So I Married a Sorcerer (The Embraced #2)(38)

He turned away, his hands clenched into fists.

She’d touched on a nerve, she was sure of it. “Why on Aerthlan would you want to control me?”

He shot her an incredulous look. “Since when can I control you? You were told to stay belowdecks, but you sneaked up here to hide behind those barrels.”

She blinked. “Y-you noticed that?”

“I notice everything about you, Brigitta.”

Her skin prickled as a strange feeling swept over her, a feeling that she was somehow connected to this man. In the past and in the future. But who was he? And why did he say her name as if he knew her?

She had to find out more about him. And there was one sure way to do it.

Steeling her nerves, she planted a hand upon his chest. A wave of images struck her hard, and she reeled back from the intensity. Goddesses help her, it was as if she were there. On a battlefield. Swords slashed, blood sprayed, screams rent the air. Horses shrieked, axes swung, and the smell of blood and mangled limbs nauseated her.

Horror flooded her senses, along with a stab of grief so fierce, her knees buckled. As she collapsed, her heart ached for Rupert. For one thing was certain.

All this horror and grief had been his.





Chapter Nine

“Brigitta!” Rupert grabbed her as she crumpled in front of him. What the hell? He swept her up in his arms.

Her head rolled to the side, coming to rest upon his chest. Her eyes were closed now, her face pale, but he’d seen the look of horror and pain flash across her features. And it had happened right after she’d touched him.

Dammit to hell! Was he some kind of poison to her? This was the third time she’d reacted badly after coming into contact with him.

“Brigitta?” He lifted her higher against him, so he could peer at her face. “What’s wrong? Do I need to find a healer for you?”

Her brow furrowed as she grimaced, her eyes squeezed shut. “I-I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

His chest tightened. “For what?” She’d done nothing wrong. As far as he could tell, she was completely innocent. She didn’t deserve to be used by him or her brother. When she didn’t answer, he whispered back, “No, I’m the one who’s sorry.”

Her eyes flickered open, then grew wide as she gazed at his face just a few inches away.

Such a lovely shade of turquoise. Her eyes reminded him of the sea close to a white, sandy shore. Clear and pure. No guile or cruelty hidden in their depths. Could it be she was nothing like the other members of her family? She’d called them monsters. Claimed to want nothing to do with her brother.

His grip on her tightened. By the Light, he wanted her to be exactly as she appeared. A beautiful, clever, sweet, and caring woman. His woman.

His gaze wandered down her body. Her cloak had fallen open, revealing a thin white nightgown that barely concealed sweet feminine lines and curves. His groin reacted. How easy it would be to unravel that blue ribbon at her neckline and expose her breasts. How tempting it would be to slip his hand beneath the hem.

“Put me down.”

He glanced back at her face and noted the alarm in her eyes. Holy shit, he must have been eyeing her like a hungry wolf. “Don’t worry. I would never harm you.”

She regarded him sadly. “Do you expect me to believe the word of a pirate who has kidnapped me?”

At first, he’d wanted her to believe the worst of him, but damn, that was now becoming increasingly hard to bear. There was a part of him that wanted to show her he could be a good and honorable man who was worthy of her. That part was growing, along with the bulge in his breeches.

And he wanted to know what kind of woman his betrothed had become. That had been his fifth reason for not sending her away. Not that he could ever tell her. Hell, he didn’t like to admit it to himself. Her father had killed his father. Hunted down his entire family. He should hate her, but apparently he was a fool who wanted to believe that somehow an evil family had spawned an innocent angel.

He set her on her feet. “Will you be all right now?”

“Yes.” She gathered her cloak around her. “I should go now. Good night.” She hurried toward the staircase that led belowdecks.

He still didn’t know why she kept collapsing. Frustration ground at his nerves. The woman was affecting him mentally, emotionally, and physically. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”

She glanced back, and he was surprised by the sympathetic look in her eyes.

“Happy birthday, Rupert.” She descended the stairs, leaving him to stare at the open doorway.

How many years had it been since anyone had offered him birthday wishes? Stefan had raised him well, but without any sentimentality. He’d always known Rupert would need to be tough to survive.

Don’t let a few kind words make you soft. She was still the enemy. And she was figuring out too much about him. Damn, if she ever discovered his true identity, he’d have to hold her prisoner indefinitely. He couldn’t risk her passing that information on to her brother. If Gunther knew who he was, all his plans would crumble into dust.

Why can’t I control my own destiny? Her words jabbed at him. How could he even contemplate imprisoning her?

He knew too well the despair of being confined. For seven years he’d been forced to hide in caves and basements. That was why he now slept under the open sky.