made up her mind and acted before she lost her courage.
Layla broke into a run, made it through the door and outside onto the porch. She didn't see anyone around when she jumped off the porch and took off in the direction of freedom.
She estimated she was about halfway to the gate when she had to slow. It'd been a while since she had run and she was huffing like a locomotive. But she couldn't stop, she had to keep going.
She nearly sagged with relief when the gate came into view and there was no sign of Augustus. It was a big metal affair, easily twenty feet tall with one crossbar holding the bars at the top and bottom and a third set midway. Even if she could reach the middle bar, she'd never make it over the top as the vertical bars ended sharp arrow shapes.
Layla scanned both sides of the drive. The gate was mounted on thick stone columns that joined a high stone wall. She estimated the wall to be at least ten feet. There was no way she could get to the top unless she could find something to stand on.
Trees lined the inner wall of the stone fence. Maybe she could climb up one and get over that way. She used to be a darn good tree climber. Hopefully those skills had not gotten so rusty they would fail her.
She chose the right side of the gate and started following the wall, checking every tree. Layla was so focused on finding an escape route that she forgot to look to see if Augustus had followed her.
It felt like forever before she found a tree with promise. She hiked up her skirt and started up the tree. Bark sliced into her hands and feet but she ignored it. It wasn't long before she found a branch she could crawl out on and drop down onto the top of the stone wall.
That part was easy enough. Looking down at the ten-foot drop to freedom gave her pause. She wasn't keen on heights and had never liked the sensation of falling. But what choice did she have?
Layla crouched, took a deep breath, and pushed herself away from and off the wall. She closed her eyes for a split second as the ground rushed at her, preparing for impact.
The fall was quick and her eyes flew open the instant the downward momentum ceased. She hadn't landed on her feet or fallen on her ass. In fact, she hadn't touched the ground at all.
She was cradled in Augustus' arms. He gave her a smile, displaying his elegant fangs and this time she didn't faint. She was way too mad for that. She balled up her right hand into a fist and slugged him.
"You bastard!"
The blow didn't seem to faze him, aside from causing a minute flash in his eyes. "Let me go!" She started to struggle.
She kicked, hit, screamed, scratched, and managed only to end up pressed against his body with her feet angling off the ground and her skirt bunched up around her waist...
"Stop."
Was it the command in his tone, or something in his eyes that had her going still? She didn't know why, but all at once, her body was no longer hers to command.
That was terrifying. So much that tears gathered in her eyes. "Please, I want to go home."
"You are home, Layla." This time his voice was soft, the croon of a lover.
His lips claimed hers and what swept through her was more terrifying than fear because it ripped away her will. She could feel the fight seeping out of her and there was no amount of rage she could summon to combat it. Desire for him took control, stripping away all else.
It was then she realized that she was not going to escape. At least not this way. She was going to have to come up with a new plan and she needed to do it fast. Already he had inserted himself into her mind. If she gave in to him completely she would be lost.
And despite wanting him to the point of near madness, she could not let that happen.
Chapter Four
As my Uncle Herbert, the war vet would say, this here is a real fubar. How am I going to get out of this mess? Here I am, being carried in the arms of a man who is nothing less than a fantasy come to life. A Vampire for goodness sakes. A
Layla broke into a run, made it through the door and outside onto the porch. She didn't see anyone around when she jumped off the porch and took off in the direction of freedom.
She estimated she was about halfway to the gate when she had to slow. It'd been a while since she had run and she was huffing like a locomotive. But she couldn't stop, she had to keep going.
She nearly sagged with relief when the gate came into view and there was no sign of Augustus. It was a big metal affair, easily twenty feet tall with one crossbar holding the bars at the top and bottom and a third set midway. Even if she could reach the middle bar, she'd never make it over the top as the vertical bars ended sharp arrow shapes.
Layla scanned both sides of the drive. The gate was mounted on thick stone columns that joined a high stone wall. She estimated the wall to be at least ten feet. There was no way she could get to the top unless she could find something to stand on.
Trees lined the inner wall of the stone fence. Maybe she could climb up one and get over that way. She used to be a darn good tree climber. Hopefully those skills had not gotten so rusty they would fail her.
She chose the right side of the gate and started following the wall, checking every tree. Layla was so focused on finding an escape route that she forgot to look to see if Augustus had followed her.
It felt like forever before she found a tree with promise. She hiked up her skirt and started up the tree. Bark sliced into her hands and feet but she ignored it. It wasn't long before she found a branch she could crawl out on and drop down onto the top of the stone wall.
That part was easy enough. Looking down at the ten-foot drop to freedom gave her pause. She wasn't keen on heights and had never liked the sensation of falling. But what choice did she have?
Layla crouched, took a deep breath, and pushed herself away from and off the wall. She closed her eyes for a split second as the ground rushed at her, preparing for impact.
The fall was quick and her eyes flew open the instant the downward momentum ceased. She hadn't landed on her feet or fallen on her ass. In fact, she hadn't touched the ground at all.
She was cradled in Augustus' arms. He gave her a smile, displaying his elegant fangs and this time she didn't faint. She was way too mad for that. She balled up her right hand into a fist and slugged him.
"You bastard!"
The blow didn't seem to faze him, aside from causing a minute flash in his eyes. "Let me go!" She started to struggle.
She kicked, hit, screamed, scratched, and managed only to end up pressed against his body with her feet angling off the ground and her skirt bunched up around her waist...
"Stop."
Was it the command in his tone, or something in his eyes that had her going still? She didn't know why, but all at once, her body was no longer hers to command.
That was terrifying. So much that tears gathered in her eyes. "Please, I want to go home."
"You are home, Layla." This time his voice was soft, the croon of a lover.
His lips claimed hers and what swept through her was more terrifying than fear because it ripped away her will. She could feel the fight seeping out of her and there was no amount of rage she could summon to combat it. Desire for him took control, stripping away all else.
It was then she realized that she was not going to escape. At least not this way. She was going to have to come up with a new plan and she needed to do it fast. Already he had inserted himself into her mind. If she gave in to him completely she would be lost.
And despite wanting him to the point of near madness, she could not let that happen.
Chapter Four
As my Uncle Herbert, the war vet would say, this here is a real fubar. How am I going to get out of this mess? Here I am, being carried in the arms of a man who is nothing less than a fantasy come to life. A Vampire for goodness sakes. A
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