had believed it. Somewhere along the line of their very long relationship, Hannah had lost herself. “He didn’t value me because I stopped valuing myself.” Tears flowed from her eyes, blurring Daric’s face. “All those years wasted. Time with my father that I can never get back again. I rarely even saw my dad because Mark didn’t like him.”
Daric wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly in his embrace as he grumbled, “I’ll kill the son of a bitch for you.”
Hannah didn’t doubt it for a moment, and she smiled through her tears as she buried her face against Daric’s warm chest, her heart leaping at his defense and outrage for her sake. “No. He’s not worth a moment of your pain. I made the choice and it was the wrong one.”
“You won’t think about him again.” Daric’s tone was demanding, as though issuing a royal declaration. “If thoughts of him distress you again, I’ll kill him.”
Daric’s body was fiery hot, even in the bitter cold atmosphere, and Hannah snuggled against him, her heart hammering. No man had ever treated her as though she were precious and cherished, but this man, a male she had only known for a day, treated her like she was everything to him. It was tempting, intoxicating.
“You’re my mate, Hannah. There is nothing or no one on this earth more important to me than you.” His voice was husky, and radiating with raw emotion.
“I thought you refused me.” The words struck Hannah straight in the heart.
“I can’t.” He grabbed her by the shoulders, his eyes clashing with hers in a volatile meeting. “My fate is in your hands, Hannah. I want you, therefore I can’t refuse you.”
She shivered as she held his gaze, feeling as if she were drowning in his heated eyes. His loneliness called to her, beckoned her closer with every second that passed. Her heart aching at the thought of leaving this strong, powerful man vulnerable, she whispered, “What do we do?”
“That will be for you to decide. I’m an Ancient. On my good days, I’m just an asshole. On my bad days, I can be a vampire healer’s worst nightmare,” he replied, his voice as menacing as the scowl on his face.
Hannah knew Daric was arrogant, demanding and probably occasionally harsh, but she couldn’t manage to connect the man she getting to know with his own description. Daric was just…Daric. And there was so much emotion beneath his gruff exterior. He wasn’t a man she feared. He was her protector, her champion, the first man who had ever considered her feelings. And Hannah was fairly certain that even without the mating instinct, she would still think him the hottest man, or vampire, to walk the planet. She had always believed that sex was highly overrated, over in minutes and not particularly exciting. Now, she wasn’t quite certain she was correct in that assumption.
Taking a deep breath, she asked, “Will I get the asshole, or will you be my nightmare?” She needed to get her mind off the erotic thoughts that were starting to swamp her brain.
He shrugged his massive shoulders. “Depends on how difficult you decide to be.”
“I won’t follow your every command.” Never again would she walk in a man’s shadow.
“That isn’t what I want. I want you to do whatever makes you happy. But know this…I will be protective, high-handed and I will try to keep you from harm by every means available to me. This is a supposed to be a lull period of mating for me, a time to court you. But my need grows stronger every second, and eventually I will have a difficult time trying to control it. I already consider you mine. I’m just trying to wait for you to make the same decision.” He wrapped his arms around her waist. “You’re getting cold. Let’s go home.”
After that speech, Hannah was far from cold. The thought of Daric wanting her so desperately soaked her panties and stole her breath from her lungs. She closed her eyes as he held her tightly against him.
Dizzy from
Daric wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly in his embrace as he grumbled, “I’ll kill the son of a bitch for you.”
Hannah didn’t doubt it for a moment, and she smiled through her tears as she buried her face against Daric’s warm chest, her heart leaping at his defense and outrage for her sake. “No. He’s not worth a moment of your pain. I made the choice and it was the wrong one.”
“You won’t think about him again.” Daric’s tone was demanding, as though issuing a royal declaration. “If thoughts of him distress you again, I’ll kill him.”
Daric’s body was fiery hot, even in the bitter cold atmosphere, and Hannah snuggled against him, her heart hammering. No man had ever treated her as though she were precious and cherished, but this man, a male she had only known for a day, treated her like she was everything to him. It was tempting, intoxicating.
“You’re my mate, Hannah. There is nothing or no one on this earth more important to me than you.” His voice was husky, and radiating with raw emotion.
“I thought you refused me.” The words struck Hannah straight in the heart.
“I can’t.” He grabbed her by the shoulders, his eyes clashing with hers in a volatile meeting. “My fate is in your hands, Hannah. I want you, therefore I can’t refuse you.”
She shivered as she held his gaze, feeling as if she were drowning in his heated eyes. His loneliness called to her, beckoned her closer with every second that passed. Her heart aching at the thought of leaving this strong, powerful man vulnerable, she whispered, “What do we do?”
“That will be for you to decide. I’m an Ancient. On my good days, I’m just an asshole. On my bad days, I can be a vampire healer’s worst nightmare,” he replied, his voice as menacing as the scowl on his face.
Hannah knew Daric was arrogant, demanding and probably occasionally harsh, but she couldn’t manage to connect the man she getting to know with his own description. Daric was just…Daric. And there was so much emotion beneath his gruff exterior. He wasn’t a man she feared. He was her protector, her champion, the first man who had ever considered her feelings. And Hannah was fairly certain that even without the mating instinct, she would still think him the hottest man, or vampire, to walk the planet. She had always believed that sex was highly overrated, over in minutes and not particularly exciting. Now, she wasn’t quite certain she was correct in that assumption.
Taking a deep breath, she asked, “Will I get the asshole, or will you be my nightmare?” She needed to get her mind off the erotic thoughts that were starting to swamp her brain.
He shrugged his massive shoulders. “Depends on how difficult you decide to be.”
“I won’t follow your every command.” Never again would she walk in a man’s shadow.
“That isn’t what I want. I want you to do whatever makes you happy. But know this…I will be protective, high-handed and I will try to keep you from harm by every means available to me. This is a supposed to be a lull period of mating for me, a time to court you. But my need grows stronger every second, and eventually I will have a difficult time trying to control it. I already consider you mine. I’m just trying to wait for you to make the same decision.” He wrapped his arms around her waist. “You’re getting cold. Let’s go home.”
After that speech, Hannah was far from cold. The thought of Daric wanting her so desperately soaked her panties and stole her breath from her lungs. She closed her eyes as he held her tightly against him.
Dizzy from
Similar Books
