Chapter Eleven
Raven was sitting on the sofa closest to the window, looking more despondent than ever. In the last few days, Connor had watched her weaken each day. He supposed it was depression over her situation. Gone was her lively nature. Smiling for Shelby and Carla on their visits seemed to take great effort. He’d asked her if she wanted to meet Jack’s wife so she’d have someone else to talk to, and she’d told him it didn’t matter. Short of letting her go, he didn’t know what to do. It was almost like she was sick.
He walked up behind her, making extra noise so she wouldn’t be startled. “Jack’s bringing his wife over to meet you today.”
She turned toward him and nodded.
He sat beside her on the sofa. As always, he just wanted to be close to her. That was the biggest reason he avoided her so often.
She leaned toward him just like she always did.
The doorbell rang. “That’ll be Jack and Muriel.” He rose to answer the door but stopped when he saw her flinch. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” she replied. “I had a friend named Muriel who was killed by vampires. Well, she disappeared, and we believe she was killed by vampires. It’s been nearly two years, so I should be over it.”
“I’m sensing a pattern in your life. No wonder you hate vampires so much.” He gave her shoulder an awkward pat. “Should I send them away?”
Raven opened her mouth to respond but closed it and shook her head. “No, she’s been very nice about making food for me. I don’t want to be rude.”
Facing the window, she stared longingly at the oak tree as Connor answered the door.
“Raven!” Muriel screeched. “It really is you. I was sure it was when Jack told me the story of your accidental capture, but they wouldn’t let me come until now.”
“Muriel?” Raven asked in a ragged whisper. Standing on shaky legs, she seemed completely lost. “You’re alive? And you’re pregnant?”
Muriel nodded happily and waddled into the room. Waddled was the best way to describe her movements. Her pregnant belly was so swollen, Connor was sure she couldn’t move any other way. “Are you okay? Connor isn’t being too grumpy is he?”
“I thought you were dead,” Raven accused. “We all thought you were dead. Wait, were you captured?”
Muriel flushed and shook her head. “Not exactly,” she admitted. “I met Jack when I was out gathering herbs. I assumed he was from the Oakland Army Base settlement and he’d wandered farther than they normally do. I kept meeting with him, and when I learned the truth, I knew there was no way I could tell anyone I was in love with a vampire. I tried to end it. I told myself I wasn’t going to meet him again. I told myself I was just going to have you gather herbs for a few months so he would give up on seeing me, but I couldn’t do it. I’m sorry I made you worry, but I couldn’t live without him.”
Jack smiled at Muriel, wrapping his arms around her from behind and placing his hand lovingly over her belly. “Don’t blame Muriel,” he said. “I would have abducted her if she hadn’t agreed to run off with me. I had no intention of letting her go. I’m glad she agreed because Connor wouldn’t have reacted well to me kidnapping a human.”
Raven shook her head which was a bad idea in her weakened state because it made her dizzy. “I grieved for you. I was sure vampires had killed you.”
“I’m sorry, Raven,” Muriel said softly. “I would have told you, but you had so much hatred for all things vampire. I knew you wouldn’t understand.”
Raven wanted to argue, but her friend was right. “I’m glad you’re safe, but I don’t know how I feel about you being here,” she admitted weakly. When she started to turn away, she nearly collapsed.
Connor caught her and settled her onto the sofa as a concerned Muriel rushed forward. “Are you okay, Raven?”
Raven nodded even though she was sure they could all tell it was a lie.
“Have you been getting out?” Muriel asked.
Raven shook her head.
Muriel glared at Connor and poked him in the chest. “You haven’t taken her out?” she demanded.
“Where should I take her?” he asked in obvious confusion.
“Outside, you moron,” Muriel responded with her hands on her hips.
“Muriel,” Raven began, struggling to stand again, “it doesn’t matter.”
“What doesn’t matter?” Connor asked. “She goes out in the yard all the time.”
“She’s a wood nymph,” Muriel snapped with exasperation.
“And?” Connor asked.
“She needs sex and the woods to survive,” Jack explained when Muriel looked like she was going to smack Connor. “I assumed you knew. She can probably take care of the sex part on her own, but she needs contact with nature.”
