Enraptured by Brenda K. Davies Read Free Book Online Page B

her curiosity niggled at her. She’d never heard
of a vampire being born before, and she’d definitely never heard of
a family of them, with friends. But then, he could be lying to her;
she wouldn’t put it past him. It was what his kind did after all.
Even if they did believe they could change her memories, she didn’t
believe anything they told her was the truth.
    She still couldn’t stop herself from asking,
“How many siblings do you have?”
    “Nine.”
    “Nine?” she squeaked and wrapped her hand in
the blanket.
    “And every single one of them would never
mistreat you,” Ian assured her.
    Movement in the doorway drew his attention
to Emma as she stepped into the room. At five foot four she was
small in stature, but she radiated warmth far beyond her size.
“Hi,” she greeted and strolled across the room toward the woman.
“I’m Emma Byrne.”
    The woman recoiled when Emma thrust out her
hand, her hand fisted on the bed, but before anyone could react a
blur raced into the room. Ian barely detected Ethan before he stood
between Emma and the woman. His eyes danced with flames of red as
he glared at the woman who had quickly retreated to the far corner
of the bed.
    Ian stepped forward and placed his hand on
his brother’s chest. He shook his head as he nudged Ethan back a
step. “Back off,” he warned.
    “It’s fine, Ethan,” Emma said, her hand
encircling his arm.
    Ethan’s eyes became their normal green color
again as he stared at the woman. “I know you’ve had a rough time.
You have every reason to be distrustful and frightened, but if you
hurt her, or anyone else in this house, I’ll tie you to that bed
until it’s time for you to be returned.”
    The woman’s mouth had dropped at Ethan’s
abrupt arrival, her mouth closed as he spoke. “Animals,” she
murmured.
    “If I was an animal I would have torn your
throat out and not thought twice about it,” Ethan replied.
    Some of the color drained from her face, but
she thrust her shoulders back. “Not everything is what it seems,
and sometimes what you think you know is wrong,” Ian said
quietly.
    She glanced at him, but her mouth remained
clamped shut. “I’m Emma.” Ethan tried to push Emma’s hand down
again, but she elbowed him in the stomach. “And Ethan here is a
giant, mushy teddy bear wrapped in an overprotective shell.”
    Mandy laughed, it took all Ian had to keep
his smirk suppressed as his brother scowled. The woman stared at
the hand Emma kept out. “I was once human too. Once frightened and
overwhelmed by these guys, and their family, but believe me I’ve
met the vampires that kill, you wouldn’t still be here if anyone in
this cabin were one of them.”
    The woman swallowed and hesitatingly took
hold of Emma’s tiny hand. Ethan bristled, but didn’t move to
intervene. Ian kept his body protectively in between the woman and
his brother just in case. He didn’t want to fight with his brother;
he understood Ethan’s drive to keep Emma safe, but he would protect
her if Ethan made a move to harm her.
    “Paige Dryer,” the woman replied. Ian
speculated if it was her real name, but he didn’t get the
impression she was lying about it.
    “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Paige,” Emma
said and released her hand. “You are safe here, for however
much time you need to be.”
    Jill materialized in the doorway. “Is
everything ok?” she inquired.
    “Fine,” Emma assured her. “I bet Paige is
hungry though.”
    “I’m not,” Paige replied, but Ian heard the
rumble of her stomach. Emma must have too, as she turned away and
said, “Jill makes the best grilled cheeses.”
    “I do,” Jill confirmed with a smile. “and
I’ll be happy to make one or two for you.”
    Emma hooked her arm through Jill’s as they
walked down the hall together. “I’ll bring you some coffee too,”
Mandy offered. She patted Paige’s arm before following her friends
from the room.
    “I’ll be fine in here,” Ian told