Page 72 of Shattered Veil
“Hard day at the office, honey?”
I jerk upright at the masculine voice. Marius lounges in the armchair by the window, the glow from the moon catching his sharp features.
“What the hell are you doing here?” I snap, even as I feel a tug of something else deep in my belly.
He smiles, dark eyes raking over me.“Waiting for you, little bird. We had an agreement, remember?”
I swallow, torn between wariness and a traitorous spike of desire.“I remember. I just didn’t expect—”
“Me to actually hold you to it?” Marius rises, stalking towards me.“I always keep my word, remember that. One night alone. That was the deal.”
I scoot back up on the bed until my back hits the headboard. He sits down close to me, and the scent of embers and night air fills my senses.
“Tell me about the wraith,” he murmurs, lips brushing my ear.“About what you saw.”
What I saw was horrible. And also tempting. But I’m not telling him that.“I…I saw myself. But not myself. Colder. Crueler. More powerful.”
Marius pulls back, studying me intently.“And how did that make you feel?”
“Scared,” I whisper. Then, for reasons unknown, I reveal the truth.“Excited.”
His eyes darken further.“Good girl.”
The praise sends a fizz of arousal through my body that surprises me.
Marius chuckles, trailing a finger along my jaw.“We’re two sides of the same coin, you and I. Darkness recognizes darkness.”
I want to deny it, but deep down, I know he’s right. There’s a space inside me, hungry and aching to be filled. And Marius is the only one who truly sees it.
“What do you want from me?” I ask.
His grin is humorless.“Everything.”
I look away.
“Are you ready to accept your destiny, little bird?”
“You’re always so enigmatic, aren’t you, Marius?” I’d assumed he wanted to fuck me, plain and simple. This talk of destiny is dangerous territory.“Why can’t you just tell me what you want with me?”
His fingers trace patterns on my arm, leaving goosebumps in their wake. I watch as his face, watch him as he considers his next words. But something shifts in his eyes and he pulls away from me.“I should go.”
What?“I’m confused,” I say.“What just happened, Marius?”
He turns to me, his eyes intense and unblinking.“What do you feel when you look at me, Brigid?”
“What do you mean?” I can’t answer him because I don’t know what I feel, exactly. I mean, I feel anger, annoyance, yes. But I also feel a pull towards him, along with a desire that makes me lose my breath. I watch as he runs his tattooed knuckles over the appearing scruff on his jaw.
“Nevermind.” He starts to stand up.
To everyone’s shock, I snake out my hand and catch his wrist. He blinks at me in surprise.“Don’t go.”
“Careful what you wish for, little bird.”
My chest clenches at his words, and I feel a tightening between my legs. What I’m pretty sure now is a mate bond, throbs between us, a call I can’t ignore.
He watches me, his gaze on my face, then lower and lower. He smiles and I’m pretty sure he knows exactly what I’m feeling right now.
Marius’s hand slides up my arm, leaving a trail of fire in its wake. His fingers skim over my collarbone, tracing delicate patterns that make me shiver. When he touches my face, his thumb brushes my lips, and I can’t help but part them slightly.
