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“All right, then?” Niall had registered it. Evan stilled. His mouth remained on her, but his gaze flickered up to her face, seeing everything. She gave a quick nod, breathed through it, realizing with each deep inhalation her body was sinking deeper into the hollows and planes of Niall’s. Evan’s gaze met his servant’s, some unspoken communication. As his attention returned to her arm, Niall’s fingers slid between hers on her clit, helping with the slow massage as she managed that pain. His skilled touch helped lessen it. In fact, a slow detonation of sensation started through her pussy and lower belly.
“She’s fair wet. ” Niall’s voice was a rumble through his chest, vibrating against her shoulder blades. Would Evan take her now, since her body was ready for him? Niall’s body was ready as well, his hard organ pushing against her buttocks through the restriction of the cargo pants. Perhaps her new Master would want her on her knees, servicing him. Some vampires liked drawing it out that way, keeping their servants wanting, the power and anticipation even more arousing to them than the sex itself.
An icy cold blade sliced through the heated pain in her arm, and she twitched, a hard spasm. In that one instant, she understood how hot glass could crack if immersed in cold water too suddenly. Both men stopped, Evan withdrawing now that the mark was done, holding pressure on the dual puncture with his thumb. “Alanna? Talk to us. What’s happening?”
“I’m . . . fine. It just hurts for a while . . . but it will pass. I can take care of your needs, Master. Lord Evan. I mean Evan. ”
Everything seemed to be reminding her how far she’d slipped in her discipline, her focus. Causing Evan to stop twice to check on her was the equivalent of two reprimands. But she’d improve.
When he released her arm, she brought it in to her body, pressing it against her to help relieve the throbbing. She could sense Evan watching her, far too closely. Please don’t say anything. Don’t make me more ashamed than I already am.
“Right now I need to focus on the rest of these pictures,” he said at length. “The timing of the development is critical. Niall will take you upstairs and put you to bed to rest after your trip. ”
Her well-being shouldn’t be his concern, but before she could manage a courteously worded demur, he tapped her cheek firmly, bringing her attention back to him. “Trust me, you’ll need the rest. We have a hike planned for tonight. Do you have hiking shoes?”
“No, sir. ” She wasn’t sure how she could have anticipated needing any, but at the moment every question was revealing her shortcomings.
“Bugger, I forgot about that,” Niall grumbled. “I’ll get some from the general supply store while she’s sleeping. ”
Evan nodded, gave her a half smile. “He told you he knew nothing about being a proper servant. You may have to teach him a thing or two, Alanna. ”
“Aye, and then I’ll have to find a proper nancy vampire to do all that crap for. Ye should be in bed yourself. Way past your bedtime. ”
“I can stay up quite a bit later here. The age of the mountain helps. ”
Niall shifted behind her. Realizing she was still leaning against him, she straightened, stood on her own two feet. When he did the same, taking his hips off the ladder, he was still pressed close behind her, Evan right in front. While her arm was throbbing, other parts of her were as well, used to being offered to a vampire whenever he desired her, fed from her.
Because of her mixed response, the men were reining themselves back. She wanted to scream, but throwing a tantrum wasn’t in the repertoire of proper InhServ responses, was it?
Touching Alanna’s cheek with his knuckles, Evan bent, put his lips to her forehead. “If you wish to accompany Niall and pick up a few things for yourself, you may. ”
Then he turned away to his trays, his head bent attentively over them.
Niall gave Alanna a wry smile. Their vampire Master was done with them for now. Alanna was grateful for the Scot’s steadying touch as she made her way back up. A roiling stomach, the sensation of prickling lava and icy frost coursing through her arm, as well as the stricken feeling in her chest, weren’t conducive to good balance.
Before Niall dropped the trap door that would hide Evan from her sight, she looked back down once more at the vampire studying his pictures. His gray eyes were intent, long fingers moving the images under their wavering layer of pungent fluid.
She was a ship cut adrift, not sure if she was headed into a storm or calm seas. Not knowing, not being prepared, that was the worst part. If she was an InhServ worth anything, she would figure it out. Soon.
4
SHE’D vaguely remembered passing the general store at the bottom of the mountain, but hadn’t recognized it as a store. The large building had a rusty tin roof and gravel parking lot, surrounded by clumps of scrub. While the inventory inside was organized, there had been no attempt made to create eye-catching displays. Clothes were stacked on tables or hung up on a clothesline over them. Shoes were filed along another wall. Every available space was crammed full of foodstuffs, tools, deer corn, firearms, and over-the-counter medicines. By the cash register was a large bin of colorful hard candy. The interior smelled of old pine, the walls marked with sap like hardened candle wax.
