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  He rubbed his cock against her, pleased to find her wet with longing. He slipped into her, stretching her tight muscles as he filled her completely. She sighed in contentment as her bite eased and he filled her in every way.

  Sera woke again sometime later. She felt sated, still a little tired, but utterly complete and blissful. Her head nestled onto Liam's steel shoulder. She snuggled closer as she dropped a light kiss on him. He murmured in his sleep and turned to envelop her in his embrace.

  "Go back to sleep," he mumbled.

  "I think we've slept enough. It's already afternoon."

  "I know."

  Of course he knew, she had known without having to look too. "I can't believe Kathleen hasn't come in to drag us out of bed."

  "Neither can I," he admitted ruefully.

  "Liam."

  "Hmm," he replied sleepily.

  "What can kill us?"

  She knew he was instantly wide-awake. "Why?"

  "Well, I am one of you. I know what I've heard about vampires, but you can go out in the sunlight, so what else isn't true?"

  "Sunlight can kill us."

  "Huh?"

  He chuckled at the confusion in her voice. "Some of us," he amended. "We can all still go into the sunlight because we haven't become cold-blooded killers of humans. Whether the human is good or bad, their death has an effect on a vampire. The more you kill, the stronger you become, but the more limitations are placed on you. Vampires that kill lose the ability to be in direct sunlight, they will die from it. Beth can't be in it."

  Anger rippled through her at the mention of Beth's name. Her hands dug into his back as a wave of possessiveness shook her. He was hers, and that was final. Liam's chuckle only served to infuriate her more. "I met Beth during the daytime." The name was bitter on her tongue.

  "You met her during a snowstorm. There was no direct sunlight."

  "Oh," she mumbled. "You've killed."

  "Yes, I have," he grated, and he would do it again if anyone attempted to harm her. "And the sun has become more grueling for me. It stings my eyes more, burns my skin more. It also tires me out faster."

  "I'm sorry."

  He pulled back to look down at her. "For what?"

  She shrugged as she caressed his well-muscled chest. "It's my fault the sun bothers you now. If it hadn't been for me, you wouldn't have killed Jacob."

  An involuntary growl escaped him at the name. She smiled as she lifted her lashes to gaze at him. It was good to know she wasn't the only one who became angry and possessive. "It's not your fault," he grated. "And I will kill anyone else who tries to harm you. No one will take you from me."

  "No, they won't," she promised as she rubbed his chest. "No one will take you from me either, right?"

  "Right."

  She feared he would meet someone else, someone better though. He would grow tired of her and move on. He could have any woman he wanted, and he already had. Eternity was a long time; there were a lot of women out there. Prettier women, smarter, sexier, better.

  "Would you ever leave me?" he inquired.

  "No!" she cried in horror. The mere thought of it ripped her heart to shreds and brought instant tears to her eyes. To lose him would destroy her.

  "That's the way I feel, Sera. I can sense your thoughts, and you're wrong. There is no one better, no one else for me. You are it."

  "But—"

  He placed a finger over her trembling lower lip. "No buts. Don't you remember what David said? Together forever. The passion only grows."

  "What if he was wrong?"

  "He was right about everything else."

  "What if you don't want me in a hundred years? What if you grow tired of me? Or you meet someone else?"

  "Sera, stop it. I will never leave you, never find anyone better. There is no one better. Look in me and feel it for yourself if you don't believe me." She searched his intent gaze. "Open yourself to me."

  She allowed herself to open to his thoughts. She couldn't exactly read them, not like she could when she was feeding from him, or he from her, but she could sense them. She knew he loved her and cherished her, but she suddenly sensed the full depth of his emotions toward her. It shook her to the core as she recognized in him the same feelings living within her.

  She pulled out of him as she searched his intense gaze with awe. He would never leave her, never grow tired of her, she felt it; she knew it. She brushed a strand of black hair off his forehead. "Eternity is a long time."

  He pulled her closer. "Not long enough."

  "No, it's not," she agreed. "So what else can harm us?"

