Sin and Sacrifice (37 page)

“
What does your gut
instinct tell you, Rhett?” she asked quietly.

He looked out the window,
shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans.

“
That the worst is yet to
come.”

The small town of Kineta
boasted quaint buildings that, in Evelyn's estimation, were some of
the most beautiful in terms of architecture in the world. She'd
gotten glimpses of them as they'd pulled into the village the night
before, the white structures pristine against the
darkness.

From the balcony, she had a
view of the beach, the curving shoreline and a few other hotels in
the distance. Pretty and peaceful, she thought she could stay here
for a long time and never get tired of the scenery. It made her
think of her and Rhett's conversation in the kitchen back in the
stronghold. There was so much to explore between them. Things she
would never get to discover and learn if she killed the idea before
it really took flight.

She also had the feeling,
even though Rhett hadn't confided in her yet, that Christian's
actions had cut him deep. Every once in a while his features took
on a grim solemnity that echoed in his eyes. She wanted to be there
for him like he'd been there for her.

Leaving the balcony, she
stepped inside the room. Two hours ago, Rhett had showered and
finally laid down to rest. On his stomach, he'd sprawled diagonal
over the bed, taking up a lot of room due to his size. Fresh
bandages covered his healing wounds. The jeans he'd changed into
were another washed out, worn in pair. But it was his back that
gained and held her attention.

Shirtless, the tawny skin
stretched over the honed muscles in ways that made her want to
trail her fingers across it. The tattoo of the iron cross sat
square between his shoulder blades. A stray chill inched down her
spine at the sight. She might not be afraid of Rhett, Dracht or
Dragar any longer, but it would take her a little while to overcome
the knee jerk reaction to seeing the ink.

Reaching down, she put her
fingertips to the edge of the scrollwork on the cross. Just as she
started to trace the outline, Rhett twisted his shoulders and
snatched a hand around her wrist faster than she could draw in a
startled breath.

From a dead sleep to
just...deadly...in a heartbeat. That was the leonine, golden haired
man who held her captivated with the narrowed, pale green of his
eyes.

“
I don't care if you touch
me, but waking me up like that will pretty much get you this
reaction every time,” he said, voice raspy from slumber.

“
Didn't mean to disturb
you. It was impulsive of me,” she admitted. He didn't immediately
release her wrist, and she did nothing to break the contact. A
moment later, his thumb brushed over the delicate underside and
instead of letting go, he gave her wrist a gentle tug.

She leaned forward onto her
stomach, laying at an angle to him after he rolled onto his side.
The sundress, turquoise with a white floral pattern etched into the
hem and around the neckline, left her legs and arms bare. It was
the first time she'd felt comfortable enough not to wear jeans and
to go barefoot during the daytime.

“
What's on your mind?” he
asked, as if he could sense that she wanted to talk.

“
Whether or not I can
convince Ashrael to let us into the Garden.” Evelyn had spent days
thinking about it. Wondering. Planning.

Rhett cocked a brow up.
“Ashrael? Oh, the Guardian?”

“
Yes.”

“
I thought it was against
the rules.”

“
It is. Unless I can
convince him otherwise.” Her mouth quirked at a corner in
consternation. Doubtless, Ashrael would deny her. Deny them both.
Though if she informed him that their secret was out, that their
lives had been in danger, and that Rhett was now
her
Guardian, maybe
Ashrael would allow Rhett to partake of the fruit so that he could
continue his role indefinitely. She might even be able to do the
same for Dracht and Dragar.

“
What would make him
change his mind? I'm no paragon of virtue, you know,” Rhett
said.

“
I was thinking of telling
him what happened, if he doesn't already know, and suggesting that
if you ate from the Tree, it would extend your life so that you
could continue providing security. The downfall, is that you'll be
expected to do just that as long as you live.” She studied his
eyes, which had sharpened as the conversation deepened.

He rolled up off the bed in
a smooth motion and speared a hand through his hair while he paced
toward the balcony.

Evelyn got to her feet,
tracking his progress through the room with her eyes. It was a lot
to ask, a big decision, and had bigger implications for him than
simply extending their time together. She realized as she watched
him that she wanted him to agree. To take the chance of a lifetime.
The same kind of chance she took putting all her trust in him in
the beginning.

But she also knew, in that
singular moment, that she would accept whatever decision he made
and make the best of it. Explore what she could, enjoy the time
they had while they had it. Whether it was ten months, ten years or
ten decades, there would be no turning back for her.

The knowledge made her
heart flutter strangely in her chest.

Standing five feet behind
him, staring at the broad, strong expanse of his back, she waited
for his verdict. Even the sight of the tattoo didn't give her any
hesitation.

She was in,
all
in, for the first
time ever.

With a slow turn of his
shoulders, he found her eyes. What looked like a stern expression
suddenly blossomed into a rakish grin that changed the entire
landscape of his face. It chased the lingering ghosts of betrayal
into the shadows, leaving only determination behind.

“
It's a noble cause,
watching over a woman with a grandma's name who sometimes sports a
rat's nest for hair.” Finishing the turn, he stalked
her.

“
I do not have a
grandmother's name!” Laughing carefree for the first time in what
felt like months, she set her palms against his chest when he
bulled into her and backed her into the wall. Pinned, she didn't
push him away but wrapped her arms around him and pulled him
closer.

“
Yes you do.” Blotting out
the streaking sun rays, he lowered his head and kissed
her.

The End

Look for books #2 and #3 in
the Daughter's of Eve Series, Templar's Creed and The Seven Seals,
in the fall of 2011!

Other books by Danielle
Bourdon

* * *

Bound by Blood – Paranormal
Romance by Danielle Bourdon and Kimberly Hoyt.

Blurb:

Spunky, down-on-her-luck
Laurel Mayfield didn't believe in vampires. She didn't believe in
the supernatural. Not until she met the enigmatic and darkly
alluring Sebastian Thorn, a man shrouded in mystery and intrigue.
Discovering he was a Prince turned out to be only the beginning of
a harrowing journey that took them back to the Tudor Court during
the reign of King Henry the Eighth. Caught up in the conspiracy of
Whitehall, Laurel's love and devotion were put to the ultimate
test.

Would she return to the
future to find her Dark Prince waiting? Or had the executioner's
blade taken more from her than just Sebastian's head?

* * *

Dréoteth – Born a dragon,
masquerading as a man. .99

* * *

Cemetery Psalms – A
collection of 5 ghost/horror short stories. .99

About the Author

Born and raised in Corona
California, Danielle Bourdon has been dreaming up stories since she
was 11. Her first two novels, Dréoteth and Bound by Blood, were
published in 2010. She has already written a third novel, Sin and
Sacrifice, which is due for release sometime in the summer of 2011.
Her love of the thriller and horror genre prompted her to write a
collection of short horror stories titled Cemetery Psalms and a
Zombie Kids short story series, both available in January,
2011.

Visit her website for
updates and contests:
www.daniellebourdon.com

Contact her via email
at:
[email protected]

Follow on Twitter
@Wildbloom

Danielle lives in Texas
with her husband, two sons and black cat Sheba.