To Have and to Trust (Heart of a Highlander Collection Book 1)

by Allie Palomino

  “After the way your first name is spelled, I figure I shouldn’t even try to spell your last.”

  He grinned. “R-E-I-H-N.”

  “See, I knew it. I would have misspelled that.”

  “R-A-I-N?”

  She shook her head. “No, I’m not that unimaginative.

  R-E-I-G-N.”

  “Close enough,” he said, referring to his title as king.

  “What?” she asked, but continued to stare at her screen.

  “Nothing.”

  After a long moment, she said “Here you are,” brightening instantly at her success. “So let me tell you about some books I recommend. What kind of project are you working on?”

  “I’m researching books and noting the inconsistencies and falsehoods amongst them. Most of them are riddled with them.”

  “How do you know so much about vampires? It sounds almost as if you know first hand, like they existed,” she asked, posing the question clinically, as if she didn’t quite negate the fact that they could have existed and waited for him to substantiate his claim. He didn’t know what to make of that.

  “What type of book is your professor writing?”

  “He’s trying to answer whether vampires existed as a result of people believing they did due to oddities exhibited by others, or if it was purely legend and lore passed down. You know, like porphyria or Elizabeth Bathory or Vlad the Impaler.”

  “Hmm.”

  “Say no more, I know how you feel about most of these types of books. But how did you learn so much about vampires if you didn’t learn it from these books?”

  She was too smart, he thought. Luckily for him she shrugged off the question, because for once, he didn’t have a ready answer.

  Ellie stood and walked around the desk. “I’ll show you where some are. Sammy, please watch the desk. I’ll be right back,” she said, as Sammy approached.

  Sammy looked up and she gaped at Xander. “Oh my God,” she whispered, but the only one who noticed was Xander. Xander lifted up an eyebrow at Sammy and smiled.

  Once Ellie stood next to Xander, she seemed to have shrunk about a foot. She looked up at him, baffled at how massive the guy was. His biceps must be the size of her thighs. He suddenly looked down at her as if she had spoken aloud. Had she?, she thought in a panic.

  “Lead the way, Ellie.”

  Relief flooded her. Ellie moved to walk in front of him and she missed his smile as he walked behind her.

  His eyes silently caressed her. Xander focused on her soft hands as she took the clip out of her hair and repositioned it as she walked, leaving tresses around her face. Her soft brown hair gleamed with blond and red highlights. Wearing jeans with a cream-colored, long sleeved blouse accentuated her shapely behind. She was very nicely proportioned, especially the lushness that filled her bra. Simple gold hoop earrings and a small gold locket, which rested on that delectable neck, finished her off. She certainly wasn’t a woman whose interests lie heavily with accessories.

  Ellie seemed to be very simple- very unlike the human females he’d met before. Prior to tonight, he’d never seen her in full light and Xander had been surprised when he approached her at the desk. She was breathtakingly beautiful. No wonder that asshole boss was all over her.

  He looked to his left as he walked and noticed college frat guys overly souped-up on testosterone and ‘roids staring at her. Once they noticed Xander behind her, they blinked in response to Xander’s flashing eyes. Shaking their heads with confused expressions, they focused back down on their opened books.

  “So, what is Ellie short for?” he asked, although he knew. He wanted to hear her voice again.

  “Eleina,” she said absently, stopping in front of a row of tall bookcases. She looked up at the top row and looked down to her right. A small stepper was there, so she pulled it closer to her. Grabbing the shelf for support, she stood on the step. Still too short to reach the books, she got on her tippy-toes and reached out with her arm.

  “Why didn’t you say something? Let me get that,” he said softly, looking at her. Her eyes crawled to the left and she noticed she was at eye level with his mouth. Even on her tiptoes and on the stepping stool, she wasn’t eye level. Her eyes crept slowly from his sexy lips to his vibrant eyes.

  “Thanks,” she whispered, stepping down from the stool quickly. “Get those four centered there,” she said pointing. When he reached to take them, she saw the glyph on the inside of his left wrist. It looked like a half-sun with lines underneath it. Dots and symmetrical “L’s” flanked its sides.

