chapter 13
Sera momentarily forgot where she was as she stared at the unfamiliar rose- colored room. Finally remembering that she was at Kathleen’s cabin, she sat up slowly, and looked around the empty room. Liam’s side of the bed had been abandoned. She was disappointed that he was gone already; she had planned a wonderful way to wake him up. She got up and slid on a pair of jeans, a turtleneck, and a sweater.
Standing in front of the mirror she pulled down the collar of her turtleneck. She was surprised to see the two dark marks clearly visible on her neck. Liam had said that they disappeared almost instantly, but they were vivid against her pale skin. She touched them gently, and winced as they were slightly tender. She would have to remember to ask him why they were still there.
Her gaze traveled to the window. Snow was still falling rapidly outside. The wind was blowing fiercely, and large snow drifts had begun to form. There was well over a foot on the ground already, and in some places it looked to be two or three feet deep. The few inches of snow that had been predicted seemed to have turned into a blizzard over night. Swallowing nervously she stared in amazement for a moment longer before turning away.
Digging out her hairbrush, and toothbrush, she headed down the hall. Eggs, bacon, and toast assaulted her nose, and her stomach rumbled in eager response. People were in the kitchen, moving around, and talking softly as pots and pans banged.
She slipped into the bathroom and pulled her hair into a ponytail. She brushed her teeth quickly, placed her toothbrush on the sink, and left. Following the voices to the kitchen she found Kathleen standing by the stove, happily scrambling eggs. Mike and Jack were sitting at the kitchen table, sipping coffee, and talking quietly. Danielle was sitting at the island, a cup of coffee and a plate of food in front of her.
“Good afternoon,” Kathleen called out cheerfully. “It’s about time you woke up.”
Sera walked over to the coffee pot and poured a cup. She sipped it slowly as she watched the snow falling rapidly outside. “Good morning,” she replied. “I thought it was supposed to stop snowing last night.”
“No such luck,” Jack said. “While we were sleeping the storm turned into a nor’easter. It’s not supposed to stop until tomorrow. They’re calling for over three feet of snow. We might be here for awhile.”
“The ski resort is closed,” Kathleen informed her as she slid a plate of eggs in front of Sera. “So are all the roads. They’ve declared a state of emergency.”
“Thanks.” They smelled delicious and her stomach rumbled again. “These are good,” she told Kathleen around a mouthful.
“Just call me Betty Crocker,” she replied as she tossed the frying pan into the sink. “Doug and Liam went to get more firewood. By the time we need it, it should be dry. I dug out the flashlights and candles already. We’ll probably lose the electric sometime today, and the phones are already down.”
Sera shook her head as she watched the snow fall with a heavy heart. The sky was dark and filled with thick white flakes. “Looks like a mess.”
“It’s going to be a real mess when the electric goes,” Kathleen said. “Hope you guys like cold food. I’m going to cook up some chicken and steak now so that we have something to eat later. I don’t know what you’re going to eat Sera. I hope you like a lot of cold beans, and salad.”
“I’ll make myself some rice,” she said. “Don’t worry about it, I’ll be fine.”
“Damn vegetarians,” Kathleen mumbled as she turned away.
“Maybe we’ll just eat each other,” Jack said lightly.
Mike kicked him under the table as a sharp look passed between them. With horrifying clarity, she realized that normal food wouldn’t keep them satisfied. They had been counting on going to the ski resort, meeting people, and intermingling. “Shit,” she said.
Mike’s eyes widened as he gave a barely discernible shake of his head. Jack’s eyes narrowed as he studied her. Danielle paused with her coffee cup halfway to her mouth as she cast Sera a questioning look. “What?” she asked.
“Oh, uh, nothing, I just hate it when the electric goes out.” She grabbed her plate off the counter and made her way over to where Kathleen was washing dishes. “The eggs were really good, thanks.”
“No problem,” she replied as she took the plate from her hand.
Sera pulled a pot out of the cabinet and grabbed some packages of rice. She began to cook as Kathleen scrubbed enthusiastically and hummed softly. The screen door on the porch opened, she listened as Liam and Doug stacked the wood they had found.
