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Emma hadn’t said anything to him about having someone in her life, though he’d heard a rumor that she’d once taken up with a shifter. At the time, he’d thought it disgusting. He didn’t believe the species should ever mix. However, since their tryst two months ago, he’d been having serious doubts about his beliefs.
But what did it mean she had a man’s clothes in her closet? Did they belong to the rumored shifter from Savage Territory?
He sat down on the bench, staring up at the jeans and shirts. There were even a couple pairs of boots below. The man had big feet to match his body, just like Vaughn.
Blood once more pounded in his head, but this time for a different reason. He was jealous as hell.
~ ~ ~
Emma woke up to fingers patting her face. She pushed them away repeatedly, but to no effect. Finally, she was able to open her eyes.
The ghost-girls moved swiftly away from her to hover near the door to her dressing room and seemed to be having a joke at her expense. They were all grinning like crazy. She could tell they were laughing as well, though the sound she heard wasn’t the same as the living would have made.
Seeing that she was partially uncovered, she whipped the comforter over her body. She really didn’t want Vaughn to see her like this.
She glanced around, but he wasn’t in the room. Her bedroom formed the east wing of her home and faced into a large, well-landscaped courtyard. The overall property was a good half-acre and contained over two dozen trees. Because the bed faced into the yard, she could see Vaughn wasn’t there, either.
She loved her home. It had been a blessing for the past seven years. She’d been consigned to Five Bridges because an alter witch-serum had made its way into a bowl of punch at a party. At least three people had died that night, unable to hand
le the alter process. She’d survived and after a period of adjustment, she’d made it her mission to create an oasis in her new world.
She watched the ghosts fly acrobatically around the room, learning their new skills. After a moment, they lined up once more outside her large walk-in closet. She aimed her telepathy toward the girl in the blue jeans. Let me guess. Vaughn’s in my dressing room?
The girl nodded and smiled. He is.
What’s your name?
Becca. Her smile broadened into a grin. We’re glad you’re feeling better. My sisters and I think you might need some privacy, though, so we’re going to explore Five Bridges. We’ll be back in about an hour.
Wait. Are you saying you have a sense of time as a ghost?
Sure. Her brows rose, then she chuckled. And we can read clocks, too. She inclined her head in the direction of Emma’s dresser and her antique Tambour.
Well, see ya later. Becca gestured for her sisters to follow and the ghosts suddenly vanished.
Emma threw the comforter back and glanced down at her bare legs and one of her favorite but oh-so-sheer thongs. It was a lovely violet color and showed off her landing strip.
Her cheeks suddenly warmed up. Vaughn had removed her pants, so of course he’d seen her like this. At least she was still wearing her t-shirt and hadn’t been completely exposed.
Memories rushed back of the things she’d said to him, about wanting him.
She covered her face with both hands. Oh, God, her spelled medicine had really loosened her tongue.
Well, she couldn’t undo what had already been done. She left the bed, then headed to the bathroom. She had dried blood all down her leg and the injury had left an odd smell on her skin. She brushed out her hair, debating whether to wash it as well, but she wasn’t sure what the rest of the night would hold. Drying her hair was a long process.
Deciding not to wash it, she wrapped her hair up in a towel, then stepped into the shower. As thoughts of Vaughn filled her head, she took her time soaping up. She was fully healed and alone with him in her house. A shiver raced through her. Would he want to be with her again? Because right now, the only thing she could think about was a repeat of the couch experience.
All a girl could do was ask.
After drying off, she pulled the towel from her head, wrapped her body in another one, then headed to her dressing room.
Once at the threshold, she pushed the door open. She was surprised to find Vaughn sitting on the bench, elbows on knees, head in hands. He wore only a towel wrapped around his waist.
She stayed where she was and watched him for a long moment. He was facing Max’s clothes, the shifter she’d loved and lost a few years ago. She hadn’t told Vaughn about him yet. She’d been waiting for the right moment, but it had never come. Now he’d seen the clothes. He also had no framework for knowing who they belonged to or why they were still here.
She could feel the weight of Vaughn’s emotions as well. She knew he’d lost his sister several years ago. Her name was Beth, the only family Vaughn had, and she’d become a vampire at the same time as Vaughn.
But one night, a large group of lowlife vampires had abducted her right outside Vaughn’s home while he watched, then carted her off to another territory. He’d never found her, though he’d spent at least two years trying.
