Reclaimed(19)
Author: Diane Alberts

He seemed oblivious to her anger as he held her closer to him and kissed her forehead tenderly. It melted her heart…just a little. Not enough for her to stop wanting to kill him, though.

“Are you going to stop and listen to me?” he inquired.

She refused to speak and give him the satisfaction of winning. She didn’t lose well. She settled for a glare that would have frozen him on the spot—if he weren’t already made of stone.

“You don’t understand a damn thing,” he argued.

“I understand you killed your brother’s fiancée,” she returned.

“There were things that happened you would never, ever understand. Not in a million years. And you should thank God for it.”

“Let me go, Elijah. Now.”

He glared and opened his mouth to respond. Whatever he’d planned on saying, she would never know. For instead of replying, he hissed and ran to the door, threw it open, and slammed it shut behind him as he left.

She was left alone, quivering from the fear consuming her.

What had she done?

***

Blaringly aware of the fact he’d scared Sabrina away because of his honesty, Elijah ran with a desolation he’d not felt in a long, long time. He could have made her understand, made her see why he had done what he did. But Louisa had showed up.

Louisa, the bane of his existence.

There had been no choice but to flee after the deranged bitch, since she had no business being so close to Sabrina. But in protecting her, he had managed to alienate Sabrina for good. To top it all off, Louisa had gotten away.

But not for long.

His legs quickened each stride he took, and the wind brushed his skin like a caress. Even if he passed a human, they would feel nothing but a slight chill. Invisibility suited his mood today.

He was in no shape to be seen.

Chapter Six

The sound of the phone ringing echoed in the silent room, but Sabrina refused to answer. Her encounter with Elijah had left her shaken, and for one night, she didn’t want to have any of the craziness that now defined her life. She needed a freaking break.

Unfortunately, she really needed some sleep—but he might come to her. And she didn’t want to see him. What a position to be in.

She’d toyed with the idea of inviting Isaac over and sleeping in the shelter of his arms, but she fought it. It would be a cop-out, and she didn’t fit the mold of a weak damsel in distress, damn it. But she’d take a knife to bed. As she headed toward the kitchen, she checked the door one last time.

No, Sabrina, it didn’t unlock itself in the last five minutes.

Besides, a locked door wouldn’t keep him out, anyway. He’d just get her in her sleep. Like Freddy Krueger, but hotter.

The phone rang again, and she jumped in alarm. God, when did she become such a wimp? Time to answer it so she didn’t get a heart attack every five seconds.

“Hello?”

“Hi. How are you?”

“I’m okay, Isaac. You?”

“Eh, today passed slow and boring.” He chuckled.

She opted to lie. “Yeah, I hear you there.”

“Any more strange occurrences?”

“No, it’s been very quiet. Too quiet.”

“Hmm. Would you like some company?”

God, yes. Come hold me and keep me safe.

“I think I’m gonna go to bed. A storm kept me up last night, and I’m beat.”

“I’m sorry,” he apologized.

“Why would you be sorry? It’s not like you caused it.” She laughed and rolled her shoulders as she sighed. He apologized for the weirdest things sometimes. Especially storms.

Odd.

“Can I come over tomorrow, instead? I need to talk to you.”

She choked on a breath, certain he would soon fill her in on some of his mysterious past. The writer in her wanted to hear his side—to understand.

“I changed my mind. You can come over, if you want.”

“No,” he insisted, “get some sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow. Good night.”

“Good night.” She sighed in dejection. She headed upstairs to attempt some sleep, though she alleged she’d get none. But hopefully, she’d be blessed by some quiet, empty, dreamless sleep.

Please.

***

Isaac spent all the next day tracking Elijah, to no avail. Anger coursed through him at his brother’s ability to escape him, but with considerable effort, he tamped it down. Eight o’clock had finally rolled around, and he pulled his car to a stop in Sabrina’s driveway. Had Elijah visited her dreams last night?

Had she moaned beneath his body, welcoming him into her open arms? Did she show him the same eagerness she always showed him? He exited the car and slammed the door behind him, before leaning against it.

Get a grip, man.

She wasn’t Amelia. He could trust her. Right?

Not if the past repeated itself….

***

“This way, Lady Harding. I am certain they are out here.” Isaac glanced at her out of the corner of his eye as they crested the hill. Did he imagine things, or did she seem even more silent than usual? He desperately hoped Amelia and Elijah were here. He couldn’t stand another moment of her stone-cold beauty.

Arriving at the meadow, he stopped as pain grabbed hold of his heart and squeezed. They were here, indeed, but not awaiting their betrotheds. No, they were quite content to be alone. His loving brother and fiancée were making love.

The pocket watch his father had given him for his eighteenth birthday fell out of his hand as he studied the pair in horror.

When the hell had this happened? How long had it been going on?

Son of a bitch.

A growl broke him away from the horror before his eyes, and he swung toward Lady Harding in surprise. The sound seemed too feral to come from such a small slip of a girl. She crouched on the ground, her silk dress getting dirty from the mud at their feet, and snarled as she bared her teeth.

Bloody hell, she couldn’t be human. Not if she had those teeth. He ripped his gaze away from her face and ran toward the lovers embraced across the meadow. They had to get out—now. As enraged as he felt, he didn’t want to see them eaten alive by this monster. Whatever she—or it—was.

He got maybe two steps before being thrown to the ground, Lady Harding straddling him in a mockery of an embrace with her long skirt hiked up to her hips. She slammed his head into hard stone, and his vision blurred. She jerked his head to the side, and he heard a bone snap.

Damn, that hurt.

Unfortunately for him, it only symbolized the beginning of his pain. His blurry vision caught sight of shining teeth headed toward his neck before the agonizing pain ripped through his body.