“I’m fine. You go on out, I’m not sure I feel like going out tonight.” Sighing, Willow pressed forward. “Don’t let me stop you from having fun. I can take of myself. And there haven’t been any more…dreams, like the one you woke me from. I’ll be fine,” she insisted.
“Maybe I should take you to the doctor? Maybe that guy did something to you that you don’t know about. He could have slipped some kind of wacky drug in your food. Maybe it’s something that you haven’t been tested for yet, and you’re having some kind of adverse reaction to it. Willow, you haven’t been the same since you met him. You’re scaring me.”
“Roxy…”
“Don’t Roxy me,” her sister yelled, losing her temper. “I’ve tried to support you. I’ve tried to get you to go out. I’ve tried everything I can think of since you came home. Nothing is working. Whatever happened, either talk about it or let it go. Move on with your life. It isn’t as if you fell in love with him or anything.” Roxy’s mouth gaped open. “You didn’t fall in love with him did you?”
“Of course not. That wouldn’t be smart.”
“No it wouldn’t. Did you?”
Willow knew her sister wouldn’t let the subject drop until she answered. “No, Roxy, I didn’t. I barely know him.”
“Willow…”
“Stop. I did not fall in love with him,” she denied.
“It would explain your funk…”
“God, what will it take for you to stop?” she asked desperately, not willing to explore that particular line of questioning.
“Go out with us tonight. Get dressed and come have fun. Come see that the world hasn’t stopped turning. Put a smile on your face.” Roxy crossed her arms in front of her chest.
“Fine. I give. You win.” Willow turned and sulked as she headed for her room. As she walked, she mumbled loud enough for her sister to hear her. “And they say the baby of the family is the spoiled brat… Clearly the people that started that rumor never met you.”
Roxy’s laughter followed her past the closed door. For a brief moment, Willow allowed herself to smile. It was good to hear her sister’s laughter again, and if this was what it took for her to finally convince Roxy that she was fine, she’d do it.
Even if it was an outright lie and she was still far from being all right.
* * *
Willow was finally beginning to relax. She hadn’t been pleased when Roxy and Mary made her switch seats so she couldn’t stare at the entrance, watching every man who entered The Grunge to make sure it wasn’t Seth. At first she’d wanted to refuse, but they persisted until she moved. She’d been terrified he would walk in at any moment, but after an hour with no sign of him, she had finally lowered her guard.
Willow sipped on her soda as the other two girls flirted with men across the bar, smiling and winking at them over their drinks.
“Who’s it going to be tonight?” Mary asked.
“Not me. I have to go in to work early tomorrow.” Roxy sighed.
“Willow? Think you’re up to it?”
“What? Oh, no. I am not playing that game again. Ever.” She’d explained she would only play the once. But even if she hadn’t already told them, she’d have refused. She would not risk potentially meeting another freak or weirdo again.
“Then it looks like it’s you, Mary.” Roxy smiled. “If you’re determined to play tonight that is.”
Smiling as she listened to the women arguing, Willow had to admit her sister had been right. Being out with the two of them had actually made her feel better.
The Night Crawlers were on the stage again, and their music added to her comfort. It wasn’t their usual night to play. Maybe they’d simply decided to play on impulse, but the crowd wasn’t as big as the last time she’d seen them at the bar. But that wouldn’t last much longer. The bar was quickly filling as word spread the band was having an impromptu concert.
No one was sure of where they came from, and Willow didn’t care. She enjoyed their sound. The raspy voice of the lead singer helped to distract her from thoughts of Seth as it wrapped around her senses, lulling her, drawing her into the music and out of her depression.
Her feeling of content shattered as she felt a prickle on her neck. A shiver raced down her spine and somehow she knew Seth had just walked through the door behind her.
Seth couldn’t believe his eyes. There she was, sitting with the same two women she’d been with the night they met. From the slight glimpse of her profile, he could see she was smiling as she began to nod in time with the music. Since the night she’d left him, Willow was never far from his thoughts. At first he wondered if maybe he was simply imagining her thanks to his all-consuming desire to see her again.
Standing perfectly still, blocking the entrance, he ignored the band as they played on the stage. He didn’t care how many people they brought into his bar—or that he was preventing people from entering. He only cared about the one woman he couldn’t take his eyes off of.
He’d tried to reenter her dreams after they were interrupted, but for some reason, he had been unable to find her again. He knew he could enter her mind, but refused to do that. Entering her dream was one thing. Dreams were just subconscious images that could be easily manipulated. Breaking into her mind, reading her thoughts to find out where she was or if she missed him as well, felt wrong. She should at least be able to feel safe in her own mind. And he had already betrayed her trust enough.
