Read 5 - Together To Join for Free Online Page A

door. There wasn’t a way out of here that he could locate. No wonder she cut him loose. Garrick spent a couple of minutes conquering the anger and adrenaline for use later. Obviously, strength and energy wasn’t going to get him released. He’d have to resort to cunning and manipulation. That meant he might as well use that shower. And find another outfit to wear, clueing her in on some of his explorations. And that meant he’d have to be near her again.
    Double damn her.

 
     
    CHAPTER FIVE
    “How do you like your steak?”
    “What?”
    “I was guessing medium rare, but I didn’t want to overcook it.”
    She didn’t look at him, and he’d girded himself for the confrontation. He’d shaved, finger-combed his hair back, used the antiperspirant and splashed on cologne. She’d included a sharp razor. Even without a mirror, he was accurate with that, and it made a comforting presence in his pocket. He’d picked out tan wool slacks, a white shirt worn unbuttoned at the throat, and a brown tweed sport coat with leather patches at the elbows and shoulders. It was probably proper English hunting attire, but the slacks were such a fine weave they felt like a second skin, while he’d rarely had a coat that fitted so well. He’d disdained adding a tie. Some things just weren’t needed for confronting a vampire in her lair after what amounted to a two hour absence.
    And she didn’t even look up.
    She was crouched on a stool by the fireplace, cooking over an open fire that hadn’t been lit earlier. Her hair was pulled back and a large, unadorned apron covered the front of the gown he’d noted earlier. She cooked with rudimentary equipment over an open fire. Barring the fact she could cook, why didn’t she just use the kitchen? Normal castles had kitchens but then again, nothing about this place was normal. It didn’t resemble any castle he’d been educated on. It resembled a half-concocted notion of one, or an over-sized doll house, or a funhouse from an amusement park. The entire place defied description – like a discombobulated dreamscape that some kid dreamed up.
    Why did he care? It didn’t really matter what the place was. It was a prison and he was finding his way out of it. Because there had to be one. Somewhere. Garrick looked about, evaluating the marble columns and niches for anything resembling doors. The room had three of them. The gallery looked to have at least three more, but that didn’t concern him. They probably just led outside to that cobweb of wires and rock. He looked higher, taking in the skylight, now dark as if night had fallen, and then checked the little clerestory windows. She even had lights glittering up there, as if stars had come out.
    The room was cavernous, and she used it for what? Her bedroom? Garrick moved his glance to the heart-shaped, frill-topped bed, looking innocent and extremely feminine, and completely unlike the bondage scene it had been. Why would she even have a bed? Vampires didn’t need a mattress and box springs for their rest. They simply went into a prone position atop a bit of dirt from their graves and assumed the dead state. Or whatever stasis they called it.
    Garrick licked his lips and walked over to her. The smells emanating from her fireplace were mouth watering and he was hungry. “Medium rare is fine.”
    “Good. It’s almost ready to turn. You only turn a steak once, you know. Any more times and the meat will toughen.”
    “How do you know that?”
    “I…don’t think I should answer that.”
    “Why not?”
    “When I answer your questions you get angry. And then I might have to control you. And…I think you need to eat first.”
    He swore.
    “You see?”
    She tipped her glance to him before standing and taking the two steps to the hearth and her cooking. He watched her pick up a hot mitt and long handled fork. She knew her way around everything. Nothing looked hesitant as she turned his steak, fussed with a filleted salmon beside it, then