Authors: T. A. Grey
Dark Awakening (2 page)
"I've
received
letters
ever
since the
wedding
and I get strange calls every now and then." A
ferocious, low growl permeated in the room like a live animal. All of them turned to Rome whose cold eyes looked ready to kill.
"Control it," Vane ordered and gradually the coldness receded from Rome's eyes, until they were warm and soft again.
Sarina grabbed her hand in her warm one. "What did the letters say?"
Alison cringed. Her past with Conlin was not
something
she wanted to discuss and those letters tread
on
her
pain
with him with big boots. "I
don’t want to
talk about it."
"Then at least let us read them. We
’ll
show the letters to the Justicars
to prove
that Conlin is harassing you. It will prove
you’re
in danger."
Alison shook her head. "I burned them. I burned
every last
one the bastard sent me. Besides, it's not like he signed them."
"How can you be certain they were from him then," Vane asked. He looked curiously at her.
She had to swallow over the lump in her throat. "Because it was about when we were together. Only he knows about...that."
Alison
didn’t
see the sharp glint of anger flash in Rome's
eyes.
"All right, that's enough for tonight.
Either you can
stay here with us
for now
, or we have a house you can shack up
in
. It's safe, and you'll have an extra neighbor to keep you safe." Sarina nodded at Rome who flashed a
mischievous
grin.
"I don't want to intrude on you here. If you're sure about the extra place then I'll use it, but only for a little while. Only until we can get my apartment cleaned up, then I'll go back."
"Like hell. Cleaning up your apartment isn't going to stop Conlin from coming back and doing worse, and maybe next time you'll actually be home for it. What then, Ali
son
?" Rome sat back in his seat, but he was anything but relaxed. His eyes narrowed dangerously and mouth
pressed into a thin line.
Then Conlin will
find me
, and after he
is through
with
me
,
I’ll with I was dead
.
"Fine, I'll stay. But only until
I get things settled with Conlin
."
Rome smiled then but the
iciness
wasn't gone from his face. He stood and picked up her duffel bag, slinging it over one very large shoulder. "Shall we go?"
She said her goodbyes and was thankful for the chill in the
air;
it helped to control her raging emotions.
"I don't live far from here," she heard him say and got into his black pickup truck.
He held the door open for her. She didn’t want to be pleased that he did, but she was.
It not
be
a good thing to start liking Rome Kategan, she thought.
She was a little surprised to see him driving a
truck;
she could jus
t as easily see him in a sleek
car bulleting down a highway. Yet he started the truck and pulled away with smooth familiarity. "You know, if you're scared to sleep alone, I'd be willing to share my bed with you."
He said it so easily,
like
he was telling her the time.
She shook her head and didn't dignify him with an answer.
Besides, his commented had surprised the hell out of her and she didn’t know what to say.
Yes
,
please?
No, thank you?
Out of the corner of her eye she saw him smile and had to look away to keep from mirroring him. Alison thanked God when they pulled into a driveway some fifteen minutes later. The cabin was a two-story with stairs leading to the front door and a small front
porch, which
was
barren
. She could easily picture a swing or a couple of chairs there to
fill
up the space. Oh hell, now she was trying to decorate his house.
Not a good sign.
"This is my place. You'll be staying next door," he said pointing to a smaller, neighboring cabin. Alison wrapped her arms around her middle, she
w
as a little closer to Rome's house than
she would have liked. Hell, the first floor window on the side of his house matched with hers and she didn't have the luxury of two floors. "Want to see it now or would rather come inside with me?" His voice dropped low and seductive, sending a thrilling shiver through her belly. That was exactly the opposite reaction she should
have
to a man like him. She couldn't afford to get soft around him,
especially
him.
"No thank you. I just want to go to sleep."
"With me?" He smiled, crossing his arms lazily and leaning back against the truck. He looked like a sexy cowboy with his jeans, boots, and lazy smile. All he needed was a
Stetson
to finish the picture.
"Never with you."
The words were harsher than she’
d intended. S
he flushed and
marched
to
the
small cabin. She heard him follow
ing
, but stared straight ahead. He didn't say anything,
for
which she was glad. Really, she was.
Chapter 2
Rome showed her around the single floor cabin. It was simple, quaint, but homey and warm.
A brick landing went down to the living room where a loveseat and recliner faced a brick-layered fireplace.
The bathroom was clean with a shower and tub, and the bedroom had the same queen style she had back at home.
Looking down at the bed, Alison had a brief flash of the white stain awaiting her on her sheets at home. Her stomach tightened and bile rose in her throat.
"You
all right
?"
Rome came into the room, his eyes serious. Her breath stalled in her lungs just looking at him. She always wanted to
be
mated
, have a few babies, and spend her life cooking and
running her little cafe
. But since
Conlin,
none of that was possible.
