Carpathian 17 - Dark Curse

weren\'t even logical or reasonable? He could see her plan as plain as day-she was waiting for the sleep of his people to overtake him and she would leave him alone and without safeguards.
    He hadn\'t felt anger in centuries, now it welled up, a black wall of rage. No one questioned his authority, and they never questioned his integrity. She had done both in the space of a few moments.
    His black eyes glowed hotly and his breath left him in a long, slow hiss. \"You think to leave me when I succumb to the sleep of my people? You would do that? Leave me here, unprotected and without safeguards, knowing I could do nothing at all if I was found? You know what anyone would do should they find my body, yet you would betray me in such a way.\"
    The waves of anger coming off of him swamped her, sent her stumbling back away from him. He looked every inch a wolf, white teeth bared, mouth set in cruel lines. There was no mercy in him for his enemies, and the moment he saw she intended to expose him to danger, she became his enemy.
    A scream welled up, but she bit it back, turning on her heel and running-to where, she didn\'t know. She only knew if she stayed, the full brunt of his temper would be on her and he looked as if he could kill her.
    He was on her fast, a lion bringing down prey easily, jerking her to a halt and spinning her around to face him.
    She threw up her free arm to protect herself from blows that never came. He caught her upper arms and gave her a hard shake. \"I do not beat women, although if one needed it, it would be you.\"
    Keeping a firm grip on her, he dragged her through the cavern to the chamber where the bed stood out so prominently. The sound of her heart thundered in both of their ears. He tossed her easily onto the mattress, one hand running through his thick hair.
    \"Don\'t you touch me.\" She crawled to the farthest corner near the headboard, away from him.
    He moved fast, a blur of speed, towering over her, showing her she couldn\'t escape. \"You think I could not make you want me? You are my life mate. Your body responds to mine no matter what your ridiculous mouth is saying.\" The burning in his gaze turned to speculation. \"Do you want to pit your power against mine? I could make your body mine easily, and you would crave me night and day. Perhaps it would simplify both our lives.\"
    Lara could feel the instant tingling in her body, every nerve ending reaching for him and she was horrified.
    Her entire body was on fire just from the intensity of his gaze, and the low seductive tone he used, as if he was already brushing her bare skin with the warmth of his palm and pads of his fingers. She had no doubt in her mind that he could enslave her sexually and that she would be no more than a puppet living with this man. He Page 71

    Christine Feehan: Dark Curse
    was every bit as cruel, every bit the monster only packaged differently.
    The feel of her blade was reassuring against her hip. If not him, then herself. She searched for a way to disarm him, to dispel the tension between them. Her plan was still good, if she could just keep him calm an hour or so longer. The sun had to be up fairly high. She was feeling a bit lethargic herself. No matter how powerful, he couldn\'t stay awake forever. He would have to go to ground and sleep.
    \"I wasn\'t going to leave you without safeguards.\"
    \"Your safeguards must be known to every vampire and mage from here to the sun and back. And do not try to lie to me. I did not see your intention to guard my body while my spirit rested. You did not even think about it.\"
    She wanted to refute his accusation, but in truth, she\'d thought only to get away. Before she could suppress it, her temper flared. \"Who guards their captor? Now who is being illogical and unreasonable? You can\'t have it both ways.\" Her hair banded with stripes as her stomach churned with impotent anger.
    His black eyes glittered ominously as his hand snaked out, caught her wrist and yanked her over, so that her cape fell open, exposing the scabbard on her belt. He ripped the leather free, tearing the knife from her belt and hurling it through the archway to the pool. It landed with a splash and disappeared beneath the steaming water.
    Lara had the strangest reaction. There was a part of her that wanted to curl up in the fetal position, there was a part that wanted to fight tooth and nail, but there was also the most horrifying reaction, a shiver of anticipation that made her womb clench and