What I really wanted to know was, Will you die again on me, if I don't get you there fast enough? but I couldn't quite bring myself to ask him that. He seemed to understand my real question though. "The dangerous part is over, Emma. I'm starving...but it won't end me." He twisted his lips. "I'm pretty sure anyway."
Ignoring that last part, I visibly relaxed and gave him an agreeable nod. With a tiny grin, Teren closed the door. I made my way to the front, unlocked the cab and slid inside, tossing the belts on the seat beside me. I fumbled through the keys on the ring and exhaled with relief when I found the one for the damn cuffs still hanging on my wrist. I popped them open and rubbed the red, irritated skin. Then I tossed the cuffs onto the seat, where they collided with the belts. Starting the camper, I mentally prepared myself for the long journey. Not only did I have to figure out where I was in relation to the world, but I had to find a nest of vampires that I'd never actually driven to. Should be fun.
It turned out to be easier to find the ranch than I'd anticipated. That doesn't mean I didn't get lost...I did. After driving back roads for what felt like an eternity, I'd finally given up and pulled over to ask Teren where his blood sense was directing him. Remembering his last words, I'd brought a peace offering with me.
I'd driven by a small stand that looked like it sold eggs during the day. Figuring they probably had chickens nearby, 'cause...duh, I stopped and darted over a small, wooden fence into a rundown yard that did indeed have a couple of henhouses in it. I reached inside one and felt around for a sleeping bird. Then, when I was pretty sure I was holding feet, I yanked my hand back and stole a chicken. Yep...that was what my life had been reduced to...stealing poultry, so my boyfriend wouldn't attack me.
I ran back to the camper, while the stupid bird flapped and flailed about, like it knew it was about to meet its maker. I stifled an Oh my god, I'm holding a chicken by its feet girly shriek and dashed to the back of the camper where Teren immediately opened the door.
I tossed the bird at him. He caught it, and drained it, all in one swoop. When he was done he tossed the bird's body outside and looked at me with scrunched brows. I studied his still sunken face, but noticed that his skin didn't look quite so ashen anymore. He looked minutely healthier...for a dead man at least.
"I can't believe you just stole a chicken for me." He shook his head in disbelief as his fangs retracted. "I could have gotten it."
I shook my head. "You would have eaten the whole flock and that's someone's livelihood. I just needed to know where to go, without you ripping my throat out."
He frowned as he pointed in the direction that we were already heading. I guess I hadn't been so far off after all. "I'm not gonna-"
Slamming the door in his face, I cut him off. "Okay...thanks."
He cracked the door back open. "Really?" He shook his head while I gave him a playful grin. "I'll bang on the cab if you start going the wrong way...okay?" I bit my lip and nodded and he, more gently than I had, closed the door again.
So, with only that one little pit stop, we finally made it to Teren's parents' massive spread of a home. They were all outside waiting in the parking area when I rolled up. They all had anxious looks on their faces. Alanna looked like she'd been crying and Jack, looking solemn, had his arm around her shoulders.
I wasn't sure why they looked so panicked already, before we'd even had a chance to tell them what had happened, but then I understood. From the blood bond they shared, they knew he was in the camper and from their unbelievably perceptive ears, they also knew he didn't have a heartbeat. What they didn't know was if I was bringing them a hungry vampire...or a corpse.
I immediately put the car in park, shut off the engine, and opened my door. "He's fine," I reassured them. My words didn't seem to ease their minds one bit; all three black-haired beauties flew to the back of the camper and ripped the door off its hinges to get at their son.
By the time I walked back there, they had already picked up his limp body and were herding him away from the vehicle. He weakly looked up at me as Halina and Imogen easily supported his weight. He seemed very tired. After his chicken snack, I'd found the highway, and we'd driven a couple more hours at least before making it to the ranch. He'd been silent in the camper the entire time. I'd carelessly assumed that that was because I'd been going the right way. He'd said before starting out, that he was pretty sure he would be okay for the trip, but as I studied his worn face, it was obvious to me that while the long drive hadn't killed him, it had definitely taken its toll on him. Silently, I berated myself for not finding him something else along the way.
"Thank you," he whispered, and then Halina and Imogen blurred him from sight. I had no idea which direction they went.
Alanna put a cool hand on my shoulder. I regarded her youthful face and thought she looked ten years older now, in her worry. New pink tears rolled down her cheeks as she pulled me in for a bone-crushing hug. "Thank you. Oh God, thank you."
She turned to flee to her son and I grabbed her arm. "Take me with you. I want to be with him."
Alanna looked back at Jack, who nodded to her after glancing once at me. Alanna scooped me up like I was no more trouble than a toddler and without another word, she blurred me to the pastures, where Teren was laying waste to their cattle.
The next thing I knew, she was setting me on top of one of the tall, white fences that separated the different fields. I could hear the sounds of low growling and distressed animals, and a shiver went up my spine.
"Stay here, dear," she said while patting my thigh. Her tone was kind, but very firm.
I nodded and watched her flit away to where the sounds were coming from in the tall grass. I couldn't see much in the dark, but their eyes marked where they were in the night, gorging themselves on clueless cattle.
