“Marcus has always been cut and dry. He would never fall in love with a werewolf. We’re beneath him.”
“That’s not true. He treats Richard like gold, and he loves me, just as I am.”
“He loves a memory.” Damen shook his head. “It won’t last. He won’t be able to truly love you—not now. Not the way you are.” His words were cutting, and for a brief moment, he looked as if he regretted saying them.
“I don’t believe you.” I pulled my hand from his. “He loves me, I know he does.” I sounded desperate.
“I can’t leave you human Phoebe; it’s not safe. You’ll never survive what is to come if I leave you as you are.”
My heart stopped. “Damen, you can’t!”
“Shhh!” He took my face in his hands.
“Please . . .” Tears were running down my face again as I pleaded with him, begged him. His deep blue eyes stared longingly into mine. His mouth took mine again and again before he slowly moved his lips down my neck to my shoulder where I felt him pause. I could feel his warm breath on my skin as his teeth pressed down on it ever so slightly.
“Damen!” My fingers dug into his arms.
He lifted his head up to look at me, his eyes full of sorrow. “I have no choice. You’re different from them, the other werewolves. Because you have not turned completely, they spot this as a weakness. They won’t stop hunting you until you’re dead.” I could hear the anguish in his voice. “I can’t protect you like this.”
“No!” I tried to push him away. He gripped me tighter, his hand inadvertently squeezing into my raw wound. I cried out in pain.
“Phoebe, I can make that go away. Don’t fight me! Let me turn you. You’ll heal all the faster.” He moved his mouth to my wounded shoulder once more.
“Damen I’m pregnant!”
He slowly pulled away from me, his eyes tight with fury. “For now,” he snarled.
Instant dread fell over me. He’d known. Somehow . . . he’d known.
“How could he have been so foolish to create a child with you? It’s an abomination!”
“I’m not a werewolf!” I screamed out, pushing away from him at last. “And how can you say that? You just said it didn’t matter what we were?”
“You cannot create a new species!” he thundered. He was seething with rage.
I tried to put as much distance between us as I could. I jumped backward, splashing my way along, as the water got shallower and shallower.
“Stay away from me,” I warned, putting my hands out—as if that would stop him.
“You know I can’t do that.” Damen’s voice was even, unfeeling. His eyes still fixed on me. He moved slowly through the water, closing in on me with each step.
“I’ll go home!” I promised desperately. “No one will know you let me go. They won’t find me there,” I cried, stumbling backward. “Damen don’t do this to me again!”
He stopped at the edge of the bank, water dripping from his body.
My mind went blank. I was in absolute shock. At that moment, I was sure of only one thing: “You’re naked!” My eyes were wide, unable to look away. He was beautiful, and yet the longer I stared the harder he was to see him. He gave off his own light, like the sun. I could feel the heat moving across my face—it had to be glowing crimson by now.
“What did you expect?” He grinned, all sense of malice gone.
My mouth dropped. With great effort I forced my eyes to meet his. “You’re naked!” I repeated.
“Yes.”
“Why are you naked?” I felt like a deer in the headlights. I knew I should look away but—
“The only way to catch your horse was if I turned,” he explained, completely unabashed.
“Of course.” I closed my eyes and shook my head. This wasn’t happening. This was not happening. I was seeing things. I’d finally cracked. That had to be it. There was no way he was just standing there—in the middle of the woods in his birthday suit!
I opened my eyes once again. Damen hadn’t moved. And he was still naked.
“I don’t believe I’ve ever seen that color on your face before,” he teased.
“Will you quit standing there like that?” I snapped. My eyes did their best to evade him.
“How would you like me to stand then?” He tilted his body a little, as if to pose.
“P…put some clothes on!” I turned my back to him. It didn’t help. The image of Damen naked, water dripping down his god-like body was forever burned into my mind.
“You act like you’ve never seen me naked before?” His words blew across the back of my neck. I cringed. He was right behind me.
“I’ve never . . .” I couldn’t even finish the thought. He had me completely flustered.
