Read Online Artistic Vision by Dana Marie Bell - Free Book Online
Authors: Dana Marie Bell
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shoulder blades. His groan of appreciation was low and deep, sending shivers through her. Gods, she wanted this amazing man more and more all the time.
What was she going to do? If she allowed Shane any more leeway he’d truly Claim her. His Sidhe half would demand it the moment they had sex, and she wasn’t certain it was something he could prevent. Once Claimed, it wouldn’t be long before he spoke the Vows that would complete everything, Binding him to her through a display of power and ferocity only the Sidhe seemed to possess. Bands of light would surround him, lethal to any who dared approach him save his chosen mate. He’d speak the Vows, and once done, those bands of light would spear into her, binding their life forces together for all eternity. She’d watched as Duncan and Moira spoke their Vows to Jaden, gasped in delighted wonder at the display of power the two exposed in front of the entire Gray Court. Oberon himself had been there, a cold, perfect otherness that was in direct contrast to the warmth and love that surrounded the new Malmayne-Blackthorns.
And now, if something happened to Jaden, Duncan and Moira would die, forever lost to the world as their souls yearned for something they could never touch again.
She didn’t want that for Shane. She didn’t want that bright, beautiful spark extinguished, his light lost to the world forever. But being a Blade, and one of Robin’s hand-picked assassins, meant she could be killed at any moment, dragging the bound Shane with her into the abyss.
“It’s too late, you know.”
“Shh.” She began kneading his shoulders, letting her warmth seep into him. His voice was slurred, not far from the sleep she needed him to have. He was exhausted to the bone.
“The Claiming has begun. If you try to leave me, I’ll get mate sickness.”
Her hands paused. “What?”
His shoulders shook. The son of a bitch was laughing at her. “It’s too late. It was too late long before our lips touched, but now that they have?” He shrugged, the movement wiggling her where she was seated on his butt. “I know I’ll develop mate sickness if you disappear on me.”
“I thought that only happened if we have sex.”
One bleary eye opened long enough to wink at her. “Oh, we will have sex. Trust me.” His eye closed again. “But I’ve tasted you. I know, beyond a shadow of any doubts you might still have, that you’re my mate.” He shivered under her. “Please, Akane.”
Her hands began to move once more, her brain going a mile a minute. “I thought Claiming occurred after sex.”
“So did Duncan and Moira, but they both got mate sickness after Jaden left. Hate to tell you this, love, but all it takes is a single kiss.”
“Shit.”
His shoulders tensed. She dug her thumbs into a particularly bad knot, smiling when he gasped. “It’s not like I asked you to eat asparagus every day for the rest of your life, you know.”
She shuddered. “How did you know I hate asparagus?”
“When Da offered you some you acted like you’d smelled a seriously nasty fart.”
She chuckled. “Well, at least you don’t smell like asparagus.”
“Don’t taste like it, either.”
She might have taken that as an invitation if he hadn’t sounded so sleepy. She felt safe telling him at least part of her fear. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“Ditto.” He snuggled down into the bedding, nearly asleep. “I’m a lover, not a fighter.”
She snorted another laugh. “Go to sleep, Jethro.”
“Mm. Akane.” And with that, his breathing evened out, her name a soft sigh on his lips.
She gingerly lifted her hands from his skin, unwilling to wake him now that he was finally asleep. “I’m in big trouble.” She couldn’t stop herself. She curled up next to him, her body heat high for her chilled man, and guarded her greatest treasure as he slept.
Something warm was cuddled up to his back. Shane could feel the heat pouring off the animal
What was she going to do? If she allowed Shane any more leeway he’d truly Claim her. His Sidhe half would demand it the moment they had sex, and she wasn’t certain it was something he could prevent. Once Claimed, it wouldn’t be long before he spoke the Vows that would complete everything, Binding him to her through a display of power and ferocity only the Sidhe seemed to possess. Bands of light would surround him, lethal to any who dared approach him save his chosen mate. He’d speak the Vows, and once done, those bands of light would spear into her, binding their life forces together for all eternity. She’d watched as Duncan and Moira spoke their Vows to Jaden, gasped in delighted wonder at the display of power the two exposed in front of the entire Gray Court. Oberon himself had been there, a cold, perfect otherness that was in direct contrast to the warmth and love that surrounded the new Malmayne-Blackthorns.
And now, if something happened to Jaden, Duncan and Moira would die, forever lost to the world as their souls yearned for something they could never touch again.
She didn’t want that for Shane. She didn’t want that bright, beautiful spark extinguished, his light lost to the world forever. But being a Blade, and one of Robin’s hand-picked assassins, meant she could be killed at any moment, dragging the bound Shane with her into the abyss.
“It’s too late, you know.”
“Shh.” She began kneading his shoulders, letting her warmth seep into him. His voice was slurred, not far from the sleep she needed him to have. He was exhausted to the bone.
“The Claiming has begun. If you try to leave me, I’ll get mate sickness.”
Her hands paused. “What?”
His shoulders shook. The son of a bitch was laughing at her. “It’s too late. It was too late long before our lips touched, but now that they have?” He shrugged, the movement wiggling her where she was seated on his butt. “I know I’ll develop mate sickness if you disappear on me.”
“I thought that only happened if we have sex.”
One bleary eye opened long enough to wink at her. “Oh, we will have sex. Trust me.” His eye closed again. “But I’ve tasted you. I know, beyond a shadow of any doubts you might still have, that you’re my mate.” He shivered under her. “Please, Akane.”
Her hands began to move once more, her brain going a mile a minute. “I thought Claiming occurred after sex.”
“So did Duncan and Moira, but they both got mate sickness after Jaden left. Hate to tell you this, love, but all it takes is a single kiss.”
“Shit.”
His shoulders tensed. She dug her thumbs into a particularly bad knot, smiling when he gasped. “It’s not like I asked you to eat asparagus every day for the rest of your life, you know.”
She shuddered. “How did you know I hate asparagus?”
“When Da offered you some you acted like you’d smelled a seriously nasty fart.”
She chuckled. “Well, at least you don’t smell like asparagus.”
“Don’t taste like it, either.”
She might have taken that as an invitation if he hadn’t sounded so sleepy. She felt safe telling him at least part of her fear. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“Ditto.” He snuggled down into the bedding, nearly asleep. “I’m a lover, not a fighter.”
She snorted another laugh. “Go to sleep, Jethro.”
“Mm. Akane.” And with that, his breathing evened out, her name a soft sigh on his lips.
She gingerly lifted her hands from his skin, unwilling to wake him now that he was finally asleep. “I’m in big trouble.” She couldn’t stop herself. She curled up next to him, her body heat high for her chilled man, and guarded her greatest treasure as he slept.
Something warm was cuddled up to his back. Shane could feel the heat pouring off the animal
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