Her gaze finally settled on Ronan. Her fingers itched to touch him as she recalled the warmth of his body so near hers when he’d lain beside her and how he had nearly kissed her. She almost lifted her fingers to her lips as desire coiled within her belly. She’d thought maybe her weakened state yesterday had caused her to imagine some of her intense attraction to him; she’d been mistake. If anything, it felt stronger.
When Kadence’s heightened scent drifted to him, Ronan was unable to stop himself from taking a step toward her. He halted abruptly as he restrained himself from going any closer. If he did, he would take her in his arms and carry her from this room. She wanted him, and all he could think of was easing her need.
No one within the room spoke as their eyes traveled between Kadence and him. A blush crept through her cheeks as she fiddled with the sleeves of her sweater. Then, Declan cleared his throat and gave a discreet cough.
“How much did you hear?” Ronan inquired, his voice more gravelly than normal.
“Enough to know you plan to release me to my brother,” she replied.
Ronan stepped back to rest his arm on the mantle and focused on the wall across from him, but not before she saw a flash of pure red in his eyes.
“You must know where you came from,” Saxon said.
She met his hazel eyes head on. “I do, but I can’t let you know that.”
“I told you we aren’t your enemies,” Ronan growled.
“I realize that now, but you also said Joseph was once one of you. How can I trust that none of you will become a monster like him? I won’t divulge our location to you. There are too many lives at stake.”
Kadence braced herself as she waited to see how they would react to her refusal. Declan smiled as he sat forward and rested his hands on the table. Killean and Saxon stared at her as if she were a snake with the head of a spider, but Declan gazed at her as if he understood her, or at the very least maybe kind of liked her. She smiled back at him.
“Is there any guarantee none of you will ever become a Savage?” she asked.
“Fate is a fickle bitch, and sometimes she takes even the best of us down, but sometimes she also intervenes to save us,” Declan replied.
Kadence blinked at him, uncertain of what that was supposed to mean, but she didn’t have time to get into it.
“Enough, Declan,” Ronan said as he glowered at his friend.
“He’s a little testy right now,” Declan said to her before leaning back in his seat and crossing his legs. His expression was innocent when he focused on Ronan.
“Why are you testy?” Kadence blurted.
Ronan refused to answer her question or react to Declan’s antics. He had no idea what his friend was trying to get at, and he didn’t care. All that mattered was getting Kadence safely back to where she belonged. His nails scraped across the stone of the mantle as he balled his hands.
Declan’s silver eyes ran appraisingly over her before he grinned. “Because not only is fate fickle, but sometimes she’s downright devious.”
“Huh?” she asked.
“I said enough!” Ronan roared, causing her to jump as her attention swung back to him.
He’d stepped away from the mantle once more. His hands were fisted at his sides, making the muscles in his forearms and biceps bulge beneath his shirt. For a second, she thought the seams of that shirt would burst open as his eyes became almost entirely red.
Fear raced over her skin, not for herself, but for Declan. The vamp became as still as stone while Ronan stared at him. Before she could think about it, she stepped forward, drawing Ronan’s gaze to her. She didn’t know what she’d expected, but his shoulders relaxed, some of the red bled away from his eyes, and the tension in the room eased.
Saxon cleared his throat. “You must know of another way you can get in contact with your kind then.”
“I could call my brother,” she said.
“And was your brother one of the annoyances there last night?” Killean inquired.
“That annoyance could kick your ass,” she retorted.
Killean lifted an eyebrow, causing his scar to pull upward with the gesture. “Doubtful, but I will give him a go if you’d like.”
“Would he be able to trace the call?” Saxon asked, sending Killean a quelling look.
She’d read enough books to know what tracing a call meant, even if she’d never been around as much technology as the male hunters had. There were computers in the stronghold, but only a few of them had the Internet, and she’d never been granted access to those. If she hadn’t read those books though, she would have no idea what Saxon was talking about.
For the first time, she felt not only resentful but infuriated by all she’d been denied. There was so much out in the world, so much for her to see and do. She didn’t want to just learn other languages; she wanted to travel to the places where they were spoken and immerse herself in the culture and people there. She didn’t want to simply stare at pictures of art in books; she wanted to breathe it in as she stood in the Sistine Chapel or the Louvre.
She yearned to stand somewhere and feel small and to learn without any limitations. There were thousands upon thousands of books in the stronghold, ones for recreation and others for learning, but all she would ever know was what was in those pages. Never would she experience it for herself.
And it pissed her off.
She’d once asked one of her instructors why the women could read about and see photos of the outside world, but not use the computers or experience the world firsthand. Her instructor had replied it was because they had no reason to learn about computers, and as women they must be kept safe. However, as women, they also had to be educated so they were intelligent enough to carry on a conversation with their husband and not bore him.
At the time, she hadn’t understood why the response had exasperated her so much that she’d walked out of the class, but she understood it now. They’d given her a taste of things she could never have to educate her for her husband, but they’d never taken into account that maybe her husband would bore her.
