Chapter Ten
David sat on the end of the studio’s bed imagining Meaghan packing to leave him. He had spent the night there, rather than his own, more comfortable bedroom, hoping she might come to him there. She didn’t. Now it was time for their regular lesson and he had convinced himself that she was on her way back to her old neighborhood, but he was helpless to stop her if she chose to leave him in the daylight. He pulled at his hair, berating himself for his behavior at the campus. Inconsiderate, reckless behavior but worse than that, his aggressiveness towards her when they arrived home … reprehensible. The blood on her clothes had convinced him of her involvement in the murders, turning his world upside down. There was nothing he could do to change the way he felt about her. What’s the expression? The heart wants what the heart wants. He loved her, probably always had and he would gladly walk into the sunlight if it could change the way the previous night had transpired. Make her stay.
The door at the top of the stairs opened and he heard the creaking of the steps leading down to the studio. The lightness of the tread indicated a woman and he fully expected to see his sister-in-law coming to tell him that Meaghan had caught a taxi back to town. His heart skipped a beat when he saw, not Anna, but Meaghan at the foot of the stairs. She’s forgiven me. She’s … oh my god! Her arm.
“Meaghan. I’m so sorry.”
“I would say it was okay but actually, David, I’m in a fair bit of pain. Your well-equipped first aid kit didn’t contain anything stronger than paracetamol and that hasn’t helped at all.”
“Come over to the bed and let me have a look at it.” He put his arm around her to lead her, overjoyed when she didn’t pull away from his touch. She had every reason to hate him, nevertheless, she allowed him to guide her to his bed. As gently as he could, David unwound the bandage and immediately realized the extent of the damage. Damage he had caused.
“Why didn’t you come to me last night? I could have taken you to the hospital.”
Meaghan’s accusing stare reminded him that he had probably terrified her. Why would she have come to him for help? He’d acted like a brute. She shrugged but said nothing.
“I need to make a call.” He grabbed his mobile phone from his bedside table and pushed a number that he had on speed dial. “Hello, Michael? This is David Corel. I need you to come to the house and bring your mobile imaging device. Yes, I suspect a broken bone so could you please bring the necessary equipment for casting? Thank you, yes. Your discretion would be appreciated and I’ll make sure you are compensated for any inconvenience.”
After hanging up, he depressed the button on the intercom and informed Evan that a private ambulance would be arriving shortly and that he was to direct the paramedics down to the studio. He hung up the phone and sat down beside Meaghan on the bed, gently cradling her mangled right wrist in his hands. He gently turned her tiny hand to examine the bruises. Bruises corresponding with his fingers. Fingers that had gripped her wrist so tight, they broke her delicate bones. For the first time since his transformation, he felt tears well behind his eyes and unashamedly allowed them to fall. As the droplets fell on her hand, he wished with all his heart that he possessed healing powers. Powers that would mend the broken bone. Alas, his powers were limited to breaking bones.
“It’s okay, really,” she told him softly. “We all have our unattractive moments and, after all, I drew first blood … so to speak.” She smiled but her attempt at humor only served to make him feel more ashamed. He was a protector of humans, a leader of his own kind, not a misogynistic bully. Bad enough that he had harmed a human woman but she was his woman. He knew that for sure now. The woman he had waited for, longed for. The other part of his soul. His job to protect her and place her on a pedestal, not tear her down and cause her suffering. Monster. He raised her damaged hand and kissed it, his tears welling in her palm.
****
Meaghan gazed down in fascination at the back of David’s head as she felt his tears fall onto her palm. It didn’t make any sense. A murderer, crying like a baby because he had broken her wrist. During the course of her training—and then the practical experience of working a beat and undercover work–she had seen many tears. She could easily tell the fake from the real. These tears seemed so real. But, how could they be?
“Master David?” the crackling voice on the intercom broke the awkward silence in the room. “The paramedics are on their way, sir.”
“Thank you, Evan,” David answered, wiping away the tears with the back of his shirt sleeve just in time for the paramedics to make their entrance. They lugged their heavy digital equipment and bags down the stairs. David introduced them and lowered his chin as he explained her injury.
“She was attacked by a madman last night.”
She raised her eyebrows at David as Michael—the first paramedic—examined her wrist and agreed with David’s layman diagnosis.
“As usual, you’re spot on, Mr. Corel. This looks like a serious break but I would like to take an x-ray to confirm.”
