Hunt the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #11)(43)

“But you didn’t believe that?” she asked softly.

“I’ve always feared it was guilt.”

Without warning her brows snapped together. “No.”

“No?”

She squeezed his fingers. “Fala sounds as if she was a strong woman who firmly believed in fate,” she insisted.

He gave a slow nod. “She was.”

“Then she would have considered her choice a matter of destiny.”

“Or desperation.”

“Roke, if she truly had faith in her visions, then she had faith in you.” She leaned forward, her expression one of utter certainty. “Whatever led her into the sun, it wasn’t guilt.”

Roke became lost in the dark beauty of her eyes, the gnawing fear that he’d been responsible for Fala’s death easing at the certainty in her voice.

How many years had he punished himself with the fear that Fala had to betray her own honor to protect him?

It’d been a constant source of shame.

Now, with a few simple words, Sally had given him the courage to remember Fala as a proud, fearless vampire who accepted her duty, just as Roke had accepted his.

It was a gift that was beyond price.

He lowered his head in a gesture of profound respect.

“Thank you.”

Chapter Eleven

Sally managed to eat through most of the menu before she at last shoved aside the plates, sighing in relief.

Or at least she told herself that it was the vast mounds of food that had lightened her mood and caused the strange flutters in the pit of her stomach.

Otherwise she’d have to admit that Roke’s unexpected glimpse into his tormented past had broken through her defenses with an ease that should terrify her.

She didn’t want to ache at the thought of him being haunted by the memory of the woman who had sired him, or blaming himself for her death.

And she certainly didn’t want to feel the prickles of electric excitement at his casual touches. Really was there any need to brush a stray crumb from her finger, or tuck a curl behind her ear?

It was much better to pretend that nothing had altered between them.

As if to mock her ridiculous decision, Roke reached across the table, his fingers a soft caress as they touched her face.

“You have some color back in your cheeks,” he murmured, a satisfied smile curving his lips.

With a sudden need to distract her odd mood, Sally slid out of her seat and deliberately glanced toward the window.

“It won’t be long until dawn. Shouldn’t we be finding someplace to stay?”

The silver eyes studied her with a hint of puzzlement as he rose to his feet.

“I called the local clan chief before we reached the café and he offered us a safe house not far from here.”

She wrinkled her nose. She’d been on the run most of her life, so it wasn’t like she wasn’t used to going for weeks without a hint of luxury. That didn’t mean, however, she had to like it.

“Another safe house?”

“I have hopes this one will provide a few more amenities,” he said in sympathy. “Are you ready?”

She shrugged, rubbing her hands up and down her upper arms as a growing sense of restlessness tingled through her.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Tossing money on the table, Roke led her out of the café and toward the car parked in the center of the lot.

“Pathetic,” he muttered, shaking his head.

With a jolt of surprise, Sally realized that she’d fallen a step behind Roke, her gaze glued to his rock-hard ass shown to perfection in the faded jeans.

Cursing her increasingly strange mood, she jerked her head up and prayed he hadn’t noticed her lingering stare.

“What’s pathetic?”

“This . . .” He waved a slender hand toward the car. “Piece of shit.” He gave another soulful shake of his head. “We need a new ride.”

She arched a brow. “Are you one of those men who need an expensive ride to make him feel macho?”

With a fluid motion he turned, his hand cupping her chin as he studied her upturned face.

“I’ve never had a problem with macho, but I do have a problem with riding around in a tin can.” His gaze lowered to her unsteady lips, perhaps realizing she’d lost track of his words. Awareness sizzled in the air, sending a dangerous, melting heat through her blood. Then, with a hiss, Roke’s attention shifted toward the nearby trees. “Get in the car.”

She didn’t hesitate.

Dashing around the hood of the car, she yanked open the door and slid inside. She managed to get the door shut, but she was still struggling with her seat belt when Roke had the motor started and was shoving the car into gear.

She clenched her teeth as they bounced through potholes large enough to swallow the tiny car.

“What is it?”

“Fairies.”

She shivered, shifting to peer out the back window. “Are they following us?”

“No, they’re watching from the woods,” he muttered, pulling onto a narrow path instead of the main road. “At least for now.”

They jolted down the pathway at a speed that threatened to rattle the car into scrap metal, but Sally didn’t complain. She was as anxious as Roke to reach the protection of the vampire lair.