“Don’t give in to him,” Terian growled, blackness coiling from him.
I shifted the flowers in my arms, and their enticing scent wafted up to my nose. I brought them closer and took a deep breath. They were heavenly.
“Call first, always,” I said softly. “Yes, you can visit.”
“Danial said you liked flowers,” Devlin said hesitantly.
“I do,” I gave him a smile that was trying hard not to be a grimace.
“Good,” he said, giving me another wide smile. “May I get up now?”
“Yes,” I said, breaking into a small smile. “Come inside. Danial will want to see you, and you can see Theoron.”
Devlin got to his feet. “Lead on, lady.”
The three of us went back inside. All talk hushed when Devlin entered with us. I led him quickly to the bassinet set up in the center of the great room.
Theoron lay with his eyes closed, looking the image of Danial. I saw nothing of me in him until he opened his eyes. They were a dark green like a spruce tree branch.
“He has your eyes,” Devlin said to me. “May I hold him?”
“He may bite you,” Terian cautioned, obviously hoping for that.
“He’s right,” I said sadly, resting my hand on the edge of the bassinet.
Theoron immediately sniffed the air and turned to strike at me, his fangs bared.
Devlin grabbed him so fast, he moved as a blur. “No, no.”
Theoron turned to him, smelling him. The tiny fangs receded, until his teeth were normal.
“So you know vampire blood won’t taste as good as human already?” Devlin murmured. “You’re going to be a smart one.”
Danial came up and shook hands with Devlin, sliding his arm possessively around me. “I’d wondered when you’d arrive, Dev.”
“He’s beautiful, Danial,” Devlin said lovingly, cradling Theoron in his arms. “He looks just like you.”
“Thank you,” Danial said modestly.
I smiled. This was almost comical, after all that had happened with the three of us, but all families fought and then made up, right? So long as Devlin behaved himself, I had no problem with him visiting if I didn’t have to be there.
The rest of the night went peacefully. Eventually, everyone left. Devlin was the last to go. Danial and I put Elle to bed, and Cia went to put down Theoron for the night.
“She’ll be back at dawn to feed him,” Danial told me as we let the dogs out. “Janice is taking care of him at night. He wants to eat or, I should say drink, every few hours.”
“That’s such a relief,” I said tiredly. “Can you go let the cats out of the pet room? I locked them in so no one would escape out an open door.”
Danial nodded. “I’ll meet you in the bedroom.”
I called the dogs in, turned off the lights, and went in to Danial. He was waiting for me in bed, under the covers. I took off my clothes and slipped in beside him.
“Here,” I said, handing him Terian’s vial.
“Is this what I think it is?” Danial asked.
“A present from Terian to us,” I said seductively. “If you’re in the mood to celebrate, that is. We were interrupted earlier.”
He downed it and put the vial on the nightstand. “It’s good I laid in a supply of protection,” he said. “Come here.”
* * * *
The next morning when I got up, Danial was still asleep. I kissed him and went out to have breakfast with Elle. After she left for her lessons, I shared my milk with Cavity and made a list. Now my life was finally mine again, it was time to get back into a routine. First on the list was exercise. I walked for a few miles with the dogs in the woods. Afterwards, I took a good hard look at my body. It really wasn’t too bad; I had some fat around my middle, but not too much extra on my hips or thighs. With effort, it shouldn’t be too hard to lose.
Next, I walked over to see Cia and Aran.
She looked at me. “Are you going to go back to the house for the summer like last year?”
“I have to talk to Danial about it,” I said vaguely. “Is Terian in his lab?”
“Probably,” Aran answered. “He spends most of his free time there or in target practice. Makes sense; Danial and he will be going out on jobs again in a few weeks.”
“Thanks. See you later.”
Terian’s lab was empty; all the jars lined up neatly.
I walked out to the woods and listened. Soon enough, single spaced out shots came from the spot we normally used for target practice. I walked into the clearing and was just in time to see him hit the bull’s eye of a target lined up about forty feet away.
“That’s good for the semiautomatic you’re holding.” I gave him a round of applause. He smiled and bowed.
“Seriously,” I said, eyeing his handiwork on the other targets, “that’s really good, Terian.”
“How is it you seem to be able to find me no matter where I am?” he said, giving me an odd look.
I was surprised at his emotional tone. It was clear he wanted me to find him, to be able always to find him.
“There are a limited amount of places you could be, Terian,” I said lightly. “I just followed the shots.”
“Are you out for a walk?” he said, again all business.
“Yes,” I said resolutely. “I have weight I want to lose.”
“Sarelle, you’ll always be beautiful,” he said, giving me an appreciative smile.
“Thanks, but I know how I used to look, and I want to look that way again. Soon.” I smiled to soften my words.
