Page 12 of Vampire's Promise
He stared straight at her. “No. The goddess who wishes to become my wife.”
She nearly spit out her wine and in stopping herself, went into a coughing fit. Once she finally regained control, she spoke. “Your wife?”
“Yes. The goddess of deception.”
A goddess. He was to marry a fucking goddess and here she was nothing more than a guardian relegated to be his concubine.Grasping at straws… “I saw you in the mortal world. What did you come there for?”
“I… Was simply curious.”
That was a lie. He was hiding something. She felt it in her bones. Was it possible he knew who his real father was? She picked up a berry while deciding how far to push this. Could she be wrong about the two of them being fated? “Do you love this Diara?”
“What does love matter? We are a suitable match.”
So it was an arranged marriage. “Then she is not your fated?”
His forehead furrowed. “Fated? No. I have no fated.” Yet the gaze he settled on her was enough to make any female want to climb into his lap. There was desire in his eyes, and it was aimed at her.
“What if you did have a fated? Would you still marry the goddess?”
He let out a half-hearted laugh. “If I had a fated, there would be no doubt that my mother was behind it. No, thank you. It’s enough I might agree to marry Diara.”
To say her heart fractured would be an understatement. “You would want to marry this goddess rather than claim your rightful mate?” The shock in her voice was evident, as she had been unable to hide it.
“If I had a fated mate, it would be my mother’s doing and, as I said, not going there. I don’t want either. I would much rather have a female of my own choosing, but I’m uncertain I can trust even that.” His gaze turned into swirling lightning, proving he was of Argathos’s blood. “While I find myself attracted to you, I despise the fact that once again, another is controlling my life and has taken my right to choose. Make no mistake, I take you to my bed to save you from Khedeus’s fate. There is nothing more to it and when we are free from here, we will go our separate ways.”
She should be hurt and angry at his words, but his life was obviously complicated. The problem was, who knew what kind of bond the two of them sleeping together would bring. Also, there would come a time real soon where she would have to drink his blood or weaken. She might have wished for all of this, but not under these circumstances.
He looked at the darkening sky. “We should get some rest. Morning comes quickly, and I am expected to work from dawn to dusk.” He stood and held out his hand. She accepted and rose from her chair.
“Can I help you?”
“If that is your wish.”
She only offered a nod, her heart racing at the thought of what was to come. He looked like he wanted to devour her, and she wondered if he felt a mating pull toward her. Perhaps it was best not to tell him who she really was. In the morning, she would, however, tell him whohewas and see where the chips fell.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Gwen enteredthe tent ahead of him and started to disrobe when he stopped her. “Allow me.” Rather than undressing her as he wanted, he used his power to change her dress into a gown for sleeping in. She looked down at herself.
“You prefer this?”
He might have changed her clothing, but the night dress was sheer and allowed him to see what it was he craved. It was going to be a long night. “Tonight, we will simply sleep. You first. I will sleep closer to the door.”
She didn’t argue but crawled into bed and pulled the cover over her. The nights were chilly here and the thin blanket was a joke against it. He flopped down beside her, circled his arm around her, and tucked her slight frame against him. “For warmth.”
He thought about war and bloodshed to help stave off his erection. Something was wrong with this entire situation and not just the fact that both of them were here on this prison world. Was it a coincidence that the same female he had spotted and found himself attracted to in the mortal world was here now?
He thought not. Khedeus had rooted in his head and found the memory of Gwen. Discovered the attraction and used it in his favor. Then there was his mother. That woman meddled in every aspect of his life, and it would be just like her to make him crave this female, but what made little sense was the why. Diara was more fitting of his station, his mother would say. So, why this guardian? Was there something about her that was special? However, for his mother to be behind this would mean that she was likely a part of his being here. Again, what would be the purpose? A way to force him into a bond? His mother had to know that Diara was anything but faithful and that any grandchildren would likely not be of his seed. Perhaps his mother had changed her mind, but then she would simply seek out another goddess. Was it possible she wasn’t involved at all and the fact he wanted this female like no other was merely a coincidence?
His muscles tightened as another realization smacked him square between the eyes. Diara probably told his mother of his plans to go to the mortal realm. If the story were true about his real parents, the goddess of destruction would want to stop him from learning anymore. There was a very real possibility that his mother, Diara, and this Gwen were behind this charade. After all, Ra had issued him a warning about a female, and funny how one just happened to drop in on him.
But one will be your salvation.Perhaps Gwen was his salvation. Someone to keep him company until he was set free. There was nothing to be done right now, so he relaxed to the scent of Gwen. She reminded him of sun, sand, and crashing waves. Ever since she had come to this desolate place, the air smelled of the ocean’s breeze and now it lulled him to sleep.
Gwen woketo someone shaking her at the crack-ass of fucking dawn and thrilled she was not. Nothing about this situation made her happy. Well, except for snuggling next to Kian. Then again, that also left her desire on a heat scale of a ghost pepper which made her cranky.
“Come on. You have enough time to eat, then we must get to work,” a gruff, sexy voice said.
She finally opened her eyes. “Or what? Have you tested the theory of what will happen if you don’t do this god’s bidding?”
