Her Secret (41 page)

“Of course,” Devlin said arrogantly. “Rescues
work best when they are planned, Love. Samuel’s plan was obvious.
Getting into position where I could use the law to entrap him was
the hardest.”

“What about me?” I said, my eyes filling.
“How much of this is you getting what you want, and now much is
really you loving me?”

I expected denials or vows of love, and got
neither. Devlin exploded with anger. “Damn you! How can you say
that, think that, after all I’ve done for you?”

“You asked me once if I knew what you were
capable of. I know well, Dev. Anyone who could pull off what you
did tonight could easily do it. This worked out too neatly—”

“It was not neat,” Devlin said coldly. “This
has been bloody, and above all, highly costly. Do you know how many
men I lost taking Ebediah? I needed to have him taken alive, Sar,
unharmed, so I could take his blood. I sent my ten best men with
Lash and Titus, and only three returned. They’ll live, but only
because they’re were, and Titus healed the worst wounds. The others
are dead. Some had been with me their entire adult lives.” His eyes
bored into mine. “It’s true that I wanted to be a Vampire Ruler
again, but by taking Ebediah’s place, I now have to deal with all
of the problems of being Master of a territory again. Between that
and repairing Hayden—”

“What is wrong at Hayden?” Danial
interrupted. “Titus and Leri were supposed to be staying
there—”

“Staying there and fighting,” Devlin spat
out. “Mostly it was Leri, or at least that’s what Titus says. In
any case, a roomful of my favorite crystal and glass sculptures are
shards, along with most of the furnishings, not to mention
structural repairs. There are also several trees down—”

“You have Ebediah’s men now,” Danial said,
coming to put his hand on his brother’s shoulder. “His bears should
be of help.”

“True,” Devlin said with a faint smile.
“What’s left of them, anyway.”

“I’m sorry,” I said hesitantly. “I didn’t
know about your men.”

“All is not troubles, and problems,” Danial
said gently. He gave Devlin’s shoulder a squeeze, then turned away,
taking Theoron into the other room. “Sar has agreed, Dev.”

Devlin blinked. “She said nothing.”

“I know her,” Danial said from the other
room. “She didn’t have to say the words.”

Devlin hugged me tightly. “Is he right?”

“He’s right,” I whispered back.

“Then stop taking the pill tonight,” Devlin
commanded. “There is no need for you to be on it now.”

“I haven’t all week,” I said, blushing. “Not
since I found out about Tasha.”

Devlin groaned. “I’d give so much to go with
you and Danial this evening. But there’s no way. I’m host of this
Gathering, for whatever that’s worth. Also the worst of Ebediah’s
tangled affairs will have to be settled before returning home.”

“You know where I live,” I said, giving him a
wan smile. “Call me.”

“I’ll be with you as soon as I can,” he
promised.

“I’ll be waiting.” I leaned up to kiss
him.

I intended a gentle kiss, full of good things
to come. Instead, Devlin kissed me as if this was the last kiss we
would ever share, and he wanted me to know in no uncertain terms
everything he felt for me. It was lust, love, longing, passion, and
complete abandonment to sensation, everything we were, and had been
to each other, all in a single kiss.

Devlin broke the kiss, looked down into my
eyes, and smiled, pleased. “Your eyes are so dark, Sar. Dark and
deep as an untouched, ancient forest.”

I gave him a wide smile back. “If you had any
more heat in yours, Dev, I’d be ashes where I stood.”

“Sar, we have got to go, or we won’t make it
back before dawn,” Danial said, poking his head out from our
bedroom. “We have five minutes to dress, and pack. Dev, you should
leave.”

“I could help you change,” Devlin purred, his
hands sliding over my dress to unzip the back.

“No way,” I said, slapping his hand away. “Or
I’ll never be ready in five minutes.” I went into my bedroom, where
Danial helped me out of the dress.

“Why do you get to be in there and I’m out
here?” Devlin called playfully through the door.

“Because I can be trusted not to take
advantage,” Danial said, just as playfully.

I slipped into some jeans and a pullover
sweatshirt, grabbed my bags and Theoron, and followed Danial out to
Devlin.

He took one look at me, and shook his head.
“You are mine now, not Danial’s, so far as every vampire is
concerned. Take off his symbol, and put mine where it belongs.”

Danial nodded. “He is right, Sar. Exchange
them.”

I undid my choker with Danial’s symbol, and
put it around my right ankle. Then I undid the choker of Devlin’s,
and fastened it around my neck.

“Good,” Devlin said, gratified. “Go, Love,”
he said, hugging me one last time. “I’ll see you in a week at most,
a few days if possible.”

* * * *

Hours later, we disembarked back in America.
As we were walking toward Aran and the waiting Expedition, Danial
grasped my arm. “Brian, Terian, go on to the SUV.”

With one last glower at me, Terian left
holding Theoron, Brian following.

“Are you sorry, now that you’ve had time to
think?” Danial asked.

“This ended the best way it could have,
considering what they wanted of me, and what they would have done
to get it.”

“But you are the one who will pay the price,
Sar,” Danial said. “You hadn’t expressed interest in more children,
at least to me.”

“I don’t know what I want,” I said absently.
“Everything’s changed in this last week. I’ve changed.”

“Nothing that’s happened changes that you are
the woman I love and the mother of my child,” he said, drawing me
into his arms. “You are still Sar.”

I hugged him, but didn’t reply.

He let me go. “Terian will teleport us, while
Aran takes you home. Take a few days off, Sarelle. You are right,
you need some time.”

* * * *

Aran didn’t speak until he’d pulled into my
driveway. “You’re wearing Devlin’s symbol, but Danial’s not upset.
Is it true you’re Oathed to them both?”

