Stefan's Salvation(39)

inevitable.

"How do you feel?" He kept his voice level, burying all emotion.

She shifted in his arms and her nose rubbed the hair on his chest. She'd thrown one

of her legs over his thighs while they'd slept and she shifted it ever so slightly, moving

it closer to his groin. His cock swelled and hardened immediately and he silently cursed

his unruly body. Now was not the time or the place for this, but he had little control

around this woman.

He took a deep breath and realized his mistake immediately as he breathed in her

sweet scent. She squirmed, trying to get comfortable, and he could feel the soft mound

of her breast pushing against his side, the hardened tip poking into him. He wanted to

roll her onto her back, mount her and fuck her slow and soft, then hard and fast,

making her come over and over until she screamed out his name.

Stefan shuddered and clamped his hand over her thigh to keep her leg still. Now

that they were both awake, it was time to talk. He savored the feeling of her body

snuggled close to his, filing away every single detail so that he could take it out and

relive it in the dark nights to come if this was the last moment they shared together.

Tightening his arm around her, he held her close to his beating heart. He was loath to

release her, but he was a Dalakis and a Dalakis did not shirk his duty.

He longed to kiss her, to taste her lips one more time. Instead, he gently lifted her

head off his chest and rolled out of bed in one quick motion. It was easier this way. He

heard the shuffling of covers behind him, sensed her confusion, but he ignored it as he

hauled on his jeans and boots. Snagging his shirt off the trunk at the foot of the bed, he

shrugged it on but didn't bother to button it as he turned toward her.

Laurel Rose sat against the headboard with her knees drawn up to her chest and

her arms wrapped around her legs. Her face was still pale, but she looked much better

than she had the night before. That relieved Stefan. The conversion had been hard on

her. The knot in his gut loosened slightly as he realized that she was on the road to

recovery.

Her fingers clenched the covers tight. "I'm feeling much better." A slight blush

tinged her cheeks as she looked away. "I'm sorry that you had to see me like that."

Stefan raked his hands through his hair as he stared at her incredulously. She was

embarrassed because she'd been sick in front of him. Why wasn't she yelling at him,

demanding explanations? He'd expected her anger and confusion, not embarrassment.

Two strides brought him back to her side and he sat down on the bed next to her.

Cupping her beloved face in his hands, he tipped it up so that she was forced to look at

him. "You have nothing to apologize for. It is my fault that you were ill." His thumbs

brushed her cheeks, and he marveled as always at the softness of her skin. "What do

you remember?"

Laurel Rose shrugged and tried to pull away, but he held her tight, not allowing her

to turn from him. "I remember everything. Or at least, I think I do." Her brows

furrowed and he smoothed out the lines with his thumb. "I remember the kidnapping

and what came after. I remember knowing I was dying and that you brought me back

to life." She paused and took a deep breath. "I'm like you now, aren't I? I have a vague

memory of you telling me that. I was so sick it was hard to concentrate on anything."

"Yes." Stefan would not flinch from the truth. She was his true mate, his woman,

his only love and he would not lie to her to make his life easier or to soothe his own

conscience. "I converted you without your permission. You were dying and I made the

choice for you."

Her hands came up to cover his where they cupped her cheeks. Stefan closed his

eyes against the pain that her simple action caused him. Her goodness shamed him.

Here he was telling her that he'd taken the choice of her life away from her and she was

comforting him. Her touch was unbearable, reminding him of the monster he truly was

to sentence a beautiful soul like hers to the darkness, to tether her life to his for all

eternity.

Stefan pulled away from her and her hands fell back against the mattress. Drawing

a deep breath, he closed his mind to everything but his duty. She was his now and he

would protect her, even from himself if necessary. She needed time and space to think

and to decide how she wanted her life to proceed from this moment forward. He'd

taken one choice from her, and now it was her turn to decide both their fates.