  "Crucifixes and holy water are like the sunlight. The more you kill, the less you can tolerate them. Otherwise, a standard stake through the heart, beheading, and fire are the other ways."

  "Oh. I've seen you eat regular food, does it do anything for us?"

  "No. We can eat it, but it doesn't fill us. Eventually, you even lose a taste for it. Alcohol still affects us, but it takes a lot more for it to do so."

  Sera frowned, there were so many foods she enjoyed, she especially didn't want to lose a taste for cheesecake. She winced as Kathleen's shriek suddenly pierced through her ears and into her skull. "Ow!" she cried as her hands flew to her ears.

  He grabbed her hands and pulled them away from her head. Her face scrunched with pain as Danielle and Kathleen both screamed. "Look at me, Sera; listen to me, not them."

  She focused herself on him as he explained how to control all her new senses and her new world.

  Chapter Twenty

  It was late afternoon before they finally emerged from the bedroom. "It's about time you guys got up!" Kathleen cried. "I was beginning to think we would never see you again!"

  Sera blinked against the sunlight as she stepped into the snow. The giant snowman had been assembled. He was sporting a carrot, black button eyes, a gray ski hat, and a cigarette dangling from where his mouth was supposed to be. "Yours?" she asked Mike.

  "But of course, and if we don't get out of here soon, Frosty's going to be parting with his mouth."

  Sera was suddenly hesitant to meet his gaze, to meet any of their gazes. "The electricity's back on," Danielle said. "And the phone lines are working. We called the town, and they stated that they should have the roads plowed tomorrow."

  "Thank God," Jack groaned.

  "Being snowed in wasn't such a bad thing!" Kathleen protested. "I thought since it's almost the weekend, we might as well stay and check out the ski resort."

  Jack and Doug groaned. "I agree," David commented as he clapped snow from his hands.

  "What?" Mike demanded.

  Liam wrapped his arm around Sera's waist. She glanced up at him, but his face was impassive. "I think we should abandon ship before it starts snowing again," Doug said.

  "I'm with him," Jack agreed.

  "I trekked ten miles through the snow to get here. I think I deserve a little relaxation and fun," David argued.

  "Why did you do that?" Danielle asked.

  Jack rolled his eyes and walked away. "Damn idiots can't keep their mouths shut, we can't keep changing their memories," he muttered as he walked to stand beside Liam.

  David shrugged as Mike and Doug scowled at him. "Felt like some skiing," he muttered.

  "See!" Kathleen cried. "We should stay. It's not fair to expect David to come out here for nothing!"

  "Why don't we talk about this later," Mike suggested.

  "I think that's a good idea," Liam said.

  Sera glanced back up at him. His face was still remote, but the flicker behind his eyes told her something troubled him. She frowned at him questioningly, but he shook his head and kissed her forehead.

  Sera cast a sidelong glance at Jack. His hazel eyes were knowing as he grinned at her. Sera felt a blush creep up her cheeks as she lowered her gaze again. She chanced a glance at Mike, Doug, and David to find them all eyeing her with that same knowing gleam in their eyes and identical goofy grins. She focused her gaze on her boots.
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br />   Liam scowled at the four of them. Their grins grew bigger, and Liam gave up trying to intimidate them. "Well, come on!" Kathleen cried. "I'm starting to freeze. Not all of us have been in bed all day!"

  She nudged Sera as she bounced through the snow to the house. Sera shook her head as she turned to follow her back to the cabin. "So, how are you feeling?" Mike asked as he appeared at her side.

  "Fine," she muttered.

  "Mike," Liam growled warningly.

  Mike laughed as he slapped Liam on the back. "I can see your good humor has been restored."

  Liam couldn't help but smile as Mike grinned. He could feel her chagrin, but he couldn't stop the pleasure sweeping over him. She was his now, and he was hers. He pushed the back door open and stepped aside to let her enter. Everyone filed into the tiny space, bumping and jostling as they tried to remove their snow gear.

