Free Ella Awakened by S. E. Duncan Page A

she said.  “I assume you’re here to protect me, yet I march right
up and just about give you a heart attack.  What in the world were you staring
off into space grinning about anyway?”
    “Nothing,”
Burke said, wondering how red his cheeks were.
    “So spill
it, what are you doing?” she prompted.
    “Okay,
okay.  Geez.  On my way back to the house after dropping you at your car, I
just couldn’t shake the worry that the Demon is out there somewhere. So... I
turned around and followed you.”
    “Listen,
I’ve already talked to Aunt Rachel about the internship.  She knows I start
tomorrow, and that I need to get back to Sarah’s room at a decent hour.  She’s
very excited that I have what she feels is an excellent opportunity.  We’re all
going out for a late lunch instead of dinner, and then I’ll pack a few things
and be back to your house in three hours at the most.  So you, paranoid guy,
can just turn this truck of yours right around and I’ll see you soon.”
    “I’m just
being cautious, Ella.  We haven’t talked about everything, and I’m concerned
for your safety.”
    “I’m
flattered, but I think I’m a little more in tune with the gravity of the
situation than you give me credit for, hence, the making of arrangements to get
back as quickly as possible.  You, however, need to stop assuming I am going to
be dead within the hour and let me take care of things here so we can get on
with… whatever we need to be getting on with.”  Ella figured she sounded like
an idiot, but she needed to get rid of Burke, have lunch with her family, and
get back.  “Look,” she said.  Ella leaned into the truck window and spoke
through her teeth.  Of course Burke was more preoccupied with the smell of her
hair than what she was actually saying. “Will you just get the heck out of here
before my Aunt comes out and I have to explain who you are and what you’re
doing here?  Don’t you think that may just turn into an issue if she ever comes
to your office to see me, and - hello - the guy her niece is working for is the
same guy who was parked outside of her house?  She’ll think you’re a stalker
for Pete’s sake!  Bye now.  I’ll be back in a few hours.”  Without another
word, she walked away.
    Well
Hell, Burke thought
as he drove away.

Chapter 5:  Gifts
     
    True to her
word, Ella pulled into the driveway almost exactly three hours later.  She
grabbed her bag out of the passenger seat and headed up the walk.  Burke met
her at the door.
    “Hi,” she
said with a smile.  “I hope you’re not upset with me for running you off.”
    “No, it’s
okay, obviously I wasn’t being as stealth as I thought I was,” he replied.
    “Must be a
warrior thing; I guess I’m a little harder to sneak up on than you are.”  She
grinned and nudged him with her shoulder as she walked through the door he held
open for her.
    Burke took
Ella’s bag from her and put it in the bedroom closet with her other bag.  “Come
on, I believe we had a date for cake and presents.”
    Once they
were each seated at the table with a piece of cake in front of them, Burke slid
the smaller of the two packages across the table to Ella.  “Open this one
first,” he said.
    Ella tore
off the wrapping paper and opened the small box.  Inside was an elaborate charm
suspended from a short necklace.  The charm was a disc about the size of a
nickel; the bottom third was covered in chips of gemstones in varying shades of
purples - everything from pale lavender to deep violet.  Above the purple stones
were three bezel set diamonds.  Each diamond had a fine wire of colored metal
mounted across its diameter.  Ella didn’t know what to think.  It was one of
the most beautiful things she had ever seen, but not the kind of gift you gave
someone you’d known for only a few days.
    “Burke, this
is absolutely gorgeous.  I’m not sure if I can accept such an obviously
expensive present.” Ella whispered and slid the