He crossed his arms over his chest andleaned against the shed as he studied her. “And I’ve seen firsthandthe destruction, hatred and desecration the human race iscompletely capable of. I can assure you, we did not come up withthe atomic bomb. We don’t break into museums and destroy everythinginside. Some of us may be brutal killers, but so are some humans.Many of us live in, and only want, peace. Learning the differencemay make you a happier person in the end.”
She didn’t know how to respond to that. Heconfused her in ways she’d never been confused before, but she knewone thing for certain, he was a killer.
Paige stood and stared at him beforeglancing at the wood line again. He turned his attention back tothe contents of the shed. He didn’t know what he was looking forinside, something to do perhaps, or maybe something to distract himfrom the realization it was only the two of them up here now. Atleast there was some outdoor equipment. He could keep himselfoccupied with that when he found the lake he could smell in thedistance. The crisp smell of fresh water and fish tickled hisnostrils.
“Go ahead,” he told her, sensing herthoughts. “You’re free to go anywhere within a ten mile radius. Becareful, there may be some grizzlies or even wolves in thearea.”
She swallowed nervously. “Grizzlies?” Itcame out as more of a squeak than she would have liked, but shecouldn’t help it. The idea of fighting a vampire didn’t rattle her,but the idea of being Yogi’s picnic basket didn’t sit well with herat all.
“Probably some mountain lions too.” Paigecontinued to stare at the trees, longing slid through her but hiswords kept her riveted to the porch. “Just remember freedom almostalways comes with a price.”
With a sigh, her shoulders slumped. Sheturned around and walked back into the cabin. Standing in thedoorway, staring at the small home, she belatedly realized therewas only one bedroom in this place. The possibility of being bearbait didn’t seem all that appalling any more.
CHAPTER 8
Ian tossed another log onto the fire as the sun setbehind the mountains. He had no idea what Brian and Stefan had donehere, or why Brian would ever come back, but he’d only been herefor two days and he was about to go insane. He’d never consideredhimself a technology junky; he’d often spent days on end in thewilderness at home. Sleeping in a tent, fishing, hunting animalswith his bare hands, swimming in the lake, and lounging beneath thetrees had been the way he’d spent a good chunk of his childhood andteens.
He’d also had his siblings to keep himcompany then. He hadn’t had to keep an eye on a reluctant companionwho hadn’t spoken to him since she’d stormed back into the cabin.He’d never realized how lonely and bored someone could be in thepresence of someone else, he did now.
He’d even enjoy listening to his twinsisters, Abby and Vicky, prattle on about hair and boys right nowover this endless nothing. He glanced at Paige again, but she wasstalwartly staring at the flames with her chin on her hand. Herlegs were curled up on the couch beside her. The bowl of soup fromher dinner sat beside her on the table, a book from the shelfbehind the bar was open on her lap, but she wasn’t looking at it.It didn’t help that he’d had no sexual release in the past coupleof days, or that he could see the pulse of blood in her neck, andsmell her apple scent. He was trapped in this cabin with a womanwho hated him, and all he craved was to pass the time lying betweenher thighs. The days would fly by then, he knew.
Normally going this long without sex wouldhave him ready to tear his skin off, and on the prowl, but theurges weren’t as bad as they usually were, yet.You will getthrough it when it gets bad; you’re a grown man, you can controlyourself,he told himself for the hundredth time that day.
Unwilling to dwell on it anymore, Ian roseto his feet, stretched his back, and walked over to the bar. Thesingle lantern in the room sat on the corner of the bar. Steppingbehind it, he searched the contents before pulling out a bottle ofwhiskey and one of tequila. “Drink?” he inquired and tilted thebottles invitingly. Her turquoise eyes darted to him. She shook herhead before focusing on the fire again. “It’s only going to be thetwo of us up here for at least a few more days. We can pretend tobe civil with each other, and hopefully pass the time faster.”
“Are hostages supposed to be civilized?”
He pulled a tumbler from behind the bar andsat it on top. Normally he preferred whiskey, but this was atequila kind of night. He poured himself a quarter of a glass,glanced up at her and then filled the tumbler. He swirled the clearliquid in the glass before downing it one gulp.
Lowering the drink, he wasn’t surprised tosee her attention finally on him. Her mouth pursed, but she had aninterested glint in her eyes as she watched him pour another. “Adrunken vampire, what a delight.”
“Don’t worry, it would take more than bothof these bottles to get me drunk,” he assured her.
She turned to stare at the crackling fireagain. The flames danced and played over her skin and lit hervibrant eyes. “There’s some rum back here if that’s more to yourtaste. No Schnapps though.”
A ripple of annoyance slid down her back.“What, because I’m a woman I’d prefer Schnapps?”
Ian grinned as he finally got more than abored response from her. “No, because you’re so sweet I’d assumedyou’d prefer Schnapps.”
No matter how freaking adorable he lookedwith that smile and dimple in his cheek, she didn’t appreciate histeasing. “Jackass,” she muttered.
“There’s some of that sweetness now.”
She gave him the finger. “I don’t drinkSchnapps.”
“Rum then? Bourbon? Perhaps some Scotch orGin?”
She frowned as he downed his second glass oftequila. “That really won’t make you drunk?” she askeddoubtfully.
“Fast metabolism,” he replied. “There aremany things that would have a negative result on a human, but noton me.”
“Including screwing anything with apulse?”
He released a snort of laughter, but hecould feel his anger rising. “Ouch,” he tried to keep his tonelight and casual as he slapped his hands over his heart. Despitehis airy demeanor, he resented she knew anything about his history,and she seemed determined to remind him of it every chance she got.“I don’t get diseases either.”
“Fortunately, for all of those women.”
Ian could feel his patience fraying. “Wouldyou like a drink or not?” he asked crisply.
