he had read her mind, as if he could not bear to see the fear and resignation in her eyes. He glided across the deck with the easy grace of a swan and gently lifted her to her feet, turning around briefly to glare at Marquis. Then he softly brushed his hand against her cheek and led her to two arched doors, the entrance to his dwelling.
"Jocelyn," he whispered, bending to her ear. "I know you are frightened and have many questions. I will answer them all soon. Please enter my home and wait for me while I talk with my brother alone. Marquis is a bit"—he paused, searching for the right words—"high strung at the moment."
Jocelyn didn't have to be asked twice.
She would gladly enter hell if it would just get her away from the fierce vampire. She immediately reached for the handle to the door, but before she could disappear into the temporary sanctuary of the home, Marquis appeared in front of her. His severe eyes locked unerringly with hers, and his pupils once again narrowed into two tiny slits of menace.
"Do not think to escape this place while we talk." His deep voice was stern and unwavering. "Do not even try." He paused, carefully considering his next words. "Such a thing would deeply upset me as it would place Nathaniel in great danger, and that is not something I would permit...from anyone."
His voice remained steady...smooth...pure as the driven snow. Yet, the crystal clear threat lingered perceptibly in the air, almost alive with electricity and promise.
74
Blood Destiny
by Tessa Dawn
* * * *
Marquis shut the French door, with its stained glass and etched crystal panels, behind Jocelyn and turned to face his brother. "High strung?"
"Marquis," Nathaniel sighed with frustration, "I believe you were born high strung! And just for the record, would you please stop scaring the female senseless? Perhaps you should at least allow me to make a few inroads before you convince her that you are the devil, reincarnated, and I am one of your evil minions—here to cast her into the fiery depths of hell.
You are not helping me."
Marquis looked surprised...insulted. "I had no intention of frightening that woman," he said. "I only spoke the truth."
Nathaniel rolled his eyes in exasperation. He rubbed his forehead just above the bridge of his nose and took several deep breaths. "One man's truth is another woman's terror, Marquis. And this man's headache."
Marquis sniffed, indignant. "Vampires do not get headaches, Nathaniel. Is this some sort of metaphor? If so, just make your point."
Nathaniel shut his eyes and hung his head, shaking it back and forth...slowly. This particular conversation was pointless, but one thing was for certain: If he ever did get a human headache, Marquis was going to be the one who gave it to him.
He took a deep breath and regarded his brother with purpose. "We need to concentrate on the subject at hand—
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Blood Destiny
by Tessa Dawn
how I came across Jocelyn, and what we will need to do to protect her."
Marquis slowly exhaled with relief.
He stretched out lazily in the nearest lawn chair, folded his arms across his chest, and placed his feet up on the matching foot-stool.
"At last," he said, without smiling. "I'm listening."
[Back to Table of Contents]
76
Blood Destiny
by Tessa Dawn
Chapter Seven
Jocelyn was hunkered over in the corner of a soft beige sofa, hugging her knees to her chest, when Nathaniel entered the living room. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying, and there was a vacant look on her face, as if she'd simply given up trying to reason or think.
"You look cold." Nathaniel sent a sharp bolt of sizzling blue electricity from the tips of his fingers into the fireplace. He focused the steady stream on a small pile of kindling until the logs caught fire and roared into a healthy blaze. He then picked up a green throw-blanket from the back of his favorite arm-chair and handed it to her.
Jocelyn didn't take it.
She didn't move or even look up. She simply stared
"Jocelyn," he whispered, bending to her ear. "I know you are frightened and have many questions. I will answer them all soon. Please enter my home and wait for me while I talk with my brother alone. Marquis is a bit"—he paused, searching for the right words—"high strung at the moment."
Jocelyn didn't have to be asked twice.
She would gladly enter hell if it would just get her away from the fierce vampire. She immediately reached for the handle to the door, but before she could disappear into the temporary sanctuary of the home, Marquis appeared in front of her. His severe eyes locked unerringly with hers, and his pupils once again narrowed into two tiny slits of menace.
"Do not think to escape this place while we talk." His deep voice was stern and unwavering. "Do not even try." He paused, carefully considering his next words. "Such a thing would deeply upset me as it would place Nathaniel in great danger, and that is not something I would permit...from anyone."
His voice remained steady...smooth...pure as the driven snow. Yet, the crystal clear threat lingered perceptibly in the air, almost alive with electricity and promise.
74
Blood Destiny
by Tessa Dawn
* * * *
Marquis shut the French door, with its stained glass and etched crystal panels, behind Jocelyn and turned to face his brother. "High strung?"
"Marquis," Nathaniel sighed with frustration, "I believe you were born high strung! And just for the record, would you please stop scaring the female senseless? Perhaps you should at least allow me to make a few inroads before you convince her that you are the devil, reincarnated, and I am one of your evil minions—here to cast her into the fiery depths of hell.
You are not helping me."
Marquis looked surprised...insulted. "I had no intention of frightening that woman," he said. "I only spoke the truth."
Nathaniel rolled his eyes in exasperation. He rubbed his forehead just above the bridge of his nose and took several deep breaths. "One man's truth is another woman's terror, Marquis. And this man's headache."
Marquis sniffed, indignant. "Vampires do not get headaches, Nathaniel. Is this some sort of metaphor? If so, just make your point."
Nathaniel shut his eyes and hung his head, shaking it back and forth...slowly. This particular conversation was pointless, but one thing was for certain: If he ever did get a human headache, Marquis was going to be the one who gave it to him.
He took a deep breath and regarded his brother with purpose. "We need to concentrate on the subject at hand—
75
Blood Destiny
by Tessa Dawn
how I came across Jocelyn, and what we will need to do to protect her."
Marquis slowly exhaled with relief.
He stretched out lazily in the nearest lawn chair, folded his arms across his chest, and placed his feet up on the matching foot-stool.
"At last," he said, without smiling. "I'm listening."
[Back to Table of Contents]
76
Blood Destiny
by Tessa Dawn
Chapter Seven
Jocelyn was hunkered over in the corner of a soft beige sofa, hugging her knees to her chest, when Nathaniel entered the living room. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying, and there was a vacant look on her face, as if she'd simply given up trying to reason or think.
"You look cold." Nathaniel sent a sharp bolt of sizzling blue electricity from the tips of his fingers into the fireplace. He focused the steady stream on a small pile of kindling until the logs caught fire and roared into a healthy blaze. He then picked up a green throw-blanket from the back of his favorite arm-chair and handed it to her.
Jocelyn didn't take it.
She didn't move or even look up. She simply stared
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