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  Her eyes fluttered open as the first rays of the sun spread over the horizon. The fright and dismay she should have felt over his biting her rushed to the forefront as her hands clenched upon his shoulders.

  "Jack, the sun, Jack!" she cried as she shook him.

  Her words didn't seem to penetrate at first, or perhaps the meaning behind them didn't as he continued to feed from her. Then, he became completely rigid against her. He released his hold upon her and whipped his head toward where the dawning rays of the morning were spreading in an array of gold, pink, and red across the sky.

  She expected him to release her; instead he swept her into his arms and began to move across the ground so fast that the woods around her became a blur and the wind whipped her hair back from her face. She was fast, but she'd never experienced this kind of speed before, she'd never seen anyone exhibit this kind of speed before. Fear caused her to grasp his arms tighter as the beams of sun spreading across the ground chased after them.

  Turning sideways, he threw his shoulder into the kitchen door and shoved it open. He slammed the door closed on the sun as the first beam hit it. Relief caused her to slump in his arms, she curled closer against his chest. "Are you ok?" he demanded as he nuzzled her hair.

  "Fine."

  "I'm sorry, that shouldn't have happened."

  A burst of rage caused her spine to stiffen as her eyes narrowed upon his. "Again!?"

  He blinked at her in confusion and then gave her a lazy smile that caused her irritation to fade. "I meant the sun, tiger. I shouldn't have kept you out there so long; you never should have been at risk."

  She didn't completely buy his words though as she continued to glower at him with her arms folded over her chest. Then, much to her utter amazement, he bent down and rubbed the tip of his nose against hers. She couldn't help but giggle as she wiped at her tickled nose and returned his dazzling smile.

  "Much better," he told her as he kissed her nose and leaned away from her.

  She didn't know what to say or do after what they had just shared. She'd never given so much of herself to someone before, had never thought that she would. Even if she had been forced into a marriage with Calvin, she never would have allowed him to drink her blood, and he wouldn't have expected her to. Her parents had been friendly enough with each other, but she knew that they had never exchanged blood with each other and that one day they would most likely move on from each other when they became bored.

  He could find her now. Anywhere she went, anywhere that he went, and no matter how much time passed, he would always be able to find her. The thought should terrify her, it would have if it had been anyone else, but she found it oddly comforting to know that he could always return to her if he chose to once he left.

  She shied away from the thought of him leaving. There was still a little bit of peace within her right now, she wasn't going to ruin it by dwelling on depressing thoughts.

  His fingers brushed the hair back from her neck; she didn't flinch away as he pressed lightly against the bite marks there. She waited for him to apologize or say something else that would officially ruin the moment. Instead, his eyes drifted back to hers and she saw the same confusion radiating out of him that was twisting through her insides.

  Though she tried to stifle it, she couldn't entirely suppress a yawn. His fingers slid away from her neck and he began to stride across the room to the door. She'd forgotten about the vampires passed out on her floor, but she was quickly reminded of this fact as Jack had to weave through them to get to the stairs. She twisted in his arms to look at them, but Jack didn't glance back as he took the steps three at a time to the top.

  His arms briefly squeezed around her as he stopped at her door. Reluctantly, he lowered her to the ground. Hannah felt as if she were losing a piece of herself as she forced her hand to wrap around the knob and push the door open.

  "Hannah." She looked over her shoulder at him. His hair was a tussled mess, his lips were redder from her blood and though she was aware of just how powerful he was, there was an air of vulnerability around him that tugged at her heart. His eyes drifted to her neck. "What just happened..."

  "It's ok, I wanted it too."

  She disappeared into the room before he could say anything more, or before she begged him to stay with her. Tears welled in her eyes as she leaned against the door. Enough had happened today without her giving herself over him to completely now. There were some things she had to keep from him, he already had her blood and she realized now that he was also taking her heart.

  CHAPTER 16

  "What has you so on edge?" William demanded as Jack stood to the side of his brother's men. They weren't overly pleased about being kept in the woods, but then most of them were used to it after the time they had spent in the forest and caves in preparation of the war last year.

  "Just waiting for Calvin to make a move," he muttered.

  William glanced at him questioningly. "We'll be prepared. Do you think Calvin's men are better trained than Braith's?"

  "Of course not," Jack retorted.

  William had a persistent, and completely unnerving, way of seeming to stare into a person or vampire, and he could feel that stare focused upon him now. Jack didn't know what to say to him though, didn't know how to explain the hunger twisting through his body. It wasn't an appetite for random blood though, but for more of hers.

  He'd never known anything could taste as delicious or be as fulfilling as she was. He actually felt physically stronger from the influx of her blood within him. He didn't know if her blood was more potent and satisfying because she was a vampire or if it was simply because it was her blood. He could still taste her, still feel her, and drinking from her vein was all he yearned to do again. The last thing he wanted was to be standing amongst a group of his brother's soldiers training.

