cabinet.
“You could have called for me,” he stated. “I would have let you out.”
I glanced at him over my shoulder. “Oh yes, that’s exactly the kind of person I am. If I can’t sleep, no one else can! Jesus, do you think I would be that inconsiderate?”
“It’s not inconsiderate,” he argued.
“Oh, really? Because I know I would probably be a little pissed off if you interrupted my sleep because you wanted a cup of herbal tea. Especially if you were perfectly capable of making it yourself.” I paused. “Unless you were sick. Then I wouldn’t mind. Of course vampires don’t get sick…you know what, never mind. I’m fine.”
“You don’t sound fine.”
I filled the kettle on the stove with water. “I said I’m fine,” I reiterated, setting the kettle on the burner with a little crash.
“Perhaps we should talk about what happened earlier?”
“You mean, when you bit me?” I asked. God, I’d never met a male who wanted to talk as much as he did. I was beginning to think he had more issues than People magazine.
Asher nodded.
“I’d rather not. At least not until I know how I feel about it. Right now, I’m confused and off-balance. I have a hunch I’ll need to be on my toes to have that conversation with you.” I also had a sneaking suspicion that it might be at least six months before I came to terms with the emotions he evoked in me a few hours ago. Maybe a year. Now that I was no longer in the afterglow, all I felt was bewildered.
“All right, I understand. How about you tell me what’s really bothering you?” he suggested.
“I told you, I hate being locked in that damn room, but it’s a necessity. I understand it, I just hate it!”
Asher moved soundlessly across the kitchen, stopping beside me as I lit the burner to boil the water. His hands cupped my shoulders and he turned me to face him.
“Tell me what’s upsetting you.”
Frustration swelled within me. He was right, I wasn’t just upset over the padlock on my bedroom door. The problem was that I, myself, couldn’t put into words what was bothering me.
I felt restless and anxious all the time. It ate at me night and day.
“Shannon, talk to me,” Asher insisted.
“I don’t know!” I shouted. “I don’t know what’s bothering me, except I’m sick of this!”
I backed away from him and began pacing around the kitchen island, my arms crossed over my chest.
“It’s been months and I’ve barely been outside long enough to see the sun. And no one tells me anything. You and Conner all treat me like I can’t be trusted or I’m useless.” I stopped pacing and faced him. “But I’m not. In case you’ve forgotten, I protected Ricki and myself from several vampires. I have skills and gifts that could be useful and you act as though I’m a child.”
I stopped talking and took a deep breath. I was ranting like an adolescent throwing a tantrum. I had to get myself under some semblance of control. It was then that I understood that my problem wasn’t with Conner or Asher or anyone else, but with the fact that there was very little I could do in my current situation. I felt ineffectual and I loathed it. I’d spent the last few years being in charge and now all I could do was wait for others to make decisions.
Suddenly, I was exhausted.
“Feel better?” Asher asked softly.
I looked up to find him watching me, his eyes understanding.
“No, but I’m kind of tired now.”
He smiled slightly. “When Conner told me what you two talked about privately, I knew it wouldn’t be long before you needed to unload.”
Of course Conner would have spoken to Asher about turning me. Asher was unmated and Conner’s friend, plus he was a Council member. He would be a smart choice.
I winced as the kettle emitted an ear-piercing whistle. Asher twisted around and turned off the burner. He poured the hot water into the mug I’d left next to the stove.
When he was finished, he brought the cup to the island and sat
“You could have called for me,” he stated. “I would have let you out.”
I glanced at him over my shoulder. “Oh yes, that’s exactly the kind of person I am. If I can’t sleep, no one else can! Jesus, do you think I would be that inconsiderate?”
“It’s not inconsiderate,” he argued.
“Oh, really? Because I know I would probably be a little pissed off if you interrupted my sleep because you wanted a cup of herbal tea. Especially if you were perfectly capable of making it yourself.” I paused. “Unless you were sick. Then I wouldn’t mind. Of course vampires don’t get sick…you know what, never mind. I’m fine.”
“You don’t sound fine.”
I filled the kettle on the stove with water. “I said I’m fine,” I reiterated, setting the kettle on the burner with a little crash.
“Perhaps we should talk about what happened earlier?”
“You mean, when you bit me?” I asked. God, I’d never met a male who wanted to talk as much as he did. I was beginning to think he had more issues than People magazine.
Asher nodded.
“I’d rather not. At least not until I know how I feel about it. Right now, I’m confused and off-balance. I have a hunch I’ll need to be on my toes to have that conversation with you.” I also had a sneaking suspicion that it might be at least six months before I came to terms with the emotions he evoked in me a few hours ago. Maybe a year. Now that I was no longer in the afterglow, all I felt was bewildered.
“All right, I understand. How about you tell me what’s really bothering you?” he suggested.
“I told you, I hate being locked in that damn room, but it’s a necessity. I understand it, I just hate it!”
Asher moved soundlessly across the kitchen, stopping beside me as I lit the burner to boil the water. His hands cupped my shoulders and he turned me to face him.
“Tell me what’s upsetting you.”
Frustration swelled within me. He was right, I wasn’t just upset over the padlock on my bedroom door. The problem was that I, myself, couldn’t put into words what was bothering me.
I felt restless and anxious all the time. It ate at me night and day.
“Shannon, talk to me,” Asher insisted.
“I don’t know!” I shouted. “I don’t know what’s bothering me, except I’m sick of this!”
I backed away from him and began pacing around the kitchen island, my arms crossed over my chest.
“It’s been months and I’ve barely been outside long enough to see the sun. And no one tells me anything. You and Conner all treat me like I can’t be trusted or I’m useless.” I stopped pacing and faced him. “But I’m not. In case you’ve forgotten, I protected Ricki and myself from several vampires. I have skills and gifts that could be useful and you act as though I’m a child.”
I stopped talking and took a deep breath. I was ranting like an adolescent throwing a tantrum. I had to get myself under some semblance of control. It was then that I understood that my problem wasn’t with Conner or Asher or anyone else, but with the fact that there was very little I could do in my current situation. I felt ineffectual and I loathed it. I’d spent the last few years being in charge and now all I could do was wait for others to make decisions.
Suddenly, I was exhausted.
“Feel better?” Asher asked softly.
I looked up to find him watching me, his eyes understanding.
“No, but I’m kind of tired now.”
He smiled slightly. “When Conner told me what you two talked about privately, I knew it wouldn’t be long before you needed to unload.”
Of course Conner would have spoken to Asher about turning me. Asher was unmated and Conner’s friend, plus he was a Council member. He would be a smart choice.
I winced as the kettle emitted an ear-piercing whistle. Asher twisted around and turned off the burner. He poured the hot water into the mug I’d left next to the stove.
When he was finished, he brought the cup to the island and sat
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