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as soon as you are able to get about.”
    Sara felt his look and it was as if he had caressed her. It both excited and made her angry. Anger she could handle. She wouldn’t allow herself to think about the other right now.
    “ I won’t become your blood du jour, bloodsucker,” she snarled at him. Yes, she thought, I do much better with anger.
    “ Miss Temple!” Duncan barked at her. She felt herself flush with embarrassment.
    “ It’s all right, Duncan. She’s angry with me, as I am with her. So, we can get this over with now, Little Warrior. If you please, we can finish this in the dining room. Duncan has made you a wonderful breakfast, and you will need your strength back very soon.” She backed up as he stood. His size did not frighten her. It was the man; he scared her in ways that she did not understand.
    “ No.” She had to get away from him, away from all of them. Now, she thought, she needed to leave now.
    “ No? No, what, pray tell?” He took a step toward her. She was sure it was not to intimidate her, but it had. Slightly.
    She looked at the door just behind Duncan. I can make it, she thought. “I want to be able to leave, please? I appreciate that you’ve seen to my wound, since you are the cause of it anyway. I have a job, and my own place to stay, and...I’d like to go. I need to go.” She could hear the panic in her voice, and hated it. She moved toward the door. She was not afraid of him, but rather of what he was making her feel.
    “ I caused your wound? However did you arrive at that conclusion?” He asked her as he wrapped his arms around his impressive chest.
    Sara felt rather than saw him move. He had moved himself between her and the door, blocking her way. Damn it.
    “ You brought those men into the Carlovettis’, didn’t you? They were there because they wanted you dead.” She was only half paying attention to what she was saying now.
    The room had suddenly become an assault on her senses. His scent, deep earth and warmth, permeated the air. Then the smells coming from the kitchen itself. Bacon, God, when was the last time she had had bacon, eggs, toast, and sausage? Her stomach rumbled then. Hunger liked she had never had hit her. She lifted her eyes to his, wondering if he heard it too. But the look on his face made her forget all about the rumbling in her belly and centered completely on the man in front of her.
    “ You know why they were there? How did you get that information? Is this another one of your hidden talents? You seem to be just brimming with powers no one knew about, Little Warrior.” He took another step toward her, and then stopped when she retreated. She felt trapped.
    “ Of course. I’m surprised a big bad vamp like you didn’t catch that. They were there to kill you and then blame it on the Carlovettis—an attempted murder gone wrong. Well, it did go wrong, but not like they’d planned, I guess. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to be able to leave.” This time, she tried to brush by him, but his voice stopped her cold.
    “ But I do mind, Sara Temple. You have a lot to answer for, and I plan on having you as a guest until I’m satisfied. Now, if you wouldn’t mind going into the dining room, while you break your fast, I will have a few of those answers now.”
    Compulsion—she had heard that vamps had this ability; she had used it herself when needed. With her blood loss and hunger, she could not fight him hard enough to break free. Little by little, she felt her resistance drain away until she was being lead to the dining room. This time, he had won, but the next time, and she was suddenly sure that there would be lots more time spent with him, she would be the stronger of the two.

~ CHAPTER FOUR~
     
    Two hours later, Aaron was no closer to getting any answers from her than he had been when she had first come downstairs. She was by and far the most stubborn, frustrating woman he had ever encountered. It wasn’t the fact that she didn’t