Page 46 of Awakened
"Then we'll go to the police now," she whispered.
"Sera, I can't do that."
"Why not? If it was an accident..."
"They'll say I tried to cover it up, they won't believe me," he said.
"They'll understand that it was an accident. They'll know that you stabbed him in self-defense; he had a knife, and he was attacking me, and you had to stab him."
He moved a step closer to her. "Sera, I can't do that."
She lifted her eyes to meet his. They were full of despair as she gazed at him in confusion. He wanted to ease the sorrow in her gaze, and make her forget everything that had happened tonight, everything she had seen. "My life would be over. I'd go to jail. Everything I've worked for would be gone."
He stopped before her and took hold of her arm. A sudden spark rolled through her eyes, a sudden acknowledgment that made his stomach heave, and his heart hammer. She stared at him in dawning horror. "Sera," he whispered.
"If you stabbed him," she whispered. "Then where's the blood? My sheets are clean."
He tried to grab her, but she took a step away from him as her hand flew to her mouth. Liam closed his eyes against the revulsion and trepidation in her gaze. "Sera..."
"My God," she whispered. "What are you?" His eyes flew to hers. His arms fell limply to his sides. Her eyes searched his face pleadingly, but he made no move toward her. "Liam..."
"Let's go."
Her gaze flew to Mike. He stood with his arms folded over his chest as he stared at her in resignation. It felt as if a sledgehammer slammed into her stomach as the breath rushed out of her. Mike knew what was going on, what Liam had done. He had helped him afterward; that was why he was here. He would be of no help to her.
Her legs turned to Jell-O. She panted heavily as she hung her head and fought desperately against passing out. Hands clasped hold of her and lifted her up. She couldn't offer a protest as Liam swung her into his arms and carried her down the steps of the gazebo. She was certain that she was being carried to her death, but she couldn't find the strength to fight against him.
CHAPTER 10
Mike opened the door to Liam's room and stepped back to let him enter. Liam carried Sera swiftly into the room. Her body was unyielding against his; her hands were curled into fists in her lap. He shifted his hold on her to pull the blankets on the bed back. Sliding her in, he pulled the covers up around her as she lay unmoving. "Just get some sleep," he whispered. "We'll talk in the morning, all right?"
Her eyes were dull and glazed as she looked at him before turning away to look out the window. She hadn't spoken a word to him since the gazebo. He didn't know what to say, or what to do. He had naively thought that somehow he could avoid all of this.
It wasn't the kind of a secret that you could keep from someone that was as close to him as Sera was. Deep inside, he had known that. He just hadn't wanted to acknowledge it. Now it was slapping him in the face.
He turned away from her. Mike was standing in the doorway his gaze intense as he studied Liam. "We need to talk."
"Tomorrow."
"Liam..."
"Tomorrow Mike!" he barked.
Mike's gaze was intense and irate as he studied him. His eyes closed as he nodded briskly and left the room. Liam stood in the quiet room, unsure what to do. Finally, he strode across the room and slid tiredly into the easy chair. He watched as she continued to stare out the window, hoping that she was not afraid of him, certain that she was. How could she not be?
"You're safe here," he told her.
"Am I?" she muttered.
He winced at the words. "Yes, you are."
He turned to look out the window, unable to stand the revulsion in her gaze any longer. The moon had finally risen; its pale light spilled in to illuminate the room. He looked back at her as she lay motionless. He watched her for a long time as her breathing became steady. He knew she was still awake.
***
Liam woke with a start and nearly toppled out of the chair. His neck and back ached, he felt as stiff as a board. He groaned as he straightened his aching joints, and opened his eyes. The sun was just touching the horizon. His bones cracked as he walked over to shut the blinds before it woke Sera. She was sleeping on the bed, her head buried beneath the blankets. His heart and body longed to hold her as he watched her for a minute.
He forced himself to turn away and head for the door. He opened it cautiously, stepped into the hall, and made his way to Mike's room where he pounded on the door. "What?" Mike yelled.
