Read Online Waterfall (Dragon's Fate) by Lacy Danes - Free Book Online
Authors: Lacy Danes
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spun about in one motion.
Hudson stood in the now open doorway. “It all belongs to me. Including the water you just bathed in.”
“Goodness.” She rubbed her fingertips against her palms and held in a nervous giggle. Fortitude. She shook her head to try to keep water and Jordan from consuming her mind.
She stepped toward her husband. Hudson’s energy and emotions hit her like the heat on a humid summer day. Her body trembled, and the bite on her neck tingled. He was hard to discern. Jealousy, sadness, pride and something else consumed him. A black fog seeped from his pores. Without doubt, Hudson had seen them.
How did she know that? She glanced back at the curtain. She could figure that out later. For now, she had to tell him something. “I-I keep hearing things.” That was the truth. A woman’s voice, emotions, rustling cloth… What would be next? Chimes ringing?
He stepped into the room and came beside her. “What did you hear? Your lover moaning?”
She flinched and shied away from him. Gracious. Her stomach tightened. He had every right to be furious with her. A slap, she expected.
This…
This was not the reaction she associated with the stories she had heard of Hudson. He had once beaten a man because the horse he rode splattered mud on his first wife’s cheek.
Then again, they had been a love match, and her and Hudson’s story was…unknown.
She pointed to the curtain. “No. I am certain I did not open the window, and the covering is rustling.”
Hudson’s fingers gripped her hand. “Nothing to fret yourself with. I opened the sash. You are certainly tired. Why don’t you sleep?” He walked to the window, dragging her along behind him. Then he grabbed the wooden sash and pulled the window closed. He turned, the fingers of his free hand outstretched.
She trembled. Gracious no. There was no way she would openly take hands with him this night.
He stepped forward, grasped her hand, and with his fingers firmly wrapped about hers, guided her back to the bed.
Something was not as it seemed. A chill wrapped about her belly and sank in deep. Her breath cooled in her lungs, and she struggled to breathe.
She sat on the mattress and scooted her bottom back as far from him as she could. She tucked her legs beneath the open coverlet and waited. Something would happen. Just what? A chill racked her body. She had no inkling.
Leaning back on the pillows, she pulled the covers up tight under her chin and narrowed her eyes at Hudson. In the dim light, his golden hair no longer glimmered. His Grace’s tawny gold and his hazed silhouette was that of a withered old man. Sunken shadows circled his eyes and indicated a hard life he could not have led.
His presence darkened, and the covers about her grew stiff and icy cold.
She shivered beneath their hardness.
Hudson pulled the thick coverlet up from the end of the bed, causing ice crystals to fill the air about them. My stars, what was going on? It was summer, not winter.
He caught her hands harshly through the covers and then sat on the bed next to her without releasing her. His hands jerked hers. “I do hope that tonight was pleasant for you.” His voice deepened.
“I…umm.” How did she answer that question? She bit her lip. This night was a bumblebroth mixed with bad decisions, painful deflowering and primal urges. Now this.
Hudson stood abruptly, and the warm air from the room rushed in and brushed against her face. How could a man be so cold? “Indeed, tonight was pleasant, my sweet husband,” Hudson stated in a fake woman’s voice that sent shivers through her body. “I am devoted to all you desire.” Dark sarcasm dripped from his words.
She sank back into the covers as far away from him as she could.
He walked to the sideboard and picked up a glass. “You did quite well, actually. Exactly as I desired.” He returned to the bedside, leaned in and pressed icy lips to her forehead. “Drink this.” He pulled back and pressed the
Hudson stood in the now open doorway. “It all belongs to me. Including the water you just bathed in.”
“Goodness.” She rubbed her fingertips against her palms and held in a nervous giggle. Fortitude. She shook her head to try to keep water and Jordan from consuming her mind.
She stepped toward her husband. Hudson’s energy and emotions hit her like the heat on a humid summer day. Her body trembled, and the bite on her neck tingled. He was hard to discern. Jealousy, sadness, pride and something else consumed him. A black fog seeped from his pores. Without doubt, Hudson had seen them.
How did she know that? She glanced back at the curtain. She could figure that out later. For now, she had to tell him something. “I-I keep hearing things.” That was the truth. A woman’s voice, emotions, rustling cloth… What would be next? Chimes ringing?
He stepped into the room and came beside her. “What did you hear? Your lover moaning?”
She flinched and shied away from him. Gracious. Her stomach tightened. He had every right to be furious with her. A slap, she expected.
This…
This was not the reaction she associated with the stories she had heard of Hudson. He had once beaten a man because the horse he rode splattered mud on his first wife’s cheek.
Then again, they had been a love match, and her and Hudson’s story was…unknown.
She pointed to the curtain. “No. I am certain I did not open the window, and the covering is rustling.”
Hudson’s fingers gripped her hand. “Nothing to fret yourself with. I opened the sash. You are certainly tired. Why don’t you sleep?” He walked to the window, dragging her along behind him. Then he grabbed the wooden sash and pulled the window closed. He turned, the fingers of his free hand outstretched.
She trembled. Gracious no. There was no way she would openly take hands with him this night.
He stepped forward, grasped her hand, and with his fingers firmly wrapped about hers, guided her back to the bed.
Something was not as it seemed. A chill wrapped about her belly and sank in deep. Her breath cooled in her lungs, and she struggled to breathe.
She sat on the mattress and scooted her bottom back as far from him as she could. She tucked her legs beneath the open coverlet and waited. Something would happen. Just what? A chill racked her body. She had no inkling.
Leaning back on the pillows, she pulled the covers up tight under her chin and narrowed her eyes at Hudson. In the dim light, his golden hair no longer glimmered. His Grace’s tawny gold and his hazed silhouette was that of a withered old man. Sunken shadows circled his eyes and indicated a hard life he could not have led.
His presence darkened, and the covers about her grew stiff and icy cold.
She shivered beneath their hardness.
Hudson pulled the thick coverlet up from the end of the bed, causing ice crystals to fill the air about them. My stars, what was going on? It was summer, not winter.
He caught her hands harshly through the covers and then sat on the bed next to her without releasing her. His hands jerked hers. “I do hope that tonight was pleasant for you.” His voice deepened.
“I…umm.” How did she answer that question? She bit her lip. This night was a bumblebroth mixed with bad decisions, painful deflowering and primal urges. Now this.
Hudson stood abruptly, and the warm air from the room rushed in and brushed against her face. How could a man be so cold? “Indeed, tonight was pleasant, my sweet husband,” Hudson stated in a fake woman’s voice that sent shivers through her body. “I am devoted to all you desire.” Dark sarcasm dripped from his words.
She sank back into the covers as far away from him as she could.
He walked to the sideboard and picked up a glass. “You did quite well, actually. Exactly as I desired.” He returned to the bedside, leaned in and pressed icy lips to her forehead. “Drink this.” He pulled back and pressed the
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