Dani turned to try to see how far they had gotten and what lay ahead, but John's body was blocking the way. Then he too turned away to look ahead, leaving his neck stretched before her. Dani found herself forgetting about the crops and the worry of the woods and staring with hungry fascination at the vein pulsing in his neck.
Realizing what she was doing, she forced her eyes away, only to find herself staring at his inner wrist as he readjusted his hold on the door frame and grabbed it a little higher as he leaned out to get a better look ahead.
"Take us to the edge of the woods and I'll run to the house to get someone to come help us get the girl there," John yelled suddenly, startling her attention away from his wrist.
"All right," Hazel yelled back.
John turned to glance at Dani, frowning when he got a look at her. He let go of the frame with the hand closest to her and jarred his shoulder against it to keep from losing his position so that he could feel her forehead. He then glanced beyond her to Hazel, leaning in a little and placing his forehead closer as he yelled, "The girl's flushed and feels feverish. I think-"
He paused abruptly as Dani suddenly turned her head, leaned forward, and licked the hand he'd pressed to her cheek.
"Hey, now!" John jerked his hand away. "Nobody licks on me but Hazel, girl. Behave yourself."
"Sorry, there's blood on it from when you wiped your forehead," she mumbled.
"What was that?" He leaned closer, eyebrows rising in question, and Dani found her attention focusing on his forehead. His head wound had started bleeding again, and fresh, sweet-smelling blood was seeping out. She watched it slowly trail down, making a path through the dried blood from earlier, and felt saliva gathering in her mouth. Dani swallowed thickly and then licked her lips, finally leaning forward a little to better inhale his scent, amazed to realize he smelled as delicious as a nice juicy steak as Leo had said he would.
"What did you say?" John asked, leaning even closer, and Dani took the opportunity to lick his forehead. He immediately jerked back in shock, and then scowled at her and snapped, "Stop that!"
"What did she do?" Hazel asked.
"She keeps licking on me, Hazel. She's worse than that damned cat of yours," he growled, glaring warily at Dani now.
Dani wanted to apologize, but she was busy savoring the blood she'd managed to get in the quick lick, moving it around inside her mouth before swallowing it. She'd never thought so before, but blood was really quite delicious, and Dani was wondering how she could lure him in for another lick when Hazel asked with amazement, "She licked you?"
"Yeah, she keeps-" John broke off to lean back away from Dani as she tried to lick him again. The action made him lose his grip on the door frame with the hand by her head and he shouted, the free arm pin-wheeling as his upper body started swinging outward.
"John!" Hazel cried.
"I've got him," Dani yelled, and was slightly amazed to find she did. Her hands had reached out instinctively to catch him by the front of the shirt and had dragged him half into the cab so that his chest rammed into her knees and his face was directly in front of her. She didn't know where the strength had come from, it was just suddenly there, but so was the pain, ripping through her and urging her to drag him closer so that she could lick his forehead again.
"Hazel!" John roared, pushing at her, but unable to break her grip. "Help me!"
Dani was distracted by a smack on the head as Hazel yelled, "Stop that! Bad girl! Leave him alone! Stop licking my husband!"
Decker heard the door open and lifted his eyes sharply to see Lucian appear in the entrance, a dark form against the moonlit background.
"There you are." Lucian peered into the lightless barn. "Sam said she thought she saw you come out here."
"Any news?" he asked sharply.
Lucian shook his head.
Decker sighed. He then slid off the bale he'd been sitting on and crossed to the door. He'd been sitting out there ever since arriving at the house. It had made him feel closer to Dani to be where they'd last been together, but he'd sat torturing himself with memories of the brief interlude and the possibility that it might be all they had. It was better if he returned to the house, even if it was only to pace his room like a caged tiger and fret.
He reached the door and paused, expecting Lucian to step out of the way for him to leave. When he didn't, Decker noted the way his uncle stood, his head raised slightly in a listening attitude and a frown playing on his lips.
Decker arched an eyebrow. "What is it?"
"I think I hear a tractor," Lucian muttered, turning his head to glance around with displeasure. "Who the hell would be working the fields at this hour?"
Decker shrugged. "A farmer?"
Lucian turned a look of disgust his way. "Of course it's a farmer. But what idiot farmer would be working this late?"
Decker shrugged again with disinterest. Lucian didn't notice, however; he'd released the door and was moving away. Decker caught the door as it swung shut and stepped out to see him walking around the side of the building. His gaze slid to the house, moving over windows glowing with light, and then he turned to follow his uncle.
Lucian had disappeared when he reached the back of the barn, but Decker could hear the soft rustle of his passage through the woods and followed. The forest was only twenty feet deep here. Decker made his way through the trees almost soundlessly, and paused at his uncle's side on the edge of the field to peer out at the dark shape of the tractor stopped halfway across. There were no lights on the vehicle, or if there were, they weren't on, but the engine was running.