She
loved his eyes. She’d fallen in love with them at the lake. But that was
before, when she hadn’t a clue about his true identity.
“I can be your friend as well as lover.”
He stepped closer, removing the space between their bodies.
So close in fact, her breasts pressed into his breastbone. Her breath caught.
She released it shakily with a soft hiss.
“And I can treasure your body as you deserve.”
Temptation to touch his muscular chest built in her fingers.
She squeezed her hands into fists, fighting the prohibited urges. “You…” She
paused, fluttering her eyelids closed, trying to compose herself.
Gazing into his eyes was turning her into a wanton victim. A
woman reaching the breaking point. Even his prior words of making love became foremost in her mind. If she didn’t stop this now she’d defy her own
morals and beliefs. “You mustn’t say such things. You can’t do this. We…can’t
do this.”
He patted her nose with his lips. Her knees weakened and she
instinctively leaned forward for balance. It brought his arms around her waist
and her lower tummy flush against his hard, manly organ. Her eyes sprang open.
“Vulcan, please release me.”
For a moment longer he held her then unclasped his arms and
stepped aside. “A title doesn’t make a man, Wisteria. It’s what’s in here.” He
tapped a finger on his chest above his heart. “You met the man first. You
didn’t fear me then. Why now?”
How could she answer that? She initially couldn’t so she
chewed on her bottom lip and sat down next to Birmon, concentrating on what to
say. Unfortunately the only thing coming to mind was the truth. “Because you’re
a beast. You rip bodies apart with your bare hands. You burn people alive for
no reason. I watched you kill a man. Do I need to say more?”
“What I killed was not a man.”
“It was! I saw him with my own eyes.”
“No, Wisteria, he might have looked like a man from a
distance, but he was not human.”
“Maybe he was poisoned,” she screeched, “and only needed an
antidote.”
“I understand your fear, but I’m not going to stand here
trying to explain the truth when you’re not willing to listen.” He crossed the
hut but before he walked outside he locked his dark, sinister gaze on her eyes.
“I would never hurt you. You suffered more pain from your peaceful clan
than you have from my tribe, and you should have realized that by now. I
brought you to safety and tended your wounds. I could have stripped you and
taken you against your will, but I refused to hurt you, Wisteria.” He shook his
head as if in disbelief. “Are those typical actions from a merciless killer?”
He threw the flap aside and disappeared into the night.
Chapter Seven
Wisteria lay on her side under a fur near Birmon, her hands
tucked beneath her cheek and eyes partially closed. She was freezing. She had
been since she and Vulcan had returned from the lake. Despite his anger he’d
allowed her to bathe under his supervision. He’d washed too then stood near the
forest wall while she scrubbed off the day’s soils. Loo-La hadn’t surfaced but
neither had Wisteria stayed in the water long enough to wait.
If only she were lying closer to the fire to utilize its
warmth but that was where Vulcan sat and she’d decided to stay as far away from
him as possible.
She wanted him to believe she slept when in fact she lay
watching him. Soft glow from the flames illuminated half of his masculine body
while their shadows flickered along the back wall.
Her belly remained upset from earlier. After she’d insulted
him. Right before he’d stormed out. Even when he returned awhile later and
silently walked her to the lake, it hadn’t eased. The knot twisting in the pit
was a constant reminder of her cruel words. But she’d spoken the truth. She
couldn’t help what he was any more than he could. If he’d come to terms with
his reputation he’d understand her reasoning.
How long had she been
loved his eyes. She’d fallen in love with them at the lake. But that was
before, when she hadn’t a clue about his true identity.
“I can be your friend as well as lover.”
He stepped closer, removing the space between their bodies.
So close in fact, her breasts pressed into his breastbone. Her breath caught.
She released it shakily with a soft hiss.
“And I can treasure your body as you deserve.”
Temptation to touch his muscular chest built in her fingers.
She squeezed her hands into fists, fighting the prohibited urges. “You…” She
paused, fluttering her eyelids closed, trying to compose herself.
Gazing into his eyes was turning her into a wanton victim. A
woman reaching the breaking point. Even his prior words of making love became foremost in her mind. If she didn’t stop this now she’d defy her own
morals and beliefs. “You mustn’t say such things. You can’t do this. We…can’t
do this.”
He patted her nose with his lips. Her knees weakened and she
instinctively leaned forward for balance. It brought his arms around her waist
and her lower tummy flush against his hard, manly organ. Her eyes sprang open.
“Vulcan, please release me.”
For a moment longer he held her then unclasped his arms and
stepped aside. “A title doesn’t make a man, Wisteria. It’s what’s in here.” He
tapped a finger on his chest above his heart. “You met the man first. You
didn’t fear me then. Why now?”
How could she answer that? She initially couldn’t so she
chewed on her bottom lip and sat down next to Birmon, concentrating on what to
say. Unfortunately the only thing coming to mind was the truth. “Because you’re
a beast. You rip bodies apart with your bare hands. You burn people alive for
no reason. I watched you kill a man. Do I need to say more?”
“What I killed was not a man.”
“It was! I saw him with my own eyes.”
“No, Wisteria, he might have looked like a man from a
distance, but he was not human.”
“Maybe he was poisoned,” she screeched, “and only needed an
antidote.”
“I understand your fear, but I’m not going to stand here
trying to explain the truth when you’re not willing to listen.” He crossed the
hut but before he walked outside he locked his dark, sinister gaze on her eyes.
“I would never hurt you. You suffered more pain from your peaceful clan
than you have from my tribe, and you should have realized that by now. I
brought you to safety and tended your wounds. I could have stripped you and
taken you against your will, but I refused to hurt you, Wisteria.” He shook his
head as if in disbelief. “Are those typical actions from a merciless killer?”
He threw the flap aside and disappeared into the night.
Chapter Seven
Wisteria lay on her side under a fur near Birmon, her hands
tucked beneath her cheek and eyes partially closed. She was freezing. She had
been since she and Vulcan had returned from the lake. Despite his anger he’d
allowed her to bathe under his supervision. He’d washed too then stood near the
forest wall while she scrubbed off the day’s soils. Loo-La hadn’t surfaced but
neither had Wisteria stayed in the water long enough to wait.
If only she were lying closer to the fire to utilize its
warmth but that was where Vulcan sat and she’d decided to stay as far away from
him as possible.
She wanted him to believe she slept when in fact she lay
watching him. Soft glow from the flames illuminated half of his masculine body
while their shadows flickered along the back wall.
Her belly remained upset from earlier. After she’d insulted
him. Right before he’d stormed out. Even when he returned awhile later and
silently walked her to the lake, it hadn’t eased. The knot twisting in the pit
was a constant reminder of her cruel words. But she’d spoken the truth. She
couldn’t help what he was any more than he could. If he’d come to terms with
his reputation he’d understand her reasoning.
How long had she been
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