Read Online Dark Gold by Christine Feehan - Free Book Online
Authors: Christine Feehan
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, supernatural, Vampires, San Francisco (Calif.), Paranormal Fiction
Ads: Link
his people, while he crushed herbs around the room.
Alexandria's long lashes fluttered, lifted. For a moment she thought she was in the middle of a bad dream. She hurt everywhere, her body bruised and battered. She looked around the unfamiliar room.
It was beautiful. Whoever owned this place had an eye for elegance and the money to indulge his tastes. Her fingers twisted in the sheet. She found she was too weak to move. "Joshua?" She called his name softly, her heart beginning to pound in alarm when she realized she was awake and not dreaming.
"He is safe." That voice again. She would recognize it anywhere. It was so beautiful, unearthly, like the voice of an angel speaking to her. Yet she knew the truth. This man was a vampire with supernatural powers. He was able to shapeshift, to kill without hesitation. He fed on the blood of humans. He could read minds and force others to do his bidding.
"Where is he?" She didn't bother to move. What would be the point? He clearly had the upper hand. She could only wait and see what he wanted.
"At this very moment he is eating a nutritious dinner prepared by my housekeeper. He is safe, Alexandria. No one in this house will ever harm that boy. On the contrary, every one of us would give our lives to protect him." His voice was so soft and gentle, she could feel the notes soothing her mind.
She closed her eyes, too tired to keep them open. "Who are you?"
"Aidan Savage. This is my home. I am a healer as well as a hunter."
"What are you planning to do with me?"
"I need to know how much blood the vampire forced you to accept. I imagine Yohenstria was quite stingy, wanting to keep you in a weakened state. You are very dehydrated, your eyes black and sunken, your lips cracked, your cells crying out for nourishment. Still, whatever blood he gave you is tainted, and your body is about to go through the conversion." Very gently he applied a soothing salve to her tortured lips.
His words penetrated her foggy brain. Blinking, Alexandria stared up at him, horrified. "What do you mean, conversion? I am going to be like you? Like him? I am to become one of you? Kill me, then. I don't want to be like you." Her throat was so raw, she couldn't speak above a hoarse whisper.
He shook his head. "You do not understand, and there is little time to teach you. Your mind is very strong, completely different from that of most humans. You are resistant to mind control. I want to help you through this. You will go through it, with or without my help, but it will better for you if you allow me to aid you."
She closed her eyes against his words. "My arm hurts."
"I expect it does. I expect most of your body hurts," he answered, his voice somehow penetrating her skin and reaching into her aching arm to touch the bone. A warm tingle started and begin to spread, easing the throbbing. "Your arm is broken, but I have begun repairs. The bone is in line, and the mending has started without trouble."
"I want Joshua."
"Joshua is just a little boy. He thinks you are ill with a virus. He does not need to be frightened and traumatized further. Do you not agree?"
"How do I know you're telling me the truth?" Alexandria asked tiredly. "Don't all vampires lie and deceive?"
"I am Carpathian. I am not yet vampire. I must know how much blood Yohenstria has given you." He spoke patiently, gently, his voice never changing inflection. "How many times did he exchange his blood with you?"
"You're very dangerous, aren't you?" She bit at her lower lip, then winced when she painfully scraped blisters and sores. "You have this way about you, making everyone want to do everything you say. You made the vampire believe you could defeat him, didn't you?" It hurt her to talk, but it was comforting that she could.
"I use the power of my voice," he acknowledged gravely. "Less wear and tear on the body when hunting vampires, although I have had my share of wounds." He touched her then, the lightest of caresses across her forehead. "Do
Alexandria's long lashes fluttered, lifted. For a moment she thought she was in the middle of a bad dream. She hurt everywhere, her body bruised and battered. She looked around the unfamiliar room.
It was beautiful. Whoever owned this place had an eye for elegance and the money to indulge his tastes. Her fingers twisted in the sheet. She found she was too weak to move. "Joshua?" She called his name softly, her heart beginning to pound in alarm when she realized she was awake and not dreaming.
"He is safe." That voice again. She would recognize it anywhere. It was so beautiful, unearthly, like the voice of an angel speaking to her. Yet she knew the truth. This man was a vampire with supernatural powers. He was able to shapeshift, to kill without hesitation. He fed on the blood of humans. He could read minds and force others to do his bidding.
"Where is he?" She didn't bother to move. What would be the point? He clearly had the upper hand. She could only wait and see what he wanted.
"At this very moment he is eating a nutritious dinner prepared by my housekeeper. He is safe, Alexandria. No one in this house will ever harm that boy. On the contrary, every one of us would give our lives to protect him." His voice was so soft and gentle, she could feel the notes soothing her mind.
She closed her eyes, too tired to keep them open. "Who are you?"
"Aidan Savage. This is my home. I am a healer as well as a hunter."
"What are you planning to do with me?"
"I need to know how much blood the vampire forced you to accept. I imagine Yohenstria was quite stingy, wanting to keep you in a weakened state. You are very dehydrated, your eyes black and sunken, your lips cracked, your cells crying out for nourishment. Still, whatever blood he gave you is tainted, and your body is about to go through the conversion." Very gently he applied a soothing salve to her tortured lips.
His words penetrated her foggy brain. Blinking, Alexandria stared up at him, horrified. "What do you mean, conversion? I am going to be like you? Like him? I am to become one of you? Kill me, then. I don't want to be like you." Her throat was so raw, she couldn't speak above a hoarse whisper.
He shook his head. "You do not understand, and there is little time to teach you. Your mind is very strong, completely different from that of most humans. You are resistant to mind control. I want to help you through this. You will go through it, with or without my help, but it will better for you if you allow me to aid you."
She closed her eyes against his words. "My arm hurts."
"I expect it does. I expect most of your body hurts," he answered, his voice somehow penetrating her skin and reaching into her aching arm to touch the bone. A warm tingle started and begin to spread, easing the throbbing. "Your arm is broken, but I have begun repairs. The bone is in line, and the mending has started without trouble."
"I want Joshua."
"Joshua is just a little boy. He thinks you are ill with a virus. He does not need to be frightened and traumatized further. Do you not agree?"
"How do I know you're telling me the truth?" Alexandria asked tiredly. "Don't all vampires lie and deceive?"
"I am Carpathian. I am not yet vampire. I must know how much blood Yohenstria has given you." He spoke patiently, gently, his voice never changing inflection. "How many times did he exchange his blood with you?"
"You're very dangerous, aren't you?" She bit at her lower lip, then winced when she painfully scraped blisters and sores. "You have this way about you, making everyone want to do everything you say. You made the vampire believe you could defeat him, didn't you?" It hurt her to talk, but it was comforting that she could.
"I use the power of my voice," he acknowledged gravely. "Less wear and tear on the body when hunting vampires, although I have had my share of wounds." He touched her then, the lightest of caresses across her forehead. "Do
Similar Books
