Shea knew he was capable of far more power than she could conceive of. And he was manipulating her, had been all along. For the first time she allowed the facts to come together in her mind. Vampire. Jacques was a vampire. All of these people were. Her hand went to her throat. She was probably one of them now.
“Let go of me!” Shea struggled in earnest now, shocked at how physically strong Jacques had become with the infusion of Gregori’s blood.
Jacques snarled, black fury rising along with fear of losing her, fear that she could not survive without him, fear of once again being alone in utter darkness. He held her down easily, but the sound of her heart racing was alarming to him, dragging him back to a shred of sanity.
Into the swirl of violent emotions came the healer’s voice. “She does not understand the ways of our people, Jacques. You must be gentle with her, guide her, as your brother guided Raven.”
Shea fought the compelling voice, a weaver of spells. “I want to leave. You can’t keep me here.” Jacques, please, don’t do this. Don’t make me stay when we know it’s impossible for me. You know me, know me inside and out.
Stop it, Shea, Jacques pleaded with her, knowing he was holding on to his intellect and reason by a thread. Nothing has changed.
Everything has changed. These people are your family. She tried to take a deep, calming breath. Jacques, I was your doctor, nothing more. I don’t belong here. I don’t know how to live like this.
You are my lifemate. The words were firm in her head. You are tired, my love, tired and afraid. You have every right to be. I know that. I know I frightened you, but you belong with me. He did his best to keep his voice a soft whisper of sense, but it was difficult with the beast rising and the fragments in his brain confusing him.
She lay looking up at his strong, harsh, uncompromising features, the warning in his furious eyes. I don’t even know what it means to be your lifemate, Jacques. You know I want the best for you, I want you well and whole again, but I can’t be with all these people. I need time to sort out what’s happened here. What I am. I can hardly breathe right now, let alone think things through.
She was telling the truth. Merged as he was with her, Jacques could feel the familiar pattern in her brain, her intellect leaping forward to protect her from any overwhelming emotion. She was too tired and drained to succeed at her attempt. He struggled once again to reassure her. You are my lifemate. It means we belong together, never apart.
She shook her head adamantly. “No way.” Her enormous eyes jumped to the others. All at once they looked sinister, beings too powerful for their own good. “I want to leave this place.” It was somewhere between a demand and a plea for help. Instinctively she looked toward Mikhail. His fingerprints were on her swollen throat. She had saved his brother’s life. He owed her.
Raven tightened her fingers around Mikhail’s, feeling his tension, his indecision. Clearly the woman was asking for help, and Mikhail could do no other than offer his protection. But Jacques was already warning them off, a low growl rumbling in his throat. He sensed Shea was looking to the others for assistance, and it triggered his predatory instincts. At once he was dangerous, violence swirling close to the surface, aggressive toward Shea, clearly demanding submission.
Byron nearly leapt forward, but a show of Jacques’ gleaming fangs held him motionless. He glared at Mikhail. “I told you she had not chosen. Take her from him. She must be protected.” Hope was shining in his eyes.
“Jacques.” Gregori’s voice was pure black velvet, a caressing, compelling tone impossible to ignore. “The woman is overwhelmed. She needs rest, a healing sleep. Both of you should go to earth.”
Shea’s heart nearly stopped. She shoved hard at Jacques’ immovable chest, caught the picture of the earth opening, accepting them. Buried alive. A scream of alarm caught in her throat. She flung herself off the bed in an attempt to get away.