Lifting him partially off the ground, Juliangrinned as he pulled Gerald toward him before smashing him into thefloor again. The more blood he drew, the more he craved, until hefelt like a rabid animal tearing into its victim, rending itsflesh, and leaving nothing but a weeping, broken pile.
Cassidy tried to turn Aida from the brutaldisplay of Julian’s strength and power, but Aida couldn’t tear hereyes away. Julian didn’t just kill him; heravagedGerald.
Gone was the sweet boy who had held her forso many nights after the island. Gone was the smiling boy whoplucked her wildflowers and gave them to her while they walked tothe woods. Gone was the boy whose kiss awakened her to thepossibility there could be more between them before he left.
And in his place was a vampire who made theones on the island look tame. The fear and revulsion coiling in herbelly warred with her inexplicable yearning to go to him, rest herhand on his shoulder, and tell him it was okay. She was out of hermind to consider it; he’d probably turn on her, but for somereason, she felt confident she could calm the beast instead ofunleashing it further.
When Julian finally tore Gerald’s head fromhis shoulders, it was a welcome relief. The drops of somethinghitting the ground and her harsh breaths were the only soundspiercing the ensuing silence. It took her a minute to realize thedrops were coming from the head Julian held above the ground.
Aida gulped back the bile in her throat asJulian lowered the head to the ground. When he turned toward her,his eyes still glowed with fire, and that astonishing red and blackcolor swirled over his skin. Blood coated his face and clotheswhile the veins in his arms stood starkly out against his mottledflesh.
Julian couldn’t look at her after what he’ddone. The disgust in her eyes was more than he could stand. Foryears, he kept the most brutal part of himself restrained. When hekilled before, he always maintained some control. There was nocontrol tonight.
Gerald hit her, tried to kill her, andplanned to rape her. Julian shouldn’t have torn him apart like hehad in front of her, but he hungered to see the terror and finalityin Gerald’s eyes when he realized his life was coming to an endagain.
Julian had always known this darkest part ofhim existed, but he’d never realized how much he would enjoybecoming a monster. He almost opened his arms to Aida but stoppedhimself. She could take away some of the beast, but even if blooddidn’t cover him, she didn’t remember what they shared. Afterwitnessing what he’d done, she was scared of him in a way she neverwas before.
He pushed himself away from the savagedremains of Gerald’s body and rose to wipe his bloody hands on hisjeans. Bits of Gerald’s flesh and bone stuck to his knuckles alongwith other pieces he refused to identify.
Julian took a deep breath as he struggled toregain his composure. He couldn’t spiral out again now; Aida neededhim too much. She was distressed and confused, and he refused tolet her down.
Kyle broke the silence. “We have to cleanthis up.”
“What… what is going on?” Aida asked.
She winced when her question came outsounding like an eighty-year-old, three-pack-a-day smoker. Her handwent to her throat. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, thepain was setting in. When she swallowed, it felt like shards ofglass were digging into her throat.
“We’ll explain it later,” Cassidy said. “Butwe have to get this taken care of before anyone comes backhere.”
“Oh!” Aida exclaimed and winced. “Where isNicolette?”
She was ashamed to realize she’d forgottenabout her boss until now. But, to be fair, she did have a vampirethreatening to kill her and an ex-friend she was apparently havingsex with. Those were some pretty distracting things.
“She’s in the back hallway,” Kyle said. “Ihave control of her mind, and she is admiring the paintings. Ilocked the front door and turned off all the lights so no one willbother us.”
“Is she okay?” Aida whispered.
“She’s fine,” Kyle assured her. “She won’tremember a thing.”
“What do we do about this?” Cassidy asked andwaved a hand at Gerald.
“There are some leftover drop cloths backhere from the last time they painted the gallery. We can wrap thebody in that and, um…” Aida glanced toward the body before lookingaway again. “The cleaning crew keeps their supplies on a shelf nextto the utility sink on the other side of the room.”
“Good,” Kyle said. “We have to get this placespotless.”
Aida wasn’t sure that was possible, and herstomach churned at the idea of going anywhere near the blood, butshe wouldn’t leave them hanging with this when they’d saved herlife.
“Was he a Savage?” she choked out.
“Yes,” Julian confirmed.
When Aida looked at him again, her heartlurched as an unexpected wave of love poured through her. As ateenager, she cared for Julian, and his kiss made her realize shewas missing something with all the other boys she dated, but thatdidn’t explain the amount of love flooding her.
She took a step toward him before stoppingherself. Even if she was experiencing love for him, with the way heleft, he wouldn’t welcome her embrace.
The hope that surged through Julian when shestepped toward him crashed and burned when she froze. If hesucceeded in returning her memories to her, would she still wanthim after what she witnessed?
“Let’s get this taken care of,” he saidbrusquely. “Kyle, why don’t you send Nicolette home. Cassidy, canyou take Aida out of here and find her some ice for her face? I’llget the body onto a drop cloth and start cleaning.”
