He slowed halfway through his meal while she plowed on to the end. Once finished, she took and ate John’s rolls too, since he wasn’t going to eat them.
After she polished off the last roll, he leaned back and crossed his arms. “I knew taking you out to dinner was a good thing. I bet if we stayed in you’d only eat a sandwich or something small like that.”
Sarah couldn’t deny it. It’d been several days since her last decent meal. Cooking for one was no fun and going out alone unthinkable. Basically, she’d been living on soup and sandwiches. But did he have to be so smug about it?
After John paid the cashier, he took her hand and led her outside. A gust of wind slapped her face. He stopped. She pulled her hood up as his grip on her hand tightened. He stared out into the parking lot. She could have sworn he growled.
“What is it?” She looked out into the darkness and found the source of John’s anger. Steven. Being cooped up all day, she’d never gotten a chance to get that restraining order. Why did he always seem to show up at the strangest places? Could she and John ever have a date that didn’t end in disaster? “What should we do?”
John shrugged. “I can make him leave, but if he has an agenda, he’ll just show up again. Or we can ignore him and hope he gets the message. Your call.”
She squeezed his hand. She’d love nothing better than to see Steven leave, but ignoring him would work, too. John wouldn’t let anything happen to her, she was sure of it. But before she could announce her decision, Steven approached them.
“Hi, Sarah. How’re you doing?”
So much for ignoring the bastard. She leaned into John, whether to hide or seek comfort, she wasn’t entirely sure. Probably a bit of both. Was Steven seriously starting a casual conversation?
“I’m fine, and you?” If she could pull the question back, she would. Damn stupid reflex.
“I’m doing well.” Steven’s gaze shifted to John then back at her. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
Had hell frozen over? But before she could say anything, John offered his hand to Steven. “I’m John.”
Steven glanced at John’s hand and reluctantly took it. Sarah cringed. What information would he get out of Steven? Her accident? The baby? Crap.
“Aren’t you that bartender at Wings?” Steven asked.
Please let him go, she prayed. But of course, John didn’t. Steven didn’t even try to get free.
“Owner, actually,” John said. “Are you following us? We seem to run into you a lot.”
Steven laughed nervously and John continued to hold his hand. “Why would I be following you? I just happened to come here for dinner and spotted you. No harm done.”
What kind of garbage was Steven spewing? He didn’t even live around here. All the times she had suggested the restaurant, he’d rolled his eyes as if she’d suggested they eat dirt.
John pulled Steven in close, their faces inches apart. “I suggest the next time you spot us, you keep on walking. Sarah doesn’t want you in her life anymore, and I can’t say I blame her, not after you killed her baby.”
Oh God! No! Dizziness attacked her for a moment. What else did John find out?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Steven said, shooting an accusing look at her. “She fell down the stairs.”
John abruptly released Steven’s hand and then scanned the parking lot as if he heard something. She followed suit, although she had no idea what to look for. There wasn’t anyone else in the lot. Not even a wandering pet. But then, his eyesight was probably a hundred times better than hers.
John glared at Steven. “Who sent you here?”
“I’m not following you and no one sent me here. You’re nuts, you know that? You sure know how to pick ’em, Sarah. I’m outta here.”
After Steven entered the restaurant, she confronted John. “What was that about?”
He led her to the Bumblebee and held the passenger door open. Well, maybe the parking lot wasn’t the best place to talk. Sarah climbed into the SUV and pulled the seat belt across her lap, wincing at the tension across her chest. So much for thinking she was healing. When the driver’s door didn’t open, she looked up. John was nowhere in sight. Where had he gone? Shit. Did he go back to talk to Steven? Or maybe do something worse? She quickly unbuckled her belt and got out.
She headed back toward the restaurant when soft coughing noises caused her to stop. Down on the ground, toward the front of the Bumblebee, John was kneeling on the pavement, clutching his stomach. She rushed to his side. “John, what’s the matter?”
“I’m okay. Please get in the car.” He moaned and then doubled over.
“You’re hurting. What can I do?”
He started to gag. “Please get inside, don’t make me ask again.”
Slowly, she stood. His retching became more intense and she took two steps back, the sound triggering the same reflex in her. Maybe leaving was a good idea. If she even got a whiff, there was no telling what she might do. She climbed inside the Bumblebee and put her head in her hands, ready to stick her fingers in her ears in case the sounds penetrated the interior. With the driver’s window in her peripheral vision, she stayed in that position until John stood. She let out a relieved breath and straightened. God, what a wimp. She should have been there for him.
He opened the door and slid behind the wheel. Sarah pulled a small bottle of water from her purse, and held it out. When he only stared at it, she said, “To rinse your mouth?”
“Is there anything you don’t carry around in that purse of yours?” he said as he leaned over to look into her bag.
“Yeah, the kitchen sink.”
He chuckled before getting out of the car. If he was laughing, he must be feeling better. Why wasn’t she?
When he returned, he put the empty bottle in the cup holder between the seats. “Thanks. Guess I misjudged how long I could hold it in. I’m sorry you had to witness that. Certainly wasn’t my intent.” He smiled weakly and her heart went out to him.
