“I’ll wrap my feet up so I can walk,” she said.
“No. Your feet need time to heal.”
“But—”
“I’ll carry you, and I’ll be fine. I’mnotgoing to let anything happen to you.”
Elyse gulped at the intensity of his words. “And what’s going to happen once we’re free of here?”
“What do you mean?”
“What are you going to do with me?”
He hadn’t considered much beyond getting her away before more Savages arrived. “I’m going to keep you safe.”
“Will I be allowed to return to my old life?”
He gritted his teeth as he made himself say, “If you wish.” He’d prefer to keep her, but he couldn’t force it on her even if the demon inside him wanted to do precisely that.
“What I wish is to find my father and destroy these bastards.”
“So do I.”
She gulped as she tried to figure out how to word her next question. She didn’t want to sound as if she were using this as an excuse to cleave to Saxon. Once they were free of here, he’d probably find someone else as he didn’t do relationships, and she certainly didn’t think it would be her best life choice to have a vampire boyfriend.
“Would you help me get my dad back?” She was unable to meet his gaze when she asked the question.
He pondered how to answer her without breaking her heart, but in the end, he went with the truth. “I’ll help you, but I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to find him. Before his death, Joseph and the Savages spent a lot of time underground. They were building or taking over old bomb shelters. It may be impossible to find him, but I will do everything I can to locate him.”
Elyse focused on her meal. She could find him, but she kept that to herself.
“Do you know why they put you in a cabin and not somewhere underground?” he asked.
“I’m not sure. Maybe some of the vamps they brought here didn’t like the idea of being underground or maybe it was Joseph’s way of being kind.”
They looked at each other and laughed.
“He probably decided against keeping you somewhere with a lot of Savages,” he said. “He had control over them, but all it would take was one in a fit of bloodlust to kill you.”
Plus, Saxon knew they were creating new Savages by starving vamps and then turning them loose to kill. Those vamps would not be as easily controlled as other, more seasoned Savages. Joseph hadn’t wanted to take a chance with her.
Saxon studied her as she scraped her spoon against the side of the ravioli can before setting it aside and using her finger to scoop out more sauce. She had to have some ability the Savages were using to their advantage, but there were so many abilities that he’d never figure out which one she possessed unless she told him.
“So we leave the day after tomorrow,” Elyse said.
He leaned across the table and kissed her forehead. She tried not to blush as she concentrated on her can. He’d seen all of her and done things to her that required no modesty, but the simple, familiar gesture made her feel awkward.
Saxon sat back in his chair when the subtle beat of her pulse called to him. When his fangs lengthened in response, he pushed away from the table and rose.
“Is everything okay?” she asked as he paced over to the back door.
“Yes.” He turned to face her. “I have to feed.”
Elyse paused with her spoon halfway to her mouth. “Oh.”
She plopped the spoon back into the can. Her gaze darted around the cabin, but it wasn’t like someone was going to appear and give him blood. She was the only source in this place.
Chapter Seventeen
