fascination with her.
The complication didn’t help his situation one bit. A fluke of nature had just ensured her survival. To end her life would be like killing his beloved Mary and losing her all over again. A sudden wave of pain rendered him helpless. Centuries had passed since he’d last felt her loss so deeply.
Bane considered leaving the island for a few days until their trip was over. If they found his home, he would simply move elsewhere. What had seemed like an insufferable intrusion into his life was suddenly nothing more than a minor inconvenience when compared to the idea of killing this woman.
But he didn’t want to leave. Not now.
The couple swam in the sea for a few minutes before taking a light breakfast of fruit and a bagel. Amber made coffee for their flasks as David got dressed then he filled a small backpack with supplies while he waited for her. Bane took in every detail of their routine, looking for clues to their personalities. The man was sloppy and relaxed whereas she cleaned everything more than once, like she couldn’t be sure she’d done it right the first time. Amber seemed nervous and self-doubting despite her confident façade.
They set out from camp before the sun had moved around the island, casting its rays through the maze of branches to illuminate the forest below. Bane climbed higher, watching their progress, some of his tension abating as he saw them head out in a direction that would keep them away from his house. They wore similar clothing to the previous day, save for the rain jacket Amber had knotted around her waist. David seemed less concerned with any possible change in the weather. Bane looked out across a cerulean sky, towards the clouds bubbling up on the far horizon, doubting she could have seen them yet. Maybe she liked to be prepared.
Within a few hours, Bane felt sure they had no intention of going too far from camp on their first morning. Reclining against the trunk of the tree and taking the opportunity to close his eyes to shield them against the reflected glare of the harsh morning sun, he passed the time by eavesdropping on their conversations—one in particular.
“So, see any bears in the night?” David teased, reaching out and tucking a stray strand of auburn hair behind Amber’s ear.
She swatted him away. “Don’t keep patronising me. I’m not some silly little girl afraid of the big outdoors. I know there was something out there.”
“Hey, you were the one who mentioned bears.” The sullen tone in David’s voice drew Bane’s attention.
Amber grimaced. “I know and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s just that I felt something watching us, something large. Bears were all I could think of that would be big enough.”
“Even if it had been one—which it wasn’t,” he grinned, “it wouldn’t have approached us. You know it would only have been looking for food. Why were you so afraid?”
Amber frowned as she flushed pink. “I really don’t know—but don’t you think it’s strange that we haven’t seen any wildlife at all besides a few birds? Why doesn’t the island have any of the usual visiting wildlife? Besides a few pelagic birds, we’ve seen nothing at all. There’s not a single seal or a porpoise playing in the water as they do everywhere else along the coastline. That’s weird…isn’t it?”
She stared up at David with wide, concerned eyes. For once, her companion seemed in tune with her mood. “Yes, it’s weird but not unheard of. You really were afraid, weren’t you?”
She nodded. “So afraid, I lay in a cold sweat for God knows how long after you’d fallen asleep.” Her voice became so quiet and bleak that Bane had to watch her mouth to be sure of her words. “I haven’t had night terrors like that in years.”
“Hey, you’re safe with me. I’m a big guy. I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”
Bane snorted at his arrogance. If David had even the slightest idea of the very