He walked slowly across the room, and Raven heard him muttering to himself. Finally, he turned toward her. “And you didn’t think to mention this to me?” he asked Raven with a calm he obviously didn’t feel.
“Does it matter?” she practically snapped.
He stalked toward her. “Are you trying to commit suicide?” he demanded, leaning over her. She was annoyed at him for trying to use his size to intimidate her.
She shook her head. “No.” Then she amended. “Maybe.”
Connor tossed her over his shoulder and started walking up the stairs. “We’ll be back,” he told Muriel and Jack.
She heard Jack say, “Let them go.”
Raven’s embarrassment manifested itself as rage. She slammed her fists against Connor’s back and started cursing at him.
“Good,” he praised, and she heard the smile in his voice. “It’s nice to hear you finally acting like you’re still alive.”
“Fuck you!” she spat out, getting angrier when he started laughing.
“Be careful what you offer, little nymph,” he warned with amusement. “I just might take you up on that today. My self-control is hanging by a thread at the moment.”
He dropped her onto the bed in his room and closed the door. With a scowl he leaned against the door frame with his arms crossed in front of his chest. When Raven started to move off the bed, he shook his head slowly. “Don’t even think about moving. Trust me, Raven. You don’t want me to manhandle you right now. I wasn’t joking when I said my self-control isn’t at its best when I’m this pissed.”
Raven froze. She’d been lucky he hadn’t bitten her since the blood bond, and she wasn’t sure if that was what he was threatening. Crossing her arms in front of her chest, Raven scowled. It was humiliating being treated that way in front of anyone, but most of all Muriel. She was a respected leader. At least, she had been. Now, she was . . . . nothing. Her face fell.
“What is it, Raven?” he asked with more frustration than anger. “I get that this isn’t ideal, but you have to understand I don’t have a choice.”
She let out a sigh. “I do understand,” she reluctantly admitted.
“I haven’t been cruel to you,” he continued. “I don’t use you for blood. I haven’t forced you into my bed.”
She snorted. “That’s obviously because you don’t want me in your bed.” Her cheeks heated because it was a little embarrassing to hear those words said out loud. She sounded hurt over his lack of interest when she should be grateful. It certainly made it easier to avoid doing anything she’d feel guilty about.
He looked momentarily startled, but he quickly recovered. “You’re right,” he agreed with a nod. “I don’t like unwilling women in my bed.”
“I was willing enough twice,” she pointed out. Dear Goddess, she had no clue who this woman talking was. She sounded like she was asking him to have sex with her. What next? Was she suddenly going to strip out of her clothes and dance for him? She didn’t want to like him or any of the vampires. Unfortunately, it was too late. She already liked some of them, and she wanted Connor.
He pushed off the doorframe and swaggered to the foot of the bed. “Are you inviting me into your body?” he asked in a rough voice.
S
he shook her head quickly.
“I didn’t think so,” he said, and she could have sworn he sounded disappointed. He turned his back to her and spoke in a far too calm voice. “We are going back downstairs so you can visit with Muriel for a very short time. Then we’re going hiking. If you really want to be the great martyr and kill yourself to avoid living with dirty vampires, let me know now so I can give you to someone who won’t be quite as nice as I’ve been.”
“Do you have to be such a bastard?” she snapped.
He gave her a warm smile. “If that’s what it takes to make you fight, then yes, I do. I’m not going to stand by and watch you kill yourself. That’s a coward’s way out, and you are not a coward.”
With that, he stormed out of the room, not waiting for Raven to respond. She scowled at his retreating back, feeling her temper rise. What right did he have to pretend to care about her well-being? Stupid vampire probably only cared because he thought it might make him look weak with his people if she died. Why did she keep doubting that?
She wasn’t even sure she wanted to talk to Muriel. Muriel had been four when Raven had first met her. She’d been somewhat different from the other humans, more in touch with nature. She’d admitted to Raven that somewhere in her past she had an ancestor who had been considered a witch and a healer. Raven had felt bad for the little girl who embarrassed her family with her strange behavior. She’d taught Muriel to find the herbs for healing and to defend herself. They’d been like sisters, and Muriel’s disappearance had nearly killed her in some ways. Now, she knew Muriel was alive and happy. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that.
