whispers.
The shiver that ran through Dawn this time was not from the cold, but from a small tingle of fear that hurried through her and settled in the pit of her stomach. The sooner they finished here the better.
Cree went to the fireplace, taking his wife with him, though he doubted he could dislodge her, she clung to his arm so tightly. He threw the few remaining logs into the dwindling flames and they were greedily attacked and set ablaze.
“How kind of you to visit.”
Dawn jumped, startled by the unexpected voice, though her husband did not budge.
They both turned to see Alexander stepping out of the shadows that the bright flames were beginning to chase away and that also revealed a sleeping pallet on the floor.
“I was sleeping and did not hear you enter.”
Dawn stared at him. How could he not have heard them enter when the door had groaned? And he certainly did not appear as if he had just woken from sleep. Actually, he appeared much too well-groomed for one locked away in this cold, damp room.
“I can only assume that this lovely woman on your arm is your beautiful wife.” Alexander bowed graciously. “I am honored to finally meet you, Lady Dawn. Your clan speaks highly of you.”
Dawn wanted to step forward and demand he speak the truth. That he had already met and spoken with her, but part of her was too frightened to do so. A man, one of flesh and blood, could be subdued and conquered, but not so a man neither alive nor dead.
Cree stepped forward, keeping Dawn slightly behind him. “A loud sound was heard from this room a short time ago and the guards entered and did not see you here.”
A smile caught at the corners of Alexander’s mouth and grew as he spoke. “I must have been sleeping the sleep of the dead, for I heard nothing.”
He plays with words , she thought and when he turned a subtle grin on her, she realized he had heard her.
“I mean no harm to anyone and I would help if you would let me.”
“You are helping, by staying here away from others who believe you evil and just may attempt to take your life,” Cree said.
Alexander gave an abrupt laugh. “Evil is not easy to destroy, but then you are well aware of that since evil has reared its ugly head in you in the past.”
Cree took a step forward with a nudge to his wife to remain where she was. “Many times and no doubt it will again. Let me demonstrate.”
Alexander held up his hands and took a step back. “I meant no disrespect.”
“A wise choice, though true evil would never apologize, which leads me to believe you would not be a difficult man to conquer.”
A flash of anger crossed Alexander’s face before it was replaced with a smile. “I have no wish to battle with you. All I ask is shelter and comfort from the storm.”
“And so you shall have it,” Cree said and took a step back, never taking his eyes off Alexander and with a hand to his wife’s arm urged her toward the door.
Dawn did as her husband bid and stepped toward the door.
“It was a pleasure meeting you, my lady.”
Dawn turned and looked at him and purposely thought. I cannot say the same about you.
Alexander laughed and bobbed his head at her silent acknowledgement.
“Bring the guards,” Cree ordered.
Dawn hesitated a moment, then nodded at her husband and left the room. She hurried down the stairs to fetch the guards as fast as she could. Her first thought had been to argue with Cree, but she had forced the thought from her head. It would not do to let Alexander know what she was thinking. The second thought she quashed was that she did not want to leave him alone with this—creature. There was no telling what he would do to Cree, but she would not disrespect her husband in front of the stranger and so she had taken her leave without protest. It did help that he had told her to ‘bring the guards’, his way of ordering her to return.
She rushed over to Sloan when she spotted him in the Great Hall and her hands gestured so fast
The shiver that ran through Dawn this time was not from the cold, but from a small tingle of fear that hurried through her and settled in the pit of her stomach. The sooner they finished here the better.
Cree went to the fireplace, taking his wife with him, though he doubted he could dislodge her, she clung to his arm so tightly. He threw the few remaining logs into the dwindling flames and they were greedily attacked and set ablaze.
“How kind of you to visit.”
Dawn jumped, startled by the unexpected voice, though her husband did not budge.
They both turned to see Alexander stepping out of the shadows that the bright flames were beginning to chase away and that also revealed a sleeping pallet on the floor.
“I was sleeping and did not hear you enter.”
Dawn stared at him. How could he not have heard them enter when the door had groaned? And he certainly did not appear as if he had just woken from sleep. Actually, he appeared much too well-groomed for one locked away in this cold, damp room.
“I can only assume that this lovely woman on your arm is your beautiful wife.” Alexander bowed graciously. “I am honored to finally meet you, Lady Dawn. Your clan speaks highly of you.”
Dawn wanted to step forward and demand he speak the truth. That he had already met and spoken with her, but part of her was too frightened to do so. A man, one of flesh and blood, could be subdued and conquered, but not so a man neither alive nor dead.
Cree stepped forward, keeping Dawn slightly behind him. “A loud sound was heard from this room a short time ago and the guards entered and did not see you here.”
A smile caught at the corners of Alexander’s mouth and grew as he spoke. “I must have been sleeping the sleep of the dead, for I heard nothing.”
He plays with words , she thought and when he turned a subtle grin on her, she realized he had heard her.
“I mean no harm to anyone and I would help if you would let me.”
“You are helping, by staying here away from others who believe you evil and just may attempt to take your life,” Cree said.
Alexander gave an abrupt laugh. “Evil is not easy to destroy, but then you are well aware of that since evil has reared its ugly head in you in the past.”
Cree took a step forward with a nudge to his wife to remain where she was. “Many times and no doubt it will again. Let me demonstrate.”
Alexander held up his hands and took a step back. “I meant no disrespect.”
“A wise choice, though true evil would never apologize, which leads me to believe you would not be a difficult man to conquer.”
A flash of anger crossed Alexander’s face before it was replaced with a smile. “I have no wish to battle with you. All I ask is shelter and comfort from the storm.”
“And so you shall have it,” Cree said and took a step back, never taking his eyes off Alexander and with a hand to his wife’s arm urged her toward the door.
Dawn did as her husband bid and stepped toward the door.
“It was a pleasure meeting you, my lady.”
Dawn turned and looked at him and purposely thought. I cannot say the same about you.
Alexander laughed and bobbed his head at her silent acknowledgement.
“Bring the guards,” Cree ordered.
Dawn hesitated a moment, then nodded at her husband and left the room. She hurried down the stairs to fetch the guards as fast as she could. Her first thought had been to argue with Cree, but she had forced the thought from her head. It would not do to let Alexander know what she was thinking. The second thought she quashed was that she did not want to leave him alone with this—creature. There was no telling what he would do to Cree, but she would not disrespect her husband in front of the stranger and so she had taken her leave without protest. It did help that he had told her to ‘bring the guards’, his way of ordering her to return.
She rushed over to Sloan when she spotted him in the Great Hall and her hands gestured so fast
Similar Books
