It was the sunlight shining through the curtains and warming her face that woke Ella from her peaceful sleep. Ella had never been a deep sleeper, she had never been someone who could rest easily, but last night she had.
Brendon’s love making had left her feeling relaxed and… safe.
Yes, Ella felt safe with Brendon.
She reached out to snuggle closer to him and found nothing other than cold mattress and sheets.
Her eyes snapped open and fell instantly on the empty pillow beside her.
“Brendon?” she called out quietly and only silence responded.
Ella flared her nostrils hoping to find his scent in the next room but it was too faint for him to be around. As was Maggie’s. They were gone.
Ella felt an ache deep in her chest. A red, raw ache that had her laying her hand over her heart.
Gone. She was alone.
Panic began to claw at her. He was just gone. No rules for her to follow. No hint on when he would be back. Just gone.
Ella rose from the bed, wrapped the sheet tight around herself and walked out onto the balcony, desperately breathing deep and hoping against hope that she would catch Brendon’s scent on the breeze. She didn’t.
Ella could still taste his blood in her mouth, still feel the power of it, the warmth and the heat of it, flowing in her own veins. Her body still hummed with the pleasure that he had shown her once before falling asleep and then twice more when he had awaken her in the night.
Each time Ella had asked him to let her stay with him and each time he had kissed her brow gently and told her that they would talk about it in the morning.
Morning was now here and Brendon was not.
Ella hadn’t realized she could still feel hurt. She hadn’t realized her heart would still respond to betrayal after all the pain she had been through in her life but she felt this.
Brendon had lied to her. She had trusted him and he had misled her. Used her body to get his own pleasure and then run off as if it had meant nothing to him.
Her hurt began to transform to anger. How dare he do this to her? How dare he use her body after all she had been through? She had thought he cared. Thought he wouldn’t hurt her or let her down.
Ella had been wrong and Brendon would pay.
Life mate or not she was going to kill him for being just like all the rest. And this time the passion he managed to awaken inside of her would not stop her from doing what she knew had to be done.
Brendon must be taught a lesson.
Ella walked back into the room and pulled on her clothes. After pulling all her hair back on her head and securing it in place, she went into the room that Brendon had secured for Maggie.
There on the small side table beside the door she saw an envelope with her name written across it.
Ella snatched up the letter, thankful that during her long days cooped up with Warren she had taken the time to learn to read. What could Brendon have possibly written? Rules for her to follow? A threat if she dared break them? Would he do that?
Ella hadn’t truly wanted to believe that he would but, then again, she also hadn’t thought he would abandon her after what they’d shared the night before and he had done that…..
She opened the envelope and unfolded the paper that she pulled out from inside. She began to read the words that he had written with neat strokes of the quill still lying on the table.
Ella,
I am sure that when you woke up alone this morning you were very confused and angry. I was confused and angry myself that I had to leave you behind. I had no choice, Ella.
I am a Hunter and you are a vampire with a tendency of killing mortal men. I was sent to kill you and instead I killed two other vampires and made a plan to mislead the council that I have been sworn to serve for over three hundred years.
If the council caught wind of my dishonesty they would kill not only me, but you as well, and I cannot let that happen.
As far as what we shared last night, please know that it was more than I have ever shared with any woman before. That is yet another reason why I must leave. I am not allowed to share tenderness with anyone and doing so signs their death warrant. I won’t risk your life just because I want you with me.
You can either stay in this town and live in the home I found for you or you can go anywhere you choose to go. You are no longer anyone’s prisoner. But please don’t try to follow Maggie and I. I am taking her west, to a safe place.
Take care of yourself, Ella. Don’t make the council send someone after you again. It may not be they send next time.
Yours
Brendon
Ella reread the note twice. The words sinking in a bit more the second time around.
Brendon hadn’t left because he didn’t care. He had left because he did care. And there were no strings. No rules, no threats. He said she was free now. But she was not free.
She needed to be with Brendon. He had given her something and she just wasn’t willing to let it go.
