Page 52 of Twilight Destiny

After a moment, she started the car and drove toward home. She wasn’t sure if that was a good idea, either, but at least she could scream for help if she needed it, she thought. Although she doubted if old Mrs. Kellogg or equally old Mr. Gillespie would even hear her, let alone be of much help.

Rosa parked the car and locked it behind her. Heart pounding with trepidation, she climbed the stairs to her apartment, acutely aware of the man trailing after her. Her hand trembled as she unlocked the door and stepped inside.

She frowned when he didn’t follow. “Are you coming in?”

“Vampire,” he said, the word as cold as ice. “I can’t enter without an invitation.”

She had forgotten that little piece of supernatural etiquette. After a moment’s hesitation, she murmured, “Please come in, Jake.”

There was a discernable vibration in the air as he stepped across the threshold.

“Nice place,” he said, glancing around. Pale blue walls, white leather sofa and chair, dark blue carpet, glass-topped coffee table. A vase of red, white, and blue silk flowers on the mantel, along with a couple of family photographs.

She gestured at the chair. “Have a seat.” She watched as he lowered himself into the chair, every muscle taut, his jaw rigid.

“Who was that guy?” he asked.

“Just a patient from where I work.”

“Do you often go out with the patients?”

“Only when they ask me,” she snapped. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

A muscle twitched in his jaw.

“He asked me out and I said yes. End of story. Are you ever going to tell me why you’re here?”

“Why the hell do you think?”

His voice was deep, tinged with anger and jealousy, but there was also a note of remorse and it filled her with hope. “Because you missed me?”

All the tension drained out of him as his gaze met hers. “Rosa.” He huffed an irritated sigh. “I’m lost without you.”

She felt her heart break at the need in his voice. Without a word, she perched on his lap and clasped her hands behind his neck. “I missed you, too.” Warmth spread through her, along with a sense of being where she belonged as his arms went around her.

He groaned low in his throat as the twin talons of need and desire sparked to life at her nearness. “This is never going to work,” he said. “I’m no good for you. You should ask me to leave.”

“No way, mister.”

“There’s something I have to tell you.”

Suddenly apprehensive, she leaned back so she could see his face. “What?”

He refused to meet her gaze. “I killed a man the other night. I have no excuse for what I did,” he said, his voice thick with regret. “I knew what I was doing and I just didn’t give a damn.”

She didn’t know what to say. How could she tell him it was all right? Or that she understood, when she didn’t and likely never would. “Why? Why did you kill him? I thought … ” Her voice trailed off.

“I was mad at Saintcrow for sticking his nose in my business and angry with myself for being mad at him because I knew he was only trying to help. And I guess I was feeling a little hurt because you’d left without a word. I was on edge and spoiling for a fight and when the guy tried to resist me, I lost it.” He dragged his fingers through his hair. “Dammit, that’s no excuse. It wasn’t your fault or Saintcrow’s. I’ve got no one to blame but myself. I didn’t mean to kill him, but he’s just as dead and the fault is all mine.”

Rosa bit down on her lower lip. She knew it wasn’t her fault Jake had killed the man and yet she couldn’t help feeling a little guilty for the man’s death. Would things have been different if she’d taken the time to tell Jake goodbye? She was torn between horror at what he’d done and pity for his anguish. How awful, to have such power at your fingertips, to know people might die if you lost control. How could she stay with him, knowing what he’d done? What he might do in the future?

He buried his face in her hair. “I shouldn’t have come here.”

Her conscience told her to make a clean break and be done with it. But she couldn’t leave him, not when he so obviously needed her. Not when doing so would surely break her heart. “Does Saintcrow know what you did?”

“Yes,” he said, his voice muffled. “I thought he’d destroy me, even though it didn’t happen in his territory. I guess, deep down, I was hoping he’d do just that.”

“No!” she cried, horrified by the very idea. “Don’t even think that!”