Free Dragonswan.doc by Unknown

her an instant before her body shuddered and spasmed . In a
    glorious flood of ecstasy, her body splintered. Crying out, she leaned forward over Velkan
    as he quickened his strokes, heightening her pleasure even more.
    And when he came, he whispered her name like a breathless prayer. That gave her more
    hope than anything else that he'd forgive her.
    Her heart pounding, she laid herself on his chest while he held her close in the firelight.
    There was no sound in the room except their breathing and the sound of his heart thumping
    under her cheek. Closing her eyes, she inhaled the scent of them and caressed the muscles
    of his arm.
    Velkan lay quietly as he felt every inch of her body pressed against his. He loved the
    sensation of her flesh on his. Of her hand gliding over his arm. But he knew this couldn't last.
    He knew he couldn't trust her.
    No matter what he felt right now, the past stood strong in his mind. And it was a past he
    didn't want to relive. Learning to get through each day while that pathetic part of him had
    kept watching the road, thinking, no, praying, she would come back to him.
    She might be with him now, but she didn't trust him. She never would. And that burned
    through him like a stringent poison.
    "What are you thinking?" she whispered.
    "I'm wondering when you'll be on the next flight out of here."
    "I'm not leaving, Velkan ."
    "I don't believe you. You have a business to run. A life to get back to."
    Retta grew quiet at that. He was right… and he was wrong. "I've had other businesses in the
    past that I had to walk away from. I can leave this one as well. I belong here, with you."
    He didn't say anything, but the doubt in his eyes tore through her.
    "Will you at least give me another chance?"
    "At what?"
    "Being your wife."
    "Do you think that could make you happy? I'm stationed here in Romania. In the backwoods
    of the world that you've embraced. You wouldn't be happy without all the conveniences you're
    used to. Besides, Dark-Hunters aren't married. They're not supposed to have any kind of
    emotional ties whatsoever."
    "Then we'll get our souls back and be free."
     
    "And if I don't want that?"
    She was taken aback by his question. "You'd rather stay in Artemis's service?"
    "I'm immortal, and I'm an animal, remember? I live for war."
    "You would choose that over me?"
    His black eyes burned her. "You chose much less than that over me."
    Retta looked away, ashamed. He was absolutely right. Her heart heavy, she slid herself off
    him. Her gaze fell to the areas of his body where his skin was still blistered from his rescue
    of her. "Then I guess there's no future for us."
    He let out a tired sigh. "We were never meant to be, Esperetta ."
    She ground her teeth in frustration. "Then do we divorce?"
    "Why bother? Death has already separated us."
    Not true. Stupidity had separated them, not death.
    Retta scooted from the bed and gathered her clothes before she dressed without another
    word to him. She didn't know what to say. "So that's it then?"
    "That's it."
    She nodded as she opened the door to the hallway. She hesitated. "I have to say I'm
    surprised."
    "By what?"
    "Your cowardice. I always thought you had more guts than this."
    He turned in the bed to give her his back. "Then we're even?"
    "How so?"
    "I misjudged you, too. I once thought you were worth dying for."
    The door slammed shut in her face.
    Retta stood there staring at the wood, her mouth agape, his words ringing in her ears. She
    glared at the door, half-tempted to kick it in and beat him. But she wouldn't give him the
    satisfaction of it.
    Fine. If he wanted to play it that way, so be it. Far be it from her to argue. As he'd pointed
    out, she had a life in America. Lifting her chin, she turned and walked toward her room down
    at the end of the hallway.
    And with every step she took, more tears gathered in her eyes as pain filled her. Her heart
    broken, she opened the door to find Raluca in her room, shaking her head at her.
    Retta