“Finally,” I muttered. “The truth.”
“I’d like to hear it come out of your mouth, for once, since I’m the only one laying everything out on the table. You manipulated me as well to get what you wanted.” Forge sounded testy, and my temper rose a notch, too, as I picked up on the slight vibration in his voice. “You could admit it.”
I could. I just didn’t want to.
My hand strayed to the necklace, and I began worrying the pendant along the chain. I would have torn the thing from my neck had Forge not reminded me, sternly enough that I knew he was serious, to never take it off.
“Could it be genetic?” I asked instead, with no intention of admitting to anything. “Were there any Langstons in between me and Ambrose who had special abilities?”
“I wouldn’t know, because all the other Langstons followed directions and stayed away from me.”
Well, okay, valid point. “Still. Can this be a genetic trait of some kind? I find it hard to believe my ability’s a random fluke.”
“I don’t think that either, Selena.”
We sat in silence for a minute, having finally come to an agreement over something.
“This ability of mine…” I was getting paranoid now. “Would it be valuable to any other vampire? One who might want to use me like you did?” Use being a rather loose term for feeding me, training me and taking me to Scotland. Oh, and saving the company that I loved in the process.
However, it was the wrong word, because Forge’s face grew pinched. I thought I saw a shadow darken his skin, but then it passed, and his expression grew clear again.
“You would be targeted, if a vampire knew for certain what you were,” he admitted, and my nervousness faded somewhat.
The reflection of flames flickered in his dark eyes, while the gold light threw his face into sharp contrast. He looked tired, not bothering to watch me expectantly anymore. He was withdrawing from me, turning into the Forge I’d met that first night. It was obvious this conversation wasn’t going the way he wanted, either.
I totally understood how he felt when he added, “Now that the Elder has seen you, there’s no doubt he’ll be curious.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, and didn’t sound any happier than me when he added, “Which is why you’ll be staying with me for the time being.”
Hours later, I was still trying to explain it to him. “I can’t stay here, Forge,” I said, for what felt like the hundredth time. “I have a life. I have to go to work.”
If it was possible, his face was darker than I’d ever seen it. He’d given up arguing with me an hour ago, so now I was basically explaining over and over why I couldn’t possibly live here with him while he glowered at me.
For the freaking hundredth time.
“Have the car brought around—or whatever—and take me home.” I had my bag in a death grip and was seriously frustrated. “Let me out of here, Forge.”
If I didn’t see the faint rise and fall of his chest, I would have thought he was a statue. One minute he was unmoving, the next, he was right beside me, hand wrapped around my arm.
With those unsettling eyes boring into mine, he asked, “What will you do if the Elder comes after you?”
My lower lip snuck between my teeth before I settled my face so Forge couldn’t read my emotions. Not that he’d be able to, since my emotions were all over the place right now. Forge was offering me safety, but safety with Forge presented several problems. Not the least of which was that I wasn’t looking at Forge like a mentor or a patron or even a friend. Somewhere around that table filled with vampires, he’d become something more.
Somehow, that scared me more than facing the Elder on my own.
“I’ll be fine,” I said, feeling anything but. “You won, right? It’s over?”
“If he does come after you, Selena, there will be casualties. In fact, the Elder enjoys killing more than is natural, even for a vampire. People could get hurt. People you love.” His eyes softened. “Stay here. Let me keep you safe.”
“Way to lay on the emotional blackmail, and a slightly over-the-top warning, Forge.” I sighed. “Okay, you’re right. I don’t want anyone to get hurt on my behalf. But even if I do stay here, the distillery is non-negotiable. I have to go in and work. Even though you bailed us out, there are still things to take care of, and we have to get ready to make the next batch.”
His warm eyes and his speech about keeping me safe were doing weird things to my insides. Getting my way on work would at least mean I didn’t have to be around him twenty-four seven.
He inclined his head. “That is acceptable.”
And that was how Forge and I became roommates.
21
The tightness in my chest loosened as Selena agreed to stay here, where I could protect her. While I doubted the Elder would personally attack me, since we’d enacted the blood oath, he’d been looking too closely at Selena. I didn’t trust that bastard, nor the rest of my power-hungry clan. They were too ruthless for me to turn my back on, which was why I had to keep her with me.
But most importantly, I had to win back her trust. I’d broken it, but I hoped having her here would give me time to do just that. To prove to her I was not only honorable, but she could rely on me without question.
“I’ll show you to your room,” I said. Temper flared in her eyes, then flickered out just as quickly. She
