Page 15 of Carved
A man grunted and a woman emitted a muffledcry. It didn’t sound like Kobal, but perhaps his idea of being kindwas to try to cover his voice. Flopping onto my back, I went to tugthe pillow against my ears to block the sounds when I found a pairof entirely black eyes staring at me from where he lay on asleeping bag a few feet away.
The moon’s rays caressed his bare chest,illuminating the flames on him and the chiseled ridges of his abs.The term washboard didn’t begin to describe those abs. Everypowerful muscle of his body was carved perfection. My handsclenched against the compulsion to run my fingers over his jaw andfeel the smoothness of his hairless skin beneath my touch. Myheartbeat picked up as the impulse left me breathless.
“They woke you,” he said, his voice grufferthan normal.
“I thought it might be you.” I realized mybrain was still sleep addled when those words blurted out ofme.
His gaze ran over my face as he propped hishead on his hand. “Not unless I was with you in those woods. Ifyou’d let me, I’d be inside of you again tonight.”
My mouth went dry at his words and thememories they evoked. I could clearly recall the sensation of hisbody moving over and within me. The taste and smell of him beneathmy mouth and fingers. The rigid length of his erection as he pumpedhis hips in rhythm with mine. I felt half drugged by those memoriesand he was simply staring at me in that unwavering way of his.
“You returned to the fire,” I managed to getout.
It was the biggest defense I had against himright now as I completely forgot every other reason I’d been usingto keep myself from him. He’d told me I was his Chosen, that he’dclaimed me, but when I’d turned him away from my bed, he’d happilyreturned to the orgy-like sex taking place nightly at the largebonfire the demons held at the wall.
He frowned at me. “No, I didn’t.”
“Then where were you?” My voice came out moreaccusing than I’d intended, but the sharp knife of jealousy twistedin my heart. “You left Bale watching over me and didn’t come backto the tent.”
His teeth grated together so forcefully Icould hear them. “You believed I was having sex with another?”
Obviously.“Weren’t you?”
“No. I realize you are part human, you wereraised as one of them, have their emotions, and you don’t fullycomprehend demons or the way we are, but you are my Chosen. You maynot understand what that means to a demon, tome, but understand this, there isnoone else for me. I have no desire for anotherwoman and no one else will ever satisfy me again. I had to get outof the tent to keep from crawling into bed with you. I slept on theground outside where I couldn’t hear you at night, but I couldstill keep you safe.”
Words failed me as what he’d said made myentire body tremble and my heart soar. However, there were still somanyreasons why being with him wasa bad idea. I merely had to remember them all, and right now, mybody didn’t care what my brain stuttered out.
“I’m mortal,” I whispered.
I didn’t know why I’d said it other than itwas the one thing neither of us had ever acknowledged about ourrelationship. I would age and die and he would still be here,looking the same and living for another millennia or hundreds ofmillennia more.
His nostrils flared, and his nails lengthenedinto claws briefly before retracting again. “I know.”
“You’ll be left alone when I die.”
“I’ll never be alone while I have yourmemory.”
“Corson told me about his parents. He told mehis mother couldn’t handle the loss of his father and threw herselfinto the fires after.”
A muscle in his jaw twitched. “And you fearthe same for me?”
“More than you know.”
“Do not.”
“That’s easier said than done. In my dream,Lucifer—”
“He lied, River,” he bit out from between histeeth. “Demons are stronger when they find their Chosen, he knowsthat. Your powers are growing and will continue to do so, he knowsthat too. He will do or say anything to stop you, to stop me.Youcould never become like him,ever.”
The crickets chirruped around us as cloudsrolled in to block some of the moonlight spilling over us. “Youbelieve him to be my father, and he believes I will become evil. Mymother always told me I was the spawn of Satan, tainted andcorrupted. What if they’re all right and you’re not willing to seeit because I am your Chosen?”
His lips skimmed back to reveal hislengthening fangs. “The woman lying before me, the one who held herbrothers so close and with such love could never become thosethings. You are far from corrupt or evil. Your mother and Lucifersought to break you, but they didn’t. You are everything you humanswould consider good, River.”
“What if he uses me against you?” I whisperedaround the lump in my throat his words had created. I didn’t stophim when he reached out to brush his thumb across my cheek. “I’mthe only weapon he has against you that he never had before.”
“He doesn’t have you, and he never will.You’re also astrengthI never hadbefore, and he knows that.”
His fingers slid over my face and he staredat me with a reverence that robbed me of my breath. He made me feellike the most beautiful woman in the world when he looked at melike that.
