Vengeance (The Captive #6)(43)

His fingers itched with the urge to brush her hair away so he could see more of her delicate features. Seeming to sense his thoughts, she pushed her hair aside and opened her eyes. He could clearly see the warm brown of them from across the cave. Her eyes searched his face before she rose up and propped her head onto her hand.

“The only reason you were in these mountains was because you were looking for Kane, isn’t it?” she asked.

“It was,” he confirmed.

“You plan to kill him?”

“That was the only plan, for a while.”

“And now?”

“Now I’m going to do everything I can to make sure the peace we’ve all fought and sacrificed for is maintained. I will rip that bastard’s heart out with my bare hands as soon as I get the chance, but for now my priorities have shifted slightly.”

Her eyes widened at his vehemence, but they stayed locked on his. He regretted the blunt words as soon as they came out of his mouth. Well, not the words, but the way he’d phrased them. He hated that she kept seeing the worst of him, but the mere thought of Kane caused his stomach to feel as if lava were bubbling within it. His fangs tingled with the driving urge to rip the ugly prick’s throat out. Kane may be stronger than he was, but he had fury on his side, and he could hit a fly with his arrow. He didn’t care how he had to take Kane down; he would do it.

Her eyes flickered over him; William could almost feel the fire burning in his gaze. He closed his eyes and took a steadying breath. Feeling more in control of himself, he opened his eyes to look at her again.

“He is a vile man,” she said. “But you’re a new vampire and he’s older, how do you plan to take him on?”

“I have a bow and arrow, and I learned years ago that fighting fair isn’t always the way to win. He stabbed me through the back; I’ll feel no shame about whatever it will take for me to kill him.”

“Understandable. Do you miss being human?”

He pushed himself into a sitting position and leaned his back against the wall. “There are some things I miss. Steak for one, being comfortable in my own skin, being able to trust myself, not breaking things. I have gotten better with the last three, but as you saw yesterday, sometimes my control can still unravel. I tried eating steak after the change, but it’s not the same anymore.”

Wrapping her arms around her legs, she hugged her knees against her chest. “What happened yesterday was necessary, and I’ve felt my own control fray when put in a tough situation” she replied. “I’ve never tried human food before, but there are times it smells tempting.”

“That there are,” he agreed.

“Is there anything you like about being a vampire?”

He smiled as he draped his arm over his knee. “More than I like to admit,” he replied. “The speed, the heightened sense of sight and smell. The way things feel more alive and vibrant when I touch them. There is so much to this world I never realized before, and I feel as if I’m discovering something new every day.”

“What about the eternal life?”

“Not even vampires are guaranteed eternity. They simply won’t age; they won’t die from cancer or a disease and are more difficult to kill, but they can still die. I’m not sure about an eternity for me; it will depend on how everything goes.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like you said, Kane is older and stronger than me.”

“You don’t plan on living through the battle!” she accused.

“I plan to live through it,” he replied. “But I also never planned my last death. I will do whatever it takes to make sure Kane is the one who dies next time.”

“Maybe someone else could kill him.”

“He’s mine.” His growl caused her eyes to fly back up to his. “No one else will be the one to put him where he belongs.”

Her deep brown eyes were solemn as her head tilted to the side. “I hope that’s what you truly want, and what you get, William.”

The way she said his name caused pleasure to slide down his spine. He forced his gaze away from her and to the wall beyond her shoulder. Kane’s death was what he wanted, he told himself; it’s all he’d wanted for the past five months. He would make sure it happened.

He just hadn’t expected to stumble across someone like her.

Tempest lay down on the floor again and pulled the cloak snug under her head for a pillow. Her eyes remained on him as she tugged the cloak she wore closer around her shoulders. “Cold?” he inquired.

“A little,” she admitted.

He’d prefer not to have to use another piece of the dwindling wood, but he refused to let her be cold. Rising, he grabbed for another log, but her words stopped him. “No, don’t use anymore. I’ll be fine.”

He stood uncertainly as he glanced between her and the fire. Her eyes closed again, but he didn’t miss the shiver running through her. Before he could think about it, he grabbed the cloak he’d been using as a pillow and closed the ten feet separating them. Her eyes fluttered open when he laid the cloak on the ground near her.

“Lie on this,” he instructed. “It will help keep you warmer.”

“What of you?” she asked.

“I’ll be fine.”

“No, I’m…”