knew Rend didn’t want me going through the
crow’s door until we had some idea of what was behind it, but
what if my mother was there? What if she could give me some of the
answers I’d been looking for? What if she could keep me safe?
In my sleep I had tossed the covers off my body,
and I stood to straighten them. I thought about getting back into bed
and trying to get more sleep, but I’d been locked in the dream
of that door for the past several hours.
I needed a break.
I carried a blanket out to the couch and walked to
the fridge to get a glass of water, but a feeling seized me as I
passed by the large window facing the street.
Someone is out there.
My heart skipped a beat and I forced a deep
breath. Weak-kneed, I went to the window and stared out into the
storm.
Rain poured hard and wind whipped the trees from
side to side.
Cars zoomed by, their lights illuminating the
sidewalk as they passed.
That’s when I saw him.
Rend stood in the shadow of a large oak tree near
the street, his black hooded sweatshirt soaked through from the rain.
I couldn’t see his face, but I knew it was him.
How long had he been down there?
I stepped away from the window and leaned against
the arm of the couch for support. I wasn’t sure my legs could
hold me.
This was his solution? If I wouldn’t come to
the club, he would stand guard all night outside my apartment? In the
pouring rain?
I knew my life was in danger, but what I still
couldn’t wrap my head around was why my life was so important
to anyone.
Especially Rend.
If my blood was so valuable to the Devil, why not
let him have me? Wouldn’t that be easier on everyone?
I paced the floor in front of the window, anger
giving me the strength to walk again.
Was he really going to just stand out there all
night?
I contemplated just going back into my room and
going to bed as if I hadn’t seen him. Let him stay out there,
miserable and uncomfortable all night. Why should I care? It’s
not like I asked him to protect me.
But I already knew I couldn’t let this go.
I couldn’t live my life under his constant
supervision.
I'd told him I needed space and that I’d
come back when I felt like it. How dare he show up here like this?
I had to put a stop to this now. I had to let him
know I had my boundaries and that I needed him to respect that.
I threw open my door and stomped down the three
flights of stairs to the front entrance of my building. I stepped out
into the night, rain soaking my hair and clothes in seconds. I
shivered as the wind picked up. It was still late summer, but the
cold rain made it feel like fall.
My eyes struggled to find him out here in the
dark. Oak trees lined this entire street, and I couldn’t figure
out which one he’d been hiding behind.
As if he knew I was searching for him, Rend
stepped around the tree and leaned against it, one leg propped up
behind him.
I marched over to him, ready to battle to the
death about this if that was what it took. He needed to understand
that just because he was bigger and more powerful than I was, he
couldn’t just take over my life without asking me. Danger or
not, I still needed to be in control of my own choices.
“What the hell are you doing out here?”
I asked. I could hardly see through the rain. It pelted my face with
thick drops that landed, then slid down my cheeks.
Even in the dim light of the street lamp, I
couldn’t see his eyes underneath that hood. His body position
was so casual, so utterly unconcerned, that it just pissed me off
more.
“I wake up in the middle of the night to
find you lurking outside my apartment like some stalker.” I
placed a hand on my hip. “You'd better start explaining
yourself. And take that stupid hood off.”
I had to shout to be heard over the storm.
He slowly pulled the hood back from his face, and
I sucked in a breath. God, he was gorgeous. Every time I saw him, he
took my breath away.
I hated him for it.
“It’s the only way I could be
crow’s door until we had some idea of what was behind it, but
what if my mother was there? What if she could give me some of the
answers I’d been looking for? What if she could keep me safe?
In my sleep I had tossed the covers off my body,
and I stood to straighten them. I thought about getting back into bed
and trying to get more sleep, but I’d been locked in the dream
of that door for the past several hours.
I needed a break.
I carried a blanket out to the couch and walked to
the fridge to get a glass of water, but a feeling seized me as I
passed by the large window facing the street.
Someone is out there.
My heart skipped a beat and I forced a deep
breath. Weak-kneed, I went to the window and stared out into the
storm.
Rain poured hard and wind whipped the trees from
side to side.
Cars zoomed by, their lights illuminating the
sidewalk as they passed.
That’s when I saw him.
Rend stood in the shadow of a large oak tree near
the street, his black hooded sweatshirt soaked through from the rain.
I couldn’t see his face, but I knew it was him.
How long had he been down there?
I stepped away from the window and leaned against
the arm of the couch for support. I wasn’t sure my legs could
hold me.
This was his solution? If I wouldn’t come to
the club, he would stand guard all night outside my apartment? In the
pouring rain?
I knew my life was in danger, but what I still
couldn’t wrap my head around was why my life was so important
to anyone.
Especially Rend.
If my blood was so valuable to the Devil, why not
let him have me? Wouldn’t that be easier on everyone?
I paced the floor in front of the window, anger
giving me the strength to walk again.
Was he really going to just stand out there all
night?
I contemplated just going back into my room and
going to bed as if I hadn’t seen him. Let him stay out there,
miserable and uncomfortable all night. Why should I care? It’s
not like I asked him to protect me.
But I already knew I couldn’t let this go.
I couldn’t live my life under his constant
supervision.
I'd told him I needed space and that I’d
come back when I felt like it. How dare he show up here like this?
I had to put a stop to this now. I had to let him
know I had my boundaries and that I needed him to respect that.
I threw open my door and stomped down the three
flights of stairs to the front entrance of my building. I stepped out
into the night, rain soaking my hair and clothes in seconds. I
shivered as the wind picked up. It was still late summer, but the
cold rain made it feel like fall.
My eyes struggled to find him out here in the
dark. Oak trees lined this entire street, and I couldn’t figure
out which one he’d been hiding behind.
As if he knew I was searching for him, Rend
stepped around the tree and leaned against it, one leg propped up
behind him.
I marched over to him, ready to battle to the
death about this if that was what it took. He needed to understand
that just because he was bigger and more powerful than I was, he
couldn’t just take over my life without asking me. Danger or
not, I still needed to be in control of my own choices.
“What the hell are you doing out here?”
I asked. I could hardly see through the rain. It pelted my face with
thick drops that landed, then slid down my cheeks.
Even in the dim light of the street lamp, I
couldn’t see his eyes underneath that hood. His body position
was so casual, so utterly unconcerned, that it just pissed me off
more.
“I wake up in the middle of the night to
find you lurking outside my apartment like some stalker.” I
placed a hand on my hip. “You'd better start explaining
yourself. And take that stupid hood off.”
I had to shout to be heard over the storm.
He slowly pulled the hood back from his face, and
I sucked in a breath. God, he was gorgeous. Every time I saw him, he
took my breath away.
I hated him for it.
“It’s the only way I could be
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