Kadence took a deep breath to steady herself. She could rage against her fate until she became bitter, or she could accept it for what it was. She couldn’t stay here; it would only cause more problems between the hunters and vamps. It was more than obvious Killean didn’t want her here, and Saxon would prefer her gone.
Her temples throbbed as she tried to figure everything out, but she could feel time slipping away from her.
“Can he trace the call, Kadence?” Declan nudged.
“I’m not sure the depth of their technology,” she replied, “but I know they have a lot.”
“Then we’ll give her a burner phone, take her out of here, and have her call from somewhere else,” Killean declared.
Burner phone, something untraceable, a onetime thing, she knew. Nathan had told her they used burner phones when they hunted in case one of their phones fell into the wrong hands. He gave her the number to each new phone he had, and she memorized it before he went out to hunt. He’d had the same phone for two weeks now, unless something had happened to it, and then she would have to call Logan.
“The sun will set in an hour,” Saxon said.
“We can take her out to call then,” Killean said.
Ronan ran a hand through his hair, tugging at it as his other hand gripped the edge of the mantle. Bits of rock broke off and bit into his palm, but he didn’t release his hold on it. If he let it go, he may attack Killean. Ronan knew his friend was right, that she had to be returned, but did Killean have to be in such a rush to see it done?
A jagged piece of rock sliced into his palm, drawing blood as he remained focused on the wall across from him. The best thing would be to get her out of here as soon as possible, but he wasn’t ready to see her go.
Though he didn’t look at any of them, Kadence saw the pure red color of Ronan’s eyes. She held her breath as she waited to hear what he would say.
“We’ll leav
e in an hour,” he finally said in a voice so hoarse she barely recognized it.
Kadence felt as if she’d been punched in the gut. Unless she planned something quick, she would be back in the stronghold tonight and married within the month.
Ronan’s eyes had become their burgundy hue again when he finally turned to look at her. “Are you hungry?” he asked.
The bacon hadn’t been enough to fill her, but whatever hunger she’d been experiencing was effectively swallowed by the pit in her stomach. She shook her head, not trusting her voice to speak. Without another word, she turned, left the room, and fled up the steps. By the time she made it to the top, she was running, but there was nowhere for her to run to.
Chapter Sixteen
A short time later, Ronan opened the door to his bedroom. He’d meant to stay completely away from Kadence until it was time for her to leave, but with every passing second he’d become increasingly compelled to return to her. Eventually, he’d given up the battle. He told himself he was going to see her to make sure she was ready to leave, but he knew he lied.
Kadence sat on the bed, her back to him and her head bent forward. Her pale hair cascaded down her back in thick waves that shone in the light. She’d removed the sweater and draped it over the back of the chair; her coat lay beside her on the bed. The sundress Marta had given her exposed the creamy skin of her bare shoulders and clung to her slender curves.
Her head rose when the door click closed, but she didn’t turn to look at him. “It’s almost time to go,” he stated. “I’m sure you’ll be happy to see your brother again.”
“I will,” she replied in a clipped tone.
He frowned as he tried to puzzle out why she didn’t seem more excited by the prospect of being reunited with her family. Moving around the bed, he stopped before her. Her face was completely serene and impassive, like a statue. She revealed no emotion as she clasped her hands demurely before her and stared at him.
It took him a moment to realize this was the docile, female hunter she was supposed to be. He didn’t like it one bit.
“What is wrong?”
That odd mask of composure never slipped. “I am to be married soon.”
Out of everything he’d expected her to say, that hadn’t been it. His gaze ran over her slender body and alluring breasts that would fit perfectly in the palm of his hand. His fangs lengthened at the idea of any other man knowing what it was like to feel her body against his while they slept, to be inside of her.
He managed to suppress a snarl. “When?”
“Within the month.”
He recalled what she’d said earlier, “I’m supposed to be sorry for not being overjoyed about my glorious role as soon-to-be bride.” At the time, he’d assumed she meant far in the future, not within a month.
“To who?” he demanded.
“Logan. He is an outstanding hunter from a strong family line. Our children will be fine hunters. He is a good man, a good friend, and loyal to Nathan.”
“Your brother arranged this?”
“The elders chose Logan for me when I became capable of reproducing.”
“You’re not a fucking horse!”
She blinked, but it was the only reaction she showed to his explosive response.
“Do you want to marry Logan?” he demanded.
“It is a great honor to marry a hunter and bear him children. I must be grateful that I am of an age to do so and that a fine husband has been chosen for me.”
She sounded as if she were reciting something drilled into her head over the years. “You accept this?”
Her blank eyes met his as she spoke in a dull monotone. “Of course. It is why I was born. It will be a privilege to carry on the legacy of my heritage.”
He didn’t understand this complacent person who had taken the place of the spirited woman he believed her to be, but he wanted to shake her to reveal the woman she truly was. The woman he wanted for himself alone.
The irrational urge to possess her was back again, but this time it refused to be buried in the cold recesses of his heart once more. Unthinkingly, he stroked her cheek with the tips of his fingers. She didn’t nuzzle him like she had before, but at least she didn’t turn away from him.
