Faith Revisited (13 page)
Bale brushed the hair away from Faith's forehead, raining kisses on the exposed skin. But she was deep in thought and must have been frowning, because he stopped and asked, “What's the matter?”
Faith glanced up, meeting Bale's concerned gaze. She shook her head, unwilling to allow her insecurities to ruin one of her last moments with him. She knew in the morning she would have to leave him, and she wanted this memory to carry her through the long nights ahead.
Bale gave a snort of disbelief as he rolled Faith under him. “Baby, don't lie to me. If we can have nothing else, do not regret this time we do have.”
“I'm sorry,” she whispered, and Bale's heart sank.
“Please, baby, don't.”
Faith smiled and shook her head. “No. Not for this, not the sex. For earlier.”
Bale could not help the slight tensing of his muscles. He did not like that she had referred to what had occurred between them as anything other than making love. “I don't understand.”
“I didn't know allowing Kash and my sister in your room would upset you.”
Bale sighed. “It's your room too.” Her face lit in surprise, and he realized he meant it. He'd always believed the loss of his wife had been his final punishment. How wrong he had been.
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Though he knew he had to give Faith up, she would always hold a piece of him. And he would spend the rest of his existence wishing things had been different.
He caressed her cheek and then leaned in to kiss her. “Faith, normally I wouldn't have a problem with one of my brothers in my quarters. But these are not normal circumstances. It was no coincidence that the Alu demon had a poisoned blade in his possession. He should not have been expecting me, but he was. And the only ones who knew where I would be reside in this abbey.”
“Someone tried to kill you?” Faith whispered in horror, her fingers clutching Bale's biceps.
“Zeke was also attacked. And another, Caym, was terminated. That is why I directed you to Arak if you needed anything. He will keep you safe.”
Faith struggled under him. “But what of the others? My sister left with Kash.”
Bale released her, allowing Faith to roll away from him. He rose from the bed, reaching for his pants. “Your sister is safe. There is no reason to harm her, for she holds no ties to me. And in the morning, you both will be gone. You'll be safe then.”
Faith watched as Bale dressed. “Where are you going?”
Bale paused as he pulled the T-shirt over his head. He watched her silently, tucking the shirt into his leathers. “I have tracked your Lilu demon to his lair. I am going to terminate him.”
Faith sat up, the sheet falling to her waist. As Bale's gaze rested on her breasts, she lifted the sheet, tucking it under her arms. He raised his eyes to meet hers, arching a brow at her actions.
Faith ignored his silent question. “You'll be careful?”
Bale returned to the bed and pulled her into his arms. “A Lilu demon is no match for me.
Anyway, I have to return. I have you to take care of.”
“Just until sunrise,” she whispered.
“Just until sunrise,” he agreed quietly, though his arms tightening around her denied his words. But he knew for her to remain safe, they would have to be.
The Watchers: Faith Revisited
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Chapter Six
The very moment Faith woke, she knew Bale had returned. She didn't know how or why, only that it was dawn and he was back. Once again dressed in her borrowed clothing, she crept from the room, intent on finding him.
The sex the night before had been phenomenal, but it had left her feeling more vulnerable, more dependent. Staying wasn't an option, though she longed for Bale to insist she remain.
Going home was in her best interest, but not because of Bale's concerns. While she feared for her sister, she was not as worried about herself. She was a vampire now and hardly powerless. No, she was leaving because she did not believe in love at first sight. And if she stayed any longer, she was certain to fall under such a delusion.
Her gut led her down the hallway, past two sets of stairs and two closed doors, one on either side of the hall, before she finally came to a stop in front of the last doorway on her right.
The door had been left wide open, and inside the large room she glimpsed two empty beds. The third one on the far side of the room held a large male whom she'd yet to meet.
She could make out very little about the occupant because he was lying down, but she guessed from the size of his broad chest and massive upper arms that he was as large as Bale.
Except for the goatee he sported, his head was free of any hair, and while Faith did not normally find that look attractive, he made it look good. Even the odd symbols tattooed down his neck and across his chest and the nipple piercings didn't take away from how hot he was.
Kash and Arak were sitting in chairs next to the narrow bed, and leaning against the foot stood Bale. The four appeared to be deep in conversation and seemed to not realize she was watching them.
“So you remember nothing?” Bale asked with a heavy sigh.
Faith reacted to the disappointment she heard in his voice. She stopped short when she realized she was advancing toward Bale. That so would not do. Instead she leaned heavily against the door frame, making certain she didn't call attention to herself. She wanted to capture Bale's attention only, not the other males in the room.
“Not enough to be of any usefulness,” came a gruff voice from the bed. “I can neither confirm nor deny Raym's involvement in my attack. There is something there, just on the periphery of my mind, but the harder I attempt to remember, the further away it seems to go. I don't think I'll be of much help in time, Bale.”
“In time?” Bale questioned.
“Arak and Remy both told me of your female.”
Bale laughed. “Jesus, she is not the first female I have fucked since Thea died. If Remy had his way, I'd already be married again. But it was a fuck. That is all.”
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A fist flew to Faith's mouth, stifling the sob she felt trying to escape. Backing away from the doorway, she turned on her heels and ran back to Bale's room. Once safe behind the closed door, feelings of disillusionment and betrayal swamped her, and she hated herself for letting his words affect her so.
It wasn't the first time she'd noticed a change in him when in the presence of his brothers.
He'd seemed cold, distant. But it was the first time she had heard him speak of his feelings toward her. And as his words replayed in her mind, she realized what he had said. Thea. Married again. The rings in his drawer were wedding rings, and Faith was not surprised. Deep down, she had already known. Bale did have a mate. Somewhere.