She would be good. She would no longer kill mortal men, though she still thought that the ones she had killed had deserved their fate. She would not make trouble for Brendon and the council he worked for. They never had to know that she had been the vampire Brendon had been told to kill. They never had to know that Brendon had misled them .
Ella had never truly been alone and she didn’t know how to be alone. She needed guidance. She needed a man to own her and she wanted that man to be Brendon. He was the only man she would ever allow to do so again. She belonged to him and she had to find him.
Brendon had given her her life back. He had freed her from Warren, shown her that he wasn’t like all the others and he made her feel again. The feelings weren’t necessarily good feelings yet but Ella knew that with time those would come. But only if she was with Brendon.
She turned toward the door and a scent reached her nose. A man was here.
Hissing, Ella turned to face the open doors that led out to the balcony. A man stepped out from behind the curtains. He was around six feet and had sandy blond hair that was slicked back on his head. He had a lean muscular build and piercing blue eyes.
His smile was predatory and revealed lines around his eyes as he looked her up and down.
“Who are you?” Ella demanded, sensing that there was more to this man than met the eye. He had hidden her scent from her until he had wanted her to smell it. That had to mean he was a….
“My name is Vaughn.”
“You’re a hunter.”
“And the council wants you dead. How interesting I find it that Brendon left you here alive and…” Vaughn’s nostrils flared as he took a deep breath. “…smelling so satisfied. I am sure the council will love to hear about this.”
“What do you want?”
“To kill you, gain the council’s approval, prove that Brendon is no longer loyal to them, see him beheaded and take over his position. You see Brendon tests the boundaries at times but as far as most of the council is concerned he is the best at what we do. I intend to dethrone him.”
“I can’t let you do that.” Ella replied simply. She would not let harm come to Brendon. If this Hunter thought that he could get Brendon killed then this Hunter was going to die. Ella would protect the man who was bringing her back from the dead with her life.
“I won’t let you do that.” she stated with a shrug as she sat the letter Brendon had written her on the table.
“Is that right?” Vaughn asked with humor in his voice. Ella simply nodded. Vaughn was chuckling as he pulled a revolver from the holster on his hip. “You sure are a feisty one. I can see why Brendon would risk so much just for a roll in the sheets with you.”
Ella snarled, her lips pulling back as her fangs sharpened. Her senses heightened as the vampire inside surfaced. She could hear Vaughn’s blood pumping deep in his veins. She could smell the tangy scent of it as it flowed throughout his body.
She smelled no fear, he was obviously quite confident in his abilities. Ella was just as confident in her own.
“Prepare to die, little one.” he sneered.
“Death comes to us all.” Ella replied just before his gun went off, sending a searing pain through her chest and filling the room with smoke.
***
“Where’s Miss Ella?” Maggie asked for what Brendon figured had to be the one thousandth and twenty-third time. He rubbed his face roughly as he kept one arm secured on the reins and looked down at the young girls dark hair bouncing against his chin as they rode together on his horse.
He had left the wagon behind, knowing that he needed to get Maggie to Grange quickly and then get back to the council. The wagon would have only slowed them down.
“She had to stay in that town.” Brendon replied, forcing himself to have patience. The girl was just confused and upset that Ella was no longer with them.
Hell Brendon was confused and upset about it as well. But it was what was best. She wasn’t safe with him. He looked over his shoulder, the town was still visible across the horizon. Brendon could even see the hotel where he had left Ella after holding the vampire in his arms all night.
The hardest moment of Brendon’s life so far had been slipping from that bed, laying that tender kiss to her brow and then walking away from her trusting, sleeping form.
He knew that his leaving would hurt her trust but he hoped that his letter would explain things enough so that she wouldn’t give up on trusting people altogether.
“Why did we stop?” Maggie questioned as she turned her head and looked back at him.
Brendon shook his head and turned his gaze back forward. He hadn’t realized that he had stopped.
“Sorry.” he mumbled as he flicked the reins and started them on their way once again.
“I miss Ella. Who’s gonna brush my hair before I go to bed and when I wake up?”
“You can brush your own hair.” Brendon grumbled.