“What a mess!” Doug cried as he shook snow off his jacket, and head.
“There’s well over a foot out there now. Some of the drifts are over four feet high.” Liam rubbed his hands together as he blew on them. His eyes twinkled merrily as they landed on her. She smiled back at him, suddenly feeling a little shy as she recalled everything that had passed between them during the night. Her skin was starting to burn as he walked over and kissed her quickly. “Good morning sleepy head.”
“Good morning,” she murmured.
He chuckled softly as he tugged lightly on her ponytail. “You think you’re a little shy now, wait till you see what I do to you tonight,” he whispered in her ear.
Sera’s face flamed redder, even as her body began to tingle with anticipation. “I’d suggest everyone take a shower now,” Kathleen said. She closed the freezer and turned to them with a chicken in hand. “While there’s still hot water.”
“I’m first.” Danielle stood quickly and hurried out of the room.
Liam leaned causally against the counter and folded his arms over his chest as he turned to face Mike and Jack. The heat radiating off his body was enough to get her flustered. Sera frowned as she eagerly attacked the rice and stared at the white world surrounding them in an attempt to distract her mind from the yearnings of her body.
“What is that?” Sera’s attention was jerked from the window, but she was too late. Kathleen had already grabbed her turtleneck and pulled it down. She jerked away from her and pulled it quickly up to protect her neck. “Nice hickey,” Kathleen teased.
Sera turned and looked at Liam, but he was staring at Mike and Jack. Jack’s eyes were wide as saucers as they darted questioningly between him and Sera. Mike’s were narrowed sharply as he stood suddenly. “Can I talk to you?” he said to Liam.
A sinking feeling began to form in her stomach as she frantically stirred her rice. Liam glanced at her, but she quickly diverted her eyes. She was scared to meet his gaze, afraid that she would only see accusation there. “Yeah. I suppose you want to talk too,” he said angrily to Jack.
“I think we should all talk,” Mike replied. He looked over at Doug who was standing wide eyed by the door, looking extremely uncomfortable.
Sera listened to their footsteps as they headed upstairs. “What was that all about?” Kathleen asked as she slid the chicken into the oven.
“Boy talk,” Sera replied with a shrug that belied the anxiety filling her body.
“So, you obviously had a good night,” Kathleen taunted.
Sera couldn’t help the grin that spread over her face, or the blush. “Kathleen...”
“Oh come on, it’s written all over your neck and now your face,” Kathleen replied laughingly. “I’m just glad you’re happy. It’s nice to see it. You really love him, don’t you?”
“Yes.”
Kathleen nodded and put a pot of water on to boil. “I can see that he loves you too.”
Sera grinned at her, unable to keep the stupid smile off her face. “What about you? Did you have a good night?” she asked, trying to keep her voice as casual as possible.
“Slept like a baby.”
“Alone?” Sera asked teasingly, even though her heart hammered with fear.
Kathleen grinned at her and pulled out a potato peeler. “Are you insinuating something?”
“Maybe.”
Kathleen laughed happily and pulled out a potato. “I slept alone. All night. Well, unless you count Danielle in the next bed.”
Sera felt a huge sense of relief as she turned back to her rice. “Do you like Mike?”
“Yeah, I do. However, I also like him as a friend, and I don’t want to ruin that.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Just see how things turn out. Go with the flow.”
“Sounds good.” Even though it really didn’t.
***
Liam stood by the window in the room that Mike had slept in last night. Mike’s clothes were scattered across the small chair in the corner, and on the floor. Doug stood by the other window, Jack sat on the bed, and Mike was pacing restlessly back and forth. “I don’t even know what to say,” he finally said, sighing angrily.
“Then don’t say anything,” Liam replied coldly. “I don’t see how it’s any of your business anyway.”
Jack snorted and leaned forward. “You know why it is. What is going on Liam? Because the last time I checked, no one was supposed to know anything. As a matter of fact, anyone who found out was supposed to be killed.”
