Read Online Love Me to Death (Underveil) by Marissa Clarke - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Marissa Clarke
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whispered.
She did. It tasted delicious. God, she was hungry. It was all she could do to not grab the bowl from the guy and shove her head in it like an animal at a feed trough. The image made her giggle.
The man’s smile broadened. He selected another strawberry. “Again, please,” he said.
Nikolai’s voice sounded unnecessarily harsh. “How is that possible? I thought your species wilted and died like delicate flowers if separated.”
“Please sit here.” The man gestured to the side of the tub.
Elena, still holding the towel in place by clamping her arms tight to her side, lowered herself to the marble ledge.
He smiled as encouragement. “You appear sufficiently recovered to manage this yourself, now.” He placed the bowl of strawberries in her lap.
She took a bite of another berry as he turned his pale eyes to Nikolai and his smile faded. “Being apart from my life-mate is painful. It would not be my first choice of strategies, but it’s my only option at this time. Revealing myself to her would put her in danger.” He stuck his hand under the running water, testing its temperature. “I’m nothing if not patient.”
Elena looked down to discover she had almost emptied the bowl. Still, she was famished. She took a deep breath, feeling much closer to normal. She needed to relax and let her body process the sugar and stabilize her insulin.
The blond man picked up a bottle of blue liquid and poured some of the contents into the running water. Bubbles frothed over the surface, emitting an intoxicating smell that covered up the lure of the blood coming off Nikolai’s skin.
“You don’t expect me to bathe in that, do you?” he asked.
The blond man smiled. “Will you wilt like a delicate flower?”
Nikolai growled.
The guy shook his head. “It’s for her, Slayer. It’s to cover your stench and…” He looked directly at Nikolai’s crotch. “And spare her from the sight of other undesirable aspects of you.”
Nikolai growled again.
The tub was almost full and covered with iridescent bubbles. Darvaak punched a button on the remote, and the water stopped. “In you go, Itzov,” he said, and then turned to Elena. “You, my dear, might want to look the other way until your stomach is more settled.”
Feeling much better now, she smiled. The man’s teasing was entertaining. Nikolai didn’t seem to think so, based on the dark look he shot the guy.
“I’ll be back with more food in a moment. And I’m going to call my tailor. Your situation calls for some creativity. You can’t run around half-dressed until you’re free of that cord.”
And with that, they were alone.
Nikolai sat on the marble ledge next to her and pulled off a boot. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but clamped his lips shut and pulled off his other boot. He sat for a moment, looking defeated, and her heart pinched.
“I’m…” He took a deep breath and lifted his wrist bound by the cord. “We’ll find a way out of this. I promise.”
Obviously, getting away from her was a high priority, not that she could blame him, but the cord was the least of her worries. Not becoming a monster was foremost in her mind.
“You should have killed me back in the store,” she said.
He stood and slipped off his pants. She didn’t even pretend to look away. At this point, what did it matter? Her fate was sealed. There was no way she could allow herself to become one of the red-eyed demons. She might as well take in the sights while she still could. And the sights were mighty fine.
“You were already dead when I found you.” He stepped out of his pants and froze…well, except for the part of him that obviously approved of her stare. It practically waved and shouted “Howdy!”
“For God’s sake, get in the water, Itzov, before you make the girl throw up. We’re supposed to keep food down her, remember?” The blond guy stood in the doorway with a tray in his hands. “Here you are, Elena.” He set the tray
She did. It tasted delicious. God, she was hungry. It was all she could do to not grab the bowl from the guy and shove her head in it like an animal at a feed trough. The image made her giggle.
The man’s smile broadened. He selected another strawberry. “Again, please,” he said.
Nikolai’s voice sounded unnecessarily harsh. “How is that possible? I thought your species wilted and died like delicate flowers if separated.”
“Please sit here.” The man gestured to the side of the tub.
Elena, still holding the towel in place by clamping her arms tight to her side, lowered herself to the marble ledge.
He smiled as encouragement. “You appear sufficiently recovered to manage this yourself, now.” He placed the bowl of strawberries in her lap.
She took a bite of another berry as he turned his pale eyes to Nikolai and his smile faded. “Being apart from my life-mate is painful. It would not be my first choice of strategies, but it’s my only option at this time. Revealing myself to her would put her in danger.” He stuck his hand under the running water, testing its temperature. “I’m nothing if not patient.”
Elena looked down to discover she had almost emptied the bowl. Still, she was famished. She took a deep breath, feeling much closer to normal. She needed to relax and let her body process the sugar and stabilize her insulin.
The blond man picked up a bottle of blue liquid and poured some of the contents into the running water. Bubbles frothed over the surface, emitting an intoxicating smell that covered up the lure of the blood coming off Nikolai’s skin.
“You don’t expect me to bathe in that, do you?” he asked.
The blond man smiled. “Will you wilt like a delicate flower?”
Nikolai growled.
The guy shook his head. “It’s for her, Slayer. It’s to cover your stench and…” He looked directly at Nikolai’s crotch. “And spare her from the sight of other undesirable aspects of you.”
Nikolai growled again.
The tub was almost full and covered with iridescent bubbles. Darvaak punched a button on the remote, and the water stopped. “In you go, Itzov,” he said, and then turned to Elena. “You, my dear, might want to look the other way until your stomach is more settled.”
Feeling much better now, she smiled. The man’s teasing was entertaining. Nikolai didn’t seem to think so, based on the dark look he shot the guy.
“I’ll be back with more food in a moment. And I’m going to call my tailor. Your situation calls for some creativity. You can’t run around half-dressed until you’re free of that cord.”
And with that, they were alone.
Nikolai sat on the marble ledge next to her and pulled off a boot. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but clamped his lips shut and pulled off his other boot. He sat for a moment, looking defeated, and her heart pinched.
“I’m…” He took a deep breath and lifted his wrist bound by the cord. “We’ll find a way out of this. I promise.”
Obviously, getting away from her was a high priority, not that she could blame him, but the cord was the least of her worries. Not becoming a monster was foremost in her mind.
“You should have killed me back in the store,” she said.
He stood and slipped off his pants. She didn’t even pretend to look away. At this point, what did it matter? Her fate was sealed. There was no way she could allow herself to become one of the red-eyed demons. She might as well take in the sights while she still could. And the sights were mighty fine.
“You were already dead when I found you.” He stepped out of his pants and froze…well, except for the part of him that obviously approved of her stare. It practically waved and shouted “Howdy!”
“For God’s sake, get in the water, Itzov, before you make the girl throw up. We’re supposed to keep food down her, remember?” The blond guy stood in the doorway with a tray in his hands. “Here you are, Elena.” He set the tray
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