Dark Awakening by T. A. Grey Page A

he cut a bite of his chicken breast and took a bite.
    He closed his eyes and groaned at the juicy, creamy flavor of chicken, garlic, and mushrooms. When he could open his eyes, again he saw that she was smiling brilliantly. She was so beautiful it made his heart hurt. "I haven't had anything this good except at a restaurant before."
    She pouted, her brow furrowing. "You're just saying that." She turned to her plate and picked up her knife and fork as if they were made of heavy iron.
    "Hey, hey," he said, cupping her delicate wrist in his hand. "I meant it. I'd hire you on as my personal cook if you'd let me." She smiled at him as if he just told her she won the lottery. He had trouble forming the words over the desert in his throat, but it was worth it when he saw her expression. "You're beautiful, Alison, especially when you smile. I'd like it if you did it more for me."

Chapter 9
     
    "So now why don't you tell me about your past relationship with Conlin?" Rome asked, putting the last of the dishes away.
    Alison pulled her feet up under her. "Listen, why don't you just stay out of my business. "
    He dried his hands and sat across from her, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his thighs. He was invading her space like he was about to conduct an interrogation. And he probably was.
    "No pe, that's not how this works, baby . You're under the protection of the Kategan pack. If you're going to stay here and use our people for protection, then we have a right to know what's going on." She balked at his words, but he didn't relent. He hated being firm with her, but it was necessary. "Whatever your past hang-ups are with Conlin they’re finished, right? So tells me what's going on. Why's he after you now when you stopped dating over two years ago. What set him off and what happened two years ago that has you so scared?"
    Alison pressed her head into her hands, squeezing her eyes shut to stop the flow of tears that was desperately fighting to get out. I will not cry in front of him. She'd always been a crier, a fault she most heatedly despised about herself. It did nothing for her, yet in moments of stress or high emotion, she couldn't stop it .
    She hated him so much for making her do this. She wanted to just get up and leave the protection of the Kategan pack. But she wasn't that stupid. No matter that he wanted her to relive memories she was still trying to forget . He was right though, it wasn't fair for them not to have the whole story, or at least some of it.
    She turned her head to rest her cheek on her knee and stare out the kitchen window. "I met Conlin at a Pride party nearly three years ago. He approached me, talked to me, flirted with me. I couldn't believe it, he was so handsome, so, famous . Plus I was a bit of a flirt. He just made me feel so good. I'd never felt anything like that before. Of course, with all things good there's the bad. However good he made me feel when he wanted to, he would just as quickly turn. It was like he had two faces, both beautiful, but one was the face of a monster." She laughed and it sounded bitter and hollow .
    "Anyways, we dated for several months. I only saw the bad side of him a few times, he always covered it up quickly. It was after we started having sex that the other side , or maybe it's started coming out more and more. God, I used to cringe when he'd call me or not answer the phone. Of course he found out I was doing that too." A warm tear fell down her cheek, and she wiped it on her arm discreetly.
    Just hold in there, I can do this. She couldn't turn to see how Rome was taking this. She didn't want to see his pity, shame, or anything that might be there. She was the stupid one who was so caught up in his nice smiles and handsome lies that she didn't see the warning signs. If she hadn’t been too busy trying to fall in love, she might have seen it.
    The tight grip on her arm, the furious anger when she'd talk to another man, and the shiny glint in his eyes that he'd