Evonne made sure no one would see her leave her bedroom. Pulling the collar up on her robe and moving her blonde hair forward, she tried her best to conceal the healing mark on her neck. The tactic had worked for the past four days.
     She entered the kitchen quietly and searched for a midday snack. Nothing spectacular, just peanut better and crackers with a glass of cold milk. A few cooks finished cleaning the dishes and trays from lunch.
     Evonne quickly finished her snack and left. As she near the door to her room, it opened on its own. She stopped as she saw Marie exiting the room.
     “What are you doing?” she asked, irritated at the obvious breech in privacy.
     “I was looking for you,” Marie replied without missing a beat.
     “Well, you found me.”
     Marie crossed her arms. “Your father told me to…” Her words drifted. Marie tilted her head at Evonne and narrowed her eyes. “What’s that?”
     The mark on her neck! Evonne glanced away and brushed her hair forward once more. How could she have been so careless?
     “It’s nothing,” she assured her. “What was it wanted to tell me?”
     “This looks serious,” Marie said as she moved the hair from her neck. “Does your father know about this? Of course he doesn’t. If he did, then I would know.”
     Evonne flipped the hair back into place. “I said it’s nothing. Everything’s okay. I’m alive and well.” She tried to head into her room.
     Marie stopped her by blocking the doorway with her arm. “I think you should talk to your father.”
     “I don’t want to talk to him right now.”
     “Yes you are, and you’re going to tell him what happened.” Marie grabbed Evonne’s wrist, forcing her down the stairs and into Alex’s office.
     In the office, Evonne saw her father speaking with several other men. David sat at the table with a sea of papers strewn out before him.
     Alex looked up to see Marie and Evonne enter. From the expression on Marie’s face, he knew something was wrong. He turned to his men and politely asked them to leave.
     Alex waited until the door closed before speaking. “What is this about?”
     “Show him,” Marie ordered.
     David’s face grew pale as he took notice.
     Reluctantly, Evonne turned her head to the side. She felt vulnerable and unclean.
     Alex stopped breathing. He stepped closer to gain a better look. “When did this happen and how?”
     Evonne paused. “I don’t remember.”
     “You don’t remember?” he repeated in disbelief. “You have been in this house for nearly two weeks. This wound is barely a week old.”
     David spoke up. “Sir, it happened Tuesday night. We thought it was a false alarm. It wasn’t.” He didn’t break his promise to Evonne. It was a part of the deal.
     Alex glared at David. “You knew about this?”
     He nodded. “Yes.”
     “And you decided not to inform me?” Alex grew furious. “You have never disappointed me like this.”
     “I asked him not to mention it,” Evonne intervened.
     “This is unacceptable behavior,” Alex said as he looked back at his daughter. “I never would have expected this from you, especially not from David. Who was the vampire? Have you seen him before?”
     She kept her eyes to the floor. “No, I haven’t. I don’t remember anything from that night.”
     His anger continued to rise. “You should have told me.”
     “There was nothing she could have done,” David said. “He had the upper hand. She’s lucky to be alive.”
     Alex turned to David, speaking sharply. “That’s enough! I will deal with you later.”
      “I’m sorry.” Evonne looked up at her father. “I should have said something, instead of asking him to lie for me.”
     “But the fact is that you didn’t tell me.” He shook his head, disappointed and dumbfounded. “Evonne, he could have killed you, or worse.” Alex then addressed Marie. “I want to know how he could get in here without being seen.” Turning to Evonne, he added, “From now on, your door is to remain open and your windows sealed shut.”
     “Would you listen to yourself?” Evonne shouted back, surprising everyone in the room, “I’m just a pair of handcuffs and leg shackles away from being a prisoner!” She could feel her skin tingle as her own anger rose.
     “It is done only to keep you safe.”
     “Keep me safe?” she exclaimed. “Look at what happened because you wanted to keep me safe.”
