SYDNEY?
Sydney sat straight up, a chill running down her spine. “What?”
She’d been teetering on the edge of wakefulness and sleep, so close to falling over the side and passing out, but then she heard a voice.
Were you sleeping?
She squeaked and sat up on her knees. “Hello?”
Don’t be frightened, lass.
“I’m hearing voices and you’re telling me not to be frightened?”
Technically, it’s just one voice.
“Oh my word,” she breathed. “Who are you? No, don’t answer that. Holy shit, I’m talking to myself.”
A masculine chuckle sounded in her mind. No, love, you’re talking to me.
Sydney closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. Please don’t kill me, freaky Jason.
I quite liked that movie.
Thane?
Aye, lass.
“Stop,” she hissed. “Just stop.”
“Syd? You okay?” Lucy called, and knocked.
“Yeah, sorry. Must have had a bad dream.”
Lucy pushed open the door. “Mum and Dad just got home. Do you want to join us for a movie?”
“I’m actually really tired. Rain check?”
“Of course.” Lucy smiled. “Good night.”
“’Night,” Sydney said, and flopped back onto the pillows as Lucy pulled the door closed.
I didn’t mean to frighten you, love.
Says the man who keeps talking to me in my head!
Well, now that you’ve got the hang of it…
Oh, stop!
Close your eyes, he said.
She reached for her cell phone and dialed his number.
He picked up immediately. “Hi.”
“How are you doing that?” she demanded.
“It’s part of my heritage, I guess you could say.”
“What kind of heritage allows you to speak telepathically?” she whispered.
“That’ll take a little longer to explain.”
Sydney sighed. “This is impossible.”
“I know, love.” Now, close your eyes.
No. Even as she thought her denial, she did as he requested. She wasn’t afraid anymore.
Are your eyes closed?
She smiled. Nope.
Take a deep breath.
Why?
Just do it.
She wrinkled her nose. Bossy.
Aye, lass, I can be. Now, take a deep breath.
Sydney drew air deep into her lungs.
Let it go.
She let out a quiet groan as she did. Now I’m going to have that song stuck in my head.
Sorry, love.
Why do I feel the need to build a snowman now?
Sounds like fun.
She smiled. It does, doesn’t it? I never got to experience snow unless I drove for hours to find it. Her heart started to race, but within seconds she was calm again. “You’re doing that, aren’t you?” she asked out loud, still connected to his call.
“Aye, lass. I’m going to hang up, but you can call me back if this is overwhelming, okay?”
“Ah... okay.” She lowered her cell phone after he disconnected.
You okay?
She nodded. Why? How?
I’ll save the how for when I see you again.
She squeezed her eyes shut. “I’m insane,” she whispered, although, she felt perfectly at ease.
You’re not, love.
Why am I not freaking out right now?
It’s our connection. It’s a lot to take in, but I promise you’ll understand everything in time.
She grabbed her phone and dialed his number again. “This is a little too crazy,” she said when he answered.
Thane chuckled. “I understand. Thanks for trying.”
“Is this an Icelandic thing?”
“Aye. We are an ancient people who have a few abilities that surpass humans.”
She gasped. “Are you saying you’re not human?” she whispered frantically.
“I’m not going to have this conversation with you until we’re face to face. I don’t want you freaking out on me.”
“It’s a little late for that, Thane.”
He sighed. “Just give me until tomorrow.”
“You keep asking for time, Thane, but you’re only giving me partial information. I feel like I’m trapped in a bizarre vampire novel, and let me tell you something, buddy, just because you tell me something’s true doesn’t mean I’m going to believe you.” She squeezed her eyes shut.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart, I know this is frustrating, but my hands are a wee bit tied since all my proof’s at home.”
“Well then, you may want to figure out a way to untie them, because I don’t feel comfortable moving forward with this relationship until you can provide me with cold hard facts. None of this makes any sense.”
“Are you saying you won’t see me until that happens?”
“Why do you sound surprised?” She frowned.
“Because I am,” he snapped.
“Don’t get irritated with me, Thane Allen. You’re the one trying to tell me you’re a vampire.”
“I’m not a bloody vampire, Sydney.”
She rubbed her forehead. “Are you immortal?”
“How did you get to immortal?” he challenged. “I said I had abilities. I said nothing about immortality.”
“I don’t know, honestly.” She blinked back frustrated tears. “It just came to mind. Are you?”
“Immortal, no, but I do live much longer than humans.”
“You’re crazy!”
“I don’t want to fight with you, sweetheart.” He let out a long breath. “Especially when we can’t make up properly and in person.”
