The Vampire's Bride (Atlantis #4)(66)

"Have you ever killed a woman?" she asked, inclining her head.

"Oh, yes." He didn't hesitate with his answer. "I held Marina, the former demon queen, in my arms and killed her the way I almost killed you. I drained the life out of her with my mouth. And I have never regretted it."

"I suppose she hurt you in some way." Had they been lovers? Delilah wondered, fists tightening. That small action upset her balance, and she swayed again.

Layel kicked out his leg, preventing her from toppling. The movement was as swift as a blink - gliding up, then back down - that no one could have noticed, but it saved her.

Her heart pounded in a staccato rhythm of gratitude and embarrassment. "Thank you," she muttered.

"I warned you. Pay attention. Next time, I may let you fall."

"My sweet hero." Feeling a hot gaze boring into her, she glanced around. Brand and Nola were staring straight ahead, Zane the vampire was watching Nola again and - Tagart. Damn. He was glaring at her.

"You have to stop helping me," she grumbled to Layel. "Saving me will only get you killed."

"At least you don't deny needing aid. And before you tell me that you wouldn't have needed aid had I kept my teeth to myself, I know. You are strong and capable when your veins are fully stocked."

He acknowledged her abilities as a warrior? Shock nearly felled her. One of the reasons the Amazons so often had to prove their abilities was that the men they fought so often lied, claiming victory they had not warranted, too embarrassed to admit they'd been defeated by mere women.

"Sometimes I feel weak around you," she admitted quietly, lowering her voice so only he could hear, "and it has nothing to do with blood loss. The things I want you to do to me...they shame me, and yet that never seems to matter when I'm with you. I crave them."

He gulped. "They should not shame you."

"And why is that?"

"Because it has been my...pleasure to fulfill some of your needs. Because it's all right to allow another to see to your care."

"Would you? Allow another to see to your care, I mean?" I want to be that woman. She desired him so badly. In her bed, in her life - there, she had finally admitted the second. They should have been enemies; he would probably hate the woman who made him forget his precious mate, even for a second, but...If he would look at Delilah with tenderness just once, it might just be worth any hardship.

"I - No. If I were not mated..."

But in his mind, he was. Would always be. Much as the knowledge hurt, it was the most he'd ever offered her and so she took heart. Seemed she grew more foolish with every day that passed. "Why did you kill Marina?"

One corner of his mouth curled upward. "She was breathing the same air as me."

Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of that half smile. "And?" she prompted when he failed to elaborate.

"That...offended me."

She couldn't stop a grin of her own from forming. "I never liked her. She was a thief and a liar."

"And lies disgust you?"

"Of course." Trust was a sacred thing, and lies mocked it.

"I am a liar."

A moment passed in silence as she digested his words. Liars didn't usually admit to their sins. Which meant he must want to elicit her disgust. Why? "You've said that before." Had she ever sounded so shaky? So...female?

"And you did not believe me. Yet, look what happened to you." His gaze flicked to her still-healing neck. "I said I would stay away from you and then I stole your blood."

Perhaps this was his way of keeping her away from him, she thought. Perhaps she was proving too much a temptation to his peace of mind. Perhaps he hoped she would treat him horribly so he could then hate her. "I like everything that comes out of your mouth," she said softly, huskily.

His breath hitched at the implication.

She wanted to laugh - am I right? - but added, "You may tell me anything you desire without fear."

Water splashed, signaling that someone had just fallen, but she didn't look away from the vampire. "Tell me - " She stopped, frowned and peered down at her feet.

The stump seemed to be shrinking. Was shrinking, she realized with shock. Her toes and heels were now hanging off the edge. She shifted, trying to discover a new sense of balance.

"Be still," Layel snapped.

Someone else fell, followed quickly by another. From the beach, she could hear cheers and shouts of warning as fallen teammates encouraged their brethren.

A rock suddenly flew past her face and into Layel's. He teetered, cursed, but thankfully stayed put as a trickle of blood flowed from above his eye.

"Who threw that?" she demanded. Her gaze moved over the challengers. Several mermaids were swimming around Broderick's ankles, some reaching out to caress his thigh, cooing as they did so. Mermen were swimming around the female nymph, who appeared frustrated by the attention. Every time they touched her, they caused her to wobble. How would Layel react if she fell?

"By any means necessary, the gods told us," Tagart said, drawing her attention. Eyes narrowed, he withdrew another stone from his pocket and launched it.

"No!"

Expecting it this time, Layel managed to catch it with a movement so swift his swinging arm was nothing more than a blur. "Coward."