     “Evonne,” he tried to reason, “you don’t know what is truly out there.”
     “Well then maybe you should let find out!” Storming from the office, she headed back to her room.
     “Do you want me to go after her?” Marie offered.
     Alex shook his head. “No. Give her some time to cool down.”

The anger within Evonne continued to escalate. She fell onto her bed and wanted to cry. She didn’t mind being locked indoors, but the fact that her privacy was in jeopardy, sent her reeling. Nineteen years old and locked away like a princess in a tower.
     No, she wasn’t going to give in that easy. If her father wanted to keep her safe, then he would have to find her first.
     Evonne headed for her large closet and began to change. She pulled on her comfortable jeans and a simple white shirt. Before grabbing her jacket, she retrieved her holster, along with her gun and knife. Running away from home wasn’t the brightest of ideas, but leaving the estate unarmed was considered suicide.
     She released the gun’s magazine and began to fill it with silver bullets. Keeping a magazine completely filled at all times could damage the springs inside. It was another piece of information she knew most girls her age never thought about.
     Evonne then pulled on her jacket and slipped on her boots.
     Opening the door, she peered out. The hallway was empty. She made her way down the main staircase and toward the door leading to the garage. Her anger gave way to nervousness. She was actually going through with this.
     Inside the garage, Evonne headed for her motorcycle. She placed the key in the ignition but didn’t turn it on. That would wait until she was out of the garage and halfway to the gate. After pulling on her helmet, she walked the bike out of the garage and hopped on. The slope of the driveway gave her enough inertia to coast for the gate. As she reached the final stretch leading up to the gate, she turned the key. The bike thundered into life.
     One of the guards saw her approach and raised his hand. Evonne slowed to a stop.
     “I’m sorry, Miss Ingram,” he said, “but I have my orders. You aren’t allowed to leave the premises.”
     Evonne withdrew her gun and pointed it at the guard’s head. “Open the fucking gate.”
     All of the guards stood back, eyes wide in shock.
     “Okay,” he said, “I’ll open it.” He waved at a man near the guard house.
     The gate rolled open.
     Evonne placed the gun back in its holster and continued on her way. She could hear one of the guards radioing for her father. The nervousness yielded to a rush of adrenaline.
     The chase began.
     This is a mistake, she told herself. He’s going to be pissed. But she couldn’t help but feel good about her actions. Even though the gun’s safety was on, she was told never to aim at a target unless she intended to fire. It would be yet another thing used to anger her father.
     The winding road led onto a two lane highway. She had only ridden on the highway once before, and David was with her at the time, teaching her the rules. As she rode along this time, her mind scrambled to remember all that he taught her.
     Evonne stayed on the highway for thirty minutes. Upon entering a small town, she decided that she placed enough distance between her and the estate. But something else told her to stop. It was that inner voice, the same one that instructed her lie to David.
     She parked her motorcycle in the parking lot near a lake. The lake was a part of a state park offering cabins for summer rentals, horseback riding, and a fine restaurant in the main lodge. The lake itself was surrounded by forest on two-thirds of its sides, and sported excellent fishing as well as a beach for swimming.
     Evonne looked around the parking lot and saw two other vehicles, most likely belonging to nighttime fishermen. She sat the helmet on the seat and pocketed her keys. With a sigh, she glanced at the reddening horizon. There was no turning back now. Night was approaching and she feared driving in the dark. If fishermen can survive out here at night, then so can I.
     Sitting on the beach, Evonne thought of her father. She couldn’t stay mad at him even if she worked at it. He was a single father and he was entitled to protect her. Evonne then found herself faced with a puzzling truth. She didn’t know him, not the true man behind cause. It was her mother she felt closest to, and even her nanny. Lisa was someone who had always been there, someone who she could talk to. But after Lisa left, Evonne began to feel abandoned. David soon became her only true friend. And even then, she knew he wasn’t completely honest with her.
