protruded from 84
Jenika Snow
his mouth, huge and deadly in their appearance. His hands wrapped around her upper arms, steadying her, but not stopping the tremors wracking her body.
“I see you’ve found your way out.” His gaze ran up and down her body as tears stung her eyes. “Why Aleksei would let you leave, I haven’t the faintest. I, myself, would have had you so exhausted you wouldn’t have been able to move.” He licked his lips and inhaled deeply. “You smell so sweet, too.”
She felt sick and on the verge of passing out. She reared her leg back, on the verge of kicking this man where it counted. Before she could actually do it, a deep and very familiar voice spoke.
Aleksei stood several feet away with a look of pure menace on his face. He spoke his words quickly and roughly in the same language she heard several times tonight. His voice sent reassurance through her, and she didn’t want to think too deeply into that. She felt calmer knowing he was there, and that scared her. She looked at him as he continued to speak fast, angry words to the man holding her. As she watched Aleksei, his eyes turned from a beautiful bright blue to piercing black. The black spread like an ink stain, covering even the white of his eye. The man still held on to her arms, a sharp intake of breath coming from him as he stared at her. He immediately let go of her arms and stepped back.
“I’m sorry, my brother’s Chosen .” He bowed his head and walked briskly out of the room, leaving her alone with the man she ran from.
A noise sounded behind her, and she turned around. The man with the black shoulder-length hair stood by his open door, his chest bare and the front button of his jeans undone. He smiled a knowing smile, bowed his head also, and shut the door.
The feelings washing through her confused her and made her dizzy. She had no idea what happened—had no idea what was even going on. The room started to spin, the walls twisting and turning as she fell back. Before she hit the ground, strong arms caught her and swept her off her feet.
The Chosen: A Tale of the Blood Breed
85
She stared, dazed and confused, into Aleksei’s face. She should have been frightened, but it was hard to feel those emotions when so many other ones rushed through her. As hard as she tried to hate him, to run from him and avoid him, it all seemed so fruitless when she was this close to him.
His scent enveloped her, went through each of her senses until she was intoxicated. She didn’t know what he said to that man, but whatever it was saved her from the fate she had been about to receive.
She couldn’t deny the relief she felt when she saw him. At that moment, something inside of her turned on, a recognition she could rationalize or understand.
It was a strange realization, but at that moment, she knew the man holding her would never hurt her, could never hurt her. She allowed herself to close her eyes and rest her head on his shoulder, letting a blanket of security wash over her. Something was definitely wrong with her, but how could she fight it when it felt so right? Could she really believe everything he told her? Was this man, the one who cradled her so gently and protectively, really a vampire of myth and lore? She couldn’t deny everything she saw thus far was very, very real.
* * * *
She sat naked in the dark, the room pleasantly warm. She looked around, a dim light brightening the darkness and illuminating everything. She sat alone, but she was frightened. She looked down and stared at her birthmark, the mark she always hated. She traced the outer edge, her eyes growing wide as her belly swelled right under her hand. It slowly bulged out, not stopping until she could no longer see her feet. She stood up, her heart racing as she ran her hands over the mound.
Strong jabs thrust through her stomach and against her palms. She couldn’t ever remember having a dream about being pregnant, but this 86
Jenika Snow
was
Jenika Snow
his mouth, huge and deadly in their appearance. His hands wrapped around her upper arms, steadying her, but not stopping the tremors wracking her body.
“I see you’ve found your way out.” His gaze ran up and down her body as tears stung her eyes. “Why Aleksei would let you leave, I haven’t the faintest. I, myself, would have had you so exhausted you wouldn’t have been able to move.” He licked his lips and inhaled deeply. “You smell so sweet, too.”
She felt sick and on the verge of passing out. She reared her leg back, on the verge of kicking this man where it counted. Before she could actually do it, a deep and very familiar voice spoke.
Aleksei stood several feet away with a look of pure menace on his face. He spoke his words quickly and roughly in the same language she heard several times tonight. His voice sent reassurance through her, and she didn’t want to think too deeply into that. She felt calmer knowing he was there, and that scared her. She looked at him as he continued to speak fast, angry words to the man holding her. As she watched Aleksei, his eyes turned from a beautiful bright blue to piercing black. The black spread like an ink stain, covering even the white of his eye. The man still held on to her arms, a sharp intake of breath coming from him as he stared at her. He immediately let go of her arms and stepped back.
“I’m sorry, my brother’s Chosen .” He bowed his head and walked briskly out of the room, leaving her alone with the man she ran from.
A noise sounded behind her, and she turned around. The man with the black shoulder-length hair stood by his open door, his chest bare and the front button of his jeans undone. He smiled a knowing smile, bowed his head also, and shut the door.
The feelings washing through her confused her and made her dizzy. She had no idea what happened—had no idea what was even going on. The room started to spin, the walls twisting and turning as she fell back. Before she hit the ground, strong arms caught her and swept her off her feet.
The Chosen: A Tale of the Blood Breed
85
She stared, dazed and confused, into Aleksei’s face. She should have been frightened, but it was hard to feel those emotions when so many other ones rushed through her. As hard as she tried to hate him, to run from him and avoid him, it all seemed so fruitless when she was this close to him.
His scent enveloped her, went through each of her senses until she was intoxicated. She didn’t know what he said to that man, but whatever it was saved her from the fate she had been about to receive.
She couldn’t deny the relief she felt when she saw him. At that moment, something inside of her turned on, a recognition she could rationalize or understand.
It was a strange realization, but at that moment, she knew the man holding her would never hurt her, could never hurt her. She allowed herself to close her eyes and rest her head on his shoulder, letting a blanket of security wash over her. Something was definitely wrong with her, but how could she fight it when it felt so right? Could she really believe everything he told her? Was this man, the one who cradled her so gently and protectively, really a vampire of myth and lore? She couldn’t deny everything she saw thus far was very, very real.
* * * *
She sat naked in the dark, the room pleasantly warm. She looked around, a dim light brightening the darkness and illuminating everything. She sat alone, but she was frightened. She looked down and stared at her birthmark, the mark she always hated. She traced the outer edge, her eyes growing wide as her belly swelled right under her hand. It slowly bulged out, not stopping until she could no longer see her feet. She stood up, her heart racing as she ran her hands over the mound.
Strong jabs thrust through her stomach and against her palms. She couldn’t ever remember having a dream about being pregnant, but this 86
Jenika Snow
was
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