"I don't understand," Hannah said as she twisted her blistered hands before her. "What happened?"
"We haven't exchanged blood in a few days." Jack's fingers were tender on her cheeks as he caressed her skin.
He stopped talking as Xavier appeared in the doorway. "I'll go," he offered as he brushed past them.
Jack took hold of her elbow again and led her onto the small back deck that overlooked a valley. Out here, the sun was blocked by the front of the house as it sank over the horizon. Jack's hands slid over her arms as he pulled her closer to him. Tingles erupted over her flesh as the anxiety she'd been experiencing over the past four days began to ease. The warmth of his lips against her ear caused her to go limp as he spoke to her.
"Take what you need, Hannah."
Her fingers curled into his arms and though she hadn't been hungry before now, she found the desire to feed burning hotly through her as the scent of his blood washed over her. Standing on her tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her body flush against his. He released a small sound of pleasure as her lips skimmed back and her canines elongated into razor sharp fangs. His fingers dug into her back as she drove her fangs deep into the vein in his neck.
A sound that she didn't quite recognize escaped her as her fingers curled into his hair and she strained to get even closer to him. He spun so quickly that she barely registered the movement until he was pressing her flat against the wall. She was spiraling out of control, falling as surely as the leaves dropping from the trees in the fall. She stifled a small cry as she felt the prick of his fangs against her shoulder seconds before he began to feed from her as well. The stubble lining his jaw rubbed against her skin but it wasn't an unpleasant feeling and in fact she found she actually enjoyed it.
Jack pulled away from her as the front door opened and closed but he cradled her head to keep her feeding from him. Hannah, unable to stand anymore, collapsed into his arms as she reluctantly pulled away. She met his fiery gaze as she tilted her head back to look at his beloved face. His finger traced over her bottom lip, pulling it out as he bent to kiss her again.
"When this is all over we are going to find some time to be alone together," he promised in a harsh voice that caused her body to quiver.
"I look forward to it," she whispered.
The rakish grin he shot her caused her heart to melt. "I know you do."
He took hold of her hands, turning them before him as he inspected her previous injuries. "Amazing," Hannah whispered when she saw that the blisters had already disappeared.
"As long as you continue to feed from me regularly you'll be able to go out in the sun. Maybe one day you won't even need me. Braith said his vision continues to improve."
Unexpected tears burned her eyes at the prospect of being able to return to the warmth of the sun that had been denied to her throughout her entire life. She'd never known what she'd been missing then, but to experience the freedom the sun brought to her now was a gift she'd never imagined to have been given.
Jack had come into her world when she hadn't been expecting it, and certainly hadn't been looking for it and now she was never going to let him go. He'd completely disrupted her practical existence and he'd given her more than she'd ever dreamed of from life. Because of him she could walk in the sun, because of him she was free of Calvin, and she knew what it was like to be loved and accepted no matter what, and how to give that love and acceptance in return.
"I'll always need you," she whispered. "Aria said she only feeds from Braith."
His fingers froze on her face. "That is true."
It wasn't something she had wanted before, but now the idea of feeding from anything or anyone else seemed repulsive to her. "I would like to do the same with you, if you wouldn't mind. I mean, if it was an emergency I would use a blood bag, but..."
His finger over her lips silenced her rushed words as he leaned closer to her. "I would like nothing more, Hannah."
Joy suffused her as she smiled against his finger. "I love you Jack."
He pressed his lips briefly against her nose. "I love you too, Hannah."
Pure delight engulfed her as she threw her arms around him. She hadn't known it was possible to feel this connected to someone else, to feel this safe and secure, but she was protected and she was cherished. He wiped away the tears from her cheeks as he pulled her a step closer and kissed her again.
"Jack."
Braith's voice from the front of the house pulled them apart. Jack stepped to the side to look down the hall. "Yeah?"
"William is awake, and coherent."
Jack took hold of her hand and pulled her into the shadowy hall. Braith was waiting at the end of it, his hands folded behind his back as he watched them approach. "How is he?" Jack inquired.
"Hungry, but that will pass. He seems to be doing as well as Aria afterward."
Jack's shoulders slumped as he closed his eyes. "Thank God," he muttered.
Relief filled Hannah as she wrapped her hand around Jack's arm and stepped closer to him. "He's one of us now?" she inquired.
"He is," Braith confirmed.
He turned and led the way into the backroom. Aria was still hovering by William's side, a bag of blood in her hand as he tossed aside an empty one and took the full one from her. He was paler than he'd been before, his face was thinner and his beard thicker, but otherwise he appeared the same.
"This is gross and delicious all at once," William muttered as he ripped off the top of the bag with his newfound fangs.
"You get used to it," Aria assured him as Xavier handed her another bag.
Daniel took the empty bag from him and dropped it into a trashcan next to the bed. "I'm not so sure about that," William told her as he tossed aside another empty bag and grabbed the next one from Aria. "I need a bath."
"You do stink," Aria confirmed. "But then I've had better smelling days myself."
"That you have," William agreed.