“I’m sorry if I’ve made you uncomfortable. I usually return home before I transform back into my human form.”
“What does that have to do with you being naked?” My voice was unusually high.
I could hear him smiling. “Phoebe, our clothes are pretty much destroyed when we transform.”
I thought about that for a minute—it made sense. “Oh.”
He laughed. “Are you going to keep your back to me for the rest of our conversation, or should I change into a wolf to ease your comfort?”
“No!” I spun around, my eyes involuntarily wandering. Every inch of his body was solid muscle, and was dangerously close to mine. “Not because I want to see you . . . uhh . . .” I couldn’t think; his eyes were dazzling.
“Naked?” he finished my thought.
“Yes.”
“You want me . . .” he breathed seductively into the side of my neck. I hadn’t even seen him move toward me. His scent was overwhelming, drawing me in.
“Yes. I mean no! No. I do not want you.” I stared at his lips, so close they were nearly touching mine.
His fingers ran down the side of my face, flustering me further. “It couldn’t be because you’re afraid of me, in my other form?” The corners of his mouth turned up.
I shifted uneasily.
“That’s it, isn’t it? You’re afraid of me as a wolf.”
I stood straighter, lifting my chin defiantly. I was not about to let him have the upper hand. “I’ve never seen you naked before,” I announced firmly, completely behind in the conversation.
Damen laughed heartedly. “You’ve seen me naked many times; you just don’t remember.”
“That was not me,” I clarified sharply. “I’m sure I would have remembered . . . that!”
“A technicality,” he grinned. “Let me ease your comfort.” He moved closer, our bodies were nearly touching.
“How is this easing my comfort?” I swallowed loudly. “You’re still . . . naked.”
“Yes, but it’s harder to see when I’m this close to you, and so much easier for me to finish where I’d left off—” Said the Big Bad Wolf. All humor was gone. “There is no other way, Phoebe. I’m sorry. One day you will see that I was right.” Damen’s voice was softer than before. A heavy look hung in his eyes. I knew he was torn by his love for me, and his duty. I couldn’t let him turn me. Not before I had a chance to warn Marcus.
I knew what Damen wanted from me, and I hated myself for giving in. Out of fear and sheer desperation, I lunged at him, wrapping my arms around his neck; I pulled him to me, meshing my body against his. I kissed him with as much passion as I could muster.
It took only a moment for his mouth to catch up. His hands gripped my waist, holding my body against him. His lips were soft, and despite the fact that we’d been in a freezing cold pond, his body was flushed with passion. He wanted me as much as ever.
I released him minutes later, breathless. We stared at one another. All time seemed to stop. Only the wind rustling the leaves in the trees overhead reminded us that the world was still spinning. And then another memory of Phoebe’s came to me—I’d kissed Damen like this before.
His chest heaved in and out as he panted. His eyes pinning me with their wild stare made h
is desire all the more clear. “My love for you hasn’t changed,” he said in a husky voice. “After all this time . . . you must know that.”
I stood there, incredulous. There were no words.
“You have to leave here Phoebe. I won’t be able to protect you.” He wiped the tears off my face, no doubt believing they were for him. Truthfully, some of them were. I felt like such a traitor. I’d betrayed Marcus, and now—Damen’s heart.
“Phoebe, if they find you, they will kill you. Your child can’t live,” he spoke earnestly. “You can’t ask me again to spare its life; we’re even now.” His words were chilling, and without question, I understood their meaning. He hadn’t spared Phoebe’s baby—but he had spared mine—a favor that would not be repeated.
“Thank you.” I threw my arms around him, hugging him.
I felt his arms around me once again, holding me close to him. He breathed in deeply, finding the strength to pull away from me. “Go!”
I stared at him, burning his face into my memory. I couldn’t move. I felt an overwhelming sadness as I looked into his eyes. He was letting me go . . . he loved me that much. This was not the Damen I knew, the Damen I feared. This was the Damen that Phoebe trusted once upon a time . . . the friend she’d loved—and yes, she had loved him. I was sure of that.