  The sound of staffs clashing against each other drew him from his thoughts, but not before his fangs had sprung free again. He poked at them with the tip of his tongue and shook his head. He didn't have a freaking clue what was wrong with him, but he knew he had to get it together soon before he ended up accidentally killing someone. Shedding his shirt, he grabbed hold of a staff and jumped into the fray. He relished in the loud click of the wood as he bounced it off of the other staffs. The strain that radiated through his forearms and biceps was a welcome relief to the tension coiled within his chest. Sweat poured down his face, he took more than a few glancing blows off his knuckles, arms, chest, and head. He was bruised, bleeding, and aching, but he pushed himself onward until it was only him and one other vampire left fighting.

  The staff vibrated in his hand as it crashed and banged against the staff of the larger vampire across from him. Larger, but not older, and the vampire most certainly didn't have Hannah's blood coursing through him. Leaning back, Jack dodged the violent downward slash of the staff and drove his own upward into the vampire's ribs. The staff clattered from his opponent's hands as a loud grunt escaped him.

  Jack's shoulders heaved as the staff dropped down by his side. The blood trickling from his knuckles and temple began to dry as the wounds started to knit themselves closed. It had felt good to get some of his frustration out but as he looked around for another victim, he realized that he was going to have to find another way to release some of his tension as the others all took a step back from him. Jack nodded to the man and tossed the staff to a woman standing nearby. There was an interested gleam in her eyes as she studied him, and though she was attractive enough, he was dismayed to realize that she did nothing for him.

  There had to be some way to get Hannah off his mind, but beating the hell out of someone as well as himself hadn't worked out. He knew another woman would be useless, and he had glutted himself on blood at the blood bank before coming here. There was only one other thing he could think of to do, and though he knew it would be a bad decision he wanted nothing more than to get drunk.

  He was seriously contemplating that idea when Timber emerged from the forest.
The giant of a man was larger than some of the saplings surrounding him. His weathered face was drawn, his brown eyes troubled. "Your boy is on the move," he told Jack.

  Jack had asked Timber and Marvin to keep a watch over Calvin's house while he was out here with Braith's soldiers. Calvin must have had his own men watching the tavern to let him know when no one was about. Panic filled him; he didn't take the time to speak with the others before he was moving swiftly out of the woods and through the backyards of houses and buildings toward the tavern. Maybe it wasn't alcohol that would make him feel better, but destroying Calvin just might do the trick. His fangs pricked at the thought and his body thrummed with the anticipation of another fight, but this one would help to ease something inside of him, he was certain of that.

  He arrived at the tavern in record time and slid through the side yard dividing it from the blacksmith shop beside it. The smell of heated iron drifted to him seconds before he heard the hammer striking against the anvil with a clang. He searched the street for Calvin, but didn't see him anywhere. If Calvin had been heading for the tavern, then he was already inside.

  Retreating to the back of the building, Jack headed for the kitchen door and opened it carefully. He stepped into the cool interior but though the sun was setting there was no one about. The driving sense that something was wrong, that Calvin would harm Hannah, drove him forward.

  He moved rapidly toward the kitchen door and pushed it open. The front door was wide open, what remained of the sun's rays were spilling midway across the floor of the building. Hannah was sitting at one of the tables with Calvin across from her. A table that was a little too close to the window for Jack's liking, an open window that Calvin was sitting next to. Ellen and Lucas were sitting at another table, surrounded by four men. He was acutely aware of the fact that Lucas had been placed in a seat that would expose him to the sun's rays within the next five minutes.

  "Jack!" Hannah blurted and jumped to her feet. "What happened to you!?"

  He didn't answer as he strode across the room toward her. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he lifted her up and swung her away from the window. A small cry escaped her, her hands curled into his shoulders as he placed himself in between her and Calvin. He released her and took a step toward Calvin as bloodlust pulsed through him. Yes, destroying this man was exactly what it would take to ease some of the pent up frustration festering like a bad sore inside of him.

  Calvin tugged at the lapels of his deep blue jacket and rose to his feet. "We were in the middle of something," he said far too calmly for someone who was about to be destroyed.

  "And now you're at the end of it."

  That arrogant smirk was nearly Calvin's undoing, and his, until Hannah rested her hand upon his arm. The gesture had a surprisingly calming effect on him. The red began to filter out of his vision and he was able to regain enough control of himself that he didn't launch forward and do something that may very well cost him his life. Something he was beginning to realize Calvin was trying to bait him into doing.

  "Jack," Hannah said serenely. "It's ok."

  He looked over at Lucas and nodded his head sharply to the side. "Get away from the door," he commanded. "You too, Ellen." Kane made a move to stop Ellen, but his hand fell back to his side as footsteps sounded on the front porch. Four of Braith's men came through the door and from behind him Jack caught William's scent as he entered through the kitchen with Timber. "I thought I'd made it clear that you weren't going to bother anyone in this town again."

  "I simply came here to speak with her about a personal matter," Calvin responded.

  "And what would that matter be?"

  "As I said it was personal."

  "Hannah?" Jack inquired.

  "Calvin was just getting ready to leave," she said instead of answering him.

  He glanced at her over his shoulder; her chin was jutting out as her eyes met his. "Lucas?" he inquired as he kept hold of her gaze.

  Her eyes flickered as her mouth pursed. "Calvin has proposed marriage," Lucas answered.

