by Leia Shaw
She pushed away from him. With her eyes squeezed shut she rubbed her forehead. “This is so wrong.”
“No, Aila. There’s never been anything so right.” At her panicked expression he stopped himself. Slow down, Marcelo. You’re scaring her. “You’re beautiful, Aila. You can’t fault me for wanting to kiss you.”
“I’m not a cheater.”
“You’re still worried about your boyfriend?” This pathetic human accounted for too much of her resistance to her true mate. The longer the human lurked in the corners of her mind, the more Marcelo’s temper would flare.
“Well, I can’t just pretend he doesn’t exist, can I?”
He shrugged, which seemed to provoke her temper.
“I know you don’t value human life, but I do!”
The fury he’d been repressing rose to the surface. She was his. No one else’s. He reached for her but with fae grace she skirted away. But he was faster. He locked an arm around her torso and swiped her phone from her pocket.
“Call him,” he ordered when he released her. “Tell him you can no longer see him.”
Her nostrils flared as she clenched her fists and yelled, “That’s not your decision to make! It’s my relationship, so butt out!”
He growled low in his throat. All he wanted to do was strip her, throw her to the ground, and claim her so everyone would know she was his. So she would know.
Calm yourself, Marcelo. You’re going to push her away. He took a deep breath and released it slowly, forcing the fury to wane. “You’re right, querida. I apologize.” He handed her the phone and picked up the bag of food. “Eat something.” At her glower he added, “Please.”
She took the bag from his hand, her icy glare melting.
“I’m going to collect wood to make a fire.” He started to walk away then stopped and spun around to face her. “Don’t judge me by a few harsh words, Aila. I’ll always lack refinement. It’s the actions that matter.”
***
And exactly what might those actions be, she wanted to yell after him. Bossing her around? Stealing her phone, twice! Forcing her into uncomfortable situations? Kissing the hell out of her?
Damn it! He was a good kisser.
Marcelo had a fire roaring in no time. She was grateful and told him so as she scooted close to the heat to get comfortable.
“Get some sleep,” Marcelo told her. “I’ll keep watch.”
“Sleep?” she gasped. “On the ground?”
He leaned back against the tree, his legs out in front, his arms relaxed on his lap. Easy for him to tell her to sleep on the ground. He was the epitome of a night creature.
He didn’t answer her question, just stared in that annoying, condescending way. Yes, on the ground, genius, his eyes said. Where else?
“But…” she scrunched her nose in disgust, “there are creatures around.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m a vampire. I eat creatures for breakfast.”
She shook her head. “One word. Centipedes. Nothing should have that many legs. Nothing.”
A deep chuckle rumbled through him. It was so sexy she almost forgot about her fears.
“Damn it! You’re not going to distract me from the centipedes!” she yelled.
He laughed out loud, his shoulders shaking as the last of the snickers faded. She crossed her arms and gave him a look that said, I’m not amused by your amusement.
“Come, Aila,” he beckoned with arms stretched out wide. “It’s warm over here.”
He meant for her to do what…cuddle? With a vampire?
When she merely raised an eyebrow he added, “I promise not to bite.” Then he grinned in that predatory way. It didn’t have the effect she thought he wanted.
She lifted her chin. “No thank you. I’ll be fine by myself.” She began piling leaves into a makeshift bed.
“Am I so bad?” he asked.
She ignored him.
“I’ve got to be more comfortable than the ground. Will you not put aside your pride and get some decent rest?”
More comfortable? Rubbing up against the hottest body she’d ever seen all night long? I think not! No, another excuse for them to touch was dangerous, especially since she was starting to crave it.
She looked down at her lame-ass bed. It was crunchy. And probably filled with centipedes. Chills raced down her spine and she shuddered. Resting against the tree Marcelo waited patiently. The warm glow from the fire shadowed his face, creating harsh lines along his cheeks and jaw. His dark hair disappeared into the blackness of the tree trunk behind him. Only the whites of his eyes stood out against the stark night. Even though she could only see that much of him, he was a vision of strength. His body a fine-tuned machine created to destroy and protect. She knew, without a doubt, that within his embrace, nothing could touch her.
