Technically he wouldn't have to bite her, that bastard Warren already drained her enough. But it would change her, hurt her, the pain would be great, even though it would guarantee her survival.
Still undecided, he walked back inside and downstairs.
She sat up and drank more. “It's cold in here.”
“I'm sorry, I will go start a fire and come back for you.” He walked upstairs and made a fire. Then he went to the kitchen, grabbed more food and water, and set it beside the lounger before he went to get her.
He carefully carried her upstairs and rested her on the lounger, where he covered her with several blankets while he waited for the fire to take the chill out of the room. “Are you feeling stronger my love?”
She sat up a little. “It hurts so bad. Every time I try to move, or think it makes me dizzy.”
He held her hand. “Try to eat some more.”
She managed to eat a little and then she rested. She woke up several times throughout the night and each time he was there with food, water, and love.
A fter a few more days she slowly started to get better.
“Nick?” she started, as they sat outside on the porch. “Is he really dead?”
“Yes, my love. He will never hurt you again.”
“Good,” she said, and wrapped her fingers around his.
“Did you want to talk about any of it?” he asked, sensing she still wanted to say something or ask something else.
“Does it matter to you that he bit me, drank?” she started to say.
“It mattered deeply that he hurt you, broke my heart that I didn't stop him. Does it still matter? No. I love you. I will always love you.”
She leaned into his arms. “Will there always be scars?”
“Yes, probably,” he said, squeezing her tight.
“Did his mark go away when he died?”
“No.”
“Will it always be there?”
“It doesn't matter. Scars are just proof that you, my sweetest, are stronger than the monster that tried to hurt you.”
“Can you mark over his? I don't want to have him on, or in me in any way.”
“I wouldn't.”
“Even if I wanted you to?”
“Never. I will never hurt you, not for any reason.”
“I love you,” she said, and looked at him, then kissed him deeply.
“Forever,” he said, after the kiss ended.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
A fter a few more weeks passed, both Kate and Nick felt much more themselves.
Kate sat working on the footage from the club. She wanted to expose the practice still.
Even though Warren's club shut down, she knew it wasn't the only one and that she was in a position to help a lot of people.
“You have that endearing determined look I love so much.” Nick walked over to her and kissed her on the top of her head.
“I think we really have some good footage. I would not be surprised if once it airs on one station, they all pick it up. It should at the very least make it hard for these places to operate in the open anymore.”
“I don't want to discourage you, but it could call more attention to you.”
“Yes, I imagine it will,” she said, and then turned off the computer, and walked over to him. “How about you give me some extra attention?”
“You feeling that much better?”
“I think so,” she said, and kissed him. The look she gave him told him that she felt stronger, and that she wanted him to make her feel even better.
He was more than happy to do that, and slowly unbuttoned her shirt, sliding it off her shoulders. He ran his hands up her arms and over her shoulders, then reached around and unfastened her bra, pulling it off and tossing it to the floor.
It was the first time he saw the bites on her breast and stomach, and when he saw the mess on her waist he felt his heart ache again.
The flesh totally healed, but there was a huge scar. It looked like Warren had chewed on her, deliberately making it painful and lasting. He tried not to imagine what she endured as he kissed her bare skin.
She was his strong, beautiful lover, and those scars would always serve to remind him what a blessing each second he had with her was.
He felt her unbutton his shirt and stood straight, letting it fall off.
They helped each other out of their pants and he watched her move to the lounger and stretch out. He started at her ankles, kissing her gently and working his way up. He wanted her to feel pleasure washing away all of the bad memories of what had happened.
She relaxed, feeling his cool kisses that served to warm her to the soul. Everywhere he kissed she felt a hot pleasure. Her eyes closed and she let the sensation of his touch and his mouth wash over her.
He trailed up her thighs with his kisses. He felt her hands in his hair as he tasted her and teased her with his tongue.
After finding her sweet spot, the sounds of her rapture filled the house as an intense orgasm washed over her.
He didn't stop, he kept tasting and licking as she writhed with pleasure.
Kate got lost in the sensations that seemed to be coming from everywhere. Her whole body felt like an explosion of erotic waves was washing over her.
When she felt him on top of her, kissing her lips she opened her eyes, looking deeply into his.
“Forever,” she whispered in his ear, and then let out a soft moan as she felt him pressing into her.
Nick made love to her slowly, allowing himself time to enjoy every sensation. He felt her climax again, her body squeezing his as he pushed deeper and joined her in release.
He laid beside her, enjoying the aftershocks from the intensity, while still planting kisses on her neck.
“You are so perfect for me,” he said, watching her lay there with her eyes closed, smiling with satisfaction.
She drifted off and Nick watched her sleep a while before he got up to handle a few chores in the time he had left prior to the sun coming up.