“Are you okay?” She placed her hand on his arm. He didn’t seem ill, but it felt rude not to ask.
He smiled and patted her hand. “I’m fine. Embarrassed, but fine.”
Embarrassed? That was it? She’d be feeling like shit. “So that’s what happens when you eat?”
He nodded. “My stomach doesn’t produce acid anymore, so it can’t digest food. It’s not as bad as it seems. Really.”
Looked pretty bad to her. “So you can still enjoy the taste of food, but if you eat it…” She couldn’t finish the sentence.
“Exactly,” he said, smiling. “Bummer, huh?”
So much for enjoying meals with John. He could joke about it, but she wasn’t sure she could. How could she ever eat in front of him again? To tempt him every day when he couldn’t enjoy it was just plain cruel. Her mother had taught her that much.
“What were you doing with Steven?”
He draped his arms over the steering wheel and looked out the windshield. “I didn’t believe him and I wanted the truth.” He shook his head back and forth minutely.
“And what? Is he? Is he following me?”
John took her hand and gently squeezed it. He gazed at their union. “I don’t know. I couldn’t access his thoughts.”
“Sure you did. How else did you know about…?” The question died on her mouth.
He shifted his gaze to her and furrowed his eyebrows. “The baby?” Sarah nodded. “Lori told me.”
Lori? How could she? Sarah opened her mouth to protest, but John put his fingers to her lips.
“Now don’t go getting mad at Lori. She meant well. I am sorry for your loss.”
Lori always meant well. Didn’t mean it was right. Her eyes sprung a leak and John wiped the tears away.
“Ah, Sarah. What did he do to you?”
His look of concern was too much. She stared out the side window. “He broke my heart,” she murmured as the memories came
flooding back.
Sarah ran up the stairs, eager to tell Steven the news, and stopped at the large mirror at the top. Gazing at her reflection, she turned sideways and lightly touched her belly. How long would it take before she showed? She couldn’t wait to wear maternity clothes. Movement in the mirror caught her attention, and she lowered her arm as Steven emerged from their bedroom. Grinning, she turned and faced him.
“And what brings a smile to my beautiful wife today?”
“I have wonderful news.” She bounced up and down, unable to contain her joy.
He gave her a light hug before stepping back. “Wonderful news, huh? Well, go on and tell me before you explode.”
“You know how I haven’t been feeling well lately?” He nodded for her to continue. “I’m pregnant.”
His smile turned into a scowl. No. The news was supposed to make him happy. She trembled knowing what would come next and automatically stepped back.
“This wouldn’t have happened if you took the pill.”
And it wouldn’t have happened if he always used a condom, but some nights weren’t worth the bother. “You said you wanted a family.”
“Some day, not now!” He paced the hallway. “You’ll just have to get rid of it.”
His words stabbed deep. Tears blurred her vision. Her marriage was over. Nothing would fix it.
But get rid of her baby? Never. She stood, holding her head high. “You can’t make me.”
“How dare you disobey me!” He brought his hands up and shoved her.
The stairs loomed into view and she grabbed onto the first thing within reach—the mirror. Her momentum ripped it from the wall and together they tumbled down the steps to the foyer.
So much glass. So much blood. Her dream had been ripped from her because she had dared to defy him. If only she had kept her mouth shut.
Would she be in mourning forever or would it take more time? One thing was certain: she could never tell John. He would kill Steven for sure.
John held her hand. “Lori thinks he’s responsible, but said that you wouldn’t press charges. Why not? He certainly seems deserving.”
Except she’d been just as responsible. “Doesn’t matter. I wanted him out of my life. He promised me the divorce if I dropped it. That’s what I wanted.”
“He doesn’t deserve to live.”
The anger in his voice startled her. His eyes were glowing with hatred.
“But you won’t hurt him, will you? You’re not a violent man. If you were, Ray wouldn’t still be alive, would he?”
He hung his head. “No, he wouldn’t. But that was before. Don’t you realize I’d do anything to protect you?”
“I know.” Sarah placed his palm against her cheek. “But John, Steven’s out of my life, and I’m better off. Better off because I found you. If I can forget him, can’t you?”
He looked away as if in thought. Could he forget or was the vampire inside of him wanting revenge? “Promise me you’ll tell me whenever you see him. No secrets.”
Relieved, she squeezed his hand. “No secrets. I promise.”
John nodded and started the engine. They drove in relative silence until he turned toward her apartment.
“You missed the turn to Wings.”
“Why would I go there?”
“So I could drop you off.”
John sighed heavily, a sign she recognized as frustration. “I’m taking you home. I’m not going to force you to drive tonight.”
She certainly didn’t want him mad, not over something stupid, so she kept quiet and remained that way until John pulled into her parking lot. He helped her out and escorted her to her door. When he handed over the keys, he was quiet, but his face gave nothing away. If he was angry, he hid it well.
John fished his cellphone out of his pocket and glanced at it. “I have some business to take care of that shouldn’t take long. If it’s not too late, do you mind if I come back after I’m done?”
“You’re not mad at me?”