A long put-out sigh escaped her lips. Why fight it? He was definitely more comfortable than the ground. And warmer than her crunchy bed. When she looked at him again, he didn’t wear an arrogant grin like she thought he would. Instead he looked…hopeful? Was he holding his breath…hoping she would go to him?
She did. Pure male satisfaction radiated from his body as he pulled her into the crook of his arm.
“That’s it,” he said softly when she relaxed against him. Wrapped in his warmth, surrounded by his comforting scent, she couldn’t hold back a contented sigh. He stroked her hair and her eyelids grew heavy. A girl could get used to this.
Everything faded except for the steady beat of his heart and the rise and fall of his chest. Right before she fell asleep, she thought she heard him say, “Te adoro, mi corazón.” Then he planted a kiss on the top of her head.
Chapter 10
The following day brought sunshine and temperatures high for the elevation of a mountain range. They spent the day walking. No, trudging. But Aila’s endurance was astounding. Marcelo had been a task master, pushing her along at a rigorous pace, yet making her eat every hour. He’d earned a scowl, several eye rolls, and a few harsh words because of his relentlessness.
Other than that, he was surprisingly pleasant company. Aila blabbered on and on about whatever amused her, earning a chuckle from the vampire every now and then. Once in a while he would stop and point something out – an animal trail, a scent or a sound. He’d said he was teaching her how to track. She couldn’t think of a single reason why she needed to learn it. Did he think she would be going hunting anytime soon? Not a chance. She had sobbed at the end ofBambi like a baby. But she’d paid attention to his lessons just to satisfy him. She found she liked pleasing him. And that was disturbing.
After the kiss the night before, then having slept in Marcelo’s arms, Aila was pretty sure she was officially cheating on Jimmy. Even worse, she had enjoyed it. The right thing to do was stop all physical interaction with Marcelo, confess to Jimmy, then attempt to restart their relationship. But then why did the idea of it cause her chest to tighten in panic? Aila never had trouble finding boyfriends, but she’d never been the center of a love triangle either. Not sure how to proceed, she settled on what was in her nature – a logical weighing of the pros and cons.
I can’t believe I’m doing this. She sighed then started with Marcelo. Pros: He could take care of her, but even better, he was teaching her how to take care of herself. He had a wicked sense of humor and was a good listener. Could kill a person with one hand and no remorse…would that go under pros or cons? We’ll say both. Cons: Must ingest blood to live. Prone to violent, murderous rampages when threatened. Overprotective and overbearing, but, she rationalized, he’d come from a time long before women’s lib.
Now for Jimmy. Pros: Not a violent, murderous vampire. Ate normal human food. He could take care of her. He was nice. Cons: He couldn’t kill a person with one hand…or two. He wasn’t Marcelo.
With another sigh, she trudged on. Maybe I should pluck daisy petals.
As dusk settled over the forest, Marcelo stopped them for the night. Aila insisted she was in good shape to keep g
oing but he wouldn’t budge on the issue. Sitting on the ground pressed up against a tree trunk, she took off her boots. The first brush of fresh air on her feet felt like heaven.
“Time for your first training session,” Marcelo said.
“Training? I thought we did that with the animal prints and stuff.”
“That was tracking. Now you need to learn how to defend yourself.” He motioned for her to stand.
She didn’t move. “You mean fighting? I’m generally a non-violent person.”
“Not an option. You’re part of our world now.” The look he gave her was stark and grave. “And it’s a bloody one.” He waved her forward again. “Come on. Get up.”
With a sigh she rose to her aching feet and faced him.
“You’ve already got some fighting instinct. It’s in your blood. You just need to focus it.” She snorted in disbelief, but he kept going. “Evade first, then we’ll work on striking. Ready?”
