Her Secret (34 page)

Devlin waved back, then sped off toward home.
I sat back in the truck seat, considering the ramifications of this
latest development. Almost at once, Devlin turned on the radio,
tuning it to a classic rock station. Aerosmith engulfed us. I gave
him a surprised look.

He caught it. “What?”

“I figured you for, um, lighter music. Maybe
classical.”

“I like most music, Sar,” Dev said, smirking.
“What I listen to depends on my mood.” He turned the volume all the
way up, until the music was blasting. “Let’s make some noise.”

The whole way back, we shouted and sang along
with the radio. While I knew some of the songs, Dev knew all of
them. Despite his boisterous mood, he acted calmer now, as if by
tattooing me he’d won a decisive battle. He glanced at me
sporadically, satisfied.

“Why did you want this so much?” I finally
asked.

“I wanted you to be mine,” he said, pleased.
“And very shortly, you will be.”

Uneasy at his certainty, I looked away and
didn’t reply.

As soon as we arrived at my house, Ghost and
Darkness began whining, their tails wagging frantically.

“They need to be walked,” I said quickly,
hoping to buy time. “Will you come with me?”

Devlin offered me his hand. “Yes, but let us
go now. The rest of this night is for you and me.”

We began walking. Though the night was clear
and beautiful, I was focused only on Devlin, trying to determine
what he was planning for me.

“You’re unusually quiet,” he said, stopping
and facing me. “Why?”

“I was wondering why you’ve never asked me
about myself,” I said shyly.

“I know all of you I need to in this moment,”
he said, pulling me into his embrace. “There will be much time to
discover your quirks in our future, those that I don’t already
know, of course.”

“I’m not quirky,” I protested.

“You most certainly are,” he said lovingly.
“But that is good, as it makes you interesting, Love.”

You are, too, but it makes you scary
.
“What exactly am I to promise you tonight?”

Devlin began walking again, his arm around
me. “As I told you, I want you to promise that my brother or I will
be the only vampires you’ll have as lovers, and that you won’t
share your blood with anyone else. If you want to be with Theo,
that is understood. He has prior claim to you. But no one else,
especially no other vampires, not under any circumstances.”

“That’s all?”

“No. If you remain his lover, Theo is never
again to hurt you.”

I stopped and looked at him in confusion.
“Theo never hurt me, Dev.”

He faced me, suddenly angry. “I saw the
bruises on you the day I came to return Theo’s shirt. I smelled
your blood where he had hurt you inside. That will not ever happen
again.”

“I gave him permission for that,” I said
defiantly. “I wanted him to not hold back with me.”

“You are not a woman who enjoys pain,” Dev
said bluntly. “What he did to you had to hurt a good deal. He’s not
going to do that again, ever.”

“Dev, under normal circumstances, getting
bitten hurts me. Are you going to stop biting me when it becomes
painful again?”

Devlin’s eyes tinged red. “It’s not the same.
I can heal you afterwards, and take the pain away. He cannot.”

I folded my arms across my chest. “Isn’t that
my decision? I thought you didn’t begrudge me any pleasure I found
in his arms?”

Devlin grabbed me roughly. “Sar, that is how
it’s going to be. Accept it.”

“Or what?” I said, jerking away from him.

He yanked me back into his arms, threw me
over his shoulder, and began striding back to the house.

“Put me down!” I commanded shrilly. “Right
now! I mean it!”

“Shut up!” he snarled back.

The dogs thought this was some sort of new
game, leaping and jumping around him as he walked. After shooing
them inside, he brought me into my bedroom. In one swift motion, he
slid me off his shoulder and onto the bed. I landed on my newly
tattooed hip, letting out a yelp. Devlin glared down at me, his
eyes tinged red.

“Ah, here is the Dev I remember,” I said
nastily, then got up from the side of the bed. As I went for the
door, he grabbed me by the throat.

“Let me go, Dev,” I spat. “You don’t own
me!”

He squeezed his hand slightly, cutting off my
ranting. “I do own you, Sar. And if you keep pushing it, I’ll show
you just what it means to be owned by me.”

A shiver of fear went down my spine at his
cruel tone. Afraid, I relaxed in his grip and stopped fighting.

