Thinking she’d go for a run and take a nap later, she decided to get up. Then she remembered that Tristan would be sitting in her living room. Why couldn’t they all just leave her alone? Why did they think someone was after her? The attack could have been meant for Ilsbeth, not her. She decided that no matter what Tristan had to say, she wasn’t going to agree to return to New Orleans with him. She’d taken a leave of absence from her job so she could get herself together and return to work and her life. And that was what she was going to do.
As she sat up, her heart caught in her chest. A large male sat in the darkened corner of her bedroom. For a minute she relaxed, believing Tristan had come into her room, but then she noticed his hair wasn’t blonde. No, not Tristan. Someone was here for her already. Her heart beat wildly as the adrenaline pumped. She would not go without a fight.
Silently, she reached under her pillow and curled her hands around the hilt of the knife she’d taken to bed with her for protection. The man wasn’t moving, his feet propped up on the ottoman. In the darkness of dawn, she couldn’t see his face. Samantha didn’t want to be a victim. No, this time she’d be the aggressor. She couldn’t survive being taken hostage again. She’d kill before being taken again. She dragged her legs across the bed in one smooth motion and leapt at the stranger with the knife.
Luca had heard Samantha gasp, watching her sit straight up out of a dead sleep. He’d wanted to go to her, to calm her. But as she lay back again, he heard her heart slow. So he decided to watch and protect. He could not risk touching her while she was barely dressed and in bed. After his arousal earlier in the night, he didn’t trust himself to merely comfort her. Her sweet scent called to him like no other human’s blood ever had before, yet he swore to not get involved with the witch.
As soon as he lay his head back on the chair, confident she was going back to sleep, he sensed movement. Samantha had spied him and was coming at him with a sharp knife. He grabbed both her wrists and pulled her towards him, so she straddled him. Gently, he applied pressure to her thumb and was relieved that she dropped the knife without incident. Smelling her fear, he sought to assure her of her safety. “Samantha, it’s me, Luca.”
“Luca…you’re alive!” she exclaimed. Samantha was overcome with relief. That day at the coven, she was convinced she’d never see him again. Seeing him brought forth a rush of emotions. He’d been so caring and gentle with her at Kade’s house and then had fought valiantly to save her and Ilsbeth when they were attacked.
Wide eyed and shaking, Samantha extended her fingertips and placed them on Luca’s cheeks. She couldn’t believe he was with her in the cabin and alive. As Samantha adjusted to the dim light, she was captivated by Luca’s piercing dark green eyes. His jet-black, shoulder-length hair hung loosely around his handsome, chiseled face. Feeling his strong jawline tense in her small hands, the stubble prickled her fingers.
Luca froze as Samantha reached to touch him. Her hands burned his skin, and he felt as if he was on fire as desire built deep within him. As soon as her skin touched his, he instantly released her wrists, freeing her. Why was he having this visceral reaction to her? He’d hoped she’d jump away from him, and was regretting his action of pulling her onto him. His hands nearly crushed the arms of the chair as he held on for dear life. Blood rushed towards his groin. He breathed deeply, trying to control the rise of his erection. Christ, I have got to get back to New Orleans.
“What are you doing here, Luca?” Samantha asked. Instead of releasing him, she moved closer and pressed her forehead to his.
With her lips inches from his, he sucked in a breath and struggled to answer. “Samantha, I’ve come for you. You aren’t safe. I’ve come to take you home.”
Samantha searched his eyes for truth in his statement. Sensing he was entirely serious, she leaned closer still, feathered his lips with a small kiss, then stood up and walked away. She turned to look at him as she entered the bathroom. “Luca, as much as I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, there is no way in hell I’m goin’ back to New Orleans.” With that, she shut the bathroom door.
Stunned from her kiss, Luca threw his head back in frustration. He placed two fingers on his lips; how was he going to get her back to New Orleans without fucking her senseless? He cursed his erection and adjusted himself yet again as he pushed out of the chair and walked out of the room. He didn’t want to be there when Samantha was finished in the bathroom. His so-called ‘protecting’ her from her bedroom had officially ended. He could not trust himself. He’d wait for her in the safety of the living room and talk to her there.
Samantha laid the back of her head against the bathroom door and sighed. After being beaten and imprisoned, she thought she’d never think about sex again. Yet seeing Luca right now, she’d kissed him and was most definitely thinking of sex. Maybe she was attracted to him because he’d rescued her from the mage and then again from the attack. Maybe she had some kind of hero complex? No, it was something else. He’d been kind to her on the night at the mansion and later at the coven, had valiantly fought their attackers. It was as if there was some small part of Luca that understood what she’d been through. She could tell he cared by his words and his touch. And even now, instead of waking her and dragging her out of the cabin, which she knew he was capable of doing, he silently waited, protecting her. It was obvious to her that he’d been watching her sleep, waiting for her to agree to go willingly.
Looking deep into his eyes, she’d sensed sadness, hesitation, but also lust. From the second she’d touched his face, she’d felt the chemistry and soon after, she’d felt him grow physically hard beneath her. But then he said he really just wanted her to return to New Orleans, and she just could not do that. She understood from Tristan that she was in danger, but she wanted time to figure out another way to escape it. Any way to do that would satisfy her, as long as she didn’t have to return to New Orleans.
Samantha huffed and stared at herself in the mirror as she brushed her teeth. She wondered if her nightmare would ever end. For a split second, she contemplated sneaking out of the cabin but knew her effort would be a futile attempt at freedom. She’d learned that vampires could sense the tiniest sound or scent. Even if she somehow managed to get out of the house without Luca hearing her, he’d soon realize her scent was gone and would just follow her.
Samantha pulled on a pair of black spandex yoga pants, and topped it off with a royal-blue tank top. As she looked at herself in the mirror once again, she decided to stay and deal with Luca. She refused to run. Contrary to whatever he thought, he wasn’t the boss of her. She’d calmly explain that she was staying in Pennsylvania and convince him to leave her alone.
Luca was staring at the lake when Samantha walked into the living room. He sensed her enter but chose not to look at her; what he needed to say would be better said if he wasn’t distracted.
“Samantha, we need to have a serious talk. Perhaps when I told you we needed to return to New Orleans, you thought it was a request. However, I assure you it’s not. Quite the opposite, in fact.” Luca turned to face her; his face hardened. “It’s simply a matter of fact. We’ll leave tomorrow morning to return to New Orleans. You can come willingly or not, but you’ll be returning with me.”
Samantha’s eyes flashed angrily at him as she grabbed an apple out of a bag on the counter. “What the hell is that supposed to mean, Luca? How exactly do you intend to get me on a plane if I don’t go willingly? Are you going to kidnap me just like Asgear did? Bespell me?” As she continued to rant, she paced back and forth in the kitchen.