He returned the phone and cupped her face, igniting her desires. His glimmering eyes pierced her soul. “Sarah… I could never be mad at you. You make my life worth living. I want to be with you.”
How’d she get so lucky to find someone like him? Someone who didn’t lose their temper on a whim, who was happy in her company and not concerned with appearances? She smiled and placed one hand over his. “I’ll be waiting.”
He rubbed his thumb across her cheek. “I’ll be as quick as I can.” After kissing the top of her head, he spun her around and nudged her toward the door. “Now get inside and lock the door.”
“Yes sir!” She saluted and laughed. As she shut the door, she smiled. John was hers and she couldn’t ask for a better man.
Chapter 21
After checking in with Lori and assuring her friend she’d be at work the next day, Sarah grabbed an afghan and her book and curled up on the loveseat. The place was lonely without John. She missed his scent, his presence. In less than a month, he’d managed to become a huge part of her life and she hoped he’d be in her life a good long time. But would he want to stick around when she looked older than him or did he want to turn her into a vampire, too? Would that be akin to proposing?
If he asked to turn her, would she say yes? Probably. Maybe. He’d never mentioned what was involved or what the success rate was, only that it was a curse. The curse would be to watch loved ones grow old while remaining young, so if she was like him, then it wouldn’t be a curse anymore, right? No one meant more to her than John. Sure, she hadn’t known him all that long, and she had some time on her side, but the idea made her smile. Being a vampire with John would be better than perfect.
She opened her book. There were only about fifty pages left and she was at the part where she really hadn’t wanted to put it down. She should have it finished before John returned. It would certainly make the time go by faster. Faster was good. She pulled the afghan up and dug in.
Just as she got to the part where the hero’s life was in danger, someone knocked on the door. She recoiled and dropped the book. Good Lord. Was she jumpy enough? John had only been gone fifteen minutes and Lori would have called first, so who the heck could it be? Straightening and stretching her legs, Sarah slowly stood. As the day wore on, the pain had subsided. True, she couldn’t run worth a damn, but walking without pain would do for now.
She shuffled to the door and looked through the peephole. The hallway was empty. Probably some kids playing a prank. She padded back toward the chair when there was another knock. She looked a second time and her heart lodged in her throat.
It was Steven.
* * * *
John opened his office door. Perry was sitting behind his desk, reclining in his chair. He might have been irritated if he wasn’t so relieved.
“I wasn’t sure you’d come so quickly. Thanks,” John said.
“You said it was urgent.”
“And you tend to forget to charge your phone.” Movement from behind caught John’s attention and he turned around. How desperate had he sounded for Perry to bring the Head of the Committee?
“Hello, John.”
“Hello, Barnet.” John closed the door. He didn’t extend his hand in welcome, a common occurrence between vampires and a gesture that had taken him years to remember. No one liked having their thoughts read inadvertently.
Barnet, a rare vampire who’d been turned in his forties and actually sported some gray in his dark hair, wasn’t a particularly tall man, nor was he overbearing, but he’d earned every vampire’s respect because they knew he truly cared. Many considered him a father figure, John one of them. Barnet had stepped in and taught him all about being a vampire. There wasn’t a man he respected more.
“I was disappointed you didn’t stay after your last meeting, but it is nice to see you back in society. I trust the bar is doing well?”
At the time, John had still been living as a hermit. He hadn’
t stayed because being with other vampires was almost as bad as being with mortals. Now he felt bad that he hadn’t. “It is.”
“Okay, Johnny, what kind of trouble did you get yourself into now?” Perry asked.
Good old Perry, no beating around the bush for him. “I didn’t think I had done anything to get myself in trouble, but there is a problem and I need help.”
Barnet came around and sat in the chair in front of the desk. “What kind of help?”
John couldn’t sit. He wasn’t sure how much trouble he had caused and as he thought about Sarah and everything, his nerves bunched up. He needed to move or else he might blow a circuit, so he paced the restrictions of the room. “I interfered but now he’s back. I don’t know what I did wrong. And then there’s Steven.”
“Relax, John,” Barnet said. “You’re not on trial here. Slow down and start from the beginning.”
Relaxing wasn’t possible, not until Sarah’s safety was ensured. John continued pacing while spilling all the details of the events that had occurred since saving Sarah from the serial killer. The only thing he omitted was her unique resistance to mind manipulation. Perry had never mentioned it so John suspected the man had never tried. He wasn’t ready to share everything, if he ever would be.
“You’re making me dizzy, Johnny. Cut it out,” Perry said. “Who’s Steven?”
John stopped and leaned against the door. He folded his arms across his chest, hoping that would keep him from exploding. “Sarah’s ex. We ran into him tonight and I tried to read him, but all I got was static. From what I know, the only way that could happen—”
“Is if another vampire has control,” Barnet finished. “This doesn’t sound very promising. It almost sounds like you have an enemy, John.”
“Me? I just assumed…”
“That someone was after Sarah?” Barnet finished. “If they were, wouldn’t they just take her?”
“I guess.” Except most likely no vampire could control Sarah, but John couldn’t share that theory without telling them about her.
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