She wanted him to change her. She wanted to be with him. But not like this. He looked as if he was going to kill her.
She scrambled back, but he was on her in an instant. Sera screamed as her hands flailed wildly. He grabbed them and pinned them down. Pain blazed through her wrists, but it was nothing compared to the terror constricting her chest and throat. "Sera!" Kathleen screamed.
Hands grasped his shoulders and tried to rip him away. "Liam, don't!" Doug yelled. "Don't do this!"
He spun and lashed out with his fist. Doug was flung into the kitchen cabinets as if he weighed no more than a twig. His own eyes flashed red before he took a deep breath and steadied himself. Liam looked at the others, but they made no move to come near him.
His eyes focused on her again. The smell of her blood was thick in the air; the riotous fluttering of her heart was hammering in his head. He pushed her hair back and pulled her forward. She cried out as she fought against him. Her thrashing only made him more determined. He was going to make her his for good. He was going to make sure no one ever hurt her again.
"Liam, please," she whimpered as his teeth skimmed her neck. She choked out a strangled cry. "Please not like this. Not like Jacob."
He was pulled back, ready to strike, when her words slammed into him with the force of a sledgehammer. They rocked his body and soul as they knocked the demon out of him. He released her wrists as he pulled away from her. Her eyes were tumultuous and terrified, her hair a tangled mess about her beautiful face. Blood marred her delicate cheek and chest, the smell of it was heady and enticing, but he did not go after her again.
"Get away from me, Sera!" he grated. "Get away now!"
She needed no further encouragement as she scrambled to her feet and stumbled around the island. Jack reached out to steady her, thought better of it, and dropped his hands back to his sides. She had taken a risk with mentioning Jacob's name. She knew it would either drive him into a further rage or help him come to his senses. She was incredibly grateful it went her way.
"Get her out of here!" Liam spat. "Get her out now!"
"Sera!" Kathleen yelled. "Sera, are you okay?"
"She's fine," Mike answered when it became obvious Sera couldn’t do so.
"Get out of my way! I want to see her! Now!" Danielle and Kathleen were both screaming and shoving at Mike.
"Get her out of here!" Liam bellowed. "And take care of them!"
Mike pushed Kathleen and Danielle back as they fought to get away from him. "Everything is fine," he said slowly. "Jack, help me."
"Let us go!" Kathleen screeched. "He's hurt her! I know he has!"
Mike took hold of Kathleen's chin and forced her to look at him. She was fairly spitting as she beat ineffectively at his chest. "Everything is all right," he said. "Sera just had a nightmare, but she's fine now." Her eyes began to glaze as his power wrapped into her mind. Beside him, he could hear Jack whispering the same words to Danielle. "You saw for yourself she was all right. Now, go back to sleep."
Kathleen looked dazed as she turned to leave. Danielle followed behind her. Mike sagged against the wall.
"We can't keep doing this," Jack muttered.
Mike nodded his agreement as he turned back to the kitchen. David and Doug were before Sera, blocking her from Liam. Liam was standing by the sink; his hands clasped on the counter so forcefully he was shaking. With his head bowed, hunger radiated from him like a heat wave.
"They're gone," Jack said.
David and Doug glanced back at them. "Would you please get her out of here!" Liam grated.
David and Doug backed up, pushing Sera with them without touching her. Sera's gaze was focused on Liam's trembling back as she shuffled away. She wanted to go to him, to soothe him, but she knew he would lose it again, and this time he wouldn’t come back.
A sob rose in her throat, but she suppressed it as she tore her gaze from him. She was lucky to get away before; she couldn't risk not being able to get away again. Her breath froze in her lungs as her legs instantly planted themselves. David and Doug bumped into her and immediately jumped away when Liam lifted his head.
"What is that?" Sera cried.
Four sets of red eyes hovered just outside the window. "Shit!" Jack exclaimed.
"Get her out of here!" Liam yelled.
He turned and raced out the door in a blur of motion.
"Liam!" Sera screamed and lurched forward. "No!"
Doug grasped her shoulders and pushed her back. "Stay with her!"
Jack grasped her shoulders and released her as if she’d burned him. The minute she was free, she bolted forward. David blocked her off as Mike and Jack ran out the door.
"If you go out there, you'll only distract him and get him killed,” David said. “If you go out there, he will bring you back in here, and he will finish what he started. There will be no stopping it this time."
Sera glanced at David before looking longingly at the door. She knew what those eyes were, knew what they represented, and Liam was out there with them now. She needed to help him.
"There's nothing you can do to help him. Come on, let's get you cleaned up," David said.
She didn't move for a second, and then her shoulders slumped in defeat. She turned and woodenly walked out of the room.
Chapter Eighteen
Sera numbly accepted the peroxide, cotton balls, and bandages David handed her before he walked over to sit on the other couch. She fumbled with the peroxide,
