Chapter 5
“Well, this is cool,” a menacingly deep voice whispered in her ear before massive hands slid around her hips and yanked her against a wall of solid muscle.
“Give out nine parking tickets to belligerent fans and then get back to me if you still think this is cool,” Bel said, tilting her gaze to peek up at Eamon through her eyelashes.
“You’re having a blast.” He kissed her forehead before releasing her waist. “Other than the parking tickets, how’s it been?”
“For starters, Beau Draven is even better looking in person,” she teased, knocking him with her hip.
“Better looking than me?”
“Oh, for sure,” Bel said. “He was also very flirty with me when we were introduced. So I might have to leave you for him.”
“Dang it.” Eamon sighed with the drama of an old Hollywood actor. “Wait…” His voice sobered. “How flirty?”
“Oh my god,” Bel laughed. “Telling you he’s more attractive than you doesn’t faze you, but him flirting does?”
“Because the first isobviouslya lie. Have you seen me?” He gestured to his body with mischief in his death-black eyes, which even clothed looked borderline illegal. “But I don’t want him making you feel uncomfortable. You’ve been through enough.”
“Eamon?” She stared up at him.
“What?”
“I love you.”
He smiled a grin just for her, and suddenly, giving out nine parking tickets didn’t seem so terrible.
“It was harmless,” she continued. “He’s full of himself, but in a charming way. I think Mr. Draven is used to women fawning over him, so when I was professional, he didn’t know how to respond.”
Following Griffin’s announcement, Bajka had surged to life as its residents prepared to host a film crew and hundreds of avid fans. A bitter winter settled over the town as the cast and crew of Aesop’s Files finally arrived. Before the chaos of filming got underway, the actors had conducted a meet-and-greet with the Police Department and her loved ones. Eamon had declined the invitation to attend the signing. Fraternizing with celebrities didn’t aid in his life’s quest to go mostly unnoticed, therefore he’d missed the way the starring actor had flirted with Bel throughout the afternoon.
“Sure, that’s why he was flirting with you.” Eamon kissed her temple, and she elbowed him in the ribs. “So…” He smirked at her response. “What scene are they shooting?”
They were filming outside, and the harsh wind was miserable for everyone involved.After the police meet-and-greet, the cast and crew settled into their lodgings, and within days, Bajka was more film studio than town. The first fan event wasn’t scheduled to start until the weekend, but eager spectators had already started arriving, hencethe need for Belto write nine parking tickets all before lunch.
“That’s Beau Draven.” She pointed to the almost too-manicured man standing in the picturesque main square. The police were present to maintain the perimeter, but at this distance, Bel couldn’t hear the dialogue. Eamon undoubtedly could, but she saw right through his curiosity. He didn’t care about the scene. He missed her.
“His character is the lead detective in Aesop’s Files,” she continued. “And that’s Taron Monroe. She’s the newest detective on the show after she replaced Beau’s first acting partner. She’s the future love interest, and they solve campy paranormal murders, but that’s the extent of my knowledge. I have no idea what they are shooting, but they’re walking down the street holding coffee, so I guess the scene involves them discussing their case with barely veiled attraction coloring their banter.”
“Speaking from experience, I see,” Eamon said.
Bel shrugged as if she didn’t know what he was talking about. “This show is weirdfor mebecause it’s a mockery of my entire life. These detectives and these creatures. They’re silly… they have no idea how dangerous it is to come face to face with evil.”
“Yes, but before films and shows, there were stories shared around the fire. Humans have been weaving tales inspired by people like me since the dawn of time, and while some accounts are too accurate for comfort, most are so far-fetched it’s insulting.”
“I hadn’t thought of that.” Bel twisted so she could shove her freezing hands into Eamon’s protective fist. His skin was cooler to the touch than most human’s, but compared to this blustery wind, he was a furnace. “If this show weirded me out, I can’t imagine how it’s been for you.”
“I’m not that bothered by it, actually,” he said. “The more stories mankind creates, the further from the truth they drift, and the safer my reality becomes. How many times have my reactions to certain situations surprised you?”
“Like you not needing to be invited inside,” she teased. “That would be a nice one, though. Would’ve kept you from breakingand entering.”
“I know your father raised you better than that,” Eamon said. “Stop with all the lying.”
“I have to protest your illegal behavior. What kind of cop would I be if I didn’t?”
