“I have no idea how long those purebredswere trapped there before I was brought in. They were too far goneto speak by the time I got there. The more time that passed, themore I wondered if this would be it, if this day would be my last.I knew—” Her voice broke.
She bowed her head as tears burned her eyes,but she refused to shed them. She would not give those pricks thesatisfaction of shedding another tear over what they’d done to her.She’d cried enough while in captivity, and then again during thefirst couple weeks after she’d been rescued.
“I knew one day it would be me too,” shesaid. “That one day they would be carrying my body out of there. Ithink they tried to keep most of us alive, since it’s not likepurebreds are common, but the cold and thehunger…. I’venever been so hungry in my life. My veins felt as if they were onfire, even though I couldn’t stop shivering because I was freezingfrom being so weak.”
Unable to resist, David laid his hand overhers in order to comfort her. When she stiffened beneath him, hepulled away and gripped his hands in his lap. He was afraid that ifhe grabbed the wheel again he’d rip it from the car.
“The hopelessness also dragged me down, thenever-ending fear, and thepain. In the beginning, I wasdetermined to fight back, to get free, to inflict damage. The fightwas dragged further and further out of me with every unwilling pullof my blood. The pain of that forcible blood drain didn’t recedewith time either. I swear it became more intense with every newbite.
“By the time they put me into thatwarehouse, I didn’t have much left in me. I was convinced it wouldbe the place where I died. Then one day I looked up and all of youwere there. At first, I thought you’d come to feed from us too. Ithought I was hallucinating, or dead already, when you freed Vickyfrom the wall and came back for me.”
“I never would have left that warehousewithout you,” he grated through his clenched teeth.
“I know,” she said, and shedidknow.
“I will always be here for you,” he told herhonestly.
She hastily wiped away the tear she’d beenunable to hold back at his words. Most men would have run as fastas they could from a woman with as much baggage as her, but Davidmade her feel as if he carried that baggage with her.
“You know, I think you might only like mebecause you don’t have to deal with foreplay,” she teased, hopingto lift the dreary mood she’d brought forth with this topic ofconversation.
He blinked at her before laughing loudly.“Oh believe me, I’m going to enjoy touching and tasting every inchof you when I get the chance.”
Mia’s skin flushed at his words. “I lookforward to it. Now let’s get out of here.”
He winked at her before taking a deep breathand shifting the car back into Drive. He drove along the breakdownlane before pulling onto the highway once more. Mia rested her headagainst the window as she watched the scenery pass by. At least sixinches of snow coated the area, decorating the homes and farms setoff the road. She’d traveled to Maine before, but never in thewinter. There was something more serene about the land when thesnow was blanketing the earth.
David’s phone rang, and he answered it whenJack’s name popped up on the screen. He hit the speaker button andset the phone into the cup holder. “Hey,” he greeted.
“Issy just kicked me out so she can cleanour house,” Jack grumbled. “This woman you’re bringing home betterbe worth the aggravation of dealing with Hurricane Issy, and theflower scents she leaves behind.”
Mia did a double take at the disgruntledvoice coming from the phone.
“Hello to you too, Jack,” David said.“You’re on speakerphone.”
“Oh,” Jack said, his discomfort comingthrough with that one word. “You could have told me that.”
“You didn’t give me a chance,” Davidreplied. “But then, you’ve always known how to make a lastingimpression on women. Unfortunately for you, it’s rarely a goodone.”
“Screw you. Issy is doingmylaundry,” Jack enunciated the last two words clearly.
“About time someone did.”
“Hey there, David’s lady,” Jack said,apparently deciding to ignore him. “It’s Mia, right?”
Mia blinked as the obviously irritated manbecame much friendlier sounding when he started speaking to her.David had told her about his childhood friends. He’d cautioned herthat Jack could be blunt and a bit cranky, but she didn’t know whatto make of this guy who sounded as amused as he did annoyed.
“It is,” she said.
“Nice to meet you. Sorry you’re gettingsaddled with that asswipe for eternity,” Jack said.
Mia gawked at the phone before she swung hereyes toward David. “How much did you tell him?”
“He didn’t tell me anything,” Jack replied.“Very few of us have ever brought a girl or guy around this bunch.We don’t tend to stick with someone for long enough to introducethem to anyone, so it has to be something serious if David isbringing you here. I can’t recall a single other woman he’s beenwith who he’s ever wanted me to meet.”
“Shut up, Jack!” David hissed.
To his surprise, Mia started to laugh, andJack chuckled. “At least she has a sense of humor,” Jack said. “Howmuch longer before you get here?”