* * * *
Bale stopped short the moment he looked into Faith's eyes. Something wasn't right. “Baby, what's the matter?” As he reached a hand toward her, Faith stepped back, and he narrowed his eyes at her.
“Nothing.” Faith glanced away from him, unable to meet his gaze. “I'm ready to go. If you could just point me in the direction of my sister, I'll get out of your hair.”
“Faith, damn it, what is going on?” Bale folded his arms across his massive chest, blocking the door in case she tried to leave without giving him a satisfying answer. He watched her tense, her fists closing tightly at her sides.
“We both agreed I should leave at sunrise.” Faith glanced over her shoulder at the covered window. “Well, the sun has risen. If you are looking for one last fuck before I go, I don't think it's a good idea.”
Bale arched a brow. “Why the hell would you say such a thing?”
She sighed deeply. “Look, Bale, it's been fun. But neither of us is looking to make this permanent. And I think we both agree the sooner I go home, the simpler both our lives will be.
You have a traitor to ferret out, and you don't need my interference. And I have a life I have to return to.”
“And that's all this is?”
“Yes. That's all this is.”
Bale nodded. “If things were different…” he said softly.
Faith adamantly shook her head. “Don't, Bale. Things are what they are, and unfortunately, there is no place for us.”
Even though everything she said was true, still Bale felt the need to deny her words. It killed something inside of him to hear her say the very things he had been touting since she'd fallen near death at his feet. He had to bite his tongue to keep from announcing that she belonged to him and he wasn't going to allow her to leave. And still he might have made the mistake if Kash hadn't, at that moment, escorted Hope into his room.
The Watchers: Faith Revisited
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He followed the sisters from the abbey to the front gate, where a taxi waited to take them back to the city. As Faith paused before following her twin into the backseat, a ray of hope burst to life in Bale's chest.
“Thank you, Bale,” she said quietly, turning from the cab to face the males all lined up to see her and Hope off. But she only saw Bale. “You saved me and Hope, and I'll never regret the time I spent here.”
Bale was very aware he was not alone with Faith, and he did not trust some of his audience. He stepped forward, holding open the door as she climbed into the taxi. Bending down, Bale took hold of her hand, his thumb caressing her palm.
“If you need me for anything, for any reason, this gate will always open for you. I want your promise you will come to me.”
“If I need you,” she agreed softly.
When hell freezes over.
Faith pulled her hand free of Bale's grip and sat back as he closed the door, shutting her inside the cab. As the taxi pulled away from the gate, her body began to tremble slightly, physically protesting the distance separating her and Bale.
Hope was watching her with concern. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah.” Faith glanced out the window and sighed.
“You're shaking, Faith.”
“Yeah.” She looked at her twin and tried to smile reassuringly. “But I'm okay. I just need to go home.”
Hope slid her hand in Faith's and squeezed gently. Her twin became Faith's lifeline during the forty-minute ride home. If not for Hope, she might very well have begged the taxi to turn around, completely ignoring her own damaged pride. And afterward she would have hated herself for her weakness.
Remy and Levi surveyed from a distance as Bale closed the taxi door and turned away, not watching as the vehicle drove from sight.
“So he's really going to just let her leave,” Levi said in amazement as he observed the scene unfolding before him.
“What kind of life does he have to offer a female? Any female? Even if he could find it in himself to care for another, it's better this way. It's not safe at the abbey,” was Remy's weary reply.
Levi glanced at Remy. He knew their leader had not slept in over thirty-six hours. Not since Bale had called demanding a pickup. Levi thought lack of sleep was affecting the other male's judgment.
“Bale's a fool.”
Remy sighed. “Levi, I'm tired and I'm pissed off. If you have anything useful to add, I would be more than willing to hear it. Otherwise I'm not in the mood to listen to your bullshit today.”
Levi tucked his hands into the front pockets of his wool trousers and shrugged. “I know Bale just let his mate drive away. And no one in this abbey is dumb enough to buy his denials.
You think she is not safe here? Out there she is a walking target.”
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Remy turned to Levi, growling softly. “What have you seen?” he demanded.
“Nothing. This is not a premonition. I have not seen anything to indicate the female is in danger. What I have seen is that if Bale accepts her, she has the ability to heal whatever is broken inside him.”
Levi turned to walk away, but Remy grabbed his arm. He raised a brow at the restraint, waiting for a justification.
“Why am I just hearing about this now?”
“Not everything I see demands my involvement. The amount of useless shit that comes to me would drive anyone else mad. I inform you of the things I think are important.” Levi yanked his arm from Remy's grip.
“Do you not think you might be just a little prejudiced when it comes to Bale?” Remy drawled, folding his arms across his chest.
Levi stiffened at the accusation. “If my silence placed Bale or his female in harm's way, then you might be able to find fault in my actions. But that is not the case. And do you seriously believe if I had come forward, it would have changed Bale's opinion? He would have sent her away just to spite me.”
Remy sighed in acquiescence. “You are correct, of course.”
“Bale will have to decide on his own if he's willing to accept what he has been given.
Neither you nor I can do that for him. And if he chooses to refuse her, who are we to negate his decision? I can't say I'd blame him. I wouldn't care to be in his position.”
Remy gave a derisive snort at Levi's assessment. Levi had no reason to feel so negative regarding a mate. He had not loved and lost as many as the Grigori had. Nor had he chosen to fall. He was the only one among them who had been thrown from above. Remy hoped Faith was a sign of the things to come, because he would relish the day those words bit Levi on the ass.
* * * *