Never Been Bit by Lydia Dare Page A

will be returned to me like Blodswell’s and Kettering’s were. I’m not like them.” She could almost hear the words she knew to be in his head.
    My heart is not mine to recover because I gave it away.
    He’d not say the words aloud. Not now.
    “Ye have a ring,” Sorcha said as she searched for the relic with her fingertips and lifted it toward the moon. “That is all ye need. That and ta fall in love.”
    He snorted.
    “Do ye think yerself unlovable? Is that it? I can promise ye that is far from the truth.”
    In a sudden move that nearly scared her, he took her shoulders in his hands and brought her face close to his.
    “Do you think you know me?” he snapped. “Do you think you know all that I’ve become? You have no idea, Sorcha. You have no idea what I have to do to survive now.”
    “Then tell me,” she urged softly as she reached up to touch the side of his face. He leaned into her hand, almost like a cat that wanted to be petted. He didn’t even seem to realize it. But she did. So, she threaded her fingers into the hair at his temple and tried to soothe him with a gentle stroke.
    He immediately realized her intention and jerked his head away, just when she got too close for comfort. For his, not hers. She could be much closer and still be comfortable. “That may work for Lycans, a scratch behind the ears, but it will not work for vampyres. We’re a completely different breed,” he ground out.
    “Fine,” she quipped. She’d had just about enough of his brooding. “I’ll find a Lycan who might like my strokin’ more than ye do.” Then she put her hand back down in her own lap.
    “Over my dead body ,” he growled.
    “That should be easy ta do seein’ as how yer body is as dead as yer heart. It is, is it no’?” she goaded him. She knew she was crossing a line, but she couldn’t help it. The brooding vampyre act was growing tiresome.
    “My heart is dead,” he affirmed. “The rest of me, apparently, is fully alive, as long as I act the part of the parasite I am and take the life source of others.” He said the last drolly with a casual flick of his wrist.
    “The rest of ye is alive?” she cried. “How dare ye tell me a lie like that, Alec MacQuarrie?” She turned and scrambled down from the carriage, landing solidly on her feet. He was only seconds behind her.
    “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked as he stalked her.
    “As far from ye as I possibly can,” she tossed over her shoulder. She wasn’t going to sit there and let him lie to her.
    She’d walk all the way back to Castle Hythe on her own.
    However, Sorcha had only taken a few steps before Alec overtook her. “Why are you running from me?” he asked as he spun her around.
    She blew a wisp of hair from in front of her eyes. It landed back across her brow, and he very casually reached out to push it back, as though it was something he wanted to do. “I absolutely despise a liar,” she bit out. “And I have had just about enough of ye ta last me a lifetime. So, go on, Alec. Go on and wallow in yer own self pity. But stay away from me. I plan ta find a nice beast of my own ta settle down with. And ye are standin’ solidly in my path.”
    He looked at her as though she’d grown two heads. “Just why are you mad at me?” he croaked. “You dashed from the carriage as though the hounds of hell were barking at your heels.”
    “No,” she clarified. “Just ye.” Her toe began to tap in frustration as she crossed her arms beneath her breasts and glared at him.
    “When did you become such a shrew?” he taunted.
    “I’m too young ta be a shrew,” she tossed back. “Ye really should apologize for callin’ me names. I’ve done nothin’ but try ta help ye tonight.”
    “Help me?” Alec scoffed. “I don’t recall that. Though I certainly remember you infuriating me at every possible opportunity.” He began to tick items off on his fingers. “One, you sneak out in the dead of night to chase after