Shadows Strike(58)
“What?”
“Do you still love her?” she asked, looking as though she feared his answer.
“Only as a friend.”
“But you loved her as more than that once?”
Ethan considered that. “I thought I did, but . . . I realize now that there was always something missing with her. Something. . . undefinable.” He recalled how angry he had been when Lisette had started seeing Zach, the jealousy that had seared him when he had realized Lisette belonged with Zach in a way that she and Ethan had never belonged together. “I didn’t realize it at the time, because I couldn’t define it. Didn’t even want to try. I was content with things the way they were. But now that I’ve found it with you . . . now that I feel that something . . . extra . . . something more . . . that crucial whatever-the-hell-it-is that makes me think, Finally . . . I’ve finally found it . . . I’ve finally found her . . . after all these years . . .” He gave her a little smile and shrugged. “I’ve finally found you. I know I never loved her the way Zach does. I never felt for her what I feel for you.”
Heather bit her lip.
Ethan’s stomach knotted. “I’m sorry. I didn’t say it right. I—”
Leaning forward, she cupped his face in her free hand. “You said it fine.”
His heart raced as she touched her lips to his.
Heather sat back and studied Ethan, whose brown eyes now bore a faint amber glow.
“You look troubled,” he murmured, his face uncertain.
“Ethan, I want to ask you something,” she confessed, already doubting the wisdom of it.
“Okay.”
“I feel weird about it, though, because I always sort of cringe when I see women do this in movies and TV shows.”
“Now I’m really curious. And afraid,” he joked with an adorable half smile. “Ask away.”
Heather drew in a deep breath. “Where exactly do you see this going?”
His brow furrowed. “I’m weary from battle, so my thoughts are coming a little slowly. What do you mean by this? Do you mean this conversation?”
“I mean us,” she clarified. “Best-case scenario, where do you see us going?”
He stared at her.
The silence stretched.
And with every moment he didn’t speak, her stomach twisted into a tighter knot. “Oh. I see.”
“I don’t think you do. I think I failed to make my point clearly a minute ago.”
“Ethan, it’s okay,” she lied, striving for a lighthearted tone. “You don’t have to—”
“Heather,” he interrupted.
She clamped her lips shut.
“I didn’t answer you because I was afraid you would freak out.”
“I won’t freak out,” she promised, not knowing how else to respond.
“You asked me for the best-case scenario.”
She nodded.
“Barring the onset of Armageddon,” he said with a tired smile, “the best-case scenario, as far as I’m concerned, is this: You fall in love with me. You ask me to transform you. Then we spend the rest of eternity together.”
Heather’s heart began to slam against her ribs.
“But as I said, I thought telling you that might freak you out,” he continued. “We haven’t been together for very long. And even though I want to spend every minute I can with you and have yet to find anything about you that I don’t like—”
“I’m falling in love with you,” she blurted.
His lips closed.
“I asked you because I’m falling in love with you.” She sighed. “I’ve never felt so attached to a man before, like I could spend every waking moment with you and never grow tired of you or grow bored or lose interest or run out of things to talk about. I know that may sound a little weird and stalkerish, but—”
Ethan took her hand and pulled her toward him. His lips met hers, silencing her nervous speech.
Her heart beating faster, she drew back. “I’m falling in love with you,” she professed again. “I was so afraid for you tonight. It really drove home just how strong my feelings for you have become. If this is just a temporary thing for you—”
“It isn’t. Why do you think I keep trying to impress your father?”
Joy and hope rose. “Really?”
He nodded, his face lightening with a grin. “He called me your boyfriend tonight. I think he may actually be starting to like me.”
She grinned. “How could he not?”
Ethan preened. “I am irresistible, am I not?”
Laughing, Heather shoved him.
Ethan settled back beside her. “Look, our relationship didn’t have a conventional beginning. We didn’t start off dating. Didn’t go through the usual rigmarole of only showing each other our best sides or offering our wittiest conversation to make a good impression. We bared it all from the start . . . figuratively speaking. There was no pretense. We spoke frankly. We liked what we heard. Liked what we saw,” he added with a leer that made her chuckle. “We didn’t play games. And we got to know each other faster as a result.”
“Plus, the whole life-threatening situation thing drew us closer.”
He nodded. “You can learn a lot about a person from the way he or she faces death.”
A groan escaped her. “I don’t even want to know what you learned about me.” She had shaken in her boots during every skirmish.
“Are you kidding? I learned that you’re brave as hell. A true warrior who—”
She snorted. “I babbled like a maniac the night we met and tried to convince myself I was still asleep.”
“Hell, that’s better than screaming and running away or crapping your pants.”
Another burst of laughter escaped her.
“You could have done either or both . . . as many humans have in the past, I might add. Instead, you stayed when the vampires struck and helped me defeat them. You allowed me to explain who and what I am. You cared for my wounds. And you haven’t backed down from a fight since. Do you really not know how much I admire you for that?”
She opened her mouth to protest.
“Although we need to do something about your determination to place yourself between me and danger. Seriously, you have to cut that shit out now, Heather. I want to see where this will go, see if we can make it to that best-case scenario. I can’t do that if you die.”
She wanted to see if they could reach that best-case scenario, too. “I’ll try.”
He smiled. “So you aren’t worried that things are progressing too quickly for us? I don’t want to scare you off, but I haven’t done this before and am sort of flying blind and just going on gut instinct.”
“It is happening fast,” she admitted. “But you’ve been in my dreams and my head for a year now, Ethan. And considering the fact that Gershom has targeted me for who knows what purpose and could kill either one of us at any moment, I’m okay with not taking things slowly.”
He waggled his eyebrows. “Think of everything we would’ve missed if we had.”
Heather laughed.
Ethan’s corresponding laugh turned into a yawn. Poor guy.
“Still tired from the battle?” she asked, combing her fingers through his mussed hair.
“Yeah. I need to get a few more hours of healing sleep. Think you can join me?”
She nodded. All the worry of the past few days had caught up with her, leaving her as tired as though she had fought in the battle herself.
Scooting down in bed, they drew the covers up and snuggled together. Then, after sharing a tender kiss, they let sleep reclaim them.
Chapter Nineteen
Chris Reordon called a meeting at David’s place shortly after sunset.
Holding Heather’s hand, Ethan found his seat along with the others.
“There will be no hunting tonight,” David announced as soon as everyone was settled.
Eyebrows raised.
“Why?” Ethan asked.
Chris answered. “Because every Second present called me and expressed concern about his or her immortal’s safety. They know how distracted you are and worry that it may lead you to make costly mistakes if you hunt vampires as usual.”
Ethan looked at Ed.
Ed shrugged, offering no denial.
“What about the vampires?” Krysta asked. “I don’t feel right about letting them roam unchecked.”
“Nor do I,” Chris told her. “So I called in my special ops teams and have stationed snipers on the college campuses, since vampires tend to flock there. All of my men are armed with both tranq guns and automatic weapons.”
“I thought humans weren’t allowed to hunt vampires,” Krysta countered with some confusion.
Ethan knew she had been told as much before her transformation.
“It isn’t an ideal solution,” David responded. “But Immortal Guardians are the world’s most effective weapon against the vampire menace. We must, on occasion, break the rules in order to protect you.”
Silence fell, heavy with unspoken concern.
“Has there been no word?” Sarah asked, voice hushed.
David shook his head. “Not since Zach contacted us this afternoon.”
Aidan frowned. “Just how powerful is Gershom?”
Roland grunted. “Clearly more powerful than we suspected if he has been able to elude Seth for this long.” He looked to Chris. “Isn’t there anything your techno geeks can do to help Seth and Zach locate him?”