Undying Desire (24 page)

Damn.
Eve was absolutely amazing—more powerful than Guerin had imagined.

“Please,” he begged. “Too much! I can’t see. You’re blinding me.” He sobbed. “It burns.”

“Then allow me to give you a taste of the mercy you would have never granted me.” Eve nodded to Guerin, and he stepped forward, pulling a sword from the wall in the process. She released the cowering male as Guerin moved into position. With a
swoosh
, Guerin swung high, his pulse thundering inside his ears, and in one swift downward motion, removed Seth’s head from his shoulders.

As one, they lifted their gazes, her blue eyes holding Guerin’s—and time slowed to half-speed. Eve’s long midnight hair clung to her face and cascaded around her like a dark cloak. Blood splattered her cheeks and beads of sweat glistened on her lashes. Yet he’d never seen anything more beautiful in his life. How had he lived on the earth this long without her?

“What about Daniela?” she asked, breaking the spell.

Guerin released his grip on the hilt of the sword, letting it fall to the dungeon’s floor with a loud
clatter
. “She’s mine.”

He pivoted, faced Kenric, and held out his palm. “May I?”

Kenric nodded. He placed the pearl handle of his silver-plated dagger into Guerin’s waiting hand.

Slow and steady, Guerin made his way across the smooth concrete toward the female he once would have died for. Daniela glared at him from across the room, the black filling the whites of her eyes. “What do you think you’re about to do, Guerino?”

He fisted the pearl handle, the surface cool and the weight perfectly balanced in his palm. Eve followed on his heels, but the sound of her footsteps faded before he reached Daniela’s side, putting distance between them. She knew he needed to handle this alone.

“You’re not a murderer, pet. Don’t you remember? You couldn’t even kill the girl on my dungeon floor, and I’d given her to you as a present.” Daniela swallowed and licked her lips, her neck oozing from her encounter with Seth’s blade, the blood pooling beneath her head. “So what do you think you’re going to do with that?” Her gaze flicked to his hand where he held the dagger, then back to his face. “Come on, pet. Release me and all is forgiven.” She made a weak attempt at a smile. Guerin didn’t fight back his chuckle of laughter. His gut churned at her words—
forgiven
.

“You’re right about one thing, Daniela.” He lifted Kenric’s weapon, the blade vertical and pointing south. “I’m not a murderer.” Guerin shook his head. “I don’t kill the innocent. But that’s something you lost touch with a long, long time ago.” He sank the dagger into her heart until only the hilt remained visible, and twisted. Like a balloon rupturing, air burst from between her lips. Daniela blinked, the expression on her face puzzled as if she couldn’t wrap her mind around what he’d done. Then with a crackle, her flesh bubbled. Bloated. Smoked and imploded.

Daniela was gone.

Guerin waited for the dark thrill of triumph, the feral glow of satisfaction that should’ve welled inside him like a bubbling, overflowing fountain. Instead…nothing. He was empty. Numb. And really…really tired. He swiped a hand over his face and the warmth of Eve’s touch moved up his spine.

“You gave her a much better death than she deserved,” Eve said. “Most would have wanted her to suffer—taste the pain she inflicted on others.”

“A part of me wanted her to pay long and hard,” Guerin said, his voice raw, scratchy. “I contemplated how I should drag out her last moments in the most agonizing way imaginable. But then I realized, wouldn’t that make me the vampire she’d tried to create all along?” He turned to Eve. “She would have won.”

Arran came into view behind Eve. “We’re going to get this mess cleaned up, and then get the hell out of here.”

“That sounds like the best idea I’ve heard in days.” Guerin sighed.

Less than an hour later, they’d cleaned up the evidence of the bodies and burned what was left of the bloodstained clothing. Together the five of them stepped into the night air.

“Before you make some excuse about where you need to go,” Kenric began and moved to block Eve’s path, “I want you to come back to South Carolina with us.”

Every muscle tensed in Guerin’s body waiting for her response. The thought of boarding the plane and leaving her behind… Yeah, he couldn’t go there. Yet the emotions Eve had unearthed inside him…the lengths he’d go to protect her. The intensity of his reaction inside that dungeon had shaken him to the core. Eve turned him inside out.

She glanced to Guerin, then Kenric and Emily. “That’s not going to happen.” Eve crossed her arms beneath her breasts.

