Page 52 of Reflections of Silence

She has done more than her fair share of bloodletting in her time.

“Yes, but I wasn’t privy to that, thank God.” Sebastian winced and I closed my mouth with a snap.

“If you held a masked ball, wouldn't that give her the opportunity to come into your home? Achieve— whatever she wants to do?” Minette asked.

Dolion flashed her a sharp smile while my head started to pound. Running more than one conversation at a time was exhausting.

Sebastian nodded, glancing down at me. “Yes. That might work.”

Minette smiled. “You might need to get used to the company.” She jabbed me with her elbow.

“Maybe,” I said, watching my husband with concern as he resumed his sentry post at the back of the boat.

The light dimmed around us as dusk fell in full over the bayou. What sedate creatures that had been silent throughout the day awoke, chirps and cries echoing over the still waters. I shivered, feeling very much the prey in a land of predators.

The jetty approached quickly. I helped Minette off the boat, Dolion launching himself with apparent ease to land further along the jetty than should have been possible. He caught her elbow, helping her up, and led her along the wooden planks, her fine pale hand clasped in his darker one.

I stared after them, bemused.

But he’s not human, love. And neither am I.

Left in the boat with Sebastian, I felt the moment the air charged. He stalked toward me along the short, wooden spine. His balance was perfect; the boat neither shifted nor swayed beneath his light steps as though his bulk weighed nothing at all here.

Prey to his predator.

That’s all I was, in this scenario. I didn’t dare back away in case I repeated my performance of this morning.

My God, was that this morning?

“Don’t swear,” he growled, reaching for me.

His fingertips grazed my bare arm, leaving a searing path of woken nerves in his wake.

Suppressing a shiver, I checked along the jetty, but Dolion and Minette had already disappeared behind a swaying curtain of mossy foliage. “We should—” I started, but his hands wound around me, bringing me to stand against him. Warm lips brushed mine, sweet sensation assailing me before he leaped as Dolion had, still holding me in his arms to land in the center of the jetty.

“No point changing whatever happened this morning,” he gestured at my dress.

I closed my eyes, knowing I was filthy after my dip in the drink.

Yes. But let's get you clean before we get into that.

My eyes snapped open in time to find him far too close. His mouth captured mine in a deep kiss that left my legs trembling where I stood. His hands tangled in my hair as he devoured me, and I weathered the violence of his need.

You shouldn't be so cowed, Gella. I like to see the bite in you.

An image that didn’t come from my mind of me astride his hips, bare breasted and crying out enveloped me. His grip tightened, pulling me closer into him as his fantasies played out in real time inside my head.

“That’s not fair,” I gasped. My heart pounded in my chest.

“But you like it.” His fingers trailed to my skirts, his broad palm covering my bottom to jerk me into his hard length.

“They aren’t my thoughts.” I slapped his arm as hard as I could, knowing it wouldn’t hurt him, though my own hand would ache from the impact. The action didn’t make my blush any less, but it did give me a petty sense of satisfaction when the images stopped.

Self-flagellating already?

He laughed when I shook my stinging hand, winding his arm around me and leading me back to the house.

I pondered the day’s events as we walked, making sure I hadn’t missed too much in my dazed state. “Why did Granny Smythe call Amy a sorceress?” I stopped.

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