Page 39 of Dormeo
My back instantly goes up at this big stranger appointing him her permanent saviour and guardian.
“And if that just happens to be from your bed, then so be it?” I ask, my voice dripping with scorn. And yet, even as my possessiveness surges, and my anger bubbles to the surface, I can tell that he’s not like the others.
“No strings attached. I’m aware of her father’s plans for her. She can come to live with me, and do as she wishes, or she can leave and find a new life elsewhere.”
It’s a noble offer, and a genuine one.
Lily raises an eyebrow at me. She can scarcely believe it either. “So, you came here, willing to risk life and limb for a complete stranger, expecting nothing in return? And if she doesn’t desire you…”
“Or I her,” he interrupts, seeming to find some amusement in Lily’s irritation and blatant disbelief.
“If she doesn’t desire you, you’ll give her a place to live just so she doesn’t have to return to her father?”
He nods. “Is that so hard to believe? Surely, even demons can appreciate that nobody deserves to be used as a bargaining chip and sold to the highest bidder as her father intends.”
Lily presses her lips together, refusing to concede that he’s right, but like me, she senses that this man has no ulterior motive. He’s merely here to protect a defenceless human.
“And why is it up to you to be her knight in shining armour?” Lily demands, apparently unable to comprehend this man’s willingness to come here to rescue a woman with no devious plan or demands.
“If not me, then who? As you said yourself, most who come here to retrieve her are not looking to free her, just to make her their own.”
For the first time ever, Lily has nothing to say. She stares at this strange man, huge in size for a human, with a deep scar down one side of his face, and yet, with no deviousness or guile to his persona at all.
This is one of the good guys.
My thoughts drift to Rose, locked in my room because she doesn’t believe that I am different from the rest. She believes my interest in her is down to her power, and I can’t deny that is one of the things that draws me to her.
She wants love, and she’d prefer to be disappointed by a man she knows is despicable than by me, who shows her kindness.
It makes me angry to know those are the only options she can envision.
Yet here, standing before us, is a third choice. A man who wants nothing from her and will give her true freedom if she wants it.
“I won’t leave knowing she’ll be handed over to one of his horrendous friends,” the man insists, his fingers wrapping around the handle of his sword, showing how serious he is.
Lily looks at me, not sure what to do in this situation.
We’re pros at spotting those who deserve the punishments we dole out down here. Conversely, that also means we can spot those who don’t deserve to be here. And this is not a man who deserves to die today.
“The terms of the agreement are that she will be released in a week if her father meets his end of the bargain. There is no way to avoid that. However, if she were to be intercepted, or choose to leave with someone else, well… that would be out of our control,” I say, watching the Viking closely to make sure he’s following my drift.
“And if he doesn’t meet his promises?” he asks, clearly anticipating, as I do, that her father will fail to live up to his word or will attempt to breach the agreement in some way.
“Then she is ours to do with as we please. And if she wants to leave with you, I will allow it.”
Lily gasps and stares at me in shock, knowing that my father would never agree to such a thing and would be furious to let such a treasure escape his grasp.
“Father will kill you,” she warns, keeping her expression neutral, although I know better.
She understands the wrath he will bring down on me if he finds out what I’ve done.
When I remain silent, my decision final, she sighs.
“Which is why the Viking should hide out with me, so that father doesn’t get a whiff of what’s going on.”
The Viking stares at my sister, clearly not expecting her to extend any hospitality. But I can see her curiosity is piqued. She’ll study him like a lab rat for the next week, trying to figure out what makes him tick.
Maybe he’ll flee, and I won’t have to deal with the consequences.