There was a tentative knock on the door before it opened a crack and Jack stuck his head in. “Can we talk?”
Raven nodded but turned away.
“I know you’re probably mad about Muriel. I should have told you earlier,” he began.
“So, you knew all along?” Raven asked.
“Yeah,” he admitted, “I knew in the woods. I was actually kind of glad Connor took you because I knew how much Muriel missed you.”
She turned to glare at him. “You were glad he took me as a prisoner? You were glad he was going to hold me here against my will?”
Jack gave her his boyish smile, but it looked almost feral this time. “There is no one in this world who matters more to me than Muriel. I like you, and I feel bad that I only thought of you as a tool to achieve my wife’s happiness.”
When she gave him a skeptical look, Jack held up his hands. “Okay, I don’t really feel bad. No matter how much I like you, I’ll do anything to make Muriel happy.”
“So, you like me, but you’re still happy I’m a prisoner here,” she finished for him.
“Yep,” he confirmed with a nod. “Muriel may think I was joking when I said I would have abducted her, but I wasn’t.”
Suddenly, Raven saw Jack in a different light. He always seemed so carefree and sweet-natured, but beneath that he was ruthless. While she didn’t think he would hurt Muriel, she suspected he would kill anyone who tried to hurt Muriel, and it wouldn’t be a quick death.
That thought brought her first smile of the day. “Muriel felt like she didn’t belong most of the time,” she said. “We were close, and she got along with some of my team, but she felt different. I’m still angry about her lying to me, but I suppose she didn’t have much choice. I probably would have killed you.”
Jack laughed. “I’d like to say you would’ve tried in some cocky way that insinuates I would have won that fight, but I’m not a fool. You’re a lot stronger than people give you credit for, nymph.”
“Fat lot of good it does me here,” she grumbled.
“You know, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world for you,” Jack told her. “You’ve got Muriel, and I know for a fact you get along great with Shelby and Carla. We aren’t all monsters. Connor can be moody, but you seem to get along okay most of the time.”
She nodded. “I know you’re not monsters. It was hard for me to accept, but I know now.”
“I really want to tell you Connor would let you go if he could, but I’d be lying,” Jack admitted. “At first, that was true, but things have definitely changed.”
“I don’t understand,” Raven said in genuine confusion.
“You will,” Jack responded cryptically. “Give Connor a break, Raven. He’s a good guy. I’ve known him almost my entire life. In fact, I can’t remember a time when I didn’t know him. He’s loyal, and he takes his responsibilities very seriously. Right now, he’s being pulled in several directions. There’s a lot of tension, and his power is threatened.”
“Yes,” she began bitterly, “he’s mentioned the threat to his power.”
“What he hasn’t mentioned is he’s the only thing standing in the way of people hunting down and enslaving the humans you protect. Those of us who were around in the beginning have good reason to hate humans. Many of us have moved on and realize not all humans are bad. We’d rather just let them live in peace. Believe it or not, if you’d asked for the medicine, Connor would have traded it to you. He does a lot to protect the humans here. Ian, Simon, and their followers aren’t so concerned with humans. They’d just as soon lock them up and use them for blood. They would raid your communities and destroy those who weren’t useful. Connor is trying to prevent that. Do you understand?”
Raven nodded, trying to take in all he’d just revealed. It made her wonder if she was totally wrong about Connor. She’d spent some companionable moments with him. He tried to make her comfortable and didn’t put any demands on her.
“Let’s go see Muriel before Connor storms upstairs to find out why I’ve been in his bedroom with you so long,” Jack suggested as he opened the door.
Raven wasn’t sure how she would react to Muriel until she saw her friend wringing her hands nervously downstairs. When Muriel saw her, she immediately burst into tears.
“I’m so sorry Raven!” she wailed. “I couldn’t live without him, and someone would have found out about him eventually and killed him.”
Raven wrapped her friend in her arms. “I’m sorry for reacting so badly when you got here. I was surprised, and I’m just not myself. I won’t lie. I’m still a little mad, but I’m mostly just happy you’re alive.”