“Okay then who will kiss you goodnight? Every night she’s been kissing you goodnight and it helps you sleep better.”
“You notice too much.” Brendon accused and Maggie just giggled.
“Ella is in love with you.”
“She told you that?” Brendon demanded, his heart skipping a beat before stuttering back to normal rhythm. Maggie shook her head.
“No, but I can tell. She is happier since we met you.”
“She doesn’t smile.” Brendon countered, desperate to make the girl shut up. “Happy people smile.”
“No she doesn’t smile.” Maggie agreed. “But she hasn’t frowned as much since you kissed her that first time.”
The memory of that first kiss and of all the kisses that followed and the love making of last night slammed into Brendon. It was like a physical blow straight in his chest and it nearly sent him toppling from his horse.
“Goddammit.” he grumbled under his breath and then he let out a growl and turned his horse around, kicking its ribs and urging it faster toward town.
He couldn’t leave her here. Grange would just have to keep watch over Ella for him. The wolf would be happy to do it once he knew she was Brendon’s life mate.
And then she would be closer to the compound that Brendon called home and it wouldn’t take so long for him to get to her whenever he had a chance to..
All he knew was that leaving her here wasn’t an option. It never really had been, though Brendon had desperately wanted to do so. It would be easier and safer for everyone involved…. But easier and safer just weren’t going to work this time. Brendon had to have her close to him. If she wasn’t he knew it would only be a matter of time before he went completely crazy.
“Are we going back to get her?” Maggie asked excitedly, her voice bouncing with the movement of the horse.
Brendon urged the horse faster still and secured his arm tight around the girls tiny waist to hold her in place.
“Yes. Yes we are.”
***
Brendon knew something was wrong the instant he got to the hotel and a familiar scent assaulted his senses.
Vaughn.
But what would that arrogant, self absorbed, piece of shit be doing here at this hotel with Ella?
Had the council grown impatient waiting on Brendon and sent Vaughn to hunt him? A Hunter hunting a Hunter… There had to be something unethical about that. Surely it went against some kind of code.
But there hadn’t been time for them to grow worried about what was taking him so long.. No Vaughn had been sent to check up on him and Brendon knew just who would do something like that…. Farris.
Brendon quickly jumped from the horse, hitched its reins quickly and scooped Maggie down. He carried the girl, (because she walked too slowly for the hurry he was in), and quickly ran inside and up the stairs.
He could smell Ella and her anger. He could smell Vaughn and his calm collectedness. Brendon was still two floors away when the gunshot sounded, followed closely by two more.
Screams erupted in the hotel and people began pouring out of rooms and scrambling for exits while Brendon stormed forward toward Ella’s room.
He heard a horrible screech just as he burst into the room with Maggie crying and clinging to his neck, trembling with terror.
The scene Brendon was met with stopped him in his tracks.
Vaughn was dead. His throat ripped out, his head nearly decapitated. Brendon stepped into the room, shutting and locking the door behind him. He saw a blood trail dripped across the floor to the door that led into the room he had shared with Ella the night before.
Maggie was staring with horror at Vaughns dead body and Brendon knew the girl would have to be dealt with later but for now he was more worried about Ella. This was her blood and he could smell her through the door. She was weak and in a lot of pain.
Strange that he could almost somehow feel her pain. He knew it was because she had drunk from him so recently. They were connected more because of that.
Adjusting the trembling girl on his hip, Brendon walked to the closed door and opened it.
“Ella!” he cried out when he saw her. She was in the chair and she was covered in blood. Two bullet holes were in her chest, on in her stomach. Her skin was gray and blood covered her face. Her fangs were still sharp and her eyes still iridescent as she looked up at him.
“Brendon…” she whispered faintly. “You came for me.”
“I’ll always come for you.” he replied gruffly as he sat Maggie down and went to Ella, dropping to his knees in front of her. “Forgive me for leaving you…” he started but she raised one hand and pressed her fingers to his lips.
“I’m dying.” she stated and Brendon shook his head with denial.
“No, you’re not.” he countered. “You’re strong.”