  Sexy.

  She went to reach for them, but he stopped her.

  “I’ll carry them. They’re heavy,” he said, his voice deep, dark, and sexy. She fought her goose bumps and lost.

  She was surprised at his thoughtfulness. Five more points for him. Was it twenty now?

  Wanting to smile at her thoughts, he followed her to a nearby table. He knew she felt dwarfed by his nearness when he sat next to her. Taking the heaviest book, she fumbled it open, trying to get to a page she wanted to show him.

  “Here. This section talks about lore. It was very interesting and somewhat useful.”

  “You read it?”

  “Actually, I read the whole book. It’s pretty good, but the author doesn’t fully explain where some myths came from, so it fails there a little.”

  He looked at the dark circles underneath her eyes. “It must have taken a long time to read it.”

  “Yes- I read the whole thing in about three days.”

  “The weekend?”

  Three days was long for her?, he thought, looking at the thick book.

  “No, it was during the week. My professor is really demanding. This book he’s working on means a lot to him. I had to find time during the week to read it.”

  Xander grew angry. She had two jobs? No wonder she wasn’t sleeping and looked so tired.

  “What are you studying?”

  “I’m completing my dissertation to finally get my Ph.D.”

  He hadn’t known that and was taken by surprise. “Finally? You look very young to be graduating with a Ph.D.”

  She shrugged as if it were an everyday accomplishment. “I’m going to turn twenty-five soon. I think of the graduation as a gift. I’ll finally be able to just have one job, rather than two and go to school.”

  “Why don’t you just quit one of your jobs?”

  “Actually, I did. I was a server at a diner.”

  “You had three jobs? Why did you quit? You were finally tired enough to only have two jobs?” he asked, almost angrily.

  She decided she was reading too much into his question and tone, and laughed. He was probably just being sarcastic.

  “No. I could always use the extra money from that job. The fact is it’s hard to afford rent in this city. I barely cover my expenses,” she said, grimacing. “Anyway, look at this one,” she said, stretching over the desk to get the second thickest book. His eyes quickly traveled to her raised luscious behind, before quickly moving to the book she now held.

  “What about your university tuition?”

  Another small laugh escaped her as she looked up at him. “Well, a particular corporation with two first names has all my loans. Trust me, the reserve at Ft. Knox couldn’t cover them. They own my soul.”

  “What about your family?”

  She cleared her throat, looked away, and said uncomfortably, “I don’t have any.”

  A great wave of sadness engulfed him. He felt her emotions and it was so consuming, he took a moment to inhale deeply. He moved on from that topic, not wanting to upset her.

  “How did you come to be twenty-five and have a Ph.D.?”

  “I graduated high school at fifteen. Went through college and graduate school fairly quickly,” she said, thumbing through the book. “Been doing research for my dissertation for awhile and I’m almost done. Then I have my oral exams.”

  “Graduation at fifteen? You were that focused as a child?”
<
br />   “I was,” she said briskly. When you want to escape from reality, school and studying are a perfect outlet, she thought. “I excelled quickly.” Man, she didn’t want to think about her past right now.

  His thirst to know more about her grew tenfold as he studied her. After giving him some recommendations, she stood.

  “You shouldn’t be working so late here, Eleina.”

  Gifting him with a smile, she said, “That’s what my friend usually tells me when I see him in the park.”

  “You have time to walk in the park?” he lightly mocked.

  She laughed and the melodious sound made his heart soar, and made the restless beast within him calm. “Not really. I usually walk home.”

  “Usually?” he asked, returning her infectious grin.

  “Yea. My car is usually in the shop. It’s only ten years old. For a foreign car, that wouldn’t be so bad, but for a domestic, that’s ancient. On the upside, the exercise is good.”

  He shook his head, but kept smiling for her sake. He had been wrong about her. Xander assumed she would be spoiled and looking for deep pockets, like some of the gold-diggers he’d had the misfortune to meet. She hadn’t had it easy at all.

