Bite, My Love (17 page)

“
I offered to end her pain.
I think she would have said yes, in the end, but Ben came for her.”
He heaves a sigh. “Fate is cruel. It offers what I desire most, a
false promise of happiness.”

The room drops in temperature. The
light seems to flicker and darken. Daniel’s emotions are so intense
I feel the atmosphere thicken with dread.

My wolf shivers, wary of the predatory
shift in the Vampire.

“
When will it be? Tell me,
Princess.”

Sensing danger, I tense at this hushed
mention of my title, something I didn’t think he’d ever acknowledge
let alone call me. “What?”

“
How much time will pass
before you resent what I am?”

“
And what are
you?”

“
A demon with venomous
blood.” He leans forward, aggressive. “How long before words of
devotion from me make you ill.”

“
I don’t get it. Why assume
things will end badly?”

He rakes both hands through his hair.
“This won’t work.”

“
I know you’re worried
because we’re different, but it doesn’t matter. Not if we don’t
want it to.”

“
I’m cursed.”

I growl warningly.

“
How long before you hate
me for damning your soul?” He shouts. His bellows are tormented and
harsh. “How many years will you withstand before you covet death
just to be free of me?”

“
You’re scaring
me.”

“
About time.”

“
This doesn’t have to be
complicated. Talk to me.”

“
I am.” He cuts the air
with a violent swipe. “You’re not hearing me. This thing between us
would lessen if you stopped accepting it.”

“
You want me to fight it?”
I thrust out my chin. “I will if you will.”

“
I am.”

“
Then why am I here?” I
stamp my foot, childish, but it gets my point across. “You act so
high and mighty when you’re just as sucked in as I am. Why did you
wait for me back on the hunting grounds?”

“
Curiosity.”

“
Why bring me
here?”

“
Convenient.”

“
It was convenient to bring
me back to Castle when you’d been beaten and drained near death by
the family you’d betrayed?”

“
You
forced
me to bring you here.”

“
Yeah, you’re a slave to my
whims.”

He hisses in frustration. “I don’t
expect you to understand.”

“
What is
wrong
with you?”

He grabs my arms and shakes me
violently. “I am protecting you.”

“
From what
?”

‘
Me. Everything I touch
bleeds black.’

Suffering, I shove him away and falter
in the slippery tub. I sway back dangerously off balance. Daniel
yanks on my arm and sweeps me into his chest. Both our hearts beat
fast, chests lifting and falling in tempo.

The adrenaline coursing a fiery path
through my veins makes me nauseous.

Daniel’s strenuous grip loosens. “It
would be a lie to ask forgiveness.” He is grave in solemnity. “This
is who I am.”

Holding me too him, he leaves the
bathroom and strides the length of the fire lit
corridor.

This is an odd way to be held – kind of
like an overgrown toddler on his hip as his arm secures my
waist.

Options, Harmony?

Scream my lungs out, scratch at his
eyes until he releases me, and run away baying in
terror?

Where would that leave me?

Going out into the world by myself has
no appeal. Lone wolves are rare, and I’m definitely a Pack animal.
I want freedom, but I want to have a family close by too. Going
home with my tail between my legs is worse than being alone. I’d be
publically reprimanded and humiliated.

Daddy would give me to his
Beta.

He’d have no choice.

As Daniel said, this is who he is. The
darkness is a part of him. He’s older than I can fathom, and has a
broader understanding of life. Accepting who he is the only way
I’ll get what I truly want.

I’m not exactly a walk in the park
either. I’m pushy and demanding, presumptuous, and erratic. There
are times I’m painfully immature in comparison to Daniel. Yet he’s
willing to deal with that. He may believe tomorrow I’ll succumb to
my wolf instincts, but he’s never suggested he doesn’t want me
despite my flaws.

“
I don’t want to sleep.” My
voice is a bit high with lingering panic. “Can we go
downstairs?”

“
We will not be
sleeping.”

I recognise the pictures on the wall. I
explored Castle when he left me for those two days. We’re heading
towards the guest room I slept in. “Do you have your own room
here?”

“
I do not go there
anymore.”

It’s on the tip on my tongue to ask
why, but he would’ve told me if he was ready to offer an
explanation. I’m thinking that just for tonight, I’ll no longer
push him.

He kicks the bedroom door closed with
the heel of his shoe, and walks over to the bed. The linen is
rumpled from my restless nap when I feared for his safety during
the day.

Setting me down on the edge, he
stands at the foot of the bed.
‘I bleed inside. Your soul calls to
mine.’

‘
Sexy, that’s a good thing. The
need to connect with me, not the bleeding, that is.’

‘
Each glimpse of what we might
have shared had I been a better man cuts deeply. Unrivalled like
this I cannot find the strength to leave you.’
Keeping eye contact, he
unbuttons his shirt. The dark fabric exposes inch by delicious inch
of radiant pale flesh.
‘Please. Touch me.’

Stubborn to the end, he keeps saying
goodbye. I clasp his hips and press my face into his stomach. “I
don’t know what you need from me. All I can do is be myself and
hope you’ll be happy. One day you’ll realise I’ve chosen not to
fight my wolf because I want a future with you.”

“
I’m afraid.”

“
Why?” I cock my head. “Is
it because I bite back?”

Eyes widening, he grins.

I push the shirt from his shoulders and
lick the base of his throat. The blood in his veins sings to me.
Breathless, I lick him harder, my tongue rasping. I score my nails
down his back and my eyes burn.

Daniel fists a hand in my hair. The
other digs into my waist until it hurts.

When he looks into my face, he
jolts.

“
Your eyes,” he breathes.
“They’re like mine.” His face twists in anguish then a savage kind
of satisfaction replaces it. “Maybe we’ll both find the strength to
survive what must be done.”

