over the horizon for the second time, he slid Ellie a wary glance. Yesterday in that shop, she’d been anything but human. He agreed with the demon, she wasn’t a full monster. But then, what was she?
He’d never, in his multiple lives and many years, come across a being like her. She had a strength like no other, the ability to move in the blink of an eye. For a brief moment, he’d thought she was a warrior. Yet here, now, she sagged against the seat in exhaustion. Although she’d managed to keep them on the road, most of the time, she’d barely shifted, barely said a word. If he hadn’t been able to feel the magic pulsing from her, he would have sworn she was a typical human.
He spotted a sign for Leeds and his instincts pulled at him. “Take this exit.”
She slowed, rolling off the highway, onto a side road and into the light of the rising sun. The rays so bright, it actually hurt his eyes. He’d been so worried about Ellie that he’d almost forgotten he was human again. Around him, life pulsed. Beautiful, wonderful life. Never before in his past incarnations had he noticed the yellow daisies growing alongside the lane, or a flock of sparrows flying overhead. Never before would he have noticed the exhausted stoop of Ellie’s shoulders.
A woman was to marry and bear children. Wasn’t that how he had treated his wife? He’d cared about her, there was no doubt. Yet, he hadn’t truly known her. And he sure as bloody hell didn’t truly know this woman, Ellie.
But he did know one thing, even though only yesterday they’d fought a demon and he was pretty sure the black spots on her white shift were demon’s blood, the woman still looked beautiful. Damn it all, why couldn’t he stop thinking about her? He had more important things to worry about…like surviving. Yet, he couldn’t stop thinking about her soft lips, sliding his fingers through her silky hair, breathing in her floral essence…
He closed his eyes, sighing over his own ridiculous thoughts. Too damn long without a woman. That was his excuse. Still, he couldn’t deny there was an innocence about her that appealed to the Victorian man he still was deep down. At the same time, she contained a strength and determination that appealed to his modern side. Why was it that he’d just met her, yet he felt like he’d known her forever?
Images and scenes flashed through his mind, memories of a former life. Two lives. One in which he’d been a prim and proper Victorian. Another in a modern world with Ashley. Two former lives that seemed so far away. And now, yet another life to add to the list. Really, it was becoming rather redundant. How long would this one last? Most likely not long with Ellie at his side. She seemed to attract trouble. Or was it that he was attracting the demons?
Frustrated, he sighed. “We need to discuss the situation.”
Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel, her gaze flickering from the rearview mirror to the road ahead, but never landing on him. “What’s there to discuss. You’re forcing me to drive you south. Although I have to say, I feel like we’re driving in circles here.” She slid him a glance, brief attention. “How much longer is this going to last?”
“I told you where to go … south.”
“Fine, sure. And once I drop you off, we never have to see each other again.”
Why did that thought not sit well with him? Never see Ellie? In the two days they’d been together, she’d become a part of his life. Almost … an extension of him. He hated to admit it, but he needed her.
“Ellie, you must tell me what you are.”
“Damn it!” She slammed her hands against the steering wheel, her voice unnaturally loud in the small car. “I told you, I don’t know!”
Bloody hell, but he actually believed her. “Start from the beginning.”
She sighed and jerked the wheel left, pulling onto a dirt road that ended at an old, wooden gate. As eager as he was to continue their journey, it was probably
He’d never, in his multiple lives and many years, come across a being like her. She had a strength like no other, the ability to move in the blink of an eye. For a brief moment, he’d thought she was a warrior. Yet here, now, she sagged against the seat in exhaustion. Although she’d managed to keep them on the road, most of the time, she’d barely shifted, barely said a word. If he hadn’t been able to feel the magic pulsing from her, he would have sworn she was a typical human.
He spotted a sign for Leeds and his instincts pulled at him. “Take this exit.”
She slowed, rolling off the highway, onto a side road and into the light of the rising sun. The rays so bright, it actually hurt his eyes. He’d been so worried about Ellie that he’d almost forgotten he was human again. Around him, life pulsed. Beautiful, wonderful life. Never before in his past incarnations had he noticed the yellow daisies growing alongside the lane, or a flock of sparrows flying overhead. Never before would he have noticed the exhausted stoop of Ellie’s shoulders.
A woman was to marry and bear children. Wasn’t that how he had treated his wife? He’d cared about her, there was no doubt. Yet, he hadn’t truly known her. And he sure as bloody hell didn’t truly know this woman, Ellie.
But he did know one thing, even though only yesterday they’d fought a demon and he was pretty sure the black spots on her white shift were demon’s blood, the woman still looked beautiful. Damn it all, why couldn’t he stop thinking about her? He had more important things to worry about…like surviving. Yet, he couldn’t stop thinking about her soft lips, sliding his fingers through her silky hair, breathing in her floral essence…
He closed his eyes, sighing over his own ridiculous thoughts. Too damn long without a woman. That was his excuse. Still, he couldn’t deny there was an innocence about her that appealed to the Victorian man he still was deep down. At the same time, she contained a strength and determination that appealed to his modern side. Why was it that he’d just met her, yet he felt like he’d known her forever?
Images and scenes flashed through his mind, memories of a former life. Two lives. One in which he’d been a prim and proper Victorian. Another in a modern world with Ashley. Two former lives that seemed so far away. And now, yet another life to add to the list. Really, it was becoming rather redundant. How long would this one last? Most likely not long with Ellie at his side. She seemed to attract trouble. Or was it that he was attracting the demons?
Frustrated, he sighed. “We need to discuss the situation.”
Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel, her gaze flickering from the rearview mirror to the road ahead, but never landing on him. “What’s there to discuss. You’re forcing me to drive you south. Although I have to say, I feel like we’re driving in circles here.” She slid him a glance, brief attention. “How much longer is this going to last?”
“I told you where to go … south.”
“Fine, sure. And once I drop you off, we never have to see each other again.”
Why did that thought not sit well with him? Never see Ellie? In the two days they’d been together, she’d become a part of his life. Almost … an extension of him. He hated to admit it, but he needed her.
“Ellie, you must tell me what you are.”
“Damn it!” She slammed her hands against the steering wheel, her voice unnaturally loud in the small car. “I told you, I don’t know!”
Bloody hell, but he actually believed her. “Start from the beginning.”
She sighed and jerked the wheel left, pulling onto a dirt road that ended at an old, wooden gate. As eager as he was to continue their journey, it was probably
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