Page 49 of Claimed By Night

I close my eyes as stars dance behind my eyelids.

I can only hope my death will be a quick one.

I will not harm you,this man’s voice sounds in my head. At the same time, he sets me down on my feet. As soon as he does, my knees buckle and he catches me, one arm beneath my backand the other beneath my legs. He lifts me again, and I glance up and find him staring down at me intently.

I color as I realize I’m completely naked; my breasts are basically in his face.

Do not feel shame in your natural state,he says, but his mouth never moves.

How can I hear your voice when you don’t speak?I think back.

We share a telepathic connection.

Who are you?I realize with interest that we’ve never taken our eyes off one another. His are hunter green but as I watch, they morph into a deep brown, only to become ocean blue before darkening until they’re as black as the forest that surrouds us. I don’t understand.

I am Silvanus,he responds. He’s extremely tall and broad-shouldered, with a barrel chest covered in wiry hair that almost resembles fur. I can feel the muscles of his body shifting beneath me as he walks. His heavy blond beard obscures his chin and his golden hair is so long, it looks like a lion’s mane flowing behind him. In fact, he reminds me of a lion with his large, round eyes, bronze skin, and his broad yet high cheekbones. He’s handsome, but in an uncivilized way.

You are interfering where you are not invited!The woman’s voice within my head suddenly screams through me. My eyes widen as I realize she can hear him and, at the cold expression of recognition I can see on his face, he can hear her, as well.

She is my charge!The woman’s voice continues raging.I am protecting her! She is not your business!

Silence, Morrigan!He rails and her voice suddenly chokes, fading away until I can’t feel her in my head any longer. My heart begins to pound as if it’s trying to tear right through my chest and I’m even dizzier than I was before.

How do you know her name?I ask.And who is she?

It is a long and complicated story. One you are not ready to understand yet,he responds and breaks our gaze to face forward. I don’t know where he’s taking me, but his strides are long and purposeful.

Are you going to kill me?

He chuckles and the sound is warm.Quite the opposite. I am here to restore your health, young female.

He stops walking and sets me down on a bank of wet earth. Then, he looks down at me, as if to appraise my condition. He’s as naked as I am but where I try to cover my nudity, he brandishes his. Clearly, he’s not in the least bit timid.

Do not hide yourself from me,he says, facing me with a stern expression.You deny your true self.

I don’t understand what you mean,I think in response, attempting to keep my eyes fixed on his. It’s difficult, given the fact that his penis is hanging directly in front of my face.My true self?

Are you not aware of what you are, female?

I’m an angel,I answer quickly.

He chuckles and I can hear the sound emptying from his mouth. It’s warm and it fills me with balmy feelings. I can’t explain why. There’s no change to his physical expression, though; his face is just as hard as it was seconds ago.

There is angel within you, yes. But you possess another side.

Another side?

A side you have yet to know,he says.A side that has been repressed.

What am I?I ask, suddenly afraid for his response.

You are sick,he answers.And I am meant to heal you.

Then his eyes follow the lines of my cheeks, down to my neck. Freely, he gazes at my breasts before dropping his eyeslower still. Suddenly, I understand how he means to heal me, and excitement that makes little sense blossoms deep inside me.

I swallow. Hard. And my eyes seek out the appendage between his legs. I feel embarrassment course through me as I look at him, but I can’t pull my eyes away. His erection is long and hard and it’s wide enough that all I can think about is the feeling of my lips stretching to accommodate it.

I don’t understand why I’m thinking this way. I don’t know this man and he appears to be more enemy than friend—if I’m to trust the woman’s voice in my head, anyway. And, thus far, she’s done nothing but advise and protect me.

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