Page 11 of Taken By the Vampires
Behind me, the door opened. I turned to see Davon entering the room. His light blue gaze instantly fell on me. “You shouldn’t be out of bed. You’re still recovering, Tu…Ella.”
He dumped a pile of clothing on a nearby chair and strode towards me. I couldn’t afford to become lost in the attraction haze that simmered in the background. I held out a hand, palm towards him. “Stop right there.”
He immediately halted, which was some sort of comfort. “What are you frowning about?”
“I’m frowning?”
“You are.”
I made a conscious effort to school my features and a faint smile crossed his face, making him impossibly handsome. It took some effort not to walk into his arms, which was more than confusing. Maybe he was right and I wasn’t yet recovered. I just needed to focus more. I squared my shoulders and drew a steeling breath. “Who found me when I fell down the mountain?”
Momentary confusion crossed his face. “We all did.”
“All of you?”
Davon nodded. “Yes, we were out hiking when we heard you scream. Luckily, we were in the vicinity. There’s no one else around for miles.”
And miles and miles and miles.I stifled a shiver. If they hadn’t found me and I was injured and out in this storm, I would not have survived. “Then I should thank you.”
“It is our pleasure. We don’t get a lot of people visiting us,” Davon said.
That feeling where I knew I was missing something passed through me, and yet I still couldn’t put my finger on it. “I had a book with me when I fell. Did you see it when you found me? It’s a very old and precious book. The most precious thing I own, really.” I don’t know why I admitted so much to him. Why would he even care if I had a book or not? He’d saved me. A book would be secondary.
Davon nodded, his gaze never leaving me. He had eyes like a predator, even as gorgeous as they were. That eerie look that observed every little notch and turn of muscle and limb. A gaze that weighed up and assessed as a second instinct. I stood still, showing no weakness. Knowing that wouldn’t be good at all. “We also recovered your…book.”
There was a slight hesitation before he’d said book. As though he knew it wasn’t a book at all but something much, much more. I hoped like anything they weren’t like the townsfolk. That the Holy Trinity hadn’t seeded their rot in this house so far away from the village. For if they did, and the trio knew what the Grimoire contained, my situation was bleak.
I was relieved they had it though, although what state it might be in worried me. “Is it badly damaged?”
“It’s not damaged at all. You must have kept it safe in your arms when you fell,” Davon said.
“Can I have it back?”
I thought for a moment that he was going to deny me. I would have assumed they would have set it next to me, but then he said, “Of course. Can I ask—it looks like an old book? And quite rare. How did you acquire it?”
“That’s why it’s so precious to me. It’s a family heirloom. It goes back generations.”
“Oh? Who was your original ancestor?’ He tried to sound casual, but there was strain in his voice that was at odds with the relaxed set of his shoulders and the idle smile on his face. I saw no reason not to answer him.
“My great-grandmother three times over. You can understand how old it is. And how fragile.”
“Books like that are never fragile,” he said so softly I barely heard him. “It will be returned to you, after I do my duty and take care of you.” His smile was genuine this time, if not a little assured.
I had to set the record straight, just in case he thought he’d get a repeat of what happened last night. “Davon, I want to tell you…that is, you and I…I mean, whatever happened last night.” My cheeks heated and I knew they were a burning red. Happened every time I was self-conscious, damn it. I caught my breath for a moment and continued, “In the shower when you…”
“When I gave you pleasure and release,” Davon said.
My cheeks could fry eggs about now. I cleared my throat.No weakness. Show noweakness. “Yes, when…that…happened. I was not in my right mind. I’m not a girl who allows that to happen to her. Especially with men I don’t know.”
“But you will get to know us and in your soul you already recognize us,” Davon said.
“Yes, well…No doubt I will get to know you all, given the snowstorm and the fact we’ll be stuck indoors for the time being. But what happened…it’s not going to happen again.” All the words came out in a breathless rush, but at least I’d said them.
Rather than argue or be shocked, or deny it had happened, Davon merely shrugged his shoulders. “What is written is written. I no longer try to fight the battles of Fate because there is no way that I will win. However, I will respect your wishes and will not offer you release again.”
My shoulders drooped with relief. I usually wasn’t a person to just accept words like that, however strange the Fate thing was, but I knew he wasn’t lying. How, I couldn’t explain, just that he was a man of his word and that was enough. “Thank you for understanding.”
His mouth twisted and the predatory look gleamed in his gaze again. “Until you ask me, Ella. And then I will be only too happy to provide you with the biggest release of your life.”
