Dalakis Passion 3 - Stefan's Salvation (7 page)

everything there was to know about Laurel Rose.
She'd been so still for so long that he thought she'd changed her mind. He could
feel the sweat trickle down his back from the effort it took to hold himself in check. A
savage pleasure gripped him when she tentatively raised her hand and reached out to
touch him. He closed his eyes, anticipating the pleasure her innocent caress would
bring him.
His eyes shot open as a familiar sensation filled him.
NO!
He wanted to rage and
howl and swear at the world. Dawn was creeping in like a silent beast, waiting to
pounce on him and devour him. For the first time in his long existence, he cursed what
he was. Damned his family and heritage for forcing him to leave her side. However, not
by any word or action did he betray his feelings. He knew what he had to do.
Her fingers didn't even get a chance to touch him, but they were close enough to
stir the air around him. He could feel the heat from her hand as it neared him, could
smell her musky, exotic scent as she moved closer. His hand shot out and gripped her
wrist in a viselike hold, keeping her from touching him. He could feel her pulse flutter
beneath his fingers before it began a galloping rhythm.
Her eyes flew to his and he could read her growing confusion and fear. His blood
boiled with anger that it had to be this way. She had begun to trust him and if they'd
been allowed to continue, it would have strengthened the bond between them. Stefan
feared that after this, he'd lose whatever ground he'd gained with her.
Raising her hand to his lips, he kissed the back of her wrist. He could hear the beat
of her heart and the rush of blood through her veins. The urge to sink his fangs into her
skin and drink was great. He knew that his eyes were glowing and tinged with red, so
he kept his head averted, not wanting to frighten her even more. His tongue flicked out
to sample her salty flesh--a mere taste for a starving beast.
"I have to go." He almost didn't recognize his own voice it was so low and guttural.
Her mind was a rush of random thoughts, filled with insecurities, but she voiced
none of them. "All right," she easily agreed as she tugged her hand out of his grip. He
held it tight just for a moment, reluctant to let her go. Perversely, he was angered by her
unquestioning acceptance.
"You have nothing else to say?" He knew he was confusing her with his actions. He
was stunned himself. The mixture of strong, conflicting emotions filling him, coupled
with his raging need to fuck her, to mark her as his, were all pounding within him until
he felt he'd explode if he didn't find some outlet for them.
She shook her head as she tugged the ragged edges of her nightgown around her.
He read her thoughts easily and hated the fact that she suddenly felt the need to cover
the body that she'd just shared so freely. Stefan knew he had to go, and quickly, before
he did or said something he might live to regret. And if he didn't leave soon, none of it
would matter because the sun would kill him. Taking a deep breath, he reached for
calm. His fangs receded and his eyes return to normal.
Quickly, he rolled from the bed and stood next to it. Leaning down, he cupped her
face in his hands and tilted it up to meet his gaze. "I will be back. Tonight." Bending
down, he brushed her lips with his. It was almost impossible to pull away from her, but
he dared not deepen the kiss, knowing if he did that the dawn would find him still in
her bed, covering her lithe body with his much larger one.
Releasing her, he strode to the window and flung himself through the opening. He
was changing even as he hit the ground running. Racing against the coming dawn, he
ran on all fours. In his wolf form, he knew he could bear the first rays of the sun if he
didn't make it back to his truck in time. It would hurt and he would burn, but at least
he'd survive.
The forest passed in a blur of color and sound, dirt and leaves flying out behind
him. There was no time for stealth or secrecy. He was running for his life and for hers.
Tonight had shown him that the threat to her was very real and he feared what would
happen to her if he wasn't there to protect her. She had done well this evening, but that
was against only two men who wanted to scare her more than harm her. And they
would be back. Of that there was no doubt.
Her startled cry still echoed in his ears and he knew that she'd raced to the window,
fearing he had injured himself in the fall. He sent comforting thoughts to her, reassuring
her that he was safe and urging her to take care of her own safety while he was away
from her. It was intolerable to him that she would be left unprotected while he lay
immobile in the light of the day. He wanted her next to him, locked in his arms so he
could keep her safe.