Guerin’s heart stuttered. What was she thinking? His body vibrated with the urge to shake her. How was he supposed to protect her across the Atlantic? But at the same time, how in the hell could he live with her under the same roof and not be in her bed, not belong to her body and soul? He would go mad.

Chapter Twenty-One

Kenric had to be out of his mind.

After what he’d just gone through with his team—his mate—he wanted her to return to the United States with him? He must have taken a blow to the head when she wasn’t looking.

In a move identical to hers, Kenric crossed his arms. “Then at least come back to the suite with us so we can talk?”

“There’s nothing to talk about.” Eve moved her palms to her hips.

“Where do you plan on going tonight—tomorrow?”

“I’ll be fine,” she ground out.
Enough already. I’m fine

“Okaaay,” he said. “Then try this one on for size. We just saved your ass. Guerin almost lost his life because of your impulsive move. You owe me an explanation about why you bailed on us, and I’m not standing around outside this hellhole holding a family conversation. You’re coming back with us for the next few hours, and I’m not asking.”

Who the hell—? How dare he?
She couldn’t even find the words. Frustration rolled through her on a tsunami level, but she stopped short of stomping her foot like a little girl throwing a temper tantrum. Eve was three hundred years old, and her father had just ordered her home like a naughty teenager caught sneaking out at night.

“Fine,” she huffed. “What’s next? You plan on taking the keys to the car or grounding me?” She shot him her best scowl.

“Don’t tempt me,” he growled. Emily joined him at his side and wrapped an arm around his waist. “Meet us at our hotel room.” His eyes narrowed on her. “Don’t make me come looking for you again.”

“Fine. I’ll be there,” she grumbled.

“Since you two have lost a lot of blood,” Arran said, with a nod to Eve and Guerin, “I’ll phase Guerin back to the suite. That way he doesn’t have the stress of trying to track your essence, since he’s never been to our hotel.” He turned to Guerin. “Okay with you, man?”

“It’s cool.” Guerin met her gaze as Arran swung an arm over his shoulder. Creases she’d never noticed before were etched around the outside of his eyes. She couldn’t help but wonder if she was responsible for putting them there.

“Hang on,” Arran said to Guerin. “And I know it’s hard, but
try
not to cuddle. You’re really not my type.”

“Kiss my ass.”

Eve watched as the quad shimmered, then dispersed into their molecular state, and began their trip back to their temporary residence. It would be so easy to just fade away in the opposite direction. She didn’t want to follow and listen to all the explanations regarding why she should return to the States with them. Eve had already overheard the truth and the regret, and she wasn’t about to be the cause of any more.

But Kenric would only hunt her down again. She could already tell from the glare he’d leveled on her earlier that he wasn’t the kind of male to leave things alone.

Closing her eyes, Eve pictured the patio outside the Enclave’s suite and allowed her body to melt away. Moments later, she opened her eyes as the concrete solidified under her feet.

On the other side of the glass, the rest of the group were together, cleaning up and talking about the recent battle. Kenric sat in the chair facing the door, Emily on the arm. Arran was across from the pair, his blade out in front while he wiped down its length. Guerin stood between them, his mouth in a thin line, grim, but surrounded—supported—by his fellow Enclave members. The whole scene exemplified how she felt. Her father and his team inside, her on the outside. A part of him, but not quite fitting into his world.

Eve turned away on her heels, intending to grab on to the rail, but her head kept spinning. She missed and stumbled, knocking one of the low tables on the patio onto its side. Damn, Daniela must have taken more from her than Eve had realized, and her adrenaline levels were taking a nosedive.

The sliding door opened with a
swoosh
. “Whoa!” Guerin slid an arm around her, steadying her.

“I’m fine,” she blurted out and batted away the hand cradling her hip.

“No. You’re not.”

She tugged on her leather vest and tossed her hair back over her shoulder. “I just lost my footing. That’s all.”

“I was there. Remember? You lost a lot of blood.”

“Everything okay out here?” Kenric’s dark, leather-clad form filled the doorway.

“I’m fine.”

“No. She isn’t. Eve needs to feed.”

“I’ll handle it later,” she said, not bothering to hide the annoyance in her tone.

“I can—” Guerin began, but a strange expression flashed across his face, and his words halted.