Aria shot him a dirty look that quickly turned into a loving smile as she handed him another bag. "Lucky you brother, you get to deal with the twins for an eternity," Jack said as he grasped hold of Braith's shoulder.
Braith groaned but his eyes were loving as he turned to Aria. "I'm ok with that."
Aria grinned back at him before turning her attention to Jack. "So do you."
"So do I," he agreed with a laugh as he approached William. "How are you feeling?"
"I've been better, but then I did die so I guess I'm supposed to feel a little crappy," William told him.
"I would have to agree with that," Aria said as she handed him another bag.
Hannah had never seen anyone consume so much blood, but then she'd never seen a human survive the change either. Aria was the only survivor she'd ever met before and may have been the only one in the world, until now. William tossed the bag aside, wiped his mouth and shook his head at Aria when she offered him another one. "I think I'm good."
Aria sat on the side of the bed next to him. "It's going to be difficult for the next couple of weeks to restrain your hunger. It will probably take you a couple of months to get full control, but you'll get through it."
"I'll be fine," he assured her as he pat her hand. "Did you catch the asshole that did this to me?"
"No," Braith answered as he moved to stand beside his wife. "Kane has disappeared with at least a dozen of Calvin's men."
Aria's hand tightened on William's as both of them focused on Braith. "What's with the tone?" she inquired.
Braith rested his hand on her shoulder. "It's taking more time than I had anticipated to hunt them down, they've gone into the mountains, but we'll find them soon enough."
"Maybe you should come back with us," Aria said hesitantly to William. "At least for a little while. I can help you get through what remains of the transition while we prepare a larger search party for Kane and the rest of Calvin's followers."
"Aria..."
"I know why you couldn't stay at the palace before Will
iam, but it's been a year. You can't run forever."
It was almost entertaining to watch the twins face off as they glared at each other with nearly identical obstinate thrusts of their jaws. Hannah wasn't certain which one of them would capitulate first. "I'm not running," William grated from between clenched teeth.
"You've always been a bad liar; don't try to start now."
"Aria," Braith said quietly.
She closed her eyes as her head bowed. "You'll do whatever you want, but I am the only one who knows what you're going through. The only one that can help make sure you don't injure someone else. Braith and I can't stay here for much longer, we have to... we have to go back William."
"I know," William assured her as he squeezed her hand. He glanced over at Jack before focusing on his sister again. "But this town has been devastated Aria and those men are still out there. We can't leave these people and vampires undefended. If anyone can find those men within the woods and forests, it's me."
"William," she whispered in a forlorn tone but she glanced at Braith before focusing on her brother again. "I can't bring you back from this death. Please be careful."
His eyes crinkled at the edges as he smiled at her. "Always, that bastard got me once, it won't happen again."
"I'll be leaving plenty of soldiers here," Braith assured Aria.
"That man killed me." William's eyes flashed with red as that realization seemed to sink in. He shook his head as his fingers went to his mouth and he poked at the fangs that had quickly extended. "Huh, that's going to take some getting used to."
"Yep, you are dead," Aria agreed as she handed him another bag. "The trickiest part is remembering that you no longer have to breathe and not breaking things. I still destroy door handles, curtains, and dishes sometimes."
"She does," Braith confirmed.
"We'll stay for as long as we can," she glanced at Braith who nodded his consent. "I'll help you as much as I can before then. When you're done here though, will you come home?"
"I will come home when it's done," he vowed.
Aria threw her arms around his shoulders and clung to him as she hugged him. "Thank you."
William rubbed her back before releasing her. "As soon as I am able to, I am going to go after Kane and the rest of Calvin's followers."
"I know," Aria told him.
"I think, when it's time, we should all return home for a bit." Jack turned toward Hannah. "If you'll come with me?"
Hannah started to protest but then she remembered that she could travel now, that she could see the things she'd always dreamed of seeing. That she could experience the world that had been denied to her since birth. "My family...?"
"Your family will be welcomed at the palace," Braith assured her.
"Uncle Abe may go if we travel slowly but Lucas can't travel," she said softly.
"We won't leave here until the safety of this town has been completely established and we can come back whenever you wish," Jack promised her.
Excitement fluttered through her chest as she took hold of his hand. "I'd love to see where you came from."
He kissed her forehead and nuzzled her hair before pulling away from her. "I can't wait to show it to you."
"Ugh can someone please kill me again," William muttered as he shook his head at the two of them. "If you guys don't mind, I'd really like to take a bath and I'd much prefer not to have to listen to this. Daniel can you give me a hand?"
Daniel was grinning as he stepped forward to take hold of William's arm. Daniel helped him turn to place his bare feet on the floor. "Anyone that feels like kissing someone else in this room has to go," William said.
"William..." Aria started.
"Go on, we've got him," Xavier assured her as Braith pulled her to her feet and away from the bed.
Aria's eyes narrowed, her shoulder straightened, but Braith bent and whispered something in her ear. She glanced up at him and nodded before allowing him to lead her from the room. "We'll be back," Jack said to William.
"Take your time," William told him as he stood on wobbling legs.
Braith and Aria were heading toward one of the houses that had been left empty after the battle when she and Jack emerged on the porch. "How about a dip in the lake?" Jack suggested.