He waited for Meaghan to give her consent and set up for the shot by donning his protective apron and directing both his partner and David behind the portable shield.
“Distal radius fracture,” Michael confirmed as he studied the film. “Would you mind if I set up the casting equipment in the bathroom?” David pointed the way to the en-suite as the other paramedic offered Meaghan something for the pain, which she gratefully accepted. David refused to allow the paramedic to escort her into the bathroom where Michael had made preparations. He scooped her into his arms and carried her into the room while she sucked happily on the green penthrox whistle. It worked quickly towards relieving the pain. By the time her cast was in place and her wrist was supported by a sling, she was oblivious to any pain and she even giggled when David carried her back to the studio and placed her gently onto the bed.
Fighting to stay lucid, she strained to hear what David whispered to Michael as he reached into his jeans and handed the men a wad of notes from his pocket. They accepted the money with huge smiles and many thanks before heading towards the stairs. When Michael was halfway up, he suddenly stopped and called down to her.
“You should report the attack to the police, Meaghan. Your attacker may be involved with the recent murders. I heard that the first two were strangled and whoever broke your wrist had some serious strength.”
David excused himself and bolted up the stairs after the paramedics. Meaghan could hear him talking slowly and deliberately to the men who seemed to be agreeing with whatever he was telling him. In her drug induced stupor, she couldn’t help but giggle as she thought to herself. Hey, Officer Lamb, I’d like to report an attack on myself. Yes, I was attacked by someone who could be the University murderer and who also happens to be the man I am falling in love with.
“Did you say something?”
Somehow, in what seemed like only a split second, David had returned and stood beside her. Despite her addled state of mind, she realized that she may had said out loud rather than thought the words. Shit.
“What?” The pain medication overwhelmed her. She could barely keep her eyes open let alone think of a good excuse. She lay back on the pillows, fighting the effects of the medication, hoping she would not be killed in her sleep. If sleep had not taken her, she would have noticed David lie down beside her, stroke her forehead and cheeks with the tips of his fingers before whispering. “I love you too.”
****
Meaghan opened her eyes, shocked to find herself in the dark, lying in the dirt behind a gravestone. I’m in a cemetery? She’d heard of sleepwalking people trying to drive a car while asleep, but this was ridiculous. How did she get to a cemetery? More importantly, why? A mist formed around the graves, its cold tendrils reaching like fingers for some unseen presence in the dark. In the distance, a car alarm went off. A dog howled in response to the terrible wail of the siren.
When she heard voices approaching, she curled up into the fetal position behind the stone and watched as eight people wearing dark hoods passed close by but oblivious to her proximity. From her hiding spot, she observed them as they sat cross-legged in a circle on the ground, each of them lighting a candle and uttering words that she didn’t understand. It sounded like an ancient language or possibly one that they invented themselves. Whatever it was, she had never—in all her years in the force—heard anything like it. As the smoke from the candles rose, the chanting became louder, more frantic, culminating in the appearance of a ninth shape that suddenly materialized in the center of the circle. Meaghan didn’t understand what she was witnessing but her intuition warned her. Time to leave. The shape turned to look in her direction. It raised a wispy arm and pointed towards her. The group jumped to their feet. She closed her eyes, willing herself to disappear and by the time the hooded individuals reached her hiding spot, she was already gone.
****
“Meaghan. Wake up!”
Before she even opened her eyes she recognized David’s arms wrapped around her. The warmth of his skin against her body and the comforting heaviness of his arms as he held her tight against his chest.
“You were having a nightmare.”
She knew better. “It must have been the drugs.”
“And the broken bone,” he added. “You were moaning in your sleep. I think the pain medication might be wearing off.”
“It does hurt quite a bit,” she admitted, supporting her freshly made cast with her good hand. “I’m also feeling hungry. Is there anything to eat in this studio? I’d even settle for a piece of that fruit you kept forcing me to draw the other day.”
“I’ll have a tray sent down for you.” He gently propped some pillows behind her shoulders before ordering up for some food on the intercom. When he returned, Meaghan was deep in thought.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Oh. Yes. I was just trying to work something out.” Her trip to the cemetery had left her confused. She had never travelled in her sleep. This deviation to her usual pattern left her feeling vulnerable. She could end up anywhere and if she fell asleep in a public place, her body would be vulnerable to attack. A chill ran down her spine. Worse still, those hooded figures may have had something to do with the murders and tonight, they came close to discovering her.
