Of A Darker Nature

by Clay, Michelle

  She leaned against the dresser and drank him in. He no longer looked like something out of a monster movie. His smooth skin glowed with good health and he was beautiful as ever.

  He dropped the necklace into his palm then set it on the nightstand. Head tilted back, he took a deep breath. Finally, his gaze rested on her. “Smells like rosewood in the house. What’s Wren up to?”

  Even after all that had happened, she couldn’t help thinking he looked wonderful in the dark pants and light grey dress shirt he wore. The color really brought out his eyes. Without even realizing it, she moved closer. “What are you doing here?”

  Marcus slid off the bed to move toward her. Emily backed up and nearly fell over her own feet. He watched her with predatory eyes and moved within a breath of touching her. Marcus pulled a folded piece of yellowed paper from his hip pocket. “Give this to Wren.”

  Her gaze fell to the paper and the peculiar words scribbled on it. “What kind of spell is it?”

  “The kind that’ll heal her.” His thumb stroked across Emily’s cheek, a flicker of a smile lit his face. “That is, if she can read Latin.”

  More than anything, she wanted to kiss him. “I was afraid I'd never see you again.”

  His eyes darkened slightly. “I couldn't stay away.”

  Just what had she expected? A confession of love probably wasn't going to happen, but some sort of validation that he felt something was needed.

  Marcus wrapped her in his embrace, smothering her against him. His scent hinted of soap and leather. The pretty grey shirt was soft and comforting against her skin. She could stay like this forever.

  His mouth was a mere whisper from hers. Emily expected his lips to press against hers. She was disappointed when they didn’t.

  “What you do, how you feel, it affects me. We’ll share a bond for a short while.”

  She tilted her head back to look into his eyes. “The blood?”

  His lips brushed against her forehead. “We’re connected, Freckles.”

  Throwing caution and good sense to the wind, Emily's arms tightened around his waist. This time, he kissed her back. His hands brushed down her back and over the curve of her hip.

  After a moment, her head dropped against his chest and her shoulders drooped. Maybe it wasn’t too late to mend what was broken between them. Despite Isabella’s warning and her own denial, she couldn't ignore what she felt for him. Her fingers gripped the front of his shirt and she prayed her vampire would be able to make sense of the things rushing from her mouth.

  “I'm in love with you, Marcus. I think I have been since the first time I saw you. Can't you find it in your heart to forgive me?” She kissed his throat and jaw, breathing in his delicious scent.

  His gaze had darkened, but he said nothing in response.

  “Please say something.” She bit her bottom lip, just knowing she’d said way too much.

  “It's been a long time since I've felt anything remotely close to love.” He spoke against her hair in a low, measured voice. His hands stilled on her hips.

  This wasn’t going quite like she’d dreamed it would. “Marcus, I…”

  “Then I met you.”

  Her heart soared and giddy butterflies swirled low in her stomach.

  “Emily?” Scott called from the kitchen. “Everything okay in there?”

  “We're coming!” She seized one of Marcus's hands. “So what's next?”

  “First, we get this charm made. Then we have some making up to do.”

  Judging by the look he gave her, he'd much rather skip ahead to the making up. Emily stood on tiptoes and nipped his bottom lip. “I guess we'd better hurry them along then.”