Silver - By Kailin Gow Page 0,33

kil him. Not just like that.

She did take her cross out though, forcing it between Jil and George. The vampire diner owner reeled back, releasing Jil as he whirled towards Briony. His eyes were a feral red, just as they had been in the office when they had revived him. George took the smal est of steps towards Briony, but stopped when she brandished the cross at him. She would be safe as long as she stayed there behind it.

Unfortunately, that didn’t apply to the diners. George whirled towards one of them, a man in his early thirties, and Briony knew there wouldn’t be time to save him. She simply wouldn’t be fast enough.

Fal on was. He came out from the kitchen with the kind of speed only he could manage, hitting George from behind with a metal tray. As George turned, Fal on hit him again, sending the diner owner sprawling. Fal on grabbed him, hauled him to his feet, and marched him through into the office. He emerged alone a few seconds later, looking around the diner with the kind of confidence that could only be an act.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we apologize for the interruption to your dining. George hasn’t been feeling very wel recently. Your meals wil , of course, be on the house.”

That seemed to be that, though Jil was shaken by the experience. She went through to the kitchen to wash the cut out, and just the look in her eyes as she went was enough to let Briony know how scared she was.

“Why don’t you take the rest of the shift off?” Briony suggested.

Jil shook her head. “If I go, I probably won’t come back.”

Maybe, Briony decided as Jil went into the kitchen, that wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Maybe they al needed to get away from there.

Fal on moved closer to her, folding her in his arms and running his fingers through her hair. It was such a soothing gesture that Briony didn’t even mind that he was doing it in front of a room ful of customers.

“Tel me what you’re thinking,” he suggested.

Briony lowered her voice so that the diners couldn’t hear. “I’m thinking that maybe George isn’t ready for this.

That maybe he never wil be.”

“That we should stake him?”

Briony couldn’t help nodding.

“Give him a chance, Briony,” Fal on whispered. “He’l be fine with time. He’l learn control.”

“And until then? He could have kil ed Jil .”

“But he didn’t.”

“But he could have.”

Fal on kissed her, just lightly. Briony found herself wondering how many of the customers were watching, and then realized that she didn’t care. “But he didn’t.”

“That’s not an answer, Fal on.”

Fal on held her a little tighter, so that his lips were almost against her ear. “The thirst is always there, Briony.

Al we can do is beat it, moment to moment. Try to keep from kil ing people any way we can. I feel it, just as much as George does.”

“So how do you stop yourself?” Briony asked.

“I think of you.”

“You think of me?”

“I think of what it would be like if I ever hurt you. I think about what it would be like losing you if you discovered that I had hurt someone else.”

He loved her that much? “And that’s enough to keep you from attacking people?”

“Yes,” Fal on breathed. He paused.

“What is it?” Briony asked.

Fal on glanced around to see if any of the diners needed anything. Since the announcement that everything was on the house, they were happily eating their meals.

Fal on took Briony’s hand and led her into the kitchen where Jil was finishing up.

Jil took a look at Briony and Fal on and said. “I’l cover for you Briony. I’m alright now. Just shaken up a little because it was George, you know, but I’ve seen worse being part of The Preservation Society, right?”

Briony patted Jil ’s shoulder, and Fal on nodded.

Jil then took some plates of food and headed out of the kitchen, “Besides, looks like you two need a moment to chil , too.”

“Thanks,” Briony and Fal on said together. When Jil left, Fal on led Briony outside to the back. When they were final y alone, he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her softly and gently. When Briony began responding back, pul ing Fal on closer, and running her hand through his hair, Fal on’s hand slipped around her waist and pul ed her so close, she can feel how much he wanted her. His mouth pressed harder