Beating Hearts

by Lucretia Stanhope

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  W ith Nick locked in for the day, Kate heard every sound outside, and every creak in the house. She felt exposed and alone. She wished there was something she could do for him, something that would make him stronger, make him better. All he asked her to do was to watch the house, that she would do. She wouldn’t go to sleep, not even a nap.

  After she made a full pot of coffee, she turned on her computer. She didn’t expect any messages, but she wanted to feel some sort of normalcy, do something routine.

  A smile came to her lips when she saw she did have a delivery notice for the couch, and that they would be there that day. It felt like a lifetime ago when she ordered it, but she liked the idea that Nick could rest comfortable upstairs that night. She wasn't sure how he might feel, but her gut told her he would not be much better.

  Another message caught her attention. The sender was familiar; it was the same address she received the invitation to go to Warren's club from. She stared at the sender name and the blank subject line. Even though everything in her wanted to delete it unread, she couldn't bring herself to move. She didn't open it, didn't delete it, she just looked at it sitting alone in her inbox.

  She got up and took a wobbly walk to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Trying to settle her nerves, she decided to have something to eat and then she would decide if she even wanted to open the mail, or just delete it and carry on as if she never saw it.

  In the back of her mind she knew she would open it, she had to know if it was really Warren. Had he known she was there, did he sense her, like Nick thought he would? She wondered why he would have gone to the trouble to email her at that address, if he thought she was with Paul.

  She sat her glass down and held on the counter as it crossed her mind that he could have put it together that she wasn't with Paul. She barely regained her composure when she heard a van outside.

  Her heart raced, even though she expected the delivery. She walked back to the main room and peered out the window, watching as a van pulled up and stopped. It had the right store logo on it, so she started to relax a little.

  Two men got out of the van and started toward the door, she greeted them and showed them where to put the lounger, in front of the fire. They didn't say much to her or each other, just carried it in and handed her a delivery slip. She signed the slip, they took their copy, and left.

  After she locked the door tight, she sat back down at her laptop and stared at the email some more. The date showed it came the previous night. She needed to know. After a few long moments, she finally got the nerve to open it.

  How would you like to have a night with a real vampire? It can be arranged you know.

  Short and effective, it took her mind straight back to that first night at his club. She felt a shiver and leaned back in the chair, trying to push the awful memory away. Once she felt a little more in control she got up and sat on the lounger, enjoying the fire. The email still sat opened on her screen. She wondered if he added that 'real' in reference to Nick or maybe Paul. It was still possible he thought she was with Paul, although she admitted to herself that wasn't likely.

  She pondered over responding, deleting, it, calling the police, or telling Nick and getting his input. She decided she would tell Nick, as soon as he had more strength. In his shape, if he ran off halfcocked he could get himself killed.

  After she sat and stared at the fire for hours, she unplugged the computer and made her way outside. The sunshine felt good on her face and woke her up a bit. She went back inside and grabbed her spare camera. She took pictures, and walked around his huge yard, in effort to get the sense of peace that usually came from behind the lens.

  When she hit a fence, she turned to see just how far she had gone and then realized she could hardly see the house, so she made her way back. She didn't want anyone sneaking up on them. She almost made it to the porch when she saw another van pull up. This one a florist with a local address on the side of the van.

  “Can I help you?” she called out to the driver.

  He opened his door, got out, and looked down at his clipboard as he walked around to the back and opened the doors. “Are you Kate?”

  He didn't look like an imposing thug to her. He was short, a little pudgy, with messy graying hair that needed a cut, and a friendly face.

  “Yes.” Her voice trembled despite his harmless demeanor.

  “I have a delivery for you.” He handed her a small bouquet of pale pink flowers, and smiled warmly at her. “Unusual request, someone must really like you, Miss.”

  “Is there a card?” She looked at the flowers more closely. They were pretty, delicate looking, but nothing she recognized. She wondered when Nick could have sent them. “What are they?”

  “No card, no name left either it seems. They are dog roses. Pretty, don't you think?”

  She nodded and stayed outside to watch as he drove off, before she walked toward the house and went inside. Not sure what Nick meant to say with them, because she had no idea of general symbolism in flowers, she plugged the laptop back in, curious. If they were rare he probably had some sweet message, most flowers did carry some sort of symbolism.

  After some searching she gathered they were not from Nick, best she could tell they were meant to represent pain and pleasure. One site she landed on was very specific, saying they meant, the pleasure is worth all the pain. She put them in Nick's office and shut the door, she didn't want to look at them anymore. In case they had some other meaning and were actually from Nick, she didn’t want to toss them out. After he felt a little better she would show him those and the email.

  The room spun a little when the realization they had been sent there hit her. They had been sent there, to Nick's house, for her, and they were probably from Warren.

  He knew they were together, and even worse, knew where they were.

  Her hands started to tremble. Relax, she told herself. He emailed, he was playing games, he was not there himself and if he was, he was asleep somewhere. She didn't relax, she paced, checked locks and peered out the windows all day. She picked up the phone to call the police a hundred times and put it back down, each time remembering Nick saying Warren may have the police in his pocket.

