“He’s one of them.”
“Them?”
“I know of some others, but I haven’t hadmuch contact with them over the past ten years or so. They wouldknow the most.”
“But…?” Ian prodded, catching somethinghesitant in Stefan’s tone.
“But they tend to keep more to their owngroup.”
“Don’t we all?”
“These are some of the most powerfulvampires on earth, Ian. All they care about is keeping our racesafe and secret.”
“And she could stand in the way of that,”Ian realized.
“Yes.”
The last thing he needed were more vampireslooking at Paige as nothing more than a threat. He glanced back atPaige, still kneeling on the bed and looking like a warrior despitethe fact her neck could be snapped and her life ended before sheblinked again. “Start with Brian.”
He closed the door before Paige could hearStefan or Ethan’s violent curses, even though he could still hearthem loud and clear. Turning, he leaned against the door to stareat the woman across from him. “Will you be the one to kill me?” shedemanded.
“No one is going to kill you.”
“You say that, but you can’t guarantee it. Isaw the look on their faces.”
“You have to understand they have wives toprotect, and I have my family to protect.”
“If you have a wife I feel sorry for her,”she snorted and folded her arms over her chest. “Hopefully thosemen treat their wives with more respect thanyoutreatwomen.”
“I don’t have a wife, and believe me neitherone of them would ever think twice about looking at anotherwoman.”
“If you do get married your wife probablywon’t be able to say the same.”
“You know as much about me as you know aboutvampires, which is nothing.”
She rose up further on her knees. In the setof scrubs Mandy had brought to the cabin and lent to her, shelooked like an avenging angel. Her brown hair tumbled over hershoulders in curls, her eyes were abnormally bright. The loosescrubs hid her thin, athletic body and the apple-sized breasts he’dfelt pressed against his chest when he’d carried her.
He’d never been overly picky with his women,never had a “type,” but his gaze raked admiringly over the figureconcealed beneath the baggy clothes. Images of her lithe bodypressed against his, beneath his, filled his mind as his eyes cameback to hers. Blood rushed into his dick, he adjusted his stance ashe berated himself for thinking about sex right now. It was oftenthe only thing that kept him sane, but it also had its place in hislife, and now was not it.
Her mouth pursed when his gaze raked overher. The hungry gleam in his eyes made her heart accelerate. Shedidn’t know if he was contemplating draining her or climbing on topof her. Given everything that had transpired between them, sheguessed it was the first one.
“I know all I need to know about your kind,and I don’t care what else there is to know,” she retorted.
“Spoken like a true fool.”
If she’d had a stake, he had no doubt she’dbe trying to drive it through his heart right now. “Monster.”
“You’ll never know the truth.”
“Just kill me and get it over with.”
“I’m not sure what we’re going to do withyou, but we don’t murder innocents. We will do everything we can tokeep our family and friends safe, which may include locking you upfor the rest of your life.”
She sat back on her heels. Her shouldersslouched as some of her feistiness finally left her. He felt badfrightening her, but at this point it had become necessary. Hedidn’t know what else to do with her, and no matter how much hefelt the urge to protect her, she was a threat to everyone he caredabout.
“I’d rather die,” she retorted.
“If others had their way that would be agood possibility.”
