"Don’t do this. Are you crazy? They could kill you, both of you.”
He jerked out of my grip and pushed my hands away. “We’ll be fine, Emma. Please don’t str-”
I cut him off. “Do not tell me to not be stressed about this. This is dangerous and stupid, and I’m going to stress as much as I damn well want to stress!”
Hot Ben behind Teren sighed and I glanced over at him running a hand through his hair. “He’s right, Em. We’ll be fine.”
I gaped at him. “Well, aren’t you a far cry from the man who sobbingly begged me to not let my fiancé eat him!”
Ben flushed and turned away. I turned back to Teren, my panic increasing my irritation. “I never see you anymore. You’re always out tracking down some farfetched lead that some random vamp gave you. You’re becoming this other person I don’t even know. This isn’t like you. You’re obsessed!” I hissed.
His face got furious and he leaned down, right into mine. “Of course I’m obsessed!” His hands flashed down to me and I actually took a half-step back from him. His fingers rested on my stomach and a twin jostled under his touch. “They are my children! My life! And I will do anything to protect them – to protect you!” His eyes searched mine, heated and impassioned. I barely recognised him. “I will do anything to keep you alive! Anything!”
Backing away from him, fear and anger took over my mouth. “Maybe you should have thought about that before you pissed off a hungry vampire!”
He stepped back like I’d slapped him in the face. His expression was beyond hurt, tortured almost, and his eyes started to water. I saw my Teren again in that betrayed expression and I felt my own tears stinging. “Teren…I…”
He took a step back from me, lightly shaking his head, and then he blurred from the room. I felt him leave the house, then felt him leave the property. I thought he may have just decided to run all the way back to the city, or wherever they were going.
I dropped my head to my hands, not even believing I’d just said that to him. Of all the horrid, hurtful comments I could have made – that was the worst. I knew he felt guilty. Knew he hated to even look at the scar still visible on my neck. And I knew, he thought all of this was his fault. I’d just sliced him open and dumped a trailer load of salt in his wounds. I sort of hated myself.
Hot Ben walked up to me, slinging his bulging duffle bag over his shoulder. More calmly than I ever would have thought possible, he placed a hand on my shoulder and said, “I’ll watch over him, Emma. We’ll be alright. I’ll bring him home.”
I looked up at him, his blue eyes confident. He was so different from the man who’d clutched my hand in terror in that fateful parking lot. I wished I had his assurance, but in my head, I imagined that Teren would be the one most likely keeping Ben alive today, and maybe not even succeeding in that. I numbly nodded at him, appreciating his sentiment, since I couldn’t quite believe his promise, and he patted me on the shoulder and headed out after Teren.
To Be Continued on Next Chapter ... ... ...