“First of all,” he growled as he turned to face them. “She didn’t find out, I told her. Second of all, if you even think about laying a hand on her, I’ll kill you myself. Understand?”
Jack’s eyes widened as he stared intently at Liam. “Are you serious?” he demanded in disbelief.
Mike snorted and stopped pacing to look at him. “He’s serious.”
Jack’s eyes narrowed as he sat back. “We weren’t supposed to tell anyone, unless we changed them,” Jack finally said. “Which we agreed not to do without consulting each other first. Since none of us has been consulted, and Doug and I didn’t even know that she knew I’m going to say that rule is pretty well shot. I don’t know what you’re doing Liam, but you had better let us in, and now.”
Liam sighed angrily and began to pace. “Look, she knows, but she isn’t going to say anything. As for changing her, that isn’t going to happen.”
“So she’s going to grow old and die, and you’re just going to pine away, forever young. You’re right, you have thought this all out,” Jack spat sarcastically.
Liam wanted desperately to punch him in the face. “If that’s the way it is,” he hissed. “Then yes!”
“I hope she wants that too. To be attached to a young guy, while she grows old. To never be married, to never have children. To constantly have to move so that people won’t notice that you’re not aging. Nice life you’re giving her Liam, truly.”
His fists clenched with impotent rage as he took a step forward. Mike stepped in front of him, his eyes narrowed as he put a restraining hand on Liam’s arm. “That’s enough!” Mike said firmly. “We’re not going to sit here and fight with each other! It’s done and over with. Besides, Jack has a point.”
Liam whirled on him. “Hey calm down!” Doug yelled. “Just calm the hell down, all of you.”
Liam forced himself to take a deep breath as he tried to steady his nerves. He wasn’t angry at them, he was angry at the fact that they were right. He turned away from them and walked back to the window. Leaning his head against the pane, he let the cool glass soothe the fire in his body. The truth hurt, it always did, but he hated having it slapped in his face.
“Look Liam,” Jack said slowly. “I don’t want to fight with you, but you kept us in the dark on this. You purposely left us out. You must have had some fear that she would say something about us.”
“Maybe at first, but I would have stopped her.”
“You would have killed her?”
Liam lifted his head from the glass and turned to face him. “No, I would have locked her away from the world, and from you, but I never would have killed her.”
Jack shook his head in disbelief. “Shit, Liam. Shit.”
“She’s not going to say anything,” Mike said softly as he ran a hand wearily through his tussled hair. “There’s more,” he glanced at Liam, who shrugged. They might as well know it all now. Liam turned away as Mike filled them in on everything that had happened with Jacob.
Jack sat with his eyes closed as he rubbed at his temples. “Are we safe?” Doug asked softly.
“For now.”
“What do you mean for now?” Jack demanded.
“So far nothing has been mentioned, and I got rid of the body.”
“Where?”
Mike sighed and glanced back out the window. “An old stone quarry in Quincy. By the time someone finds him, if anyone ever does, we’ll be long gone.”
“And if people start questioning his absence?”
“They haven’t yet.”
“It hasn’t even been a week!”
“We’ll worry about it then!” Mike exploded. “For now, leave it be!”
“Wait till David finds out about this mess. Or do you not plan on telling him too?”
“We’ll tell him,” Liam stated. “When he moves out here.”
“Fine.”
Mike swore quietly and resumed his pacing. “Why didn’t you get rid of the marks Liam?”
He could have gotten rid of the marks, he should have gotten rid of them, but pride and possession had kept him from doing so. He had liked knowing that beneath her turtleneck she was marked as his, and that no one else would have her.
He wasn’t about to explain that to them though. “I just didn’t.”
Mike closed his eyes and turned away from him. “She knowingly let you feed off her?” Doug asked in disbelief.
“Yes.”
“Crap,” Jack muttered.
“From the cut on your neck, I’d say you returned the favor,” Mike muttered.
Mike stopped pacing again as the three of them turned to him in disbelief. “Will you change her?” Jack demanded.
