Storm (Blood Haze: Book Two) A Paranormal Romance (13 page)

we will be.”

“I already love two men,” I said. “You really

think there’s room for a third?”

“I’m hoping that someday they won’t be an

issue.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You’re not thinking

of…”

“No, no!” he gasped. “Don’t even
think
such

things! I would never hurt you like that! I would

never hurt anyone you care about. I’m just

hopeful that someday your feelings for me will

overshadow your… infatuations with them.”

“Infatuations,” I repeated. “You think that’s

all it is?”

“I’m hopeful.”

“Mm-hmm,” I mumbled. “Well keep hoping.

We’ll see how that works out for you.”

“Yes, I suppose we will,” he agreed. “For

now, you need to rest.”

“I feel fine,” I insisted.

“You were unconscious for almost a week,”

he said. “You need time to recover.”

“But, I…”

“Shh,” he said. “Please just rest. For me?”

I frowned at him. “I’ve been resting for a

week. I want to go out or something.”

“Alright,” he relented. “Let me show you

around my home.”

Alexi graciously showed me around his home.

It was breathtakingly beautiful. It was twice as

large as my house or Max’s. The sweeping

marble staircase descended into an enormous

foyer with pale marble floors, and a glittering

crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling.

The home had thirty-five rooms, including ten

bedrooms and twelve bathrooms. Downstairs,

there was a library filled with thousands of

books. Huge bookcases filled every wall all the

way to the ceiling, and several comfortable chairs

were arranged near the huge fireplace on the back

wall. I loved to read, so this room was

particularly interesting. A massive painting of a

beautiful woman hung above the fireplace.

“Who is she?” I asked quietly. “She’s

beautiful.”

“My mother,” he stated. “She died when I was

ten.”

“I’m so sorry,” I said.

“You remind me of her,” he told me. “She

was just as selfless and kind as you are.”

I smiled, and I looked up at her gentle face. I

could see the kindness in her eyes.

The dining room held a massive table that

could seat up to thirty-two people, with fifteen

chairs on each side and one at each end. Alexi

said the room was used for meetings of Elders,

which only happened once every few years.

“I have lived alone since I was fifteen,” he

explained. “That is when I became an Elder.”

“Fifteen?” I breathed. “What about your

father?”

He looked away, staring out a window. “He’s

gone.”

“Is he… did he die?” I asked.

“No, he left. I’d rather not talk about it just

now.”

“Okay, I understand,” I said gently.

Alexi showed me the kitchen, the living room,

the sitting room, and several other rooms. He

took me outside and showed me the swimming

pool, which was uncovered and crystal clear

despite the winter weather. A huge stone

waterfall flowed into the pool, and it was

surrounded by potted palms and ferns.

“All of this will be yours someday,” he told

me.

“I don’t want to think about that,” I said.

“Why not?” he asked. “It’s the truth.”

“This isn’t mine. It’s yours.”

“Ours,” he corrected. “Everything I have is

yours. I give it willingly.”

“No, Alexi,” I said. “I don’t want it. I don’t

need it.”

“Every woman wants this, right?”

“You know me better than that.”

He nodded.

“Yes, I suppose I do. But it doesn’t change

anything. Everything I have, everything I am, it

all belongs to you.”

I smiled at him, unsure what to say.

“Alexi,” I said suddenly. “Something just

occurred to me.”

“What is that, love?” he asked.

“The dagger Kai had in the warehouse,” I

began. “The one he used to…”

I choked up as I remembered the dagger

piercing Alexi’s heart.

“Yes?”

“Well, I was wondering where he got a

hunter’s dagger,” I said.

“It was mine,” Alexi admitted.

“Yours?” I gasped. “Did you…”

“Wait, wait,” he stopped me. “I think you

misunderstand. I didn’t give it to him. I had left it

in the office upstairs. He must have found it

there.”

“Oh,” I breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks for

clearing that up.”

“Of course.”

“Would it be okay if I went back to the

library?” I asked.

“Oh, that’s right,” he said. “I remember your

love of books.”

“Yes, I’ve always loved them. You have so

many.”

“I also love reading,” Alexi said. “There are

over three thousands books in there I believe.

Some are hundreds of years old. There’s a lot of

vampire and hunter history, and of course, plenty

of fiction.”

“Will you join me?” I asked him.

“If you wish,” he said with a smile. “I would

love to.”

I smiled at him, and we headed back into the

library. I scanned all of the rows and rows of

books, and I found a tattered copy of
War and

Peace
.

“That’s one of my favorites,” Alexi said. “I’ve

read it several times.”

“I’ve never read it,” I admitted. “I’ve always

meant to.”

“It’s good,” he said. “You’ll enjoy it.”

I sat down by the fireplace and curled up into

the plush chair. Alexi chose a book and sat down

in the chair on the other side of the fireplace.

When we were both engrossed in our books, we

were suddenly startled by Max bursting into the

room.

“Alexi, can I speak with you?” he asked

frantically, panic in his eyes.

“Of course,” Alexi said, placing his book on

his chair.

“What’s wrong?” I asked anxiously.

“Nothing,” Max said to me. “Don’t worry

about it.”

I stood up.

“Something is wrong,” I insisted.

“Alice,” Alexi said. “Please just stay here. I

will fill you in when I return. I promise.”

I frowned at him, but I reluctantly sat back

down.

Alexi and Max left the room and closed the

huge wooden doors. I could hear their voices just

outside, but I couldn’t quite understand what

they were saying. Max sounded frantic, but

Alexi’s voice was controlled and even.

In a few moments, Alexi came back into the

room. His mouth was turned down at the corners

in an anxious frown, but he spoke casually.

