Awakened (Vampire Awakenings) by Brenda K. Davies

his beautiful mouth.
    “Want to dance?”
    She glanced back at the crowded floor. She hated the idea of pushing her way onto it, but the thought of being wrapped in Liam’s arms was too tempting to refuse. “Yeah,” she replied.
    He led her out to the dance floor, easily cutting through the thick crowd. She rested her head on his chest as she wrapped her arms around his back. A small smile curved her mouth as she rested her head against his solid, well muscled chest. His arms around her were warm, comforting, and completely sheltering. She felt perfectly safe, and completely at home as she moved slowly with him.
     
    ***
     
    Liam moved swiftly through the thick crowd, searching for Mike, Jack, or Doug. “Hey.”
    He turned as Jack caught hold of his arm. “Hey.”
    “Come on.”
    Jack led the way to the back stairway and up the stairs. Liam followed silently behind; his thoughts were jumbled as they reached the second floor and continued on to the third. Mike and Doug were standing outside Mike’s room, their arms crossed over their chests as they talked quietly. This far up the music was only a distant, thumping melody. Shouts and laughter wafted up from below, but the words were indiscernible.
    Mike and Doug straightened away from the wall as he and Jack approached. An uneasy feeling began to fill him as he studied the intense looks on their faces. “We have to talk,” Mike said briskly.
    Liam raised an eyebrow. He knew what they wanted to talk about; he just didn’t care to hear it. “I don’t have the time now,” he replied.
    Mike eyed him. “Then you’re going to make the time.”
    Liam folded his arms over his chest. “What is it Mike?”
    Mike looked quickly at Jack and Doug, but it was very obvious that they were perfectly content to let Mike do the talking. “Come on.”
    Mike strode across the hall and thrust Liam’s door open. He waited for all of them to enter before closing it again. Liam stood silently by the door as he eyed the three of them. “It’s Sera,” Mike said bluntly.
    He had already known that it was, but he still didn’t want to deal with it. “What about her?” he asked coldly.
    Mike sighed wearily as he perched on the edge of the desk. “Don’t be difficult Liam. You shouldn’t be involved with her, and you know it.”
    “It’s none of your concern.”
    “It is our concern! We’re involved in this too!” Jack snapped.
    “No, you’re not.”
    Jack’s hazel eyes narrowed as his solid jaw clenched tightly. He was shorter and thinner than Liam, with a lithe, soccer players build. At the moment his light brown hair was slightly darker from sweat as it curled down to his collar and clung to the wide angles of his face. His nose had been broken when they were twelve, and it was still crooked slightly to the side with a small bump in the middle of it.
    “Really?” Jack inquired. “Go tell that to the girl across the hall. She’s there for you, not us!”
    Liam’s arms dropped as he took an angry step forward. “Hey,” Doug intervened. “Cut it out. Both of you.”
    Jack’s eyes still flashed with anger, but he took a small step back. Liam glared at him, his jaw clenched, as his nostrils flared. “Look,” Mike said, shooting Jack a warning look. “All we’re saying is that you shouldn’t be involved with her Liam, and you know it.”
    Liam scowled fiercely at him, but there was nothing that he could say to him. Mike was right; he shouldn’t be involved with her. “I know,” he replied quietly. “But I’m not going to let her go.”
    “Oh, for crying out loud!” Jack exclaimed.
    “Jack!” Doug hissed warningly. Jack sneered at him. Doug’s dark blue eyes narrowed as he stared Jack down. His dark blond hair was cut short, and at the moment stood in little spikes on top of his head from tugging at it, which had always been his habit when he was agitated. He was shorter and stockier than all of them, but he was wholesome and cute, a combination that