“
You’re hungry.” I bare my
throat in submission. “Bite, my love.”

Pushed to the edge of desperation,
Daniel shoves his hips between my legs and sinks his teeth into my
neck, piercing my heart and body.

Head flung back I groan, tumbling into
ecstasy.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

En
passant? I call it cheating. I’m down a knight, my bishop is cut
off from home, and Lord, my queen bit the dust three moves
ago.

Somehow
my opponent is sitting pretty with all but one of his pieces. I
cradle the black pawn in my palm. The dark king jumps two squares
on Daniel’s original rank then the rook takes up residence beside
him.

“
You can’t move two pieces at once, and you can’t jump over
your own piece either.”

“
Castling, sweetling.”

“
I don’t give a shit what it’s called. You never said you
could do that.”

His lips
twitch. “So you don’t know how to play.”

“
I
do.
I
don’t know what you’re doing. I think you’re confused.”

“
I am a Grandmaster.”

“
That means squat to me. You’re
cheating
.”

He leans
forward. “Stop stalling.”

Grunting,
I roll the smooth head of the pawn over my bottom lip. “I’m
stuck.”

Drumming
his fingers on the table, Daniel rubs his mouth. “I see two moves
where you will evade me.”

I study
the board then him. “I don’t want to play anymore.”

Rubbing
the lower half of his face to hide an infuriatingly smug grin, he
shakes his head. “You must learn strategy and tactics. They are
fundamental to life.”

I slouch
and look at Ben and Lee for help.

They’re
entwined and still arguing considering the occasional hiss or growl
that escapes from their otherwise silent forms.

Sensing
my gaze, Lee turns her head to break Ben’s eye contact, jaw jutting
stubbornly.

Ben sighs
and peers curiously at our game. His dark eyes roam over the
chequered board, a stunning creation of lacquered cherry wood on an
antique table. His expression alone tells I’m getting my ass
kicked. “Daniel gave me that board as a gift then tortured me with
it for decades. I’ve never won. From what I see in four moves he’ll
have checkmate.”

Daniel
clucks. “You stole my fun.”

Defiant,
my forefinger flicks the pale king. He topples over. “Next time
I’ll win.”

Ben’s
laughter is a treble bass. He claps, delighted at my
cockiness.

Daniel
glowers as he leans into the armchair. He’s dressed in edgy
sophistication, a crisp white shirt, tailored trousers and a
misanthropic face. It’s armour he wears to feel in control. “I wish
I’d get to see that.”

The stool cushioning my ass knocks over as I lurch onto my
feet. “For God’s sake, Daniel.” I stamp my bare foot. “Stop acting
as if you see the future. The test will change nothing.
I am your mate.
”

“
You’re going?” Lee is alarmed. “Harmony, it’ll be impossible
for your wolf to do anything but submit to such a strong male
Lycan. Aren’t you worried?”

“
Terrified.”

She moves
to stand at my side. The blanket covering her falls to the floor in
a soft pile of wool. “Why are you making her to do
this?”

“
Love, we have no right to interfere.” Ben holds out his hand.
“This is Lycan tradition. An arranged marriage by her
Alpha.”

“
This is
not
an arranged marriage.” She ignores the offered hand. “It’s a
forced one. Harmony won’t be given a choice, Ben. It’s tantamount
to rape.” Ben tries to wrap the fallen blanket around her shoulders
and she slaps at his hands. “Stop fussing. Daniel what the hell do
you think you’re playing at? You asked for privacy, I gave it to
you, but I didn’t think you’d convince her to do this.”

Crossing
his legs, Daniel holds out his hand. “I’m fixing the mess I made.
You wanted this.”

“
Not like this. I’d never ask this of you. I’ve forgiven you.”
Lee touches Ben’s chest. “We both have. We’ll solve this problem
together. Sacrificing your Bride isn’t something to be
considered.”

Daniel’s
eyes close. “I have no desire to cause trouble between you and your
Bride. Not anymore.”

Ben’s
grimace stretches the muscles of his face to the limit. “I
know.”

“
Do you agree with her? Should I not seek to mend what was
broken when I killed the Lycan? Should I not sacrifice my happiness
by returning what I took, and avoid subjecting my family to a time
of darkness, the killing of innocence, and the futility of
war?”

Staring
at Ben, Lee shakes her head angrily when his expression creases in
condolence. She moves away when he tries to hold her. He catches
her wrist. “Listen to me, Cecilie. I’m worried enough you carry my
baby. If there’s war you become a target. You’re the youngest of
us, and as the Child the weakest. We would kill to protect you.” He
gathers her in his arms and rests his cheek on her head. “Will you
stand by this decision as I wash away the blood of the Lycans
massacred to keep you safe?”

Despite
the mention of blood, she looks ill. “The Alpha talked peace with
Daniel. He can again with me.”

Ben and
Daniel share a deep look over the top of Lee’s head.

I understand. At the time of Daniel’s story my confusion over
how he’d gotten out of the hunting grounds safely,
again
, surprised
me.

Sensing there’s something she’s missing, Lee reads our
thoughts. I
feel
her power sweep over the room. Should I be feeling her like
that? Like she is
my
queen with every right to burrow into my mind, and take
whatever she fancies?

Picking
the answer to the unasked question she tugs the blanket from Ben to
hug it to her chest. Her face crumples. “Oh. I see.” Feet dragging
until she reaches the sofa she sits heavily.

“
I killed no one–” Daniel rubs the back of his neck. “–but it
was brutal. After the deal was made I left without a problem, but
to get before him I used battle fury I’ve not felt in years. I …
what’s wrong?”