“Alice, you must come with me at once,” he

said calmly.

“What? Why? What’s happening?” I asked.

“Please, we must hurry,” he pleaded, reaching

his hand out to me.

I took it, and he pulled me toward the door. I

followed him out into the foyer, and suddenly he

paused. He stepped in front of me and held both

arms out as though he were shielding me, and a

low growl erupted from his lips.

“Max!” he shouted.

The front doors blew open and a frigid gust of

air filled the room. Standing in the doorway was

a pale-skinned man with long dark waves

whipping wildly around his face. He wore a long

black cloak like the one Alexi always wore, but

his hood hung down his back.

“Get out of here, Liam!” Alexi growled.

He extended his arms toward Alexi as though

he wanted to embrace him, a wicked grin

spreading across his face.

“Is that any way to greet your brother?” he

mocked in a thick accent that didn’t match

Alexi’s – British, I thought. “Come now, give us

a hug.”

Crouching in front of me as though he was

prepared to spring to attack, Alexi once again

snarled, “I said get out!”

“Brother!” Liam spat back. “I’m surprised at

you! How touchy you’ve become.”

He stepped into the foyer and waved his hand.

The doors closed behind him, one final blast of

wind rushing past him and sending a child down

my spine.

“Liam,” Alexi pleaded. “Please go. I don’t

want to fight with you.”

Liam ignored Alexi and walked past him,

coming to a stop just in front of me. He eyed me

like I was a piece of meat.

“Father was right,” Liam commented. “She
is

cute.”

He licked his lips like a dog drooling over a

juicy steak. His crimson eyes narrowed as he

continued to appraise me.

“Stay away from her,” Alexi warned.

“You’re in no position to be giving orders,”

Liam said to him. “It would be
wise
to show me

a little more respect.”

“I have qualms with you, Liam,” Alexi said.

“But you stay away from her.”

“What exactly do you think I’m going to do?”

Liam asked.

“I know why you’re here, Liam,” Alexi told

him. “It’s not going to happen.”

“You know it must,” Liam shot back.

I noticed Max and Kai standing on the stairs

behind Liam, and my brother and Mother

standing behind them. Liam followed my eyes to

the foursome standing on the stairs.

“I see you have company,” Liam said, clearly

realizing he was outnumbered. “My apologies. I

will return at a more… opportune moment.”

Liam bowed low toward Alexi. He turned to

me and bowed again.

“Alice,” he said politely. “It’s been a

pleasure.”

He thrust his head into the air and waved his

hands with a flourish. The doors flew open with

a rush of wind, his cape billowing around him

dramatically, and he made a grand exit, waving

the doors closed behind him.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

“What was that about?” I asked.

“We’re getting you out of here,” Alexi said.

“Now.”

“Why? Alexi, what’s going on?” I demanded.

“Get her bag packed,” Alexi barked at Kai and

Max, and they flew up the stairs.

“Get your girlfriend, we’ve got to go,” he

shouted at Will, and he disappeared in a flash.

“Mrs. Wright, can you call my driver?” Alexi

asked my mother. “The number is by the phone in

the kitchen. His name is listed as Thorne. Tell

him to get the Guardian ready.”

My mother nodded, and she rushed down the

stairs and headed straight for the kitchen.

“Alexi, tell me what is going on!” I begged.

“The other Elders are coming for you,” he

said, grabbing my upper arms and looking deep

into my eyes to emphasize the seriousness of the

situation. “We have to get you out of here.”

“What? Why? What do they want with me?”

“I’ll explain later,” he pleaded. “Just please,

please get ready to leave as soon as Thorne gets

here. Will you do that for me?”

“Yes, Alexi,” I said somberly.

He kissed me on the forehead and quickly

disappeared upstairs.

I went into the kitchen to get a drink. I’d been

unconscious for almost a week and I was

extremely thirsty. I found a glass and opened the

refrigerator. My eyes scanned the contents,

looking for something to drink. I located some

canned diet soda and I popped one open. I turned

to pour it in my glass, and I gasped. The soda

slipped from my hand and spewed across the

kitchen floor. Liam.

I opened my mouth to scream for help, but

Liam glared at me and I found myself

mesmerized. I couldn’t move or speak. He

hoisted me over his shoulder and fled through

the back door without a sound.

*****

Chapter Nine – Kindness

For what seemed like a very long time, but in

reality was probably only a few minutes, I sat

paralyzed in the back of a black SUV with Liam

at the wheel. I struggled to at least regain my

speech so I could try to find out what was

happening, but the words would not come.

Finally, with intense concentration, I was able

to wiggle one finger. I kept struggling, and I

finally managed to wiggle two fingers, then

three. Finally, I could move my entire hand. With

work, I freed my arm, and after a few more

minutes, I felt as though I might be able to move

my entire body.

I wasn’t sure whether my abilities would work

when I wasn’t experiencing the red haze, but I

had to try. It seemed like the only chance I might

have to get away from Liam.

Slowly, carefully, I reached forward. I tried to

escape detection, because I feared being

paralyzed again. I reached my fingers carefully

around Liam’s long brown hair and touched his

neck, concentrating on trying to make him go to

sleep. It worked. He slumped forward over the

wheel. The horn activated, and the car began to

careen out of control. Liam’s foot relaxed

against the gas pedal and the car’s speed

increased.

I spotted a cell phone in the seat, and I

frantically dialed Max’s number. He answered

immediately.

“Alice?” he shouted. “Are you alright? Where

are you?”

“I’m with Liam,” I said rapidly, looking for

landmarks that might tell them where I was. “No

time. I put him to sleep and the car is about to

crash. A bridge, um… log cabin on a hill, lots of