     One giant mess. All of this, her life, everything. It was a mess. She felt like a small dolphin caught in a net, trying to break through the surface for that one precious breath of air. The net tightened as she thought of her father, once more.
     It was a mistake to leave. She could hear him now, ordering his men to search for her, and perhaps even calling on SEVEN for help. She laughed. The visual of SEVEN organizing a search for her was amusing. Alex would be going off the deep end.
     Serves him right, she thought as she lay back onto the sand. Maybe now, he would be more considerate towards her, and even grant her a little freedom. Then again, this stunt could leave her with a bare room—no TV, computer, books, or meals brought to her. It was the risk she was willing to take.
     Evonne’s mind drifted away from her father and onto the sound of the crickets and frogs chirping into the night air.
     “You shouldn’t have left.”
     Evonne sat up and looked to see who was talking. Her breath became lost in her throat. It was him.
     The vampire stood several yards away and watched the human carefully.
     “Why are you following me?” Evonne managed to ask through her rising fear.
     “I asked you to remain with your father,” he said.
     Evonne jumped to her feet. She remembered what David said to her. She had promised him that she would run if she ever met this vampire again. Evonne took a step back. “Stay away from me.”
     “Stay away?” he repeated. “Humor me. What told you to come here tonight?”
     “I-I don’t know. I just wanted to come here.”
     “Is your father aware of your absence?”
     Evonne nodded. “Most likely.” What are you doing, girl? You’re speaking with him when you know you shouldn’t. Leave now before it’s too late!
     “Then he will have his men looking for you.”
     She shook her head. “I’m not going back there.”
     “It’s not your time to leave,” he said, keeping his words calm.
     Evonne turned and headed for her bike. “I’m not going back.”
     The vampire followed her. “Wait,” he began. Evonne stopped. “Give me your keys.”
     She stared at him, unsure of what he was planning. She wanted to scold herself as she handed him the keys.
     He led the way to the motorcycle. “Get on.”
     Evonne secured her helmet and pulled herself onto the bike behind him. It was awkward for her. Not that he was driving, but that she had no idea if she should trust him. Her father would have a heart attack if he could see her now.
     “Where are you taking me?” she asked.
     He didn’t reply.
     The vampire easily kick-started the motorcycle. They headed out of the parking lot and onto the highway for five minutes, then turned onto a side road. Evonne held on tightly as he drove. Her bike seemed like a different machine with him driving.
     At the end of the fifteen minute ride over the country road, they came upon a house. The house’s appearance was reminiscent of a Victorian style, added with a few modern influences. Another building sat off to the side and served as a guesthouse.
     The population in the area was sparse. The closest house was a ten minute walk away. Most of the land was used for farming or raising cattle and horses. This one home looked as though it carried neither. The house didn’t even resemble a farmhouse.
     They pulled up to the garage and turned off the motorcycle. Evonne removed her helmet and slid off of the bike. He handed her the keys.
     She took them and glanced around. “Is this your house?”
     “No.” He simply replied as he guided the bike onto its kick-stand. He then headed for the side door, silently telling her to follow.
     Evonne stayed close.
     Entering the house, they stepped into the living room.
     He began to explain, “The owners use this place as a winter retreat for four months out of the year. Mainly for entertaining friends and family. During the rest of the year, they live in Florida. I think they come here for the scenery and lack of crowds.”
     Evonne struggled to see him as he spoke. “Where are the lights?”
     In response, a small flame flickered on as he held out a lighter. The flame moved toward a table and onto the wick of an oil lamp. It was an all glass oil lamp with clear fuel in the bowl-like base. He closed the Zippo lighter and lowered the vase-shaped top back into place.
     “Sorry about that.”
     “It’s okay.” She looked around the large sitting room. Each piece of furniture was covered sheets. The place had an air of spookiness that was magnified by the lamp’s glow. “Do you think my father will find me out here?”
     “Don’t worry about him.”
