"If it concerns her, then she stays," Liam insisted.
"She may not want to hear what I have to say. You may not want to hear it. I'm telling you Liam, let her go."
He glanced at Sera standing just outside the doorway. He turned back to David and shook his head. "I can't."
David ran his hand through his hair. "Fine, but just remember that I warned you. Can we talk in here?"
"I don't want to be too far away from Kathleen and Danielle, just in case. But they shouldn't be able to hear us."
"I can go if you want me too," Sera said.
"No," Liam said brusquely.
She didn't say anything as he walked over and pulled her into his arms. Leaning against the counter, he braced her between his legs and relished in the refreshing, sweet scent of her hair. His body quickened as he heard the blood rushing through her veins. He could smell himself inside of her. That realization caused his mouth to water and the beast to stream forth again. His hands clenched upon her as he closed his eyes in an attempt to keep the demon at bay.
"So what do we tell them?" Mike asked. "Do you think they could handle the truth?"
"I don't know," Sera answered. "I didn't handle it too well and I love Liam."
"We can't tell them the truth," Jack said.
"Do you have another idea? Because I know I've been wracking my brain for hours, and I can't think of one," Mike said.
"Can we force them to accept another truth?"
"You can't do that!" Sera cried.
"It may be the only way," Doug said. "It will be trickier since so much time has elapsed, and they're not drunk, but with all of us we should be able to do it."
"There has to be another way."
"Sera, there may not be."
Liam's breath was warm against her neck. It sent shivers down her spine at the same time that tears sprang to her eyes. She turned to him. "Liam please," she pleaded. "I don't want to see them hurt."
He clasped her face in his hands and held her. "They won't even know what happened."
"And if Beth comes back and tries to harm them?"
The tears in her eyes, and the quiver in her voice, tore at his heart. He didn't want to see her hurt, but telling Danielle and Kathleen the truth only placed all of them in more peril. This was for the best, and she had to realize that.
"We will keep them safe Sera," he vowed.
Tears slid down her cheeks as she stared at him with melancholy eyes. He wiped the tears away with his thumbs. "Promise?" she breathed.
"Yes, I promise. We all promise, right?"
"Yes," they answered.
"It really won't hurt them? Are you sure?"
"I am absolutely positive."
Sera's lip trembled as her head fell forward and tears spilled down her cheeks to wet his hands. He pulled her against him as she cried silently into his shirt. He closed his eyes against the anguish that filled him. "Go do it," he ordered in a hoarse voice.
It took all he had to keep Sera standing. "We need to talk about something else first," David said.
Liam ground his teeth. "I think it can wait!"