Brendon knew that was the truth but he also knew that she would die if she didn’t feed soon. “Are the bullets still in there?” he questioned.
“I think they went all the way through.” Ella replied. “Death comes to us all. I am not afraid.”
Brendon heard boots pounding up the stairs and the shout of a lawman demanding entry to the room. He had to get Ella and Maggie out of here, far from this town and then do what he could to save Ella.
He had to save Ella. Allowing her to die was not an option.
“Come on, Maggie, jump on my back and hold on to my neck.” he ordered as he crouched. The little girl shook her head as she clutched her skirt and wept openly.
“I’m scared.” she whimpered. Brendon felt his patience snap.
“Get on my back or we’ll all die!” He bellowed which of course only caused the girl to take a step away.
“I don’t think that’s what you should have said.” Ella said, her voice barely more than a faint whisper.
Brendon grabbed Maggie’s arm and tossed her over his shoulder, her thin arms wrapping around his neck and her legs his waist.
“Hold on or fall. I won’t come back for you.” Brendon stated and he wasn’t sure if he meant it or not. Her grip tightened until she was nearly cutting off his air but Brendon didn’t complain. He scooped Ella up into his arms with the lawman’s orders getting more firm.
Brendon ran out onto the balcony and jumped down onto the dirt road below. The street was crowded with people who had come to see what was going on at the hotel.
“Stop! What are you doing with that woman and child?!” an old man demanded as he stepped forward, his wife grabbing his arm and trying to pull him back.
“They’re mine.” Brendon replied and then he grabbed the nearest horse and jumped on. He noticed that Maggie kept her arms tight around him as she sat behind him and Ella seemed too weak to even know what was happening as she simply slumped against his lap.
Cries rang out as he urged the horse into a gallop and away from the crowd.
Brendon didn’t worry about the posse he was certain was gathering to follow after them. He knew how to elude those he wanted to elude.
He rode for what seemed like hours until the horse he was on collapsed from exhaustion. He had traveled down rivers, over rocky mountain cliff lines and through forests so dense they had barely been able to make it through them.
No one from that town would be able to follow them here.
Brendon checked Ella for signs of life and realized they were there but just barely. Vampires could heal form nearly any wound but only if they had blood to replenish themselves with. If they lost too much blood and didn’t take any in then they died.
Brendon quickly set up a small fire, careful to use wood that wouldn’t smoke much and using the matches from his pocket to light it. He had left all their supplies in the saddlebags of his horse, including all his weapons other than his knife and revolver.
They now had no food, only a small pack of matches and the tiny satchel of ammunition and anti venoms that Brendon always kept hooked to his belt.
“Maggie, you stay by this fire.” he ordered the girl who was huddled beside the fire with her knees in her chest. He knew that both he and Ella would be asleep soon and he didn’t want the girl wandering off.
He laid his revolver on the ground beside her.
“If a critter or a person that scares you comes by, you just pull this hammer back, point the gun at them and squeeze this trigger.” Maggie nodded, her eyes wide and shining behind her glasses.
Brendon folded up his sleeve and crouched down beside Ella, cradling her head in his lap.
“Ella, honey, you have to wake up a little.” he urged as he placed his wrist against her lips. She gave no indication that she heard him and her fangs stayed hidden in her gums.
Brendon pulled his knife then, feeling more than a little desperation. He laid the blade against his skin and pulled it across, opening up the flesh and causing a thin line of blood to appear.
He dripped a few drops onto her pale colorless lips and instantly her tongue shot out and her fangs sharpened. Brendon let out a gasp of pain when he rammed his wrist against her fangs, sinking them deep inside and feeling her begin to drink from him.
She didn’t do anything to lessen the pain of her bite and Brendon felt the tendons in his neck popping and sweat covered his brow as he fought to keep from crying out.
The world began to grow darker as Ella sucked more and more blood from him. He knew she could very well kill him but he didn’t care. He would do anything to save her life.
He heard Maggie call out his name as he swooned and fell to the ground, losing consciousness just as he felt his head hit the ground and his wrist tear away from Ella’s teeth.