But it would, Sera knew it would. She could feel it in him. She had seen it come over his face many times in the past few days. Saw it today, when he'd come upon them in the snow. Saw it yesterday, when Jack had been holding her shoulders. Saw it when they had been in the shower. He would go after them, and it would be her fault. But what could she do? She couldn't become one of them, she just couldn't. She couldn't drink blood, and she couldn't be a monster. She didn't even eat meat! She would have to give up her hopes of a home, and a family.
Sera closed her eyes as anguish tore through her. What good would a home, or a family, be if she wasn't with Liam?
"It will happen Liam, and it will probably happen with her."
Sera's eyes flew back open as her heart lurched into her throat. "He won't hurt me!" she choked out.
"He will change you. There is no chance that he won't. It's only a matter of when he will, and from the looks of him I would say that it is going to be very soon."
Sera shuddered as revulsion ripped through her. "That is not true," Liam grated.
"Yes, it is. Now the only question is, will she be willing, or will you force it on her?"
Four sets of utterly inhuman and savage eyes turned toward her in the candlelight. Liam's arms tightened around her. She was completely terrified to look at him, completely terrified of everything that was happening. "Well Sera, what will it be?" David asked.
A choked cry escaped from her as her legs buckled. Liam swung her easily up. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes were burning orbs of resentment, and hopelessness, as they flashed rapidly from red to green, and back again.
"Take care of those two," he ordered, as he strode across the kitchen.
"Liam, what I said is true," David said.
He paused in the doorway to look back at him. "I know."
Sera dropped her head against his chest and began to sob softly.
CHAPTER 17
Liam sat on the bed and cradled her in his lap. He held her tenderly, allowing her to sob out her sorrow as he kept his head buried in her hair. He could smell her blood, hear her heartbeat, but it didn't arouse the beast in him now. The monster within seemed to be effectively buried by the sorrow that was wracking through her.
He stroked her long golden hair that was still damp from the snow. Reaching behind him, he pulled one of the blankets forward and wrapped it around her as he rubbed her arms in an attempt to warm her even more.
Minutes ticked endlessly by. Eventually her tears dried as she lay trembling against him. He noticed how small and frail she was as he shifted his hold on her. At the thought, he felt the demon surge forth. Closing his eyes, he willed it to go away. Now was not the time, or the place. She needed him now; she didn't need more trauma.
"Feeling better?" he asked.
She shook her head and buried herself within the blanket. He pulled it away from her face and caressed her tear stained cheek as she lifted her chin to look at him. Her eyes were a vibrant violet, even though they were bloodshot, and swollen from her tears. Her lower lip still trembled a little.
A wave of protectiveness washed through him. He hated to see her cry, and it was his fault that she was crying now. Everything was his fault. "Damn!" he shouted. "I'm sorry Sera. I am so very sorry."
Her lids dropped down, her long, gold tipped lashes were wet with tears as they shadowed her pale cheeks. "It's all true, isn't it?" she whispered.
His hands convulsed on her. He wanted to tell her that David was wrong, that no matter what he could control himself around her. But he had promised her that he would never lie to her again, and he knew that David was right. He was controlling himself now, but only because of her tears. He knew that he couldn't control himself long, knew that one of these days he would snap, and it would be soon.
"Yes, I think it is." She shivered as a fresh tear rolled down her face. "If I had known, I would have left you be," he grated hoarsely. "I would have stopped myself from seeing you. I would have left the country, the continent if necessary. I would have done whatever it took not to inflict this on you Sera. But I can't now. I just can't."
The torment in his voice tore at her heart, ripped through her soul, but she was so scared, and so confused. She knew that he would have left her be before things had gotten this far, but she also knew that even if he had left, even if she had never seen him again, she would have missed him. She would have always been empty without him. He would have haunted her dreams and she knew that somehow she would have found him again.
"I would have found you," she whispered.
He released a low groan. "Sera..."
"No Liam, I would have. If you hadn't come back for me, I would have found you. I love you."
"I would have left before it ever came to that."
"I've loved you from the beginning. I loved you before I met you," she told him as a dawning realization came over her. "I was ready with Jacob." His hands convulsed on her as a low growl escaped him. She turned to him knowing already that the demon was there. His face was strained as he fought to bring it under control. "But, I began to panic. It suddenly felt wrong; it felt awful. I was waiting for you. Somehow, even then, I knew you were out there and I was waiting for you."
His jaw was clenched as he sought to control his temper. The thought of Jacob touching her in anyway was more than he could bear. The thought of what Jacob had done to her made him wish that the bastard was still alive so that he could kill him again. A shudder ripped through him and he almost bellowed from the rage that was encompassing him.