“For what?”
Without warning he swung at her. She ducked. He’d said she had natural instinct, he was right. He attempted a sweep with his foot, she jumped over it. Whoa! He smirked then struck again. She twisted away. Her blood really did have some magical quality to it.
Whatever it is…it’s freakin’ awesome! Every time he struck, she avoided his blow. Just as soon as she’d started to feel invincible, she blinked and was restrained in his arms with his lips at her ear.
“Your heart, querida. You must protect your heart.” Abruptly he released her then struck at her again.
Dodging him, she said, “But I thought I could only be killed by decapitation.” She cringed when she said it. That was not a pleasant visual.
Instead of answering he tried to hit her chest with the side of his hand like a karate chop. She jumped back.
“Not the fae,” he said. Strike, dodge. “Your heart is vulnerable. If it stops beating, it will not heal.”
Strike, dodge. He was purposefully aiming for her chest. “Well that’s not fair.”
“Doesn’t have to be fair. The gods make the rules, not us.” He stopped for a moment and stared at her. “And they can be some sick motherfuckers.” He struck at her again and she dodged him. He gave her a satisfied smile before explaining, “Never confuse the mythological gods with the Christian God, Aila. There’s no such thing as purely good and purely evil. And the gods aren’t always on your side.”
She relaxed her stance. “You don’t have to tell me that. I learned it a long time ago.”
Then he lunged, aiming another strike at her chest. But she had let her guard down. He hit her with the heel of his hand. Not hard, but enough to take her breath away.
“Ow!” she complained, rubbing her chest. She cast him a dirty look.
He shrugged. “Tough love. Better a bruise now than death later.” He looked ruthless, cruel, and hard. Not like the sweet, teasing vampire she’d come to know.
Then he glided towards her, his demeanor softening with each step. His hand brushed across her cheek as his gaze drifted down to her chest. He pulled the fabric of her shirt to expose her sternum. Chills raced down her spine, her breath came out in shaky waves. Slowly he bent down, his lips hovering over her skin.
“Wait,” she breathed.
He stopped while she hurriedly unclasped her necklace and shoved it into his jeans pocket.
“Will you keep it safe for me?”
He merely nodded, but his eyes were brimming with pride. Then his lips skated across her skin where he’d hit her, kissing every inch of her chest, then lingering above each breast.
She cleared her throat. Marcelo froze; his lips inches from her breasts, his breath heating her skin. Her nipples hardened under her shirt, begging for attention. She should have stepped away, but her libido seemed to have taken control of her good sense. Finally, after what felt like forever, he lifted his head, brushed his lips across hers, and then walked away.
“Good job,” he said in approval.
She wasn’t sure if he meant the fighting or resisting his touch or having nice breasts. But it didn’t matter. He was back in training mode. Meanwhile she was still trembling from his touch.
“Now fight back. Ready?”
She gave her head a shake to clear the fog. “That’s it? You’re not going to show me? Just…ready?”
He shrugged. “Not much to it. Just try to hurt me. With your fist, your legs, your claws, your head, anything.” He crouched into an offensive position. “Don’t hold back. And don’t be afraid to fight dirty.”
She put her hands up. “Wait, wait, wait.”
“No waiting. Just do.”
Then he went at her. She blocked him again and again, but when she’d seen an opening to strike, she didn’t take it.
“You’re not fighting back.” Before she could explain, he said, “I know you see the openings so don’t even try to tell me you don’t. Why do you hesitate?”
She cringed. “I don’t know. I told you I’m just not a violent person. I’m much better with my mouth.”
His brows shot up in shock then he grinned.
Good one, Aila. She sighed and shook her head. “You know what I mean.”
The amusement only lasted a moment. “Aila, there are people in this world that will kill you just for what you are.”
She flinched.
“You must become a violent person to survive. I won’t have your safety risked simply because you were ill-prepared. Focus. Find that spark of fae that thirsts for blood. I know it’s in there.”
