Her Secret Read Free Page A

we’ve been over this,” I
said, angry and anxious. “You know it’s not safe for you to change
here, at least not outside the barn. All you need are some assholes
jacking deer to see you, and they’ll put a few rounds in you just
from sheer excitement.”
    Theo opened his mouth, but I held up my hand.
“I know, I know, they won’t kill you. But they’ll tell all their
friends that they saw you. There will be a mass of hunters here
then, shooting at everything—”
    “I know,” Theo said patiently. “I didn’t
change outside. I helped Ghost to catch a few rabbits, and then we
went into the barn and ate them together. I changed inside the
barn, Sar.”
    Though grossed out by the idea of consuming a
whole raw rabbit, much less a few, I kept a straight face. Theo
needed raw meat as part of his diet to be healthy, being were. Elle
was the same way. Still, there was no getting around my jumping the
gun. “I’m sorry for accusing you.”
    I moved meat around so I could brown more of
it. “I’m just worried and nervous—”
    “It’s okay,” Theo said, hugging me. “I know
how anxious you are. I’m the same way.”
    I leaned against his strong body, and tried
to relax.
    “Sar, is there enough meat here?” he added,
measuring the piles with his eyes.
    “It’s six pounds worth, what the recipe calls
for,” I said patiently. “You want more?”
    “I think you should add more,” he said,
giving me hopeful teasing eyes.
    I raised an eyebrow at him very slightly.
“How much more?”
    “Say another two pounds?” he replied, an
optimistic smile on his face.
    I laughed, and then got out more meat. “Fine,
you chop it up.”
    “Sure. Hand me that knife.”
    In a half hour, the meat was all browned, and
the chili was simmering nicely. Glancing at the clock, I saw it was
after eleven. If I left at two, I’d get there a little before
three.
    I turned to Theo. “I’ve got about three
hours. Do you want to watch a movie?”
    “Sure. Let’s watch V for
Vendetta .”
    I resisted the urge to groan. Theo knew that
movie by heart now, even quoting some of the lines to me when we
watched it together. Still, he was making an effort. “Sure.”
    As we watched, I contemplated the
similarities between V and Theo. They both had scars from torture,
and like V, Theo always was armed with both weapons and a plan. But
the most comparable thing was their aptitude for revenge.
    There was so much about my life and his that
would have been different, if not for his being taken from me for
those years. We’d have been married for over two years, not just
six months. I wouldn’t have had Theoron with Danial. Subsequently,
vampires wouldn’t be hunting me, thinking I was the answer to a
question that had plagued them for ages...
    I shuddered at that, and dropped the whole
mental conversation, and got myself back into the movie. “I wish I
had her strength, her fortitude,” I said, referring to the
heroine.
    “You do,” Theo said lovingly, with a touch of
pride. “You never give in, either.”
    I felt a momentary stab of guilt, thinking
how I’d given in to Devlin. “What do you like about this movie
best?” I said quickly.
    Theo took a moment before answering. “That V
holds the course,” he said finally. “He never gives up, though it
takes him many years. And also the idea that ideals and revenge are
worth dying for.”
    I’d thought that might be it. I was sorry I’d
asked. “I think it’s sad. She could’ve been with him, if only he’d
worn armor. He’d planned everything else out so well, he should
have found a way for a happy ending.”
    “He wanted to die, Sar. He’d had enough.”
There was a note of finality in Theo’s voice. “Sometimes there
can’t be a happy ending.”
    The stove beeped. Glad of the interruption, I
got up and added cornmeal to the chili. “This should be done in
another half hour.”
    “Good, I’m hungry,” he replied, his eyes on
the screen.
    Not wanting any more grim