“Still the best of us.” He leaned down and captured her frozen lips in a kiss.
“I’m on duty,” she whispered against his mouth.
“Everyone’s looking at the on-screen couple,” he reasoned as he deepened the kiss.
“You keep kissing me like this, and they won’t be.” She nipped his lip before shoving him away.
“Cut!” the director shouted.
“Check the gate!” the assistant director said.
“I recognize that phrase,” Bel said. “They’re done shooting. I hope that means lunch soon. I am freezing and need a scalding hot coffee. Want to grab one with me?”
“I can’t. It’s why I stopped by to say hi,” Eamon said. “I have a videoconference with a client that won’t be quick. You might as well stay at your place tonight.”
“Okay.”
“And Check the Gate means they’re ready to move on from a shot because it was a signal to the cameramen to double-check the camera and film. I’m no expert, so don’t ask me what the gate is, but they call that out because if dust or something gets into it, it’ll ruin the take. If they finished filming without checking it, all their work could be lost. Equipment has evolved over the years, but the phrase is still used.”
“Look at you.” Bel smiled at him. “You hate being filmed or photographed, so how do you know that?”
“I become someone new every few lifetimes, and I spent time in Hollywood before cell phones made it impossible to fly under the radar.”
“Have you ever worked as a cop?” she asked. “Because I’d be embarrassed if you’d been one and were just playing dumb to make me feel smart.”
“Actually,I’ve never been a police officer,” Eamon said.
“Oh, thank god,” she laughed. “But why not?”
“Me? A cop?”
“You’re right, that is ridiculous.” Bel collapsed against his chest, shaking despite her thick coat.
“All right, that’s lunch!” a voice shouted, and she exhaled into Eamon’s pitch-black overcoat. Hopefully, there weren’t too many outdoor shoots. She wasn’t an actress making the big bucks, and overtime was no longer appealing now that her fingers and toes ached.
“Good luck with your meeting.” She hugged Eamon tighter, secretly wishing the overtime wasn’t mandatory. The air was so bitter that she was willing to take him up on his offer to help her financially. “I need to get something hot to drink before I freak out. This weather reminds me too much of running down that mountain.”
Eamon stiffened in her arms, and she grimaced. She didn’t want him worrying, but it was true. She’d never felt cold like she had when she fled Dr. Blaubart,and itwas one reason she’d spent every night since her return at Eamon’s mansion. She loved the man, and their days together helped them work through their issues, but a small part of her stayed because she was afraid of the chill. Sleeping between him and Cerberus left her sweaty, and while most people hated waking up damp, it was the only thing stopping her from panicking as she rose to consciousness. Keeping this set perimeter was the first time she’d been truly cold since the mountain, and panic was tryingits bestto consume her.
“I’m okay.” She peeled herself off him. “I just need to get inside and find a hot drink.”
“You sure I can’t take you home?” Eamon tugged her hat further down her ears. “I’ll talk to Griffin. He’ll understand, and if he doesn’t, it’s not like he can stop me from taking you.”
“I’ve missed so much work, though, and it isn’t fair to ask the other officers to pick up the slack for me again.”
“I don’t care about everyone else. Do you need to come home?”
“I care about them. And get back on the horse, right?”
“That phrase means to face your fears, not push yourself to the breaking point.”
“I know.” She scanned the crowd, duty warring with trauma inside her.
“If you get too cold, call me,” Eamon said, realizing she was too stubborn to leave. “I’ll bring you soup, tea, a feather quilt, your dog to hug, whatever you need.”
“What about your clients?”
“I’ll put them on hold.”
“I’m not going to interrupt your meeting.”
“You better interrupt my meeting if you need something.” He glared at her. “Swear it. It’s the only way I’ll go home. Picturing you running down that mountain by yourself makes me physically ill.”
“Okay, I swear it.” She crossed her heart with her gloved hand.
“Thank you.” Eamon kissed her quickly since the crowd was no longer focused on the actors’ scene. “I love you, Isobel. Go get your coffee.” He shoved cash into her hands. “Order as much as you need.”
“I will.” She didn’t bother arguing and tucked the bills into her coat pocket. “I’ll talk to you later.”
“Bye, Detective.” Eamon turned and slipped into the crowd, vanishing so effortlessly that Bel hadn’t even realized he’d stepped out of sight. The moment he moved out of earshot, she released the anxious breath she’d been fighting to hold inside. Turning on her heels, she power walked through the raw wind to The Espresso Shot and shoved her way through the crowded cafe.
