Read Online Angel's Assassin by Laurel O'Donnell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Laurel O'Donnell
Ads: Link
pining for the ethereal touch of a woman who
would soon be dead.
He shouldn’t even be in this room. It wasn’t
his place. Aurora’s welfare shouldn’t be his concern. He looked at
her, resting comfortably in her bed. Her lids were closed,
concealing those wondrous blue eyes. Her lips glistened in the
candlelight. He didn’t want her to die. Not like this. Poison, he
thought with distaste. Poison was so cowardly. She had the right to
face her assassin, to look into his eyes.
The herbalist said she would survive. But
Damien knew without a doubt the assassin would try again. His jaw
clenched. After he discovered Marie, he asked Lord Gabriel if he
could remain with Aurora. She was vulnerable to attacks and no one
was going to take his freedom away from him. Not this time. Not
when he was so close. Gabriel agreed, as long as Rupert remained
with her as well.
Damien looked at Rupert who sat against the
wall near the door. The knight’s head drooped to his shoulder. A
moment later, soft snores came from the sleeping guard. Damien
snorted. Not a very effective deterrent against an assassin.
Damien approached Aurora. He stood over her,
staring down. Her long lashes rested against her pale cheek. His
gaze moved over her face, lingering on her lips, lips slightly
parted in rest. A longing to taste those lips overcame him, to
caress the smooth skin of her cheeks. He could do it now. Rupert
was asleep, Aurora would make no sound. How simple it would be.
Finish it, a voice inside him demanded. Claim
what is rightfully yours. Damien’s hand dropped to the dagger
tucked in his belt.
She slept, innocently, unaware of the danger
hovering over her. Innocently. So damned innocent. And she trusted
him. Her father trusted him enough to leave him at her side. The
notion was ridiculous, outrageous! He was dangerous. He lifted his
hands, moving them toward her neck. He could do this without a
dagger. He would finally be free.
She sighed softly, drawing his gaze again to
her lips. They were parted and moist. His hands stopped inches
before his fingers touched her neck.
How could he do it without tasting her?
He straightened, moving his hands to his
side. No one would take his freedom from him. She would live for
three more days. Plenty of time to be with her, to enjoy her
company, before he had to claim his freedom.
He pulled back from her, withdrawing into the
sanctity of the shadows.
***
Darkness. Blood. A flash of silver. She knew
what would come next. She knew. She groaned and tossed her head.
The eyes. Black orbs that led straight to a world of death. She
could see them in the darkness, watching, waiting.
She gasped and opened her eyes.
“Shhh.” Her father sat on the side of the
bed, stroking her hair. “You are safe.”
But she knew she wasn’t safe. The assassin
was out there, waiting for her. “Father,” she whispered, the
remnants of the nightmare still foggy in her mind.
“Rest,” he advised.
Her gaze scanned the room, the dark corners,
the blackness at the edge of her bed. “Where is Damien?”
“He stepped out for a moment. He’ll be back.”
He rubbed her hair soothingly.
Aurora caught his hand. “He saved my life
again. He was right.”
“Yes,” her father agreed with a solemn
nod.
“Damien should be my bodyguard.”
His brows came together. “We know nothing
about him,” Gabriel whispered. “He is not from Acquitaine.”
Fatigue made her lids heavy. “He saved my
life twice. What more is there to know?”
“Shh, child. Rest. I will take care of
you.”
“I want Damien…” she whispered, but the pull
of sleep urged her deeper into darkness. She shook herself, opening
her eyes stubbornly. Her fingers held tight to her father’s hand.
“Please, Father. He’s the only one who makes me feel safe.”
Her father nodded in supplication. “Just
sleep.”
She answered him by closing her eyes and
settling beneath the covers.
***
Damien entered the room. He had
would soon be dead.
He shouldn’t even be in this room. It wasn’t
his place. Aurora’s welfare shouldn’t be his concern. He looked at
her, resting comfortably in her bed. Her lids were closed,
concealing those wondrous blue eyes. Her lips glistened in the
candlelight. He didn’t want her to die. Not like this. Poison, he
thought with distaste. Poison was so cowardly. She had the right to
face her assassin, to look into his eyes.
The herbalist said she would survive. But
Damien knew without a doubt the assassin would try again. His jaw
clenched. After he discovered Marie, he asked Lord Gabriel if he
could remain with Aurora. She was vulnerable to attacks and no one
was going to take his freedom away from him. Not this time. Not
when he was so close. Gabriel agreed, as long as Rupert remained
with her as well.
Damien looked at Rupert who sat against the
wall near the door. The knight’s head drooped to his shoulder. A
moment later, soft snores came from the sleeping guard. Damien
snorted. Not a very effective deterrent against an assassin.
Damien approached Aurora. He stood over her,
staring down. Her long lashes rested against her pale cheek. His
gaze moved over her face, lingering on her lips, lips slightly
parted in rest. A longing to taste those lips overcame him, to
caress the smooth skin of her cheeks. He could do it now. Rupert
was asleep, Aurora would make no sound. How simple it would be.
Finish it, a voice inside him demanded. Claim
what is rightfully yours. Damien’s hand dropped to the dagger
tucked in his belt.
She slept, innocently, unaware of the danger
hovering over her. Innocently. So damned innocent. And she trusted
him. Her father trusted him enough to leave him at her side. The
notion was ridiculous, outrageous! He was dangerous. He lifted his
hands, moving them toward her neck. He could do this without a
dagger. He would finally be free.
She sighed softly, drawing his gaze again to
her lips. They were parted and moist. His hands stopped inches
before his fingers touched her neck.
How could he do it without tasting her?
He straightened, moving his hands to his
side. No one would take his freedom from him. She would live for
three more days. Plenty of time to be with her, to enjoy her
company, before he had to claim his freedom.
He pulled back from her, withdrawing into the
sanctity of the shadows.
***
Darkness. Blood. A flash of silver. She knew
what would come next. She knew. She groaned and tossed her head.
The eyes. Black orbs that led straight to a world of death. She
could see them in the darkness, watching, waiting.
She gasped and opened her eyes.
“Shhh.” Her father sat on the side of the
bed, stroking her hair. “You are safe.”
But she knew she wasn’t safe. The assassin
was out there, waiting for her. “Father,” she whispered, the
remnants of the nightmare still foggy in her mind.
“Rest,” he advised.
Her gaze scanned the room, the dark corners,
the blackness at the edge of her bed. “Where is Damien?”
“He stepped out for a moment. He’ll be back.”
He rubbed her hair soothingly.
Aurora caught his hand. “He saved my life
again. He was right.”
“Yes,” her father agreed with a solemn
nod.
“Damien should be my bodyguard.”
His brows came together. “We know nothing
about him,” Gabriel whispered. “He is not from Acquitaine.”
Fatigue made her lids heavy. “He saved my
life twice. What more is there to know?”
“Shh, child. Rest. I will take care of
you.”
“I want Damien…” she whispered, but the pull
of sleep urged her deeper into darkness. She shook herself, opening
her eyes stubbornly. Her fingers held tight to her father’s hand.
“Please, Father. He’s the only one who makes me feel safe.”
Her father nodded in supplication. “Just
sleep.”
She answered him by closing her eyes and
settling beneath the covers.
***
Damien entered the room. He had
Similar Books
