He was stronger than anyone I’d ever met. Faster, too. But for some reason, I couldn’t be scared of him. I’d been searching for this man my whole life. I knew he wasn’t a killer. He’d saved my mom’s life, and ever since I’d felt an unshakeable bond to him I couldn’t explain.
His eyes were fathomless, and I found myself sinking into them, giving myself over. If he wanted to kill me, there wasn’t anything I could do about it now.
“You don’t know what you saw,” he said, voice low and husky.
“I only came to find answers. And this…” I couldn’t even explain it.
I moved just slightly, lifting one hand to put against his, to show him I was safe, and even that small motion made my world spin again. His skin hummed against mine, creating heat that traveled to all my limbs and warmed me in the cool afternoon.
He gasped. “What? What are you doing?”
“I don’t know,” I said in amazement.
In one swift movement, he released me, leaving me sagging against my car. I blinked when I saw he’d vanished, and I looked around, trying to find him. Now he stood at the front of my car. That was just another verification of what I already knew.
He wasn’t human.
“You’re trespassing,” he said.
I held up my hands. I could still feel the warmth in them, the buzz from my contact with Jacob. “I’m sorry. I had to see you. Please, I swear I’m only here to talk.”
But he couldn’t respond before we heard another car coming down his driveway. Jacob stayed where he was, wary at the front of my car, as I watched the police cruiser park just behind me.
My stomach dropped. Oh, no. I spotted Chris inside and thought maybe he was just checking in, but when he stepped out with a scowl on his face, I knew I was in trouble.
I glanced back at Jacob. His expression was stony, and now he wouldn’t even look at me. Even in my state, even knowing I was probably going to get questioned by Chris, I couldn’t stop looking at Jacob. I couldn’t stop wishing his hands were on me again. Wishing I could touch him once more and see what it did to us.
“What’s going on here?” Chris asked, his eyes going from me to Jacob.
Jacob’s jaw flexed. “It seems I’ve caught a trespasser.”
“That so?” Chris asked.
My mouth dropped open in shock. Jacob still wouldn’t look at me. “I—I wasn’t trying to. I just came to talk.”
“You see those signs out by the road?” Chris asked, jerking his thumb toward the driveway. “No Trespassing signs.”
“Honestly,” I said. “I didn’t mean to. I was just…” I tried to focus. I was usually so good at this—wiggling my way out of situations. But I’d never been in the presence of a vampire before, and I’d never been affected by a person like this in my life. “I was just following up on some research and thought I’d ask Jacob some questions.”
His name felt delicious on my tongue. When I said it, his gaze flickered to mine briefly, enough to know he still felt that same connection.
“I can leave now,” I said with a nod, reaching for the handle on my car.
“Well now,” Chris said, stepping forward, his hand on his belt, “I’m afraid I’m not going to be able to let you do that.”
It was the first time alarm actually set in. I thought Chris was the good guy, but maybe not. Maybe he was friends with Jacob. And technically, I was trespassing. But I was happy to turn around and head back to the B&B.
“You’re going to have to come with me,” Chris said.
He opened the back door of his car, his eyes locking on mine. Shit. I didn’t have another choice.
But I still glanced at Jacob, almost a plea to make him see my side. My gaze caught his, just briefly, and then he dropped his chin.
“Please get in,” Chris said.
Instead of arguing more, I did what he asked, climbing into the back seat and watching as he closed the door. I was locked in.
Chris walked to Jacob, and they exchanged words I wished I could hear. He waved to where I sat in the car and Jacob shook his head. Fuck. What were they talking about?
I didn’t have any doubt Jacob was a vampire. What would he do to me? If he really was friends with Chris, I was screwed.
Or worse…Chris was one of them, too. I watched as he finished his conversation with Jacob and walked back to the cruiser. He moved like a human from what I could tell. But I’d also heard they were sneaky.
And evil.
The guy who’d told me about the clan here had told me the worst stories, about vampires who’d killed entire families, who’d wiped out whole towns. I wasn’t sure if that was an exaggeration or not, but I’d had to see for myself.
Not only that, I had my own history with vampires still stuck in my head.
Or at least one vampire. The one who had saved my mom.
Jacob.
Chris got in the car and pulled out of the driveway. I leaned forward in the seat, appealing to him.
“I promise I wasn’t doing anything. I was just working on research. Someone suggested I check out Mr. Westington’s house and talk with him. I heard that house is haunted—”
“Doesn’t change the facts,” Chris said. “You were on his property without his permission.”
“I was going to knock on his door and ask permission to talk to him.”
I hadn’t even strayed off the driveway. It wasn’t like I was sneaking around his property and peeking through windows. I mean, sure, I might have resorted to that if I had to. But I hadn’t done it yet.
And now that Jacob was nowhere near me, his overwhelming presence distracting me and amazing me at the same time, I was suddenly worried.
The man who I’d spoken with back home hadn’t been wrong. There were vampires here. Which meant I was in danger.
To my relief, Chris did take to me the police station, instead of some secret torture lair or something. At least there would be other people around. I’d be relatively safe there. Wouldn’t I?
He escorted me inside, past another deputy and sheriff, saying he’d be back in a moment to explain the situation.
I tried again, swiveling to Chris as we reached a few empty cells. “I understand what I did. I’m not going to go back there again without permission. I’ll just head home.”
“Home?” he asked. “As in, leave town?”
I hesitated. No. No way was I going to leave town. Not when I’d finally found what I’d been looking for.
“I didn’t think so,” Chris said. He slid open the door and gestured for me to walk in. Once inside, he said. “I’ll be back in a bit.”
I didn’t even bother to tell him I was supposed to get a phone call. At this point, I wasn’t even sure who to call. My publisher? Hey, can you bail me out of jail? I was just doing research for a book you haven’t even acquired yet. Or my lawyer?
No, right now, I just needed to sit tight until I figured out what they planned on doing.
I sat on the cot at the corner of the cell and rubbed my hands over my face. But when I closed my eyes, all I could see was Jacob’s face, kind eyes behind otherwise stern features.
And I had to believe that he was good. Despite everything that had happened and all I’d heard about vampires, I knew he was good.
More than that, and even crazier, there was something about him that drew me to him. That made me need to see him again. To talk to him. And more…to touch him.
It was crazy, but my brain wasn’t rational right now.
All I knew was that I wanted Jacob Westington.