“I don’t want to fight either, but you’re kind of driving me nuts.”
“Come home with me.”
“Excuse me?”
“This weekend,” he said. “Come home with me. I’ll talk to your uncle and figure out the logistics, but if you do, I can show you everything.”
“Where is home?” she asked.
“Edinburgh.”
“Alone with you?” she clarified. “I’m not that kind of girl, Thane.” She couldn’t keep the smile from her face at her jab.
“I know that, love. You can stay with Niall and Charlotte if you feel more comfortable. They live very close to me.”
She forced down her excitement at the prospect. A whole weekend with him, without the prying eyes of her uncle’s security was enticing. Not to mention, fangirls nowhere near them.
“Sydney?” he pressed.
“I’ve never been to Edinburgh.”
“You did that on purpose.” He chuckled. “Making me think you were weighing the options.”
She grinned, her irritation quickly forgotten. “Maybe.”
“I’ll work out the details with your uncle and we’ll talk tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay.” Sydney flopped back onto her pillows. “How will we get there?”
“I typically fly—”
“So you are a vampire, then?”
“Only on Sundays.”
Sydney giggled. “That’s an option?”
“If you twerking on a table is an option, then why wouldn’t being a vampire on Sunday be one?”
“You have a point,” she conceded.
He chuckled. “If you don’t want me to don my cape and fly you to Edinburgh, there is always the option to take the train.”
“Oh,” she breathed out. “The train sounds amazing.”
“I can have Pam look into it.”
She smiled. “Do you mind?”
“Why would I mind? The train’s a lovely way to get there.”
“Are you always this agreeable?”
He chuckled again. “Absolutely.”
“Liar.”
“I’ll let you go back to sleep, sweetheart and we’ll talk tomorrow.”
She yawned. “Okay.”
“Sleep, baby.”
She yawned again. “Okay.”
“’Bye,” he whispered.
“’Bye.” She hung up and stared at the ceiling for longer than she would have liked before sleep took her.
* * *
The next morning, Lucy burst into her room and bounced up and down on the mattress. “You’re going to Scotland.”
“Hmm?” Sydney mumbled.
“Get up.”
“Huh? Why are you waking me, evil one?”
“It’s almost six,” Lucy said.
“In the morning?” Sydney squeaked. She’d slept for almost five hours, a record for her.
“Yep.” Lucy bounced again. “And Dad said you’re going to Scotland with Thane. Ohmigod, Syd. Thane Allen is whisking you away to his lair.”
Sydney pulled the covers over her head. “Go away. I want more sleep.”
Lucy yanked the duvet from her face. “Wake up, wake up, wake up. We have to pack.”
“Why do we have to pack now?”
“Because the train leaves at like eight. Thane said he’ll be here to pick you up at seven.”
“Then you go with him,” she argued, and rolled away from her cousin.
Lucy smacked her butt. “I’m going to pack sexy undies and nothing else if you don’t get out of this bed.”
“Wait.” Sydney sat up, her hair falling in front of her face. She found the scrunchy that fell out during the night and pulled her hair into a ponytail. “Start again, Luce, and talk really slowly.”
Lucy giggled. “Thane is taking you to Edinburgh, and the train leaves at eight. He’ll be here at seven to collect you.”
“But he said he’d call me today to talk about it.”
“Well, he talked to Dad and is now on his way.”
“Uncle Cary said that was okay?”
“Yep.” Lucy walked into Sydney’s closet, returning with a suitcase. “Go shower and then we’ll pack.”
Sydney jumped from the bed with a squeal and rushed into the bathroom, taking the fastest shower in history. Dressing in dark jeans, black knee-high boots, and a cowl-necked cream sweater, she left her hair in a ponytail, rather than washing it. It would take too long to dry.
“You look gorgeous,” Lucy said.
Sydney giggled. “Thanks, cuz. Okay, let’s figure out what I’m taking.”
“Shoes. You need shoes.”
“I need sneakers and flats, maybe slippers.”
“No, you need one-, two-, and four-inch heels, plus sneakers, flats, and definitely slippers... oh, and boots.”
“I’m going for the weekend,” Sydney argued. “Not a month.”
“At least take your Jimmy Choos and a little black dress. In case.”
“Fine.” Sydney rolled her eyes. “Just in case.”
Lucy helped her pack the rest of her things, which meant Lucy threw stuff into the bag while Sydney took half of it back out. If she hadn’t, she’d have needed more than one bag and they would have been packing for a week.
