Vampire Mine - Kerrelyn Sparks [22]
Connor’s jaw shifted. “I wouldna have let you go.”
Her eyes widened with surprise. She stared at him, speechless, while he fought to keep his desire from showing. Time stretched out, and the air felt thick between them. He balled his fists to keep from touching her, from drawing her into his arms.
Her gaze drifted down his body, then back up. His heartbeat quickened. He looked at her mouth, wondering if she could possibly react like a real woman. Could she be aware he was studying the pink plumpness of her mouth?
She licked her lips.
Yes. He smiled slowly.
Her cheeks blushed a pretty pink, and she turned away. “A mouse just died,” she said in a breathless voice.
“Excuse me?”
“A mouse has died. Carried off by an owl.”
He strained his eyes, but couldn’t see an owl in the night sky. “Where?”
“About thirty miles away.” She gazed at the forest with a pensive look. “Not all my powers are gone. I can still sense death.”
“Ye know when something’s dying? How far can ye sense it?”
She shrugged. “Anywhere in the world. It’s how the Deliverers know where to go when people are dying.”
She can sense death. Connor paced toward the cabin, then back. This was a valuable skill. If she could sense people dying while Casimir and his minions were attacking them, then she might be able to help the Vamps find him.
He glanced up at the stars. Had God sent him a secret weapon that would help them defeat Casimir once and for all? Then Father Andrew might be right. He was meant to find Marielle.
He looked at her.
She was gazing at the distant mountains. “I have always thought the Earth was full of beautiful places. Now I can experience them as a human. It should be very interesting, don’t you think?” She turned to him with a hopeful expression. “ ‘Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.’ ”
He winced. Morning always brought him death. He was going to have to explain what he was. He could only hope she wouldn’t be disappointed. Or disgusted.
She shivered and hugged herself. “I never realized how much humans feel the cold.”
“Ye should come inside.” He motioned toward the cabin, then froze when he heard a noise in the forest.
She heard it, too, whirling around to face the line of trees. Leaves shuddered as something pushed through the bushes.
Connor whisked the dagger from the sheath beneath his knee sock. A black snout poked out from the bushes. A wolf? No, it was wolflike, but bigger. The black, furry beast emerged from the forest.
Marielle stiffened with a gasp.
Connor widened his stance, his dagger ready.
She touched his arm. “You cannot fight it. It’s here for me.”
The beast moved to the side, keeping its dark eyes focused on her. Then the eyes turned red and began to glow.
Connor inhaled sharply. “What is it?”
Her voice was whisper soft. “A demon.”
Chapter Six
Marielle squared her shoulders and glared at the black beast, feigning a courage she wished she had. She’d dealt with fallen angels before, but always with the vast power of the Heavenly Host to back her up. Now she was alone.
Not entirely alone. Connor stepped in front of her, but his protective move only increased her fear. Didn’t he realize he was no match for a demon?
“Go inside,” she whispered.
He shook his head slightly, never taking his eyes off the beast. “Nay.”
He hardly knew her, yet he was willing to risk his life for her? Emotions swirled inside her, strong human emotions she wasn’t accustomed to feeling. She didn’t know whether to hug Connor or yell at him. One thing was certain, she didn’t have time to deal with the confusion now. She had to make sure he survived.
She eased away from him as she glared at the demon. “Begone!”
The wolflike creature tilted its head to watch as Connor moved close to her once again. She groaned inwardly. Was he determined to get himself killed? She should have yelled at him.
The beast drew her attention with a low growl. Its red gleaming eyes focused on her. Its lips pulled back to reveal a row of long, pointed, yellow