“I can’t tell you how sorry I am about this, Meaghan.” David sat beside her on the bed and took her left hand in his. “I’ll do everything in my power to make it up to you.”
“Well at least I’ll have a good excuse not to attend classes for a while so maybe the gossip will have died down by then.” She forced a smile. Like that’s going to happen. “I hope you won’t expect me to supply you with a doctor’s certificate, considering it’s going to be a bit difficult to draw for a while.”
He drew her hand to his mouth and kissed it. “I’ll make sure you see the best physiotherapists and specialists,” he told her. “I promise you, I’ll do everything in my power to ensure that you don’t lose any dexterity in that hand.”
Meaghan shook her head and laughed. “I’ve had broken bones before. The staff at the orphanage had a running tab betting how long it would take for me to break another bone. For the moment, I’m more concerned with how I am going to be able to use the bathroom or even feed myself.”
His expression softened. “You were an orphan? I didn’t know.”
“How could you? It doesn’t matter anyway. I manage fine on my own.” It was a lie she had told herself most of her life. Sometimes she almost believed it.
For a split second, she sensed him access her memories. How was he doing that? David broke through the barrier protecting her thoughts. He saw the frightened little girl alone on a cot in the empty room of the orphanage, crying into her pillow. Their eyes met and for a moment, she considered mentioning the mental connection but the moment passed. Besides, any revelation would be an admission of psychic ability. Her advantage would be lost. There was still far too much at stake. How far could she trust him? Could she trust him at all? She broke the uncomfortable silence.
“Do you have any plastic bags or bubble wrap lying around?”
He raised an eyebrow as his mouth curled into a cheeky grin. “Why?”
Her heart skipped a beat. Focus, Meaghan. “To keep the cast dry while I shower.”
“I promised to help you with that too,” he told her, the twinkle in his eyes suggested more than she was able to cope with in her present state. “The bath in the en-suite is large enough for two people. It would be my pleasure to take care of all your bathing needs. I believe we still haven’t had lesson three.” He nuzzled her neck with his cheek sending a wave of Goosebumps down her spine.
She felt the flush of color to her cheeks as her skin warmed in reaction to his suggestions. He was back. The charmingly, cheeky David who made her act as giddy as a school girl, while his body reminded her that she was every inch a woman. A woman with needs that only he could satisfy. The dumbwaiter pinged, heralding the arrival of her food. She was grateful for the distraction, motioning to the tray with a tilt of her head.
“Oh, good. The food is here. I’m ravenous.”
“I’m ravenous too,” David agreed. “But, I can wait until after you’ve eaten.”
He winked before he left the bed to collect the tray. Meaghan was grateful that he couldn’t see her hyperventilate. Her breasts felt uncomfortably heavy and liquid heat spread through her body, pooling between her legs. She may have been naïve when it concerned actually making love but she knew a sexual proposition when she heard one and David was an expert. Her better judgement warned her, he’ll devour you, Meaghan, but she no longer cared. She wanted him to take her, body and soul. Damn the consequences. She wanted this man with every fiber of her being. Killer or not, at least she would die satisfied.
“Aren’t you going to eat?” she asked David when he placed the tray on her lap and she realized that there was only one plate.
“I had a quick bite while you slept.”
The memory of her last meeting with Terry and his parting comment made her flinch. A quick bite? She felt for marks on her neck as David buttered a roll relieved to find her skin unbroken. Terry’s comment still bothered her. Why were there no windows in David’s studio or bathroom? She looked around the room. Not a peep of sunlight could infiltrate the studio. It was sealed as tight as a tomb. A room such as this would be perfect for a vampire. It was impossible to tell if it was day or night. She looked at her watch and discovered that she had slept away most of the day. Eight p.m. When vampires were at full strength.
David looked up from the plate. “Is everything okay? You look a bit stressed.”
“I’m fine. Just hungry.”
“So am I.” he teased as he held half of the buttered roll up to her mouth. “But you should eat first.”
“I am quite capable of feeding myself,” she informed him, taking the roll from his hand.
“Indulge me.” He spooned a forkful of vegetables into her mouth before she could protest. She resisted the urge to argue while she ate, realizing that feeding her kept him occupied, which made him less likely to think of ways to tease her. She ate in relative silence, hoping that the food might help ease the grogginess. When the pain returned with heightened intensity she regretted wishing the wooziness away.
“You look pale. Are you in pain?”
“A bit.” She nodded.
