"I think that's a good idea," Liam said.
Sera glanced back up at him. His face was still remote, but there was a flicker behind his eyes that told her he was troubled about something. She frowned at him questioningly, but he shook his head and kissed her forehead.
Sera cast a sidelong glance at Jack. His hazel eyes were knowing as he grinned at her. Sera felt a blush creep up her cheeks as she lowered her gaze again. She chanced a glance at Mike, Doug, and David to find them all eyeing her with that same knowing gleam in their eyes, and identical goofy grins. She focused her gaze on her boots.
Liam scowled at the four of them. Their grins grew bigger, and Liam gave up trying to intimidate them. "Well, come on!" Kathleen cried. "I'm starting to freeze. Not all of us have been in bed all day!"
She nudged Sera as she bounced through the snow to the house. Sera shook her head as she turned to follow her back to the cabin. "So, how are you feeling?" Mike asked as he appeared at her side.
"Fine," she muttered.
"Mike," Liam growled warningly.
Mike laughed as he slapped Liam on the back. "I can see that your good humor has been restored."
Liam couldn't help but smile as Mike grinned. He could feel her chagrin, but he couldn't stop the pleasure that swept over him. She really was his now, and he was hers. He pushed the backdoor open and stepped aside to let her enter. Everyone filed into the tiny space, bumping and jostling as they tried to remove their snow gear. Doug bumped into Sera and instantly jumped back as he shot Liam a worried glance. She looked up, her brow furrowed with apprehension as she turned to Liam too. He had felt a spark of annoyance when Doug had touched her, but it had faded almost instantly. He smiled reassuringly at her as he pulled his jacket off. Her frown vanished as she returned his smile with a carefree air he hadn't seen in awhile.
"Thank God," Doug muttered.
Sera silently agreed as she pulled her scarf off and hung it on the hook. It was so much more enjoyable to have this Liam back with her. Until then, she hadn't realized just how much she had missed his smiles, laughter, and easygoing demeanor. He had changed so fast that she hadn't had time to recall what he had been like before. She had been frightened by the new alterations in herself, and the world around her, but she knew now that she wouldn't have changed a thing, and she would do it all over again just to have him with her once more.
Love burst so intensely through her that she couldn't keep herself from running over and throwing her arms around him. He grunted and wrapped his arms around her. "I missed you," she whispered.
He closed his eyes as he held her. He hadn't realized just how bad he'd been until now, just how close he'd come to being something that he'd never wanted to be. But everything was all right now;hewas all right now. She made him complete. He glanced over his head at Mike, Doug, David, and Jack. They were no longer grinning stupidly but staring at them in amazement.
"Oh, for crying out loud, you guys have been in bed all day, could you please stop pawing each other!" Kathleen cried.
Sera pulled her head out of Liam's shoulder; she smiled at him and kissed him. He grinned as he released her. Kathleen grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the mudroom. "Now that we've got you for a few minutes I'm not letting go!" she declared as she shot a pointed glance over her shoulder.
Liam finished pulling his jacket off and hung it on the hook. "It's good to have you back," Jack said.
"Yeah," he mumbled.
"So, are we going to stay or not?" David asked.
Sera, Danielle, and Kathleen were gone as he entered the kitchen, but he could hear their voices drifting in from the living room. "If we get the chance to get out of here, I say we take it," Doug said.
"I agree," Jack muttered.
"Beth is still out there, she will come back," Mike said as he cast a worried glance at Liam.
"What are we going to do when we go back? She found us here, and she's already found us at the college," David said. "It will be more difficult to protect them at the school. They'll be more open."
Liam shifted as he crossed his legs before him and folded his arms over his chest. He could feel his anger steadily growing. Instantly his mind sought Sera. He could feel her happiness, her joy as she laughed and talked with Kathleen and Danielle. He took a deep breath as her presence helped to pacify him.
"So what are you suggesting we do?" Mike demanded.
David glanced warily at Liam. "Honestly, I think the two of you should leave."
Liam stood away from the counter. "And go where?"
"Somewhere, anywhere."
"She'll find them," Mike said. "She'll track him through her blood, and she'll find them. Leaving isn't going to do them any good."
"And what about Kathleen and Danielle?" Jack asked.
"I think Beth will leave them be, if Liam and Sera are no longer around," David answered.
