Vampire Mine - Kerrelyn Sparks [28]
Her fingers dug into his shoulders, and she moaned against his mouth.
With a growl, Connor deepened the kiss, molding his mouth more fiercely against her. Warning bells sounded in her head. The sweetness was gone, replaced by something wild and . . . hungry.
Lust. Good heavens, she’d been seduced by sweetness, only to fall headlong into passion. And the most shocking part was she wasn’t sure she wanted to stop.
He planted his hands on her bottom and pulled her tight against him. She gasped. Good heavens, he was bigger than before.
“Connor—” She jolted when she saw his eyes. Bright red and glowing.
She jumped back, banging against the wall.
“Careful.” He took her by the shoulders, but she scrambled away.
She recalled now that his eyes had turned red earlier. She’d dismissed it at the time, for she’d known all along he wasn’t a demon. She would have sensed that immediately. Earlier on the couch, she’d had a glimpse into his soul, and it was human.
It didn’t make sense. She’d been so sure he was human. “I don’t understand.”
He held up a hand as if to reassure her. “ ’Tis all right. Ye know I would never harm you.”
Her mind raced, zipping through all the possibilities. Was he from another planet? No, he was a Scotsman. A shifter? She didn’t think so. What had Darafer called him—a parasite?
With a gasp, it all became clear. And terrifying. For he was the same kind of creature that had killed all those people at the campground. “You’re a Cheater!”
He blinked. “A what?”
“A Cheater.” Her heart sank. “That’s what Zack calls them because they’ve cheated death. He hates—” You. She couldn’t bring herself to say it.
Her eyes welled with tears. “You’re a vampire.”
Chapter Seven
She was disappointed. Appalled. Connor gritted his teeth as he watched a tear slip down her lovely cheek. He was tempted to brush it away, but figured she’d jump back to avoid his touch.
One thing he’d learned in nearly five centuries of existence: everything could change in the blink of an eye. It had taken only a few minutes for him to doom his soul back in 1543. Only a second for Shanna to fall into a death spiral after touching Marielle. Only another second for him to abandon all common sense and surrender to the yearning that had been growing inside him from the instant he’d first heard Marielle’s voice. And less than a minute ago, she’d trembled in his arms and moaned with pleasure. He’d thought a miracle had happened. A beautiful angel cared for him, admired him, even desired him.
But seconds later, she backed away in horror.
When would he ever learn? Joy and peace were not meant for him. Love would always be beyond his reach. Whenever he indulged in a glimmer of hope, it was always dashed to pieces. And rightly so.
What a fool he’d been to want Marielle. His black tainted soul wasn’t worthy of the lowliest of human beings, and yet, he’d dared to touch an angel?
Her reaction was exactly what he deserved.
“Ye know about vampires,” he said quietly.
“Yes.” She wiped her cheeks. “I’m a Deliverer—was a Deliverer—so I have escorted many souls who were murdered by your kind.”
His jaw clenched. It was the Malcontents who went about murdering mortals, but he could hardly claim to be any better.
She took a deep breath, lifted her chin, and looked him squarely in the eyes. Even with despair twisting his gut, he felt awed by Marielle. The poor lass had been wounded and banished from heaven, threatened by a demon, and groped by a vampire, all in one night. And yet, she was still standing, strong and determined.
“Did you kill those people at the campground?” she asked.
“Nay.”
She paused, an expectant look on her face as if she were waiting for him to explain. What was he to say? That he was a good man? That he was insulted she would even ask such a question? There was no point in pretending. The demon had verified what Connor had long suspected. He was on the list for hell.
“You were at the campground?” she asked. “Why?”
“I was searching for someone. I was hoping to kill him.”
Her eyes widened.