was also getting a real estate agent to sell the barn.
God, she'd really gone and done it. Moved in with Rhage and given up on her old life completely.
"I should unpack."
Rhage took her hands and pulled her in the direction of the bed. "I want you to rest. You look too tired to even be standing."
While she stretched out, he took off his trench coat and removed his dagger holster and his gun belt. He eased down next to her, creating a dip in the mattress that sucked her right against him. All the lamps went out at once, the room plunging into ink.
"You sure you're ready for all this?" she said as her eyes adjusted to the ambient glow from the windows. "For all my... stuff?"
"Don't make me use the F-word again."
She laughed. "I won't. It's just - "
"Mary, I love you. I'm more than ready for all your stuff."
She put her hand on his face and they were quiet for a time, just breathing together.
She was on the verge of falling asleep when he said, "Mary, about the arrangements for me to feed. While we were at your house, I called on the Chosen. Now that you're back with me, I'll need to use them."
She stiffened. But hell, if she was going to be with a vampire, and he couldn't live off her blood, they were going to have to deal with the problem somehow.
"When will you do it?"
"A female is supposed to be coming tonight, and as I said before, I'd like you to be with me. If you'd be comfortable with that."
What would it look like? she wondered. Would he hold the woman in his arms and drink from her neck? God, even if he didn't have sex with her, Mary wasn't sure she could watch that.
He kissed her hand. "Trust me. It'll be better this way."
"If I don't, ah, if I can't handle it - "
"I won't force you to watch. It's just... there's an unavoidable intimacy to it, and I think you and I will both be more comfortable if you were there. That way you know exactly what's involved. There's nothing hidden or shady about it.""
She nodded. "All right."
He took a deep breath. "It's a fact of life I can't change."
Mary ran her hand down his chest. "You know, even though it's a little frightening, I wish it were me."
"Oh, Mary, so do I."
John checked his watch. Tohrment was coming for him in five minutes, so it was time to head downstairs. He grabbed his suitcase with both hands and headed for the door. He prayed he wouldn't meet the pale man on the way or while he waited, but he wanted to meet Tohrment outside. It felt more equal, somehow.
When he got out to the curb, he looked up at the two windows he'd stared out of for so many hours. He was leaving the mattress and the barbell set behind, as well as his security deposit and last month's rent for breaking his lease. He was going to have to pop back inside for his bike after Tohrment came, but other than that, he was free of the place.
He looked down the street, wondering which direction the man would come from. And what kind of car he drove. And where he lived. And who he was married to.
Shivering in the cold, John rechecked his watch. Nine o'clock on the dot.
A single light flared down to the right. He was pretty sure Tohrment wouldn't use a motorcycle to pick him up. But the fantasy of roaring off into the night was a good one.
As the Harley growled by, he looked across the street at the Suicide Prevention Hotline's offices. Mary had missed her Friday- and Saturday-night shifts as well, and he truly hoped she was just taking a vacation. As soon as he was settled, he would go see her again and make sure she was okay.
Except... wow, he had no clue where he was going. He was assuming he'd stay in the area, but who knew? Maybe he was going far away. Just imagine that, getting out of Caldwell. God, he'd like to make a fresh start. And he could always find a way to get to Mary, even if he had to take a bus.
Two more cars and a truck went by.
It had been so easy to pull out of his pathetic existence. No one at Moe's cared that he was leaving without notice because busboys were a dime a