by Alison Paige
Morrigan began to pace in front of him, even as his vision grew dark and his breaths became more and more shallow.
“Damnit, Akram. You always think you know me better than I know myself. You’re so sure you know what I want better than I do. Men. You’re not always right, you know.”
He wanted to argue, but his eyes were simply too heavy to keep from closing, and forcing his lungs open again took everything he had. The room went silent.
“Take him, Akram.” Morrigan shook the host’s shoulder, refusing to believe it was too late, that she’d taken too long flying out to the hospital for the criminally insane and back again with a new host. Akram was still in there. He had to be.
The demon’s eyes fluttered, the golden color so faint she could hardly see it. She made the hulking body of the murderer kneel before Akram’s chair, pushed his shoulder so he leaned in, ready for the kiss. The blackguard had used an insanity plea to avoid the death sentence.
Morrigan was happy to give him another way to make amends for his crimes. “Please, Akram. Take this host.”
Akram’s brow furrowed. He tried to shake his head, but couldn’t seem to even manage that.
“I’m staying,” she said.
His mouth moved to form the words “You’re free,” though he made no sound.
“I know. And with this soul, my duty to you is fulfilled,” she said. “I’m still staying. That’s what love is, Akram. Staying because you want to, not because you have to and putting the other’s needs above your own.”
Akram’s brow creased, his dull eyes studying her. His gaze shifted to the stupefied new host and he lifted his chin as though he’d take the kiss. Morrigan pushed the new host closer until their mouths touched. It took only a moment. Akram’s lips broke the kiss an instant before the old body disintegrated.
Morrigan’s gaze shifted automatically to the back of Akram’s new neck. The sight of smooth, freckled flesh beneath the short line of hair brought a smile to her lips. No Raven mark. A tension she hadn’t known was there eased from her shoulders.
Akram got to his feet, his hands smoothing down his chest, straightening the gray hospital shirt. He tugged the elastic band of his matching pants, turning to face her, shying from her steady gaze.
“You’ll stay?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Why did you free me before I’d fulfilled my duty?”
“Love?” He made it a question.
His uncertainty brought a smile to her lips. “You’ve got a lot to learn about emotions. Love’s the easy answer. The hard part is going to be figuring out which one of us calls the shots now.”
Akram laughed. Not the fake laugh he did to pass as human. Not the reserved laugh of a demon unused to emotion. But a full-on belly laugh that worked its way up from his toes, filling him until it had nowhere to go but into a shoulder-rocking, tear-jerking riot.
The emotion died slow, naturally, and he pulled her into his arms. “My sweet, sweet, Raven. Don’t you know? You rule me. You always have. And I think it best we keep the status quo.”
She looped her arms around his neck. “Yeah. I like that. I like that a lot.”
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ISBN: 978-1-4268-3985-6
Raven
Copyright © 2009 by Paige Cuccaro
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Índice
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE