she feared for him?
In that instant, he knew. Somehow, someway, he would convince her to stay with him because she'd just accomplished a first in his long life. She'd taken his heart.
Layla staggered as his emotions hit her. He loved her? How was that possible? Even more, how was it that she felt the same? She didn't even know him. He'd kidnapped her, made love to her with an intensity she didn't know existed and then let her go, only to risk his own life to save her.
Was she in love with the idea of him or did she love him? She honestly didn't know. At the moment, her brain was as scrambled as eggs in a pan. The events of the last couple of days were the stuff of fiction. It was hard to wrap her head around the fact that she'd lived the experience.
And hard to ignore the pain. The burns from the Taser were like brands on her skin and her entire body ached. Maybe she should ask him to take her to a hospital.
"I can heal you."
Layla's eyes moved to meet his. "What?"
"Your pain. I can take it away. Heal your wounds."
"How?"
Augustus raised one hand to his mouth. She saw his fangs when his lips parted and watched as he bit the pad of his thumb. A fat drop of blood appeared. He moved his hand, pressing his thumb to her bottom lip.
"Take it."
Her first reaction was to pull away. She wasn't going to taste his blood. That was … she didn't even know what it was. Wrong?
"It will heal you. You only need a little. Open your mouth sweetheart."
You're crazy. Her inner voice screamed as her lips parted. Don't do it!
But she did. She took his thumb into her mouth, letting the taste of his warm blood fill it. Strangely, she wasn't repulsed or sickened.
It only lasted a few seconds. He removed his thumb from her mouth and smeared his blood over the Taser wounds. At first, it burned like a just extinguished match pressed to her skin but in seconds the burn vanished to be replaced with a cooling sensation that spread out, working its way over her entire body.
It was such a relief that she sagged, her energy gone. Just before she lost consciousness, she heard his voice. "I've got you."
She gave in to the darkness, reluctantly agreeing. He did have her. Like it or not, she'd fallen for Augustus Thurinus.
Chapter Eight
If I erred in bringing her here, my most egregious error was allowing her to leave on her own. Had I prevented her from leaving, or simply accepted that she did not want to be here and provided her with transportation, this would not have happened.
My enemies would not have inflicted pain and terror upon her. Twice since I put her in my bed, I've fed her my blood. It was necessary to accelerate the healing process.
I feel her fear and pain as if it were my own, but I knew that would happen once she took my blood. It is not as strong a connection as it would be if I took hers but it exists. It pains me that I am the cause of her suffering.
I want to ease that suffering – erase the fear from her mind. By all that is right and holy, I cannot help wanting to torment those who harmed her. Madeline is dead. Our people will make her death look like it came at the hands of her followers. Several will be found dead, shot with Madeline's gun. It will appear that she struggled with one, shooting him as he strangled her.
The remainder of her followers will be left unharmed, unaware of what transpired thanks to the Vampires in our midst, along with magic and the powers of the Angels and Daemons. Between us, we will create a fiction they will believe and the truth will be forever hidden.
Except from those of us who were there.
Madeline's death I will live with. I should feel remorse at the taking of a life and perhaps I will, at a later date. In this moment, I am still consumed with rage at the harm done to Layla. It will take time for that rage to abate, and then I will face whatever remorse arises.
Layla woke with a scream, fighting the soft sheets that covered her body. In her mind, she was still in the
In that instant, he knew. Somehow, someway, he would convince her to stay with him because she'd just accomplished a first in his long life. She'd taken his heart.
Layla staggered as his emotions hit her. He loved her? How was that possible? Even more, how was it that she felt the same? She didn't even know him. He'd kidnapped her, made love to her with an intensity she didn't know existed and then let her go, only to risk his own life to save her.
Was she in love with the idea of him or did she love him? She honestly didn't know. At the moment, her brain was as scrambled as eggs in a pan. The events of the last couple of days were the stuff of fiction. It was hard to wrap her head around the fact that she'd lived the experience.
And hard to ignore the pain. The burns from the Taser were like brands on her skin and her entire body ached. Maybe she should ask him to take her to a hospital.
"I can heal you."
Layla's eyes moved to meet his. "What?"
"Your pain. I can take it away. Heal your wounds."
"How?"
Augustus raised one hand to his mouth. She saw his fangs when his lips parted and watched as he bit the pad of his thumb. A fat drop of blood appeared. He moved his hand, pressing his thumb to her bottom lip.
"Take it."
Her first reaction was to pull away. She wasn't going to taste his blood. That was … she didn't even know what it was. Wrong?
"It will heal you. You only need a little. Open your mouth sweetheart."
You're crazy. Her inner voice screamed as her lips parted. Don't do it!
But she did. She took his thumb into her mouth, letting the taste of his warm blood fill it. Strangely, she wasn't repulsed or sickened.
It only lasted a few seconds. He removed his thumb from her mouth and smeared his blood over the Taser wounds. At first, it burned like a just extinguished match pressed to her skin but in seconds the burn vanished to be replaced with a cooling sensation that spread out, working its way over her entire body.
It was such a relief that she sagged, her energy gone. Just before she lost consciousness, she heard his voice. "I've got you."
She gave in to the darkness, reluctantly agreeing. He did have her. Like it or not, she'd fallen for Augustus Thurinus.
Chapter Eight
If I erred in bringing her here, my most egregious error was allowing her to leave on her own. Had I prevented her from leaving, or simply accepted that she did not want to be here and provided her with transportation, this would not have happened.
My enemies would not have inflicted pain and terror upon her. Twice since I put her in my bed, I've fed her my blood. It was necessary to accelerate the healing process.
I feel her fear and pain as if it were my own, but I knew that would happen once she took my blood. It is not as strong a connection as it would be if I took hers but it exists. It pains me that I am the cause of her suffering.
I want to ease that suffering – erase the fear from her mind. By all that is right and holy, I cannot help wanting to torment those who harmed her. Madeline is dead. Our people will make her death look like it came at the hands of her followers. Several will be found dead, shot with Madeline's gun. It will appear that she struggled with one, shooting him as he strangled her.
The remainder of her followers will be left unharmed, unaware of what transpired thanks to the Vampires in our midst, along with magic and the powers of the Angels and Daemons. Between us, we will create a fiction they will believe and the truth will be forever hidden.
Except from those of us who were there.
Madeline's death I will live with. I should feel remorse at the taking of a life and perhaps I will, at a later date. In this moment, I am still consumed with rage at the harm done to Layla. It will take time for that rage to abate, and then I will face whatever remorse arises.
Layla woke with a scream, fighting the soft sheets that covered her body. In her mind, she was still in the
Similar Books
