“Well, I hope for your sake, you keep your promises because while I'm not a cold-blooded killer, as you say, I do keep my promises. One word of this to anyone and it will be the last word you ever speak.”

“I see you haven't lost your charm,” Ruby said, shaking her head. “Here I am trying to help, and you can't even say thanks, can you?”

Bennett glared at Ruby. “Thanks...now, get out.”

“Fine, I'm leaving.” Ruby marched to the door, and as she opened it, she looked over at Bennett. “You know where I am if you need anything.”

“Don’t hold your breath.”

Chapter Fifteen

“Are you completely without a brain?” Lisa shouted, jamming another blood-soaked towel into a trash bag.

“You should mind your—“

“Oh, don't even try to pull the ‘I am your master’ crap on me. That went the way of the dodo,” Lisa said, waving her arms about. “Why, for the love of God, didn't you call us?”

“It was late, and I thought—”

“That this shit would do it?” Lisa snapped, snagging one of the empty units of blood from the table. “This curbs your appetite. This helps you maintain. It doesn’t help you heal.” Lisa jumped up, ripped off the blue disposable gloves, and pushed up the sleeve of her sweater. “Here,” she said, jamming her wrist practically under Bennett’s nose.

“No,” Bennett said, waving Lisa off.

“Stop being so pigheaded,” Lisa said, moving her wrist in front of Bennett’s mouth. “Now just take—”

“I will not feed on you,” Bennett yelled, grabbing Lisa’s wrist.

Their eyes met, and when Lisa saw the icy blue defiance burning in Bennett’s, she huffed out a breath. “Fine,” Lisa said, turning around. “Gunnar? Finn? Do you mind lending a vein?”

“Not at all.” Gunnar stepped up, and removing his suit jacket, he rolled up the sleeve of his shirt. “Here you go, Bennett.”

Lisa flew into the kitchen, and after washing her hands, she yanked open the fridge and pulled out a bottle of orange juice. As she filled a glass, she looked up and saw Finn now standing in front of Bennett. Lisa rolled her eyes and filled another glass, and by the time she returned with the juice and some cookies on a plate, her brothers were flopped in the wing-backed chairs near the fireplace.

“You guys all right?” Lisa said, kneeling between them.

“Yes. We just need a minute, sis,” Gunnar said, taking a glass of juice. “No worries.”

Lisa lovingly considered the two recuperating men. As blonde and blue-eyed as she, their shoulders were as broad as their father’s and their hearts as pure as their mother’s. Their personalities, however, were as different as night and day.