  All of the calm he'd felt fled out of him as wrath swelled forth. Hannah's hand squeezed his arm as his fangs lengthened instantly. "Jack," she breathed as she took a step closer to him.

  His hand took hold of hers, he'd meant to pull it away but instead he found himself clinging to it. "That will never happen," he said as he turned back to Calvin.

  Calvin's golden eyes were fixated upon them, his shoulders thrust back as he vibrated with barely suppressed anger. He wasn't used to being told no. "I think that is up to Hannah. As I have explained to her, this tavern requires someone to protect it."

  "Who does it need to be protected from?" Jack demanded.

  "It has been relatively peaceful since you arrived. However, we do get strangers that come through here once in awhile. In the past they have taken advantage of the occupants of the town that aren't as able to defend themselves."

  "My brother's troops and I are here to make sure they stay safe now," Jack informed him.

  "When you leave, the weak will need someone powerful to protect them."

  Before Jack could respond Hannah took a step forward. "We are not weak!" she declared.

  Pride filled him as did concern for her safety when Calvin focused upon her. Then, his eyes slid to her neck, a direction that Jack's eyes followed. To the human eye the marks would have been invisible, even most vampires would have had a difficult time finding them, but he knew that Calvin had seen the barely there marks as his eyes briefly flashed red and a muscle in his jaw jumped.

  Jack pulled Hannah behind him as he eagerly awaited Calvin's attack, but though his jaw was clenched and his eyes continued to shimmer from gold to red and back again, Calvin remained where he was standing. "It does not matter anyway," he said as he flicked an imaginary piece of lint from his jacket. "I rescind my offer. Let's go."

  Jack remained unmoving as Calvin turned on his heel and glided with ease toward the door. The rest of his men filed out behind him. Jack watched them retreat down the stairs and toward Calvin's house before closing the door. "What just happened?" William asked.

  "Nothing good," Jack said. "Nothing good at all."

  Hannah was paler than normal as he turned toward her. "He'll be back," she whispered.

  "He will," Jack agreed. "But we'll be prepared for him."

  Though he knew he should stay away, he couldn't stand the frightened look on her face. He walked over to her and enveloped her in a hug. "I will keep you safe," he vowed.

  "Ellen, Lucas, Uncle Abe, the other residents of this town," she whispered.

  "All of you, I will make sure you all stay safe."

  William's eyes were troubled as he met his friend's gaze over Hannah's shoulder.

  ***

  "What are you doing Jack?"

  Though he'd known William was going to confront him eventually, he'd really hoped to have some time to figure it all out for himself before having to discuss it with him. He rose from the edge of the lake and turned to face William. He'd hated leaving Hannah behind in the tavern, but there were others there to protect her, and he was a mess from his earlier battle with the soldiers. He hadn't felt like taking the time to have a bath brought up to his room in order to clean up.

  "Washing up," he answered.

  "That's not what I meant and you know it. What are you doing with Hannah?"

  "I'm keeping her safe."

  "You're putting her in danger. I'm not entirely sure what happened today but it raised the tension to a whole new level. That much is clear."

  "Nothing is going to happen to her," Jack grated through clenched teeth.

  William folded his arms over his chest and gave him a disapproving look. "She's a good girl Jack and she doesn't deserve to be hurt. You have no intention of staying in this town, you have no intention of staying anywhere for more than a couple of weeks at a time."

  "Neither do you."

  "I'm not the one rocking the boat. No, screw that, you've flipped this boat r
ight over."

  "If we hadn't come here she would have been forced into a life that would have destroyed her. I didn't flip the boat William."

  "You're going to hurt her." Jack found himself unable to meet William's gaze again. "She deserves better than Calvin, but she also deserves better than being left behind once all of this is settled. So what are you doing Jack?"

  As William asked the question again, a memory tickled at the edges of his mind. He'd once asked Braith that same exact question, when he'd discovered Braith with Aria in their mother's cabin. At the time he'd mistakenly thought their relationship had been over and done with. When he'd asked his brother that question, Braith hadn't been able to tell him why he couldn't stay away from Aria. Couldn't tell him why he'd been driven nearly mad after Jack had gone into the palace and taken Aria from him, but they'd all gotten their answer later on from Ashby and Melinda.

  A cold chill slid down Jack's spine, he abruptly sat down on the ground as his mind spun with the implications of the realization creeping over him. He'd drank her blood, not because he was hungry but because something inside him had driven him to taste her, to mark her as his, to always know where she was and to always be able to find her whenever he chose too.

  A low curse escaped him, his head bowed as he tried to deny the knowledge taking him over, but he was failing miserably. There were few people and vampires he'd ever cared about and he'd never expected to enlarge that circle. He liked his life, he enjoyed being free and he didn't want to be tied down but if the trepidation, and feeling of rightness, that accompanied his realization was any indication, he wasn't going to have a choice.

  He lifted his head and stared out at the serene lake as William sat beside him. "I don't know what I'm doing," he admitted.

  "That makes two of us," William said. "Is this like Braith and Aria?"

  "I don't know, I think it could be."

  William sighed and shook his head. "Great so you're going to turn into a giant mush on me too."