  She only started to relax when she saw the sun dropping. Not wanting to be pacing when Nick woke up, she sat in front of the fire. The last thing she wanted to do was worry him when he seemed to be struggling so much already. She felt like he was taking forever to come through the door, and let out a breath in relief when she heard him finally making his way up the stairs.

  He looked over to her and smiled. He still looked weary, his bruises had all but healed and the cut was almost gone too.

  “You look better,” she said, and stood up, walking over to him.

  “I do feel a little stronger tonight,” he said, and took her in his arms. “How was the day? You must be exhausted.”

  “I am tired. I may need a nap at some point tonight.” She rested in his embrace and let the stress of the day wash away.

  “Sweetheart, you need to sleep tonight. You can't stay up night and day.” He kept her under his arm as they walked to the kitchen.

  “How much longer do you think you will need until you feel yourself again?” She watched him drink, still with a thirst that was greater than he used to have.

  “I'm not sure. I don't know what part caused me to feel so bad. Why?”

  She struggled with what to burden him with. The flowers shocked her pretty bad, and since it meant Warren knew where they were, Nick needed to know that much.

  He drank another glass, and filled another, then watched her face as she appeared to struggle with something. “What is it? Did something happen today?”

  She walked over to him and nestled under his arm again, she felt safe there. “I missed you so badly today.” She was still unsure if she wanted to burden him with the flowers.

  “I may be up to showing you how much I missed you,” he said, in a sexy voice
that she loved to hear.

  “Finish your drink.” She watched as he drained another glass. “Are you still hurting?”

  “Yeah, a little. I've never known anything to take this long to heal. Of course, I've never been poked with silver either, and since it kills lesser vampires, I have to assume it is wreaking havoc inside of me.”

  “I know you said no already, but if it would help you heal faster, stop the pain, and make us safer…”

  He cut his eyes sharply at her. “No, the answer will always be, no. I'd rather die.”

  She stepped back, took his hand in hers and then walked with him back to the main room.

  “Did you want to sit outside?” he asked. “Listen to the crickets and watch the sky?”

  “No,” she said. “I would rather stay inside and rest in your arms by the fire.”

  “Of course, you must be tired.” He sat down and stretched out, enjoying the softness of the new lounger, then held a hand out to her. “This is pretty comfortable, and it has room for two, well done.”

  She took his hand and sat between his legs, then stretched out, laying her head on his chest. “Your lap is the most comfortable place in the world.”

  As she rested back on him, he felt his coldness melting away, he loved the way her skin warmed him when she pressed against him. He mindlessly stroked her hair while he thought about what it meant to be in love with her. He seemed to have a dual nature since his changing, and often referred to one side of him as the monster, but it was clear to him that both sides of him loved her, both wanted her with a passion that consumed him.

  One of her hands rested under his shirt on his waist, her finger traced his muscles. Her touch filled him with the need for more. It was like nothing he had ever known and every time he felt it, he wanted more. Her fingers were not enough. He needed to feel her hands, which would still not be enough, he would need to feel her naked skin against his. He didn't even think she realized just what she did to him. “Kate, unless you want me to take you, now.” He put one of his hands over hers, stopping the tickling.

  She looked up at him and saw he had a fire in his eyes. “I thought you were tired?”

  “I am, but I don't think I am that tired.” He reached down and touched her face.

  She laid her head back down on his chest and started to kiss him. Her kisses were slow and she let her tongue trace around his muscles.

  He leaned his head back and closed his eyes. Her touch was hot enough on his skin, but her mouth was magical.

  She trailed kisses down, unbuttoned the two buttons he had done on his loose shirt and opened it, so that she could kiss his stomach. She could feel him squirm under her, feel the effect her kisses had. She loved the idea of him feeling something other than the pain he had been dealing with. Her fingers worked a second and undid his button, then unzipped his jeans. He slid out of them and tossed them on the floor. He was perfect, the fire light reflected off his bronzed flesh, making shadows dance across his skin.

  Kate undressed while he watched her, and then she slid back between his legs, working her way up his thighs with kisses. When she took him in her mouth, she heard him growl softy.

  Nick felt hot pleasure electrify every nerve in him. His hands reached down and became lost in her hair as she gave him pleasure in yet another way that was unexpectedly intense. He could barely keep still as his body reacted to her wet, warm mouth and her magical tongue. The need to take her was building fast and becoming more urgent each time he felt her mouth rising and sinking on him.

  “I need you, Kate,” he said and didn't wait for a response. He pulled her up to him, kissed her neck, then flipped her over so that she was under him.

  She looked up at him with hungry eyes that closed when he sunk deep inside of her. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she pulled him closer.

  He wrapped his arms under her and lifted her into him as he thrust. The urgency inside of him made him feel like he needed to be deeper still. He was lost in her warmth, lost in her pulsing and passion.