     With nerves refusing to untwist, Evonne sat on the sofa. “By the way, what is your name?”
     “Keelan,” he answered.
     “So it’s nothing simple like Charles or John,” she joked.
     He remained serious. “It’s Irish.”
     Irish, she thought. That may explain the red in his hair. But his hair wasn’t a bright red. It was dark, almost the color of damp rust. And the odd thing was, she could see no freckles that usually accompany red hair. At least none that she could see in the low light.
     “I like uncommon names,” she recovered, pushing her joke aside. “My name’s not common either.”
     Avoiding the chitchat, Keelan stepped into the kitchen. Evonne followed.
     “There’s no power but the water is still on. The only food they left are nonperishable items. You might be able to find something there.”
     “Actually, I’m kind of tired.”
     He led her out of the kitchen and toward the base of the stairs. “There are four bedrooms upstairs and a den downstairs. The sofa in the den can open into a bed for any extra guests the owners may have. That is where I sleep. It is the best way to stay here without disturbing the rooms upstairs.”
     She agreed. “Then I will sleep downstairs, as well.”
     Keelan looked at her cautiously. The idea of her sleeping near him caused concern. He knew that she could trust him completely, if she wanted, but he wasn’t completely trusting of her. She was, in fact, the daughter of Alexander Ingram. Distrust and underhandedness was a trait he knew existed in both Alexander and Zachary. What if Evonne were the same? Her father could have sent her there to kill him.
     The bond he had with her was becoming weak. Even though it remained strong enough to guide her to the park, he could no longer sense her thoughts. He would have to keep his guard.
     Keelan grabbed the oil lamp and led the way downstairs. The den was the size of a master bedroom and sported a large screen TV, along with a leather recliner, a settee, and a sofa.
     As Evonne looked around the room, another reason came to her mind as to why Keelan chose this room. There were no windows. The den was built underground, a common design to most of houses in the area. Though some houses used the space as a basement, others converted it into a second living room.
     Keelan sat the lamp on an side table and began to remove the cushions from the sofa. He then unfurled the bed within. Evonne had seen this type of furniture before in movies and television shows, but she had never seen one in real life. She wanted to laugh at herself. She was finding amusement in the strangest of places.
     Keelan headed into a side room and returned with several sheets and blankets.
     Evonne watched as he prepared the bed for her. “So, you sleep down here everyday?”
     “I never pull out the bed. I sleep on the sofa as is.” He began to organize to cushions on the floor for a makeshift bed. “I have no problem with sleeping on the floor.” Though he wouldn’t need to rest until dawn, he wanted to show her that he could be a gentleman.
     “Give me all of your weapons,” he ordered as he finished.
     Evonne blinked in confusion. “Why?”
     “Do you think I trust you?” Keelan pointed out.
     “Trust travels both ways, you know. If you want me to trust you then you have to trust me.”
     He stared at her. “Give me your weapons.”
     Evonne let out a sigh in protest. She finally removed the gun from her holster and handed it to him. Had she lost her mind completely?
     “And?” he asked.
     She sighed once more and removed the knife. “This is all I carry,” she told him as she handed him the knife.
     “Remove your coat,” he ordered.
     She did as he said, also removing the holster. “I left the house in a hurry, so I forgot to bring my rocket-launcher.”
     “Interesting knife you have,” Keelan remarked.
     “Uh, thanks.”
     “A gift?”
     Evonne sat on the bed. “It was given to me by my father.”
     There was a slight scoff from Keelan. “This was made by Gabriel.”
     She looked at him oddly. “How do you know?”
     “He initials his work.” Keelan showed her the end of the handle.
     An elegant letter “G” was inscribed on the metal end. She could see it clearly now. All this time she assumed it to be a part of the design.
     “I never really noticed that,” Evonne acknowledged. She looked up at him. “So he gave it to my father?”
     “There would be no other way for Alexander to have it.” He looked at the knife once more. “It was a gift.”
