Read Online Lure of Forever by Doris O'Connor - Free Book Online

admittedly, but still.
    Jerry would have a field day, if she
were here.   The ever-present fear for her
friend resurfaced with a vengeance. She leant back against the marble wall and
closed her eyes desperate to get her breathing under control. In, out, you
can do this, girl. You'll be no use to her if you pass out again. She'd
done too much of that lately as it was. She hadn't fainted once before being
thrown into this strange world and since meeting Lucas she'd turned into a
wilting wallflower––a shell of her former self. Well, enough was enough.
    If that blasted Carmen didn't grant
her 'audience' soon, she was going to explode. Who did the woman think she was,
the bloody queen? There that was better, getting angry she could do. It kept
the terror and fear at bay, terror that had just increased in spades ever since
Ion's pack had taken Lucas away in a body bag. That particular image would
haunt her forever. It was such a stark reminder that the man she'd had the most
amazing night with, was for all intents and purposes dead – only he wasn't. It
was too much to get her head around.
    Ion had called Carmen, against Marnie's passionate arguments, and Coralie's confused questions. His voice had been the most wolf-like Coralie had ever heard it.
    "Damn it, you two, I have no
choice. Lucas needs healing and only Carmen can provide that for him, you know
that, Marnie . It's not as though I can raid a blood
bank for him. He needs fresh blood and I should think a good dose of vamp blood
too, the state he's in. We need him in top form if we are to stand any chance
of defeating the demon."
    "Demon?" Coralie had almost fainted again, grateful for Marnie's reassuring arm around her shoulder. "There
are real demons, too? Anything else you want to throw at me today?"
    Ion sighed, the sudden slump of his
big shoulders speaking volumes. Marnie had given her
shoulders another squeeze, as the truth dawned on Coralie .
    "There really is a killer out
there, isn't there? And let me guess, it's a demon?" She'd tried to wrench
herself away from Marnie , but the woman had a
surprisingly strong grip on her. "Let me go. I have to warn Jerry. She
needs to know."
    "I'm afraid we can't do
that." Ion's tone and demeanor were almost apologetic as he looked down on Coralie . "You will have to go with Lucas. Carmen
will want to see you. At least you'll be safe at her compound."
    "But, I can't…you can't make
me. I need to warn Jerry."  
    Coralie's words had fallen on deaf ears, however.   Ion straightened to his full height, which wasn't quite as tall as
Lucas, but still meant he towered over her, and his words held an edge of steel.
    "I'm afraid you don't get a say
in the matter. Your friend cannot know about any of this …and yes, I can make
you."
    Marnie's whispered, "Don't worry, it'll be fine. Lucas won't let anything happen to
you and I'll make sure Ion looks out for your friend," had done little to
reassure her.
    Coralie rubbed the goose bumps from her arms, pushed away from the wall, and forced her
feet to move past Lucas's door. Damn the whole sorry lot of them. Nothing had
happened to her, admittedly. In fact, she'd never been in such luxurious
surroundings before, but it was a prison nonetheless. Her bedroom was huge: the
wardrobe full of designer creations that Coralie was
never going to wear. She'd stuck to the one pair of jeans she'd found and
topped them with some of the plainer blouses. No way was she going to wear the
array of dresses, even though people looked down at her. Let them. She didn't
want to be here after all and if they didn't like what she wore, they could
just bugger off.
    She was just about to grab the handle
of her bedroom door, when a commanding voice stopped her.
    "Carmen will see you now."
    Finally. Maybe now she would get some answers. Some of her courage left her, however,
when she glimpsed the speaker.   Jeez,
what the hell was he?
    The giant man had to be at least
seven feet tall. Purple eyes dominated an