Read Online Kenyon, Sherrilyn - Dark Hunter 06 - Phantom Lover by Unknown - Free Book Online Page B

kill him, I will." M'Ordant's words echoed in her head.
    "I won't let them have you," she said, taking V'Aidan's arm. "There has to be some way we can fight them."
    He draped his arm over her shoulders and held her close. "You would right for me?"
    "Yes."
    "Then I am the luckiest being in the universe."
    V'Aidan gave her a tight squeeze as he inhaled the scent of her hair. And he wondered morbidly if she would feel that way if she knew the truth of his past.
    If she ever knew the truth of him ...
    He wanted to tell her. But he didn't dare.
    V'Aidan clenched his teeth. She would never know, any
     
               
    more than he would let her be harmed because of him. He would fight this battle, all right. Fight until either he won or they killed him. But he would do it the way he had lived since the dawn of time.
    Alone.
    He and Erin finished shopping and were putting their items in the car when V'Aidan heard a woman shrieking in the dark parking lot.
    He saw a man running away.
    "Oh, no," Erin breathed. "He stole her purse."
    Without thinking, V'Aidan took off after the man. He caught up to him at the alley beside the grocery store.
    The man turned on him with a gun and aimed it straight at his heart. "Don't mess with me, man. I'm your worst friggin' nightmare."
    V'Aidan couldn't help laughing at his words. "You have no idea."
    The man fired the gun. V'Aidan ignored the bullet that entered his chest without pain or blood. He took the purse from the man, then caught the thief by his throat and held him back against the wall.
    It was then V'Aidan felt himself slipping. He felt his true form welling up. His hand went from that of a human to-
    "V'Aidan?"
    Erin's voice brought him back. He recovered himself and stared at the thief, who was now ghostly pale from having witnessed the changes on V'Aidan's face.
    "The next time you want to steal from someone, think of me waiting for you every time you close your eyes."
    The thief quietly wet himself.
    Erin ran up behind him with a security officer in tow. V'Aidan released the thief into the officer's custody, then handed him the woman's purse.
    "Are you all right?" Erin asked, her eyes falling to the hole in V'Aidan's shirt where the bullet had entered his flesh. Mortal weapons couldn't harm an immortal being.
     
     
     
     
     
    V'Aidan nodded. His powers were returning.
    "Take me home, Erin," he said, his heart tugging at the word. He'd never had a home before. Never really understood the meaning of the word and what it entailed.
    Until now.
    He followed her to her car and they drove back to her apartment in silence.
    In fact, they spoke very little as Erin made their dinner and they ate it.
    Afterward, he helped her clean up and watched her closely. What would it be like to stay here, like this? To have this woman by his side every night? If he had such, he would never make her hurt. Never let her want. He would do anything in his power to shelter and comfort her.
    But all the wishing in the world couldn't make it real.
    It was only a dream....
    Once they were finished cleaning up their dinner, they lay entwined on the couch while she watched television.
    V'Aidan watched her. He held her cradled to his chest, feeling her breath fall on his skin.
    Love me, Erin.
    The words hung in his heart, unspoken as he ran his hand through her hair. He had no right to ask for her love. Had no right to ask anything of her.
    "You are a scourge, boy. Despicable. Unsightly and cold. No one will ever welcome something like you. It's why you have to creep into their dreams. It's the only way anyone will ever have anything to do with you."
    All too well he knew the truth of Hypnos's words.
    Over the centuries, he had hardened his heart to the world. To everything. He'd shut himself off completely until the night when a pair of fear-filled brown eyes had looked up at him with kindness and hope.
    Now, he just wanted a way to live out his life staring into those eyes. Feeling her tiny hands on his