Chapter 63
Chapter 63
Alex sighed. “Tessa.” His voice was heavy with accusation.
Two more wolves emerged into the clearing, flanking her on either
side. One was snowy–white, the other russet–brown. Their snarls
joined with the first wolf, creating a vicious, hair–raising harmony.
“You will come to me, Tessa,” Alex’s voice echoed in he then with impossible speed, the shadow vanished into the uees.
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The wolves chuffed and whined, circling restlessly around Tessa, eyes scanning the darkness of the forest. The big silver one nudged his head against her hip, gently at first, and then more insistently.
“Ah,” she realized. “You want me to go back to The Spruce.” Her voice sounded flat and far away, like she was listening to somebody else speak in another room. Numbly, she turned and began walking.
She hadn’t realized how far she’d walked from The Spruce. Journeying into the woods under Alex’s command had felt strangely timeless, dreamlike. On the walk back, she was acutely aware of every plodding step through thigh–deep snow, ducking beneath scratching spruce boughs, stumbling in the dark over snow–covered rocks and stumps. When she finally broke free of the cover of the forest, she was sweating and breathing raggedly. The three wolves circled her restlessly, herding her forward.
When she reached the back door, the silver wolf followed her inside, and it seemed oddly natural.
And then suddenly, there was no wolf. Declan’s hands were on her, gripping her shoulders like he wanted to shake the life out of her. His eyes were frantic, his face a mask of terror.
Chapter 63
“Why?” he demanded angrily. “I told you to stay inside. Why would you-” Words failed him, and with a hoarse exclamation, he hauled Tessa against him, his arms wrapped around her in a crushing
embrace.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered. “I had to.” She wrapped her arms around his torso, meaning to comfort him, and found herself touching his bare skin. The searing heat of his skin bloomed against her palms, snaked slowly up her arms, and spread through her entire body with a comforting radiance. “Declan p>
“Hm p>
“You’re naked”
“Am I?” He bent and scooped her into his arms, carrying her towards the stairs. She held onto him as he maneuvered up the narrow staircase, his bare feet ghostly silent upon the treads,
He brought Tessa to his room and laid her on his bed. He pulled off her boots and helped her out of her jacket. But he didn’t join her on the bed. He sank into the chair beside his dresser with a complete lack of self–consciousness for his nudity. Despite all the events of the last several hours, Tessa was apparently still capable of being flustered. She blushed and turned away from him, examining the spines of the books lined up on his window ledge. Behind her, Declan let out a heavy breath. She risked looking at him to find that he’d dropped his head into his hands. Every line of his body sagged with weariness.
“Why did you leave The Spruce, Tessa?” He lifted his head, pinning her with his gaze. His eyes burned with emotion, gleaming amber bright in the dimness of his room. “He nearly had you! He could’ve p>
“It was Alex. He’s the….” She couldn’t say it out loud. “He’s here because of me p>
Declan lapsed into silence, watching her with an inscrutable look,
Chapter 63
“He gave me my grandmother’s wedding ring back.” She held up her hand, the bloodied ring still on her finger. “He left it on Elena’s
finger. He knew I’d get the message.” The cold inside of her
deepened into a knife–sharp ache. She curled in on herself, making a futile effort to warm herself.
Declan made an inarticulate sound, and then the mattress depressed beneath his weight. He slid beneath the blankets and pulled her into his arms. The warmth of him seeped into her, leeching
cold. She sighed, closing her eyes and leaning against
“What do you know about him, Tessa p>
“I didn’t know what he is. Not until today.” She still couldn’t say it out loud, but the word echoed in her mind.
Vampire.
She shivered and Declan’s arms tightened around her.
“I’ve been having dreams about him, ever since I got here. He was looking for me, telling me to come to him. I thought they were just dreams, but p>
A low growl reverberated in Declan’s chest. “That’s something they can do,” he said darkly. “I should’ve put it together–you were sleepwalking, saying his name. It’s why your scent was so confusing when you first got here p>
“My scent p>
“You smelled like… like one of them. Just the faintest hint. But, by the time we landed in Longtooth, the only other scent anybody could get from you was mine. They all thought I was paranoid.” He nuzzled his face against her neck and inhaled deeply. “Should’ve pushed harder about that. We might’ve gotten the fucker sooner p>
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