  Xander wanted to know more about her and her family. What had Sarai said? She was from a Midwestern town? Hmm. The blond behind the counter seemed to be a little struck with him. He would prod her for information.

  “Thank you, Eleina. Should you need help completing your research, I would be more than happy to help you.”

  “Thank you,” she said, and returned to the reference desk.

  Xander kept the façade of reading the good-for-nothing book and idly thumbed through the pages. He scoffed at the references made to garlic and holy water.

  What did humans know about his people anyway?

  He ignored the stares and the whispers of women who walked by him. His thoughts were centered on the woman behind the reference desk. The woman whose voice made his heart soar and electrified his body at the mention of his name on her lips.

  When he saw Ellie disappear into the break room with a paper bag, he went to the front where Sammy now sat.

  “Hi. Sammy, right?” he asked, grinning sexily.

  “Yea,” she said, flustered.

  “I’m Xander. I’m wondering about the Midwest. My friend wants to visit and he’s having trouble deciding where to go. Do you have any travel books that would help him decide? I forgot to ask Eleina about that.”

  Sammy smiled. Her hazel eyes were bright, and her face pink, nearing the color of her red shirt.

  “Act-Actually, you should have asked her. She’s from there. Willow Oaks, Iowa.”

  “Do you know if she has family there?” he asked, trying to milk as much information from her as possible.

  She shook her head. “Ellie’s private. We’re best friends and I barely know about her past. She doesn’t talk much about where she came from.” She looked at him curiously, as if she’d only just realized that he may be interested in Ellie.

  She leaned into the desk. “You’re interested in her, aren’t you?” she asked conspiratorially.

  Well, and here he thought he would have to erase her memory. Sammy may prove to be an ally. He smiled at her.

  “I find her very intelligent and attractive, and yes, I’d like to get to know her better. I don’t want her to know though, you know what I mean.”

  She brightened up. “Yes, I know. Actually, I think having something in her life other than school and work would do her well. Ellie doesn’t really go out much.”

  He smiled at her, took her hand, and kissed it. “I am forever grateful, Sammy. I’ll be leaving now. Thank you for your help and continued help,” he said, winking at her.

  She returned his wink, laughing. “Thank you, Xander.”

  He nodded and walked out of the library.

  Willow Oaks, Iowa?

  Lord, that sounded like a small town. How typically human.

  At about ten that night, Sammy began collecting her things to leave. She saw Ellie at the front desk perusing through new books the library had just received.

  “Don’t you ever get tired? What did you think of Xander?”

  “What?” Ellie squeaked- the change in topics threw her.

  Sammy laughed. “Oh, come on, Ellie! Don’t tell me you didn’t notice him! He’s gorgeous, and dangerous looking. Those yummy tats on his neck and wrist! And his subtle accent!”

  Ellie shook her head, uncomfortable with the subject. “Sammy, he wouldn’t be interested in me. I’m too…too boring, and men like him don’t prize intelligence.”

  “You don’t know that. You never give anyone a chance.”

  “No one’s knocking my door down. I need to shed twenty pounds and I never see the light of day. I don’t have time.”

  Sammy shook her head. “You know, you’re very beautiful, Ellie. You don’t give yourself enough credit.”

  Ellie sighed. “You’re the bombshell, Sammy. Maybe you should try with Xander. Besides, who’s to say that he’ll be back anyway?” Ellie said, but was uncomfortable with the thought of Xander and her best friend together.

  Sammy tsked and laughed, grabbing her keys, purse and coat.

  “Oh he’ll be back,” she said in a way that made Ellie think

  she had reason to be confident.

  He’ll be back? Yea right.

  Chapter Four

  “Eye-Candy’s been in here everyday for a week, Ellie. Come on! What gives!” Sammy demanded to know.

  “I don’t know what you’re looking for. We’re mutually helping one another. Xander really is an expert on vampire lore. He helps me with my research, and because of that, I’ve had some free time. It’s been great,” Ellie said, smiling.

