Vengeance (The Captive Series, Book 6) (30 page)

“I’d hoped to find something about this mystery woman in them. I also thought William should read them, especially now.”

Braith grinned smugly at him over Aria’s head. “Oh yes, especially now. It sounds like Tempest is going to give you a run for your money.”

“She already has,” he replied with far more composure and airiness than he felt. He couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in his stomach as he stared at the two of them. Now Aria had him feeling like an axe hung over their heads, poised to fall. “And I think it’s time I get back to her.”

“We should be able to leave sometime tomorrow,” Braith said.

“Good. I’ll see you both in the morning.”

“Goodnight,” Aria said to him.

He stared at her for a minute, praying she was wrong, but inwardly feeling the turmoil seething through him. He tried to shake it away, but it clung like a leech as he climbed the stairs to the second floor. Aria was frightened she would lose Braith; he couldn’t blame her for feeling that way with this new threat looming out there, but she was overreacting.

The only problem, he realized as he stopped outside the room he was sharing with Tempest, his sister had never overreacted about anything in her life.

***

Tempest lay within William’s arms as she listened to the banging sounds of a hammer hitting wood. Conversations flowed down the street of the small town as people moved about, busy with the preparations for leaving. William had explained to her that many of the residents of Chippman had something wrong with their DNA, and it could make it difficult for some of them to travel.

“What’s going to happen?” She didn’t have to look at William to know he lay awake behind her.

“We’re going to fight, like we always do, and we’re going to win.”

“You’re so sure.”

“Yes,” he murmured and nuzzled her hair. “And until then, we’re going to live every moment of every day, together.” His fingers trailed up her arm, causing shivers of pleasure to slide over her everywhere he touched. “Do you remember the bloodlink bond I told you about?”

She rolled over to face him. Her fingers traced over the handsome planes of his face before brushing over his almost fully regrown beard. His eyes searched hers as she rubbed her thumb over his full bottom lip. “I remember.”

He pressed his palm against her face; his eyes burned into hers as he stared at her. “That’s what you are to me. I know it, I can feel it,” he took hold of her hand and pressed it against the place where his heart used to beat. “Here. I need you to feel it too.”

She smiled at him. “I do,” she assured him as she brushed a kiss over his lips. “I feel it every time I touch you, when you’re feeding from me, and I miss you every time you walk out of the room. I feel you all over me even when you’re not there.”

His eyes searched her face with such reverence she found herself unable to move. “You’re mine.”

“I’m yours and you are
mine
.” The last word came out a possessive growl she hadn’t expected.

He smiled at her as he ran his hands lovingly over her hair. “I’m yours. I want you to stay with me forever.”

She pressed his hand over her heart as she leaned her forehead against his. “I can do forever.”

“You bet your ass you can.” He pulled her against him and claimed her mouth. A gasp escaped her when his fingers bunched in her hair and he lowered himself over the top of her. The heat and power of his body enveloped her in a warm cocoon. “I love you,” he breathed against her lips when he pulled back a little.

This time the tears did slide free to streak down her face. “I love you too,” she whispered. “More than you could ever know.”

He grinned at her before taking hold of her mouth again and making her forget everything outside of their window. The world would be waiting for them later, but for now, she planned to do just as he’d said and live every moment of every day, with this man. The man she loved more than anything in this world. The man she planned to spend an eternity with.

THE END

Look for the next book in the series coming in 2016.

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My name is not really Erica Stevens, it is a pen name that I chose in memory of two amazing friends lost too soon, I do however live in Mass with my wonderful husband and our puppy Loki. I have a large and crazy family that I fit in well with. I am thankful every day for the love and laughter they have brought to my life. I have always loved to write and am an avid reader.