Immortals After Dark 09 - Pleasure of a Dark Prince

together—”
    “You vowed to me that you wouldn’t hurt me, but you have! Permanently. I hope last night was worth it!”
    His eyes widened.
Permanently?
“What did I do?”
    “My archery, my ability, was based on the vows I took, you brute. Now I’m nothing!”
    “What are you talking about?”
    “I can’t shoot!” she cried. “My talent is gone—forever. I kept my power only as long as I kept my legs closed. And now, because of you, I will never shoot again. It’s
gone
.”
    His own anger flared as the truth hit him. “I knew this was about more than just your ‘religion’!” Finally, he was putting the puzzle together. When some male—some soon-to-be dead male—had hurt her, she’d sought asylum with Skathi. In exchange for Lucia’s vows, the goddess had given her the ability to shoot as no other.
    Practice hadn’t made Lucia this good.
A deal with a devil…
    He narrowed his eyes. “You dinna give a damn about your beliefs. This was about ego, about being
The Archer
, best in all the world.”
    “Didn’t give a damn? I lived nearly my entire life in service until you came along. Now I’m shrugging offan apocalypse and giving in to my basest needs! I’d aspired before, was selfless. Now I’ve committed my most selfish act in a thousand years.”
    “You should’ve told me what was at stake!” He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this infuriated.
    “When should I have? Maybe when you were going on about women sacrificing their careers for their men? I knew you’d react just as you are now, unable to comprehend why I would choose archery over sex with you.”
    “
Why
did you no’ tell me? Why lie about this?”
    “Oh, like the truth would have made
any difference
? Like last night wouldn’t have happened
if only I’d come clean
? As soon as you stepped on that boat, this was as good as done, events set into motion. You caused this! I asked you for time, and you wouldn’t give it to me.”
    He hadn’t. She was absolutely right. But if she’d just told him why she couldn’t have sex… Garreth exhaled. He still would’ve done the same thing, still would’ve trusted the cuff.
    “You forced me into last night!”
    “Wait just a goddamned minute. You grabbed
me
for a kiss.”
    “Because it was the best option in an impossible situation.”
    “Doona forget, Valkyrie, that you screamed my name all night. You canna tell me you dinna want me.”
    “I did—
then
! That doesn’t mean I can’t be sorry for my actions
now
. It doesn’t mean I’m not filled with regret,” she snapped, her tone laced with resentment.
    Best night of my life, and she’s taking it back.
When he’d awakened, he’d been so relieved, believing she was finally his.
What a bluidy fool you are….
    For the last year, he’d thought about her every second, from the moment he woke to the second he drifted to sleep. Even then he wasn’t free. Any night that he’d slept, he’d dreamed of her, dreamed of the life they could have—traveling the world, hunting together, eventually raising a braw pack of bairns. “Filled with regret, then?”
    What he’d considered a culmination—and a
revelation
—she believed was a mistake.
    Realization hit him. If she wasn’t going to be won from their night together—the most incredible one of his entire existence—then she
never
would. He’d spend the next nine hundred years of his life chasing her.
    “You don’t know what I’ve lost, MacRieve. For the first time, I have no way to protect myself, no means to—”
    “
I
will protect you.”
    Her fists clenched; lightning struck. “I knew you’d say that!” she screamed. “I knew you wouldn’t understand why that would be like a dagger to the chest.”
    His own fury ignited. “You knew I’d say I’d protect you? And that vexes you? Should I have said that you’re shite out of luck and all on your own, but thanks for the hot fuck!”
    She narrowed her eyes, gazing at him with absolute disgust.
She’s never looked at me like this.
    He raked his fingers through his hair. “By the gods, you’re the most maddening female I’ve ever known! If you’ve lost your archery, then we’ll figure somethingout. We’ll comb the ends of the earth to get it back. But we’ll do it
together
.”
    “We won’t have
time
to figure it out. I’ve got no way to stop an apocalypse.” She turned to go.
    “No, Lousha, doona turn your back on me.” He moved in front of her. “I will no’ follow