Marked

by A.N. Meade

seconds had passed, and already his composure was solid and impenetrable.

  “Still, my beauty, I am more fortunate than some. Am I not?”

  She was not about to ask what he meant. He had only ever had one true intention toward her in her mind and that was to hurt her. It didn’t matter, however that she wouldn’t ask, because he wanted to explain himself anyway. He didn’t care to look for an opening to do so.

  “I am not the only one that you deny your love, am I? Look at your dear friend Liam, for instance. I’ve noticed how he looks at you. I’ve seen the lengths that he will go to so he can protect you. Don’t act like you haven’t noticed. “

  His words bit deeply into her heart. She didn’t want to think of Liam in that way, she could not. She thought back over and over in her mind, trying to think if there had been any indication of the sort. He had never said so. How could she know? Aimee didn’t even have time to recover from the first cut before Damian resumed speaking.

  “Did you pretend not to notice?” he laughed, low and taunting. “Don’t pretend like you didn’t like it. Truly, I am impressed. I have known him for centuries, and have never seen him moved by anything let alone a woman. I would have said it was impossible. I would have said there is no way that anything could crack through that armor of his. His heart is stone. Yet, here we are, and even the mighty angel is brought low by you. Bravo, my dear. I must say, bravo.” He clapped a couple of times mockingly.

  “You are a liar! Liam is not in love with me. He is my friend, and Marc’s and nothing more!” Aimee fought back the tears that stung at the backs of her eyes.

  “You’re right. I am a liar, but that doesn’t change anything at all. At least I can admit it. They don’t know your true nature though do they? You play the victim perfectly for them. It makes them feel like tremendous heroes, I’m sure. I wonder what they would think of you if they could see into your heart, into your mind, for just one moment without all of that bullshit you throw up to fool them? You like seeing me as the monster because it’s easier than facing your own reflection in the mirror.” He used his left hand that he had resting on her hip to turn her to face him while he guided her jawline up with his right. He stopped just short of completing the kiss to whisper low. “I see you, my beauty, all of you. I would not reject one part, not even what invokes my rage. I would never turn from you in disgust because of anything you could do or say. I don’t need for you to love me. For now, I’ll take your hate.” With that, he brought his lips to hers.

  She would not cry. She would not show him the damage he had done. She would not give him what he could not already take. She let her mind begin to drift away as she had learned to do so long ago. She had to find that place inside that was still and safe, and numb. She had barely made it there when Marc jolted her from her nightmare.

  “Aimee! Wake up!” He shook her and called to her with Liam looking on. He had lost track of how much time had passed before her eyes finally opened. It didn’t matter. He was so relieved to see her staring up at him. “Tell me.”

  Marc was direct in his demand. His gaze never faltered. He knew. He must have known on some level, but still he asked for the details. He rarely pressed her so forcefully, especially when he knew it was about something that upset her so much. She had to answer him. What else could she do? And yet was still so hard to find the words to begin speaking. She could not tell him the truth, at least not all of it. Most of what Damian had said to her would surely weigh heavily on Marc’s mind. Even the suggestion of some of those darker and depraved possibilities would be enough to change things. If it didn’t change things between the two of them, it would change things between Marc and Liam, and probably between herself and Liam. She didn’t want to dwell on them. She didn’t even want to speak them again, not even one more time to explain things to Marc.

  The truth was, in some ways Damian was right. There was a weakness in her. She had wrestled with it last winter. It had driven her to seek out Elsie in New Orleans. She wrestled with it still. Damian was right about how she feared to accept that part of herself. More than that, now she feared Marc’s reaction to it. He had always seen her as the light to his darkness. To him, she was a representation of the better aspects within himself. His love for her had kept him balanced. His idea of her had driven him back form the abyss over and over again. She couldn’t let him see that she could very well be the shadow crawling out of the abyss itself to devour what humanity might be left in him. He would do anything for her, too much. The lengths he would go to in order to spare her perceived innocence were frightening. His devotion to the idea of her was far too absolute, and she feared it would be something that could ultimately tear them apart.

  “It was just another nightmare.” She looked down, afraid that he would somehow be able to read the details from her mind.

  Liam jumped up and faced the water. He was angry and speaking in some language that she could not understand or even begin to guess the origin of. Marc’s reaction was much different than she could have expected. He looked down, took her hands in his, and said, “I’m so sorry this is happening to you. I will not stop until I find some way to end it.”

  -End Bonus Chapters. Thank you for your purchase! If you enjoyed this book please take the time to rate it on Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

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  About the Author

  I'm an avid reader of anything Paranormal Romance (I especially love vampires). I'm the author of my own Paranormal Romance Series: Marked which is published on amazon and available in Barnes and Noble. I'm married to my high school sweetheart, and we have two sons and a daughter. I drink way too much sweet tea, mostly when I'm staying up all night writing down the scenes in my mind. Some of my favorite authors are: Anne Rice (of course), Laurell K. Hamilton, H.P. Mallory, Annie Nicholas, Christine Feehan, and Christine Warren.

  Thank you for purchasing this book! If you enjoyed it, please take the time to write a review or rate it. It makes all the difference for us authors.

  Other Books By This Author

  Please visit your favorite ebook retailer to discover other books by A.N. Meade:

  Marked by the Vampire Series

  Marked

  Beauty and the Darkness

  Rise of the Blood Queen

  Love and War

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