“What? Were you about to offer to feed me?” She scoffed. “You’re not much better off than I am.” Eve brushed past him and Kenric stepped aside, letting her into the suite.

“I can help,” Emily stood from one of the leather chairs. The statement brought Eve to an abrupt halt along with the next beat of her heart.
No way.
How could Emily offer such a thing when Eve knew the other female had to resent her very presence? “There’s no need for you to go out and hunt tonight after what you’ve been through. Let me feed you.” Emily began rolling up her sleeves.

“No…” Eve backed up and bumped into Kenric’s chest. This was the worst idea she’d ever heard.
Oh, my God.
What was Emily thinking, offering to feed the spawn of the woman who’d tried to kill her? Eve couldn’t imagine anything more awkward and uncomfortable for both of them. Why would Emily want to put herself through it? “Please. You don’t have to do that. It’s not your place.” She shook her head, the cold fingers of panic sinking into her chest. If there was ever a reason to flee a scene—this was it. And Eve was about two seconds from flipping the kill switch on this whole little get-together.

The other two males joined them in the room, their gazes swinging back and forth between the two females.

“I’m the logical choice, Eve. Arran is mated, and I’m sure if there were any other way, Elle would prefer he not feed another female. And for reasons we don’t need to get into right now, Kenric isn’t available to donate to anyone. Guerin, as you’ve stated, isn’t in any condition to lose any more blood. He needs time to heal.” Emily closed in on her. “Eve,” she said, her voice softening. “If you will allow it, I would be happy to care for Kenric’s child.”

“Are you for real?” Eve cocked her head, then glanced up at the female’s mate—her father. Kenric smiled down at Eve.

“One of the many reasons I love her.” His gaze moved to Emily. “She’s smart and has the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever known.”

“Why don’t the three of us step into the other room?” Emily motioned for her and Kenric to follow.

As if her legs had grown a mind of their own, Eve shuffled forward. Kenric trailed into the couple’s bedroom behind Eve, and Emily closed the door.

“Now that it’s just us, do you think you can tell me why the thought of feeding from me bothers you so much?” Emily brushed past Eve and sat on the edge of the bed. She patted the spot beside her. “Please, sit with me.”

Kenric sauntered over near the windows, pretending to look outside. She lowered onto the mattress as requested.

“I don’t need a connection to your mind to see I’ve upset you. It’s all over your face.”

“It’s not that I’m upset or angry,” Eve said, then sighed. She might as well go ahead and tell them, get everything out on the table. “After what I heard you two discussing, I don’t know how you can stomach the thought of being near me—much less allowing me to drink from you.”

“When did you hear us talking? Before you left?”

She nodded. “I came to your door at sundown to tell Kenric I’d heard from Guerin.” Kenric pivoted and faced them. “He’d contacted me telepathically to try to keep me away. I wanted to let you both know he was alive.” Eve studied her hands, finding it hard to keep her gaze trained on the couple. “That’s when I heard you both discussing what my existence meant to your relationship.” She swallowed back the lump doing its best to choke her. “I’m the product of a horrible crime I’m sure Kenric would much rather stay buried and not have walking around in front of his face.” Eve sprang from the bed and turned away. Whoever said the confrontations you dreaded were supposed to end up easier than one imagined was a liar. “Guerin was tortured at the hands of Seth and Daniela because of me, and I’m a constant reminder of what you’ll never have.” Eve stared at the broad brushstrokes of color in the abstract painting on the wall. Blues, reds, yellows in giant swirls forming a tighter and tighter ring. Sort of like the band constricting her heart. “I needed to face Seth—alone. Turn myself over to him so you, Kenric, and Guerin could find peace.”

Kenric’s broad hands circled her upper arms. She’d never heard him move. Gently, he turned her to face him. “If you left feeling so hurt, you obviously didn’t stick around to hear the rest.”

Eve glanced up, her gaze falling into familiar azure eyes, but this time, his shimmered with tears.

“Because if you had stayed…” Emily moved in beside Kenric, reached over, and brushed her palm over Eve’s forearm. “You would have heard me tell Kenric that his joy is my joy. You’re a part of him. And from what I’ve seen…the best part.” Emily smiled. “I won’t lie and say it doesn’t sadden me that we’ll never have our own child. But how can I resent you? My God. You were willing to give your life to save ours. That shows character and strength.”