I reached out and held his cheek in my hand. I was afraid to leave him. Afraid of what might happen to him.
“It’s alright Phoebe, go . . .” He looked behind him. His face was suddenly panicked. A loud howling echoed not far away. “Quickly!” He urged once again. He jumped back from me. “Phoebe run!” His body exploded into a huge, growling beast.
I was too afraid to scream.
His yellow eyes gave me one last fleeting look before he turned and headed off in the direction of his pack.
I couldn’t move fast enough as I ran back through the trees. I was soaked to the bone, my body ached from being knocked off my horse, and the pain in my shoulder was unbearable. I reached up to hold it, the wet blood on my fingers, made my stomach convulse. I couldn’t let myself think about that now. I had to find Marcus.
I kept seeing Damen’s eyes in my mind. How terrified they looked all of a sudden. The realization of what had nearly happened was sinking in—Damen was going to turn me completely. I held my stomach as I ran. We weren’t safe here any longer—I’d have to leave.
I felt like I would never get out of the forest. The path kept stretching out further and further in front of me, and then I could hear my name being screamed—It sounded so far away.
I pushed myself to run faster. I could see Marcus running toward me now. His face looked as terrified as I felt. I staggered into his arms and collapsed, exhausted.
“Phoebe!” He pulled my limp body close to his.
“We have to get out of here!” I winced, trying to pull myself back up. I held onto his shoulders, staining his shirt with my bloodied hand.
“You’re bleeding!” Marcus hissed.
A loud howling pierced the forest.
“Werewolves!” I cried. “They’re coming!”
Marcus scooped me up in his arms and jumped into the trees like a cat. We traveled to the safety of his castle under a canopy of leaves.
Chapter 30: Honesty
Marcus didn’t bother with discretion, such as walking me through the front doors like any other normal person would have. He tried to keep to the trees as much as possible, but when it came right down to it, his worry for me outweighed his need to remain cautious. He flew right out in the open and through my balcony doors—luckily they were still open.
He sat me down as gently as he could, then grabbed a blanket from the bed and wrapped it around me, careful not to let it touch my wounded shoulder. I was convulsing uncontrollably. A look of sheer murder hung in his eyes
“D-Damen c-chased me o-out of the s-stables,” I stuttered involuntarily. “Only I d-didn’t k-know it was him. He was a w-wolf!” I blurted.
“Damen did this to you?” Marcus snarled, exploding with rage. “He can’t have gone far!”
“Y-you can’t leave me!” I lunged for him, grabbing his hand with the last ounce of strength I had left. “Please Marcus! I’m b-begging you!”
I could see the anger consuming him. His black eyes seethed with fury. “Phoebe. This ends now.”
“He let me go!” I insisted. The tremors had subsided a little. “H-he could have k-killed me, but he let me come back to you.”
“Not before he ripped you to shreds!” Marcus hissed.
“Rain! Where’s Rain?” My god, I’d forgotten about him.
“He’s fine. He came back on his own.” Marcus pulled the blanket back around me. His desire to chase after Damen was abandoned for the moment. “I shouldn’t have left you alone so long.” His eyes were full of regret.
I shook my head. “It’s not your fault. I don’t expect you to watch over me all the time.” The look on Marcus's face suggested that that was exactly what he should be doing.
“I need to take care of that,” he motioned to my shoulder, his eyes noting my hesitation. “I’ll be right back. I promise. I’m just going into the bathroom.”
Hoping I’d have the strength to jump up and grab him if he made the slightest move toward the door, I released him.
He went into the bathroom and returned promptly with a first aid kit. I braced myself. He tore the back of my shirt away, exposing the full horror of Damen’s claws—he gasped.
I tried hard to ignore the pain. My skin felt as though it had been literally shredded. “Can it be stitched?” Somehow I knew that a simple bandage wasn’t going to cut it.
“There is nothing to stitch it to,” he replied softly.