“David, can I use the employee bathroom?” she asked the shop owner as she passed the register.
“Of course, Detective.” David tossed his head over his shoulder, barely looking at her as he served the horde of customers, and Bel fled for the back. The minute she locked herself inside, she tore off her gloves, turned on the hot water, and sobbed an ugly cry as her fingers shoved into the heat.
She’d held it together in front of Eamon. He was always so worried about her, and they’d been working through their trauma from her kidnapping. She didn’t want her meltdown to inspire him to mention leaving again. He promised he wouldn’t unless she demanded it, but she didn’t want to pile on the guilt. She didn’t want to remind him he hadn’t saved her or that the cold reminded her of those hours when she would’ve lost her fingers if not for gripping Blaubart’s wife the entire way down the mountain.
“Detective?” A knock at the door startled her, and she turned the water off, snatching paper towels from the dispenser to dry her puffy face.
“Is everything okay?” the voice came again. David Kaffe’s wife Emily had been one of Alcina’s victims in Bel’s first case in Bajka. He and his daughters had taken over running The Espresso Shot in honor of their beloved Emily, so if anyone would understand Bel’s struggle, it was David.
“I’m fine. Just freezing.” She opened the door, and he smiled at her, his fatherly intuition seeing through her lies.
“Come on. The kitchen feels like the thermostat is set to hell because everyone’s ordering food. I’ll get you a coffee and soup, and if you stand back there for a few minutes, you’ll boil. Do you want tomato or chicken noodle?”
“Tomato.”
“Perfect.” He patted her shoulder, and Bel wanted to cryall overagain at his kindness.
Five minutes later, she stood in the sweltering kitchen with David’s oldest daughter, a cup of steaming soup, and a slice of toasted bread. The staff liked her, so they had no problem letting her thaw out in their workspace, and when she finished the food, David handed her the largest coffee cup they had.
“What do I owe you?” she asked when she finally emerged from the kitchen, sweating as if she had indeed been boiled, and she felt fantastic.
“Nothing,” David said. “You always look out for my family. It’s our turn.”
“Thank you.” She hugged him. “I needed that.”
“I always have soup and coffee, so stop by any time.” He returned the embrace. “I don’t care that there are actors in our town. You’re our real MVP.”
“Because I spend a fortune here?”
“Exactly.” David laughed. “See you soon, Detective.”
“Bye.” Bel waved and shoved some of Eamon’s bills into the tip jar as she spotted her partner leaving with her lunch clutched in her hands. “Olivia!” She weaved through the crowded shop to catch her friend. They still weren’t talking, and she was ready to explode. “Olivia, wait up.”
“Oh, hi.” Gold paused with an awkward glance at the exit.
“It’s so cold,” Bel said, opting for a safe conversation topic. “Hopefully, there aren’t many outdoor shoots.”
“Yeah.” Olivia opened the door and stepped onto the sidewalkjustas a group of fans lunged through the entrance. A flash of fur surged into the women’s line of sight, and Olivia screamed, her alarm earning her a snicker from the masked fan.
“Olivia.” Bel reached for her as the werewolf-masked teens charged at the pastry display. It was clear by their outfits that they were cosplaying a character from Aesop’s Files, but by Olivia’s reaction, it seemed she’d assumed a real-life monster had come to rip her throat out.
“What?” Olivia cursed, the obscenities odd spoken in her southern accent as she fled The Espresso Shot.
“It’s just kids in a costume,” Bel said, chasing after her.
“Really?” Olivia pinned her with a glare. “Just an outfit? Just some kids? How do you know that? How can you ever know that?”
And without letting Bel answer, she charged off down the street.
Bel sat on the bench in the little garden Eamon had designed for her. He and Ewan had mangled the trees behind her cabin when the bear shifter first moved to town, so Eamon had cleared out the damage and replaced it with a stretch of beautiful landscape. Bel loved to drink her morning coffee or make calls on the bench while Cerberus roamed the yard, and since he was busy stretching his legs after being home alone for hours, Bel pulled her phone out of her pocket. The day had been long and frigid, and as if standing outside to guard actors hadn’t been enough, shenowsat in her backyard with Cerberus while he expelled his pent-up energy. Eamon had bought the dog an oversized ball that couldn’t fit in his mouth, so he wascurrentlyshoving it around the yellowed grass, adorably trying to bite it in vain. At least in her garden, she could sit wrapped in a giant fuzzy blanket without anyone judging her.
