CHAPTER 12
Being face down in the dirt wasn’t where she’dplanned to be; however, that was where she continuously foundherself over and over again. She glowered at the pair of batteredsneakers that stepped into her line of vision. She was becoming fartoo familiar with what those sneakers looked like up close andpersonal. The smear right there across the top of his toes was likea bull’s eye. Before she knew what she was doing, she punched himon it. She felt like a child, but for a brief moment she actuallyfelt a spurt of satisfaction.
His laugh only infuriated her and doused herenjoyment. His eyes twinkled with amusement when he knelt down tolook at her. “Now you’re getting it a little,” he said.
She hated that he still looked so clean anddignified while she felt like a dirty, sweaty, hot mess. There werewet rats that looked better than she did right now, she was certainof it. Putting her hands underneath her, she pushed herself up. Herarms shook with exhaustion, but she refused to admit defeat.
“Getting what?” she grated.
“Playing dirty is the only way to play.” Hedanced beyond her grasp when she released an infuriated shout andlunged for his lower legs. “EvenIwill fight dirty when itbecomes necessary. As a human, it’s always necessary for you.”
Climbing to her feet, she forced her tiredlegs to stop shaking as she turned to face him. No sooner had shefound him than he became a blur of motion again. She felt his handsin her back, but he didn’t shove her down. To be fair he’d had yetto make her fall over. It was her own awkward movements, and divingattempts to catch him, that had caused her constant contact withthe dirt.
“Are you doing this to prove a point?” shedemanded.
“What point would that be?”
She jumped when his breath whispered againsther ear. She swung out in an attempt to connect with him, but hewas already gone again. “That you’re stronger than me, faster, morepowerful. That you can do whatever you want to me.”
“I think you’ve already gotten that point,”he taunted. She turned again, but this time he remained standingbehind her. She tilted her head back to look up at him as hetowered over her. “I’m trying to make you think ahead. The bestweapon you have against a vampire is to outmaneuver them. Theyalready know they’re stronger and faster than you, they’re countingon it. What they’re not counting on is you outthinking them. It’sthe only real weapon you have. Don’t let your emotions rule you.Concentrate. Let your instincts guide you.”
Before she could blink, he vanished again.Focusing on his words, she tried to tune out the rest of the worldas she concentrated on locating him. How did she let her instinctsguide her? The hunters had been teaching her how to fight and useweapons; she’d been taking kickboxing and jujitsu since she waseighteen. But during all of those things, she’d been moving andgoing. The idea of stopping and listening had never occurred to herbefore.
In the distance the sweet trill of a birdechoed through the mountains. The call was picked up by another,and then another, until their song reverberated across the land. Abreeze stirred the tendrils of hair clinging to her nape. She heardnothing other than the birds. A crunch of dirt caused her to twirlaround, but he wasn’t there. Hands pressed against her back beforevanishing again.
“Closer,” he murmured.
Quiet, she told herself.Forgetyour growing frustration.Breathe.Listen.
Another step sounded to her right, herinstinct was to turn in that direction; she pushed it aside andtook a step to her left. She felt the rush of air on her right, achuckle brushed against her cheek. “Better,” he whispered beforemoving away again.
A step on her left made her heart leap; sheforced herself to remain calm and immobile. She didn’t know how orwhat made her do it, but she threw her hands up in front of her andfelt his solid abs. It was a glancing blow, a brief brush of herhands over his flesh, but it was the best she’d done so far. Asmile curved her lips. Her joy was short lived as she felt hishands in her back, and then on the front of her shoulders.
Ian chuckled again. He could feel heraggravation mounting as she turned toward him. He’d already movedbeyond her reach again. The breeze he created ruffled her hair; hecould smell the floral shampoo she’d used this morning, hear theincreased beat of her heart. She remained still, unmoving as heslid around her again. Her eyes remained closed, her lips pursed.He admired the curve of her breasts, the firmness of her ass in herjeans. He’d suggested this in order to try and keep her alive; hecontinued to do it now so he could enjoy every subtle nuance of herfacial expressions and her determination to try and get him in someway.
Assuming he was going toward her back again,she whipped around. Thrown off balance by the abrupt movement, shetook a stumbling step to the side and sprawled on the grass besidethe drive. “Shit!” She slapped her hands on the ground. Those fuglysneakers stepped into her line of view again.
“I think that’s enough for today.” Hiselegant hand stretched down toward her. The impulse to slap it awaycrossed her mind, but she’d already acted like a petulant childwhen she’d punched his toes. Reluctantly, she took hold of hishand. Warmth spread through her body, her lungs contracted as airexpelled from them at the contact. He pulled her to her feet andstood her up before him.
Her hand tightened around his, but hereleased her and briskly stepped away. She’d wanted him to keep hisdistance, she reminded herself. Even as she thought it, regrettwisted in her belly. It felt like the Grand Canyon was growingbetween them and she hated it. Her shoulders slumped, her hand felllimply back to her side when he walked away from her.
His posture was rigid as he climbed thesteps and entered the cabin.
CHAPTER 13
Ian propped his feet up on the table and stared atthe crackling logs across the way. His eyes were focused on thefire, but he was acutely aware of the woman sitting to his left.Her wet hair fell in curling tendrils around her face. Her eyeswere focused on the sketchbook in her lap, but he could see theclear bluish green color of them in the flickering firelight. He’dmade a deal with the devil when he’d promised to stay away fromher, but he’d had no choice. She’d had to come back with him. Shecouldn’t be allowed to return to her life until he knew his familywas safe, until he knewshewould be safe.
The smell of apples and soap drifting fromher tickled his nostrils enticingly. This was the longest he’d gonewithout sex since he’d stopped aging. He could feel the lustslinking through his blood, sliding into his groin, and clawing athis chest. He’d fed on some deer in the woods earlier, but itwasn’t the same, it wasn’t enough to ease the growing tension inhim. All he really craved was to touch this woman, to have herbeneath him, to be inside of her and to feel her skin againsthis.
His fingers flexed with the urge to slidethem through her hair, over her face, down her breasts…
He shut the thought off as more bloodflooded into his cock, and he felt himself begin to harden. Risingto his feet, he paced over to the fire and rested his arm on top ofthe mantle. He could always go into town, there had been a smallbar there, or perhaps the waitress was still at the diner. Shewouldn’t say no to having him in her bed, not like the woman behindhim would.
The woman hetrulydesired.
If he didn’t have sex soon, he didn’t knowwhat he was going to do. He wouldn’t injure her, he hoped anyway,but he didn’t know if he could trust himself around her, not rightnow. The most damnable thing of it all was he knew if she wouldonly allow him to touch her, she could calm this raging insanityinside of him. It didn’t have to be sexual, a simple touch from herhad soothed him before, when he’d been trying to teach her to fightbetter earlier, but he didn’t dare touch her. She might bolt andnever agree to come back this time if he did.
“Are you ok?” her husky voice sent a shiverdown his spine.
