“Home.” She piled her clothes on the bed, then snatched at the canvas bag he’d used to carry her belongings. She hadn’t had much. “I called Tate and my apartment hasn’t been rented yet.”
“I told the landlord—”
“I lived there three years. Apparently he couldn’t find someone to move in that quick, even after you bought out my lease.”
He wouldn’t let the rage overtake him, not yet. She had to be confused, and she was in a fragile, weakened state.
Most importantly, he loved her. There could be no doubt about that. And because he did, he wouldn’t overreact. Wouldn’t scare her and possibly irreparably damage their relationship.
“Who is Tate? And how did you manage to call anyone, let alone a man?”
“Tate is my boyfriend.” She didn’t say ex-boyfriend, though he waited for her to tack the prefix onto the phrase. But no. She stared at him, openly daring him to challenge her. “We’ve been together two months. He wants me to come home.”
She’s afraid. Out of her element. She has no idea what’s she’s doing.
Kellan closed his eyes. Whatever his rationalizations, he didn’t think anything could subdue the torrent of feelings inside him. Even his bones seemed to rattle with his building fury.
“You
slept with me, with us, numerous times. What kind of relationship must you have with him?” He could not, would not, speak his name. “And I repeat: how did you call him? There isn’t a phone in the bathroom.”
“You left your cell in the pants hanging on the back of the door. And speaking of which, I know you’ve had my phone all this time. Hard to worry about things like cell phones when death seemed imminent, but now? I want it back.”
He cursed under his breath. While he’d been worrying about her, she’d been whispering on the phone to her boyfriend. And she had to have been whispering while he’d been yelling at Luke and Emily, because he would have heard her otherwise.
Lucky thing. If she was scared now, ripping the door off the hinges probably wouldn’t have helped.
“Yes, I kept your phone for safekeeping. And I called your job to let them know you’d had an emergency and would contact them once you’re available to work again. Which I really don’t think is a good idea. Ever. Now that you’re one of—”
She held up a hand. “Don’t go there, buddy. Not even hearing it.”
“I understand you’re frightened.”
“You understand?” She barked out a laugh as she zipped the bag. She hadn’t bothered to pack the clothes he’d hung in his closet, but she seemed more interested in speed than in gathering everything. “I don’t think so. I don’t think you can fathom even a glimmer of what I’m going through.” Her eyes glittered for a moment, then she blinked and they were clear once again. “You picked up a plaything on the side of the road. We played. Now I’m leaving, just as soon as you give me my goddamn phone.”
He didn’t want to give up that link to her and her life, but he didn’t see much choice. After retrieving her cell and handing it over to her, he stood back as she stormed to the door. That she wore only her thin nightgown seemed to be the least of her concerns.
“You need blood.” And so saying, he noticed that the drops of his own that had dotted her gown after their enthusiastic round of oral sex were gone. Only damp streaks remained. “You can deny your need for me, but your latency will exist whether we’re together or not.”
“Let me worry about myself.”
“You won’t last without blood.” His voice shook. Whether it was from rage or fear, he couldn’t say. “You will die.”
Without another glance in his direction, Sydney closed the door behind her.
Even from halfway down the street, Lucas heard Kellan’s howl. The sound went on and on, an unending bellow of pure emotion. He winced as he watched the reason for Kellan’s rage slip out the side door and run to an idling Saab that waited in the alley.
After the car zoomed away, the racket continued. If that hellacious noise wasn’t enough, Lucas could hear their furniture being thrown around like oversized Tinkertoys.
“Christ,” he muttered. “He’s going to get us taken out.”
Vampires had existed side by side with humans for so long—amongst them, really—because they knew how to be discreet. Hence the reason so many had turned to bagged blood. It was damned inconvenient to search out a warm pipeline every time the need struck. Then there was the discovery factor. Sure, most vamps who weren’t still wet behind the fangs could wipe the minds of their sources after feeding, but the effort took energy. Energy required more blood, and ideally, sex. Lovers were easier to acquire than tappable veins, but still, too many of their kind settled for burying their dick in whatever hole happened to be available. Male, female…most weren’t that choosy.
Until they found their mate. After that, everyone else seemed like a poor, bloodless imitation.
As a new howl rent the air, he cursed and pivoted to head toward home. Then he saw Emily cowering at his side, her hands clamped over her ears as if he’d threatened her with his own fists.
“What? What is it?”