  Doug knocked into Sera and instantly jumped back as he shot Liam a worried glance. She looked up, her brow furrowed with apprehension as she turned to Liam too. He felt a spark of annoyance when Doug touched her, but it faded almost instantly. He smiled reassuringly at her as he pulled off his jacket. Her frown vanished as she returned his smile with a carefree air he hadn't seen in a while.

  "Thank God," Doug muttered.

  Sera silently agreed as she pulled off her scarf and hung it on the hook. It was so much more enjoyable to have this Liam back with her. Until then, she hadn't realized just how much she missed his smiles, laughter, and easygoing demeanor. He had changed so fast she couldn’t recall what he’d been like before. She was frightened by the new alterations in herself, and the world around her, but she wouldn't change a thing, and she would do it all over again just to have him with her once more.

  Love burst so intensely through her that she couldn't keep herself from running over and throwing her arms around him. He grunted and wrapped his arms around her. "I missed you," she whispered.

  He closed his eyes as he held her. He hadn't realized how bad he'd been until now, how close he'd come to being something he'd never wanted to be. But everything was all right now; he was all right now. She made him complete. He glanced over his head at Mike, Doug, David, and Jack. They were no longer grinning stupidly but staring at them in amazement.

  "Oh, for crying out loud, you guys have been in bed all day, could you please stop pawing each other!" Kathleen cried.

  Sera pulled her head out of Liam's shoulder; she smiled and kissed him. He grinned as he released her. Kathleen grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the mudroom. "Now that we've got you for a few minutes, I'm not letting go!" she declared as she shot a pointed glance over her shoulder.

  Liam finished pulling his jacket off and hung it on the hook. "It's good to have you back," Jack said.

  "Yeah," he mumbled.

  "So, are we going to stay or not?" David asked.

  Sera, Danielle, and Kathleen were gone as he entered the kitchen, but he could hear their voices drifting in from the living room. "If we get the chance to get out of here, I say we take it," Doug said.

  "I agree," Jack muttered.

  "Beth is still out there, she will come back," Mike said as he cast a worried glance at Liam.

  "What are we going to do when we go back? She found us here, and she's already found us at the college," David said. "It will be harder to protect them at the school. They'll be more open."

  Liam shifted as he crossed his legs before him and folded his arms over his chest. He could feel his anger steadily growing. Instantly, his mind sought Sera. He could feel her happiness, her joy as she laughed and talked with Kathleen and Danielle. He took a deep breath as her presence helped to pacify him.

  "So what are you suggesting we do?" Mike demanded.

  David glanced warily at Liam. "Honestly, I think the two of you should leave."

  Liam stood away from the counter. "And go where?"

  "Somewhere, anywhere."

  "She'll find them," Mike said. "She'll track him through her blood, and she'll find them. Leaving isn't going to do them any good."

  "And what about Kathleen and Danielle?" Jack asked.

  "I think Beth will leave them be if Liam and Sera are no longer around," David answered.

  "But you can't be sure," Liam said coldly. "And I can't leave them unprotected."

  "We would still be here."

  "Leaving isn't going to solve anything," Liam replied. "Until Beth is dead, there will be no peace," he said. "When we get back to the college, Sera will stay with me."

  "Kathleen and Danielle?" Mike asked.

  Liam closed his eyes and shook his head. "I don't know. I'd like to say Beth would leave them alone, but I know she won't. She'd kill them, or turn them, just to hurt Sera."

  "Maybe it would be better if we did stay. At least we're all together, and if the ski resort opens tomorrow, we won't have to be concerned about food."

  "Beth can come in here anytime she wants," Jack remarked.

  "But with all of us here, she can't get to them. Not if we stay aware and awake," David said.

  "So, for now, we stay," Liam confirmed.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Sera beamed from ear to ear as she stopped with a whoosh of snow. Pulling her goggles up she watched as Liam slid to a graceful stop beside her. He grinned as he pulled his goggles off.

  "I'm glad we stayed," she gushed.

  "Way to leave the rest of us in the dust!" Danielle panted as she skidded to a stop.

