CLARA'S POV
"Drop it." His voice softened dangerously as he relaxed back in his chair. The rain beat a soft hum against the cozy cabin in direct opposition to the now tense energy swirling around.
I thought about it, I really did—the image of the blade piercing his immortal chest, the absolute surprise on his face as one of his prey plunged the knife deep, wiping that infuriating arrogance away. But the man still had Jane.
I took a full breath and used my most reasonable tone. "This isn't going to work, Taki. I've changed my mind. Jane and I will be fine on our own."
"We're married, Clara. You and Jane will never be on your own again." He spoke slowly, as if making sure I heard and understood each word.
"We'll get unmarried, Taki. I'm not joking. Even your barbaric race must have some sort of annulment process. I want one."
"Barbaric?" He raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "Maybe. But only those who haven't mated are granted what you'd call an annulment, Clara."
"Good. We haven't mated." I blushed until my cheeks ached.
"We will mate tonight, wife." His eyes flared hot and golden.
"No." I lifted my chin and ignored the skittering in my lower stomach.
"Clara," he leaned forward in his chair, "before this night has ended you will have no doubt you've been mated." he said in a tone that gives no room for argument. Then it slammed into me. Damn those faulty empathic shields—maybe I should've been working on the damn skill instead of pretending it didn't exist.
"Not a chance." My body hummed to agree while my mind screamed run. "Besides, you said you bite during battle or sex. You don't mean you would, I mean—"
"Oh yeah, darling." Glowing golden eyes met mine. "I will bite you. And you'll like it."
"No." I tried to shove force into the words even as need scampered through my stomach and danced up my spine. "None of that's going to happen, Taki." A longing tingled inside my veins and called me a liar.
An arched eyebrow met my earnest gaze. "We're married, Clara. Soon we'll be mated. 'No' isn't an option for you."
"Bullshit." I spat out. I may not know him very well, but he would never force himself on me.
"I should probably tell you now to watch your language." His face settled into set lines, his eyes direct, his jaw firm.
"Fuck you."
His teeth flashed and he stood to his full height. "Damn if you aren't perfect." He rubbed his chin, his gaze dropping to my breasts. "And don't think for a second you won't pay for your defiance."
The rumble of his voice issuing the sexual threat soaked my panties. Plain and simple. I searched for another tact. "You promised you wouldn't hurt me."
His gaze traveled to her eyes, and his lips tipped in almost a grin. "I won't."
I slammed my hands on my hips and wondered if a decent sidekick could take out his knee. "I don't want to be mated."
"You will."
I opened my mouth to respond just as he gave an annoyed snort and yanked his shirt over his head. My gaze caught on a smooth, perfectly muscled chest before moving to the side. A bloody hole covered his upper arm. I gulped. Crimson wove through the outline of muscles. "You were shot," I said slowly.
"Yeah, looks like it." He shrugged. "I think one bullet hit me, but it went right through." He poked at the round dark hole. "I should probably put something on this now, though."
The room spun around me, and I grabbed the counter for support. "You sat through dinner with a bullet wound?"
He raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I said it went all the way through. It's not a big deal, Clara." He reached over and grabbed a kitchen towel to press against the wound. "Check under the sink for a first-aid kit, will you?"
I looked under the sink before darting into the bathroom to find a kit in the medicine cabinet. I concentrated on not throwing up as I wiped the wound clean, amazement pooling in my stomach as the bullet hole closed and pinkened into healthy flesh once I had removed the clotted blood. I worked with plants for a reason. It didn't help that his gaze heated on me as my hands touched his flesh. Then he emitted a low growl from his throat.
I cleared my own throat. He was the only access to my daughter, and I had to bide my time. I stepped back after taping the bandage to his large bicep and wiped a hand across my forehead. I studiously refused to look at his strong, very bare chest and moved so the table sat between them.
A flash of lightning caused me to jump. The storm outside broke with the fury of a long-ago battle, and Taki's gaze remained hot and still on me within the tiny confines of the cabin.
"Stop staring at me," I snapped, facing him squarely. I shivered as the storm outside brought an uncomfortable stillness to the small space.
"Stop running from me," came his arrogant reply. He crossed his arms, his eyes darkly golden in the dusky light, his stance deceptively calm.
I stared at the intimidating warrior only a few feet from me. Arousal warmed through me like a fine wine. His long dark hair lay in thick, wet tendrils around a face carved from stone. His eyes sparked as wild as the land around them, his body forged from steel. He was every dark fantasy I ever had—I ached in undiscovered places. My muscles clenched in the need to break something.
There was no way I would give myself over to an arrogant, dominating alpha male I just met. A vampire, no less. A tiny voice reminded me he had hunted for me, he had killed for me. His actions had consequences I might not be able to put into words, but I felt them to my bones. Without even touching me, he had made me his. His primal gaze told me so.
My nipples hardened at the thought, and I shook my head against his claim.