Standing, he stared down at the woman gazing up at him from beneath the mound

of blankets. She was so much smaller than him and incredibly delicate compared to his

massive size and strength. Yet she had never once flinched from him or backed down in

an argument. She possessed a core of steel, a strength of will that constantly amazed

him.

"You will find that your psychic powers and your physical senses have increased.

The only reason you have not been bombarded with the sights and sounds is because

you possess a natural barrier already, one that you've built over the years to protect

yourself. If you practice strengthening it daily, you will be fine. Your sight, your

hearing and your physical strength have all increased. You will be faster and stronger

than you can even imagine." He paused, but she said nothing.

He began to pace the room. He paused in front of her dresser and absently picked

up her hairbrush and traced his fingers over the bristles. His cock flexed and strained

against the front of his jeans as sweet memories bombarded him. Swearing under his

breath, he tossed it down and swung back toward her.

"No one will bother you again. The threat to you and your land is gone." Crossing

his arms over his chest, he glared at her, daring her to argue with him. "I have money.

You will never want for anything." It was his right to take care of her.

"I don't need your money." Her voice was tight with anger as she glared at him, her

dark blue eyes blazing.

He growled, furious at himself for broaching the subject so crudely and at her for

her refusal to allow him to provide for her. "I will teach you the extent of your new

powers, teach you how to survive."

"Don't put yourself out. I can take care of myself." She turned away from him,

pulling the covers closer around her body and staring at the wall.

The pain in his chest was almost overwhelming. It seemed that she didn't need him

for anything. Didn't want him for anything. He had to get out before he made a fool of

himself and fell to his knees, begging her to let him stay in her life.

He strode toward the door. "If you need anything. Anything at all." His voice

threatened to break and he swallowed back the rising emotion. The further away he got

from Laurel Rose, the harder it became for him to breathe. Pausing in the doorway, he

leaned against the frame for support, but he didn't look back. "All you have to do is

think of me and I will be there for you."

Not waiting for an answer, he pounded down the stairs and burst out into the

night. Ripping the clothing from his body, he shifted as he leapt from the back steps. By

the time he landed, the man was gone, replaced by a large, shaggy wolf who tipped

back his head and released his sorrowful cry into the night. And then he ran. Racing

through the woods, he sought some relief from the pain that burned in his soul.



Chapter Twenty-Six



Laurel Rose stared at the wall, unable to believe what she was hearing. Stefan stood

there, his expression unreadable and his eyes colder than she'd ever seen them. He was

blocking his thoughts from her, making it impossible for her to pick up even the

slightest inkling of what he was truly feeling. Shivering, she wrapped the blankets

tighter around her body. He was offering her money. Money! She didn't need money.

She needed him to wrap his arms around her and tell her that he cared for her, that they

would be together forever. Instead, he was offering to teach her how to survive.

She heard herself replying to him. "Don't put yourself out. I can take care of

myself."

She felt cold inside. Cold and dead. She almost wished he'd let her die. But that

wasn't what had happened and Laurel Rose knew she would do what she'd always

done.

She would survive.

His parting words washed over her. Laurel Rose bit her lip to keep from begging

him not to leave. She felt as if her soul was shriveling up inside her. She only prayed

that he left before she broke down totally. Swallowing back her tears, she said nothing,

hoping he'd make a clean break of it and leave quickly.

She would let Stefan go without a scene, without any drama. He'd already given

her so much in their short time together. He'd taught her that she was beautiful and had

shown her that lovemaking could be breathtaking and special between two people who

cared for each other. She didn't doubt that he felt some affection for her. His every

action had shown her that and she trusted her own instincts.

Yes, he'd talked of her being his only love and of her being the only woman for

him, but that was far different than expecting to spend eternity with someone. The man

had come to her rescue and saved her life. She would not ask him for more. If he

wanted to leave, all she could do was make it easy for him to do so.

The pounding of his footsteps were still echoing in the house when the back door

slammed open and he was gone. She could feel the emptiness, the void that now existed