Reclaimed(38)
Author: Diane Alberts

She cried out and ripped away from Elijah to fling herself across Isaac’s chest. “Isaac, please don’t!” she yelled.

Isaac growled and vowed, “I’ll kill you.”

“Isaac—” Elijah began as he reached out to pull Sabrina off of Isaac, presumably worried that his brother couldn’t control his temper in his current state of fury.

“Touch her and die.” Isaac spoke through clenched teeth. In one nimble movement, he stood on his feet, ripped the knife from her hand, and swung Sabrina safely behind him. He held the knife out in a defensive position, and she fleetingly wondered if knives did anything to vampires.

“I didn’t want to hurt her. I meant only to protect her, in case you were out of control.” Elijah’s voice came out so quiet she could barely hear him.

“I’m not the one who’s dangerous to be around.” The slight emphasis on the first word made Elijah flinch. “Step back, and stay back.”

She peered over Isaac’s shoulder, her eyes fixed on Elijah as she silently pleaded he give in to his brother’s demands. She knew he must know what she asked of him. No, what she commanded. He stared at her in silent stubbornness, and she waited for him to acquiesce.

She had no question in her mind whether or not he would.

Isaac, seeing where Elijah focused, growled and stepped forward menacingly. Elijah took a step back and snarled.

“I’ll leave now. I just wanted to make sure you were okay,” he whispered.

“I’m fine, no thanks to you. Don’t return. Next time, I will kill you,” Isaac warned his brother.

Elijah stiffened and stared at Sabrina one last time. All his longing and desire were plain in his eyes. And the look on his face? It would haunt her forever. The despair in his face hurt too much to ever forget. He gave a slight nod and left.

Isaac turned to Sabrina, his gaze examining her face. He reached out to touch her cheek, and she flinched at his tortured expression.

“You cry, but the question is, for whom?”

In surprise, Sabrina raised a hand to her cheek. She opened her mouth to reply, but he shook his head, compressing his lips.

“I don’t want to talk about it. Not here, not now. Maybe not ever. Let’s go.”

“Isaac—”

“No, Sabrina,” he said.

He made it sound like…like they were over.

Tears ran down her cheeks, and she blinked in an attempt to clear her eyes. She swallowed heavily and struggled to keep up to Isaac’s grueling pace. When she stumbled and almost fell, he gripped her elbow and dragged her behind him.

She’d hurt Isaac, and now he might never forgive her, or trust her. Pain wracked her as she thought of all the things she could have—should have—done. She should have slapped Elijah, or not let him kiss her at all, or maybe woken up somehow.

She bit her lip, unsure of how to proceed. If only he hadn’t come along when he had. If he had come a mere minute later, she wouldn’t have been kissing Elijah.

Oh God, it must have looked horrible from his point of view.

She must have looked like Amelia.

Damn it, she looked just like Amelia.

Isaac glared as he pictured Sabrina in Elijah’s arms. He’d entered the scene right when Elijah had pulled her into his arms and kissed her. His heart had dropped, yet he’d held back in the shadows.

Watching.

Waiting.

Hoping Sabrina would pull away and slap him. Punch him, kick him in the balls.

Something.

But instead, she’d returned his kisses. Rage had taken over him until he could bear no more. He’d leapt out of the darkness, somehow changing into a vampire in mid-leap. He’d never done anything like it before. It had always taken a great amount of concentration on his part to make the switch. He usually needed to focus and concentrate to change, and to keep the change. If he ever lost his concentration, he would change back into a human.

But this time, he’d jumped at Elijah, and in a split second, the transformation had been complete. After his instant change, he’d proceeded to attempt to kill his own brother.

Bloody hell.

He’d never felt such anger in his life. Hell, not even when he had come upon Amelia and Elijah. This betrayal caused more pain. It hurt worse. If Elijah hadn’t been quick enough, Isaac would have killed him before even realizing he’d begun to do so.

When Sabrina had been thrown across the forest, his concentration had been enough for his transformation to slip—and gave Elijah ample opportunity to knock him over the head using a rock. He winced and probed the aching wound. It still hurt like hell, damn it.

The next thing he had become aware of was Sabrina in his brother’s arms again. Isaac wished he’d killed Elijah before they noticed he had awoken. He cursed his damnable honor and kicked a rock as he continued to stalk toward Sabrina’s house. Time to get away from here.

Away from her.

He’d become plagued by questions that would not cease.

Had she chosen Elijah over him again? Would she even have cared if Elijah had killed him? Or would she be relieved by no longer having to choose between the two men? It would have nicely cleared the way to Sabrina for Elijah, removing obstacles from his path.

Maybe Isaac overestimated his pull on Sabrina, though. Maybe he wouldn’t an obstacle at all.

They arrived at her door in complete silence, and she bit her lip when he wouldn’t look her in the eye.

“Isaac, please. Let me talk to you,” she cried, putting her hands out in a pleading gesture. She struggled to put her thoughts into words and must have hesitated too long, for he drew away from her both physically and mentally. A cold mask covered his features. Ice-man returned in full swing.

“Sabrina, it’s late. It’s been a long night, and I’m going home,” he mumbled.

Isaac turned on his heel to go. It became clear to her he would leave without allowing her to explain. He didn’t even want to wait until she’d gotten safely inside behind the locked door.

This was bad. Really bad.

Sabrina ran after him, but her weak legs refused to cooperate, causing her to fall clumsily to the ground, on all fours. She ignored the pain and rage building inside her at alarming speeds. She didn’t have the time to be angry. Not now.

She swallowed her pride, and cried out, “Isaac. I love you, and only you. Please come back. Just let me explain.”

His back stiffened, and he paused. Hope washed over her. Maybe now he would return and pull her into his arms where she belonged. He spun around, his face flushed bright red. His widened eyes blazed so brightly, she recoiled. “You dare say those words to me now, in the face of your treachery? You dare?” he shouted.