“If you think I’d let you out of this bed today, tonight, or tomorrow, you’d be wrong.” His hand captures my hip as he starts to lower his mouth to mine. A sharp knock sounds on the door, and I jump as he curses something I can’t make out. He looks at me, touching my cheek with the tips of his fingers. “It’s just Angus. Give me a moment and do not move. I have plans for you.” He kisses me swiftly before pulling the blanket up high around my neck.
I smile to myself as he gets up, and watch him pull on a pair of sleep pants. When he opens the door, I frown as he and Angus seem to argue in the same language they used days ago. I sit up in bed, trying with all my might to decipher what is being said. Cameron closes the door and turns to face me with a grim look on his face, making me brace.
“What is it?”
He doesn’t answer my question. Instead, he comes toward me and places his hand in the bed near my hip. “I must go.”
“What?”
“I have to leave. I’ll be back tonight. I’m sorry, love.”
I melt toward him on the word love, and whisper, “All right.”
“While I’m away, stay inside and work as normal. I’ll be back this evening.”
“Is everything okay?” I search his face, trying to figure out what happened.
“It’s just work. Everything is fine. I’ll see you tonight.” He kisses me quickly, seeming distracted, and then leaves me in bed. After he’s dressed not even a moment later, he kisses me once more and leaves the room. I get up and dressed then go back to work, wondering what’s going on.
When a loud knock sounds not for the first time on the front door, I pull myself from the library and head down the hall. As I reach the wooden door, I drag open its heavy weight. Standing outside on the stone steps is a handsome blond man wearing a suit.
“Where’s Cameron?” He eyes me with curiosity then his nostrils flare. When his eyes flash and his jaw tightens, a sense of foreboding slides down my spine.
“He’s out, but will be back this evening.” I shut the door slightly, blocking him from entering. “Can I help you?”
“Give this to him. It’s a message from the king.” He thrusts a piece of rolled parchment toward me and I blink as he turns around and heads for an idling Benz, pulling out a cell phone and putting it to his ear.
The king? The king of what? I look at the rolled paper with a wax seal in my hand then quickly shut the door.
I pace in the entryway, my mind running over everything that has happened. I must pace for longer than I think, because the door soon opens and Cameron walks in. When our eyes lock, I first see relief then I see fear in his gaze.
“What happened?” He comes toward me.
I hold out the rolled paper with a red wax seal. “This is from the king.” The words seem ridiculous as I say them.
“You spoke to someone while I was away?” His words vibrate with fury and I take a step back. “Godsdamn it.”
“What happened?” Angus asks, stepping inside.
“The king,” is all Cameron says, and Angus pales, glancing at me.
“What’s going on?” my voice whispers into the quiet that’s settled over us.
“Without a doubt, the king knows by now that I’m sleeping with a human,” Cameron hisses, and I stumble back a step on the word human. His eyes bore into mine. “Don’t look so surprised, little one. You know what I am. Somewhere deep within you, you know exactly what I am and who you are to me.”
“No,” I deny, shaking my head and walking backward, my vision growing dim.
“Yes, little one.”
“No,” I repeat, and the darkness grows until everything goes black.
5
Isabel
I slowly come awake and lie still with my eyes closed. I can hear the sound of voices speaking quietly and urgently, and I know even without understanding the language that Cameron and Angus are somewhere in the house, talking about me. This moment isn’t like ones I’ve read about, when someone wakes up not remembering what took place before they passed out. I remember everything, every detail, including Cameron stating I know exactly what he is. And I do know, somehow I know that he’s not human but a vampire.
Having read hundreds of books and watched thousands of movies on the subject I try to understand how it’s possible that Cameron came to me in the light of day, without disappearing into ash. Or how he was able to make love to me without taking my blood. Fear creeps down my spine on that thought, and I carefully sit up in bed. I need to get away. I need to pull back from Cameron before he does what he threatened to do that first time we met—take from me until nothing is left.