Cursed (Book # 3 of Hunted)

Reunited

By the time I was finished we were climbing the steep cliff path up to Keegan's house. He turned off the car and I was about to get out when he placed a hand on my shoulder. When I turned to look at him, he said, "Stay here."

"Why?" I asked brow furrowed in confusion. Keegan glanced up at the house through the windshield and replied, "Because it's nearly time for his evening meal and I didn't restrain him before I left." I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest.

"Oh darling, don't pout. It isn't a flattering look on you," he said patting me on the shoulder. He got out of the car, and I watched as he approached the house disappearing through the door. I cracked open the door to let in the breeze and began chewing on the inside of my cheek. Keegan returned a minute later with a disappointed expression on his face.

"Is something wrong?" I asked as he opened the door to the drivers' side.

"No," he replied sliding into the seat, "You can go in. He's upstairs. Stay out of his reach. I'll be back in a little bit." I stared at him for a second before asking, "Are you sure nothing's wrong?" I saw a muscle in his jaw clench, and he repeated, "Everything is fine. Now get out of my car." I blinked in surprise and then got out of the car pausing briefly to remove my bags from the back seat.

He had peeled out of the driveway before I had managed to reach the front door. I lugged my bags into the suite I had used last week and then started towards Zane's room.

"Lori!" he exclaimed just as I raised my hand to knock on his door. I smiled and opened the door just a crack asking, "Can I come in?"

"Of course," he replied, "Come in, come in." I stepped inside the room and found him standing as close to the door as the chains would allow him. As soon as I saw him it felt as if a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. Though his face was pale, the shadows just visible beneath his dark eyes, he was beaming at me.

"Hi," I said getting as close as I could without stepping within reach. His smile grew impossibly wider, and he replied, "Hi." I curled my hands into fists, fighting the urge to throw myself into his arms. I cleared my throat awkwardly and looked down at the floor saying, "Keegan looked kind of pissed when he came back out. Did something happen during the whole thirty seconds he was in here?"

Zane frowned and took several steps back causing the slack in his chains to rattle. He covered his face with his hands and said, "He wanted to take me out again. I said no. He's been asking the last couple of days."

"Do...do you want to...go out?" I asked and he removed his hands from his face giving me a hard look.

"No, Lori, I don't," he answered in a stilted voice. I raised my hands in surrender and said, "Okay. I just...it's okay...if you do." He stared at me for a long moment, a crease between his dark brows then he shook his head saying, "No. It's not okay. How can you say that? Of course, it's not okay." Towards the end, his voice was bordering on hysteric.

"Alright. You're right. It's not okay. I don't know why I even suggested it," I said, and he nodded raising his left hand to his mouth and nibbling anxiously at his fingertips. I considered him for a long moment. Perhaps I should have waited in my room until Keegan returned. I had no idea how long he would be and standing here in the doorway was becoming awkward.

"I'm sorry for yelling," Zane mumbled around his fingers and I shook my head saying, "It's okay."

"It's just...Keegan's been badgering me for the last few nights saying that I need to..." His eyes flicked to mine and then back down to the floor as he said, "Get out of the house and I've stayed strong thus far, but hearing you say...that it's okay almost makes me feel like it is. Even though I know, I know, if I went out I couldn't just feed, I'd have to kill. I'd have to. Otherwise, it's really not worth the trouble." He murmured the last sentence to himself.