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I force a fake smile. “Not at all.”
She shrugs. “Sure seems like you are.”
“I can assure you wearen’t.”
Matthew is the first up the creaky stairs, and he pulls a single, shiny key from his pocket, unlocking the sliding doors. “It might be a little cold. This place doesn’t have central heating or air. The old owner liked things rustic, if you know what I mean,” he says, his voice echoing the moment he steps inside.
I gesture for Jane to follow him, and she does, stepping into the darkness.
Francis and I remain stationary on the porch, our gaze locked in a mutual stare.
Finally, he drops his gaze. “Look, man. I’m not trying to steal your girl-”
“Whatareyou trying to do, Francis?”
My brother shoves a hand through his curly hair, smiling sheepishly. “Testing a theory?”
Jane sticks her head back through the door. “Are you coming, Samuel?” Her eyes are wide with uncertainty.
I soften like a block of melted butter. She needs me, and Francis’ antics can become all-consuming if I let them.
“Of course,” I tell her, turning away from my brother. Without a second of hesitation, I follow her through the passageway and into our new home.
Matthew approaches me as Jane skirts around the living room, her fingers trailing over the dusty furniture. He lowers his voice to a whisper. “You need to hunt before sundown.” His eyes dart over my face. “You look weak and miserable. Keeping your strength is important now, Sam. Especially if you want to protect this human.”
My vision darkens as I watch Jane examine the open room with wide eyes. He’s right. I haven’t drank since my first night in New York, over a week ago. With as much time as I’ll be spending with Jane and her warmth, it’d be easy to let my guard slip. If I bit her without permission… that’d be unforgivable.
“I’ll go after I show her around. She may look like none of this is bothering her, but it has to be. She’s just discovered the monsters of her nightmares are real and that she’ll be living with them in order to stay alive.” I send him a tense look. “I’m waiting for her to break.”
His brows shoot up. Behind us, Francis enters the front door with an arm full of firewood. He releases the stack, letting it topple to the floor near the furnace. Jane jumps at the noise, her pink skin prickling with fear.
I turn back to Matthew, glaring. “You’ll stay with her. Francis and I will hunt together.”
Matthew’s lip twitches, his eyes alight with humor. He pats my shoulder and walks away.
Francis kicks the stack of wood, smiling wolfishly. “I’m ready when you are,brother.”
Ignoring him, I cross the room to Jane’s side. She’s busy admiring a rustic wicker candle holder, an original piece from the cabins first owner. I lean in close, placing my lips near her ear. “What do you think?”
She jumps again; her berry colored lips quivering. The moment our gazes touch, she relaxes. “It’s beautiful.” Her arms tighten around her chest. “Beautiful, but cold.”
Francis tosses a log into the fireplace.
“It’ll be warm soon,” I say, but I move a little further away from her, so that my coldness doesn’t leech away her heat. “Let me show you the rooms before I leave.”
Fear flashes across her features. “You’re leaving?”
My lip quirks on one side. “No. I’m just… going into the woods for a bit.”
Her brows scrunch together. “Why?”
I take her arm and guide her away, my fingers clasping the soft cloth of her sweater. “To hunt,” I reply, my stare fixated on the emotions as they flash behind her eyes. Shock. Curiosity. I want to say I see fear, but I can’t be too sure.
I lead her past the kitchen. “Matthew will stock the fridge for you while I’m gone.”
She doesn’t respond, so I take her further into the home. A long, darkened hallway separates the common area from the master bedroom and bathroom. When we enter the shadows, her fingers loop around my wrist. I let go of her sleeve, content with the physical contact as a replacement.
“Where are we going?” Jane whispers, her grasp tightening.
