Elina stayed there on the floor, looking up at him. Her man. When had that happened? How? She might never feel she deserved him, but she did know, just by the way he saw her in his mind, that he would always be happy with her.“We were talking about something but I can’t remember what it was,” she said. “I got distracted. I hope you don’t mind.”“Not at all.” He watched her tongue lick at her lips as she sank back onto her heels. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Throughout the centuries, I’ve seen quite a few women, but none of them compared with you.”The wonderful thing was, being in his mind, she knew the compliment was sincere. He honestly felt she was the most beautiful woman in the world. He was nuts, but that was all right with her. She smiled up at him, because he made her happy. She couldn’t believe how he had changed her life in such a short time.“I had dreams of you, Damonq. First, daytime fantasies like the shower, and then I was horrified when I began
The water on the lake was like glass. Elina had never been on it, or even on the dock around it. She found it was peaceful and gorgeous. All of her life she’d been drawn to the night – until she’d gone into that underground city and realized that monsters were lurking in every shadow. Walking hand in hand with Damonq gave her back a sense of peace and serenity to the night. He kept her tucked in close to him, her fingers threaded through his, and he took her straight to the lake.She loved the way the moon appeared silver in the dark sky. Stars were scattered overhead as if thrown haphazardly, yet they formed unique patterns. The sounds of insects and frogs added to the beauty of the place. “I can understand why Tensel chose this place to build,” she said. “He has everything. The lake and the woods, yet he’s close to the city.”“It’s also easily defensible. Max owns the property to the south, and I told him we’d buy up as much of the property toward his east as possible.”“You need
“Valentine would know. Liv, the little girl, is his lifemate. What is in her mind, he knows.” Damonq stated.“I didn’t think of that. I thought he left.” Elina mentioned, furrowing her eyebrows.“There was that trouble with the lightning when we were converting you. He came back to protect Liv.”“I don’t understand how he would know she was his lifemate. She’s too young. I thought it had to do with sexual maturity.”“That plays a huge part,” he admitted. “Sometimes being in close proximity over time can make a man aware his life mate is near. His colors fade but don’t altogether leave him. His emotions don’t completely disappear and he has a sex drive. One that won’t go away. I’ve heard all kinds of things that tip off the male. Most don’t have those luxuries. Valentine most likely discovered it when Darkness brought the child to him to take her blood. Darkness had kept Valentine starving for so long, he thought when he gave him a child, Valentine wouldn’t be able to resist killing h
Elina liked the sound of dancing in the stars. For the first time, she allowed herself to fully relax. She tipped her head up and studied the constellations scattered overhead. The sky looked beautiful, so dark it was nearly blue, the stars and sliver of moon hot and glowing against that backdrop. There were a few drifting clouds, but they looked inviting rather than threatening.More childish laughter caught her attention, and she turned her head to see the old couple standing with Danny, talking to the two youngest. Mary carried something cradled in her arms. Her husband, Don, had a large gun slung around his shoulder. She sat up so fast she nearly spilled into the water.“What in the world?” She stared at the couple as they laughed and talked with Danny. “Damonq, they’re carrying guns. Both of them. They’re the sweetest couple. They live in the boathouse. I’ve never been in it, but the children tell me it’s really nice and homey. Why in the world would Mary be carrying a gun? Or
“If you don’t show me, little rebel, I am going to have to wake you up.” Damonq promised.“Mmm.” She wouldn’t mind him waking her up. She let the various ways he could do it play through her. She didn’t have a lot of experience, but she read books. Tons of them, and there were many books that had erotic relationships, ones that intrigued her.His hand came down hard on her bottom, startling her out of her fantasy. His palm rubbed and heat spread through her center. She pressed closer to him. “All right. Before you get too comfortable, I’ll show you.” She pushed the image into his head.He was behind her, hands on her hips, taking his time, controlling her completely. She couldn’t move or she’d fall. He held her up with one arm, forcing her body over his forearm, so her head was down and her bottom up in the air. He teased her, first with his hands and then with his cock, making her plead for him, making her so needy and hungry for him she had gone mindless. She wanted mindless. S
Damonq brought Elina safely back to the dock and settled her feet there, holding her until he knew her legs were steady. He’d deliberately used the marina closest to the boathouse and away from where Amelia and Liv were skipping rocks. He glanced over at the two girls. Amelia was watching.He wrapped his arm around Elina’s waist, tipped up her face and kissed her. Hard. Possessively. Wet and deep. She melted into him instantly, her body going soft and pliant, her arms circling his neck. He loved her mouth. It was always so responsive. His kisses. His cock. Her mouth loved both and she showed that to him every time.“I like your creativity,” she whispered. “I intend to explore every inch of you when we’re alone.”“In the middle of a crowd we can be alone,” he informed her with a wicked laugh.She pulled back just enough to look up at him. “How?”“I could take you right here, remove every stitch of your clothes, carry you to the picnic bench and pound into you. No one would see unles
Damonq winged his way over the lawn filled with creatures that should have been gophers but had morphed into something altogether different. The mutations flung their bodies at the hunters, swarming up legs, hurtling themselves onto arms and backs. Biting ferociously. Their giant teeth tore large chunks of flesh out of the ancients while the birds circled and came back for a second assault. The timing was perfect, the mutated creatures keeping the ancients occupied with their terrible teeth while the birds regrouped and circled, darting in to try to tear the little ones from Danny’s hands. He had dropped to the ground, covering both little girls with his body. Jane covered him, adding a second layer of protection.The mutated gophers bore through the ground to get at the children, forcing Danny and Jane to stand, each protecting a child, vulnerable now to the attack from the birds.Tensel and Gary laid double protection over all the humans, so that the birds battered at an invisib
I have immediate need. Amelia must be transported to the safe room with my body. I will be inside her trying to keep Darkness from killing her.He would have to leave his body behind, unprotected, but she didn’t have the time it would take to get her to the safe room.He heard the soft echo of Elina’s cry. No. No, don’t do this. The wrenching pain in her voice nearly shattered him. He sent as much emotion to her as possible, giving her his heart as he shed his body, leaving it vulnerable to Darkness’s mutations.Amelia’s mind was the real battlefield. Darkness wanted her dead before they contained her. The sliver of evil commanded her lungs to cease breathing.Damonq forced the air to continue in and out of her. He felt the anger as the master monster realized he wasn’t alone in Amelia’s mind. The force of the undead’s rage, coiled and ugly, hit him hard. Waves of turbulent sound bounced through Amelia’s head, high-pitched, painful. Darkness tried to drive Damonq out of the te