Part 7 (1/2)

”Miss him already?”

Her eyes narrowed at his mocking tone.

But Rayce just smiled. ”Why don't you go get some rest?” He pointed to the side, down another snaking hallway. ”Take the third door to the right. Use that room. When dawn comes, Julian should be back to his normal self. Sometimes, you just need to let your beast out.”

She didn't move. ”And that's what he's doing...letting his beast out?”

”I think it was more that his beast took over. Happens, you know. The primitive side wins.”

Rose bit her lip and glanced toward the front door. ”I think I'll wait out there for him to come back.”

Rayce laughed-a deep, booming sound. She didn't like his laugh.

Her gaze swung back toward him.

His laughter slowly faded, but he was still smiling as he said, ”Julian's little vampire...”

Rose stiffened. ”I'm not his anything.”

Rayce stalked toward her.

She backed up. A habit. When an unknown paranormal approached, she had a tendency to flee. She retreated until her back hit the table that was against the foyer wall. A vase wobbled behind her, and Rayce's hands flew out, catching it before the vase could crash. Catching it-and trapping her with his body.

”Don't want to p.i.s.s off Luke,” he murmured. ”That is a seriously bad mistake.” He put the vase back into position. His hands slid back to his sides, but he didn't move away from her. ”Getting on the Lord of the Dark's bad side is never a good plan.”

”I shouldn't be here.” She should be living a nice, safe, normal life far away from this madness. She shouldn't have spent months being tortured and starved. She shouldn't always be so afraid.

”Where should you be, little vamp?” His voice had changed, gone soothing.

And that just scared her even more.

”I don't want to be like this. I want to go back to the way things were before.”

”Before?”

”Before Luke Thorne changed me.”

He absorbed that but still stared at her quizzically. ”Would it be better to go back before you met Julian?”

In the distance, she could have sworn that she heard a roar. Rose jumped.

Rayce sighed. ”You're a vamp now. There is no going back. And instead of being afraid, you need to make all of the other paranormals fear you. That's the way it is in our world. Strength is prized. Weakness is used.” His expression hardened. ”You don't want to be used.”

She wanted out of there. Her gaze darted toward the front door once more.

”Julian isn't the only beast running wild on the island. Plenty of others are out there. You don't want to tangle with them. Very, very bad mistake.”

She swallowed. ”Who else is here?”

He took a step back. ”Oh, you know, the worst of the worst. The dark paranormals that only Luke can keep in check. You make a deal with him, he owns your soul for a time...basic s.h.i.+t.”

”I never made a deal with him.” She'd never asked for any of this. She'd never- ”You didn't need to. Julian traded for you. Blood and death and pain...so that you wouldn't die.”

His words made her heart ache. Rose shook her head.

He growled. Anger thickened that guttural sound.

She stopped shaking her head.

”I don't have many friends,” he said, his voice still deep and rumbling. ”And don't f.u.c.king tell Julian that I consider him to be one.”

Uh, okay.

”But he has walked through h.e.l.l for you. And you are still afraid of him.” His lips twisted in disgust. ”I don't get it. He's always held himself back when he's with you. You're probably the safest person on earth when he's near. You're the only one he'll never turn his claws on. Don't you get that? Don't you see?”

”You don't understand...”

”No, you don't. You're still clinging to your human hope. Let that s.h.i.+t go. Vamp up. Get your undead life together and throw the guy a bone.” He raked a hand over his face. ”Do you have any clue how many people he has killed, for you?”

Her heart nearly stopped. ”What?”

The front door flew open and slammed against the wall. She didn't scream-good for her. She did whirl toward the door and she saw a naked Julian standing there. His muscles bulged, his golden eyes blazed, and his claws were currently gripping the door frame.

”Shut...up...wolf,” he gritted out, each word sounding like a struggle.

Rayce let out a long sigh. ”Here we go...”

Julian shoved away from the door frame. ”Your scent...is...on her.”

”Right. I can explain that. She nearly broke a vase. I reached around her and-” He broke off. ”Look, I think you need to run some more. I can still see your beast.”

So could she.

Julian appeared...bigger...than before. Stronger. His face seemed carved from stone, his muscles heaved and his whole body shuddered as he stood there.

The man was fighting the beast. She could practically see it. Only...why? Why was he there? Why wasn't he still out running? He needed that. She might not fully understand the s.h.i.+fter life, but it was obvious his panther was fighting for freedom.

”Heard you...” His breath rasped out. ”Stop...scaring her...”

And her breath caught in her lungs. He'd come back, transformed, because he thought Rayce was frightening her?

Okay, truth time. The wolf did scare me. I don't want Julian killing for me. I don't want anyone killing for me. She'd had enough death to last several lifetimes.

But Rose found herself sliding away from Rayce and creeping toward the door-toward Julian.

”Uh, wait, maybe don't do that right now-” Rayce very, very loudly whispered.

She shot him an irritated glare. ”You just told me I was safe with him.”