Page 23 of A Vampire in a Pear Tree
SEVEN
OWAIN
“You must return tothe Hour!”
Owain considered the men who stood before him, two Dark Ones, both furious, and both, he felt, about at their wit’s end.He didn’t wonder at that, since he, too, was done with all this foolishness.
“I don’t suppose you know any spells to grant insight, do you?”he asked Berry.
Her nose wrinkled while she thought.Owain had never been an admirer of nose-wrinkling in the past, but it was a charmingly adorable look when Berry did it.Sexy, almost.His libido certainly felt the last was accurate, and once again, an erection threatened to ensue if he kept admiring her oval face, her silky black hair, and the greenish brown of her eyes that reminded him of autumn leaves lying in a shallow stream.
He really enjoyed looking at all her other bits, but mindful of her rejection of his offer of lovemaking the night before, when they were squished together into a child’s room at her cousin’s house, he managed to keep from admiring her plentiful curves.
His hands practically itched with the need to caress those curves.
“Owain?”
He was called out of his lustful thoughts by Berry’s voice, and the pointed look she gave him that warned he’d been asked a question.“My apologies, I was distracted.I will not return to the Hour, as I’ve said four times now.”
“You have to,” the Dark One named Finch said, making a sharp gesture.“It’s dangerous for you to be out.”
“How so?”he asked, his attention immediately moving to Berry when she shifted next to him.Her nickname certainly fit her, since she was as ripe and sweet as a sun-warmed strawberry.
“You are a danger to the mortal world,” Finch insisted, while the one who’d been introduced as Christian Dante stood silent, his gaze assessing.“You’ll destroy it in your attempt to seek revenge.Tatiana and I are tangentially responsible for your release, so you’ll understand when we tell you it’s important you return to the Hour so no mortals will perish in the name of revenge.”
Owain thought about what the Dark One said, before turning to Berry.“They seem to think we wish to harm mortals.”
“They’re wrong,” she said, shifting again until she was almost touching him, the gesture not only warming his heart but firing his libido even higher.“You’re doing everything to keep from hurting people.”
“I am,” he agreed, then, unable to keep the question to himself, asked, “When you said no to lovemaking last night because we were at your cousin’s house, did that mean that you would be happy to do so elsewhere?”
She shot him a look that by rights should have scorched the hair from his head.It made him want to laugh, that and the furious way she scrambled to hide the thoughts she had regarding him, his body, and all the things she wanted to do to him.“Dude!Now is not the time to discuss mutual itch scratching.”
“I don’t believe scratching was in the top ten items on your list of things you wished to do to me,” he said, delighted with the way emotion made her eyes glint.She was an intriguing woman, clearly wasted on the job of hunting individuals.A vision arose in his mind of her riding across a grassy plain, her black hair streaming behind her like a silk banner, mortals scattering before the pounding hooves of her mount.He paused at that thought, then added, “Perhaps I am not as blameless as I thought I was, since your horse would definitely trample mortals.”
“What horse?”she asked, her eyes going a little wild.“What mortals?”
“The ones in my mental vision of you.”He turned to where the two Dark Ones were now standing silent, watching them.At the far end of the room, several dragons were clustered, ostensibly sitting around a fireplace, but he knew the focus of all was on Berry and him.“Why do you believe I am a danger to mortals?Have you spoken to my mother?She is not to be trusted, not when it comes to my brothers and me.She has what they call issues.”
The two men exchanged glances before Christian said slowly, “You swore vengeance against all who aided in your downfall, including the mortals who turned their backs on you in your time of need, and the Dark Ones who resulted from the curse.For that reason, we ask that you return to the Hour, so that no one will be further harmed.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Berry said, her hand brushing against his.He realized from a thought she tried to keep hidden that she wanted him to hold it, and accordingly did so.
Her hand felt right in his, her fingers curling in a manner that had him once again at war with his libido.
“Owain isn’t evil.He said some of his brothers are, but Owain doesn’t want to hurt anyone, do you?”Berry turned to him, her mysterious eye glints now speaking volumes of her righteous indignation.
It warmed him to the spot where his soul used to reside that someone was indignant on his behalf.