He furrowed his brow. “A bit?”
“Okay, a lot.”
“Michael left some codeine for the pain. Would you like some now?” David asked.
“I want to get back to my place and have a shower before I take anything else.” She told him. “Hopefully, they’ll help me sleep. Last night was hopeless.”
David removed the tray and empty plate, placing it on the bed beside her before he scooped her up into his arms and walked towards the bathroom. “No shower for you, young lady. You aren’t allowed to get that cast wet.”
“Then how can I wash myself?” Meaghan protested. “I can hardly balance to get out of a bath.”
David smiled another cheeky grin and Meaghan didn’t need to be a mind reader to understand what he had planned. “Now just wait a minute, Mr. Corel. I am in no condition to put up with any of your shenanigans tonight. I’m in too much pain and I’m too tired to be interested in anything physical.”
“No shenanigans tonight,” he agreed. “I promise I will even keep my eyes shut as I help you undress.”
Meaghan swallowed the lump in her throat. He wants to help me undress? She hadn’t been sure if she could cope with the embarrassment of being naked in front of him while making love. Having him undress and bathe her seemed a terrifying proposition. Humiliating but completely arousing at the same time.
David took a packet of painkillers from the vanity cabinet, removed two and poured a glass of water. He handed her the water and popped the codeine in her mouth. She swallowed the tablets before she realized what she had done. What if they weren’t painkillers? What if it was poison? The thought of being naked in front of David was more frightening than having him strangle her to death. Look at him. So perfect. Michelangelo would have wept knowing that his David—despite being reputed to being a masterpiece—paled in comparison to her David. My David? If only that were true. She suddenly wished that the water had been scotch.
“Come on, Chérie. I promise I’ll make this as painless as possible.” He smiled and she couldn’t help but return the smile. His eyes offered compassion, a promise of tenderness too honest to be misread. She allowed herself to ignore the doubts about his involvement in the murders, at least for tonight. For once in her life she was going to take a chance, risk heartbreak for a moment of pleasure.
Despite the excruciating pain in her wrist, the thought of a hot bath with David seemed like a fantasy come true. He sat her on a stool in the bathroom while he prepared the large bath with scented bath foam. He lit a few candles before turning off the lights. The light from the candles offered only a subtle light, barely enough to make out their silhouettes and the fragrance from the bath was inviting. As she inhaled the floral scent, Meaghan realized that the subdued lighting had been for her benefit, to ease her doubts, protect her modestly. She made no attempt to stop him when he helped her to her feet and began to undress her.
****
Slowly, he lifted her arms so he could maneuver her t-shirt over her breasts, past her shoulder and finally off completely. He unzipped her skirt, allowing it to fall. The fabric billowed momentarily before floating to the floor like a parachute. Next, he reached behind her and unfastened her bra, pausing to rest his cheek against hers to steady himself before removing her panties. The temptation of her peaked nipples almost too much to resist but, as he’d promised to keep the bath purely non-sexual, he didn’t want to risk making her regret her decision.
She stood in front of him, naked, perfect and innocent. Her cheeks flushed with color, her eyes modestly averted his gaze. Completely unaware of her own natural beauty. Everything he had ever dreamed she would be and more. The demon inside him stirred. Taste her. He pushed it down, closing off his mind to the sound of her blood pounding in his ears, knowing that even a drop would push him over the edge. He couldn’t lose her. He wouldn’t survive the loss, not after searching for her all these years. She was beautiful, vulnerable, pure of heart and body. His. He believed that with all his heart. His hand slipped behind her neck where he cupped the back of her head in his hand. She leaned into it, her silken hair soft against his skin. Resisting the urge to take her into his arms, he asked her.
“Do you trust me?”
She raised her eyes, biting her bottom lip as she nodded her answer. He almost came undone. Instead, he stripped off his own clothes and stepped into the comfortably hot water. There, he held out his arms, motioning for her to join him. She hesitated for a moment, modesty staying her movements. He knew she fought her own demons. He had asked for her trust after causing her pain. He’d given her no reason to believe she could trust him. His eyes beseeched her. Please, Meaghan. Give me another chance.
Reaching out her left hand, she allowed him to assist her into the water where he positioned her between his legs, her back against his chest, her damaged right hand resting outside the bath on a stool. She leaned against him, demonstrating the conviction of her decision, her head resting against his shoulder, her face turned towards his chest. He tilted his chin towards her and kissed her forehead, his lips pausing on her skin while he reached for the ladle that he had previously placed beside the bath.
