Vampire Mine - Kerrelyn Sparks [37]
“I know, lass.” He longed to brush the tears away, even kiss them away, but he didn’t want to do it in front of the three guys. “Ye’re all that is good and pure—”
She burst into tears.
Damn. He’d thought he was saying the right thing.
“I’m not good,” she wailed. “I keep disobeying.”
“Disobeying is no’ so bad,” he grumbled. “I do it all the time.”
“But don’t you see? Whenever I disobey, I’m questioning the wisdom of the Father. It’s rebellion.” She shook her head. “Maybe Darafer is right—”
“Nay!” He grabbed her by the shoulders. “Ye willna believe that bastard.” He pulled her into the bedroom and shut the door so the guys wouldn’t see him fussing at an angel. Unfortunately, Robby and Gregori might still hear him with their heightened vampire senses.
He tossed the tote bag onto the bed and led her toward the door that made a second entrance into the bathroom. “I willna have ye thinking poorly of yerself.”
“I killed your friend’s wife,” she mumbled.
“Ye dinna kill her.” He wet a washcloth in the bathroom sink. “She’s in a coma, turning into a vampire, which is what she had planned to do eventually.”
“If her husband didn’t happen to be a vampire, she would have died.”
“She’ll be all right.” He wiped Marielle’s face. “ ’Twas my fault for taking you there.”
“You shouldn’t blame yourself. You didn’t know what I am.” She sighed. “I suppose we should be grateful her husband had time to transform her. Usually when I touch a mortal, their death is immediate.”
“Ye dinna touch her. She touched you.” He set the wet towel down on the counter. “She had on latex gloves, too.”
“Oh.” Marielle nodded slowly. “Then my power was diminished. Thank God.”
“No more talk about believing that damned demon.” He gave her a fierce look. “Ye dinna screw up. I did. I do it often, so I’m quite good at it.”
She smiled. “I don’t believe that, but thank you. I feel better now. I shall pray that your friend comes through.”
“Good. Let’s see what Emma packed for you.” He strode back into the bedroom.
Marielle followed slowly. “I shouldn’t have doubted myself. That’s exactly what Darafer is counting on. He knows I’m cut off from the Heavenly Host, so I’m missing the constant stream of praise and confirmation. I never realized how hard it is for humans to stand strong in their faith. You are truly . . . amazing.”
She was looking at him with such awe and reverence in her eyes, he couldn’t bear it. He turned away, feeling centuries of despair and remorse seeping through him like poison. He’d lost his faith long ago. And his hope.
Actually, there’d been a tiny spark of hope when he’d thought Marielle was going back to heaven. But Buniel had dropped her, and Connor’s hopes had fallen along with her. Maybe if he could help her get back to heaven, it would somehow wash away some of his sins. Did he dare have hope?
“What is this?” She had spread a pair of jeans and a T-shirt on the bed, but now she was pulling underwear out of the tote bag.
“That’s a bra. Ye wear it over yer . . . breasts.” He frowned. It didn’t look big enough. “Nay, under yer clothes,” he added when she placed it on top of the sheet. “Ye have to take the sheet off.”
“Oh.” She removed the chip clip and tossed it on the bed.
“No’ now!”
She jumped, startled by his shout.
He lowered his voice. “Ye doona dress, or undress, in front of men.”
She gave him a frustrated look. “You’ve seen me before. I thought you might help.”
He stepped back. “Nay. I canna.”
“Why not?”
He shoved a hand through his hair. “The bra fastens in the back, the jeans in the front.”
“All right.” She regarded him curiously. “Is it because you feel . . . desire?”
He groaned. “Ye’re the most beautiful . . . woman to ever set foot on the planet. Any man would desire you.”
She gave him a dubious look. “I don’t think so. Father Andrew looks at me like I’m a holy shrine. Robby regards me with suspicion, and Gregori—”
“He’s a pig.”
She smiled. “He means no harm. He’s merely . . . playful.”
“A playful pig.”
Her smile widened. “Will you take my hand?”
In marriage?