“Want some company then?” he said. “I’m almost done here.”
“Sure.”
I helped him gather up the targets and store them in the shed. He holstered his gun, and we walked into the woods.
“Are you happy, Terian?” I said as we walked.
“Yes,” he said. “I like being here with everyone. I’m thinking of calling Tatiana and asking her out.”
“After all this time?” I said incredulous. “You mean you never called her? She clearly wanted you to. She was interested.”
“I’d just broken up with Sundown. I was going to marry her. I don’t move that fast from one person to another.”
I flushed down to my toes and didn’t say anything.
“Sar, I didn’t mean—”
“I know what you meant,” I said curtly.
“No one thinks—”
“Don’t they?” I said softly. “You clearly do.”
“No, I don’t,” he said stubbornly.
I dropped it, and we walked for a while leisurely, talking about the weather and the coming summer and my plans for it...
“I’m not sure,” I admitted. “Danial and Elle don’t want to go back.”
“Then why don’t you sell the place?” Terian said.
“I might be moving back by myself,” I said sadly.
Terian grabbed me by the shoulders. “What the hell are you talking about? Tell me everything!”
“Being with Danial so long and having Theoron...well, it’s put me close to becoming vampire,” I said heavily. “Camlyn advised me to leave for a while, but I’ve promised Danial not to—”
“You need to leave,” Terian said worriedly, taking me by the shoulders. “Get away before you don’t have an option anymore. I know you love him, but—”
“He promised to abide by what Dr. Camlyn said. If he doesn’t share bodily fluids with me, then I’ll be fine—”
“Sar, if he does it by accident, it’s still done. Then he’ll have power over you in ways he doesn’t now. He’d be your sire, your master. You’ll never walk in the sun on a spring day like this with me again.”
“Terian, he would never do that—”
“I know a reason he would,” Terian said darkly.
“What reason?” I stared at him.
“In order to keep you with him, Sar.”
“I’m already with him, Terian. What do you know that I don’t?” I said harshly, my hands on m
y hips.
He looked at me, clearly considering his words.
“What?” I screamed. “What is Danial afraid of? Spit it out.”
“Theo’s alive,” he said roughly.
The End
Coming soon
Taken for his Own, Book 4 of the Promise Me Series
About the Author
Tara Fox Hall’s writing credits include nonfiction, horror, suspense, action-adventure, erotica, and contemporary and historical paranormal romance. She is the author of the paranormal action-adventure Lash series and the vampire romantic suspense Promise Me series. Tara divides her free time unequally between writing novels and short stories, chainsawing firewood, caring for stray animals, sewing cat and dog beds for donation to animal shelters, and target practice.
Website:
http://tarafoxhall.com
Also Available by Tara Fox Hall at
www.melange-books.com
Promise Me Series
Book 1: Promise Me
Book 2: Broken Promise
Coming Soon
Book 4: Taken For His Own
Shorts
Return To Me
Surrender To Me
Anthologies
Make Me Behave (wth Nancy Pirri)
Bedtime Shadows (with Jenny Twist)
Midnight Thirsts II
Spellbound 2011
Wicked Christmas Wishes
Turn the page for more books available
from Melange Books
Also Available
From Melange Books
Taken for His Own
Promise Me #4
by Tara Fox Hall
After learning Theo is alive, Sar immediately embarks on a mission to find him. Reunited, the lovers return to New York, Danial, Terian and Theo uneasily combining forces to protect Sar from Al's assassins who still seek her. But when Sar is taken prisoner in an all-out attack, only one man can save her—her old adversary, Devlin.
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Salvation
by Alyssa Cooper
When Alec first met Maya, an unassuming girl in sunglasses and sandals, he had no way of knowing that she was a vampire. It's only as he falls in love with her that he realizes she might be something more than human. Maya was born on a small farm in the nineteenth century. It was there she met the man who would someday take away her humanity – and, as she reveals to Alec, the man who has chased her for a century, an ancient enemy seeking revenge. Together they fight for her survival, each desperately seeking their own salvation.
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Cemetery Dance
by Tammy Marie Rose
The Cemetery Dance is a collection of dark short stories that intertwines the righteousness of man with the evil that lurks in the shadows, waiting patiently to devour him.
Welcome to a transcendental journey into a realm that reaches beyond the bounds of possibility.
The Cemetery Dance:
A revenant dances its way into a night watch man's heart.
Love's Me Not:
One woman's search for justice from the other side.
Mercy:
Redemption will not be denied when an act of malevolence brings down an entire town.
A Walk Among Them:
One man's moment of despair leads him on a otherworldly voyage.
1834:
The ghost of a innocent child is desperate to go home.
The Beast Within:
Johnathan Todd discovers he is not what he was raised to believe...human.
Taken in the Night Page 26
