Darkest Risings (19 page)

Marilena
sighed and hung her head. “I know where Uriah’s
viata amant
is. I’ve had her for several years now. She is
Wilhemina’s sister. That is why Wilhemina seems familiar to Uriah. It is his
instincts reacting to her because she is connected to his mate.”

“How
could you?” Uriah stood straight.

“I
had to make sure there was no possibility of you two ever meeting,” Marilena
sobbed.

“Let
me get this straight. Not only did you keep our brother a prisoner since his
birth and lie to us about our father, but you have also kept his
viata amant
a prisoner?” Ashe questioned
in a disgusted tone.

“What
the hell does Wilhemina think happened to her sister?” Aldin asked.

“As
far as she knows, Lindsey disappeared several years ago after her car broke
down while she was on her way to enroll in college. She doesn’t know what
happened as there have never been any reliable leads.”

Aldin
stared down at Wilhemina. Her jaw was already black and blue and her eye was
nearly swollen shut. His heart ached for the pain she must have endured over
her sister’s disappearance. “How am I supposed to explain to her that my mother
is the reason she hasn’t seen her sister for years? How do I begin to make her
comprehend the reasons behind it? How will she ever be able to forgive me for
being the son of the woman who caused her so much misery? She will hate me, and
I won’t blame her.”

“No.
She will not hate you. She will hate me, but she will not hold my actions
against you. No life mate of any of my sons would do such a thing.”

“I
hope you are right, Mother.” Aldin shifted Wilhemina so she rested against his
chest. “Because if you are wrong, I will never speak to you again. I will never
forgive you.” He turned to make his way to his room, but stopped at the foot of
the stairs and turned back around. “Get her sister here. I don’t care how you
do it, just get her here.” He didn’t wait for his mother’s response before
turning back to the stairs.

When
he got to his room, he eased Wilhemina onto his bed. He cupped her swollen
cheek and gently kissed her. He could help her injuries heal quicker than
normal, and while he didn’t wish for her to be unconscious, he was glad he
wouldn’t have to explain to her why he was about to lick her bruised face.

If
she hadn’t been slightly turned to the side when Uriah hit her, if she had
taken a direct hit to the face, she might have died from the blow. He swallowed
hard. He couldn’t fathom the thought of her dying. Was his mother right,
though? Would Wilhemina withhold blame from him when she found out what
Marilena had done?

He
hoped because he was beginning to realize that no matter how much better
Wilhemina deserved than being stuck with him, his ability to let her go was
long past. Even if he could miraculously muster up the strength to somehow walk
away from her, he’d never be able to sit back and allow another man to touch
her. He groaned and closed his eyes as rage washed through him. He’d kill any
man who laid a finger on her. She was his. True, she hadn’t seen him shielded,
which would prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was his mate, but he
didn’t need that last bit of proof.
 

If he
was honest with himself, he’d known from the first moment he’d laid eyes on her
that she was his mate. He’d been drawn to her for some unexplainable reason.
The pull had been impossible to refuse. She was his, he was hers, and he’d have
to figure out how to subdue his dominant nature where sex was concerned. He’d
somehow find a way to become the gentle lover she deserved.

Wilhemina
didn’t dare open her eyes for fear her head might explode. She groaned softly
and flinched when something cold settled against her cheek.

“Don’t
worry, Wilhemina. You’re going to be fine.”

Aldin’s
silky smooth voice instantly comforted her. She kept her eyes closed and
reached up to remove what she determined to be an ice pack from her face.
Memories of the awful fight between Aldin and Uriah and her stupidity rushed
her.
Note to self: Never jump between two
men who are fighting.

She
was certain Uriah hadn’t meant to hit her, but that information didn’t make the
pain in her face one bit better. She carefully felt her cheek and jaw,
surprised that it wasn’t more swollen than it was. Maybe he hadn’t hit her
quite as hard as she imagined. Maybe he’d just rung her bell good.

She
winced. Nope. Her memory was crystal clear on how hard he’d hit her. She
thought he’d broken at least her jaw and possibly her cheekbone, yet even as
sore as she was, she didn’t think she was in enough pain to account for broken
bones. Long, warm fingers wrapped around her hand, pulled it from her face, and
she finally worked up enough courage to open her eyes. She immediately sighed
when she found the room was dim.

“Hey.”

She
made the best attempt at a smile she could under the circumstances. “Hey.”

“I’m
sorry. I swear to God I’m going to beat Uriah’s ass.”

“From
what I saw, you were both doing a fine job of beating each other’s asses. But
if you are planning on doing it because of me, I’d rather you not.”

“But
the bastard hit you.” He scowled.

“It
was an accident, Aldin. I shouldn’t have jumped between you two. And somehow, I
think that if you actually thought he’d meant to hit me, you would have already
beat his ass as you say.”

“He
should have missed,” he mumbled.

She
chuckled softly. “I’m okay. A little sore, but okay.” She frowned. “Which is
surprising because I was positive I’d wake up with at least one broken bone.”

She
sat up and winced before realizing she was lying in Aldin’s bed. He’d brought
her to his room and had taken care of her. That had to say something, didn’t
it? Didn’t that mean he had to care about her at least a little? And the way he
was threatening to tear Uriah a new one. Wasn’t that something men did when
they were being protective of their woman? Was she? His woman? The thought
wasn’t unappealing, that was for sure.

“I’d
like to take a hot bath to see if I can soak some of the tension from my poor
body. While I’m not as bad off as I thought I’d be, every muscle seems to be
screaming from the force of getting punched.” She laughed to try to make light
of it as she didn’t want Aldin any more upset than he already was, but he
didn’t seem to find the situation amusing.

“Yes.
Stay here and I’ll start a bath for you.”

