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

possible. She wasn’t a child this time. She wasn’t weak anymore.
She would fight this time. She wouldn’t allow herself to be victimized. Vampire
or not, he was going to be sorry, extremely sorry.
    No! Do not provoke him,
Caylee! Through her eyes Haden studied her surroundings. Wait for me! In a matter of seconds, he recognized the alley. In an instant, he launched
himself into the stormy sky, black wings erupting from his back. He moved
incredibly fast, forcing the wind to shift direction so it added to his speed.
    Combined with the sweet taste
of her fear, the spiciness of her courage promised to make her blood more
delectable. Her defiance stirred to life the most primal, deadly urges of
Paul’s predator nature. He craved but seldom enjoyed foreplay with a strong
woman. Most of his victims quickly wilted and died. He wished he could play
with her for a while longer. He would enjoy using her to satisfy his other
physical needs. But he wasn’t stupid. He couldn’t afford to be caught with his
pants down. He needed to feed. Paul knew Haden was close. He needed her blood
to restore his strength before he faced the demon.
    Catching Paul off guard,
Caylee kicked him in the groin, hard. Roaring in pain, he went down on all
fours. She ran, but he jumped to his feet and tackled her to the ground. She
fought with every ounce of her strength. She clawed, scratched, hit, and kicked
him. But it was all for nothing. He easily overpowered her, wrapping his hands
around her throat, squeezing until she could no longer breathe.
    Her thoughts racing, she
thrashed wildly. She was dying. Seconds before she blacked out, she heard
Haden’s voice. My strength is yours. My life is yours. You will not die—I
forbid it. I am with you, Caylee. You have my breath. Feel it inside your body,
sustaining your life. My heart beats for yours, steady and strong. Feel it and
know you will not die.
    There was no way to hide the
terror in his voice. Haden was so very aware of her frailty at that moment. Why
had he waited? Why was she still mortal?
    Black clouds billowed
overhead, and lightning streaked across the sky. Earsplitting thunder rumbled
between the buildings. Rain pelted down on her. She looked up at the stormy sky
and smiled. It was Haden. Each element of the storm was a manifestation of his
power. He was so extremely intense. He was mysterious and powerful beyond
belief. One day she hoped to know each and every one of his secrets.
    He was so close to her now,
holding her. She knew in her heart she wouldn’t die. She couldn’t. He would
never allow it. She could feel his arms lovingly, protectively wrapped around
her, cocooning her in the midst of his great power.
    Fangs lengthening, Paul
leaned down, whispering, chanting in a strange language. She couldn’t
understand his words, but she felt the great intensity of his hatred and rage.
His teeth, searching for her pulse, scraped her throat.
    Lightning tore across the
sky, and deafening thunder rumbled in Haden’s wake. He dropped from the sky and
landed in a crouch. Standing upright, his wings shimmered for a few seconds and
then disappeared.
    Paul jumped up and stood
over Caylee. She tried to scoot away, but he was standing on her leg. The
ground heaved and rolled as Haden stepped forward.
    Hoping Paul was too
distracted to notice, Caylee attempted to pull her leg out from under him. He
looked down at her and snarled, fully baring his jagged teeth and razor-sharp
fangs.
    “You look terrible, Paul.”
Haden’s voice was serene, nothing more than a whisper, but it held unimaginable
power and unparalleled might. His lips parted in a callous smile. Appearing
completely at ease, he shrugged. “You’ve made many mistakes, but I promise this
will prove to be your worst.” He waved his hand.
    Chucked by an unseen burst
of power, Paul’s body flew several feet and crashed into a brick wall at the
far end of the alley. He started to get up, but he was struck in the chest by a
bolt of