Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45934 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
“I am here to help Brandon, but I also caught sight of a beautiful woman, a woman who liked to sneak out at night to come and see me.” Alexander closed the distance between them. He cupped her face, pushing back some of her hair. She looked into his eyes, and the moment she did, all the panic and fear seemed to evaporate. He made sense to her. Everything else—the gargoyles, the birthmark, the power—none of it mattered to her. This did, Alexander did. “And I knew there was no way I was ever going to leave. Obviously, I didn’t know it yet.”
“You don’t feel … pressured?”
“Why would I feel pressure?”
“Someone else chose a mate for you? I wasn’t your choice, not really?”
“You’re my choice,” he said. “Am I not your choice?”
“Yes, you are my choice. There’s no one else I want, I just … I don’t want you to feel pressured, I don’t know if I’m making much sense.” There was so much to take in.
“How about we take it one day at a time?”
She nodded her head. “I’d like that.” She tried not to think about the dreams she’d been having lately, or anything that could send her into a state of panic. “But what about Elle? What about this cult? What about—”
Alexander silenced her by slamming his lips down on hers and completely cutting her off.
She knew she should be annoyed, but how could she be, with the feel of his lips on hers? His lips were hard and yet soft. She didn’t feel his fangs, but knew they were not present all the time. Alexander hadn’t shown her his teeth, or even his scary face. Sliding her hands up his body, she wrapped hers around his neck, holding him close. The moment he touched her back and then slid down toward her ass, drawing her closer, she knew it didn’t matter what they were going to face. As long as he kept holding her, everything else would be fine.
Chapter Eight
Alexander stood back as Crazy Lizzie marked a circle around Layla. His woman looked terrified. It had been three days since she had learned the truth of who she was, and it had been agreed that rather than bind her powers, they needed her to have complete control over them.
The gargoyles wouldn’t allow her powers to be bound. Layla’s birth parents had made them swear she would be free, and that meant with her powers as well. He also didn’t want to stop her from being able to protect herself. Disaster of the Otherworld was a real threat.
Brandon came to stand beside him. Elle had been working at the diner but had since joined them. Layla hated that she wasn’t able to live her normal life, but for now, the truth about who she was remained within the small circle of the pack. He hadn’t told Charles either.
The less people who knew, the better.
“I think this is a bad idea,” Brandon said.
“Everything we do is a bad idea, according to you.” Alexander watched as Crazy Lizzie sat within the circle. It was a protection spell, designed to mask what they were doing by any hunters or locators. “Elle’s idea is a pretty good one.”
“Sharing Layla’s blood, are you insane? Wait, no, you’re a vamp, so you’d be all for the blood sharing.”
He didn’t even bother responding to the jibe. “Think about it, the more people who share Layla’s blood, the more people the cult must kill. We divide them up, we take them out.” He kept running through the scenario in his mind, and he couldn’t think of any other way to help save Layla or Elle.
“Do you really think someone with the level of power she is meant to possess, should walk this earth?” Brandon asked.
Alexander turned toward the wolf and saw genuine concern. “You’re afraid.”
“I’m not afraid,” Brandon said. “What I am, is cautious. If someone can take her power from her, then think what that can do in the wrong hands.”
“You do know you both aren’t quiet, don’t you?” Crazy Lizzie said.
Alexander saw the sadness in Layla’s gaze. She didn’t say anything, but she didn’t need to. Brandon was upsetting her.
“If you’ve got nothing good to say, fuck off,” Alexander said. He took a step toward the circle and made sure his gaze was on Layla. She wouldn’t see any doubt or worry, or even fear in his eyes. All she would see is trust. He didn’t fear Layla having this gift. The fates had given it to her for a reason. The elders, the fates, whatever people wanted to call them, knew when to create balance. With Layla’s birth, it meant there was a deep evil roaming the earth. They sent someone who was able to take care of them all.
He didn’t know if Disaster of the Otherworld was the greatest threat or just the start, but either way, Layla needed to be kept safe. She had to live. Her job was to protect them and he was going to make sure she knew she could turn to him no matter what.