defiance.
"And so you threw my woman across the deck to provoke me?"
The other vampire smiled...elegantly...and waved a dismissive hand. "Forgive me, brother." He said the word with reverence. "I did not intend such a thing. I overestimated her resistance, and I underestimated my strength. I meant only to discourage her from kicking me in...such an ill-advised way. Not to test you. And certainly not to toss her about the deck like a rag doll." He glanced over at Jocelyn. "I offer you my apology, Miss Levi. It was a substantial and inexcusable miscalculation."
Jocelyn blinked back tears of alarm and scooted even further away.
Apology not accepted.
The vampire looked as if he were actually considering coming over to help her up again, but then he clearly thought better of it and stayed where he was.
71
Blood Destiny
by Tessa Dawn
"I am Marquis Silivasi, Nathaniel's older brother. Please believe that I intend you no harm." His voice dropped an octave, so that it almost purred. "Know that I will not allow any other to harm you, either." And then his eyes narrowed into two, almost imperceptible bands of warning. "But above all, know this: I will not allow anything to happen to Nathaniel."
It was a clear, simple statement: There was no hint of menace buried in his tone, no overt threat warning her to behave. He didn't even growl or snarl. Yet, Jocelyn read it loud and clear: If she hurt Nathaniel, this one would kill her.
Nathaniel did not look pleased. "Why don't you ease up a little, Marquis!"
The male snarled. "The way I eased up with Shelby?"
Nathaniel frowned.
"Consider this, brother: We allowed Shelby to take matters into his own hands with tragic consequences, did we not? I will not make the same mistake twice. The same outcome will not befall you, no matter what has to be done. It is that simple."
Jocelyn stared from one vampire to the other, clearly reading the promise of enforcement in Marquis's eyes, but she didn't utter a single word of her own. She didn't dare.
The only thing more frightening to her than the male's dire vow of protection was Nathaniel's repeated claim of ownership where she was concerned. What did he mean, So you threw my woman across the deck? Surely, he didn't think she belonged to him—they hardly knew each other.
72
Blood Destiny
by Tessa Dawn
Jocelyn tucked her knees to her chest and wrapped her body in a tight little ball. With every moment that passed, she began to realize that she wasn't going to get out of this. She wasn't going to just walk away. And Nathaniel wasn't going to just let her go. The realization was surreal.
What were they planning to do to her?
She couldn't allow herself to think about the creature she had seen in the chamber, to think about the fate that had claimed the life of the poor suffering woman. Her sanity would not allow it. As it stood, she was barely holding on.
Marquis turned to face Nathaniel then and held both of his hands palms up in a gesture of peace. "So, are you done thinking you would like to fight me, brother?" he asked, smirking.
Nathaniel nodded. "I'm very relieved I won't have to."
Marquis chuckled. "You know I would never fight you, Nathaniel. I would choose to bind you to the deck first. Allow you to think for a bit. Cool down."
Nathaniel growled. "Don't be so sure you could, big brother. Perhaps you would be the one bound to the deck."
Marquis shrugged. "Perhaps, Nathaniel...perhaps."
He waved his hand as if to dismiss the silly conversation; then he suddenly became serious again. "Now, tell me what's happened. I saw the moon earlier...Cassiopeia...it is hard to believe..." His voice trailed off, and he shook his head, the red in his eyes receding back to the bluest black. He gestured at Jocelyn. "Tell me, how did you come to find this one?"
Jocelyn's eyes were as big as saucers. She made herself even smaller.
73
Blood Destiny
by Tessa Dawn
This one?
She was nothing to these creatures.
Nathaniel looked at her as if
"And so you threw my woman across the deck to provoke me?"
The other vampire smiled...elegantly...and waved a dismissive hand. "Forgive me, brother." He said the word with reverence. "I did not intend such a thing. I overestimated her resistance, and I underestimated my strength. I meant only to discourage her from kicking me in...such an ill-advised way. Not to test you. And certainly not to toss her about the deck like a rag doll." He glanced over at Jocelyn. "I offer you my apology, Miss Levi. It was a substantial and inexcusable miscalculation."
Jocelyn blinked back tears of alarm and scooted even further away.
Apology not accepted.
The vampire looked as if he were actually considering coming over to help her up again, but then he clearly thought better of it and stayed where he was.
71
Blood Destiny
by Tessa Dawn
"I am Marquis Silivasi, Nathaniel's older brother. Please believe that I intend you no harm." His voice dropped an octave, so that it almost purred. "Know that I will not allow any other to harm you, either." And then his eyes narrowed into two, almost imperceptible bands of warning. "But above all, know this: I will not allow anything to happen to Nathaniel."
It was a clear, simple statement: There was no hint of menace buried in his tone, no overt threat warning her to behave. He didn't even growl or snarl. Yet, Jocelyn read it loud and clear: If she hurt Nathaniel, this one would kill her.
Nathaniel did not look pleased. "Why don't you ease up a little, Marquis!"
The male snarled. "The way I eased up with Shelby?"
Nathaniel frowned.
"Consider this, brother: We allowed Shelby to take matters into his own hands with tragic consequences, did we not? I will not make the same mistake twice. The same outcome will not befall you, no matter what has to be done. It is that simple."
Jocelyn stared from one vampire to the other, clearly reading the promise of enforcement in Marquis's eyes, but she didn't utter a single word of her own. She didn't dare.
The only thing more frightening to her than the male's dire vow of protection was Nathaniel's repeated claim of ownership where she was concerned. What did he mean, So you threw my woman across the deck? Surely, he didn't think she belonged to him—they hardly knew each other.
72
Blood Destiny
by Tessa Dawn
Jocelyn tucked her knees to her chest and wrapped her body in a tight little ball. With every moment that passed, she began to realize that she wasn't going to get out of this. She wasn't going to just walk away. And Nathaniel wasn't going to just let her go. The realization was surreal.
What were they planning to do to her?
She couldn't allow herself to think about the creature she had seen in the chamber, to think about the fate that had claimed the life of the poor suffering woman. Her sanity would not allow it. As it stood, she was barely holding on.
Marquis turned to face Nathaniel then and held both of his hands palms up in a gesture of peace. "So, are you done thinking you would like to fight me, brother?" he asked, smirking.
Nathaniel nodded. "I'm very relieved I won't have to."
Marquis chuckled. "You know I would never fight you, Nathaniel. I would choose to bind you to the deck first. Allow you to think for a bit. Cool down."
Nathaniel growled. "Don't be so sure you could, big brother. Perhaps you would be the one bound to the deck."
Marquis shrugged. "Perhaps, Nathaniel...perhaps."
He waved his hand as if to dismiss the silly conversation; then he suddenly became serious again. "Now, tell me what's happened. I saw the moon earlier...Cassiopeia...it is hard to believe..." His voice trailed off, and he shook his head, the red in his eyes receding back to the bluest black. He gestured at Jocelyn. "Tell me, how did you come to find this one?"
Jocelyn's eyes were as big as saucers. She made herself even smaller.
73
Blood Destiny
by Tessa Dawn
This one?
She was nothing to these creatures.
Nathaniel looked at her as if
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