     “For my father?”
     “No. For you.” He headed into the side room to hide the weapons.
     Gabriel meant for her to have it? More secrets from her father. He had told her that someone from SEVEN made the knife for her. If not a total lie, it was a half-truth.
     Keelan returned to the room and sat on the settee.
     “Do you know what’s going on?” Evonne asked. “With my father, I mean. Something’s going on at the estate and no one will tell me.”
     He replied bluntly, “There is a group planning to attack Eden.”
     “Eden…” She knew outsiders called it that, but she had never heard the nickname used in context before. “Are you with this group?”
     “No, I am not. But I have known about it for sometime. The plan was first devised by the remaining members of the Dauzuk and Wallace packs. The very two werewolf packs that your father had decimated after the death of Sharon. It was a bold move, even for him.”
     Evonne narrowed her eyes questioningly. “How do you know about this?”
     “The werewolves began seeking out vampires to help them. Once word started to spread, many were lining up with hopes to finally destroy Eden.”
     “So you came there in hopes that I would leave with you?”
     “It’s not like that.” He looked away for a moment. “But the unrest moving toward Eden forced me to act.”
     “What for? What’s in it for you?”
     He avoided the question. “I thought you said you were tired?”
     “Maybe you’re right. I better get some sleep.” She pulled off her boots and placed her socks inside, and then slid them underneath the bed. She went to grab her jacket and found Keelan standing near her as he picked it up.
     Evonne stood to face him, holding onto the jacket as well. “That’s okay. I’ve got it.”
     Keelan kept his eyes on her and eased the jacket from her hand. He then began to look through each pocket, searching for anymore weapons or even a cell phone. His search came up empty.
     “Remember that whole trust thing?” Evonne smirked.
     His eyes remained on hers as he handed over the jacket. “Yes, and as you said, ‘trust travels both ways.’ When the sun rises, I want you to return home.”
     “No. I’m not going back there. Even you said that this group is planning to attack. What if I’m there when it happens?”
     “I will return before that happens. It will be your choice if you leave with me on that night or not.”
     “Okay, then I’ll save you the trouble. My answer is yes, I will leave with you.”
     He shook his head. “You are saying this out of spite against your father. This is a decision that cannot be based on that alone. Promise me that you will leave in the morning.”
     With jaw tense, she replied, “I promise.”
     “Good.”
     “Thank you.”
     Keelan appeared confused. “For what?”
     “For allowing me to stay here. You didn’t have to.”
     “I wouldn’t have let you sleep outside.”
     In her eyes, he didn’t seem at all like a vampire. She had remembered seeing Gabriel and how he walked and carried himself. It was obvious to her at first glance that he was a vampire. With Keelan, however, aside from the night in her room, he was as human as they came. But why? Did he have some way of appear human as not to seem threatening? Evonne stopped the barrage of questioning in her mind.
     “You should get some rest,” he said.
     Evonne wanted to ignore his words as more questions bubbled forth, but she knew he would remain insistent. Crawling onto the sofa bed, she found Keelan grabbing a blanket to cover her.
     “Don’t leave,” she said, settling under the blanket. “There’s something I want to know. How is it that you know me?”
     Keelan reluctantly sat on the edge of the bed. There was a pause before he answered. “It was by chance when I first saw you. Before the death of your mother, Alexander would venture out from the safety of Eden. He would take you and your mother away on holiday to the coast of South Carolina. Your mother had talked Alexander into visiting a local statue and floral garden. It was at night when she wanted to go, perhaps to see the lit statues. That is what drew me there. Several of his hunters accompanied him that night. Your nanny was with you at the time. But as curious as children tend to be, you distanced yourself from them. I watched as you climbed one of the large statues. You weren’t frightened at the height. Nothing seemed to frighten you. Except your father.”