She nodded, but didn’t agree with him on that account. She would never be a bloodthirsty monster. Not like him.
“Let’s go again,” he said crouching down like a ninja. “If you see an opening, take it. Don’t hesitate.”
They sparred for a few solid minutes. Again she saw the opportunity to strike, and again she faltered. Less than a second later, Marcelo had her arms behind her back and his mouth at her throat.
“You hesitated,” he said in her ear. Something sharp grazed across the sensitive skin of her neck. “Don’t do it again.” It was a velvety command that, combined with the sting of the fangs, made her shiver with excitement. If he thought the fangs were going to scare her, he couldn’t have been more wrong. Lord help me! They turn me on!
When he released her, he struck again and she darted between the blows. She saw the opening – he very purposefully left himself open for a long moment – yet she couldn’t bring herself to strike him. Until…
“Ow!” she cried when he smacked her on the ass.
“Don’t hesitate,” he told her firmly.
She growled and cast him an icy glare. Next round she wavered again and he slapped her ass harder.
“Hey! You’re going to wish you didn’t do that.”
“I don’t think so, hadita,” he said with a mocking grin. “I rather like touching your adorable backside. I’d like it even more if it were naked in my palms while I pleasure you with my mouth.” She gasped and he laughed out loud. “Don’t look so innocent. I know you’re attracted to me.”
Fists clenched in anger – and embarrassment – she asked, “What makes you think that?”
“Oh, I don’t know. It might have something to do with the way your tongue was prodding my tonsils yesterday.” His eyes smoldered with wicked amusement.
He was goading her. Her upper lip curled into a sneer as she tipped her chin up in determination. They sparred again. This time, at the first opportunity, she punched him square in the nose. He staggered back a few steps and she grinned. Until she saw blood pour down his chin.
“Oh my God!” She ran to him. “I’m so sorry!”
He swiped his arm across his bloody nose and mouth. “Don’t apologize.”
“But I –”
“Don’t,” he grabbed her wrist when she reached out to touch him, “apologize. Do I need to smack that into your pretty little ass too?” At first she thought he was angry with her, but his eyes gave him away. They were twinkling with laugh
ter.
She pulled away. “No. I get the point.”
By the end of the evening she was covered in sweat and Marcelo was covered in blood. She’d learned her claws were very efficient weapons. She’d even bit him at one point, puncturing his skin when he’d had her around the throat. She had apologized frantically, afraid she’d really hurt him, but he laughed and said he’d had rougher foreplay. Oddly, she had felt a twinge of jealousy at the thought.
Now nightfall approached.
“I’m so sweaty,” Aila said, pushing her sticky hair back from her face. “I could totally go for a shower right about now.” Actually, she’d commit petty crime just for a stick of deodorant. Just because she was becoming more comfortable with nature, didn’t mean she wanted to smell like it.
“No shower,” Marcelo said. “But there’s a bath.”
“A bath?” She looked behind her, then back to Marcelo. “You mean the lake? No way.”
Marcelo had situated them less than a football field’s length from a small lake with crisp, clear water. She’d wanted to wade her aching feet through the cool water all afternoon. But that was before the sun had set.
“Why not?” Marcelo said with a shrug. “I’ll bet the water’s warm after a day like today.” A shameless grin stretched across his face. He was likely imagining her skinny dipping. His eyes, half hooded, dropped down to her breasts then slowly grazed over the rest of her. Suddenly she could see it. Slipping her off clothes and ducking into the cool water, watching Marcelo do the same –
Oh great, now I’mimagining himskinny dipping. She gave her head a firm shake. “In the dark? Nuh-uh. I don’t do creepy crawlies.”
He tossed her a condescending smirk. “Don’t tell me my little fae warrior is scared of a few fish.”
“And snakes.”
With one big step he spanned the distance between them. His eyes darkened as they flickered across her face. “Believe me, querida, with what I have planned for you, I guarantee you will think of nothing but me.”