His hand tightened around the manâs throat, feeling the blood running under his skin attempting to get to the brain. Woe be to the humans who show up and try to mess with the residents of this town. Seemed like old times again, Shane admitted to himself as he pressed his free handâs index finger to the otherâs lips. âDignity⌠shhâŚâ The man started to wail, and with one âcrackâ it was over.Â
Shaneâs brows furrowed, pausing in his work. There was a presence here. One he hadnât felt in a very long time.Â
The shadows that had wrapped around him parted somewhat at his will, and he gave a half-hearted chuck of the person deeper into the alley. Heâd be one of the many who would need to be accounted for later, he decided. His head, however, turned in the direction - her presence radiated like a beacon compared to the others in the streets that were running, panicking or looting. They made eye contact almost immediately. His lips moved, but only she got to hear what he said.
âBlood of my bloodâŚâ The bustle around them seemed to stop, or at least drag in very slow motion as Shane moved, striding like he was coming through water - in this case, real time - with distinct purpose towards the blonde. Fingertips found Audreyâs quite distinct jaw. She was immune to the ravages that might have turned all to dust over the past thousand years, still beautiful and sweet and innocent and desirable. He had a flurry of emotions rolling through him, but in a flash he was transported back to the middle ages and reacted as much. His hand closed around her jaw and slid down to her throat, body touching hers and lips an inch from hers.Â
âAudrey.â His voice was in front of her, behind her, in her head, in her veins.Â
A small part of her did feel flighty, almost turned on her heel and ran despite knowing it would be all too easy for him to catch her. Seeing him again was confronting, to say the least and it had been a long time since every part of her felt quite so awake and alert. She felt everything.
She didnât run. Instead when his fingers brushed her jaw, she tipped her head instinctively and bared more of her throat without even thinking about the action. Long lashes fluttered slightly and a slightly embarrassing sound that held a note of longing left her.
His grip tightened, and a little shiver raced through her when it slid down to the throat she had just bared for him, as though she had been transported back in time to the human he had first met. In a sense, she was like that human again â even if their time together had changed her. Any part of her body that touched his felt like it was on fire and his lips were so close she had to fight not to give into the urge to press her lips against them. She had walked away but those instincts had never truly left. Especially when they had had no closure.
Shane was all encompassing, and the way his voice filled her was entirely representative of that. Audrey almost melted against him to hear him say her name again, even though uncertainty reflected in her eyes as she looked back at him.
âShane...â His name came out much more delicately, as though despite the fact their bodies touched, speech might cause him to disintegrate and blow away with the wind. For the moment, the rest of the world was gone and as it had so often seemed, it felt like the only thing in existence was the two of them. âYouâre here...â One hand lifted slowly to caress the hand that still curled around her throat, though not trying to free herself from it.
Initiating the touch made it seem all the more real, and she found herself leaning in. He was as seductive now as he had been all those years ago, even when her bloodlust had left. She found herself wishing he would understand and it was stunning how real she felt with him standing right in front of her.