Bel
I know you can’t talk, which is good, actually. I prefer texting this when you can’t respond right away.
Bel texted Eamon, Cerberus barking a joyous soundtrack for her messages. It felt easier to discuss the difficult things with a seventy-pound black pitbull growling like a hellhound in the background, and she needed to be honest with her boyfriend. Hiding her emotions because she was afraid he’d bring up leaving again wasn’t healthy. If they weregoingto make a future together, ignoring the painful parts of their lives wasn’t an option.
I downplayed how much standing out in the cold bothered me earlier. I didn’t want to freak you out before your meeting, but I should’ve told you. David caught me crying in The Espresso Shot bathroom, and he was awesome.Gaveme soup and hid me in his kitchen to warm up, but he isn’t you. I would’ve felt better if it were you.
She shoved her phone into her pocket, relieved that she’d admitted the truth, but dreading the moment he read it. He’d find a way to excuse her from work, and she was afraid she’d let him. And if he bailed her out, would she ever go back? She loved this job. She didn’t want to give it up, but after the frigid day she’d endured, it would take little to convince her to quit.
“Hey! Stop that or you’ll need a bath!” she shouted as Cerberus forgot his ball in favor of rolling in the dirt. “I’m serious!” She stood up and chased after him. “Get up or you’re going right in the shower, Mister.” She reached down and playfully swatted his haunches, but Cerberus jumped to his feet before her fingers barely touched him and took off running. A car door slammed, and Bel jerkedupto find Olivia ignoring the dog’s exuberant greeting as she charged for his mom.
“Did you know?” she blurted. “Did you know what Eamon was? What Ewan was?”
“Olivia,” Bel started.
“Did you know?” she demanded.
“Yes.” Bel’s shoulders sagged. “Yes, I did.”
“How could you know and not tell me?”
“Come on.” Bel turned toward her front door. “Let’s go inside and talk.”
“No. I don’t want to go inside and talk. I want you to tell me why you let me date a monster.”
“Because I thought he told you.” Bel whirled on her. “Those were Eamon’s conditions. Now, get inside. I’m tired of the cold. I’m not having this conversation out here.” She turned on her heels without waiting for a response and ushered Cerberus into her cabin. She tossed her blanket onto the couch and grabbed the teapot as Olivia thankfully entered the house and shut the chill outside behind them.
“Tea?” Bel asked.
“I’m not staying,” Olivia said.
“Suit yourself.” Bel filled the kettle with a single serving of water and set it on the stove to boil.
“So why didn’t you tell me?”
“I already told you why.”
“Yes, because you thought Ewan told me,” Olivia said. “How could you think that? How could you believe I learned my boyfriend confessed he was a murderer and a monster, and I just went about life like it was nothing? If I’d known the truth, don’t you think I would’ve freaked out or that my behavior would’ve changed drastically?”
“He isn’t a murderer,” Bel interrupted. “That hiker the bear attacked was a hunter targeting his pack. He would’ve killed Ewan’s entire family if your boyfriend hadn’t stopped him.”
“Oh my god, and now you’re justifying murderers!” Olivia shrieked. “First you lie to me, and now you act like Ewan’s crimes are nothing.”
“Because they mean nothing to us.” Bel seized the teapota littletoo forcefully and poured the scalding water into a mug, but the fragrant scent of peppermint couldn’t calm her nerves. “Human rules don’t apply to ancient beings, and even if they did, it wasn’t murder. It was self-defense. You should’ve seen the weapons thathunterwas traveling with. Eamon hid them before we officially booked the evidence, but that man had a custom rifle built to hunt down and exterminate people like Ewan.”
“So youreallyhave known this entire time?” Olivia stepped away from her, and Bel’s heart twisted in her chest. How had it come to this? How had her best friend grown so disgusted with her?
“Yes…” She sagged against the kitchen counter. At least the tea mug was hot in her palms. “I learned about Eamon the hard way, and I figured out what Ewan was after we arrested him. He was supposed to move on from Bajka after we released him from custody when Abel took you, but then he kidnapped me too. Eamon wanted help searching for me, so he enlisted the bear. They struck a deal, whichisapparentlyrare for theirkind. EamonletsEwan stay in town under one condition. He had to tell you the truth.”
