EXCERPT
The
cabin was in complete disarray. The fine hand carved desk was toppled on its
side, the armchair before the window was upside down, paper acted as rugs on
the floor, and deep claw marks marred the walls. Victoria traced the gouges
with the tip of her finger.
“What
are you doing here?”
Victoria reeled around to find her husband huddled in a
corner, his knees to his chest with arms wrapped tightly about them. His eyes
glowered up at her as his hair fell disheveled across his face.
She slowly crossed the floor to stand just out of his
reach knowing that if he wanted to grab her he easily could. She had witnessed
his speed before.
“I
didn’t summon you,” he said, his voice gruff.
“You
tried.”
“Falcon
saved you,” he snapped, his lips curling back over his teeth. “Why are you
here?”
“I
want to help you.”
“You
want to help me?” He snorted. “Leave Victoria, I don’t want your help.”
“But
you need it,” she countered.
He laughed, the sound was chilling, but she ignored it
and began to unlace the ties of her robe.
“What
are you doing?” he rasped, his eyes fixed on her hands at her breasts as she
loosened her laces.
“Removing
my robe.”
“Don't,”
he begged on a whisper as the silk fell to a pile on the floor.
“It
is stifling in here.”
Her lavender scent was overwhelming and the sound of her
steady heartbeat was maddening. She had to go.
“Get
out!”
“No,”
she protested.
“You
don’t know what you are…” his words stopped as her thoughts drifted through his
mind. “Or perhaps you know exactly with what you are dealing. But,” in a flash
he stood behind her, “can you handle it?”
“Yes.”
She would not let him scare her off.
“No,”
he whispered, his breath tickling her ear. “You can’t possibly know. My dear
friend, Falcon, even leaves the room every time I change.”
“I
want to help you, Dorian. Let me,” she pleaded, “I need to help you.” She
wanted to scream the words. She had felt so useless the past two weeks. He was
her husband and he needed her even though he would not admit it. Knowing he was
in pain and being unable to aid him had been insufferable.
“I
will kill you. Leave!”
She did not move. He roared, snatching her by the
shoulders, he spun her around and slammed her back against the wall, trapping
her with his body. He held her arms over her head, his fingers like shackles
about her wrists. His eyes burned black, his fangs stood long and prominent.
His voice was low and hard. “Is this what you want to help?”
She could not speak. Her voice was gone, vanished. He
shook her.
“Answer
me!” His black eyes captured and held hers as his grip tightened.
“Yes,”
she squeaked.
He snarled and spun away from her. She brought her hands
down and began rubbing the pain away. Dorian sighed and ran his hands through
his hair as desperate exasperation washed over him.
“What
can I do to make you understand?” The question was directed to himself. In that
brief moment, he was again the man she had married and not the vampire she’d
just faced seconds before. But his eyes were still clouded black and those
fangs still flashed. He looked so vulnerable and she wanted nothing more than
to wrap her arms around him.
He
must have heard her thoughts for he turned his deadly gaze back to her and
snapped, “I don’t want your pity. If that is why you are here, I suggest you
leave before I throw you out.”
His threat was empty she knew, his voice did not hold any
menace and neither did his eyes. She shook her head stepping away from the
wall.
“Then
why do you insist on helping me?”
“Because
I care for you,” she confessed. “And because it pains me to see you like this,
suffering when there is no need.”
“No
need?” he laughed. “I could kill you if I took your blood.”
Victoria shrugged. “You could, but I know you wouldn’t.”
He took a threatening step toward her. “How can you be so
sure?” he challenged.
“The
man I married would never allow it.”
“If
you hadn’t noticed,” he advanced again, “he is not here.”
“Maybe
not,” she conceded, closing the remainder of the space between them. She
brushed her fingers along his knuckles. “I want you, Dorian.”
His eyes sparkled with devilish delight.
“Those
are bold words, kitten,” Dorian warned.
Amanda J. Greene creates paranormal romance for ravenous readers. She lives in Southern California, where she enjoys escaping the rewarding but hectic world of writing by spending time in the sun and sand with her military husband and their two dogs.
Contact Information
Twitter: AmandaJGreene1
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