seduction.
Her other part, the one that wisely reminded her today was Friday and she’d be going back to New York tomorrow, suggested she not become more . . . attached to him than she already was.
With a sigh of regret for a lost opportunity, she chose to listen to her wiser self. Fine, so if she were honest, she’d admit it wasn’t wisdom but hunger that drove her from her room. She was starving.
Luckily, Eric hadn’t seen a need to shield the door since Taurin was tucked up safely in the room across the hall. He’d lied about his reason for spending the night in her bed, but she was just as much at fault. She’d figured he was lying, but she hadn’t called him on it. Because she’d wanted him to stay with her.
She took a last peek at Eric before closing the door. He’d pulled the cover over himself, which was probably the only reason she was able to walk away from him. Eric’s magnificent body would be too much for any woman to resist, especially one weakened by hunger.
Before going down to the restaurant, she walked across the hall to look at Taurin’s door. She reached out tentatively. Yep, she could feel the energy field, or whatever it was, that Eric had put in place to keep Taurin in. And me out. Donna listened. Nothing. He must still be sleeping. If he woke before she left tomorrow, she wanted to talk to him. Talking was her business. Maybe she could convince Taurin to give up all this vengeance stuff. Right. Like that was going to happen. She’d have to come up with something substantial to make it worth his while. Donna wasn’t quite sure what that would be.
But thoughts of Taurin slid from her mind as she headed down to the restaurant. Instead, she thought about leaving and how depressed it made her. Which proved she needed professional help. Because last night had really sucked.
She would’ve gotten around to admitting she wanted to stay because of Eric, but luckily the restaurant was almost empty so the waiter was able to take her order right away, distracting her from any scary self-revelations. Donna was busy rediscovering the joy of eating when Brynn sat down across from her.
“Thought I’d check to see how you felt today.” He smiled at her.
Donna wasn’t fooled this time. His smile might be able to bring a roomful of women to their knees, but she’d seen the man behind the smile last night. And that man had terrified her. “I’m okay.” She wouldn’t be okay if he found out she was responsible for bringing Taurin back to the castle.
“Son of a bitch.” His soft murmur and angry glare aimed in her direction suggested he’d discovered something. About her. Something bad. Uh-oh.
Oops. He was a demon. Did demons read minds? From the way he was scowling at her, she’d guess the answer was yes. “Look, I couldn’t leave him in that field to go poof with the first sunbeam. Yeah, I
know you think I’m a marshmallow, but I’m a marshmallow with a conscience. Maybe you need to rediscover your inner marshmallow, if you ever had one.” Hmm. Brain to Donna. You’re talking to a demon. Shut your mouth.
“Damn.” Translation—you’re a stupid woman. “Who helped you with him? You couldn’t do it by yourself.”
She shrugged. “It’s not important. And I’m not going to think a name, so you can get out of my head.”
For the first time a gleam of amusement touched his intriguing eyes. “I could wait you out.”
Donna smiled. “Not more than an hour.”
He returned her smile. “I can stay more than an hour. I’ll just offer my body, you’ll turn me down, and we’ll wait some more.”
Her smile widened. “Maybe I’ll accept your offer.”
Brynn shook his head. “I don’t think so. You’re crazy about Eric.” He glanced at his watch. “Gotta go. I don’t know where you have Taurin stashed, but I’ll find him without your help. Enjoy the rest of your meal.”
Bemused, Donna watched him walk away. Crazy about Eric? Was she? She thought about that as she lifted a piece of steak toward her mouth.
“If you eat that whole steak and baked potato, they’ll form a layer of fat on your hips that’ll never ever go away. Fat hips are so not attractive to a virile vampire. And since I feel your rightness with Eric, I’ll sacrifice my own lithe figure in the name of love. Throw down a piece of steak.”
Donna paused with the steak halfway to her mouth and looked down at Asima. The cat sat beside Donna’s chair, her expression saying clearly that since she’d asked, it was Donna’s duty to fork over her meal.
Donna glanced around the restaurant. She’d chosen a table tucked into a dimly lit corner away from the few other diners because she wanted to be alone. Ha, fat chance. So far no one had noticed Asima. But then, Donna had a feeling Asima might have something to do with that. “Cats aren’t allowed in restaurants. Major health code violation.”
