lap, then pulled herself up. Instantly she swayed. Oliver jumped up from his crouching position and caught her just as her knees buckled.
“Got you.”
His muscular arms reached around her, holding her up, reminding her of their earlier embrace. Heat suffused her cheeks, because a desire to rub herself against him to find release overwhelmed her even now in the weakened state she found herself in.
“Woah, woah,” Maya called out. “I said I took care of your injuries, but that doesn’t mean you’re fit to get up yet. You’re still too weak.”
“I’m fine, I just need a moment.” She pushed against Oliver, but he didn’t release her. Instead he held her even tighter. Their gazes collided.
“Don’t you remember what you said to me?” he whispered. “Not even what you did then?”
She knew he was alluding to her offer and her kiss, but as much as she wanted to admit the truth, she couldn’t, because it would also mean admitting that she was running from somebody, and to explain why she had two puncture wounds on her neck. Anybody who’d ever watched a Dracula movie would know what this meant. All she could do was to deny she knew anything about it, so she could leave and return home. Home. See her parents. Feel safe again.
“I need to call my parents. I need to talk to them.”
The doctor moved closer and addressed Oliver, “Let her sit down again.” Then the doctor smiled at her. “You’ll need to rest a bit first. You can talk to your parents a little later. First, I’d like to ask you a few more things.”
Somewhat reluctantly, Oliver helped her sit down on the sofa. When she felt the soft cushions support her back, she let out a breath of relief. One more second in his arms, and she would have started panting. It was clear that the sexual arousal the vampire’s bite had caused in her, had still not left her body. Even after what must have been an hour or even two after being bitten by the leech, she still felt the need to touch and be touched.
“You said you were walking home from a class. Where was the class?” Maya asked.
Frantically, Ursula scrambled for an answer. She knew nothing about San Francisco. But every large city had to have a college. Holding her breath, she answered, “The community college.”
“Out in Sunnyside? That’s far from the Bayview.”
Ursula shrugged.
“Do you know how you got there?”
“I told you, I don’t remember. It’s like my memory was wiped clean.” She looked away, wanting to avoid her scrutinizing look.
“Fine, I believe you. It must be the shock. It’s not uncommon.”
Relieved Ursula lifted her head and caught how the doctor’s eyes narrowed as she looked at Oliver. His jaw set as if he was clamping it down tightly, and he glared back at Maya. It appeared as if a silent battle was raging between them.
Then the doctor turned her head back to her and pasted on a smile. “Why don’t you rest for a little while?” She snatched the blanket from where Ursula had dropped it earlier. “Here. You’ll probably be a little cold, but that’s normal after the blood loss.”
To her surprise Oliver reached took the blanket from Dr. Giles’ hand and spread it over Ursula’s legs. Then he gave her a sad smile almost as if he had a difficult chore ahead of him.
“Oliver, a word,” Dr. Giles said.
He looked up at the doctor, then back at her. “You’ll be safe here.”
She quickly lowered her lashes. Had he realized that she hadn’t really lost her memory? Did he know she was lying and wanted to tell her that the people who were chasing her would never find her here? Or were his words of reassurance simply a casually thrown away sentence?
8
Deep in thought, Oliver stepped into the library across the hall. Why was the girl lying? Why didn’t she admit what had happened? Was she too embarrassed about her wanton behavior that she’d decided to pretend it had never happened? As if she were afraid that he would collect on her promise of a night of sex if she admitted that she’d made it. Was that why she pretended to not remember a thing? It was the only thing that made sense. Maybe he could somehow explain to her that he wouldn’t force her to do anything she didn’t wanted to do, if only she would tell the truth.
When Maya entered the room behind him, he knew she was