Another EC title…

Rafe hadn’t been able to find Sheila for three days. Not that he had been looking.

But when the sweet scent of plumeria started to fade from Eli’s enclave, he knew something was going on.

For the past six months, he had left her alone. Realizing how close he had come to the unthinkable, he’d gone out of his way to stay away from her, giving her the distance she no doubt wanted from him. Not seeing her, not touching her, ate at him and he was slowly going out of his mind.

When he realized that she was gone, though, really gone, he just snapped. Insane fury pulsed through his veins as he tore the house apart, searching for her, growling demands at everyone in the house, only to be ignored.

Stalking into the Master’s quarters with hell in his eyes probably wasn’t the best way to start the day…but then again, for some odd reason, Rafe seemed to be spoiling for a fight all the time lately. It had gotten worse since that night when he had almost raped Sheila, and now it was getting impossible to control.

“Where’s the little southern belle?” he demanded, flinging himself down onto a long, leather couch.

Eli glanced up from his desk just in time to see the leather molding itself to the long, rangy vampire’s form. And to see the fire in Rafe’s gaze. He couldn’t help the smile that filled his eyes, but he did manage to keep it from curling his lips.

“She’s gone away for a while,” he said, leaning back and folding his hands across his belly. “Sheila has been rather—unhappy,” he decided after a moment. “She petitioned at first to leave, but we decided a vacation might suit.”

“To leave?” Rafe growled.

“Yes. A new Master, she thought, a new home, might solve the problem she’s been dealing with.” Nothing would solve it, Eli knew, not until Rafe stopped being so bloody stubborn, but some distance might help Sheila heal a little bit.

And just might force Rafe’s hand, making him do what he should have done months ago. Admit that he was in love with her.

“What problem?” Rafe demanded, shooting to his feet. “She Hunts once a week, takes Erika shopping and acts like a babysitter for the kid. And cooking. Cooking, for crying out loud. What fucking problem?”

His black hair tumbled into his eyes and he shoved it back as he started to pace, mumbling and swearing under his breath.

Eli heard every word.

“I believe she is lonely. I suggested she go find a man and get…fucked six different ways to Sunday. Well, that was Sarel’s phrase. But it suits, I think,” Eli said, bracing himself, and reminding himself that Rafe was a friend, and that killing him wouldn’t help Rafe or Sheila’s predicament.

Of course, when Rafe leaped over the desk and tore him out of his chair with startling speed, Eli did have to admit that he might have a bit more of a fight on his hands than he had previously thought. But he hadn’t been planning on fighting at all. Throttling down the instinct to battle, he gave Rafe an innocent look and forced a fake bellow, “What the hell is your bloody problem?”

“You told her to what?” Rafe demanded in a low deadly whisper.

“Fuck me, she’s a lovely, loving young woman. And she’s lonely. You don’t want her anymore, but nobody here will give her a damn glance for fear of insulting you. She needs a man, so I told her to go find one,” Eli said, reaching up and shoving Rafe back.

Rafe went flying, but he took a handful for Eli’s silk vest with him. Glancing down, Eli scowled. “Now that was just uncalled for. Sarel bought that for me,” he snapped as he took the tattered remains off and held it up. Even Sheila with her talented hands couldn’t fix this one, had she been around.

“You told her to go find a man?” Rafe repeated, his fangs protruding past his upper lip, his black eyes gleaming red in his rage.

“Aye. I did.” Eli allowed a tiny smile to appear as he cocked his head. “That really shouldn’t be a problem for you…but it looks like it is. Why is that?”

Rafe went completely still as he glared at Eli.

And then he stalked out.

At Nook & Kindle …with discounted prices. 🙂