“Sorry about earlier. I ran into the side of the house. I thought I had more room, but obviously calculated wrong. Did she see me?”
“Yes, but it’s okay. I took care of it.” He snapped as he waved his hands. “What I really want to know is how Elijah managed to get to Sabrina. Didn’t you sense him? Try to block him? What happened?”
Isaac knew he sounded like an ass. He didn’t care.
“Wait, what? Elijah has been nowhere near here, I’m sure of it. I would have known.” Isaac watched as anger, disbelief, and finally shock crossed his friend’s face. “No. No way he came here. Even now I can’t sense his presence. You’ve gotta be wrong. It’s not possible,” he whispered.
It was as bad as he’d feared. Connor couldn’t even sense Elijah had been here, yet alone whether or not he remained here? The world would go to hell in a freaking hand basket.
Lovely.
Lightning and thunder crashed overhead.
***
The next day, Sabrina yawned for the fifth time in one minute before giving up and heading into the kitchen. Time for another cup of coffee.
A damn storm had killed any chance she had of getting any sleep last night. Where the hell had it come from, anyway? As she inhaled the hazelnut aroma steaming from her mug, she contemplated her dilemma. Isaac had left this morning after an admonishment to be careful, which she knew translated to do not let Elijah in.
A knock sounded at the door. Weird, she hadn’t been expecting anyone. She grabbed the knife off the island, just in case, and went to open the door. She gripped the doorknob and froze. She didn’t need to wonder who stood on the other side. Elijah.
She could sense him.
Why could she sense Elijah, without even seeing him, but Isaac could walk up behind her and grab her, and she’d be none the wiser?
Why would she sense his soul, his essence, calling to her from the other side of the door?
And why did it feel like such a betrayal?
Oh, right. Because it was.
She should be attached to Isaac, the man from her real life. Not the one that haunted her dreams. Yet, even knowing she should avoid him at all costs, some invisible pull led her to wrench the door open.
She studied him by the light of day for the first time. Though his eyes and features were identical to Isaac’s to the casual observer, Elijah was distinctly different. His face seemed harder, more cynical. Like he had seen and done it all already—and life no longer held any fun for him. His mouth also appeared to be set tighter than Isaac’s, and his body held more tensely. She wondered if he always looked so harsh.
So dangerous.
Realizing she gaped at him, she burst out, “Why are you here?”
“Please, you’ve let him talk to you. Why not give me a chance?”
“Because I don’t trust you,” she stated flatly.
Anger crossed his eyes. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and ran his fingers through his hair as he clenched his teeth. “Sabrina, it’s not without danger that I have come to you. For once, can you listen to me, and let me in?”
“Why can’t we talk like this?” She motioned her hand to show what she meant: him outside, and her safely inside.
“I can’t stay out here in plain sight.”
She stared at him as she chewed on her lower lip. He made sense. If she listened to Isaac and let him in her house…why not Elijah as well? What harm could it do to hear both sides of the story, so to speak? Any intelligent woman would seek out both sides. Wouldn’t they?
Damn right they would. Making up her mind, she nodded. “Elijah, please, come inside.”
He smiled at her, causing her to catch her breath in apprehension. Had she just made a horrible mistake?
“Thank you for allowing me in your home, Sabrina. I promise you, I am not here to hurt you. I would never want to hurt you.” His stare beseeched hers as he held her gaze and did not let go. He leaned closer to her, and she softened.
“I believe you.”