The first rays of dawn broke over the mountain as his truck came into sight.
Redoubling his efforts, he practically flew to the back of the vehicle, thankful that habit
had compelled him to park it in a naturally shaded area beneath a huge stand of oak
trees. He didn't stop as he went down on his belly and crawled beneath the truck.
Although he was protected from the sun, he still had no time to waste. Already, the
effects of the rising sun were taking their toll. The urge to close his eyes and sleep was
almost too much to fight. But fight he did. To fall asleep here could mean death from a
single ray of sunshine.
Forcing himself to concentrate, he once again changed back into human form.
Reaching up, he found the secret hatch beneath his truck and opened it. When the trap
door sprang open, he crawled into the cool confines of the back of his truck and pulled
the door shut behind him.
Exhaustion rolled in like a black tide, bringing sleep in its wake. Not for the first
time, Stefan was thankful for the specially designed truck bed. Totally sheltered from
the sun, it was a self-contained unit that was cool and safe. Reinforced with steel and
built to his specifications, it was totally impervious to outside interference. And if
someone happened along, he could always escape through the hatch that he'd crawled
in through. He knew there was a natural cave about fifty feet away from his truck and
he could find shelter there if he had to.
There was nothing he could do but let sleep take him. His heart rate slowed, his
breathing diminished and his body all but ceased to function. To the casual observer, he
would look dead. Stefan fell into the dark void, cursing the sun and willing the night to
arrive.
Laurel Rose cried out in horror as Stefan threw himself out of the window. Rushing
to the window, she searched the ground for his broken body, but there was nothing
there. Confused, she scanned the yard. He couldn't have left that quickly. Could he?
No, that was impossible. Yet the fact remained that he simply wasn't there.
Perhaps it had been nothing but a dream. She dismissed the thought even before it
was fully formed. Her nightgown hung in tatters around her, but beyond that, her body
ached in unfamiliar places. Although she'd experienced an incredible orgasm, her body
was still thrumming with need.
She didn't know why he'd left, but she did know that Stefan had wanted her. His
enormous erection was proof of that. He'd said he'd be back and for some reason, she
believed him. There was really no basis for the connection she felt to this man who was
little more than a stranger, but she felt it all the same. But beyond that, she trusted him
completely. Otherwise she'd never have been able to share her body with him.
In the dawning of a new day, it seemed incredible to her that she'd allowed him to
look at her. She realized she was absently rubbing her right leg and looked down at the
long, pale scars beneath her hand. The accident and the subsequent surgeries had left
their mark on her body, but last night she hadn't thought of them at all. Stefan had
filled her mind and taken over her body in the dark of the night, leaving no room for
her to feel self-conscious about her physical shortcomings.
She knew that she was no raving beauty. Her hair was shiny black, long and
straight and she considered it her best feature. Her eyes were an unusual shade of
indigo that people found both fascinating and frightening. Some folks feared that she
could read their thoughts and see all the way to their souls. And sometimes she could.
Her talent was unpredictable and occasionally came without warning. She never knew
when a vision would hit her, but she always paid attention when it did.
Raising her hand to her face, she traced the scar on her right cheek--another
reminder of the accident that had killed both her mother and stepfather. The memories
of that awful day made her shudder, so she shoved them back into the dark recesses of
her mind where they belonged. She had enough to worry about without letting the past
haunt her.
What did it matter what she looked like? Her body was slender and strong and she
was able to fend for herself. Nothing else mattered. Turning away from the window,
she limped back to the bed. Looking down at the rumpled sheets, she contemplated
crawling back beneath them and pulling them around her. Instead, she reached down
and hauled them off the mattress and flung them to the floor. There was no way she
could sleep now, so she might as well start her day.
Opening the cedar chest, she drew out a set of fresh sheets and made the bed. She
gathered the soiled sheets, bundled them into her arms and carried them to the top of
the stairs. The smell of sex and the earthy scent of aroused male wafted up from the
cloth. It was all she could do to keep from burying her face in them and breathing deep.
