[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.”So much for being afraid of her.Her chin lifted, she crossed her arms andcocked a brow.“You mean you didn’t think I had it in me, don’t you?”Jonas jerked his head forward.“Yes.The marks don’t match the pattern ofa wolf’s jaws.”“That’s because I wasn’t fully changed when it happened.”The noise in the room stopped.Even Lukas watched her, pride swelling hischest.“Dear Lord.You can hold the half-form?” Haemon sounded like someonehad just punched him in the gut.“You may take that however you wish.”168Blood Moon“You really won’t say what happened?” Jonas took two steps towards her,blazing with anger.“Give the man a prize.” The sarcasm poured off her tongue before shecould think better of it.Jonas stiffened, and whirled around.“Haemon, Lukas, two of each of yourpack guards may stay behind and guard the doors.” Pax stood in the doorway,waiting his master’s orders.“Rotate the guard at midnight.There are to be six wolves here at all times.”“I don’t really think that’s necessary,” Cern taunted politely.Jonas turned on him, teeth bared.“It is my wish.I do not trust you two.Six guards should be able to deal with whatever you dish out.Please keep in mind that should they even think they sense magic, they have my approval andencouragement to break down these doors and see what’s going on.”Aria watched Jonas carefully, noting the steel thread that ran through hiswords.He was truly pissed.Not only had they ruined his well-planned coup this evening, but now she had managed to upset the delicate balance of power he had arranged.With Cern beholden to the Council, he had believed the entire evening was a win-win situation as long as she remained separate from Lukas.Refraining from the smirk that threatened to slide across her lips, Ariagave a mental shrug.At some point, they needed to see she could fend for herself.If it upset Jonas and Haemon, it was an added bonus.Across the room, conversing quietly with his pack guards, Haemon caughther eye, smiled, and gave a wink so brief she questioned if it really happened.Her smug pride drained out of her body in an instant, a heavy feeling replacing it.Yet again, she had misjudged Haemon’s self-control.Lukas tugged on her hand, drawing her inside the circle of his arms.Sheleaned into his body, allowing his strength to comfort her.Thaddeus, Lawrence and Sebastian appeared at her elbow.“Did you really do that to him?” Thaddeus glanced back over his shoulderat Cern, who sat, arguing quietly with Jonas.She sighed, lifting her head from Lukas’ chest to nod at Thaddeus.“I did.I’ll explain it later on the ride home.”169Ellen Keener“If you’re allowed to go home.” Sebastian’s voice held a rough, hostileedge.Aria turned, as did Lukas, and the strange glint in the pack guard’s eyes made her shift closer to Lukas.Something wasn’t quite right.Until she proved it wasn’t just nervous paranoia on her part, she couldn’t say anything.Lukas frowned at his guard.“Come on, Sebastian.”“It’s all right.He’s got a point.” Aria laughed.“But I’ve been known to dostrange and unpredictable things, and I can almost guarantee I will end up athome with you guys, one way or another.”Lukas pulled her tighter to him, their bodies pressed together from chestto thigh.“Don’t worry.We’ll work something out.”Jonas strode to them, glowering at Lukas.Her Mate smiled lazily andrubbed small circles over her back.“It’s time to go, Lukas.Tell Aria goodnight.”Lukas answered Jonas scathing tone with a cheeky smirk.“As you wish.”His mouth closed over hers, and her breath caught in her throat.Herfingers curled around his bare shoulders, and she felt his hands settle over her waist, pulling her closer.He pulled her bottom lip into his mouth, sucking and nibbling at it, before releasing her.Haemon cursed and stormed out of the room.Aria touched a finger to herlips, still feeling the tingling imprint of Lukas’ mouth.Jonas glared at them both.“That isn’t what I meant, Alpha MacLeod.”Lukas slowly released her, pushing himself away from her as if it werealmost physically impossible.“Next time, Councilor Bontham, you should bemore specific.”Without responding, Jonas jerked his head towards the door and led theway out.Aria followed them to the door, where Lukas pressed a kiss to her palm, his fingers tracing her wedding band.“Sleep well.”“Get out of here before you piss him off more.”His laughter followed her back into her room.Outside her door, fourdifferent men lounged, some standing, some sitting.Thaddeus had drapedhimself over an armchair and gave her a wink and wave.“Sweet Dreams, Aria.”She shook her head, smiling, and locked the door behind her.170Blood Moon“Well, that was quite a scene.”Aria stiffened.“What are you still doing here, Cern?”“I wanted to make sure that we are on the same team before I go to bed.”She turned, watching as he opened the door that connected the twobedrooms.“We are.For now.”He nodded once and then disappeared.She heard the lock click, but drugthe chest from the end of the bed in front of the connecting door anyway.After what happened this evening, she wasn’t taking any chances.171Ellen KeenerChapter 23Aria stretched, enjoying the soft down mattress that cradled her body,warmed by the sunlight filtering through the lace window panels.Only one thing could have made the experience perfect, but he slept in a different bed.The vintage clock on the nightstand told her it was barely seven.Shefrowned, pushing wayward strands of hair behind her ears.Weariness beat ather, making her feel out of sorts.A soft knock sounded at the door.She groaned, flopping back in the bed,now realizing why she was awake [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl centka.pev.pl
