Read Online Armored Hearts by Angela Knight - Free Book Online Page B

darling, don’t you trust me?”
    “No.”
    “Smart girl.” Taking her by the elbow, he guided her out of the hatch and down the short flight of steps to the stone floor.
    Zara looked around warily. The cave was the base’s secondary landing zone, so it wasn’t quite as big as the main cavern. It could accommodate a couple of smaller transports and a zipper or two. The stone walls and floor were artificially smooth, thanks to the Falaran Army’s laser borers.
    The cavern entrance had disappeared behind the camouflage field again. Looking closer, Zara noticed several round temporary projectors attached to the stone walls.
    Rand put on his helmet and flicked on its light, then slung the rifle and pack over his shoulder before taking her elbow. “That way.”
    Zara let him urge her through a smaller opening in the smooth granite walls into the complex of tunnels and caves beyond. Without his helmet light, she wouldn’t have been able to see at all in the cool darkness.
    “Where the hell are we going, Rand?”
    “I told you, we’re having a picnic.”
    “In the dark?” She shot him a narrow glance. “I don’t know how you interstellar types do it, but Falarans have picnics outside, in the bright sunshine, where they can listen to the featherlites sing and eat actual food. None of which describes choking down dry emergency rations in a fucking black ass cave.”
    “This black ass cave has something the great outdoors doesn’t -- a complete lack of armed assholes.”
    She lifted a brow at his rifle. “Present company excepted.”
    Rand gave her that wolfish grin he did so well. “You’ve quite the mouth for a woman walking in a black ass cave with a vampire.”
    “Yeah, I’m a risk taker.”
    He moved so suddenly she had no time to react. One minute she was walking along beside him. The next, he’d pounced on her, swept her up in his arms, and dumped her across the shoulder opposite the one with his rifle and pack. She yelped, startled, the sound becoming a screech when his gauntled hand smacked her raised butt. “Hey!”
    “That’s the thing about being a risk taker. Sometimes it bites you on the ass.” He raised his faceplate and nipped her hip.
    She kicked furiously. “Put me down, bloodsucker!”
    “You really are pushing it, entrée.” He popped her on the ass again. “Better be careful, or I may decide to tenderize my food.”
    He was so damned outrageous, she found herself laughing. “You do realize your food may bite back?”
    “God, I hope so.”
    Lying across his shoulder as he bore her through the cave system, she grew aware of how incredibly dark it was.
    And how totally alone together they were. Which wasn’t a bad thing, considering the alternative was being surrounded by the enemy.
    He’s the enemy , she reminded herself. Odd how hard it was to remember that with his big hand riding her ass. “Put me down.”
    He didn’t even break step. “No.”
    Her heart pounded with a delicious blend of excitement, anticipation and a little dread. He can do anything he wants with me out here , she thought. And the thought didn’t scare her a bit.
    Zara thought of Andre, her first vampire lover. He must have been just as strong, but he’d never tried to carry her. Probably because this kind of display was a dominant’s trick, designed to make a submissive aware of his sheer physical power.
    And it was working. She felt aroused and anxious and eager, all at the same time. What was he planning? Another spanking? Maybe he’d make her suck him off while he…
    Rand stroked a big hand over her thigh, the armored glove cool and hard. “You’re going to be delicious.” His voice was a purr of rough velvet, deep and intimate.
    Zara swallowed, remembering the feel of his cock thrusting deliciously deep as he penetrated her from behind. She thought of his hands and mouth and the sweet, stinging bite of his fangs. The copper taste of his blood as he’d fed her, saved her. The man was the