Read Online Eternal Breath of Darkness by Candice Stauffer - Free Book Online

earlier, but
he looked different. More frightening. And so very repulsive. She opened her
mouth to scream, but she didn’t have the ability to make a sound. Just the
sight of him sickened her, causing her mouth to water and stomach to cramp and
twist. Gagging, she tried to look away, but his gaze held hers captive.
    Caylee, I need you to merge
with me. Do it now. Please, if only this one last time, trust me to protect
you. Haden fought to keep his voice calm. He couldn’t risk her
misinterpreting his fear and frustration for anger. Tracking her as a man was
taking far too much time. Reach for me so I can find you. Despite her
attempts to hide, he continued to work through and unravel the maze of
confusion in her mind.
    “He is lying to you. He
won’t leave his woman to protect you.” Paul thrust the image of Haden raping
the woman into her mind. “You’re nothing to him. If you mattered to him at all,
he wouldn’t have allowed you to remain a helpless mortal.”
    He plunged deeper into her
mind, savoring her fear, hammering her with his violent lust for her blood.
“You’re nothing to him.”
    He listened to the frantic,
seductive rhythm of her pulse. He took a deep breath and released it slowly
with a hiss. Fear made blood hotter. Sweeter. And so entirely satisfying. His
mouth watered. His stomached clenched.
    “No!” She shook her head.
“You’re lying!” She knew Haden better. She might not be Haden’s lover, but she
was his friend. He would never rape a woman, and he would never abandon her.
    Finally, through the power
of sheer desperation, she broke eye contact with Paul. She immediately wished
she hadn’t. She stared at his mouth. He smiled wide, revealing his serrated
teeth and razor-sharp fangs. She had to be trapped in a nightmare. None of it
could be real. She wanted to wake up, she wanted to run, but she couldn’t do
anything. She fought to regain control over her mind and body, but it was
useless. Paul was too powerful to fight.
    I need your help, Caylee.
I’ve tried to find you through your thoughts, but he has distorted your memory.
You need to trust me. You need to stop trying to fight him and reach for me.
Look around and show me everything you see.
    Paul reached out and lifted
a section of her hair to his face. He breathed deeply, inhaling her sweet
scent. “Go ahead. Lead him to us. I will enjoy killing him right along with
you.”
    She was so afraid, but she
couldn’t allow Haden to die for her. If you find me, he will kill you too. I
know it wasn’t real, Haden. I know you would never hurt a woman. I know you
would never abandon me. Please forgive me—I’m so very sorry. I never should’ve
believed any of it.
    Paul rubbed her silky hair
against his face, twirling and tangling it around his fingers. Very slowly, he
leaned toward her to nuzzle her neck. Groaning aloud, he inhaled deeply,
savoring her scent.
    Damn it, Caylee, he can’t
fucking kill me! He’s lying to you! Open your eyes! Haden was so beyond furious. Do it now, Caylee! He didn’t care that he
was causing her pain.
    His booming voice hurt her
ears. Echoing in her mind, his voice sounded like the rushing water of a mighty
river. Like an avalanche racing down the side of a mountain. Her head hurt so
badly she knew it was going explode.
    Open your eyes! It
was a powerful command, utterly impossible for any being mortal or immortal to
defy.
    She opened her eyes and
scanned her surroundings. The fear of being cornered was terrible, but the icy
chill of Paul’s rancid breath on her flesh caused her stomach to twist. She
felt weak, lightheaded, and nauseous. A split-second before she collapsed, she
felt an unmistakable shift in her body and mind. Haden was closer to her than
ever before. He was part of her. Their souls were united as one. She felt his
enormous, dark power gathering in her, strengthening her.
    Squaring her shoulders, she
glared up at Paul. He planned to kill her, but she planned to make it as
difficult as