K ate woke to a sun-filled room and a love note from Nick. After a fast breakfast she set to work on her footage again. By midday, she had it ready.
Her and Nick had already talked about what she was doing, so she wasted no time in making duplicate copies and sending them to all the larger news sources, as well as several local ones.
She felt so passionate about ending this practice that while she was out at the post office, she decided she would drive a few towns over to hand deliver a copy to the news station.
After she briefly explained to the receptionist at the station why she was there, a man came out and introduced himself as the content editor.
He smiled a warm smile and invited her back to watch the footage with him.
She followed him to a back room and sat in the chair he offered.
He watched the footage with full attention, gasping as the transaction took place, and again when Paul killed the woman.
“Jesus,” he said, when it was over. “Do you realize what you have here?”
“Yes, I was there. I was sold myself.”
He looked at her, looking more closely and noting the little scars on her neck. She tugged up her collar nervously. “Will you run it then?”
“Absolutely,” he said. “It will run tonight, for the first time, and I will run it again tomorrow on the morning news.”
She smiled, relieved, knowing that the story would break so soon. “Thank you. I should tell you, I have also mailed a copy to several stations. Since I just posted them before I came here, you are the first to have it.”
He thanked her again, gave her his card, took down her phone number, and then he walked her back out to the reception area.
She drove home feeling better. She had done her part and things were going to change.
She had a niggling in the back of her mind that there was something she was forgetting, some reason her and Nick could not just settle into their new life together. She pushed it away and decided to take
a nap. Rather than sleep all day or all night, it worked better for her to take two naps, one late at night and one just before he woke up.
She felt like she barely closed her eyes when she sensed someone moving around.
Her eyes fluttered opened, and once she was awake, she walked outside to find Nick awake and chopping wood. She watched him for a minute, still finding she loved the way his muscles moved.
“Hello, gorgeous,” she said.
He looked up and smiled, already having sensed her there. “Did you have a good day? How are you feeling?”
“I am mostly better, a little tired. I finished the film and dropped it off. It aired locally tonight.”
A flash of concern crossed his face, which he quickly replaced with a smile. “Wonderful. I am so proud of you.” He stopped chopping, and walked over to her, pulling her into his arms. “What's next for you?”
She noticed his tone was sad. “I need to see how this plays out. I may need to do more?”
“That's not what I mean.” He pulled back and looked at her.
“What are you asking?”
“Will you stay here?”
“Of course I will. I said I loved you, I meant I loved you. Forever, means just that,” she said, and kissed him.
“There are no more stories here in the sticks.”
“No, and I may have to chase down a lead, but I will always come home to you.” She paused and hugged him to her. “I still can't help thinking that I have missed something with this story.”
“I can't imagine what. The club is gone, all the vampires involved in running it are dead, as are the patrons.”
She looked at him, searching his eyes, she hadn't asked him about what had happened, or how he found her. She hadn't been ready to go there in her mind. “The patrons too?”
He looked down. “When I couldn't find you, I lost myself to rage.”
“The people, the humans?” she asked, hoping they had at least been spared.
“I let them all go first. They didn't have to see that.”
She felt relief to hear that. “I don't know what I could be missing then, but it has been playing on my mind. It will come to me.”
“I have no doubt and then you will want to jump in the fire feet first again.”
“You say that like it is a bad thing.”
“It is both good and bad. I love that about you, but part of me wants to take you in my arms and never let you go anywhere without me.”
“I can't think of any place I'd rather be than in your arms.”
He squeezed her again and they kissed before he started chopping the rest of the wood.
When he was done, they spent the rest of the night by the fire, talking, kissing, and cuddling until she drifted off for her late-night nap.
He watched her sleep and thought about how he couldn't imagine a life without her in his arms. He knew putting that footage out there would open a new set of problems, but he also knew she had to do it. If she felt there were anything she could do to help, or if there were even a single person she could save, he would support her need to do that. He could do that while also making sure he kept her close and safe while it all played out.
Chapter Forty
T he next few weeks whizzed by in a flourish that was far too public for Nick's taste, as the film aired on station after station. The nightly news filled with stories of clubs being shut down, and Kate's face and name had been shouted out across the air waves, as a voice for the humans.
Nick remained supportive, and extra diligent about making sure the property and house was as safe as possible. The fire in Kate's eyes returned and he knew it wouldn't end until she felt like every club had been shut down. Of course, he knew that would never happen, not in any permanent way. If vampires wanted humans, they would have them no matter who knew.
He pondered where it might all lead as they traveled together to Tulsa. Kate had been invited to be interviewed on a local station, as a complementary piece to a news story about the closing of two clubs in the area. After a little research, they found a hotel in town that would cater to Nick's needs. Kate showed no fear at the idea of going to another place like that, especially since she was with Nick, and no one in that town knew them.
