Free Twilight Dreams by Amanda Ashley Page B

recognize him for what he was sensed his preternatural power and strength. “Relax,” he said quietly. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
    â€œThen let me go.”
    â€œLady, you can’t be that dumb. I know Micah told you about Braga. She’s a dangerous, vengeful creature who wouldn’t think twice about draining you dry and tossing your corpse into a ditch. If you go back home and she gets your scent, you’re as good as dead.”
    She glared at him, arms akimbo. “What if I don’t believe you?”
    â€œWhy would I lie?”
    Holly couldn’t think of a logical reason, but that didn’t mean he was telling the truth. “How can you be awake? It’s daytime.”
    â€œI’ve been a vampire a very long time. I can be awake during the day as long as I don’t spend too much time in the sun. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to bed. We’ll talk later.”
    And with those ominous parting words, he vanished from her sight.
    Holly stared at the place where he had been standing. How had he done that? And how had he known she was at the bridge?
    She looked at the door. Curious, she tried to open it again. The handle turned, but the door remained closed. She tried the windows and the back door with the same results.
    With her mind still reeling from her conversation with Saintcrow, she returned to the living room and sank down on the sofa. She hadn’t believed Micah when he told her that her life was in danger if she went home, but in spite of her words to the contrary, when Saintcrow said her life was in danger, she believed every word.
    How strange was that?
    * * *
    Micah rose with the setting of the sun. He would have preferred to take his rest upstairs, in one of the bedrooms, but he didn’t feel comfortable doing so with Holly in the house, so he slept in the basement with the heavy iron door bolted from the inside. Not that he was afraid she would try to destroy him—although that was always a possibility. It was more that he didn’t want her to see him when he was trapped in the dark sleep, helpless, vulnerable. He had never seen a vampire at rest, had no idea what he, himself, looked like.
    He still found it unsettling, sinking into that deathlike oblivion. No dreams, no tossing and turning. He grunted softly. No trouble falling asleep. Once the sun went down and he closed his eyes, it was, indeed, like death. If he lived long enough, he would be able to be active during the day, but that was decades—maybe centuries—down the road.
    He dressed quickly, ran a comb through his hair. As soon as he opened the basement door, he knew Saintcrow had been in the house.
    What he didn’t know was why.
    Racing up the stairs, he found Holly in the kitchen, drying her hands on a dish towel. His gaze moved over her, lingering on the curve of her neck. “Are you all right?”
    She nodded. “Why wouldn’t I be? There’s no one else here.”
    Micah frowned. “What’s wrong?”
    â€œNothing.”
    â€œWhat did Saintcrow want?”
    â€œHow do you know he was here?”
    â€œI can smell him. What happened?”
    Holly leaned back against the counter and folded her arms over her chest. “I left.”
    â€œLeft?” Micah raised one brow. “What do you mean, you left? Where did you go?”
    â€œI was going home. I would have made it, too, if Saintcrow hadn’t grabbed me and brought me back here.”
    â€œWhy would you do that? I told you it wasn’t safe for you to leave.”
    â€œWhy?” she asked, her voice rising as anger and frustration replaced her fear. “Why? Maybe I don’t want to be here! Maybe I don’t like being held prisoner by vampires! Maybe I’m scared out of my mind because some psycho vampire who doesn’t even know me wants to kill me!”
    â€œAll good reasons,” Micah allowed with a grin.