slender, dark haired beauty snorted derisively. “Leah doesn’t bind her vampires.”
Haine lounged on the sofa, looking lean and dangerous. “I am not bound, and it only increases my loyalty.” His voice was captivating. I flushed and looked away from his slivery blue eyes. They were all a bit stressed out, and I think I was getting an overdose of vampire mojo. He shrugged. “But I could easily betray you because of this.” His voice held soft warning. “It would be so easy.”
“What would you do?” Leah turned to me. Her silvery eyes watered, but she blinked rapidly to keep anyone from seeing it. I looked to Peter for help. He stepped forward and knelt at Leah’s feet. Taking her hands, he spoke earnestly.
“Leah, even if you don’t command us to do this, we will act on our own. You know this.” They were all fiercely devoted to this woman and the way of life she provided them. They wouldn’t let her be in danger.
She shook her head vehemently. “No. It is my responsibility.” Her burden. “I am your master.” She stood and I could almost feel the power gathering around her. Her voice was calm and even. “Find them all. If they resist, kill them. If not, bring them to me. Go.”
The room emptied in a matter of seconds. Haine lingered on the threshold, watching his master with a sad expression on his face. Then he was gone. Only Leah and Peter remained. A darkness seemed to hover over the earthy blonde. It seemed wrong. Jarringly so. “Melody, it’s time for you to go home,” she said flatly.
I clenched my fists where they rested in my lap. “What have you done?”
She closed her eyes in a long blink, and then headed for the door. “All that I could.” She tossed a glance at Peter as she passed by. “Say goodbye, then come. I won’t wait long.”
Peter started to follow, but hesitated. He was obviously impatient to be by her side. Finally, he came to me and ran a hand over my hair. I shook my head. “Is this why you left?”
He nodded, not speaking, his gaze going to the door. “Don’t go with them,” I said softly. Fear clenched my heart. What if he didn’t come back?
“My place is at Leah’s side.” His eyes were sad and his hand on my hair was so gentle, as if I would break. “I’m bound to her- even if it is not a true bind.” He sighed. “I love you,” he said finally.
I took a steadying breath. “But the coven is more important.”
He dropped his hand. “I cannot abandon them to this, especially….”
I finished his sentence. “Especially since it’s my fault. Your human that was involved.” He was blaming himself.
He was silent. I lifted my head. “Promise me that you will come back. Promise you won’t try to disappear.”
He turned to me and his shoulders seemed to lose some of their tension. “I will return to you.” His lips were a whisper on mine. Then he was gone.
*****
Chelsea chattered non-stop on the way home, commenting on the bevy of beautiful people who had left the old house in twos and threes, piling into their cars, and heading off in the opposite direction from town.
“Clients,” I told her, in what I hoped was a bored tone. Hopefully if she picked up on my irritation she would just think I was angry about being ignored. “The law firm is working with some models that are in a snit over something.” It was a load of bullshit, but it was the best I could come up with. Neurofatigue was hitting me hard, the stress of the situation causing me to shut down. I couldn’t think straight. I glanced back at the house as we drove away, hoping this wouldn’t be the last time I saw Peter.
After Chelsea dropped me off, I dragged myself to the couch and collapsed with a big afghan, my cell phone clutched in my hand, and a very large dog sprawled across my feet. I woke in the late afternoon with that terrible feeling you get when you sleep at the wrong time of day. I stared at the ceiling for a moment, wondering what I was doing sleeping on the couch. Then I remembered, and sat up in a tangle of loosely woven yarn. Fumbling, I checked my cell for a message from Peter. Nothing.
I dragged myself off the couch and set about getting myself some dinner. Then I sat staring