Her mother nodded weakly as her father wrapped his arm tightly around her and pulled her close to him. Stefan stiffened, his hand tightening upon Isabelle’s as Kyle bit into his wrist. Relief flowed through him as he drank deeply, and with relish. He relaxed his grip on Isabelle’s trembling hand, but she refused to release him. He squeezed her hand slightly, taking comfort in her reassuring touch, and presence.
Eventually Kyle’s bite began to lessen as his thirst for blood became less. Stefan pulled the towel back to reveal the wounds. They were still dark, and vicious looking, but they had stopped bleeding, and bone, muscle, and skin hadnowknitted neatly back together. He pulled his wrist gently away from Kyle’s mouth as the boy released him.
“He’ll be all right,” he said softly. “He’ll need more blood, and he probably won’t awaken for awhile, but he’ll be all right.”
He stood slowly, moving away so thatLiamand Sera could get closer to their son. “Are you okay?” Isabelle asked worriedly.
He glanced up at her, smiling softly as he nodded. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to ease the trembling that remained from her fearforKyle, and the shock of her realizationabout Stefan. He moved toward her, his chest and hard stomach coated with blood. Isabelle rushed forward, flinging her arms around his waist as she buried her head against his chest. Tears of relief slid down her cheeks as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against him.
***
Isabelle sat silently at the kitchen table feeling drained, and completely exhausted. She shifted slightly and leaned back against Stefan. His arms tightened around her waist as she dropped her head to his hard shoulder and nuzzled against his neck. His familiar scent of crisp air, woods, soap, and pure male filled hernostrils. She sighed contentedly as she moved even closer to him. Beneath his familiar scent she could suddenly smell the copper tint of his blood.
She stiffened slightly as thefierceurge to taste his bloodsurged intoher. She had never experienced such anintenseurge before, hadn’t thoughtit was possible, but she suddenly wanted it to fill, and warm her. She closed her eyes tightly againstthe yearning, but the smell of it, and the power that radiated from it, caused her mouth to water. She wanted to whimper from thehunger blazing through her, but she forced herself to remain silent, and not let on to the sudden discomfort that consumed her.
She turned her head away from the throbbing pulse in his throat and rested her head against his chest. She forced her attention away from him, and to the people that surrounded them. Ethan, Ian, Mike, Doug, Jack, and David sat silently around the table, their faces as tired and strained looking as she felt. Vicky, Abby, and Julian sat on the island, leaning tiredly against each other. Willow walked in from the livingroom;her shoulders slumped as sheglanced at them throughshadowed eyes.
“Is he awake?” Doug asked.
“No.” Isabelle sighed softly and closed her eyes as she snuggled closer to Stefan’s warmth, allowing herself to be comforted by the gentle beat of his heart. She stifled a yawn as a wave of exhaustion swept her.
Stefan dropped his head down to rest on hers and inhaled her gentle, reassuring scent. She had taken a shower, her hair was still damp, the smell of it clean and refreshing. Beneath the lose T-shirt, and baggy pants she wore, he knew that she was completely naked. The knowledge of that had caused him to grow hard long ago, and he was desperately fighting against his baser instincts as she snuggled closer to him.The movementcausedhis erection to jump and throb.
Heclenchedhis teeth against the growing ache in his loins as he shifted the obvious swell away from the gentle curve of her buttocks. She was completely exhausted, both emotionally and physically, the last thing she needed right now was to know what he was thinking about.
He glanced down at her bandaged foot, knowing that the wound was heeled by now.But the sight of the blood dampened bandage caused anger, and fear, to course through him. He was going to have a talk with her later about putting herself in danger. He knew that she wouldn’t like it, but that was too bad, he’d be damned if she gothurt,or something worse. She was too impatient for his liking, too willing torisk her own life. She had to start thinking about herself, about him, if something happened to her...
The thought alone unleashed something wild and primitive in him. It made him want to destroy the world, and everyone in it. His hands instinctively tightened around her, pulling her more firmly against him as he fought back the panic, and fury, that the thought aroused. As long as he was alive, nothing was ever going to happen to her, and if she didn’t start taking better care of herself, he was going tolock her up somewheresafe. He didn’t care if she hated him for it, but he would do it if it meant keeping herprotected, and alive. He didn’t think he could survive without her.
He stiffened instantly;the realization broughta surge of raging emotions forth. She lifted her head to stare questioningly at him, but he forced his face to remain blank as he met her gaze. He would figure it all out later, talk to her later about it, but not now. She had enough on her mind now. He had enough on his mindnow.
He kissed her lightly on the tip of her nose and she smiled softly. That smile clenched at his heart and caused him to harden even more. He shifted slightly as he tried to ease the growing pressure in hiscockand she dropped her head to his shoulder again. Her long lashes brushed lightly against his neck as her eyes closed.
Liamappeared in the doorway, his face drawn and tight as he leaned against the frame. “Is he awake?” Abby demanded.
“No, why don’t you guys go on up to bed, you look beat.”
“But...”
“Go on,” he told them, the hard set of his face leaving no room for arguments. “Heprobablywon’t be up for awhile.”
They exchanged quick glances, but obviously decided that arguing wasn’t going to work. They slid off the island and shuffled slowly out of the room. “Good night,” they mumbled as they left.
Liam’s gaze came back to them. “You guys should head home too, you look like hell.”
“You don’t look much better,” Mike retorted.
“Yeah but I’ll look good after some sleep, you look likecrapall the time.”
“You wish,” Mike muttered.
Liamsmiled wanly. “Go on, get out of here.You’ve all done enough, get some rest.”
“You sure dad?” Isabelle asked softly.
“Yes.”
They exchanged quick looks before climbing to their feet. Isabelle went to get out of Stefan’s lap, but he kept his arms firmly around her as he rose swiftly to follow everyone outside. She smiled softly as she wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his chest. She was immediately comforted by the reassuring beat of his heart, and the warmth of his body. Her eyes drifted closed as he carried her down the stairs and out to the field.
