Page 53 of Twilight Destiny

She held him close, crooning meaningless words, her heart breaking for his anguish. He had been alone for centuries, she thought. People weren’t meant to be solitary creatures. Surely that applied to vampires, too. “Promise me something?”

“What?” It was a foolish question. He knew the answer before she spoke.

“Promise me that you’ll never go hunting when you’re that upset again.”

“Rosa … ”

“Please, Jake. I can sort of understand what happened, but I can’t condone it. If it happens again … ” Her voice trailed off. If it happened again, she would have to leave him for good. Her conscience would demand it.

She didn’t say the words out loud, but he heard them just the same. “I should go,” he said quietly.

“Please don’t.” She hated to think of him out there, prowling the streets alone and feeling guilty.

He lifted his head, his dark eyes haunted as they searched hers.

“Stay the night.”

“Rosa?”

“I don’t mean spend the night in my bed,” she exclaimed. “I just meant stay here where I can keep an eye on you.”

He barked a short, humorless laugh. “You think you can stop me from leaving?”

“Of course not. I just don’t want to be alone.”

She didn’t wanthimto be alone, Kincaid thought. “Staying right now isn’t a good idea,” he said, his gaze sliding away from hers. “I haven’t fed yet.” He should have fed first, he knew that, but he had been desperate to see her, to confess what he’d done, although he wasn’t sure if he had come to her looking for condemnation, or hoping for absolution.

“Oh.”

“Exactly.” He lifted her from his lap as easily as if she weighed no more than an infant and set her on her feet, then stood and shoved his hands into his pants’ pockets. He towered over her.

Rosa stared up at him. She had forgotten just how tall and broad he was. His long-sleeved tee shirt did nothing to hide the impressive muscles in his arms or the width of his shoulders. He could probably break her in two as easily as she broke a stalk of celery. “Will you come back after?”

His heated gaze ran over her from head to foot.

It sent a shiver down her spine. Was he thinking of her as prey when he looked at her like that? Or carrying her off to bed?

A slow smile spread over his face as he drew her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “Both,” he whispered.

And then he was gone.

She was fighting the urge to cry when her cell phone rang. Thank goodness, it was here. All day, she’d thought she’d lost it. She was breathless when she found it under a dish towel on the kitchen table. Hoping it might be Jake, she glanced at the display. For the first time ever, she was disappointed when she saw Micah’s name “Hi,” she said, hoping she didn’t sound as depressed as she felt.

“What’s wrong, Rosie?”

“I never could fool you,” she muttered. “Nothing’s wrong. Just … nothing.”

“That usually means something. I wanted to call and let you know we’re back.”

“All of you?”

“No. Dad started feeling bad, so Mom decided they should come home. Holly and I decided to come with them. So did Angela and her family, since her kids were getting homesick. I told Sofie and the others to go ahead and finish their vacation, and that I’d call if we got bad news.”

“What’s wrong with Dad?”

“I’m not sure. I made an appointment for him at the doctor’s office for Monday afternoon at three. Mom said she’d make sure he keeps it. You know how the old man feels about doctors. So, everything okay with you?”

“Couldn’t be better.”