They pulled in, and Kate got out, stretching her legs from the trip, while Nick went into the office to arrange his room. They didn't see anyone as they walked to the room and carried in his bags.
She was going to get her own room at another place so she could safely come and go during the day, without putting Nick in any danger.
The room was similar to the last place they stayed at when they went to Kansas City, but Kate was glad to see it had no manacles on the wall. Once the door was closed and they were alone, she pulled him to her and kissed him.
“We've got to stop meeting in these places,” he teased.
“I agree. You did promise a beach trip.”
He kissed her deeply and then pulled back, looking at her beautiful face. “Anytime, my love.”
“Soon,” she said, and stepped back, taking off her shirt.
He looked at her as she stood there in jeans and a lacy blue bra. “You manage to get more beautiful every day,” he said, and stepped to her, tugging off his shirt as he did so.
As soon as he was in reach, she pulled him to her, and hugged him tight as she kissed his neck. He made a huffing sound and undid the button on her jeans, rolling them off her hips. As she finished taking them off he quickly removed his and swept her naked body into his arms, planting her gently on the bed.
He touched her as if it were the first time, kissing her everywhere and exploring her with his hands, wanting to make every inch of her burn with pleasure. Hearing the sounds she made as he teased an orgasm from her, he felt his own need rising and slipped between her legs, taking her completely, feeling himself melt into her.
“Will you be gone when I wake?” he asked, after some time had passed.
“Yes, I should be back just after you wake up though, and we can be home tomorrow night.”
He loved that she had come to think of it as their home. It was their home. He closed his eyes, enjoying her nearness.
“I better go,” she said, looking at the time and realizing it was only a few hours until dawn.
He groaned with displeasure and kissed her again before he got up to get dressed. He walked her to the car and kissed her deeply before she got in. “Be careful,” he said. “Do you have your stake? And cross?”
“Yes,” she said, shaking her head. “You realize it is going to be daylight, all but the last hour or so while I am away, right?”
“Yeah well that is an hour at night, and out of my sight too long.”
She smiled and closed her door, rolling down the window. “Sleep well. I love you.”
“Forever,” he said, and watched as she pulled away.
Kate didn't go too far, she pulled in the first hotel she spotted and got a room. She put in a wake up request for late in the day so that she could get some extra rest, and then locked the door and went to sleep.
S he woke before the call came and slowly got ready. She wasn't nervous about the interview. Her feelings were quite the opposite, she was excited that her film had been a success and already saved hundreds of lives.
The interview went smoothly; she was asked the same questions she already answered countless times since the media latched on to her story. The only exception this time was her getting a little emotional as they talked about her experiences in the club. She hadn't expected it to still give her chills, especially now that Warren was gone, and since she repeated it so often, but it did.
The man who interviewed her stayed talking with her after they were off air.
“I can't believe you went back to that place after you got away once,” he said in a voice that rang with admiration and something else that she couldn't place.
“I knew it was dangerous, but I couldn't leave those people there,” she said matter of fact, stil
l trying to get a gauge of him.
“Well, I am sure they, as well as many others who are now free, are glad you were so selfless.” He paused and looked at her wrist. “That looks nasty.”
“It was,” she said, and smiled at another man who walked over to join them.
“Kate this is Lance, he is my intern,” the man said, introducing them.
Kate noticed a strange look exchanged between them. “Nice to meet you, Lance,” she said, and reached out for his hand. She felt her breath suck in at the coldness of his grip.
He was a little taller than her, with neatly cut dark brown hair, and deep brown eyes. She glanced away, not wanting to invite any trouble.
He smiled at her response. “A pleasure to finally meet the famous Kate, in person.”
The other man excused himself, claiming he had to go close out a few things, leaving her alone with the vampire who was eyeing her in a way that made her uncomfortable.
She wondered if it really was him, or if she was just feeling edgy from having dredged up the old nasty memories.
“I should be going.” She reached up, fingering her silver necklace, before she turned, starting to walk away.
He walked beside her, falling into step with her. “Is it true you are living with a vampire now?” he asked, as they exited the building.
“I don't think that is relevant to the film,” she said, still trying not to engage him as she walked toward her car.
“Did he help you betray his own kind?” His tone was less than friendly.
“You don't want to find out what he would do for me.” As she neared her car she fumbled in her purse for her keys, and pressed the button on her key ring to unlock the door.
Lance reached out and took her wrist, looking at the bite. As he gripped her, his long hard nails dug into her skin, breaking the flesh and making her bleed. “You may have survived a bite or two, but you would do well to remember that there are still dangerous things that go bump in the night.”
Beating Hearts Page 22