  Jack and Doug halted behind her, breathing heavily as they scowled at her. "You're the ones who said you wanted to race!" Sera reminded them.

  "That was before we realized you were hell on skis," Jack muttered. "I think Mike's still stuck in a tree somewhere."

  Sera glanced up the hill as Mike cautiously picked his way through the snow toward them. She had to bite back a smile as she spotted the twigs stuck to his boots, clinging to his parka, hat, and scarf. "I hate this stupid sport," he muttered as he stopped before them.

  "What did you hit?" Danielle demanded.

  His scowl deepened as he angrily ripped a twig from his jacket. "A briar patch." Unable to stop herself, Sera burst out laughing. Mike's scowl deepened as he pulled another twig from his hat. "Glad you think this is funny."

  "You would too if it was one of us," Liam replied with a grin.

  Kathleen bounded up to them; she'd given up on skiing a couple of hours ago. "They're having a dance tonight! What happened to you?"

  Mike muttered something as he pulled his glasses off. "Mike has trouble following the signs," Liam answered.

  Sera laughed even more. "Oh, shut up!" Mike snapped.

  Kathleen snorted and then laughed. "Anyway, they're having a big dance," she continued between bouts of snickering. "A kind of reopening celebration. We have to go!"

  Sera immediately stopped laughing as she glanced at Liam. The smile slipped from his face as his jaw clenched. "I don't think so," Jack said as he popped his skis off. "Riding back to the cabin in the dark isn't such a good idea."

  "I know the trails like the back of my hand," Kathleen replied airily.

  "After you have a few drinks in you, I doubt it," Mike told her.

  Kathleen glowered at him as she planted her hands on her hips. "At least I don't lose the trails in broad daylight! Besides, if you guys want to go back, that's fine, but I'm staying."

  "Kathleen—" Sera started to protest.

  "Come on, Sera. We've been cooped up in the cabin for three days now. I want to have some fun! Besides, have you seen some of the cute guys here? I'm going to that dance, with or without you!"

  Sera closed her eyes and threw her hands up in defeat. There was no arguing with Kathleen once she made up her mind. "Fine," Mike said as he tossed his skis aside. "Whatever you want, Kathleen."

  Sera was startled by the amount of resentment in his voice. Kathleen scowled at him as she spun on her heel and stormed back to the ski resort. Danielle glanced at them before hurrying to follow her. Sera bent over to pop
her skis off; her earlier elation was gone. "There was no need to get so snippy with her," she told Mike.

  "You do realize what will happen when the sun sets," Mike said.

  "Yes, I do, but Kathleen doesn't, and you made sure of that. Getting mad at her isn't going to do any good. Arguing with Kathleen is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. I would have convinced her to go back eventually, but you can forget it now."

  "Sorry," he mumbled.

  "I'm taking you back," Liam stated bluntly.

  Her mouth gaped as she spun on him. "No, you're not!" she declared.

  "Sera, you are not staying here."

  "I'm not going back to the cabin and leaving them here!" she cried. "That is not going to happen."

  "You are not going back there in the dark!" he grated.

  Sera's hands fisted at her sides. "I am not going to leave them. Besides, Beth can get into the cabin too."

  "I'll be there, and someone else can come back with us."

  "So there are even fewer people here to protect them. No way."

  "Sera—"

  "I am not going back!" Liam's eyes flashed violently, but she didn't care. She wasn't going to back down from this. Her friends wouldn’t be harmed because of her. "They are at risk because of us, and I will not abandon them."

  "You are not staying here."

  She snatched up her skis. "If you force me to leave, so help me, Liam, I will go after Beth myself."

  His nostrils flared. "What?"

  "I will go out of my way to find her, to bait her. I will do whatever I can to draw her out, as long as it means they're safe. Do you understand me?" she demanded.

  He tried to grab her, but she took a hasty step back. His eyes flashed dangerously again.

  "I may belong with you, but that doesn't mean you own me!” Sera declared. “I still have a mind of my own, and whether you like it or not, I am staying. And right now, you're pissing me off!"