It was strange how one mistake could change
a person's life so drastically
. Once upon a
time,
she would have flirted
with
a
man
like
Rome, but now she knew better than to be swayed by a pretty face. One never could tell what
lies beneath the
polished surface.
"Fine, thanks,” she finally answered.
Suddenly she realized she was in a small bedroom with a very virile male, a male who was looking at her as if she was a delicious dessert he wouldn't mind spending the next few hours licking. Slowly.
A warm blush filled her cheeks and she could do nothing to stop it. "That will be all thank you," she said crisply and
sq
u
eezed
past him to open the front door. She stood next to it, waiting as he strolled slowly towards her. She held her breath
when
he stopped
close to her
. Keep going, keep going, she chanted.
Instead,
he faced her and lifted her chin with a long finger. The corner
of his mouth was curved upwards
taunting
and full. "If you need anything at all beautiful, just let me know.
I’m sorry it took something awful to bring you here. But I’m glad you’re here.
If you need anything,
I'm your man." She shivered at
his words. He leaned down close
, his lips scant inches from hers.
Oh God, don't kiss me she begged, slamming her eyes shut. Hot breath teased her lips and they parted, the traitors. And then she felt it, the press of his lips against hers. His lips were smooth and matched perfectly against hers. A hot pulse throbbed
directly
in her sex and her breasts suddenly ached to be touched. Then he lifted his head. It was over too fast, or not fast enough. Definitely
not
fast enough.
Her eyes fluttered open to see a darkness in his
hazel
eyes that wasn't there before
a dark, intriguing color that could only mean one thing.
"Please go
,
"
she said quickly.
He grinned at her taking in everything,
her flush, her wet lips,
her
chest moving a little too
fast
, and then he nodded as if he'd done a good job.
"Vane has sentries posted all over, especially near the guest cabin. So relax and don't worry. But remember," he paused at the doorway, the light from the street creating a golden halo around him. "If you need anything, I'm here."
Alison slammed the door in his laughing face.
Chapter 3
Rome was still smiling when he returned to his house.
He didn't know what it was about the
quiet
Alison Bennson that rattled him so, but she really got to him. There was something about her prim little black glasses and dismissive nature towards him that just taunted him to prove her wrong, to push her until she forfeited. True he had never pursued a woman who clearly hated him, but so
far,
he found the act quite entertaining.
In the past, he'd pursued women for the sake of getting them to bed, and that had never been a difficult feat. Most women were eager to be with him, didn't want to leave afterwards. Yet it wasn't just the pursuit and challenge of seducing Alison that made his blood stir. In fact, he couldn't remember ever being so captivated by a woman.
Since he met her some two months
ago,
he'd had trouble getting her off his mind. He'd first seen her while he and his brother Darien were keeping watch outside of
Sarina's father's
house. Her father was an asshole with some supreme control issues that would probably take serious psychiatric help to cure. Alison had pulled up in her blue Civic and marched to the front door with the same determined stride he'd seen tonight.
He'd
watched her from the woods
. It was embarrassing really, but just watching her tight pants, those square bangs across her forehead, and those black glasses. She looked like a naughty teacher he wanted to discipline him.
With a jolt, he’d looked down to see his cock was hard in his pants.
Strolling into the
bathroom,
he turned on the water, waited until it got hot and stepped in. He knew what he really needed was some frigid temperatures to cool the heat in his veins, but he couldn't make himself do it. He was too revved up after that kiss
.
Hell
, after everything.
She was in danger and
that made his protective urges flare to life like never
before.
Sure,
he'd plowed his fist into a few
people’s
faces for looking at his sister wrong when she was young, but this was somehow different. Vane told him the bastard had jerked off on her
bed
, right where she slept.
His fist curled tightly, he needed to find out what Alison's history was with the bastard Prince Conlin. After her words with Conlin at Sarina and Vane's bonding ceremony, it was obvious Conlin was furious. Fuck, he should have seen it. He should have checked in on her, protected her.
Instead
he'd spent the last two months fucking his fist while thinking about her. Hell, he'd even broken things off with his fling, Sandra. It might have been a mistake too considering how his cock was as hard and long as a monument.
But he honestly couldn't continue to string her along, not when it was another he craved.
A woman with
hair
the color of dark chocolate and a body so luscious and curvy he wanted to spends hours just learning it with his tongue.
God, he shouldn't have kissed her. He grabbed his hard cock in his hand and squeezed the stiff flesh with a groan.
Not that he didn't want to kiss her,
but he wanted so much more than she was really to give.
He definitely planned on finding out what she had against
him;
every time she was around
him
she was stiff and edgy.
She could barely look him in the eyes, yet she wasn't that way with Vane or even Darien, and surely not Sarina. It was just him.
