Page 89 of A Vampire Bewitched
As her eyes creased with worry, he quickly tried to reassure her. “But, Keira…she seems to help him. She calms him, somehow. I don’t know.” He shrugged.
Emma searched behind her blindly for a chair as she started to sit down, and Nik shoved one beneath her just in time. He also sat. When she looked at him again, her eyes were large and shiny with unshed tears. “Are you all right?”
He couldn’t quite hold back his smile at her concern. “I’m good.”
“How did you find them?”
“They showed up in the same place we took you. Our sources were correct about them coming back there. We just showed up a few days early. It all went as planned, but Aiden got taken. I need to find him.”
“Leeha?”
He nodded. “She ran when we found her, and took Aiden with her.”
“The wolves?”
“They were there, also. They’re fine. They found Marc, their friend they were looking for.”
“Oh, good.”
Then she frowned. “Why hasn’t Keira called me?”
Nik scratched his head while he thought of how to word his answer. “She was a little…tied up for a while with Luukas. And he destroyed all of the phones in the apartment, which is why she asked me to let you know she was okay. She wanted me to tell you she’d be in touch as soon as she could, but for you not to worry. And she can’t wait to see you.”
“Oh, okay. Thank you.” She pulled her robe tighter.
With everything having been said, the tension in the air gradually thickened. Nik fidgeted, glancing up at her, but didn’t know what to say or do to bridge the gap between them. His blood hummed through his veins, every cell in his body aching for her. For her smile. For her touch. Even just the sound of her voice or the feel of her eyes on him.
It’s better this way. I should just go, Nik thought. Picking up his hoodie from the back of the chair where he’d dropped it, he stood and prepared to leave.
Emma stood also. “Are you thirsty?” she blurted.
Nik paused with his arm midway through the sleeve, his fangs punching down and his mouth salivating at her words. Clenching his jaw, he resumed his movements. She didn’t know what she was saying. She didn’t remember anything that happened between them, thanks to him.
“I’m good. Thank you.”
He zipped up his coat, but when he went to move past her, she stopped him with a hand on his chest.
“Nikulas. Are you thirsty?” she persisted. “You don’t look well.”
His body hardened immediately at her touch. Her hand was like a branding iron, scorching his skin even through his clothing, as her sweet scent seared his lungs.
His fangs, and his heart, ached at her offer. “I’ll be fine, Em,” he managed to get out. “Thank you.”
He tried to go, but her small hand was like a wall, holding him there.
She searched his face. “Nik, please talk to me. Is something wrong? Are you sick?”
“I don’t need your pity, Emma.”
“It’s not pity!” she threw back at him, dropping her hand. “I care about you! I want you to be happy, and healthy! I want you to—” Her mouth snapped shut with an audible ‘click’.
“Nik, please. Is there anything I can do?”
His eyes flew to the pulse at her throat. He could smell her blood, just beneath the surface. Grinding his teeth, he drew his will power around him like a shield. “Take care, Emma.” Squeezing past her, he pulled the door open and let the screen slam behind him.
“Nikulas!” Emma ran out after him into the cool night air. “Please don’t vamp off into the night on me.” Her voice was thick with unshed tears. “Please, stay.”
He stopped walking, but didn’t turn around. “It’s better this way, Em. Please don’t torture yourself worrying about me. It’s okay. Really. It is.” He started walking again. “Take care of yourself.”
