Reclaimed(16)
Author: Diane Alberts

She didn’t wonder long, though. For in a split second, he picked up the tree he had knocked down and threw it at the stranger, who was sprinting toward Sabrina at the same speed Elijah possessed.

Sabrina stumbled backward, both at the gesture and from the advancing woman who glowered at her as hatred curled her lip and filled her eyes. She didn’t get far, because she was scooped into Elijah’s arms as he sped away from the crazy woman. Elijah slid to a halt when a figure appeared before them. Sabrina screamed in terror and clung even tighter to his strong arms.

Chapter Five

“Sabrina. Sabrina! Wake up, please wake up now!” Isaac shook Sabrina in panic, terrified he wouldn’t be able to pull her out of her dream. Damn Elijah and his sick hold on her. He’d taken Sabrina from her own body, and now he very well might kill her. Removing humans from their bodies was never a good idea. Sometimes, unable to return, they were forever stuck in a dream-like state.

Otherwise known as a coma.

A rarity, but still a risk he could not allow.

Couldn’t he see the harm he caused her? The danger he put her in? Elijah could never be with Sabrina. Surely even he could see it?

Sabrina jerked in his arms, and he watched in horror as her eyes rolled to the back of her head.

Shit.

He shook her and hoarsely called her name. “Sabrina, please. Wake up! I need you to wake up. Please.” The last word came out as no more than whisper. He froze when he saw her stare transfixed on him. She gulped for air, her eyes wide and her face ghostly pale, as she struggled to breathe. He sat her up in his arms and pounded her back in an attempt to help.

When her arms flew out to the side in shock, he realized he had maybe pounded a little too hard. But…she was breathing. He could hear her gasping breath, see her shoulders heaving at the effort. Pulling her back into his arms, he hugged her to his chest.

Dude, don’t suffocate her now that she’s breathing.

Dumbass.

He forced himself to loosen his grip and whispered soft words into her hair. He had no idea what he even said, but they seemed to help. In no time at all, she lay limp in his arms, curled into his body.

Where she damn well belonged, thank you.

“Isaac?” she asked.

Anger swelled over him when he realized she asked if he was Elijah or Isaac. God, he hated his brother. He should make it clear to her, right here and now, that her soul mate held her in his arms. Life by Elijah’s side would never be possible.

But if he came on too strong, too fast, he might scare her away. By now she had to know something unearthly surrounded her. But she didn’t know what. And he suspected she couldn’t handle the truth tonight. She’d been through too much already.

Hoping she would confide in him, he forced himself to take a calm breath before pasting a smile on his face. He schooled his features into an easygoing appearance, determined to look as non-threatening as possible.

Act clueless.

“Yes, who else?” He raised an eyebrow in question. With bated breath, he awaited her answer. Maybe, just maybe she would trust him. If she showed just a small sign of being ready, he would tell her all about his life. And all about Elijah—and why he posed such danger to her. He was a vampire, for the love of God. They tore pretty little girls like her apart—literally.

Those hopes were dashed when she waved a dismissive hand in front of her face.

“Sorry, Isaac. I think my brain is a little confused. I had a nightmare. It’s all very humiliating.”

She blushed, avoiding his eyes. He knew why she would look away. She lied through her teeth, but why the hell would she blush?

“Um, just out of curiosity, how did you know I had a nightmare? I hope I didn’t scream and wake you.” She bit her lip and studied her clenched hands, and he tensed as he realized she felt mortified to have been frightened.

Embarrassed.

Jesus, she should be bloody scared.

He smiled tensely and forced a chuckle as he fought the anger washing over him. “I’d like to be a gentleman and say no. But how would I explain my presence in your bedroom? Voyeurism? Sorry, lass, but yes, you screamed. What did you dream about?”

“Oh, nothing. A shadow chased me in the woods. Someone called my name, and I tried to escape them, but it kept getting closer. Then, you woke me up. Thanks for pulling me out of it.”

He closed his eyes in an attempt to conceal the fury coursing over him.

One, two, three.

He sighed and opened his eyes to focus on her once more.

“You must think I’m such a wimp. Terrified of shadows.”

“On the contrary, I don’t think you are enough of a wimp, as you call it,” he countered. He held her gaze intently, silently pleading for her trust. For her love. Her eyes widened, showing she saw all the emotion he wished her to see, and more. She bit her lip, and he watched the movement curiously. What was she thinking? Feeling?

Damn it all, if he couldn’t get her to trust him, he’d damn well make her need him. He growled and pressed his lips to hers, offering the things he felt not aloud, but in action. Passion, love, need: they were all there. And not just on his side.

No, it was just pure imagining on his part. Obviously, he loved her. He’d be an idiot to deny it. He always had, and always would. He’d loved her since the first time he met her in the countryside by their houses, and he’d loved her when he was still a human. Love like that didn’t just go away.

But for her to love him so soon? When she didn’t remember those moments? Not bloody likely.

A loud bang of thunder shook the house, and she shrieked. Isaac pushed her away in frustration to glare out the window at the storm raging outside. Bloody storms. Already, the absence of her arms around him left him cold. He wanted her to writhe against him, to hear her breathy moans fill his ears.

Instead, he had, well, emptiness. Where there had been fire, there was now cool air.

He might as well have left.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her reach out to him, her face showing her pain at his rejection. Yet she stopped halfway, her hand hovering in the air. She chewed on her lower lip and laid back against the pillow, her scrutiny focused on his back.

He ignored her scrutiny and indecision. He needed to get outside, before he made a fool of himself even more. He rose to his feet and murmured a hasty good night, before striding from the room. He hoped it looked more like an exit than a panicked retreat. If he stayed even one more second, she’d either be flat on her back, or he’d be shaking her in frustration.

Maybe both.

He headed outside in search of Connor, the man he’d assigned to protect Sabrina. Apparently, he’d failed. It appeared Elijah had grown stronger than Isaac suspected.