She closed her eyes as he scooped a ladle full of bath water and, after gently easing her head backwards, poured the water over her hair. Rubbing a quantity of shampoo between his palms, he gently massaged the sweet smelling liquid into her hair, his fingers moving in small circles over her scalp, then down the length of her hair. He rinsed the shampoo, careful not to get any of the lather in her eyes then repeated the sequence before he conditioned her pale locks. When he stroked her hair, she shivered, her skin reacted with gooseflesh. She leaned back against his chest, breathing heavily. He closed his eyes and breathed her in, sensing her desire, wanting to give her more. He lathered a sponge with bath foam and began soaping her breasts with delicate but deliberate movements. She moaned when he dipped the sponge into the water between her thighs, finding the sensitive area between her legs and gently massaging her clit. She reached behind her, cupping his head, leaning into him as she cried out in climax. His cock jerked. He closed his eyes and held his breath. Patience. He eased her forward, lifting her silky hair and placing it over her shoulder so he could wash her back. Her satin smooth shivered beneath his fingers. She had said that she loved him. Perhaps it was the drugs. Perhaps not. He would give her time. Wait for her to fall in love with him. For the first time in a century he had hope.
****
The combination of the luxuriously fragrant hot water, David’s talented hands exploring her body and his heavy erection pressing up against her back seemed like an erotic dream. A dream from which she hoped she would never wake up. When he eased himself out of the bath, she instantly missed the skin to skin contact. The bath lost its appeal. A yawn stretched her mouth and she covered it with her good hand. If only I wasn’t so tired. He looked so damned hot as he quickly dried his body with a towel. Too quickly. After discarding the towel, he held out his hand, so confident in his nudity. He had every right to be. He was beautiful. His firm body, chiseled and bulging with muscle however something else stole her gaze. His heavy erection. Her body reacted with a shudder of anticipation. She accepted his hand and stepped out of the bath, her legs shaking with desire as he wrapped her up in a fleecy cotton bath robe and carried her to his bed.
She fought to stay awake but the sensation of David massaging her hair dry with a warm towel made her light-headed, sleepy. His chest pressed firmly against her back as they sat on the edge of the bed, her body once again between his legs, his hands in her hair, his breath on her neck, his naked skin within reach. She wanted to touch him in the way he had insinuated during the last art class, drive him mad with desire. Sleepy. When David picked up a brush from his bedside table and began to brush her hair, the sensation sent shivers down her spine. It felt so intimate, so affectionate; so tired.
****
David sensed that Meaghan was close to sleep but her arousal was undeniable as she moaned in appreciation of the care he was taking with her hair. His lips kissed a path down to the base of her neck. She wants you. He shook his head. She was vulnerable in her present state and he could not, would not take advantage, no matter how her pheromones screamed at him. She’d trusted him to bathe her, groom her and although—from past experience—he knew she was likely to be intimidated by his nudity, she’d allowed him to wrap his legs around her in the bath and as they sat on his bed.
He leaned forward again, brushing her hair away from her neck with his hand and kissed her softly on the underside of her chin. She moaned. Her skin warmed at his touch. He maneuvered his head around to see her beautiful face, gauge her mood. Her eyes were closed, lips parted, waiting to be kissed. Giving in to his need, he kissed her. Her mouth melted into his. He supported her head in the palm of his hand, her body going limp at his touch. When he reluctantly withdrew his mouth, he noticed that her eyes were still closed, her mouth slightly open, a dribble of saliva hung on the corner of her bottom lip. She was asleep.
Despite his disappointment, David chuckled to himself. Looks like you’ve lost your touch, old man. Never, in a century of lovemaking, had he ever experienced a woman falling asleep while on the verge of making love with him. Meaghan was definitely one of a kind. He’d anticipated her arrival for what seemed like eternity, dreamed of her, painted countless portraits of her, but she’d kept him waiting, refusing to be born until she was good and ready. Now she was in his bed, in his arms, the woman of his dreams … snoring.
The soft nasal sounds reminded him of a purring kitten, a precious, soft little creature in need of love and affection but capable of causing damage with her claws. He lifted her into his bed, removed her damp robe from under the covers so he would not be tempted to fondle her naked flesh, and he tucked her in for the night. As he looked down at her cherubic face, he wondered how it was even possible that someone so sweet, so innocent, could possibly be a cold-blooded killer.