Devlin relaxed his grip, then let go. “Sit
back down.”

I eased back on the bed, watching him
warily.

“The time of dreaming Dreams is over. As
lover to lover, Sweetheart, I come.” Devlin paused, his eyes boring
into me.

“Who is the author?” I asked.

“Sar, I want your Oath and I want it tonight.
And I will have it, however I must draw it from your lips.”

“I said I would give it to you—”

“You actually didn’t.” He bared his fangs.
“But you will give it to me now. Repeat after me—”

“No,” I interrupted. “I wanted to look a
certain way. I need to change clothes.”

“Change then,” he said, widening his arms in
a permissive gesture. “I’ll wait here for you. You have five
minutes.”

“Leave the room, please,” I replied,
expecting a fight. “And I’ll take whatever time I need. You want
this to mean anything to me, don’t force me.”

Devlin’s eyes narrowed, but he nodded.
“You’re right. My apologies, Love.” He kissed me gently on the
cheek. “I’ll be outside the door. Call when you’re ready.”

As soon as he left, I got up immediately,
went into my bathroom, and looked in the mirror. What in hell was I
thinking, doing this? He was the same person he had always been.
Did it matter he had reasons for being the way he was? The violence
and sadism in him was still there, no matter that he covered it
with soft words and kisses now. It was only a matter of time before
he showed his true colors again.

Did I want him? That was a resounding
yes.

Did I trust him? To a point.

Was I going through with this?

I looked into the mirror at my reflection,
considering everything.

He’d saved me all those times before. He’d
risked his life to save mine, even if he had enjoyed himself doing
it. He’d given me a mark to wear without the usual painful cost.
Now he’d sent Lash and Titus on some mission, saying he’d done it
to protect me.

I closed my eyes. Be logical, Sar. Put aside
all the romance, the sweet words, and the dashing deeds in your
defense. Grab what’s left of your reason out from under Dev’s
thrall, and think.

There was no way to know how much of his love
for me was just longing for his Annabelle resurrected, or what the
future he imagined for us would be like. Only time would tell.

Dev wasn’t asking for all of me, just a part
of me. I was getting something in exchange for being Oathed to him,
namely his best efforts to protect me. That might make the
difference between people I loved living or dying, including me, if
I got him and his men to fight with us.

I looked into the mirror, and took a deep
breath. Was I going to do this?

If he agreed to throw in his lot with Danial,
yes.

As he had so many times before, Dev had
gotten just what he wanted. This time, it was me.

Chapter
Fifteen

I took off my
clothes and slipped into the pale ivory beaded nightgown. It still
fit; the bodice tight over my breasts, the thin straps almost
superfluous. It looked as good as it had years ago on me. I fluffed
up my hair, put on a touch of lipstick and then rubbed it off. What
was the point?

Resigned, I picked it back up and reapplied
it. The point was I needed Devlin to agree to my terms. Anything
that might help that end, I had to do...

Instantly, an idea sprang to mind. I went
quickly to the bookshelf near the bed, scanning titles.

“Sar,” Devlin called from outside the door.
“I’m coming in.”

I hastily grabbed a book of poems, and
retreated to the bathroom. “Come in and get comfortable. I’ll be a
few more minutes.”

I heard him come in, then the noise of him
shedding his clothes. Hurriedly, I used the book index, looking for
an appropriate poem.

“Come out,” Devlin called sexily. “Your lover
aches for you.”

I took a deep breath, and went out to him. He
was waiting in bed, his clothes folded neatly on the dresser.

He beckoned to me. I walked to the foot of
the bed, faced him, and began to speak.

“Is your heart an ocean so strong and deep I
may launch my all on its tide?

A loving woman finds heaven or hell on the
day she is made a bride.

I require all things that are grand and true,
all things that a man should be

If you give this all, I would stake my life
to be all you demand of me.”

“From a Woman’s Question,” Devlin said,
studying me. “I know the poem well.”

“Will you answer the question?” I asked
seriously.

He considered me for a few heartbeats. “You
have my all, Sarelle,” he said finally. “That I promise you. To do
whatever it takes, whatever is necessary.” He held out his hands.
“Come.”

