“Threw me across a room,” Doug mumbled.
Ethan and Ian gaped at him in astonishment before turning to look at their father.Liamshrugged as he reached out to pull Sera against him. “If it ever happens to you, trust me, you’ll understand. Something inside of you changes. All rational thought, and all control vanishes, until you know that she is yours. Although, I’m not sure how it works between two vampires, but I suppose it’s similar.”
“They’ll probably need to exchange blood, and...” Mike broke off;a dull flush stainedhis cheeks as his face twisted in chagrin.
“I don’t want to think about that!”Liamyelled.
Sera bit into her bottom lip to keep from laughing. “Neither do I,” Mike muttered.
“Well I hope they do, whatever it is that they have to do, soon,” Jack said. “It was hard enough dealing withLiam, but if that guy snaps it is not going to be pretty. His powers are a lot stronger than ours. He lifted Ethan like he weighed no more than a twig.”
Ethan smiled sheepishly as he rubbed his bruised neck. “Yeah he did.”
“Should we tell him what’s going on?” Ian asked.
They looked wearily at each other. “I’ll talk to him,” Sera said softly.
“You will not!”Liamsnapped, his hands tightening on her.
“He’s not going to hurt meLiam;I was the only one that he let near Isabelle. I don’t think he knows what’s going on, and once I tell him I think he’ll be a lot calmer, and things will start to make more sense to him. Right now, he’s just as confused as you were.”
“I don’t want you anywhere near him.”
Sera sighed impatiently. “I’ll stay on the other side of the room, and you can stand right by my side. He’s not going to hurt me, but someone needs to tell him something, and I’m the least threatening of you all.”
“Fine,”Liamrelented. “But you’ll be staying in the kitchen, far away from him.”
Sera smiled happily as she looked at everyone. “I can’t believe that we have to go through this again,” Doug muttered.
“I can’t believe we’re going to have to deal with another sickening couple,” Jack snorted.
“Ugh!” theygroaned.
CHAPTER 14
Isabelle knew that he was gone the minute she woke up. A crushing sense of loss descended on her as a dull ache bloomed in her chest. She scrunched her eyes tight as she tried to shove the hurt, and loss, away. It was what she had wanted after all. What she had been longing for since he had arrived. She should be happy that he wasgone;she wasgoingto be happy that he was gone. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking against the bright light that filled the living room.
“You’re awake.” She turned to find her mother sitting on the other couch, her hands clasped before her as she worriedly scanned Isabelle’s face. “How do you feel?”
“He’s gone.” It wasn’t what she had meant to say, but the words had popped out anyway.
Her mother’s eyes darkened as she nodded briskly. “He left after he brought you home.”
Isabelle swallowed heavily and closed her eyes against the pain in her chest. She was going to be happy, she told herself fiercely. She had wanted thisall along, but why did it hurt so much? Tears filled her eyes, but she refused to shed them. “Why?” she whispered.
“I don’t know.He left before any of us could talk to him.”
“I hurt,” she murmured, not sure if she was talking about her ache for Stefan or the lingering discomfort in her body.
“What hurts?”her mother asked gently.
Everything! She wanted to cry in anguish. “My body,” she lied. “I’m sore.”
“It will get better.” Her mother moved over to kneel before her. Isabelle opened her eyes to meet her dark, violet blue gaze. “About Stefan...”
“I’m glad he’s gone,” she said forcefully. “Now my life will get back to normal.”
Her mother’s eyes searched her face as she lightly stroked back her hair. “Yes, I’m sure it will,” she said softly, but Isabelleread the doubt in hermother’seyes. Isabelleclosed her eyes firmly, refusing to see the pain, and pity, in her mother’s gaze. “Are you hungry?”