  “A-ha,” Sammy said, shaking her head. “You have a crush on him, don’t you?”

  Ellie shook her head. “You don’t give up, do you?”

  “Ugh, Ellie! Come on! You’re blushing a terrible shade of red right now! He’s into you.”

  “Oh, please, Sammy. Really. A guy like that? Ok, so I was wrong about him. He is intelligent and he does value intelligence, but I’m sure that characteristic is one out of a hundred he wants in his girlfriend.”

  Sammy laughed. “Girl, please. You need to open your eyes, that’s what you need to do. So he has useful knowledge, right?” Sammy asked, and at Ellie’s nod, continued. “For what other purpose than him liking you, is he seeking you out? You’re not the only reference librarian, Ellie.”

  Ellie groaned. “Sammy, he wants book recommendations. He’s also researching the same genre I am, only focusing on another subtopic. I recommend books and discuss them with him. He says he finds my input very insightful.”

  Sammy shook her head and looked unconvinced.

  Xander walked in and he knew they were talking about him. He could see Ellie’s eyes skitter away from him and Sammy’s knowingly focusing on his. She winked at him and he smiled.

  Humans were so easily manipulated.

  Xander had been getting to know Ellie for a week, and what he’d learned fit in a thimble. When he broached questions about her life and her upbringing, he felt sadness and fear. Why?

  She was a closed book and Xander realized that he needed to leave soon and go to Willow Oaks. He’d hoped by now that she would have opened up to him a little, but apparently humans held on to their secrets more than they held on to their morals. How would he tell her about her dormant genes before conversion if she didn’t trust him? He needed to know more about her.

  Protect her, first and foremost. He didn’t know why she was so important to Sarai and Anneigh. Knowing her for this short time, though, her safety, and her life, must come first.

  “So how’s the book coming? Have you written anything?” she asked when he approached the front desk.

  He gave her that smile- the one that increased her heart rate as if she’d just run a marathon. Eye-Candy, a nickname she and Sammy giggled over, was good for her cardiov
ascular system.

  “Not yet, I was hoping we could discuss it more in depth.”

  “This isn’t a private tutoring session. Masters isn’t here to be your private consultant,” Pratt said from behind Ellie.

  Xander looked at him, and as Ellie turned around to face her supervisor, Xander’s eyes flashed. Pratt’s brows crinkled in confusion.

  “She works for the library and when you monopolize her time, there are others here who are being disserviced.”

  Xander felt the fear roll off Ellie- the fear of losing her job. From Pratt, though, he felt jealousy. He almost raised an eyebrow at the strong emotion.

  “I’m sorry, Richard, but we’ve been working together and I’ve been helpi-”

  “Isn’t this a public library?” Xander asked.

  “Yes, it is,” Pratt answered curtly.

  “You depend on the government for resources in order to operate, correct? But donations from private parties make things easier, right?” His voice was a dark swarming menace, creeping around Pratt.

  “You’re correct, sir,” Pratt said sourly.

  “Actually, it’s Xander Reihn,” Xander said, and waited for the man to stop gaping before continuing. “Allow me, then, to make a generous donation to the library that employs the best research librarian I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.”

  Ellie looked at Pratt awkwardly. She’d never seen the man struck speechless before.

  “From the R-Reihn Corporation?” Pratt said, stuttering.

  Xander smiled. “That’s right.”

  It was Ellie’s turn to be stunned.

  “Will one-hundred thousand dollars help this library function more efficiently?”

  Pratt could only nod his head slowly.

  “Fine. I’ll have one of my men send over a check tomorrow. Now, we can get back to work. Is that alright, then, Pratt?”

  “Y-yes, Mr. Reihn. Pardon my interruption,” Pratt stammered, before departing.

  Sammy silently stood by witnessing the scene. When Pratt turned to leave, she leaned in near Ellie pretending to reach for a pencil and nudged her on the side. Ellie looked up and Sammy gave her an “I told you so” grin. Ellie turned back to Xander only to see him staring at her.