I cried quietly into my blankets while Marcus diligently began cleaning my wounds. I was biting my lip, trying to keep up a brave front so Marcus wouldn’t fly out the door after Damen. My brave front collapsed when he applied the antiseptic—I screamed out in agony as I grabbed onto the sheets, trying to channel the pain from my body.
Marcus made all sorts of anguished noises. I knew it killed him to see me like this. He secured the wrapping then crouched down beside the bed. His hand gently smoothed the hair off my damp forehead—I was sweating profusely.
“I wish I could take the pain for you.” I knew he meant it. His eyes looked long into mine. “I swear to you: there is no place in this world he can hide. I will find him.”
I swallowed loudly. I didn’t doubt Marcus would track Damen to the ends of the earth to pay back the favor.
“Why did he let you return?” he asked a moment later, as if the question had just occurring to him.
I closed my eyes for a moment and tried to remember all that Damen had said. I explained to Marcus how Damen wanted me to go back home, that I wasn’t safe here with either of them. How the werewolves would be here in a day’s time working their way across England, and then through Europe . . . eliminating all vampires along the way.
Marcus stiffened at the news. “Only a day?” Clearly he’d expected he’d have more time.
I went on with their intention of killing Luther. How Aidric planned on using Luther’s love for me to force him to surrender and declare freedom to the werewolves. How I was to be Aidric’s trump card; he would use me as a bargaining tool. Aidric was confident that Luther would never fight his own daughter, even though I was a werewolf now.
“How would Aidric use you for leverage?” Marcus looked confused. He hadn’t connected the dots yet. “And, why would he say you’re a werewolf now? Surely he knows you haven’t been turned.”
“Damen said that I’m only partly infected, he needed to change me completely—”
“He was going to bite you again?” Marcus raged, jumping to his feet.
“Yes, but I . . .” I was afraid to tell Marcus what I’d done.
“You what?” His guard was up, eyeing me carefully.
“I sort of . . . blurted out that I was . . . pregnant.” I winced, seeing the expression of
horror that now claimed Marcus’s face.
“You what?” he thundered. “Do you have any idea the danger you’ve put yourself in now . . . not to mention our child?”
“He already knew!” I defended. “I don’t know how, but he knew!”
Marcus looked like he was going to come unstuck. He ran his hands back and forth through his hair with such vigor, I wondered if he were going to rub his hair right off.
“I panicked, alright! He was biting my shoulder. Look!” I yanked my shirtsleeve up to show the impressions I could still feel in my skin.
Marcus roared. Then grabbing the vase of flowers by the bedside, he launched it across the room at the door—smashing it to bits.
Raymose burst in, his hair, for the first time looking a little disheveled. “You found her!” He stared at the shattered vase on the floor. “Thank you for letting me know.” He was clearly annoyed. He held up his cell phone and tilted it back and forth in his hand. “You could have called.”
I covered my mouth quickly, trying to suppress a giggle—it didn’t work. I had taken one look at Marcus and Raymose’s confused expressions and burst into a state of uncontrollable laughter.
“What’s so funny?” Raymose barked, sounding more than a little put out.
“Vampires . . . cell phones.” I laughed hysterically. I was finally cracking up.
“Phoebe?” Raymose’s voice was gruff. I looked up at him, still unable to stop laughing. His eyes were red as he sniffed the air. “You’re bleeding . . . a lot.”
Marcus had already positioned himself in front of me, his eyes watching Raymose carefully.
“I know.” My laughter had turned to tears. “Damen disfigured my back.”
“He what?” Raymose spat, all signs of blood lust gone for the moment.
“He disfigured my back,” I repeated a little louder through the tears. “I was just chased by a werewolf, knocked off a horse, nearly drowned, physically assaulted, and informed that I will be the downfall of the vampire civilization. I only escaped because I threw myself on his mercy and kissed him.” I buried my face in the quilt. Aside from my sobbing, the room was silent.
Immortal Wounds: Book #1 in the Immortal Wounds Vampire Series-Paranormal Romance/Vampire Romance/Romantic Fantasy Page 33
