Page 97 of Shadows of Eternity

Sitting up, she glanced around the room, looking for Rohan, but he wasn’t there. Of course he wasn’t. Her father would have a fit if she dared share her bed with a man while under his roof.

As soon as she thought about Rohan, she knew he was downstairs with Trent, just as she knew her parents had eaten an early dinner and taken refuge in their room. With a sigh, she wondered if things would ever be remotely normal between herself and her parents again. Would they always look at her with pity and a little fear?

Slipping out of bed, she changed out of her nightgown into a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, pulled on her boots, washed her face, combed her hair. She frowned when she brushed her teeth. Where were her fangs? Did they only come out when she was feeding? She certainly hoped so!

Squaring her shoulders, she opened the bedroom door and marched resolutely down the stairs.

Rohan and Trent both looked up when she entered the kitchen—Trent with an odd mix of sadness and curiosity. Rohan smiled at her. “Hungry, love?”

She wanted to deny it, but what was the point. She nodded curtly.

Rohan unfolded from his chair in a fluid movement. “Keep an eye on things, hunter,” he said, before wrapping his arm around Leia’s waist and transporting the two of them out of the house.

In the blink of an eye, Leia found herself at the beach. The water beyond the waves reflected a full, yellow moon. Small fires made little splashes of light along the shore. She wrinkled her nose against the suddenly odious smell of roasting hot dogs and mustard. “What are we doing here?” she asked.

“Getting you something to satisfy your hunger,” he said, taking hold of her hand. “And then I thought we’d make out on the sand like a couple of randy teenagers.”

She laughed in spite of herself. They strolled along the shore for a while. Everything looked different somehow. The moon seemed brighter. The sand seemed to sparkle even in the darkness. Even the air felt different.

Rohan came to a halt as they passed a young couple. Tugging on Leia’s hand, he turned around and followed them. She watched, fascinated, as he called the people to him, then led them into the shadows. “You want him or her?”

“We’re going to … to feed here?”

“No one’s watching and they wouldn’t see anything if they were.”

“Him, of course.” Drinking from the girl just didn’t seem right. Leia let out a startled gasp when she felt an ache in hergums as her fangs lengthened. So, she mused, they only come out when needed.

Expecting to feel repulsed, she bit the man’s neck. She took only a small sip. The blood was warm as it slid over her tongue. Suddenly famished, she took a little more, and then a little more. Never had anything tasted so good! It troubled her that she wasn’t disgusted by what she was doing.

Laying a hand on her shoulder, Rohan said, “Enough.”

Leia licked her lips as Rohan released the couple from his spell.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

She nodded, wondering how soon she could feed again.

Rohan caught her hand in his and gave it a squeeze as they continued along the shore. Leia let out a little gasp of pleasure when he drew her into his arms and kissed her.

She leaned into him, frantic for his touch, his kisses. She pulled him down on the sand, her hands all over him in her haste. She stopped abruptly when she reached for his belt. What was she doing? They were on a public beach, for goodness sakes.

“All your senses are heightened now,” Rohan said quietly. “Taste, touch, smell. It’s like living in a new world where everything is enhanced. The air smells different, the world looks different. You feel different inside. Your sense of touch is sharper, as is your vision. It takes a little while to get used to it all. In the meantime,” he said, hoping to lighten the mood, “feel free to touch and taste to your heart’s content.”

She stared at him, too embarrassed by her wanton behavior to speak.

Siting up, he took her in his arms again, one hand stroking softly up and down her back. “You’ll learn to control it,” he said. “Like everything else. I …shit!”

Before she could ask what was wrong, Josiah materialized in front of them.

Rohan swore as he stood. Pulling Leia up with him, he thrust her behind him.

“What do you want?” he asked brusquely.

“That’s a stupid question, even for you,” Josiah retorted. “Now hand her over.”

“Go to hell.”

“After you,” Josiah hissed. Darting forward, he reached around Rohan and grabbed Leia’s arm, let out a harsh cry when she buried her fangs in his shoulder.

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