Page 68 of Into The Light

“That’s amazing. Maybe sometime we could go to Bora Bora! I saw a special on the Travel Channel and they had these huts on the water that have glass floors. You can literally stand on the floor of your hut and stare down into the ocean. I have been dying to go! They are supposed to have the most beautiful beaches...”

Her voice trailed off, and I saw the excitement disappear from her eyes.

“I’m sorry. The sun. I wasn’t thinking.” She dropped her gaze back to her food.

“You don’t need to apologize.”

“It’s going to take me awhile to remember we have to travel and explore only at night.”

“Understandably,” I agreed. “But never apologize. It sounds like an incredible trip. I’m sorry I can’t give it to you. Perhaps I can send you and Mark without me.”

Just the thought of sending her away left an emptiness in the pit of my stomach. I never wanted to deny her anything that brought her pleasure, but I couldn’t survive in a glass hut, and the thought of her experiencing it without me filled me with a deep sadness.

A noise from the front of the house pricked my ears, and I tuned in to hear the front doorknob turn. Mark was in my room, and I wasn’t expecting anyone else. My muscles twitched as I prepared to dart to the door, but a whoosh of air blew into the room and I saw a figure with flaming red hair materialize in the doorway behind Emilia. I blinked and saw her leaning against the doorframe examining her long, sharpened red fingernails.

“Leeya,” I ground out after my lip twitched my disgust. “What are you doing here?”

“You don’t call, you don’t write, you don’t return my texts.” Her full red lips pulled down into a faux pout. “What else was I to do but come and check on you? I missed you, Aiden.”

In a flash she sat on the table beside me. The short nature of her skin-tight mini dress did nothing to hide the long ivory legs she crossed seductively in front of me. She leaned over on an elbow, giving me a front row show to the cleavage pouring out from beneath the plunging black dress.

The horrified look on Emilia’s face drew all of my attention and I locked eyes with her, flashing her an apologetic stare before turning my glare to Leeya.

“You need to go,” I growled and pushed up from my chair. “You shouldn’t be here.”

“Ouch,” she responded with a scowl. “Is that any way to treat your lady?”

I saw the whites of Emilia’s eyes flash from across the room.

“You are not my lady. And I’ve told you many times I don’t want to see you again. Now go.”

“I flew all morning to be here and got stuck in my stupid jet for hours waiting for sunset. Now I arrive, and you don’t even greet me with a kiss?”

She reached out for my shirt, but I stepped just out of her reach. She glowered at me and stood up, smoothing the minimal material of her skirt. “I see.” She arched a meticulously groomed eyebrow. “You’re still angry.”

Rolling my eyes, I pointed to the door. “I’m not angry, Leeya. I just never want to see you again. Now get the hell out of my house.”

“Well,” she said, flipping her long wavy hair. “If you’re going to be such an asshole, I’ll just be going.”

“Thank you.” I breathed a sigh of relief and shot a staying look to my shocked Emilia.

“But before I go, you can at least offer to share your dinner. I didn’t get to eat because my fucking flight attendant called in sick and I didn’t have time to compel a new one. I’m starving.”

Before I could respond she was across the room with Emilia’s head pulled back. Her white fangs snapped out and my heart tightened when I saw the fear shoot through Emilia’s eyes.

“NO!” I flashed to her side and caught her by the throat as her teeth descended onto Emilia’s neck. The wall shook and exploded into rubble when I slammed her against it. “Don’t touch her!”

Leeya snarled at me and I tightened my grip on her throat and slid her up the wall, holding her off the ground.

As quickly as they had appeared, she retracted her fangs and replaced her snarl with a sly smile. “Ahhhh,” she cooed. “Looks like someone has a little thing for my dinner.”

“You will not touch her, Leeya, or I will kill you.”

“So you do have a thing for my dinner,” she said, trying to turn her head toward Emilia, but I tightened my grip on her throat. “Isn’t she a little plain for you, Aiden? Perhaps you should let me drink her dry and I’ll show you what a real woman can do.”

My own fangs popped out, and I snarled at her, pressing her harder into the wall again and knocking down Mark’s favorite painting.

Emilia stumbled and pushed up from her chair. Mark burst into the room and skidded to a halt when he saw Leeya in my hands. His face soured, and he put his hands on his hips and glared.