  She grabbed his hips and pulled him down, while pushing up toward him, as her body rocked with pleasure.

  He felt her intensity, felt her heart racing, and gave over to his own consuming pleasure. He took a minute to catch his breath and then flipped them both over so she was lying beside him. He watched her laying there, breathing heavy, pleasure still evident on her face, and then he kissed her and pulled her to him.

  It wasn't more than a few minutes before he heard her snoring softly. He got up carefully, trying not to wake her and went upstairs getting her a blanket.

  After he covered her up, he had some more to drink and went about doing the neglected house chores.

  While he spent the rest of the night outside doing minor repairs and chopping firewood, he thought about Warren, and what would need to be done. He knew he would need more time to heal, there was no way he could manage that at any less than one hundred percent. He also knew he needed to deal with it, it wasn't going to go way. He wouldn't be able to relax and fall into this new, beautiful life with Kate until all the threats to her were gone.

  It took him longer than it should have to do chores, because he had to stop several times and feed again, which worried him. He had no idea how long it would take, but he was certain Warren wasn't going to dally where he was concerned, not after Teddy.

  Even if he hadn't put together that Kate and him were in town together, Warren would be coming to even the score with him personally.

  He walked inside to find her still asleep. He figured the sun would wake her and she could use a few extra hours.

  When he needed to head down, he left her a simple note saying he loved her and bolted himself in for the day.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  K ate woke to daylight, disappointed she didn't get to tell Nick goodnight, but she was happy as soon as she saw the note on the floor. She stretched, pulled a shirt on, and walked over to turn on the computer. She intended to work on the pictures she took for Nick, but instead checked her email.

  There were no new ones, just the old one she read yesterday still in her inbox. It taunted her. She didn’t want to respond.

  He wanted to scare her, bait her, and she wasn't going to give him that satisfaction. Instead, she got lost in the task of editing the pictures. She concentrated on picking the very best and editing them to perfection. She didn't even realize she forgot to eat breakfast until her stomach growled at her.

  She started toward the kitchen, but paused.

  It felt like the air sucked out of the room when she saw a van pulling up. In a few steps she stood at the window, peering out. The black van had no back windows, and no logos. It wasn't a delivery van she assumed, because they usually had a logo of some sort. She felt her legs start to betray her as she watched a big bodybuilder type man, dressed in all black, get out of the van.

  He leaned back into the van, and when he turned toward the house, she noticed he had a small box that had a black ribbon on it. Maybe it was another local company, delivering something from that jackass.

  What now, she thought, as she pulled on her pants, and ran her fingers through her hair. She hesitated a moment before she opened the door, and then took a few steps onto the porch. “Can I help you?”

  “Delivery for Kate, is that you?” he asked, and smiled a friendly, disarming smile.

  She relaxed a little, and started toward the steps. “Yes, where is it from?”

  “Sent from Beating Hearts,” he said, and watched as she stepped back a little toward the door.

  “Send it back, please. Mark it moved, deceased, or something,” she said, her voice shaking.

  He made his way over to her, and once he was only a few feet away, he leaned in and said, “That would piss Warren off.” He reached down and placed the little box in her hand, and then took her hand in his, folding her fingers over the box. “He does hope you liked the flowers as well, Kate.”

  Kate heard herself let out a slight whimper, and s
he reached out to hold onto the porch railing trying to steady herself. “I, I… tell…tell him…” Her voice wasn't cooperating, it cracked and her throat went dry. “Jesus.” She felt herself make a few more steps back toward the door.

  The man smiled at her. “I will let him know you were deeply affected. He will like that.” He winked at her, turned and walked back to the van.

  She watched as the van pulled off, watched and waited for her body to come back under her own control. Now that he sent thugs to the house, she needed to tell Nick.

  The next logical step, Warren showing up personally, was just too frightening. She slowly walked back inside, and then locked the door. Sat on the lounger, she stared at the box, not moving, afraid to see what was inside. It could be any horrible thing, since it was from that monster.

  She wondered if she should even open it, or wait for Nick to wake for the night. What if Nick was still feeling bad? She decided she would open it without him. She undid the ribbon, and sat back looking at it, as if expecting it to explode. After a few minutes passed, she leaned forward and gently pried the top off to see a flap of black tissue paper.

  Thinking there may be a dead gross something under the tissue that she didn't want to touch, she got up and walked to the desk and got a pen. She gently lifted back the tissue paper and saw a white card, with red cursive writing on it. Blood she assumed.

  She pulled the card out to read it, but when she saw what was under it, she sat down hard on the floor.

  Inside the box was a gold medallion, with an intricate design. She gazed at the medallion, it almost seemed like she could feel it around her neck. Her eyes looked to the card.

  You are mine.

  Her stomach churned, and she ran to the bathroom upstairs and threw up. After her stomach emptied, she sat on the cold floor, hanging onto the toilet, resting her head on her arms. She could feel him brush against her as he put the medallion on, see the way he looked at her. The memories were as vivid as if they were happening right then.