Duncan, Megan Warm Delicacy 2 Indulge

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would I know if she would even tell me any-
thing at all? I would have to rely on myself to
find the answers I needed. Could I find
them? The conflicting urges battled inside
me as I slowly approached her.
Ana s hood fell from her head as she
turned into the wind and threw something
onto the ground. It shattered at her feet and
sent a smokey purple cloud twirling before
her as it danced with the ocean breeze. I had
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seen this cloud before and I quickened my
pace. I could only think of one thing that it
could be, but I didn t know how it was pos-
sible. It had to be some kind of portal. She
had used it before and so had Baal. I could
never forgive myself if I let her escape again.
Her white blonde hair whipped violently
in the wind as she stepped toward her hazy
escape, and that was just the advantage I
needed. I lunged just as her foot was about to
pass through and yanked her back with all
my strength, pulling her away.
The action seemed to have stirred a
memory inside her. Recognition flashing
fleetingly and fading just as fast, her face
filled with sweltering rage as she looked at
me from the ground by my feet.
You re not going anywhere, I ordered.
She snapped at me as I tore the pendant
from her neck. For a second I considered
throwing it through the portal. I wasn t sure
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if I could handle the weight of another tor-
tured soul around my neck. Sure, the power
had helped me get this far, but I could feel
myself relying on it more and more as my
own reserves dwindled to nothing.
I gripped the chain in my fist and the
stone pulled toward the portal, the power of
it was drawing it in, calling to it, sending a
shiver up my spine. Something on the other
side of that portal wanted that stone to re-
turn, or did it want its owner to return too? I
looked down at Ana as she reached desper-
ately to pluck the necklace from my grasp.
I raised my hand, holding it further away
from her, much like a bully teasing a small
child and planted my foot on her chest, for-
cing her to the ground. Ana wanted it,
something inside that portal wanted it. That
was reason enough for me. I would just have
to somehow find the strength to carry the
burden of another stone, for now at least.
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Just as I laced the chain around my neck I
heard someone calling my name. The voice
was familiar and I flung my head in the dir-
ection just in time to miss a deadly blow
from the dark vampire whose fang I had
kicked out. His glinting thick blade whizzed
past my face by a mere inch. He stood on
wavering legs, hoisting his blade for another
strike. Sweat poured down his face, every
ounce of his energy was being used to make
this final attack against me. I knew he
wouldn t last long. Or at least I hoped he
wouldn t.
I readied my stance to evade his next
swing when a clang of metal rung through
the night. I stepped back to avoid the fray
and tripped over Ana as she clawed at my
legs. The hard earth slammed into my back,
driving the air from my lungs. Instantly, Ana
was on top of me, snarling like a dog and
scratching at my chest for the stones.
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I didn t understand why she was so much
more connected to this stone than the other
members of The Dark had been. They all laid
motionless and dazed after I took their
stones, but not Ana. Her hunger for the stone
intensified the longer she was without it.
How was her connection different? Was she
connected to the soul inside the stone?
Warm blood pooled between my breasts
as Ana slashed at me. I couldn t focus on her,
or block her swings; I was too focused on my
mysterious defender as he battled the dark
vampire just yards away from me. I could
hear their growls tickling the air, the heat of
rage blowing in their wake.
Ana s elbow snapped into my cheekbone
and hot tears flew freely from my eyes. I had
to focus. I tried to push out the energy of the
stones, trying to slam every ounce of their
power into Ana, but nothing happened. I
didn t have time to try and figure it out, so I
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relied on the one thing I was becoming really
good at. Fighting.
I snatched her by her boney wrists and
flung her onto her back as I rolled with her. I
gazed into her crazed eyes and for the first
time I felt sorry for her. There was nothing
left of the Ana I knew inside this broken
shell. There was no recognition of who I was
or our past.
Clasping my fingers around her cold
throat, I found the pressure points I was
looking for. As much as I had always
dreamed of getting my revenge on Ana, this
just didn t seem right. This creature might
have looked like Ana, but it wasn t her. She
was just another victim of Baal in my eyes
now and my thirst for her blood began to
fade.
I knew I still couldn t let her get away.
Whether it was me, the Captain of the Guard
or my father, one way or another we would
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get answers from Ana. I pulled her up from
the ground, my fingers digging deep into her
neck, and dragged her limp form further
from the portal. She hung from my grasp like
a cat being snatched at the nape of their
neck. As long as I kept my grip she would be
under my control.
The scent of fresh blood sparked my
body s attention quicker than the scream
that accompanied it. The dark vampire
jerked its blade from the chest of my defend-
er. As the body fell to the earth, it caught the
soft glow of the morning light and revealed
his face. It was Bennett. He had come back
for me.
A howl rumbled in my chest as I watched
Bennett struggle to rise. His ghostly eyes
pleaded with me to run, but there was no
way I was going to leave him. I looked from
Ana, to Bennett and back again. Going after
Bennett meant I would have to let Ana go. I
squeezed her throat even harder in
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frustration and she didn t respond in the
slightest. Her eyes were content to stay
locked on my neck, at the stone she frantic-
ally desired.
The sound of bones cracking made the de-
cision for me. The dark vampire kicked Ben-
nett in his ribs, sending him rolling across
the ground growling in pain. Still, he was
struggling to stand, blood pouring from his
wound. I had to save him. I loved Bennett.
Not like a lover, but as a dear friend. I trus-
ted him with my life and he needed to know
he could trust me with his.
I slammed Ana to the ground and ran for
the dark vampire with as much severe speed
and rage I could muster. Fear burned in Ben-
nett s eyes as I screamed in a frenzied fury.
He shouted something at me, but I couldn t
understand. I had one focus, one goal, one
target - and I wasn t going to fail.
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The Dark vampire hadn t even seen me
coming. All his attention was on my dying
friend at his feet, kicking him and slicing at
him for his own amusement. It could have
easily killed him at any moment, but the
monster was enjoying torturing Bennett.
Sadly it was Bennett s extended agony
that gave me the time I needed.
As it raised its blade for a final blow, an
idea sparked into my mind. Sailing through
the air, I landed on the vampire s back and
latched onto the blade. With all my weight I
forced the blade backward, snapping the
monster s arms and driving the edge into the
center of its back.
I fell to ground as it tried to swipe at me,
but its limp arms hung lamely at its sides.
Still he wobbled to me, unwilling to give up.
This monster didn t want to fail its mission, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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