     Evonne lightly laughed. “I remember that. Though not as clearly as you. I remember wanting to go horseback riding, but my father was against it. And then I saw the statue of a horse glowing in the light. My father was so mad at me for that. I remember falling asleep up there. It took him a while to find me. But when he did… Verbal lashings are the best when your little.” She smiled through the rough memory.
     Keelan continued, he too remembering Alexander’s harsh words toward her. “I had heard of Eden through Gabriel. He was the one who informed me about Alexander, and that it was your father whom I saw in the gardens.” Keelan paused, carefully choosing his next words. “Alexander has kept you caged in that house, locked away from the world. You fascinated me on that night, and I felt pity for you. I wanted to free you from that cage, to show you the world. Where he saw a young child to mold into one of his soldiers, I saw the promise for a strong woman begging to live for herself.”
     As she listened to his words, she knew that he truly saw her. Not for the legacy she carried, but for who she really was. No one had ever spoken to her like that.
     “So you followed me here?” she asked.
     “No. At first I wanted to, but I kept my distance. After you mother was killed, I then felt you could no longer be safe, even within Eden. That was why I approached you that night near the cemetery. It was the only chance presented to me. Even as a child, you remained brave when you saw me.”
     “And where were you for the next twelve years?”
     “Waiting.”
     “Waiting?” She smiled, sarcastic-like.
     “I waited until you would need me. Eden remained safe during those years. But now, with those gathering against your father, I knew that Eden was no longer a safe place for you.”
     “And Gabriel, you sent him there?”
     “It was Zachary who sent him. But I asked Gabriel to speak with you.”
     She narrowed her eyes. “Zachary?”
     Keelan studied her expression. She didn’t know. Gabriel was right. Alex kept the truth of his past a secret from his own daughter.
     “Zachary,” he explained, leaving out as much of the truth as he could. “He knew your father from a long time ago. In a sense, they use to work together. I believe he still feels some kind of obedience towards him. That is why he sent Gabriel.”
     “But why not warn him himself?”
     “To put it plain and simple, Zachary is a coward—always has been and will always be.”
     Evonne began to play with a loose string on the edge of the blanket. “You don’t… I mean, you seem like a typical human. If I didn’t know any better, I would say that you were.”
     He was curious if she noticed his human facade. Evonne wasn’t easily fooled. “Some vampires have the ability to pass themselves off as human, even to a trained eye. Any vampire can seem human, but it takes a lot of effort to suppress their strength. I am one of the few who do this naturally. It’s a good thing to have when staying on land belonging to a pack of werewolves.”
     “Werewolves? Here?”
     He nodded. “I keep to the outer edges of their territory when I hunt. So far they haven’t noticed me.”
     Evonne rolled onto her side. The tiredness that she once felt disappeared as he spoke. There were a few more questions she had lined up to ask him. She started off with the obvious and most persistent one. “What is your story? If you don’t mind me asking.”
     He looked away from her. His story. It could have been summed up in three short sentences. But for his story to hold any weight, a slightly longer version needed to be told. Even though he would answer her truthfully, he omitted a few sorted details.
     “I was born in the fall of 1485,” Keelan began. “When I was ten years of age, I was captured from my home in Ireland and sent to England where I was forced into servitude. I worked for a wealthy family who gave no respect to their servants. After eight long years, I escaped my prison with several other servants. I then headed north into Scotland where I lived under the protection of the Montgomery clan.
     “At the age of twenty-two, a werewolf entered our home, killing anyone he could. After the beast finished his rampage, I followed him into the forest. I was ignorant in doing so, but I didn’t see it that way. I thought I could kill him. I wasn’t much of a fighter then. And as I lay there dying, I watched Gabriel kill the wolf. He had been tracking him that night and followed the werewolf as I gave chase. Gabriel was impressed with my courage and saved me from death that night.
     “In my life, I have be freed from two prisons; the house in England and from the decay of humanity.”
     Keelan stopped speaking. The whole time he told his story, he kept his eyes on the floor.
