Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 121008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121008 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 605(@200wpm)___ 484(@250wpm)___ 403(@300wpm)
The vampire leaves, and I’m alone with Beck. He’s had a shower, or whatever they take here, and now he’s clean and so gorgeous it hurts to look at him. His linen shirt is open at the throat. It shows off his rock-hard chest to spectacular advantage. How had I even thought for a second he could want me? I’m not even in his league.
“Are you ready?” The question is asked quietly, but as with everything the man says, there’s an order to it. He stands looking at me, and my body heats up, even after everything he did.
If he showed me an ounce of kindness in the arena, I would have been an eager puppy following him without question. I would have written off my previous existence and done everything he asked of me.
I am truly pathetic. He’s done me a favor. “Does it matter if I am or not?”
“No. We need to leave now if we’re going to make it to the lake before midnight. I want to spend the night there.” He holds the flap to the tent open and gestures for me to exit.
I step out and quickly stop because we’re not alone. “What the hell is that?”
It’s monstrous. It looks like a horse, but someone put it on steroids and dyed it a dark blue. It’s so dark that one can mistake it for black, but when the late-afternoon sun hits the thing’s coat, there’s an unmistakable midnight blue shining there.
Beck runs a strong hand along the beast’s back. It’s obvious he has a fondness for the enormous animal. Even Beck, as big as he is, will have to haul himself into the saddle. “This is Sweeney. He’s a good boy, aren’t you? He won’t hurt you, love.”
I hate that his words make me want to soften toward him. He sounds like he did before the events of the arena. He was gentle with me when he rubbed me to orgasm. I liked that almost as much as what happened later.
But I know the truth now and I’m having none of it. Nor am I getting on that horse. “I’ll walk, thank you.”
I turn on my heels and start down the road. There’s no way I’m getting on the back of that thing. I might have been born in Texas, but I never really left the city. I’ve never been on a horse, much less an elephant, and that’s what Sweeney reminds me of. I ignore the odd looks I receive as I walk down the lane. Apparently they don’t get a lot of pedestrian foot traffic around here.
In the distance, I can see the forest ahead. The trees are unbearably thick. Only the road seems to be clear, as though the forest around it is a living thing, waiting to pounce on anyone who walks into it. Trepidation creeps in and I slow my stride. That forest will swallow me. I’m just about to turn back into town to protest when I feel a strong hand lift me into the air by the back of my shirt.
“Hey!” I scream in shock as I find myself across Beck’s lap. Without thinking about it, I throw my arms around his chest and cling to him, afraid to fall off the beast. It’s an awfully long way down, and there isn’t a handy ER around to set whatever breaks.
Sweeney huffs and prances, getting used to the new weight on his back. After a few seconds, Beck makes a clicking sound. The horse takes off.
“Hold on tight, love,” is all he says as he prods the horse into high gear.
I do as he asks, holding on with all my might. The forest looms large, getting closer every second.
Like it or not, I’m going into the woods.
Chapter Nine
Meg
I shiver, even though the fire is crackling nicely. Beck spent the better part of an hour building it. He stoked it until the orange and red flames flared and gave a warm glow to our camp. I’m all alone with a complete stranger. Oh, sure, we’ve had a couple of sexual encounters, but I don’t know him. I sit back against the trunk of a huge tree and watch the man who claimed me.
True to what Dante told me to expect, Beck let me do absolutely none of the work. He helped me off the horse and settled me carefully on my feet. His first task was to make a comfortable place for me to sit. He took two blankets out of his saddle bags to make a nest for me while he gathered wood for the fire.
I remove my boots and pants before wrapping up in the blankets. He’s never out of sight. After starting the fire, he pulls out bread, some cheese, and what looks like beef jerky. My stomach rumbles. I decide not to honor my New Year’s Resolution to avoid meat and dairy.