A knock at the door brought her aunt. “Thane’s here, love.”
Sydney checked her watch. “He’s early.”
Aunt Clara chuckled. “He obviously wants to get the romance started.”
“Oh, gross, Mum,” Lucy complained.
“Why is that gross?”
“Probably because you said it.”
Sydney grinned and pulled her bag off the bed. “I’m ready. You two can bicker on your own time. Right now, it’s romance time.”
Aunt Clara giggled and Lucy groaned.
“Just FYI, it’s gross when you say it too, Syd,” Lucy retorted.
“At least I’m not saying lover.”
“Ohmigod, that’s disgusting.”
Sydney wrinkled her nose. “I’m going away with my loverrrrr.”
“Okay, even I think that’s gross,” Aunt Clara said.
“Which he’s not,” Sydney rushed to say. “Just to be clear.”
“We know,” Aunt Clara said, and the three dissolved into giggles as they walked downstairs.
Sydney set her bag in the foyer and smiled when Thane and her uncle walked out of the parlor.
Thane leaned down to kiss her gently. “Good morning. You look beautiful.”
“So do you,” she said.
He wore dark jeans with a periwinkle-blue sweater that matched his eyes, and to say he looked gorgeous was an understatement.
“Are you ready?”
Sydney nodded. “I tried to pack light.”
Thane chuckled. “You did well, love. I was expecting triple.”
“I can go back upstairs and pack more if you need me to,” she retorted.
He grinned. “Cheeky.”
Thane nodded to his “man” who stood inside the door, and he took Sydney’s bag out to the car. Sydney took a few minutes to hug her family and then Thane ushered her out to the waiting SUV. The driver held the door open for her and she climbed in while Thane walked to the other side. His phone pealed and he took the call as the driver pulled away from the curb.
“Morning, Pam. Aye.” He took Sydney’s hand and linked his fingers with hers. “Aye. You did? Well done. Aye. See you in a few minutes.” He hung up and smiled. “Pam’s diverted the paparazzi, which means, if all goes according to plan, we won’t be bothered at the station.”
“I didn’t even think about the paparazzi,” Sydney admitted.
Thane kissed her palm. “That’s why we have Pam.”
Sydney giggled. “I’m not sure I’m her favorite person.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because I keep distracting you from what she wants you to do.”
Thane chuckled. “Pam’s protective, but she knows who signs her checks, so you won’t have any issues with her. If you do, tell me.”
“I’m not getting between you and your assistant, Thane. I’ll fight my own battles if I need to.”
“Sassy.”
“Bossy.”
He dropped his head back and laughed. “You’re gorgeous, you know that, right?”
“Back atya.”
He leaned over and kissed her quickly, smiling against her lips. “I can’t wait to spend the entire weekend with you.”
“Me neither.” She cocked her head. “Uncle Cary discussed me staying with you instead of Charlotte and Niall, right?”
“Aye, he did.”
“Is that still okay?”
He chuckled. “Of course it is. It’s better. We’ll have no distractions.”
“Perfect,” she said. The SUV pulled up to the train station and Thane guided her directly to their private train car.
“Shouldn’t we check in?” she asked.
“My people will do that for us.” He pulled her to a seat next to the window and sat down beside her.
“So this is what it’s like to travel with a big movie star,” she mused.
Thane chuckled. “Do you find it to be a positive or a negative?”
“Being whisked into a private rail car? Positive,” she said. “Being accosted by sixteen-year-olds with barely any clothes on? Negative.”
He grinned. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
A young man in uniform made his way to them and smiled. “Sir, ma’am, may I get you a drink or something to eat?”
“Coffee,” Sydney said immediately. “Please.”
“Same,” Thane said. “What would you like for breakfast?”
“Surprise me.” Sydney grinned. “But definitely something with bacon.”
Thane chuckled. “Everything’s better with bacon.”
“A valuable motto to live by.”
Thane focused back on the server. “Full breakfast, please.”
“Very good, sir.”
The server walked away and Sydney leaned against Thane. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her closer.
“Careful, honey, I’ll fall asleep if you make me any more comfortable,” Sydney warned, settling against his chest.
He chuckled. “Sleep, baby. We’ve got time.”
“But there’s bacon coming,” she whispered even as her eyes were closing.
“I’ll wake you when it gets here,” he promised.
She nodded with a smile and snuggled closer. She didn’t even remember falling asleep, but as promised, Thane woke her to eat. Even with the lure of bacon, she was hard-pressed to leave the comfort of his arms, but the pig won out and she devoured her meal.