Liam closed his eyes. Before the answer would have been a simple no. But now, now, he knew that he couldn’t bear to lose her, and he would, if she remained human. But he couldn’t force it on her; he couldn’t make her do anything that she didn’t want too. He knew he would lose her if he did. “If she asks for it.”
“Crap,” Jack mumbled again as Mike resumed his pacing.
“Do you think she will?” Doug inquired.
“I don’t know.”
“I think she will,” Mike said.
Liam’s eyes snapped to his as he stopped pacing. “Why do you say that?”
Mike seemed to be gazing at something beyond this room. “She loves you Liam. She’s allowed you to feed from her, she has fed from you. You two are growing closer by the minute. It’s only simple logic that she won’t want to lose you either.”
A spark of hope began to bloom inside him, but he quickly shoved it aside. There was no way to know what Sera would decide to do, and he wasn’t going to pressure her. Dwelling on it now wasn’t going to help.
“Jesus,” Doug muttered.
“Well now, this is definitely getting interesting.” Jack climbed to his feet and walked over to join Doug. “Will you at least tell us if it happens?”
“Yes.”
“No more secrets Liam, we’re all in this together. You should have told us about Jacob sooner. We’re at risk too.”
Liam nodded and turned away from them. They were right, but he had been so worried about Sera, and what they might do to her, that he hadn’t spared them more than a thought.
“I think it’s obvious that we can trust her,” Doug said.
“Yes, we can,” Liam insisted.
“We can,” Mike said. “Trust me, I was worried at first, but she won’t do anything to hurt Liam. She’ll die before that happens.”
“Don’t say that!” Liam snapped.
Mike shrugged as he stopped pacing. “It’s true Liam. She isn’t immortal. If things start to go wrong with Jacob, if the hunters realize that we’re here, and they come for us, she is the one most closely linked to Jacob. It’s her they’ll go after.”
Liam’s jaw clenched as his nostrils flared. He hadn’t thought of that. He had been too worried, too concerned about everything else to even think about that. Even if they did find Jacob’s body, he didn’t think the police would put two and two together, but the hunter’s would. They would read about how he had been killed, and they would know. And Sera would be their logical choice.
“Shit!”
They remained silent as Liam began to angrily pace the room and mutter curses under his breath. “You two said not to worry about it, for now,” Doug reminded them. “So don’t.”
“That was before I realized that she was in more danger than we are!” Liam snarled.
“For now, there’s nothing that we can do. Hell, we can’t even leave here. Which brings us to a more pressing problem at the moment,” Mike said. “Food.”
“Well some of us don’t have that problem,” Jack mumbled. Liam’s eyes snapped toward him, but Jack wasn’t being his usual ass self. His face was drawn and pale as he looked at Liam with blank eyes. “Having them trapped in this house with us is not helping.”
“I’m not going to touch her again. It’s too soon.”
“At least you’ve gotten something recently. The rest of us are hungry, and tired, and their presence is killing us.”
“It is,” Mike said. “We didn’t feed yesterday, and it’s starting to get to us now. There’s no way we’re going to last another day, maybe two, if we can’t get out tomorrow. It will start to get to you too.”
“It’s going to be hard to control soon,” Doug said softly. “We have to figure something out.”
Liam looked out the window at the brilliant, white world. “Damn,” he mumbled as he ran his fingers through his hair. He knew they were right. Even though he had fed sooner than them, it would start to get to him too. He didn’t know what he would do when it did. He did know that he wouldn’t be able to go near Sera.
“Animals,” he said, dropping his hand to his side. “We’re going to have to get our hands on some animals.”
“How?” Doug asked. “Go tramping through the woods in search of a rabbit?”
“What’s up Doc?” Jack quipped with a stupid grin on his face.
Liam laughed as some of the tension drained out of his body. Doug grinned and turned to look out the window again. “Well,” Doug said. “We do have supernatural powers, I guess it’s time to put them to use.”
“A rabbit won’t even be an appetizer right now,” Jack said.
Mike walked over to the window and looked out at the endless snow. “There aren’t any other options.”
“Well men,” Jack said. “It’s time to get in touch with our hunting instincts.”