Liam shifted as he crossed his legs before him and folded his arms over his chest. He could feel his anger steadily growing. Instantly, his mind sought Sera. He could feel her happiness, her joy as she laughed and talked with Kathleen and Danielle. He took a deep breath as her presence helped to pacify him.
"So what are you suggesting we do?" Mike demanded.
David glanced warily at Liam. "Honestly, I think the two of you should leave."
Liam stood away from the counter. "And go where?"
"Somewhere, anywhere."
"She'll find them," Mike said. "She'll track him through her blood, and she'll find them. Leaving isn't going to do them any good."
"And what about Kathleen and Danielle?" Jack asked.
"I think Beth will leave them be if Liam and Sera are no longer around," David answered.
"But you can't be sure," Liam said coldly. "And I can't leave them unprotected."
"We would still be here."
"Leaving isn't going to solve anything," Liam replied. "Until Beth is dead, there will be no peace," he said. "When we get back to the college, Sera will stay with me."
"Kathleen and Danielle?" Mike asked.
Liam closed his eyes and shook his head. "I don't know. I'd like to say Beth would leave them alone, but I know she won't. She'd kill them, or turn them, just to hurt Sera."
"Maybe it would be better if we did stay. At least we're all together, and if the ski resort opens tomorrow, we won't have to be concerned about food."
"Beth can come in here anytime she wants," Jack remarked.
"But with all of us here, she can't get to them. Not if we stay aware and awake," David said.
"So, for now, we stay," Liam confirmed.
Chapter Twenty-One
Sera beamed from ear to ear as she stopped with a whoosh of snow. Pulling her goggles up she watched as Liam slid to a graceful stop beside her. He grinned as he pulled his goggles off.
"I'm glad we stayed," she gushed.
"Way to leave the rest of us in the dust!" Danielle panted as she skidded to a stop.
Jack and Doug halted behind her, breathing heavily as they scowled at her. "You're the ones who said you wanted to race!" Sera reminded them.
"That was before we realized you were hell on skis," Jack muttered. "I think Mike's still stuck in a tree somewhere."
Sera glanced up the hill as Mike cautiously picked his way through the snow toward them. She had to bite back a smile as she spotted the twigs stuck to his boots, clinging to his parka, hat, and scarf. "I hate this stupid sport," he muttered as he stopped before them.
"What did you hit?" Danielle demanded.
His scowl deepened as he angrily ripped a twig from his jacket. "A briar patch." Unable to stop herself, Sera burst out laughing. Mike's scowl deepened as he pulled another twig from his hat. "Glad you think this is funny."
"You would too if it was one of us," Liam replied with a grin.
Kathleen bounded up to them; she'd given up on skiing a couple of hours ago. "They're having a dance tonight! What happened to you?"
Mike muttered something as he pulled his glasses off. "Mike has trouble following the signs," Liam answered.
Sera laughed even more. "Oh, shut up!" Mike snapped.
Kathleen snorted and then laughed. "Anyway, they're having a big dance," she continued between bouts of snickering. "A kind of reopening celebration. We have to go!"
Sera immediately stopped laughing as she glanced at Liam. The smile slipped from his face as his jaw clenched. "I don't think so," Jack said as he popped his skis off. "Riding back to the cabin in the dark isn't such a good idea."
"I know the trails like the back of my hand," Kathleen replied airily.
"After you have a few drinks in you, I doubt it," Mike told her.
Kathleen glowered at him as she planted her hands on her hips. "At least I don't lose the trails in broad daylight! Besides, if you guys want to go back, that's fine, but I'm staying."
"Kathleen—" Sera started to protest.
"Come on, Sera. We've been cooped up in the cabin for three days now. I want to have some fun! Besides, have you seen some of the cute guys here? I'm going to that dance, with or without you!"
Sera closed her eyes and threw her hands up in defeat. There was no arguing with Kathleen once she made up her mind. "Fine," Mike said as he tossed his skis aside. "Whatever you want, Kathleen."
Sera was startled by the amount of resentment in his voice. Kathleen scowled at him as she spun on her heel and stormed back to the ski resort. Danielle glanced at them before hurrying to follow her. Sera bent over to pop her skis off; her earlier elation was gone. "There was no need to get so snippy with her," she told Mike.
"You do realize what will happen when the sun sets," Mike said.
"Yes, I do, but Kathleen doesn't, and you made sure of that. Getting mad at her isn't going to do any good. Arguing with Kathleen is like waving a red flag in front of a bull. I would have convinced her to go back eventually, but you can forget it now."
"Sorry," he mumbled.
"I'm taking you back," Liam stated bluntly.
Her mouth gaped as she spun on him. "No, you're not!" she declared.
"Sera, you are not staying here."
"I'm not going back to the cabin and leaving them here!" she cried. "That is not going to happen."
"You are not going back there in the dark!" he grated.
Sera's hands fisted at her sides. "I am not going to leave them. Besides, Beth can get into the cabin too."
"I'll be there, and someone else can come back with us."
"So there are even fewer people here to protect them. No way."
"Sera—"
"I am not going back!" Liam's eyes flashed violently, but she didn't care. She wasn't going to
