Read Online Carnal Sin by Allison Brennan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Allison Brennan
Tags: Horror & Ghost Stories
Ads: Link
going to do? Toss her in a dungeon?"
Rafe was being flip, but Rico's sharp reaction surprised him. "Don't you dare suggest that I'm anything like her evil mother."
What did that mean? What had Fiona done to Moira--and what did Rico know about it? Rico's comment reminded Rafe that he didn't know Moira as well as Rico did.
"You've distracted Moira long enough," Rico continued. "Stay away from her. She has a vital job to do and she can't do it if her loyalties are torn."
"Is that the real reason you don't want me going to Los Angeles?"
"I can see right in front of me what's going on," Rico said. "Moira is preoccupied with your problems, your coma, your dreams. She's worried and not fully focused on finding Fiona and Matthew Walker. She's not focused on destroying the Conoscenza."
Rafe defended her. "She is consumed by her search for her mother!"
Rico shook his head. "If she wavers, even a fraction, she'll die before she gets a chance to complete her mission. And if that happens? There's no one else. No one that we know of who can destroy the book."
"That's all she is to you? A tool?"
"Isn't that all any of us are? That's why you've been wandering, Raphael. You refuse to accept that you have a calling more important than yourself. Moira is not you. She's accepted her charge, and she's willing to do what it takes to stop evil on Earth."
"Even if she has to die." Rafe realized why Moira would not acknowledge their intense, growing feelings for each other. She believed she would die. She was trying to protect herself, and him as well. But he didn't want that kind of protection. "You weren't there during the last battle. You have no idea how bravely Moira performed. Nothing can distract her from her goal; you trained her well." Rafe sounded as bitter as he felt. But he would not let Moira die.
"Yes I did," Rico said with complete confidence. "But make no mistake, Raphael--her situation is extremely dangerous and any distractions will prove fatal. I don't know what you did to ingratiate yourself with Moira, to get her to lie for you. I don't want you going to Los Angeles. Stay away from her."
"Like hell I will. Moira and I are a good team. We worked together trapping Envy. You can even ask Anthony."
"Moira doesn't need a partner."
"Doesn't that go against everything you taught us at Olivet?"
"I am Moira's partner."
"You?" Rafe laughed. "From way up in Montana? I can see how well you protected her two weeks ago when Matthew Walker nearly killed her. Or from the Cerberus who attacked her. Or from the demon--"
Rico pushed off from the counter and was only a foot away from Rafe, his jaw tight and his dark eyes narrow. "I will be there when it counts."
Rafe didn't back down. "It counted then."
"Stay away from her."
"No." Why was Rico so fixated on Rafe partnering with Moira? They had the same goal: stopping the Seven Deadly Sins. And no one else cared about Moira the way Rafe did. He didn't want her to die. He wondered if Rico or Anthony felt the same.
"I'll have you recalled," Rico threatened.
"I dare you."
"The cardinal won't protect you if he thinks you're stopping Moira in any way from completing her mission."
Suddenly, everything came clear. Rico's attitude, his efforts to keep Rafe from partnering with Moira. His harder-than-usual animosity. Before he could stop the words from spilling out, Rafe said, "You're in love with her."
Rico's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't realized it, but Rafe saw it as clear as day. Rico was playing the dominant male, trying to chase Rafe away from Moira because he considered her his territory.
Rafe wasn't about to be chased away from anyone he cared about, especially Moira.
Rico said in a low voice, "You've been lying to everyone, Raphael, and maybe you're even lying to yourself. Anthony told me how you cut open Moira's hand during the battle with Envy. You claimed it was because the demon at the witch's house died after biting her, and you were taking a leap of faith. Good
Rafe was being flip, but Rico's sharp reaction surprised him. "Don't you dare suggest that I'm anything like her evil mother."
What did that mean? What had Fiona done to Moira--and what did Rico know about it? Rico's comment reminded Rafe that he didn't know Moira as well as Rico did.
"You've distracted Moira long enough," Rico continued. "Stay away from her. She has a vital job to do and she can't do it if her loyalties are torn."
"Is that the real reason you don't want me going to Los Angeles?"
"I can see right in front of me what's going on," Rico said. "Moira is preoccupied with your problems, your coma, your dreams. She's worried and not fully focused on finding Fiona and Matthew Walker. She's not focused on destroying the Conoscenza."
Rafe defended her. "She is consumed by her search for her mother!"
Rico shook his head. "If she wavers, even a fraction, she'll die before she gets a chance to complete her mission. And if that happens? There's no one else. No one that we know of who can destroy the book."
"That's all she is to you? A tool?"
"Isn't that all any of us are? That's why you've been wandering, Raphael. You refuse to accept that you have a calling more important than yourself. Moira is not you. She's accepted her charge, and she's willing to do what it takes to stop evil on Earth."
"Even if she has to die." Rafe realized why Moira would not acknowledge their intense, growing feelings for each other. She believed she would die. She was trying to protect herself, and him as well. But he didn't want that kind of protection. "You weren't there during the last battle. You have no idea how bravely Moira performed. Nothing can distract her from her goal; you trained her well." Rafe sounded as bitter as he felt. But he would not let Moira die.
"Yes I did," Rico said with complete confidence. "But make no mistake, Raphael--her situation is extremely dangerous and any distractions will prove fatal. I don't know what you did to ingratiate yourself with Moira, to get her to lie for you. I don't want you going to Los Angeles. Stay away from her."
"Like hell I will. Moira and I are a good team. We worked together trapping Envy. You can even ask Anthony."
"Moira doesn't need a partner."
"Doesn't that go against everything you taught us at Olivet?"
"I am Moira's partner."
"You?" Rafe laughed. "From way up in Montana? I can see how well you protected her two weeks ago when Matthew Walker nearly killed her. Or from the Cerberus who attacked her. Or from the demon--"
Rico pushed off from the counter and was only a foot away from Rafe, his jaw tight and his dark eyes narrow. "I will be there when it counts."
Rafe didn't back down. "It counted then."
"Stay away from her."
"No." Why was Rico so fixated on Rafe partnering with Moira? They had the same goal: stopping the Seven Deadly Sins. And no one else cared about Moira the way Rafe did. He didn't want her to die. He wondered if Rico or Anthony felt the same.
"I'll have you recalled," Rico threatened.
"I dare you."
"The cardinal won't protect you if he thinks you're stopping Moira in any way from completing her mission."
Suddenly, everything came clear. Rico's attitude, his efforts to keep Rafe from partnering with Moira. His harder-than-usual animosity. Before he could stop the words from spilling out, Rafe said, "You're in love with her."
Rico's eyes widened in shock. He hadn't realized it, but Rafe saw it as clear as day. Rico was playing the dominant male, trying to chase Rafe away from Moira because he considered her his territory.
Rafe wasn't about to be chased away from anyone he cared about, especially Moira.
Rico said in a low voice, "You've been lying to everyone, Raphael, and maybe you're even lying to yourself. Anthony told me how you cut open Moira's hand during the battle with Envy. You claimed it was because the demon at the witch's house died after biting her, and you were taking a leap of faith. Good
Similar Books
