me.”
She opened her lips and then closed them without speaking. She was tempted to give him the information he demanded, but the trust she was learning was too new. Sandor Karpathan’s charisma was forceful enough to persuade an angel to give up its wings. What if she were wrong to give him her trust?
An expression close to pain fleetingly crossed his face. “Very well. I can wait. You’ll have to talk to me eventually.”
She met his gaze and felt a flutter of panic. He was right. If she stayed with him, there was no question that she’d tell him what he wanted to know. It was only a matter of time. Why, she had been trailing after him as meekly as a blasted camp follower! It was incredible how far they had come since she had walked out on the terrace last night.
“No!” She jumped to her feet. “Dammit, Karpathan, I won’t let you manipulate me. You’ve already mesmerized half of Tamrovia. Just let me alone.”
“I can’t seem to do that,” he said simply. “I’ve given up trying. I believe you’ll reach that point, too, before long.”
“The hell I will.” She whirled and was running back in the direction from which they had come. She heard a low curse and then the rustle of the brush behind her as he started in pursuit. She flew over the ground, adrenaline lending strength to lungs and muscles she had so recently strained to the point of exhaustion.
“Stop, dammit.” His voice was low and intense, close behind her. “Alessandra, this isn’t—” He broke off as she had a spurt of speed and pulled a few yards ahead of him. She might make it! The sudden effort to escape had been sheer impulse prompted by panic, but there was no reason why she shouldn’t succeed. She was strong, and heaven knew she had endurance. Karpathan wouldn’t call for help, because he would be afraid it would trigger his men to hurt her. If she could gain a few more yards …
She fell to the ground with a stunning force. He had tackled her, she realized dazedly. Karpathanmoved quickly astride her. His powerful hand on her nape pressed her face into the grass. She couldn’t breathe! She tried to lift her head, but his grasp wouldn’t permit it.
“Stop struggling.” His tone was as coolly ruthless as his hand on her neck. “You’ll either promise to quit fighting me or I’ll keep your face pressed into the dirt until you pass out.”
She was close to unconsciousness now. She was fighting wildly for breath, and the darkness was lifting and falling.
“Your word,” Karpathan demanded.
Damn him, how did he think she could speak if she couldn’t breathe? The thought must have occurred to him, for his grip shifted and she was allowed to turn her head so her cheek was pressed to the ground instead of her mouth and nose. “I promise,” she said, gasping.
She was flipped over, and found herself looking up at Karpathan’s tense face. He was pale. She was the one who had nearly suffocated. Why was he so pale? Her breasts were lifting and falling as she tried to force air back into her starved lungs. Her gaze blazed at him. “For now, Karpathan.”
“Oh, God!”
The words were wrenched from him. “Why are you making me do this to you?” He lifted the short rain poncho over her head and threw it aside. He placed his hands beneath her breasts, with his thumbs on her breastbone. Startled, her eyes widened in apprehension. Then the tenseness flowed out of her as she realized the action was completely impersonal. He was gently compressing and releasing her diaphragm to help her breathe. “
Tell
me. Let me help you. You know I can’t let you go.” There was a muscle jerking inhis left cheek, and her gaze fastened on it in bemused fascination. “Whatever you have to do in Belajo, I can arrange to have done for you. We can work it out. Trust me.”
His hands felt warm and gentle through the cotton of her shirt. His dark blue eyes were also gentle in his tormented face. Her anger was suddenly gone. He had done
She opened her lips and then closed them without speaking. She was tempted to give him the information he demanded, but the trust she was learning was too new. Sandor Karpathan’s charisma was forceful enough to persuade an angel to give up its wings. What if she were wrong to give him her trust?
An expression close to pain fleetingly crossed his face. “Very well. I can wait. You’ll have to talk to me eventually.”
She met his gaze and felt a flutter of panic. He was right. If she stayed with him, there was no question that she’d tell him what he wanted to know. It was only a matter of time. Why, she had been trailing after him as meekly as a blasted camp follower! It was incredible how far they had come since she had walked out on the terrace last night.
“No!” She jumped to her feet. “Dammit, Karpathan, I won’t let you manipulate me. You’ve already mesmerized half of Tamrovia. Just let me alone.”
“I can’t seem to do that,” he said simply. “I’ve given up trying. I believe you’ll reach that point, too, before long.”
“The hell I will.” She whirled and was running back in the direction from which they had come. She heard a low curse and then the rustle of the brush behind her as he started in pursuit. She flew over the ground, adrenaline lending strength to lungs and muscles she had so recently strained to the point of exhaustion.
“Stop, dammit.” His voice was low and intense, close behind her. “Alessandra, this isn’t—” He broke off as she had a spurt of speed and pulled a few yards ahead of him. She might make it! The sudden effort to escape had been sheer impulse prompted by panic, but there was no reason why she shouldn’t succeed. She was strong, and heaven knew she had endurance. Karpathan wouldn’t call for help, because he would be afraid it would trigger his men to hurt her. If she could gain a few more yards …
She fell to the ground with a stunning force. He had tackled her, she realized dazedly. Karpathanmoved quickly astride her. His powerful hand on her nape pressed her face into the grass. She couldn’t breathe! She tried to lift her head, but his grasp wouldn’t permit it.
“Stop struggling.” His tone was as coolly ruthless as his hand on her neck. “You’ll either promise to quit fighting me or I’ll keep your face pressed into the dirt until you pass out.”
She was close to unconsciousness now. She was fighting wildly for breath, and the darkness was lifting and falling.
“Your word,” Karpathan demanded.
Damn him, how did he think she could speak if she couldn’t breathe? The thought must have occurred to him, for his grip shifted and she was allowed to turn her head so her cheek was pressed to the ground instead of her mouth and nose. “I promise,” she said, gasping.
She was flipped over, and found herself looking up at Karpathan’s tense face. He was pale. She was the one who had nearly suffocated. Why was he so pale? Her breasts were lifting and falling as she tried to force air back into her starved lungs. Her gaze blazed at him. “For now, Karpathan.”
“Oh, God!”
The words were wrenched from him. “Why are you making me do this to you?” He lifted the short rain poncho over her head and threw it aside. He placed his hands beneath her breasts, with his thumbs on her breastbone. Startled, her eyes widened in apprehension. Then the tenseness flowed out of her as she realized the action was completely impersonal. He was gently compressing and releasing her diaphragm to help her breathe. “
Tell
me. Let me help you. You know I can’t let you go.” There was a muscle jerking inhis left cheek, and her gaze fastened on it in bemused fascination. “Whatever you have to do in Belajo, I can arrange to have done for you. We can work it out. Trust me.”
His hands felt warm and gentle through the cotton of her shirt. His dark blue eyes were also gentle in his tormented face. Her anger was suddenly gone. He had done
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