was naked, crouched beside him, anxiety on
her face, her incredible breasts swaying with every movement. He felt as if he
were in a dream. She couldn't possibly be real. Women like Juliette didn't exist
in his world.
"Riordan." She said his name sharply. "You're fading on me. Don't you dare
pass out. Let me pack this tight and then I'll provide you with blood." She
looked around nervously. "Are you certain he's gone? I never saw him. I couldn't
help you because I never got a clear glimpse of him."
"It is dawn." Riordan sounded far away. He lifted his hand and touched her
breast, barely skimming the soft skin to confirm that she was real. "He had no
choice but to go to ground."
"Riordan, take my blood."
He shook his head. "You will be left weak and dizzy with no one to protect
you."
She ignored the hand cupping her breast, massaging her flesh with gentle
fingers. She caught his face and forced him to look at her. "Do as I tell you
and take my blood. You can't die, and you will if you don't have blood. I need
you to help me get Jasmine back. I want you to live for me. Forget everything
else, Riordan."
"I cannot protect you while I lie beneath the earth these long hours."
"I can protect myself. Please take my blood, Riordan." She was beginning to
feel desperate.
There was a faint stirring in her mind. Another voice swirled there for a
time, whispering with the same accent, far away and distant as if it was
difficult to find the exact path. And then it was suddenly clear.
I am
Zacarias. He will never willingly put you in more danger by weakening you. I
will aid you, but you must remember, should anything happen to you while he
rests beneath the earth, he will rise vampire and I will be forced to destroy
him. You must stay alive
.
"Somebody ought to lay out the rules ahead of time," Juliette muttered under
her breath, but gave the mental nod to Riordan's brother. She couldn't bear the
idea of losing Riordan, and she could clearly see he was going to be stubborn
and combative if she persisted without help.
She knew the exact moment Zacarias struck, taking hold of Riordan and forcing
him to bite deep into Juliette's wrist. Even though he was under strong
compulsion, she felt Riordan striving to protect her, swirling his tongue over
her skin to lessen the pain. A surge of anger went through him briefly at what
Juliette and Zacarias were doing, but his temper died a quick death. Juliette
went her own way when she felt justified. If Riordan wanted to spend a lifetime
with her, he had better get used to who she was.
Riordan pulled away from Zacarias's control the moment the blood gave him
enough strength. He took only enough from Juliette to aid his healing before
closing the wound with his tongue. He brushed his thumb over the pinpricks. "I
want to spend several lifetimes with you, and I know exactly who you are,
Juliette." He loved every inch of her, loved looking at her with her bare
feminine curves, but time was slipping away and he was far weaker than he should
be.
He fashioned jeans and a blouse for her, a soft lightweight material that
wouldn't cling so much in the high humidity. "You must protect your eyes as best
you can. I made the shirt long-sleeved to protect your skin. Try to stay under
cover as much as possible. I know you will continue to track Jasmine, but do not
put yourself in danger until I can aid you. It will not help your sister to have
you killed or captured."
She pulled on the clothes, a little shaky from the blood loss and the
terrible fear that welled up each time she looked at the shocking hole in his
chest. "I'll be careful." She ran her fingers through his hair. "Do what you
have to do. I'll see you as soon as the sun sets."
Riordan glanced around him, his fingers suddenly shackling her wrist, halting
all movement. Uneasiness was beginning to creep into his mind. Scanning didn't
connect with enemies, human or otherwise in the area. It would be
her face, her incredible breasts swaying with every movement. He felt as if he
were in a dream. She couldn't possibly be real. Women like Juliette didn't exist
in his world.
"Riordan." She said his name sharply. "You're fading on me. Don't you dare
pass out. Let me pack this tight and then I'll provide you with blood." She
looked around nervously. "Are you certain he's gone? I never saw him. I couldn't
help you because I never got a clear glimpse of him."
"It is dawn." Riordan sounded far away. He lifted his hand and touched her
breast, barely skimming the soft skin to confirm that she was real. "He had no
choice but to go to ground."
"Riordan, take my blood."
He shook his head. "You will be left weak and dizzy with no one to protect
you."
She ignored the hand cupping her breast, massaging her flesh with gentle
fingers. She caught his face and forced him to look at her. "Do as I tell you
and take my blood. You can't die, and you will if you don't have blood. I need
you to help me get Jasmine back. I want you to live for me. Forget everything
else, Riordan."
"I cannot protect you while I lie beneath the earth these long hours."
"I can protect myself. Please take my blood, Riordan." She was beginning to
feel desperate.
There was a faint stirring in her mind. Another voice swirled there for a
time, whispering with the same accent, far away and distant as if it was
difficult to find the exact path. And then it was suddenly clear.
I am
Zacarias. He will never willingly put you in more danger by weakening you. I
will aid you, but you must remember, should anything happen to you while he
rests beneath the earth, he will rise vampire and I will be forced to destroy
him. You must stay alive
.
"Somebody ought to lay out the rules ahead of time," Juliette muttered under
her breath, but gave the mental nod to Riordan's brother. She couldn't bear the
idea of losing Riordan, and she could clearly see he was going to be stubborn
and combative if she persisted without help.
She knew the exact moment Zacarias struck, taking hold of Riordan and forcing
him to bite deep into Juliette's wrist. Even though he was under strong
compulsion, she felt Riordan striving to protect her, swirling his tongue over
her skin to lessen the pain. A surge of anger went through him briefly at what
Juliette and Zacarias were doing, but his temper died a quick death. Juliette
went her own way when she felt justified. If Riordan wanted to spend a lifetime
with her, he had better get used to who she was.
Riordan pulled away from Zacarias's control the moment the blood gave him
enough strength. He took only enough from Juliette to aid his healing before
closing the wound with his tongue. He brushed his thumb over the pinpricks. "I
want to spend several lifetimes with you, and I know exactly who you are,
Juliette." He loved every inch of her, loved looking at her with her bare
feminine curves, but time was slipping away and he was far weaker than he should
be.
He fashioned jeans and a blouse for her, a soft lightweight material that
wouldn't cling so much in the high humidity. "You must protect your eyes as best
you can. I made the shirt long-sleeved to protect your skin. Try to stay under
cover as much as possible. I know you will continue to track Jasmine, but do not
put yourself in danger until I can aid you. It will not help your sister to have
you killed or captured."
She pulled on the clothes, a little shaky from the blood loss and the
terrible fear that welled up each time she looked at the shocking hole in his
chest. "I'll be careful." She ran her fingers through his hair. "Do what you
have to do. I'll see you as soon as the sun sets."
Riordan glanced around him, his fingers suddenly shackling her wrist, halting
all movement. Uneasiness was beginning to creep into his mind. Scanning didn't
connect with enemies, human or otherwise in the area. It would be
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