As before, Lainey glanced around, seeking the source of the voice. As before, there was no one there.
Lainey frowned. She'd heard that voice in her mind three times now. The first time it had assured her there was nothing to be afraid of. The second time it had begged her not to go. And now it was telling her to go away. It didn't make sense. And neither did the fact that she wasn't the least bit afraid. As before, she'd felt a curious sense of peace when she entered the house.
"Are you all right?" she called again. "Is someone keeping you here against your will?"
Not someone, he mused, but hewas being kept there against his will.
Go away!
"Not until you tell me who you are and what you're doing here."
He shook his head, faintly amused by her stubbornness.
"This morning you asked me not to go. Why are you so anxious for me to leave now?"
You could be in danger.
Lainey swallowed. "From you?"
No.
Lainey took a deep breath, intrigued by his voice. She should go. She knew it. Standing there arguing with an unseen man had to be the height of stupidity. And yet, she knew somehow that whoever was behind that door wouldn't hurt her.
"I just want to help."
He held his breath, waiting for her to go away, wanting her to stay.
He heard the doorknob rattle, felt her curiosity, her concern.
"I'm not leaving until you open this door."
She meant it, he thought ruefully, and focusing on the door, he released the force that had kept it closed.
His eyes narrowed as daylight crept into the room.
"Hello?" He heard the faint tremor of disquiet underneath the excitement in her voice as she took a step forward and peered into the room. "Is anyone here?"
He hesitated a moment, knowing he should frighten her away, yet he was strangely drawn to her warmth.
Fearing he was making a terrible mistake, he probed her mind, took on a shape she would find pleasing, and stepped out from behind the door. "What are you doing here?"
Lainey whirled around, her handbag clutched to her breast, as she stared at the most outrageously handsome man she had ever seen. Fabio, she thought breathlessly. He looks just like Fabio.
She blinked up at him. "What did you say?"
"I asked you what you are doing here."
It was the voice, that same tantalizingly deep velvet voice she'd heard in her mind.
Flustered, she answered his question with one of her own. "What areyou doing here? This place is supposed to be vacant."
He stared at her through fathomless silver-blue eyes. "I needed a place to stay."
"And you decided to stay here?" Lainey shook her head. "What are you, a clairvoyant or something?"
He frowned. "Clairvoyant?"
"You know, someone who hunts poltergeists and things."
"Poltergeists?"
"Never mind. You're not from around here, are you?
A faint smile touched his lips. "No."
"I didn't think so. You have a strange accent. Where are you from?"
"A great distance."
She drew back as he took a step forward, but he didn't approach her. Instead, he closed the door.
"The sunlight is very bright," he said. "It hurts my eyes."
A shiver of fear tiptoed down Lainey's spine. Good grief, maybe the place really was haunted by a vampire!
"It is only temporary," he assured her. "It will pass in a day or two."
She backed across the floor, thinking she ought to stay as far away from him as possible. She kept telling herself she should be afraid of him, but she wasn't.
"How are you called?"
"Lainey," she answered, unable to draw her gaze from his. "Lainey St. John. How... how are you called?"
"I don't know how to say it in your language."
"Then say it in yours."
"Zermicazyne."
"What?"
"Zer-mica-zyne."
"That's a mouthful. Would you mind if I just called you Micah?"
"Micah," he repeated. "I like that. Thank you."
She felt a sudden glow, as if she'd just given him a gift beyond price. "You're welcome. How long have you been inAmerica ?"
"How long?" he repeated. "Three... ah... three weeks."
"I see. You didn't tell me where you're from."
"Xanthia."
"Never heard of it."
"It's a small plan... a small place very far from here."
She couldn't keep from staring at him. He wore his long, dark-blond hair parted in the middle. His eyes were an unusual shade of silver tinged with pale blue; his mouth was wide, sensual, and totally masculine. He had a body that looked as though it had been carved by an Italian sculptor. His skin was pale and seemed to glow and yet even as she watched, the glow disappeared.