Read Online In the Beginning... by Calle J. Brookes - Free Book Online Page A

driver. The man was
huge, at least seven feet tall and heavily muscled. A monster,
though Mickey had to admit he was very handsome. They both were.
The giant grinned down at her as he held her and Mickey squeaked.
He was truly frightening, though his hands were far gentler on her
than they’d been on her sister.
    Mallory was cursing the man, demanding he put
Mickey down. But he ignored Mal. He handed Mickey back to the other
man as easily as if she were a small child.
    These men were incredibly strong. In the
light from the portico, Mickey got her first good look at the man
who had taken her from her home. His hair was light brown, almost
golden. He was very tall, though not as tall as his friend. He was
muscled, but much leaner than the other man, too.
    But it was his eyes that stunned her. They
were orange, the color of fresh fruit. She’d never seen eyes on a
living being that color before, except once. The cat she’d had as a
teenager had had eyes just like his. And just like that cat, this
man’s eyes were sightless.
    She’d been kidnapped by a blind man.

Chapter Three

    Theo took his Rajni back from Aodhan and
carried her into the luxury hotel that had served as his people’s
home and city seat since 1863. Updates had been made, of course,
but this building was where he and his Rajni would live and love
together.
    A servant from his House met him just inside
the doors, always ready to serve. Every member of his House was in
some manner related to him. Theo knew and cared for them all.
    “Haneam, please have clean,
warm clothing brought to my suite immediately. And a small meal, I
think. Have Travon fetch my mother’s jewels from the House vault.”
The jewels were meant for the equa— female head-of-the-House. The
woman in his arms would wear them and all would know and understand this
human girl’s status.
    “Yes, Equan Theo. They will be in your suite
within the half hour.”
    “The clothes as soon as
possible, everything else, please make it an hour. I need to get
my Rajni settled
first. Thank you, Haneam.”
    Aodhan brought his own female closer to her
sister. Theo turned to his friend. Now his brother-in-law. He
studied the other man’s shadow. Aodhan held the female slung over
his shoulder. Still bound. Still struggling. Still so achingly
terrified.
    Theo shifted his own female to free one of
his hands. While her sister struggled, his female lay limp in his
arms. Theo ran his hand over the sister’s hair. Her face popped
into his mind’s eye. Similar to his mate’s, but the colors were
darker, bolder. She was heavier and stronger, too.
    Theo ignored Aodhan’s small growl. No male
liked another to touch his female without permission. Theo sighed,
then spoke in their native tongue. “Be careful with her, my friend.
Your female has suffered so much in a way no woman ever should. Her
soul still has the scars.”
    Aodhan stilled. “What are you saying,
seer?”
    “Just that ours is not the first act of
vengeance against her grandfather she has been the instrument of.
Treat her kindly, as gently as a kitten, rather than as the fiery
cat she presents. It will serve you well in the long run.”
    “The conversion process will hurt her. That’s
unavoidable.” Aodhan’s entire manner toward the girl had changed,
as evident by his tone.
    Theo’s mind seized on Aodhan’s words. A blood
conversion. Why had he not thought of it earlier? It would change
them, make them Dardaptoan. But it was risky, and rumored to be
extremely painful. Could he force his female to endure something so
horrible?
    His mind’s vision sharpened,
as it always did when he saw the future or past.
    What he saw had his blood freezing in his
veins.
    If he didn’t convert his female from human
to Dardaptoan, she would be dead within the month. But he
couldn’t see the
how or the when.
    The matter was settled; he would convert her
this night. He just hoped she would forgive him eventually.

Chapter Four

    Mickey fought the man’s