Crouching before her, he grasped her chin so she had to look him in the eye. “Do you really accept this?”
Something flickered in her eyes, but her mask didn’t change. “I have no choice. What else am I to do?”
He had no answer for her, no solutions. There was nothing he could give her, nothing he could say that would help. “You could tell them you are not ready to be married.”
She let out a harsh laugh. He winced inwardly, hating the bitterness of the sound. “I can no more fight who I am and what is expected of me than you can. My turn has come. I have known since I was a child it would happen. There’s nothing I can do to change it, and Logan is a good man. We’ve been friends since childhood. I know he won’t abuse me, and he will make a fine father for our children.”
Not only would another man know her body, but he would also get to share the bond of raising their children with her. Ronan stilled at the realization, even as he wanted to tear the room apart.
He released her chin and rocked back on his heels. “What happens if Logan dies?”
“Then I will become an instructor. I will show the young our heritage, teach them our ways, and I will guard over our ancestry.”
“What if he dies before you have a child, or six months from now?”
“If I am still at a good breeding age, and a hunter loses his wife, then I may be considered to fill the role.”
No wonder she’d rebelled against her life, there was no hope within it, he realized.
Removing his hand from her cheek, he rose to pace across the floor. He couldn’t stand the thought of her being locked away for the rest of her life. Couldn’t stand the idea of someone so beautiful and alive being caged so remorselessly and used like cattle.
He turned back to gaze at her as she remained sitting rigidly on the bed. He couldn’t begin to imagine what she faced when she returned. Spinning on his heel, he paced back and forth once more. He couldn’t help her. If they didn’t return her, the hunters would go on a rampage, slaughtering every vampire they came across. Many innocents could become caught in the crossfire of the sudden onslaught. Many of his kind could die.
He couldn’t allow that. For his entire life, it had been his duty to protect them.
Being married was her destiny, her fate. Who was he to go against the ways of the hunters, even if he didn’t approve of it?
Stalking back, he stopped before her. “I can’t help you.”
She showed no reaction to his callous words. “I didn’t ask you to.”
Ronan ignored the fierce pounding of his heart as he pushed aside the clamoring in his head telling him to keep her, that she belonged to him.
“Maybe your brother can stop it—”
“It is my fate. It is who I am, who my people are. No one can stop that,” she cut in.
“Shit,” Ronan mumbled. He ran his hand through his hair as he started pacing again. A solid rap on the door drew him to an abrupt stop. “What?” he barked.
“It’s time, Ronan,” Declan replied in a subdued tone.
“We’ll be right there.”
Kadence rose from the bed with her hands still held demurely before her. Slowly, she met his gaze. “I will tell Nathan to come alone. He may believe it’s a trap, but he’ll do whatever he believes is necessary to get me back.”
“He loves you,” Ronan realized.
“Yes.”
“And you him?”
“He’s my twin and my best friend. Twins are very rare amongst our kind so we were exceptionally close.”
“How rare are they?”
“We are the first ones born in nearly seven hundred years and the first girl/boy twins born in over a thousand years.”
Ronan folded his arms over his chest. “I see. Would he s
top this marriage if you asked him to?”
“He might try, for me, but I would never put him in such a position by asking him to do that.”
“Is he the leader of your people?”
“We have many different leaders in different places,” she replied vaguely.
He is at least one of those leaders then, Ronan realized and she would sacrifice herself not to cause her brother any trouble. He assumed Nathan had taken over after their father was killed, if the leadership role passed with hunters the same way it used to pass with the vampires.
“Kadence.” He moved back to her, and placing his finger under her chin, he lifted it. For the rest of his life, he would recall every detail of her. He brushed her hair back, letting the silken strands run through his fingers.
Stepping closer, he stopped when his chest brushed against hers. Her eyes searched his as he stood over her, but her face remained serene. He found himself unable to resist the lure of her plump, red lips as he bent his head to hers. He only meant to have a little taste, but the minute his lips touched hers, he knew he was gone.
Chapter Seventeen
His hand rested on her hip before wrapping around her waist. When she didn’t try to resist him, he pulled her lush body firmly against his and lifted her. Not even with his first bedding had he been concerned about coming in his pants, but he was now as she sighed when she rubbed against the rigid length of his erection and pressed her breasts against his chest.
Tangling his fingers in her hair, he pulled her head back and ran his tongue over her lips. Her lips parted to his prodding and he delved into her mouth. She gasped then melted against him as he tasted her. Her tongue hesitantly touched his before becoming bolder as she eagerly met each of his thrusts.
He needed to feel more of her, to know what every inch of her looked and tasted like. Releasing her hair, he ran his hand down the velvet expanse of her shoulders. Gripping the strap of her dress and bra, he pulled them both down until her entire breast fit his hand perfectly. He ran his thumb over her nipple until she moaned and the bud puckered against his flesh, branding him for eternity.
[The Alliance 01.0] Eternally Bound Page 11
