Chapter 75
Chapter 75
“Declan p>
He crashed into the table, sending one of the chairs flying, and fell to the floor. When he hit the ground, he was fully in wolf form. He lunged to his feet, eyes wild and rolling. He didn’t look like Declan anymore. There was no sign of the man she knew gleaming in those feral eyes. He snarled, and it turned into a shrill, hair–ra
that seemed to reverberate inside her head like a screa
Was he still in there? Was he still Declan?
The big wolf surged towards the door, throwing his body against it so hard the walls rattled. The door didn’t budge. He raked his claws over it and then threw himself at it again, and again. He was going
to break the door down, and Tessa was going to be left here with no heat and no protection. She had to risk getting close to him.
Hugging the wall, she crept to towards the door while Declan’s silver wolf thrashed and snarled. Staying as far away as she could, Tessa
reached out and twisted the handle. The door popped open, and
Declan shoved through it, disappearing into the woods. She could hear his crazed howling for a long time. Other wolves nearby joined
the chorus until she was surrounded by their eerie, ululating cries.
She slammed the door shut and clapped her hands over her ears,
sinking to the floor. The coldness that had been slowly fading from
her bones snapped back with a vengeance. Curling in on herself, she
stayed that way for long minutes, heart pounding, body trembling,
sick with fear.
After several minutes–or hours, Tessa wasn’t sure–she drew her trembling hands away from her ears. Outside, everything was quiet. The sun was getting low, sending long shadows through the forest surrounding the cabin. Letting out a shaky breath, she got to her
Chapter 75
feet. She went to her bag and dug around until she found her compact mirror. Sitting on a kitchen chair, she propped her leg up and angled the mirror to try and see what Declan had seen.
There–high on the inside of her thigh–was a stark white scar, shaped like a human bite, with deep punctures where the eyeteeth were. The mirror slipped from her nerveless fingers and fell to the
floor. Glass tinkled as it shattered.
When the door opened, the sun had set, and Tessa was sitting in the pitch dark, knees drawn to her chest, trembling from the
“Tessa?” Declan’s voice was cautious as he stepped ins
Course
it was. She’d been marked by a vampire. Obviously that was really, really bad, or Declan wouldn’t have freaked out and run away.
“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice like gravel. “I didn’t know p>
Declan made a distressed noise. “Gracie, no.” She sensed his body approaching her, crouching in front of her. “Don’t apologize.” His hand cupped her cheek and it was so warm she flinched away. Declan drew in a sharp breath. “You’re like ice p>
He moved away from her and she heard the ladder creak. A second later, he was back, wrapping the bed’s queen size comforter around her. He moved away again, and the heat register made a heavy clunk as he cranked up the thermostat. A second later, a lamp
clicked and soft light filled the cabin.
“Have you eaten?” Declan asked, moving to look at the pot on the stovetop. It’d been simmering the whole time he was gone. How long had he been gone? Was it burnt beyond recognition?
“I’m not hungry,” she said. Her voice sounded like a ghost’s.
Declan turned the burner off and came back to her. Something crunched under his foot and he swore. “What the–glass? What happened?” He bent to pick up the shattered compact.
Chapter 75
“I was trying to see it p>
Declan’s face clouded. He looked down, staring at the shards of glass.
“I’m sorry I left you alone,” he said in a low voice. “I… I haven’t lost control to the wolf in a long time.” He gathered the broken glass up
and brought it to the garbage.
“What’s going to happen to me now?” Tessa asked, shaking so hard
her teeth were chattering.
Declan came back, flipped the comforter open, an
er up.
His skin burned like fire. Tessa hissed and recoiled, but there was no escaping his strength. He wrapped the comforter around them both, and sank into the chair, holding her against his chest.
“The same thing that was always going to happen,” he said, tightening his arms around her as she twisted away from the inferno of his touch. “You’re going to stay here while we hunt down the strigoi. Once we destroy him, you and I can go back to The Spruce–but I’m hoping that won’t be for too long p>
Tessa’s heart seemed to stop. He wants me to leave.
“I’ve been thinking about buying George Prouse’s old place,” Declan continued. “It’s just outside of Longtooth, upriver a bit. Maybe this is too soon to ask, but whenever you feel ready, I hope you’ll move in
with me p>
Tessa blinked. “What p>
Declan scrubbed a hand over his face. “I knew it was too soon. Forget I asked. I’ll wait a normal amount of time and ask you then.” He paused thoughtfully. “What would a normal amount of time be, do you think p>
“You don’t want me to leave p>
Chapter 75
Declan looked at her as if she’d turned into a tap–dancing frog. “Haven’t I been pretty clear about wanting you to stay p>
“I… I’m not turning into a vampire p>
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