His Dark Embrace

“I’m not afraid. I know you won’t hurt me.”

“I wish I could be as sure.” Earlier, he had considered what it would be like to live without her now that he’d come to know her so well. Now that he loved her. And loving her, he realized that every moment she spent with him put her life in danger.

“What are you trying to say?” Her voice broke on the last word because it sounded like he was working on good-bye. How could that be? After all they had been through, after the wonderful night they had spent in each other’s arms, surely he wasn’t planning to leave?

“I just want what’s best for you, Sky Blue, and I’m not sure it’s me.”

“You promised!” she cried, hating the note of desperation in her voice. “Look at me! You promised you wouldn’t leave me.”

He turned. Gazing down at her, he said, “Not exactly. I promised I wouldn’t leave without telling you good-bye.”

“Is that what you’re doing?” She blinked back her tears. “Is it?”

“Dammit, Sky ...” He scrubbed his hands over his face. How could he leave her when he wanted her so damn bad? When he loved her more than his own life?

How could he stay when he knew leaving was the best thing he could do for her?

How could he leave when she was looking at him like that, as if her heart was breaking?

“Ah, Sky. What the hell am I going to do with you?”

“Anything you want.”

He was across the floor in an instant, bending down, drawing her into his arms. This would have all been so much easier, so much safer for her, if he hadn’t run out of McNamara’s potion.

Skylynn pressed herself against him. It felt so good to be in his arms. He made her feel safe, secure. No matter what he said, she knew in her heart that he would never hurt her. It wouldn’t be easy, having a relationship with a vampire, but then, no relationship was easy. There were always differences that had to be ironed out, compromises that had to be made.

“Differences?” Thorne muttered. “Compromises? Sky, I’m a vampire, and you’re prey. We can’t negotiate the differences between us. I can’t conform my existence to yours. Any compromises that have to be made will have to be made by you. You realize that, don’t you?”

She nodded.

“Can you live with that? We’ll never be a normal couple. I can support you, but if we stay together, I think you should find a job. If you don’t want to work nine to five, then you should volunteer at a school or a hospital, someplace where you’ll be with other people. You need to get out and make friends. I don’t want you to spend your days sitting at home, waiting for me to rise.”

He put his forefinger under her chin, tilting her head up so he could see her face more clearly. “What are you thinking?”

“Don’t you know?”

“Actually, I do. That’s another thing you’ll have to live with. You won’t be able to have any secrets from me. I’ll always know what you’re thinking.”

“Even if I ask you not to read my mind?”

“It’s hard not to.” He caressed her cheek. “Sometimes it isn’t even necessary. What you’re thinking, feeling ...” He shrugged. “I can usually read it in your eyes. Like now.” His gaze moved over her face. “I hope you won’t regret your decision,” he said, and swept her into his arms.

“I can walk, you know,” Skylynn murmured.

“I know, but I like holding you. Have you got a problem with that?”

“No.” With a sigh, she wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder.

He carried her swiftly up the stairs, then paused on the landing. There were four doors. Three were closed.

Sky pointed at the open doorway.

Thorne carried her inside, then sat on the edge of the bed, cradling her to his chest. “If staying with me ever gets to be more than you can handle, if you ever regret your decision, I want you to promise to tell me.”

“I won’t ...”

His hand stilled her words. “Promise me, Skylynn.”

“Won’t you just read it in my mind?”

“I’m going to try not to do that anymore. Promise me, Sky.”

“All right, I promise. But it will never happen.”

“I love you, Sky Blue,” he said quietly. “I just hope you won’t hate me if things don’t work out.”

“I won’t. I do have one question, though?”

“What’s that?”

“Are you through trying to talk me out of this? Because I’m dying to make love to you.”

“Dying?” he repeated with a wry grin. “That’s a poor choice of words, don’t you think?”

“Kaiden, stop talking and kiss me.”

“Sky ...”

“Do you love me?”

“You know I do.”

“How much?”

“How much do you need?”

She laughed softly as she slid her hands under his shirt. “How much do you have?”

“I’d be happy to show you,” he said, and cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her as he slowly fell back on the bed, carrying her with him.

She liked being on top. Straddling his hips, she ran her hands over him, exploring the hard planes of his chest, the width of his shoulders, the corded muscles in his arms.

She ran her fingertips over his lips, then covered his mouth with her own.

Holding her gaze with his, he murmured, “It’s my turn now,” as he rolled over, carrying her with him, so that she lay beneath him.

He made love to her all through the night, every kiss, every caress, an unspoken declaration of his love for her.

And even as he made love to her, a little voice in the back of his mind warned him that he was putting her life in jeopardy.

Chapter 23

Girard Desmarais whistled softly as he sent his third victim on her way. He had spent most of his adult life relentlessly hunting and destroying vampires. He had hated them unconditionally, decrying their lifestyle, their wickedness in preying on innocent humans, condemning the Undead as soulless, heartless, monsters.

How could he have spent so much of his time around vampires and never understood a thing about them? Knowing what he knew now, he was amazed that people weren’t lining up by the thousands to become vampires. If he had known how fantastic their powers were, how amazing it was to have the strength of twenty men, to never be sick or tired, he would have sought the Dark Gift decades ago.