Page 57 of High Noon

And because of me it’s tattered, if not broken.

“Where is Asa?” I asked, suddenly uncomfortable with the weight of this new knowledge.

“He went to find Terah. He’ll likely sleep at his cabin this evening.”

“Why?” I asked innocently.

Enoch gave me a look that said I should know why…

“Oh… oh.” My cheeks caught fire. “That’s probably wise.”

“I told him we couldn’t… I mean, my control slips so easily with you,” he stumbled.

“Mine slips with you, too,” I replied.

“Yes, but a lack of your control won’t kill me, Eve. I could bite and turn you in a second, and there would be nothing you could do to stop me.”

“Can’t you try counting prairie dogs or something?” I offered.

His head ticked back. “Pardon?”

“You know, like some people count sheep to calm down so they can fall asleep. You could count prairie dogs if you felt like you were losing control.” I couldn’t help but laugh at his horrified expression.

“I’m glad my predicament amuses you,” he teased.

“I’m just offering a solution.”

“Prairie dogs could never solve it. I could count a million of them and still feel drawn to your blood.”

I pulled my scent away from him, tucking it in safely.

He growled. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?” I asked, shrugging a shoulder.

“Bring it back.”

“Bring what back?” A smile played at my lips, even though I wanted to keep a straight face. Maybe I lacked control, too. He smacked the food basket away and pulled me onto his lap. “Good thing I was finished eating,” I murmured against his lips.

His grip on my hips tightened. “I want you to stay with me tonight. Just to lay with you,” he amended, his irises darkening.

Just holding me was enough to almost push him over the edge. I waited for his breathing to calm and for his hands to relax, and then I took a kiss from his lips and felt his grip tighten again, his breathing becoming rushed and ragged. I giggled as I kissed him, euphoric at the feeling of power I held over him.

Enoch didn’t laugh. “You are walking a very dangerous line, Eve,” he warned.

“One I’m very good at balancing on,” I told him confidently.

He bared his fangs, then picked me up and placed me on the boulder beside him, jumping down from his boulder and pacing below it. Suddenly, it dawned on me. I wasn’t afraid of him. Not even a little bit. Not when his eyes went dark, and not when he threatened me with a flash of his fangs.

When I left him in seventeen seventy-seven, I was afraid because he was obviously spiraling out of control. But here, he seemed calmer. Steadier. Then I realized I hadn’t seen him feed from a human yet.

“When’s the last time you had a drink of blood?”

A growl tore from his throat as he glanced toward the town. His fingers knotted into fists, relaxed and knotted again. He was going to find someone to drink from.

“No!” I cried out. I jumped down to stand next to him. “Don’t feed from someone random.”

“Who, then?” he asked, tearing at his hair. “Maru? Titus?”

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