The Gathering by Lily Graison Page A

before looking up. “Staying with her
gets harder by the day.”
    Standing and stretching out his legs, Garrett
stared at him and wondered if having him at the house would be best
for everyone. He leaned his head to the side, watching him. “You’re
welcome anytime, you know that… but I think you’re better off where
you are.” Jacob’s expression grew somber, his eyes downcast. “I
need to know what she’s up to, Jacob, and you’re the only one in
the position to find out.”
    Jacob lifted his head and the look on his
face was again filled with surprise. His smile was slow to form but
once it was there, it grew to near blinding. He stood and dusted
the seat of his pants off. “I can do that.”
    Garrett returned the smile. “I know you can.
Let me know the minute something happens you think I should know
about. If it gets to much to handle, come home.” He turned and
started to walk away but Jacob saying his name stopped him.
    “Something went down last night. I’m not sure
what, exactly, but Carmen and Erik were gone for a while. When they
came back, Carmen was sporting a couple of new wounds on her
neck.”
    Garrett puzzled over the new information.
“Did anyone say where they’d gone or how she was injured?”
    “No, but she was highly pissed about
something.”
    Garrett stared at him and wondered what
Carmen and Erik could have been up to. He was sure whatever it was
would land on his doorstep soon enough. Where Carmen was concerned,
it always came back to him.
     
     
    * * * *
     
     
    Rayna had just stepped out of her panties
when she heard Sabriel say her name. She snatched up her towel,
wrapping it around her body, and turned to the door. Why the hell
hadn’t she shut it?
    He appeared a moment later. He took in her
appearance and when he looked back at her face, heat smoldered in
his eyes. “I’ve brought you something to sleep in.” He ignored her
state of undress and laid something white on the cabinet before
backing out of the bathroom. “The kitchen is stocked. Help yourself
to whatever you’d like.” He watched her, his gaze once again
lingering over her. “I’ll be across the hall if you need anything.”
He walked away before she could thank him for the clothes.
    Shutting the bathroom door, and locking it,
Rayna ignored the entire encounter and showered quickly, dried off,
and picked up the clothing Sabriel had left for her. It was a man’s
long sleeve button-up shirt. Not that she was expecting fancy
lingerie, or even a respectable nightgown, but for some reason, the
shirt bothered her.
    She lifted it and inhaled the scent that
lingered on it. Washing powder, mostly, but she knew this shirt
belonged to Sabriel. She could smell him on it. He didn’t wear
cologne or she didn’t think he did. She hadn’t ever noticed the
presence of any but his scent was refreshing for a man. He smelled
of bed linens and oddly enough, like the spring air. As if his
clothes were dried in the sunlight.
    Shaking her head, she slipped the shirt on.
Thankfully it fell to mid-thigh. She wasn’t too keen on running
around his house with her ass showing, especially seeing how her
only pair of panties was laying in a pile of dirty clothes at her
feet.
    Winding her hair into a towel, she entered
the bedroom and crossed to the door. A peek into the hall revealed
nothing. There wasn’t a sound in the house and creeping out of her
room, Rayna made her way back the way Sabriel had brought her when
entering.
    She found the kitchen but by-passed it. A
search of every room caused a frustrated sigh to escape before she
scowled. “Does this man not own a damn phone?”
    Walking back to the kitchen, she checked the
refrigerator. It was stocked, just as he’d said. She had to wonder
about that. She didn’t know vampires ate real food. Did they?
    Staring at the contents, she grabbed a bottle
of water before finding a plate of cheese and sliced lunchmeats.
She carried them to the table and ate in silence while