In truth, she wanted to wrap the sheets around her and bask in the comfort of his
presence, to reassure herself that he was real. It was for that very reason that she didn't.
Here in the light of day, she was alone. Stefan might be her secret nighttime lover,
but what did she really know about him? Life had taught her to depend on no one but
herself. Ruthlessly, she tossed the bundle over the stairs. She'd wash them first thing
and get them hung out on the line to dry before she went into town. She wasn't looking
forward to her trip, but she had little choice in the matter. It was Saturday, the day of
the farmer's market, and she had goods to sell. Beyond that, she needed some supplies.
Mentally, she began to make a list of things she had to do while she was there.
As much as she didn't want to face the townsfolk, she knew she'd make a stop at
the diner before starting the trip back up the mountainside. The local diner was the
hotbed of gossip and, right now, Laurel Rose needed any information she could get
about the developers who were buying up the land around hers.
Limping down the hallway to the bathroom, she shoved all thoughts of the night
before from her mind. If Stefan showed up that night, she'd deal with it. Until then, she
had a life to live and things to do.
First, she'd get a bath. Then she'd do a load of laundry, have some breakfast and get
her herbs, vegetables and craft goods loaded onto her truck for her trip to town. She
had a busy day ahead of her.
Even as she planned her day, images of a tall, dark-haired man rose up in her mind.
And just for a second, she thought she could feel the caress of his calloused hand on her
face. She sucked in a breath, gasping at how real it felt. Her hand flew to her face only
to find it was strangely warm. Shaking off the sensation, she sighed and hurried into the
bathroom. But the comforting feeling of his hand on her skin still lingered.
Chapter Eight
Salvation, North Carolina was a small town of about six hundred people that was a
mere thirty-minute drive from her home. It boasted a grocery store, drug store, dry
goods shop, post office, town hall, gas station, diner and a takeout pizza place. Most
people drove to one of the larger towns when they wanted to do some serious
shopping, but for everyday living, Salvation provided what most folks needed.
It was the closest town to Laurel Rose and where she did all her business. Right
now, that meant setting up her truck for the weekly farmer's market that took place on
the outskirts of town. Many of the surrounding farmers brought their goods to sell. It
was a time for people from Salvation and nearby communities to meet and share news
or just hang around and gossip. You could buy everything at the market from fresh
vegetables, eggs, butter and herbs, to homemade soap and an assortment of craft items.
They did a good trade during the tourist seasons when people traveling through North
Carolina would stop and purchase some of the local handicrafts.
Laurel Rose set up in her usual spot at the far end of the field, slightly away from
the other vendors. She knew she made people uncomfortable, so she kept to herself for
their sakes, mostly. Climbing out of her truck, she took a deep breath of the fresh
autumn air. Its crisp, invigorating scent filled her lungs, giving her a much-needed
boost of energy. She was tired--little wonder considering the activities of the previous
night.
Her body still tingled even hours later and she could almost feel Stefan's fingers
gliding over her torso and caressing her breasts. Her womb clenched tight, reminding
her that she'd been left wanting more. Taking another deep breath, she rolled her
shoulders and shook off the sensual thoughts. She had work to do.
Hurrying around to the back of her truck, she lowered the tailgate and hauled out
her folding table and chair. Her quick, practiced motions had both set up within
seconds. Reaching into the bed of the truck, she yanked several boxes down to the end.
Within minutes, she had a pretty green cloth on the table and had set out an array
of her homemade soaps and a variety of herbs from her garden. She loved the smells
that wafted up from the hand-cut bars of soap. It reminded her of her garden where she
harvested all the herbs that scented her soaps. Their colors were like a rainbow spread
across her table and pride filled her every time she set them out for sale. Stacking the
soap one bar on top of the other, she made colorful pyramids and placed name cards
with prices in front of each stack.
Satisfied that she was ready for business, she hoisted herself into the back of the