“Well, heclearlydidn’t, because your freak of a boyfriend barged into my apartment and slit his wrist to prove a point. How could you date someone like him? How could you let yourself be with something so?—”
“Careful,” Bel warned. “I love you… so much, but he means the world to me. The things we’ve gone through together. The things he’s done to keep me alive. You can hate him all you want, but not in my presence.”
“If you love me, why didn’t you tell me?” Olivia shouted so loud that Cerberus ran from the kitchen to hide under the bed. “We are friends. Women don’t let their friends fall in love with monsters.”
“Because he isn’t a monster!” Bel shouted back. “Ewan’s a good man who loves you. He’s an idiot, that’s for sure. He should’ve never disobeyed Eamon, but he adores you. He’d never hurt you.”
“But I can’t love a man who isn’t honest, and I can’t love a friend who doesn’t have my back.”
“Olivia, I always have your back.” Bel set her mug down, desperate to pull her partner into a hug, but Olivia stepped further away from her.
“Then you should’ve told me.”
“They weren’t my secrets to tell! Eamon doesn’t want word spreading, and Ewan was the one who owed you the truth, not me.”
“Well, if I’d learned Eamon was some beast, I would’ve warned you,” Olivia spat. “You owed me that much.”
“I couldn’t—” the trill of Bel’s cell phone cut her off, and her first instinct was to ignore it. She assumed it was Eamon calling her back, but then she saw Griffin’s nameon the screen.
“Hello,” she answered, trying to keep her voice from wavering.
“Emerson, I hate to ask, but can you help with this outdoor night shoot?” he said. “Fans got wind of it, and the crowd is getting unruly. Unfortunately, some of our deputies are a little too star-struck by Taron Monroe, but she won’t affect you. I’ll give you tomorrow off in exchange, but I need you.”
“Um…” she glanced up at Olivia, her heart breaking. “Sure. I’ll be there soon.” She hung up the phone and met her partner’s gaze. “I’m sorry, I have to go. Griffin needs me.”
“It’s fine.” Olivia’s words were clipped as she backed up toward the door.
“Olivia, please. Can we talk about this later?”
“There’s nothing to talk about. You lied to me for months. You knew that a bear capable of killing a human being was sleeping in my bed, and you kept silent. I don’t need to hear anymore.”
“Olivia, stop…”
But Gold ignored her and left the cabin, slamming the door behind her. Bel burst into tears as the slam echoed off the walls. Her relationship with her father was strained. She’d almost lost Eamon. She was losing Olivia, and now she had to venture back out into the cold. She thought filming would be a fun experience, but she hadn’t expected to be stuck outside in the dead of winter so her mind could endlessly repeat her run down that mountain.
“You’re okay,” a whiskey-smooth voice soothed as massive arms scooped her off the floor, and Bel flinched. She hadn’t heard anyone enter her home. “It’s just me,” Eamon said.
“I thought you had your meeting,” she said as she hugged his neck.
“I told you I’d make them wait if you needed me, and I felt that text required an in-person response… seems I was right.” He stood to his full height, cradling her in his embrace. “Come hang out at my place while I work so you don’t have to be alone. You can sit beside me and shove your cold toes under my legs.” He kissed her forehead as he aimed for the door. “Come, Cerberus. Car ride.”
“I can’t,” Bel said. “I have to go back to work.”
“Really?” He paused before the front door.
“Griffin’s giving me tomorrow off, but Ihave towork the night shoot. The crowd is getting out of hand, andI guessMiss Monroe is distracting some officers. Griffin asked if I could cover the shift.”
“But it’s guaranteed you’ll have tomorrow off?” Eamon asked.
“Yes.”
“Good. I’ll take Cerberus home with me now then. Come to my place when you’re done, and I’ll keep the fire going all day tomorrow for you.”
“Ugh, don’t mention your fireplace. I’m already dreading leaving my house,” Bel groaned as she slid down his body until her feet landed on the hardwood. “Thanks for stopping by. You have no idea how badly I needed you.”
“You were crying on the kitchen floor. I think I do know.” He cupped her face and forced her to meet his gaze. “Thank you for telling me how you felt, but don’t hide it from me again. I can take it. I swore to you we would communicate and make this work. I meant every word.”