I watched their eyes in a near trance for a seemingly long time. I startled when a hand brushed my back. Turning, I saw Jack standing behind me with his foot propped on the bottom slat of the fence. His eyes were moist as he looked up at me. "Thank you for bringing back my son," he choked out.
I nodded and swallowed back the tears that wanted to fall. Jack looked out over the field, at the glowing eyes dancing in the night like fireflies. "I don't know what happened tonight...and I'm pretty sure I never want to know..." He looked back up at me, as I suddenly felt very self-conscious about my bloodstained clothes and beat-up face. "But we owe you everything. You're always welcome here...daughter."
Okay...that undid me, and the tears flowed down my cheeks. It had been a long time since a man had called me daughter. My father's own passing had left a void in my life that, until this very instant, I hadn't even realized was there. Warmth filled my body that this loving man before me could be a part of my life in ways I hadn't anticipated. He could be a father for me, as well as for Teren. I suddenly wanted Ashley to meet him...to meet the entire family. I wanted this ache that I'd just felt start to heal, to heal for her too.
Seeming unsure how to deal with my reaction, Jack awkwardly rubbed my back. Then he climbed over the fence and jumped down to the other side. Alarmed I spouted, "Where are you going?" I was pretty sure he was walking into the lion's den in the middle of a feeding frenzy.
He gave me a crooked smile that was so much like Teren's, I had to swallow back tears again. "I thought I'd lost my son tonight. I'm going to go watch him be reborn." He held out his hand to me. "Want to come?"
Steeling myself, I nodded and jumped down to land beside him. I clutched his warm, dry hand and followed him into the night, to watch my honey live in the only way he could now.
Chapter 19 - Fire and Ice
Cool arms slid around my body the next morning and sighing contently, I stretched. Various aches and pains reminded me of the previous night's adventure. Everything that had transpired in the past twenty-four hours still seemed a little unreal to me. We'd been kidnapped, Teren had been killed, and then he'd been reanimated. We'd killed our attacker and we'd managed to escape, more or less intact.
A twinge of revulsion rose in my stomach at what we'd had to do to get out of there, but I pushed it back. I was sure I'd have nightmares over plunging a rod through that nameless man's throat, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it. Now was the time to cherish that we'd made it, that we were alive. Well, we were safe at least. Only one of us was still technically "alive".
I snuggled back into the cool, bare chest behind me. Grabbing one of his hands, I applied his cool, soothing touch to my aching face. I was pretty sure I had a black and blue eye. I felt like I had a black and blue brain too.
Teren pulled me in close. I shivered a bit under his touch. "Am I too cold for you?" he whispered.
"No," I murmured. "You feel wonderful...everything is sore."
Kissing my head, he pressed his body along the length of me. I sighed in contentment again as he comforted my aching body and my heart. Jack and I had watched him and the girls feed last night for what felt like hours. It had been mesmerizing to watch them silently move between the Wagyu, the special cattle his family had brought in, just for his awakening. Teren had said that he didn't like hunting, but he still had a predatory way of moving as he'd circled an animal and brought it down in one flawlessly smooth maneuver.
The women had let him get his fill before they'd moved in as well. Between the four of them, they'd gone through a half dozen cattle. There would be plenty of steaks in the freezer for a while.
When Jack and I had wandered amongst the vampires hand in hand, I'd been afraid for just the briefest moment that they'd turn on us. But Teren had only looked up from his meal, smiled uncertainly at me, and then resumed eating. The sight had rattled my stomach some, but that was who he was now, and at the moment, that had been what he'd needed. My fragile stomach was just going to have to deal with it. And really, after watching him devour a man...cows were a welcome sight.
Eventually, the emotionally charged evening had caught up to me. With drooping eyes, I'd nearly dropped like a sack at Jack's side. That was when cool arms had encircled me and swept me up into a tight embrace.
"I've got you, Emma," Teren had whispered into my ear, before flitting me back to the house and putting me into our bed. At least I'm assuming that's what happened. In all honesty, I vaguely remembered him speaking my name before the exhaustion overtook me and I fell fast asleep.
A pale ray of morning light fell across his arm as he held me tight to him in our massive bed here at the ranch. I noted how his skin was a little paler than it used to be, but he was still a touch darker than mine. I also noted the absence of his heart thumping against my back. I supposed I'd just have to get used to that too. And I would.
"Are you all right?" he whispered.
I twisted in his arms to look at him. Concern was in his sky blue eyes as his fingers against the side of my battered face began stroking my cheek. I put a hand on his chest, which was slightly warmer where my skin had heated it. "I'm okay, Teren. Actually, I'm better than okay...because you're okay."
Smiling, he leaned in to timidly kiss me, like he was suddenly afraid he'd break me. I tried to deepen his hesitant kiss, but he resisted and continued moving against my cut, swollen lip in a soft, temperate way. I ran my hand up his neck, through his dark hair, and forcibly pulled him into me. He was being slow and gentle and that wasn't the assurance I needed right now. Eventually my insistence paid off. With a low groan, he kissed me back, hard. I groaned too and he instantly pulled away.