Dark Promises(93)

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. She ducked her head to try to draw in deep breaths. Whatever these people were, no matter how beautiful their songs, how melancholy or sweet, they were powerful and dangerous. She wanted no part of that. She had a family. People she loved. People she protected. Whatever spell Fane had cast over her was gone. She was leaving. She’d sort out her head later. Way later, when she was on the long flight back to the United States.

Trixie felt heat at her back. Fane’s masculine scent enveloped her. When she drew in air, she drew in him. His scent. His presence. His hand went to the nape of her neck, his fingers gentle but insistent, holding her head down.

“Breathe, hän sívamak,” he said softly.

His voice wrapped her up in a cocoon of safety. A web of instant desire. His voice was low and so tender she could almost believe he cared. But she knew better. He had forced her silence. That wasn’t a caring thing to do. She refused to cry. She’d shed enough tears when she was fifteen and abandoned by her parents and her boyfriend. They’d knocked her down hard, but she’d stood back up. She didn’t understand why this blow felt as deep. As hurtful.

She drew in her breath. Even that was sharp and painful. She could taste him in her mouth. Feel him deep inside of her. She was such a fool. An old fool. She pressed her fingers to her eyes, trying to blink back the burn and ignore the way his fingers massaged her neck. He was so good at what he did. So practiced. She should have known better than to get played. To be seduced. How was she ever going to live with this memory without squirming in embarrassment?

“Stop it, Trixie,” he admonished. “You have no reason to be embarrassed. I am your lifemate. Of course you responded to me.”

She detested his voice. His touch. He managed to get inside her, pierce her every shield with those two things, and she wouldn’t allow it to happen again. Taking a last deep breath, she forced her body to straighten. She still had the magazine in her hand and as she raised up, she dropped the sleeping bag, rolled the magazine, took a step away from him, turned and attacked.

She hit him repeatedly, hoping to drive him backward. He didn’t move. Rock solid. He didn’t flinch. He was tall and the magazine hit him in his belly. She went for every man’s nightmare and her weapon bounced away from that area. So he was ready for her, protecting himself, trying to show his superiority by not moving. Big mistake. She jumped and went for his throat, jabbing.

He caught her wrist and twisted, drawing her close, easily removing the magazine from her hand and tossing it aside. She fought him. She was strong. He let her struggle, not doing much more than locking her to him, her back to his front. It was impossible to turn around, but she managed to strike a few blows with her heel right into his shin. The entire time she fought, she berated him, calling him the worst names she could think of, but he didn’t react to that either, nor did he silence her. He didn’t wince when her heels connected with his shin. He simply remained silent and stoic.

Eventually she wore herself out. Her breath came in ragged, shuddering gasps and she fought back tears, feeling helpless; she hung like a rag doll over his arm. The moment the fight went out of her, he drew her back against his body, one arm still locked around her waist. His free hand moved her hair from the back of her neck and he pressed his mouth there.

Trixie tried not to let his light touch affect her, but her body shivered. Fingers of desire crept slowly down her spine in a sneak assault.

“Hän sívamak, I know you are hurt and even afraid, but I could not allow you to place yourself in danger. Aleksei is incapable of harming his lifemate. They have already completed the ritual and he is safe. Still, he is extremely dangerous. We have worked hard to strike a balance here at the monastery. We do not engage in battle. Had Aleksei said or done anything against you that could be construed as an attack, I would have defended you and one of us would be killed. Our lifemate would be lost as well. It was simply easier to remove you from the situation in order to explain it to you when all parties were safe.”

His mouth moved against her ear. “I am sorry you were upset that you could not speak your mind. With me, you can speak it as much as you like. I find your attitude endearing and sexy, but Aleksei would not. He is . . . fighting demons. Even with his lifemate to balance him, he still has that darkness prevailing. Most of those who live here do. I would shield you from that danger.”

Trixie closed her eyes, trying not to hear him. Trying not to believe the sincerity in his voice. Trying not to let in the fact that she was so tight against him she could feel his large, very hard body imprinted against her. She didn’t want to feel how hard he was all over, let alone how his erection was pressed so tightly against her. It was all she could do not to rub against him. She hated herself for that.