“If it makes you feel better, it was Olivia and the cold that had me on the floor, not our conversations. I think I’ve lost my friend.”
“What happened?”
“She hates me for lying.” Bel grabbed her coat and slipped into her boots. “I’ll tell you more later, but Ihave togo.”
“Okay.” Eamon snapped Cerberus’ leash on his collar as he readied to take him home with him, his entire body fighting the urge to argue with her. “If you get too cold, or if you just want company, text me, and I’llcomewarm you up.”
“We should just have you run the security.” Bel raised onto her toes and kissed him. “No one would dare approach the sets.”
“I’d do it if it kept you out of this weather.”
“I wish… I’ll be okay.” She squeezed his hand as they separated to go to their respective cars. “And Eamon?”
“Yes, Detective?”
“I know I give you a hard time about breaking into my place, but do me afavor?Never stop.”
Bajka fell into a routine over the next few days, and Bel found a rhythm even though Olivia ignored her. She was too busy to dwell on their rift, or at least that’s what she told herself. Between the night shoots and the overtime, she barely had time to sleep, and Eamon’s love of cooking came in handy. On the nights they didn’t stay together, he left meals in her fridge, most of which she ate while running out the door.
The outdoor shoots were brutal, but the first fan event was thankfully a different experience. The show had rented the hotel’s convention center and hosted a two-day meet-and-greet. Photo ops, signings, Q&A panels, merchandise tables. It was a madhouse, but Bel enjoyed herself. The event was indoors and heated, allowing her to focus on the charm of the convention and not the ice biting with ruthless fangs at her skin. Eamon had also purchased a ticketso he couldmove freely about the hotel. He kept his distance, but Bel thoroughly enjoyed looking up from her position guarding the signing tables to find his death-black eyes watching her. She enjoyed sneaking off to make out like teenagers even more.
The weekend was overwhelmingly hectic, but by the time Monday morning rolled around, Bel found she was happy to return to work. The lack of murders, the presence of famous actors, and Eamon sticking by her side did wonders for her love of the job. He’d been careful to support her without becoming overbearing or suggesting she quit, and as she poured coffee into her thermos, she remembered why she loved being a detective.
“I’ll drive you,” Eamon said as he jogged into his kitchen. “It snowed heavily last night, sothe roads will be messy. Plus, today’s shoot is on my property, so I might as well.”
“Really?” Bel smothered Cerberus’ meaty head in kisses as they said goodbye. “I didn’t know we were shooting on your land.”
“To be fair, half of Bajka is my land.” Eamon snagged his keys and helped her carry her things out of the front door. “The filming scouts didn’t realize this was my property when they selected that section of the woods. I had my lawyer work with the town to approve the permits, so the crew doesn’t know they’ll be on the Reale Estate, but because it’s mine, I figured I should come along and watch the action.”
“The action, or The Action ?” She swung her hips seductively as she walked ahead of him.
“Dating a detective means I get away with nothing.” He jogged to catch her, slapping her ass playfully before climbing into his truck. “In all seriousness, I’m curious how much has changed compared to the last time I was in Hollywood. I didn’t care to linger around the crowds in town, though, so I haven’t had a chance to examine the process or the equipment.”
“I don’t blame you,” Bel said as he started the engine. “But watching them film is cool. I’m unfamiliar with the industry, so it’s been an experience.”
Eamon threaded his fingers through hers as the truck aimed down the snowy drive, and the two chatted as he pushed through the barely plowed roads that led into the mountains. It had been snowing on and off over the past few weeks, leaving the ground magical but bitter, butthis snowfall had Belthankful she’d been locked away in Eamon’s mansion. White coated the land with her deadly beauty, and the only reason they made it to the location in suchgoodtime was because the icy trails seemed almost a game for him.
“I’m dreading the cold,” she said as they parked. “The shots will be beautiful, but it’ll hurt.” She gripped the door’s handle, but the moment the door cracked open to allow a sliver of fresh mountain air into the truck, Eamon’s hand shot out and seized her wrist, refusing to let her leave the safety of the truck’s cabin. Bel quirked her eyebrows at him, the force on her arm almost bruising, and she opened her mouth to ask why his black eyes had suddenly darkened when she understood. Eamon sat frozen in the driver’s seat, fist gripping her wrist with a predatory hunger, and bile ran up her throat at the meaning.
Blood. Eamon Stone smelled blood.