I sat down beside him on the bed.

“Repeat after me,” he said, holding my gaze.
“I, Sarelle O’Connor, promise you, Devlin Dalcon, and your brother,
Danial Racklan, that I shall be yours and no other vampire’s, under
pain of death, until life should leave me, or both of you should
perish.”

I repeated what he had said.

“I shall share myself with no other, save my
current husband, Theo O’Connor, under pain of death.”

I repeated that as well.

“I give you my love and authority over me,
understanding that I am given in return your love, your protection,
and your life’s blood, that is now my life’s blood.”

I repeated his words, wondering how much more
was still to come.

“So I swear, this day of December 29,
2012.”

Relieved, I repeated that.

“I, Devlin Dalcon, accept your Oath, Sarelle
O’Connor, both on behalf of myself and on behalf of my brother,
Danial Racklan.” He said the words slowly with pleasure, savoring
each one. “I pledge you my love, and that of my brother’s, to
protect you to the best of my ability, and to never deny you what
you need—” Suddenly, he grabbed hold of me fiercely. “It is done,”
he whispered. “You’re mine.”

I didn’t answer, trembling.

Devlin held me close, then began to
speak:

“I need so much the quiet of your love after
the day’s loud strife

I need your calm all other things above after
the stress of life

I crave the haven that in your dear heart
lies after all toil is done.

I need the star shine of your heavenly eyes
after the day’s great sun.”

“Towne’s Nightfall,” he added, kissing my
forehead. He pushed me back gently onto the sheets, and held
himself above me, looking down into my eyes intensely. “I’m going
to take you now, Sarelle. We need to consummate the Oath, both with
our bodies and with our blood.”

I looked up at him apprehensively.

Devlin’s golden eyes softened. “Relax, Love.
You are my Oathed One. You have nothing to fear from me ever
again.”

He began kissing me. Soon, I relaxed under
his deft ministrations and embraced him fully, moving involuntarily
under his hands, my skin hypersensitive to his kisses. Devlin
parted my legs and began sliding inside inch by delicious inch. I
arched up against him, trying to hurry him, but he would not be
hurried. He held me still beneath him, even as I let out little
whimpers, contracting my muscles, trying to get him into me.

“I love how much you want me, Sar,” he said
heatedly. “I love that you let it show to me and don’t try to hold
it inside, as you did before.”

At long last, Devlin eased the last of
himself inside, then gave a soft groan of contentment. Slowly, he
lay his upper body down on mine, still keeping most of his weight
on his arms, and began kissing me, running his fangs over me,
kissing my neck, my breasts, my face. My lust for him crashed over
me, and I writhed beneath him, grasping his hips.

Devlin let his weight down, pinning me to the
bed. “No, Love. You will wait until I say, unbearable as that will
quickly come to feel.” He began to kiss me again.

My tension and desire mounted with every
second, my heart beating furiously. “Please,” I moaned eagerly.
“Please, I’m ready.”

He took my face in his hands. “I know you
are, Love, but I’m not. Wait for me.” He kissed me deeply, cutting
off my reply.

Maddened, I focused all my concentration to
contract my inner muscles, squeezing the length of him tightly.
Devlin’s head went back with a jerk, a tremor going through him. He
lowered his eyes so they were an inch from mine. They were melting
gold, bursting with desire and need. He gave me a slow smile, and
began to move. I let out a long moan, awash in the blissful
sensation.

“You are never more beautiful, Sar, then when
you are as you are now, open to me completely,” he whispered. “When
we are joined together, as we were always meant to be.”

Dev stroked me over and over, slowly,
unhurried, his kisses gaining heat and passion. His breaths came
fast, soft cries of pleasure escaping his lips every time he
sheathed himself. I was wild beneath him, my hands caressing his
slick flesh, my kisses covering all of his skin within reach. The
impending orgasm built and built, until we were both shaking
slightly with the strain.

Abruptly I gasped, “Please, Dev, now.
Now!”

Devlin let go of his control with a snarl,
pulling my hips tight against him, and began thrusting fast. In a
second, I was there, orgasming harder than I ever had before in my
life, screaming his name with all the air in my lungs. “Dev! Dev!
Dev!”