“Yes,” I said, fingering the tiny bear
pendant.

“Cia and I scented him in your house,” Aran
said, blushing slightly. “We’d hoped it was by your
invitation.”

“It was,” I assured him. “Thanks for watching
over my pets.”

“Theo is my friend,” he said suddenly. “Or he
was, until this woman showed up yesterday.”

I explained Theo’s dalliance with Aspen and
Tasha, then got out. “We were wrong about him.”

“Then it’s better he’s leaving,” Aran said
with regret. “I can’t take orders from someone I don’t respect. See
you.”

“See you.”

He honked once, the sound echoing in the
early dawn, then drove off.

My pets steamrolled me as soon as I opened
the door. After forcing myself to feed everyone, I ate some cereal,
watching the sunrise. The sun was just coming up over the trees
then, trying to burn off the fog that was rising from the creek
near the road. It would have been pretty if I hadn’t felt so
bad.

Despondent, I locked up, then went
downstairs. Undressing, I got into bed and tried unsuccessfully to
sleep.

What would happen now? I didn’t want to bear
Devlin’s child, even though I loved him. But what choice did I
have? What would the living arrangements really be in the weeks to
come? Worst of all how long would it be until Theo arrived to get
his things, Tasha in tow?

I lay there a long time before sleep
came.

Chapter
Twenty

Theo was walking
toward me, trying to tell me something. We were back in Casper. I
walked closer to him, but I couldn’t make out what he was saying.
Then he suddenly turned, and began running. I ran after him,
chasing down the street to the corner.

“Theo!” I shouted.

He didn’t turn, didn’t stop, and as he
crossed the street, a car ran him down.

“Theo!” I ran to his side. He was trying to
speak, but he was covered in blood. He reached for me, and then
slumped, his head lolling back as his eyes glazed.

“Theo!”

“Wake up!” Someone shook me hard. “Wake up,
Sar.”

I blinked my eyes. My heart was beating fast.
I was covered in nervous sweat. And Theo was here, very much alive,
holding me in his arms.

The first tears slid down my face as I
struggled in his grip. “Let me go.”

“You’re okay,” he soothed. “It was a
nightmare.”

“You were dead,” I got out, rattled.

“Shh,” he said softly. “I’m right here, alive
and well. God, I thought you were in trouble. I broke the front
door down getting in.”

Anguish hit me. Theo was here for his stuff.
I pushed him away, aware of my nudity. “I’m sorry.”

He put his gun away, then handed me a robe.
“So what did me in?”

I fastened it around me. “A car.”

“A car wouldn’t kill me. Maybe a tractor
trailer—”

“Stop being morbid,” I said angrily. “It’s
not funny. I was terrified.”

“It’s good to know I meant something to you,”
he said gruffly, his eyes narrowing. “At least enough that you’d
cry over me if I died.”

“Stop,” I said, looking away. “I don’t want
to fight with you.”

He sighed. “I don’t want to fight either,
Sar...elle,” he finished quickly. “I’m just here for my
things.”

“Give me a minute to put some clothes
on.”

* * * *

Within the space of an hour, Theo packed all
of his things in his truck. While he did, I stood and watched,
unsure of what else to do.

“That’s everything,” he said, coming over and
handing me his key. “I’m sorry for how things happened. I didn’t
want this to end this way.”

“I’m sorry, too,” I replied with tears in my
eyes. “I didn’t want us to end.”

He pulled me roughly into his arms, holding
me tight. “Sar, I love you. It’s killing me to do this—”

“Then don’t do it!” I cried out. “Don’t
leave! No one is making you—!”

“Sar, I have to—”

“You don’t have to,” I said bitterly. “You
are choosing to, because that’s easier than sharing me.”

Theo drew back from me and went to the door,
pausing. “I don’t have to share Tasha with anyone. Take care of
yourself.”

As the sound of his tires receded, I began to
sob, my tight hold on my anguish dissolving completely. This was
it. We were over.

About the
Author

Tara Fox Hall’s
writing credits include nonfiction, horror, suspense,
action-adventure, erotica, and contemporary and historical
paranormal romance. She is the author of the paranormal
action-adventure
Lash
series and the vampire romantic
suspense
Promise Me
series. Tara divides her free time
unequally between writing novels and short stories, chainsawing
firewood, caring for stray animals, sewing cat and dog beds for
donation to animal shelters, and target practice.

Other works by the author
with Melange Books, LLC

Return To Me

Surrender to
Me

The Origin of Fear
in
Spellbound 2011 Anthology

Night Music
in
Midnight Thirsts II Anthology

Partners
in
Midnight Thirsts II Anthology

Kink
in Wicked
Christmas Wishes Anthology

The Oath
in Wicked
Christmas Wishes Anthology

Bedtime Shadows
Anthology

Make Me Behave
Anthology

Latham’s Landing, An
Anthology

The Promise Me
Series

Promise Me, Book
1

Broken Promise, Book
2

Taken in the Night, Book
3

Taken for his Own, Book
4

Promise Me Anthology,
Book 4.5

Immortal Confessions,
Book 5

Coming Soon

Point of No Return,
Book 7
of the Promise Me Series

Turn the page for more
books available
from Melange Books

Also Available
From Melange Books

Promise Me Anthology
#1

Tara Fox Hall

With Every Goodbye
(Sarelle)

Sarelle McGarran loves her new country life,
her pets, and her husband, Brennan. When she loses him to a tragic
climbing accident, Sarelle must fight depression, financial
hardship, and her family and friends' good intentions to embrace a
new destiny all her own.