.”So much for being afraid of her.Her chin lifted, she crossed her arms andcocked a brow.“You mean you didn’t think I had it in me, don’t you?”Jonas jerked his head forward.“Yes.The marks don’t match the pattern ofa wolf’s jaws.”“That’s because I wasn’t fully changed when it happened.”The noise in the room stopped.Even Lukas watched her, pride swelling hischest.“Dear Lord.You can hold the half-form?” Haemon sounded like someonehad just punched him in the gut.“You may take that however you wish.”168Blood Moon“You really won’t say what happened?” Jonas took two steps towards her,blazing with anger.“Give the man a prize.” The sarcasm poured off her tongue before shecould think better of it.Jonas stiffened, and whirled around.“Haemon, Lukas, two of each of yourpack guards may stay behind and guard the doors.” Pax stood in the doorway,waiting his master’s orders.“Rotate the guard at midnight.There are to be six wolves here at all times.”“I don’t really think that’s necessary,” Cern taunted politely.Jonas turned on him, teeth bared.“It is my wish.I do not trust you two.Six guards should be able to deal with whatever you dish out.Please keep in mind that should they even think they sense magic, they have my approval andencouragement to break down these doors and see what’s going on.”Aria watched Jonas carefully, noting the steel thread that ran through hiswords.He was truly pissed.Not only had they ruined his well-planned coup this evening, but now she had managed to upset the delicate balance of power he had arranged.With Cern beholden to the Council, he had believed the entire evening was a win-win situation as long as she remained separate from Lukas.Refraining from the smirk that threatened to slide across her lips, Ariagave a mental shrug.At some point, they needed to see she could fend for herself.If it upset Jonas and Haemon, it was an added bonus.Across the room, conversing quietly with his pack guards, Haemon caughther eye, smiled, and gave a wink so brief she questioned if it really happened.Her smug pride drained out of her body in an instant, a heavy feeling replacing it.Yet again, she had misjudged Haemon’s self-control.Lukas tugged on her hand, drawing her inside the circle of his arms.Sheleaned into his body, allowing his strength to comfort her.Thaddeus, Lawrence and Sebastian appeared at her elbow.“Did you really do that to him?” Thaddeus glanced back over his shoulderat Cern, who sat, arguing quietly with Jonas.She sighed, lifting her head from Lukas’ chest to nod at Thaddeus.“I did.I’ll explain it later on the ride home.”169Ellen Keener“If you’re allowed to go home.” Sebastian’s voice held a rough, hostileedge.Aria turned, as did Lukas, and the strange glint in the pack guard’s eyes made her shift closer to Lukas.Something wasn’t quite right.Until she proved it wasn’t just nervous paranoia on her part, she couldn’t say anything.Lukas frowned at his guard.“Come on, Sebastian.”“It’s all right.He’s got a point.” Aria laughed.“But I’ve been known to dostrange and unpredictable things, and I can almost guarantee I will end up athome with you guys, one way or another.”Lukas pulled her tighter to him, their bodies pressed together from chestto thigh.“Don’t worry.We’ll work something out.”Jonas strode to them, glowering at Lukas.Her Mate smiled lazily andrubbed small circles over her back.“It’s time to go, Lukas.Tell Aria goodnight.”Lukas answered Jonas scathing tone with a cheeky smirk.“As you wish.”His mouth closed over hers, and her breath caught in her throat.Herfingers curled around his bare shoulders, and she felt his hands settle over her waist, pulling her closer.He pulled her bottom lip into his mouth, sucking and nibbling at it, before releasing her.Haemon cursed and stormed out of the room.Aria touched a finger to herlips, still feeling the tingling imprint of Lukas’ mouth.Jonas glared at them both.“That isn’t what I meant, Alpha MacLeod.”Lukas slowly released her, pushing himself away from her as if it werealmost physically impossible.“Next time, Councilor Bontham, you should bemore specific.”Without responding, Jonas jerked his head towards the door and led theway out.Aria followed them to the door, where Lukas pressed a kiss to her palm, his fingers tracing her wedding band.“Sleep well.”“Get out of here before you piss him off more.”His laughter followed her back into her room.Outside her door, fourdifferent men lounged, some standing, some sitting.Thaddeus had drapedhimself over an armchair and gave her a wink and wave.“Sweet Dreams, Aria.”She shook her head, smiling, and locked the door behind her.170Blood Moon“Well, that was quite a scene.”Aria stiffened.“What are you still doing here, Cern?”“I wanted to make sure that we are on the same team before I go to bed.”She turned, watching as he opened the door that connected the twobedrooms.“We are.For now.”He nodded once and then disappeared.She heard the lock click, but drugthe chest from the end of the bed in front of the connecting door anyway.After what happened this evening, she wasn’t taking any chances.171Ellen KeenerChapter 23Aria stretched, enjoying the soft down mattress that cradled her body,warmed by the sunlight filtering through the lace window panels.Only one thing could have made the experience perfect, but he slept in a different bed.The vintage clock on the nightstand told her it was barely seven.Shefrowned, pushing wayward strands of hair behind her ears.Weariness beat ather, making her feel out of sorts.A soft knock sounded at the door.She groaned, flopping back in the bed,now realizing why she was awake [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]