Night Shadows
Page 25
He tried to drag her, but she wouldn't budge. "Come now, Fianna, don't make this so hard for both of us. I've two horses waiting on the road ahead. You are coming with me."
"Damn it, no!" She jerked and pulled, but he held fast.
"Don't you know by now that I always get what I want? I won't let a stupid formality stop me from–"
"Stupid formality? A wedding ceremony! A binding ritual in which I became another man's wife!" She realized now that he had lost his mind, that he was so blinded by his desire to own her that he'd let no impediment stand in his way. She thought she heard hoofbeats in the distance but feared to hope. Please, let it be Gaderian. Either Angus didn't hear the sound or he ignored it.
He jerked her arm. "Come now, we've wasted enough time. You are coming with me."
"Must we go through this again?"
Fianna and Angus both looked toward the voice. Gaderian! Thank the Goddess! Relief dizzied her so she feared her knees would give out under her. He walked their way, the horse's reins held in his hands. His gaze on them, he slapped the stallion's reins to send it to the stable.
He approached Angus, his eyes burning with anger. "Release my wife."
"Like hell! She's coming back with me."
Ready to bolt, Fianna looked from Angus to Gaderian. Apparently, Angus surmised her intention, because his grip on her hardened, his nails digging into her skin.
Angus drew a knife from a sheath at his belt. He held it aloft, the metal flashing in the moonlight. He looked Gaderian's way. "You come one step closer and she gets this knife in her chest. Do I make myself clear?"
Gaderian stopped a few feet away, a look of angry frustration on his face. "Kendall, what can you possibly gain by stealing another man's wife. If you take her back to Ros Creda–"
"Not Ros Creda, somewhere else where no one knows us."
"And you would be happy, knowing she's married to another man whom she loves?"
Angus snickered. "Who said anything about happiness? It's a matter of pride, something you obviously don't understand. She was pledged to me," he said in a whining voice. "She broke her vow to me."
"No!" Once more, Fianna tried to jerk away, but he held fast, holding her with her back to his chest. "The pledge was given without my consent. I never said I'd marry you. My stepfather gave that pledge." Held in his tight grip, she breathed hard and fast, her heart pounding wildly. She eyed the knife, frightened out of her mind that he would use it.
Angus sighed heavily. "Mere semantics. We have wasted enough time." He waved the knife in Gaderian's direction. "Don't try to stop me. If I can't have her, no one will. She'll get this knife through her heart."
"No!" Gaderian rushed his way, raising his hand to grab the knife. But Angus was quicker. Gripping the knife, he stabbed the weapon into her chest.
Blinding pain throbbed through her as she crumpled to the ground. Goddess, no, I don't want to die. Pain, pain, pain, like nothing she'd ever known, a blinding, searing pain clutched every cell of her body. She was weak, so weak, her life draining from her.
"You bastard!" Gaderian grabbed Angus, pushing his fingers against his windpipe, harder, harder, suffocating him.
"Ahh." Angus staggered and fell to the ground, his face set in surprise. His eyes stared upward as his breathing stopped and his head lolled to the side.
Gaderian dashed toward Fianna and drew the dagger from her heart. Another flash of pain gripped her, an agony of torment. Through her agony, she felt the blood gushing from her body, knew she was dying. Still, she looked his way, her eyes hazed with pain as her life ebbed from her. "Gaderian, I love you so much," she whispered, every word an effort.
"My darling, we'll have eternity to tell each other of our love." He sliced the knife across his wrist and held his wrist to her mouth. "Drink my blood, sweetheart." She hesitated, even as all life drained from her.
"Please," he urged. He pressed his wrist to her mouth and she began to suck, slowly at first, then faster. Colorful lights flickered around her as she sucked, images she wondered if she had only imagined. At the same time, he bent over her chest and drank her blood. While they consumed each other's blood, she felt changes in her body, a new sensation inside her, of power and strength, of happiness beyond imagination. Moments passed, a time of never-ending bliss, then the transformation was complete. Yet still she didn't understand the changes within her, failed to see she was no longer the same woman as had first emerged from the house this night.
She looked at him and blinked her eyes, a look of confusion on her face. "What happened?"
He clasped her hand and spoke in a voice low and comforting. "You are as I am now, my dearest. One of the undead. It was the only way to save you."
Her eyes shone with love. "Ah, yes." She looked up at the sky. "How beautiful the stars are, each one shining like the brightest diamond. And the trees! Do you hear the trees singing? The grass, it smells so lovely, the most exquisite perfume! Everything is so beautiful!"
"Yes, dear Fianna. And it will always be this way, for you and for me. For always."
A worry made her frown. "My mother and brother . . .?"
"We can still visit them, but only at night. They will have to accept your explanation. Now that the vampires are no longer in danger of capture–we hope!–it should be safe to declare your essence."
"What about him?" She raised herself on her elbow and glanced over at Angus.
"Dead, my darling. Don't worry. I'll take care of the body, remove all evidence."
He helped her rise from the ground and held her close. She wrapped her arms around his waist, knowing she would never tire of him. "Sweetheart, I love you so much." She touched his hair and feathered her fingers down his face, this face she could never tire of, this man she would love forevermore. Ah, they had years, centuries! to spend with each other, time without end to share their love. She sighed and pressed her face to his chest, absorbing the very essence of him. "I love you," she repeated.
"And I love you. We belong to each other, for all eternity."
~ the end ~
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born near Pittsburgh, Shirley Martin attended the University of Pittsburgh. After graduating from "Pitt", she taught school for one year, then obtained a position as a flight attendant with Eastern Airlines. Based in Miami, she met her future husband there. After raising three sons, she devoted her time to writing, something she had always wanted to do.
With a vivid imagination and a love of storytelling, Shirley has always enjoyed writing. Her first published novel, "Destined to Love" reflects her familiarity with western Pennsylvania, where she hails from, and her love of romance writing. From this historical romance, she blossomed out to other romance genres. "One More Tomorrow" is a vampire romance, one her publisher dubbed "a sizzling seller". With several fantasy novels and novellas, her writing should appeal to just about every reader of romance. Her books have been sold at Amazon and most major book stores and have garnered great reviews.
A widow, Shirley lives in Birmingham, Alabama, with her two cats.
NOTE FROM THE PUBLISHER:
Thank you for purchasing and reading this Books We Love eBook. We hope you have enjoyed your reading experience. Books We Love and the author would very much appreciate you returning to the online retailer where you purchased this book and leaving a review for the author.
Best Regards and Happy Reading, Jamie and Jude
Books We Love and Books We Love Spice
The Beverly Hills Boutique of eBook publishers.
Vintage and New from award winning authors.
Top quality books loved by readers,
Romance, Mystery, Fantasy, Young Adult
Vampires, Werewolves, Cops, Lovers.
Looking for Something Spicier
for Sexy Spicy Selections
Try Books We Love Spice
>