His Dark Embrace

She wandered aimlessly around Granda’s lab. It had taken hours to put everything to rights again after Desmarais’ break-in. Thinking of Desmarais sent a chill down her spine. Where was he now? She could only hope he had left town.

She ran her hand over one of the file cabinets. She really should do something with her grandfather’s journals and notebooks, but what? Donate them to a medical research library? Give them to the hospital where he used to practice? Destroy them so no one else could have them?

Spooked by thoughts that the hunter-turned-vampire might return, she hurried up the stairs to find Sam in the kitchen poking around in the fridge.

He glanced at her over his shoulder. “There’s nothing to eat.”

“There is, too.”

“Well, nothing that looks good. Let’s go out and grab a bite.”

“All right. I’m going to go change my clothes first. I’ll meet you down here in ten minutes.”

“Make it twenty. I need a shower after mowing that jungle out there.”

They decided on hamburgers for lunch. Skylynn took it as a good sign when Sam ordered his favorite sweet potato fries. It wasn’t a breakthrough, but it was something.

Sam fidgeted while they waited for their order to arrive. He couldn’t seem to sit still and he was either drumming his fingers on the tabletop, tapping his foot, or rearranging the salt and pepper shakers. When the waitress brought their drinks, he drank half of his in one long swallow.

“Are you all right?” Sky asked when he started shredding his napkin.

“Yeah, fine. I’m just feeling sort of edgy. I don’t know why.”

“Maybe it’s the weather.”

“Yeah, maybe.” He took another drink, then ran his finger around the rim of the glass. “I guess I should be looking for a job.”

“That makes two of us. It’s a good thing the house is paid for, but taxes will be due in a few months. I think I have enough saved for the first half.”

“What kind of job are you looking for?”

“Right now, anything I can get,” she said glumly. “But nobody in town seems to be hiring.”

“Maybe you’ll have to look in that town I passed on the way here.”

“Maybe.” She had been hoping to find something a little closer to home. Grover was twenty miles away.

While they ate, Skylynn reminisced about Sam’s past. “You used to love to go fishing and hiking with Granda. Do you remember the time you went deep-sea fishing and caught a tuna?”

“No.”

“Do you remember when you were ten and fell down the stairs and broke your arm? You were thrilled because you got to miss two days of school.”

He shook his head, his expression pensive, making Sky wonder if bringing up old memories was such a good idea.

After lunch, Sam suggested they take in a movie, and Sky agreed. After all, it was hours until dark. Hours until she saw Kaiden again.

On the drive home, they talked about the movie for a few minutes before Sam said, “When I was in the hospital, Boyle said I have a VW. Do I?”

“Yeah. It’s in the garage.”

“Maybe I’ll take it out and see if it still runs.”

“Of course it runs.”

“How do you know?” he asked, and then his eyes widened in alarm. “You drove my Bug?”

“Geez, don’t go ballistic. I only drove it once a week or so, just to keep the battery charged. You should be thanking me.”

“Yeah,” he said, looking properly contrite. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

“You should get a new car,” he said, breaking for a red light. “This Lincoln is ancient.”

“I know, but it belonged to Granda.” Skylynn ran her hand lovingly over the dashboard. “Besides, it’s in good shape.”

“Don’t you want a car of your own?”

She shrugged. “I was leasing one in Chicago. I don’t know, maybe I’ll buy a new one, now that I’m here to stay. If I ever find a job.”

Sam pulled into the driveway and cut the engine. “Do you have the keys to the Bug?”

“They’re in the yellow jar on the mantel.”

With a nod, Sam got out of the car and hurried into the house.

Sky followed him inside, biting down on her lower lip to keep from asking him not to go. She couldn’t keep him locked up inside. He was a grown man, after all, but she couldn’t help worrying that if he left the house, something would happen to him.

She blew out a breath. On the other hand, driving around town in his own car might help to bring his memory back.

“Don’t wait up,” he said, twirling the key ring around his finger.

“Sam ...”

“What?”

“Be careful, okay?”

“Sure.”

“If you get lost ...”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “I might not know who I am, but I think I can find my way around.”

She forced a smile. “Right.”

Still, that wasn’t going to keep her from worrying about him while he was gone.

She was in the living room, trying to find something to watch on TV, when the doorbell rang. She hurried to answer it, hoping it was Kaiden. A thrill of excitement shot through her from head to foot when she called, “Who’s there?” and heard his voice answer, “It’s me.”

As soon as she opened the door, he wrapped her in his arms. “Hey.”

“Hey, yourself. I thought you were upstairs.”

“I went home to shower and change clothes.”

“Oh. You could have spent the night in my bed, you know.”

He explained, quickly, how he had left the house last night, only to return after detecting Desmarais’ scent nearby.

“I wish he’d just go away and leave us alone!” Sky exclaimed angrily.

“Hey, enough about him,” Thorne said. “I read Sam’s mind last night. As near as I can tell, his injury was caused by a blow to the head.”

“That’s good news, I guess.”

Kaiden skimmed his hands up and down her arms. “I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.”

“Did you?” he asked with a wicked grin. “How much?”

“This much.” Throwing her arms around his neck, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him, amazed anew that such a handsome, sexy man wanted her. Being near him was like having Christmas every day. Each smile, each kiss, was a gift to cherish. He was immortal, powerful, charming, and he loved her. Best of all, he would never die and leave her alone.