Still standing there, he wondered if he should approach her. What would her reaction be if he did? She was so upset when she left…so distraught when she found out what I am… Maybe I should just leave her alone…
As he watched Willow, her spine stiffened. The smile left her face and she acted as though someone had just thrown ice water on her, ruining her fun. It was as though she could feel him watching her. It made his decision for him. I’ll just leave her alone in peace. Willow has made it clear that she does not wish to be with me any longer. Now all I can do is hope she doesn’t reveal my secret.
His shoulders sagging, Seth walked over to the darkened corner where he typically sat and ordered a drink while waiting for Jason to arrive.
Unable to take comfort in the music, he gulped down the alcohol before the waitress could even set it on the table and ordered another to be brought to him.
He was on his second drink when he spotted Jason. As Seth watched, Jason approached Willow and squatted beside her. Instead of pushing Jason away, she spoke to him. Thanks to the Night Crawlers, there was too much noise for Seth to hear what they were saying.
Seth’s teeth lengthened and the beast that had raged inside of him the last week roared to life. No man would touch his sweet Willow while he simply sat around and watched. His grip tightened on the table until he heard the first telltale creaks warning it was about to break.
No, his rational side tried to reason. She left you. It isn’t as if you can run over there, beat Jason until he’s black-and-blue then throw her over your shoulder. You can’t just stake your claim on her like you could’ve in the Middle Ages!
Why not? the beast inside asked, its voice guttural. Doesn’t she at least owe me something? A chance to apologize, maybe a small sip from her? My hunger has not been sated since she left. Am I supposed to simply starve until I can no longer remember her taste?
He sat there, battling with himself to gain control of the beast within. Finally, Jason stood and walked over to join him.
“I hope I haven’t kept you waiting long,” Jason said as he sat.
Instead of answering, Seth simply growled into his drink. He wasn’t sure if it was directed to his friend or himself. His eyes narrowed as he caught a faint trace of Willow’s scent coming from the other man.
“I can see you are in another good mood,” Jason said sarcastically before ordering a soda from the waitress. “I didn’t know the Night Crawlers were playing tonight…”
Seth grunted in response and tossed back the drink the woman had just placed in front of him in one long swallow. He didn’t care what the band did. It didn’t matter if there were a dozen people or more than a hundred in the room. He was only aware of one woman. But she refused to be near him.
As another song began, the too familiar ache spread through his stomach again. He’d been careful to drink before he entered the bar, but yet again the blood had not satisfied his thirst. No one tasted as sweet as Willow did. No one else had been able to ease his thirst, no matter how much he drank. He’d come damn close to draining the last few people from whom he’d drunk.
“Seth, you have got to get over this. Whatever happened between you and that girl is over, you need to stop…”
He wasn’t sure how he looked, or why Jason had stopped speaking. He didn’t care. Willow was walking toward him.
“May I join you?” she asked.
He couldn’t help feeling a tingle of excitement. Would she sit on his lap again if he said yes? “Of course.” His tingle froze as she sat on one of the unused chairs. Fighting back another wave of pain, Seth tried to smile. “Would you like something to drink?” He was amazed to hear his voice sound so calm, as the waitress brought Jason his soda.
“No, thanks. I won’t be staying long.”
Trying to appear relaxed, he leaned back in his chair, drinking in the sight of her. She looked as if she felt the same way he had since she left, as though she’d been living in the same hell. There were dark purple circles under her eyes even her make-up could not completely conceal. Was that why I have been unable to find her? Has she been refusing to sleep? For her to attempt such a feat proved how strong a will she had. It made him want to wrap his arms around her and protect and comfort her more than ever. He wanted to promise he would keep her safe and know that she believed him, that she trusted him.
Despite her apparent exhaustion, she was easily more beautiful than any other woman in the room.
“Um, I need to ask Seth a few questions…” She spoke hesitantly.
“I’ll just go get a refill from the bar,” Jason said, getting up from his chair and, taking his still full glass, walked across the room.
“What would you like to know?” Seth couldn’t seem to keep the corners of his mouth from twitching upwards, into a small smile. This was similar to their first meeting. What else would mimic that first meeting? And by the old gods, she smelled delicious. His body couldn’t help remembering her passionate response to his caresses and stirred to life. His teeth ached as he though about her physical response to his bites.
“What did you do to me? Was that dream real?” she demanded.
“Yes, it was.” Leaning forward, Seth decided he would be completely honest since he didn’t know if he’d ever have a second chance. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I simply wished to apologize for frightening you earlier. You did not stay long enough for me to do so in person,” he explained.
“How could you find me like that?” Willow wore a bewildered expression, a look of concern slowly mixing in with it.