     Watching him intently, Evonne asked another question. “What is it like when you become a vampire?”
     “It’s nothing you can ever prepare yourself for. The pain is what most remember, but the experience can be different for everyone. When I was turned, I spent the transition in the ground. The weight of the earth helped stifle most of the pain.”
     “Why the pain?”
     “The blood slowly kills the body, converting it. But when you awake, a different kind of pain takes over. It’s a constant hunger that consumes you.”
     “You? Is that your real plan for me? You want to turn me?” She stared at him, frightened to hear his answer.
     “The thought has never crossed my mind. If that were ever to happen, it would be your decision and yours alone. I only wish to free you from your father.”
     Evonne moved onto her back, looking at the ceiling. She took in a deep breath. “He’s not so bad. He maybe overprotective, but he loves me. I haven’t made things easier for him either. There was that whole thing that happened in Vermont.”
     He tilted his head at the vague statement.
     She paused and debated if she should continue. The past is the past.
     “I was sixteen at the time and going through a rebellious phase. We were visiting the SEVEN headquarters up there. With a combination of wine and a very nice guy I met on the first night, we found ourselves in the empty arsenal room. He must have been older than he said because when my father found out, he kept mentioning statutory rape.” She let out a nervous laugh. “I don’t know what he did to Brandon, the guy I was… Well… I don’t know what happened to him. I can imagine, though. For a while it was difficult for my father to even look at me. I’ve disappointed him plenty of times. But through all of the anger I caused, I know he loves me.”
     “I have never doubted his love for you. It is his drive to keep you locked away that has me fearful.”
     “You trust me enough that I won’t send my father’s men here when I return home?” she honestly asked.
     “Now you are seeking my trust?” He wanted to smile.
     Evonne couldn’t believe what her mind was telling her. How could he trust her if she had given him no reason to do so? Was it because he seemed more human than vampire?
     Slowly pulling herself to sit before him, she moved her hair to the side, offering the unmarked side of her neck. “I want you to trust me the way I want to trust you.”
     He narrowed his eyes at her proposal. “Are you sure?”
     She nodded as she closed her eyes. “I’m sure.”
     Moving closer, Keelan accepted her offer. He wasn’t going to allow her the chance to change her mind. Reaffirming the bond would set him at ease. If she had planned to harm him, then he would soon know.
     Keelan rested a hand to the other side of Evonne’s neck and pulled her close. His mouth parted as he pressed his teeth into her. He felt her body grow tense against him, yet she refused to push him away.
     After he taking enough blood, he sat back and rolled up his sleeve. With a shallow bite, he opened his wrist.
     Evonne watched as the blood threatened to move from his wrist onto the blanket. She took him into her hands and began to drink. The familiar tasted returned. But with his blood also came the force of his mind within hers. He was searching for something. Evonne continued to drink, ignoring the invasion. If it was his way to find any distrust she carried, then so be it. She had nothing to hide.
     As Keelan eased his wrist away, the presence of his mind retreated. He found no ill will within her. She was as she presented herself; an angry daughter still mad at her father. He also felt her anxiety about returning to the estate. He understood that feeling very well. If he could have it his way, and not fear the retaliation from Alexander, he would leave with her this night, taking her far away from the east coast. But he had to wait. The attack on Eden would be the perfect distraction. He had to exercise his patience.
     Leaning back onto the bed, Evonne could feel his blood move from her belly and toward her arms and legs, calming her. For a second time she had freely given him her blood and took his in exchange.
     Her eyes became heavy. She closed them for a moment, and then another. Within minutes, she drifted to sleep.
     Through his blood, Keelan eased Evonne to rest, just as he did when he visited her at Eden. Eventually he hoped to gain an unbreakable trust with her. But time was fleeting. The group aiming its sights on Alexander wasn’t a force to ignore. Distraction or not, it would too dangerous to escape Eden before the attack was initiated.