She honestly couldn't think of anything better to ease the ache in her muscles and to rid her body of the dirt and odor clinging to her. "That sounds amazing."
She dropped her head to his chest as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. "I've never left this town. It's my home."
"Do you not want to go? It still won't be for awhile, there is no way William will leave here until he finds Kane."
"I know," she told him. "And I do want to go. I can't wait to meet the rest of your family; I would like to know everything I can about you and I can't wait to experience it all. After the tavern is rebuilt, and I know that Lucas and Uncle Abe will be safe, I want to see the world that I've missed all these years."
"They're safe now Hannah, you're safe now. Calvin's men won't return to this town. They're still out there but this town is safe now and so are you. Calvin is gone and you're stuck with me, for eternity."
"Sounds like a little bit of heaven," she admitted as his lips pressed against the top of her head before traveling lower to caress her cheek.
Her fingers curled into his back as his lips brushed against hers. He pushed the hair back from her face as he cupped her cheeks and tilted her head to him. Her toes curled as his gray eyes filled her vision and she was swamped with his heat and power. "Will you marry me Hannah?"
Her mouth dropped, before she had a chance to respond he was releasing her cheeks and extending a small diamond ring toward her. The beautiful jewel sparkled in the beams of the moon falling all around them. He was the strongest, most confident man she'd ever met and yet he looked achingly vulnerable as his eyes held hers.
Her response lodged in her throat as tears slid down her cheeks. She finally managed to gather her wits enough to force a response. "My defect Jack. You may have made me strong enough to walk in the sun, I know that we are linked, but you have to understand that there is still a chance my defect will pass on to our children."
"It's not a defect Hannah, it's a part of you and I love everything about you. I know neither of us wants our children to have to go through what you did, but we will both love them equally and they will never know the cruelty that you have known. The world is a different place now, they will not be shunned. I know what it's like to be the unwanted child, none of our children will ever experience that no matter who or what they are."
Tears spilled down her cheeks as she threw her arms around him and hugged him. "I'd love nothing more than to marry you," she finally managed to choke out against his neck.
He released a low shout as he wrapped his arms around her, lifted her up and spun her around. She laughed as she clung to his shoulders and he continued to rapidly spin her around. It took her a second to get her bearings when he finally deposited her on her feet again. She held her hand out to him so that he could slide the delicate diamond ring onto her finger.
"I'll get you a bigger diamond when we return to the palace."
She wiggled her fingers as she held the ring before her and smiled at the sparkly gem that she recognized from the display case at the mercantile. "Don't even think about, it's perfect."
His hands slid over her neck as he kissed her tenderly. He lifted her off the ground and carried her toward the lake in rapid strides that swiftly ate up the ground. She rested her head on his shoulder and savored in his strength as a cocoon of peace enveloped her. Arriving at the lake, he placed her on the ground and tugged his shirt off. Warmth pooled through her body; there was absolutely no saliva left in her mouth as her fingers trailed over his unyielding flesh and followed the small trail of hair that ran from his naval to the waistband of his pants.
His fingers slid the buttons of her dress free as his hands traveled down her back. Cold air hit her f
lesh but it did nothing to cool the hunger blazing through her as desire curled within her belly. The dress slid around her feet in a rustle of fabric that only heightened her yearning for him. He unbuttoned his pants and pushed them over his hips before taking her back into his arms and carrying her into the lake.
His mouth brushed teasingly over hers, but he didn't claim hold of hers as he dipped lower into the water. She remained nestled within his arms as the water swelled up around them and his tongue teased over her lips. Hannah squirmed in his embrace, pressing closer against him as she begged for him to ease the torment growing within her.
Finally, he eased her misery as his mouth settled hotly over hers. A feeling of rightness stole through her as she was once again reminded of the fact that she was home, that she had found where she belonged with him. Before he had wandered into her tavern her future had been bleak. She never would have been able to leave this town, and it would have only been a matter of time before Calvin forced her into marriage. She wasn't the only one that had been saved though, as the inhabitants of this town now knew a freedom and sanctuary that many of them had never experienced over their long lives.
Now, her future was an open road of joy and happiness, an open road of dreams already fulfilled and thousands still to be fulfilled with him. They would rebuild the tavern, they would travel and they would get married and have children, lots of children. It was all so much more than she ever could have hoped for in her life, and she was unbelievably blessed to have not only discovered the love of this man, but also the freedom that such a love had given to her.
EPILOGUE
Jack slammed the last of his nails into the final piece of the roof he was working on and pulled the gloves from his hands. Wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his arm, he sat back on the board beneath him. The tavern was almost complete, just a few more days and they would have everything back together inside, and the furniture ready.
He was eager to get it over with. He'd thrown himself into the rebuilding yesterday after Hannah had informed him that she would like to be married by the lake, but the reception had to be held in the place she had always loved so much. Though he knew that she was his, that it was a fact apparent to everyone within this town, he wanted it to be official and he intended for Aria, Braith, and Daniel to be here for the wedding ceremony. They'd said they could stay for at least a couple more weeks but he knew that Braith had to return to the palace soon.