Niall picked out her hiking shoes, loosened the lacings and put them on a bench made from a split log. The grain had a dull luster, polished by a variety of backsides. “Try these on, see if they’re a fair fit. ”
As she took a seat and slipped off her boots, the proprietor ambled over. Given their surroundings, she’d expected a grizzled mountain man, but he was a fit male in his forties, with a clean-shaven face and receding hairline, evident by his close-cropped hairstyle. From the flag displayed behind the register, proudly stating Semper Fi, she deduced he’d been in the Marine Corps.
“Your friend going to be staying with you long, Niall?” he asked, eyeing her with friendly curiosity.
“Depends on how long it takes for law enforcement to track her. Kidnapping a female and bringing her up here to cook and clean for us isnae as easy as it used to be. ”
“Yeah, damn it all. Howard Keel made it look so easy. ”
“Which reminds me. Ye still have your movie section?”
“Sure do. Including several copies of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. ”
Niall gave Alanna a grin. “Throw one in the pile, Henry. She can use it as research. See what mountain life’s really like. ”
“Yeah, that’ll help. ” The man snorted, gave Alanna a second appreciative look. “Might have to come up and see how she’s doing. ”
“And I might have to tell Elaine you dinnae have enough to do about the house. That woman will shoot ye in the gut if you stray. Let the coyotes finish you off. ”
“You make her sound far more merciful than she is. ” Henry nodded to Alanna. “How are those fitting, ma’am?”
“Very well. ” She stood up, rocking on her feet. She’d never worn such a shoe. Though heavy and clunky, it would obviously be useful for moving through heavy forest terrain.
“Add in some Band-Aids. The lass will have blisters, those first couple hikes. ”
As Henry moved back toward his register, Niall pointed to a shelf stuffed full of books. “There’s a few left at the cabin, but ye might pick up a few of those as well. Nae always much to do ’til Evan’s up. ”
“Does he like having books read to him?”
“He’s never asked me to do it, and he taught me to read far better than I kenned at the time. But I was thinking about your own leisure time. ”
Alanna dismissed that idea, but she did check out the shelves. She found one on area plants, an old one about painting landscapes, and another about Scots history. When she brought them to the counter and placed them next to Niall’s purchases, he grunted. “Those dinnae look like pleasure reading. ”
“These will expand my knowledge of the area and Evan’s paintings. ”
He glanced at the bo
ok of Scots history. “At least that one’s a work of romantic fiction. ”
Alanna had kept the shoes on, wanting to get used to their feel. Now she rocked back and forth on her toes and the balls of her feet again. Niall gave her an amused look, gaze sweeping over the contrast of the bulky shoes with the feminine sweater and snug skirt. Taking the supple brown dress boots from her, he had Henry pack those in the empty box for the hiking shoes. He’d also had her choose several pairs of cargo pants like his, shorts and some long-sleeved T-shirts. When she’d balked at the expense to her Master, he’d overruled her, sensibly pointing out that her few casual clothes were suited for in-house chores, not trekking up rocky mountainsides with swarms of bugs and jutting branches that could tear thin, loose clothing. After another glance at her pale skin, Niall also added in sunblock.
Henry made an approving noise. “You’ll think you don’t need it, miss, because of how cool it’ll get at night, but the sun still shines hot on some days. ”
He handed her a Hershey bar from a big glass jar kept in front of a fan to keep it cool in the non-air-conditioned building. There was a big woodstove in the center suggesting he heated up the store as needed during the snowy months. “Don’t fret,” he added. “If Niall did kidnap you, I expect a whole troop of male relatives will be coming to string him up in no time. In the meantime, you need help, just let me know. He’s no worse than wrestling a bear barehanded, and I’ve done that plenty of times. ”
Niall scoffed. “Aye. Yet mention his wife and he turns pale and runs like a long-eared coineanach. ”
“Shows I’m a man with good sense. ” Henry laughed. “Rather than a thickheaded Scot. You all have a good day, now. ”
Niall took up their bags, Alanna managing to snag one to help. Outside the store, she noticed a row of carved bears like the ones next to the bookcase. “Does Henry make those?”
“Aye, he’s a chain saw carver. Loves it. I’ll run ye out to his place if we’ve enough time here. Eagles, life-sized elk, even dragons and people. Better than a museum. So, do you have male relatives?”