“You could have taken a taxi, gone to the airport. Left town. Why didn’t you?”
“I would have, but all my camera equipment is still at your house.”
He pulled the car off the road and turned sideways in his seat to face her.
Kadie met his gaze squarely, felt the brush of his mind against her own. “What’s the matter?” she asked. “Don’t you believe me?”
“No.”
“I promised I wouldn’t do anything stupid.”
“But you did,” he said flatly. “You stayed when you should have run.”
She thought about what he’d said as he pulled back onto the highway. Was it a warning? Had she made a mistake in staying?
She slid a glance at him. He was staring at the road ahead, his jaw rigid. What was he thinking? If only she could read his mind for a change.
By the time they returned to Morgan Creek, his wounds had healed, leaving no trace.
After seeing Kadie into the house, Saintcrow retreated to his lair to clean up. She didn’t miss the fact that he took all the phones with him.
In her room, Kadie put her new clothes away, took a quick shower, changed into her nightgown, and went back downstairs.
You stayed when you should have run. Had he been trying to tell her something?
She curled up in a corner of the sofa, trying to dismiss his words from her mind, but it was impossible. They had sounded so ominous.
She couldn’t stifle a little shiver of unease when he returned a short time later. He wore a pair of gray sweatpants and the red sweater she had picked out.
His favorite color. The color of blood.
“Are you all right?” he asked tersely.
She scrubbed her hands up and down her arms. “I’m a little cold,” she lied.
He glanced at the fireplace and flames sprang to life in the hearth.
She stared up at him. He stood in front of the fireplace, looking incredibly tall and strong. Powerful. Supernatural.
She flinched when he took a step toward her. Forcing a smile, she said, “I was right. Red is your color.”
He didn’t miss the tremor in her voice. “What’s wrong, Kadie?”
“Nothing,” she said quickly. “What could be wrong?”
“What are you afraid of ?” he asked, and then frowned. “You’re afraid of me again. Why?” It was a stupid question. She had seen the monster beneath the civilized veneer he habitually wore.
“Because . . . I . . . what you said . . .”
“What I said?”
“You told me I stayed when I should have run. Why did you say that? What did you mean?”
“Only that you won’t get another chance.” He raked a hand through his hair, then sat beside her. “Vampires are notoriously selfish creatures.”
“So?” She shook her head. What did that have to do with anything?
“I’ve never kept a woman with me,” he said. “Most of us are solitary creatures by nature. I didn’t want to share anything of myself with anyone else. And then you came along, and I found myself wanting your company.”
“I still don’t understand.”
“When the other vampires go, you’ll be staying here.”
She had expected that. “You’re not making any sense.”
“You’re staying,” he said. “And because I want you here, the women will be staying, too.”
“But why? You said you don’t drink from them.”
“I don’t want you to be alone during the day. Here they are, and here they’ll stay.”
“I don’t need them, Rylan. Let them leave. They have families. . . .”
“My mind’s made up, Kadie. Let it go.”
She clenched her teeth, horrified to think that Marti and the others would have to remain here because Saintcrow wanted her to have company. Suddenly, it was all too much. What kind of company would they be when they found out he was keeping them here because of her? They would probably never speak to her again, and she wouldn’t blame them.
“I’m going to bed,” she said abruptly. Avoiding his eyes, she rose from the sofa and hurried out of the room.
Saintcrow started after her. He flinched when he heard the slam of her door, the turn of the lock. As if a lock could keep him out.
Cursing under his breath, he left the house in search of prey. It was time to act like a vampire instead of a lovesick teenager.
Chapter 21
In the morning, Kadie found the bag with the boxes of Godiva chocolates on the table in the kitchen. She removed hers, then looked around for her phone, hoping Saintcrow had returned it, but it was nowhere in