Free NocC 023 - The Ancients 05 - Bonnie Vanak - Incubus Wolf - Harlequin 2012-09 by Nocturne Page A

one condition.” Dominic
spread out his hands to show he wasn’t armed. “Give Alexandra back her illusion
of beauty.”
    Belaramos laughed. “Why? You don’t want her, incubus. You only
wanted her when she was beautiful. Now she’s ugly as a moose.”
    Moose were beautiful, Dominic thought. So was Alex. Her inner
beauty could not be dimmed.
    “You and your pack of misfits. Why do you take in such ugly
rogues?”
    Because they needed a home and deserved
the freedom of not having anyone judge them. Just like they do not judge me
for being incubus. But he kept these thoughts silent and guarded.
    Belaramos went to a cabinet and removed a vial of liquid. It
glowed green. “This will restore the illusion. She’ll remain blind to her true
looks. Now, will you cooperate?”
    A calculating smile, cold as ice, touched the man’s face. “It’s
so much better if you’re alive when I drain you. The blood maintains more
power.”
    “Yes, but I don’t trust you to deliver it yourself. Carla,” he
called out.
    The small, frightened woman came in from outside where she’d
been awaiting his signal.
    “Take the vial to Alexandra. No,” he added as Carla began to
cry. “Do as I say. That’s an order.”
    He paused a minute, his heart twisting. “And tell her… to be
happy. I only want her to be happy.”
    Carla left, clutching the potion. His shoulders sagged with
resignation. Alexandra would always feel safe and beautiful now, secure in the
illusion. So be it. She came first. It broke his heart to know he could not be
the one to make her happy.
    The wizard led him down steps to a well-lit basement to a long
metal table and ordered him to strip and lie down. Pain stung his wrists as
Belaramos fastened his wrists and ankles to silver handcuffs attached to the
table. The table sloped down toward a small drain. Dominic realized with
sickening clarity it was to hold his blood.
    The wizard removed a curved blade from a cabinet, toyed with
it. It winked in the sharp overhead light. “What a fool you are. Giving your
life up for an ugly whore like Alexandra.”
    “I don’t care what she looks like. She’s always beautiful to
me.” He gathered his strength. “If we were together, I’d age one day and be a
toothless old man. And I know in my heart she’ll still see me the way I am today
just as I see her inner beauty because she loves me.”
    “Love is for fools.”
    But he heard the doubt in the other’s voice. Dominic seized on
it.
    “No one will ever love you because you’re ugly inside. Dark and
disgusting.” His voice dropped to a deep whisper that echoed through the room.
“Rotting wormwood.”
    Belaramos screamed, holding his face. Blood began to seep from
between his fingers. “What have you done to me?”
    “Only what you’ve done to yourself.”
    Snarling, the wizard jerked Dominic’s head back. He saw the
gleam of the blade and braced himself. For you, Alexandra, he thought
desperately. Be happy.
    Footsteps, fast and furious. Alexandra leaped from the middle
step and landed on her feet. Behind her was Michael, his weapon drawn.
    “Belaramos, you cheating, lying son of a bitch. I don’t want
your potion.”
    As the wizard took the blade to Dominic’s throat, she pointed
and fired.
    The shot rang out, her aim true, as the wizard dropped dead.
Michael raced to Dominic, unchaining the silver cuffs, wincing as the metal made
contact with his bare fingers.
    Alexandra ran to him as he stood, kissing him fiercely. “You
brave wolf. Did you think I was that shallow, that I didn’t love you, that I’d
let you give up your life just for my silly looks? I knew something was wrong.
Fortunately, your second in command doesn’t listen well to your orders.”
    His heart beat fast with love at her firm declaration. She’d
made a sacrifice of her own to save him, but more importantly, proved she’d
accepted her own true self. She’d be a worthy mate if she agreed to take
him.
    Dominic held her tight, laying his