Read Online A Conquest Like No Other by Emma Anderson - Free Book Online Page A

exactly where she was sent. Jewel promised to stay and
watch television quietly in the large lounge room.
    As the soft mattress gave under
her body, it cradled her, holding her like arms. The sense of security
surrounded her, lulling her to sleep, reassuring her that no one could hurt her
here.
    Within seconds of the darkness
taking her, gone was the sense of security. It was replaced by foreboding.
Where only moments earlier she had felt warmth and comfort, a chill ran over
her body as fear crept toward her. A shadow loomed, large and disfigured,
taking the shape of nothing she had seen before. Something glinted in the
light. Something shiny. She tried to back away but was frozen to the spot as
the monster spoke.
    “Mine,” it gargled. “Mine! Mine!
Mine!”
    Looking around, Nikki prayed that
help was near. Then she saw him. Her rainbow-colored angel, surrounded in
light, running toward her. Hope filled her. She was going to be rescued by the
only man capable of destroying this monster. But as he drew near, hope quickly
faded. He collided with an invisible barrier. He rushed at it again, but still
this monster’s magic held firm. Her angel was saying something to her… His
voice was drowned out by her own scream of pain as the monster pierced her
chest. The weapon seared her skin as it cut, burning everything it came into
contact with. She tried to lift her hands to push away the weapon, but the
weight of her fear held them down, preventing her from protecting herself. More
torment was inflicted to her body, and she was helpless to do anything about
it.
    The shiny weapon continued on its
path of destruction as the monster leaned over her damaged body. Light formed
behind her eyes, and darkness swirled on the edges. She could feel herself
blacking out, but still she fought on, desperate to chase this monster away.
Something within her told her that the fight was worth it, and she believed it.
    Too weak to scream, she could now
hear her angel’s voice. “Sweetheart, come back to me.”
    ****
    “Nikki, sweetheart, come on, it’s
just a dream. Nothing can hurt you,” Viper said, once again trying to rouse his
mate.
    When he’d walked into his
quarters, Jewel rushed at him as a scream sounded from the bedroom. As he
continued to race toward his scared mate, he heard Jewel explaining to Judge
that Nikki was having a nightmare and wouldn’t wake up. The sight that greeted
him as he entered the bedroom had his heart wrenching.
    Nikki was thrashing about on the
bed, the covers tangled around her body. With each scream her torso would
thrust off the mattress, her arms and legs staying where they were as if they
were bound. In between screams she was begging for help.
    He ran to her side, desperate to
wake her from her nightmare. It had a hold of her, not willing to let her go
until it played out to the end. He could only think of one thing to do. It was
usually something he wouldn’t even consider doing without his mate’s
permission, but his desperation and her fear overpowered his need to be
honorable.
    “Judge, have a bucket ready for
Nikki when she wakes up,” he said, warning his brother about the journey he was
about to undertake.
    The actual mind-melding itself
didn’t cause the nausea. His withdrawal from her mind, however, did.
Disorientation, light-headedness and dizziness were just a few of the
recipient’s side effects compliments of what he was about to do. It was the
reason he usually sought permission before subjecting most people to the fae magic.
    Closing his eyes, he cleared his
mind of everything except Nikki. Jewel’s worried pacing faded in the
background, as did Judge’s quietly spoken suggestion that Jewel sit down. White
noise filled his ears as his mind went in search of its mate.
    The first thing he became aware
of was the pain echoing through his body. He was feeling what Nikki was. Then
he saw through her eyes the cause of the pain and fear. A deformed figure stood
over her body, hand