Page 27
Story: Ache For Her
Galen’s gaze dropped to me. Taking in our situation, his eyes only narrowed. “You may leave Allison. Thank you for alerting me to the intruder.” The woman, who I could only describe as a guard turned and left the room. When she was out of sight, Galen asked, “Who’s this?”
“This is Delilah Greene.”
The vampire blinked. “Simon.”
Simon shrugged, a dark chuckle piercing the air that made my stomach turn.
“Just what kind of trouble have you been getting yourself into?” Galen asked, sighing.
I clamped my jaw shut, holding everything in. My body pricked in warning. I didn’t like this place one bit. At least back in the human world, I could pretend that Simon was an anomaly. Now, I was faced with someone who was just like him and felt the tremor in my hands to prove it.
OceanofPDF.com
Chapter Thirteen
Simon
Even as I walked into the compound, I didn’t understand why I’d brought Delilah here. To settle her here? Because I wanted her with me? None of those things seemed exactly right, so it wasn’t a lie when I told her I needed Galen’s advice. He’d been there for me for so many years. He could probably read my face without me even trying.
Kayleigh walked up behind Galen, sliding her hand around his waist. Delilah’s eyes practically bugged out of her head. Kayleigh was a stunning human, but she was even more stunning as a vampire.
What would Delilah—?
No. My mind was not going there.
“This is Delilah,” I told them, “… and there’s no trouble, is there, Delilah?”
Delilah didn’t even speak. She sat there and blinked at Kayleigh and Galen. I imagined trying to see them through her eyes. They must have been a sight together. I could feel her skin turn cold and step ever so slightly into me for protection.
“Perhaps I should take Delilah into the other room and let you and Galen talk,” Kayleigh said.
I smiled at her. She didn’t meet my eyes when she came to take Delilah away. There was that pesky time I tried to kill her, but I’d also brought her back to Galen. You’d think that would mean something, but the fledgling was holding onto her grudge, apparently.
Delilah stepped closer to me when Kayleigh neared. It made me chuckle. The fact that she thought I was less intimidating than bleeding heart Kayleigh made me think I was losing it. “It’s okay,” I told her.
Kayleigh rolled her eyes. “Yes, it is. I won’t hurt you.” She took her by the shoulders gently and walked her into the big room.
Galen turned on his heel and moved back toward his office. I followed him, my brain firing, trying to think of a reason why I brought her here other than that it felt natural to do so. Where else would I take her?
Galen held the door open for me and then shut it when I walked in. He laid a hand on my shoulder. “It’s good to see you.”
“You, too,” I told him.
He squeezed my shoulder and then walked past. “I admit, when you said you were in Philly I was quite worried. I didn’t know whether to come find you or not.” He leaned against his desk and crossed his arms over his chest. “Now I see you’ve brought someone with you?” He arched an eyebrow.
“Delilah,” I said again.
“Yes, Delilah Greene, but who exactly is she, Simon? And why do you have her? I can only venture a guess, but I’d rather not.”
“She’s Greenie’s granddaughter.”
He nodded as if he’d already surmised as much. “And you…?” he trailed off, waiting for me to get to the point.
“I’m ransoming her, Galen. I’m ransoming her for that prick who took my mother’s life.”
“Oh,” Galen said, a frown creasing his lips. “And how’s that going?”
I shrugged. “Not very well. The old bastard doesn’t care that I have his granddaughter. He’s made no attempt to meet my demands,” I growled, and before I knew it, I was shouting, my words coming out in angry clips. “And no attempt to even rescue her.”
“This is Delilah Greene.”
The vampire blinked. “Simon.”
Simon shrugged, a dark chuckle piercing the air that made my stomach turn.
“Just what kind of trouble have you been getting yourself into?” Galen asked, sighing.
I clamped my jaw shut, holding everything in. My body pricked in warning. I didn’t like this place one bit. At least back in the human world, I could pretend that Simon was an anomaly. Now, I was faced with someone who was just like him and felt the tremor in my hands to prove it.
OceanofPDF.com
Chapter Thirteen
Simon
Even as I walked into the compound, I didn’t understand why I’d brought Delilah here. To settle her here? Because I wanted her with me? None of those things seemed exactly right, so it wasn’t a lie when I told her I needed Galen’s advice. He’d been there for me for so many years. He could probably read my face without me even trying.
Kayleigh walked up behind Galen, sliding her hand around his waist. Delilah’s eyes practically bugged out of her head. Kayleigh was a stunning human, but she was even more stunning as a vampire.
What would Delilah—?
No. My mind was not going there.
“This is Delilah,” I told them, “… and there’s no trouble, is there, Delilah?”
Delilah didn’t even speak. She sat there and blinked at Kayleigh and Galen. I imagined trying to see them through her eyes. They must have been a sight together. I could feel her skin turn cold and step ever so slightly into me for protection.
“Perhaps I should take Delilah into the other room and let you and Galen talk,” Kayleigh said.
I smiled at her. She didn’t meet my eyes when she came to take Delilah away. There was that pesky time I tried to kill her, but I’d also brought her back to Galen. You’d think that would mean something, but the fledgling was holding onto her grudge, apparently.
Delilah stepped closer to me when Kayleigh neared. It made me chuckle. The fact that she thought I was less intimidating than bleeding heart Kayleigh made me think I was losing it. “It’s okay,” I told her.
Kayleigh rolled her eyes. “Yes, it is. I won’t hurt you.” She took her by the shoulders gently and walked her into the big room.
Galen turned on his heel and moved back toward his office. I followed him, my brain firing, trying to think of a reason why I brought her here other than that it felt natural to do so. Where else would I take her?
Galen held the door open for me and then shut it when I walked in. He laid a hand on my shoulder. “It’s good to see you.”
“You, too,” I told him.
He squeezed my shoulder and then walked past. “I admit, when you said you were in Philly I was quite worried. I didn’t know whether to come find you or not.” He leaned against his desk and crossed his arms over his chest. “Now I see you’ve brought someone with you?” He arched an eyebrow.
“Delilah,” I said again.
“Yes, Delilah Greene, but who exactly is she, Simon? And why do you have her? I can only venture a guess, but I’d rather not.”
“She’s Greenie’s granddaughter.”
He nodded as if he’d already surmised as much. “And you…?” he trailed off, waiting for me to get to the point.
“I’m ransoming her, Galen. I’m ransoming her for that prick who took my mother’s life.”
“Oh,” Galen said, a frown creasing his lips. “And how’s that going?”
I shrugged. “Not very well. The old bastard doesn’t care that I have his granddaughter. He’s made no attempt to meet my demands,” I growled, and before I knew it, I was shouting, my words coming out in angry clips. “And no attempt to even rescue her.”