“Thank
you.”

She
watched him disappear into the bathroom and heard the taps turn on. He returned
a few minutes later and scooped her up.

“I
think I can manage, Aldin. Besides, I’m too heavy.” She really shouldn’t
protest because being pressed up against him was delicious.

“I’ll
carry you. And you aren’t heavy at all.”

“How
long was I out for?”

“About
an hour. Ebony checked on you several times. I’ll let her know you’re awake
after I get you settled.”

“Thank
you.”

His
tub was no less impressive than the one in her room, and she couldn’t wait to
soak in it. She smiled when she saw that he’d added bubbles. After gently
depositing her on the side of the tub, he showed her how to use the different
settings for the Jacuzzi. Once he left to tell Ebony she was okay, she
stripped.

She
couldn’t help but moan after she stepped into the water and slid under its
steamy surface. After fiddling with a couple of the buttons, she got the jets
set just right against the sorest parts of her body. She could soak in this tub
for hours. As the warmth of the water began to ease her achy muscles, she
closed her eyes and automatically thought of Aldin.

She
wondered if he ever soaked in this tub. It was certainly big enough to
accommodate his large frame. Heck, it was big enough to accommodate both of
them. Now that was a picture for her brain. Aldin sliding into the tub with
her. The thought of him naked heated her skin faster than the water had, and a
throbbing ache started to pulse between her thighs. They’d come so close to
making love, and she wanted him more with every breath she took.

She
must have dozed off for a few minutes because she jumped when soothing hands
began massaging her shoulders.

“I
didn’t mean to startle you.”

Aldin’s
words were husky and sent shivers of need through her.

“If
you keep up the massage, apology accepted.” She smiled then sighed in utter
contentment as his magical fingers worked out the kinks left in her muscles
that the Jacuzzi hadn’t found.

He
leaned closer, and she caught his scent. She didn’t understand how a simple,
subtle smell could put every hormone in her body on alert, but his did. It was
as if every cell was attuned to him, as if every part of her fit and blended
with him in perfect harmony.

“Don’t
ever do that again.”

She
stiffened and turned to look at him. Fury burned in his eyes, but she wasn’t
afraid of him. He’d never hurt her.

“Do
what?”

“You
put your life at risk for me. Don’t ever do it again.”

She
slid around to face him. “Let me ask you something.” She waited until he nodded
before continuing. “What would you do if someone was hurting me?”

“I’d
kill them.” His nostrils flared.

She
peered up at him, and in that instant, she didn’t doubt those words. There was
something feral about Aldin, something animalistic she couldn’t quite put her
finger on.
Well, he is a vampire after
all.
When he arched a brow at her, she found herself wondering once again
if he could somehow read her thoughts. Then she remembered something that had
been put on the backburner of her brain after her eavesdropping trip to the
kitchen.

She
scowled and brought her hand up to rub the mark she’d found on her neck. The
mark that had eerily resembled a bite. His eyes followed her movement and
rested on her fingers as they caressed the spot. Her breath caught when his
pupils grew until the black nearly overtook the turquoise. What if he really
was a vampire? What if the conversation she’d overheard downstairs had not been
some sort of game?

Would
it really be all that bad to be bitten by Aldin anyway?
Would you listen to yourself, Wilhemina. There is no such thing as
vampires.

“Don’t be so quick to judge the
validity of things you’ve never seen.”

She
startled when she distinctly heard Aldin’s voice in her head but was sure his
lips had not moved. She quickly shrugged it off. She had just gone through a
serious brain rattling and she wasn’t fully recovered. That would explain what
she thought she heard. Besides, right now, with his hot gaze on her, did she
really want to contemplate the existence of mythical creatures? No.

“Kiss
me, Aldin.”

“I
don’t want to hurt you.” He reached out and brushed his knuckles over her
bruised face.

“You
won’t hurt me.”

“I’m
not a gentle man, Wilhemina. Not when it comes to sex.”

“You
won’t hurt me. Besides, I like it when you’re demanding and dominant.” She
swallowed hard.

“You
deserve more,” he murmured.

“How
about if I deserve what I want, and right now that is you?”

“Be
careful what you wish for. Once I make love to you, there will be no going
back. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Why
would I want to go back when I can have you?”

He
took a deep breath. “There are things you need to know first. Things that may
make you change your mind. Things that—”

She
placed her fingers over his mouth to silence him. “I don’t care about anything,
Aldin. I care about you. Whatever things you may be referring to make no
difference. And when I say I care about you? I mean I think I’m falling in love
with you.” She frowned then looked up at him and smiled. “No. I’m sure that I
already have.”

He
shook his head and kissed her fingers before pulling them from his mouth. “You
don’t understand. These things I am referring to have the ability to change
your feelings for me.”

“No.
Nothing has that ability.”

She
leaned up and kissed him before he could argue further, and he groaned when her
tongue slid past his lips and into his mouth. She understood the reaction
perfectly. The taste of him on her tongue fired her nerve endings to instant
life.

“Make
love to me, Aldin.”

She
watched as he straightened and pulled his shirt over his head. Damn. She’d
never get tired of looking at him. He kicked off his boots and bent to pull off
his socks, and when he went for the button and zip on his jeans, her heart
thudded hard in anticipation. She couldn’t help but focus on his most
impressive cock for longer than she should have before traveling the length of
his sculpted body.

He
stepped into the tub behind her, sat down, and pulled her back until her bottom
fit snuggly into the vee of his thighs. His erection pressed temptingly against
her lower back. He kissed the side of her neck then reached for a folded
washcloth on the edge of the tub. After wetting it and pouring a small amount
of liquid soap on it, he pushed her hair over her shoulder and began washing her
back.