heartbeat before his mouth covered the wound. He fed, hesitant at first,
then faster. The sensation was so intensely erotic she had to fight against her
natural instincts to feed on him in return. To her surprise, the pleasure she
experienced as he fed distracted her from her own hunger.
“Continue until the
blood stops.” She managed to gasp the order before a wave of pure ecstasy
washed over her.
*
After swallowing
the last drops, Drake released her and watched in amazement as the wound closed
and then disappeared without a trace. His strength had returned. He felt better
than good. In fact, he felt ten times stronger than before. Concerned he’d
taken too much blood, he whipped around to face Evana. Could he have hurt her?
He looked at her anxiously. Taking in the sight of her half-closed eyes, parted
lips and shallow breathing he suspected she felt better than just fine.
“Was it good for
you?” he asked playfully.
Her eyes snapped
open to catch him studying her. He gave her a sly smile.
“You must be
feeling better,” she commented. Her lips pulled up into a shy smile.
Drake stood, then
offered his hand to help her. She took it, letting him lift her to her feet.
Still holding on to her, he drew her to him.
“I feel much
better,” he told her. “You sure seemed to be enjoying something too. Care to
explain?”
She scowled. “You’ll
find out soon enough,” she warned mysteriously. “So save your strength, you’re
going to need it.”
“I can’t wait.” He
raised his brows suggestively and patted her bottom.
She laughed and
snuggled against him. Drake held her protectively while he scanned the beach.
Although it was dark, he realized he could see everything. It was like looking
through night vision goggles, but with color. It just wasn’t as vivid as in
daylight. It was an odd sensation.
“Evana, will your
blood make me exactly like you?”
She stirred in his
arms, snuggling closer before she answered. “Not exactly. Only Nemesis made me
the way I am. Or another like her could have. My blood will stop you from
aging. It’ll give you even greater strength and speed than you have right now.
It’ll also heighten your senses—sight, sound, touch, smell and even taste.”
“Then how did
Nemesis change you?”
She sighed. “The
answers you want are best discovered within Nemesis.”
“I’d like to know,
Evana,” he insisted.
“I’m working on
that.”
Chapter Ten
Evana languished in
his embrace, unwilling to disturb the peacefulness she enjoyed. The sound of
the waves crashing on the rocks mingled with the steady beating of his heart
soothed her, and she wanted to linger forever in the feeling of security she
found in this one moment with him. He was her mate. She was in love with him,
impossibly, deeply in love with him.
She cursed inwardly
as she remembered who began this journey she was now taking. Nemesis. Nemesis
had chosen him for her. And she’d never hear the end of it, ever. Gods.
Abomination. Rocks. Nemesis
broke into her thoughts.
Evana reacted in an
instant. She summoned all her power and whipped around to place herself between
Drake and her enemy. She spotted “it” standing on the most distant rock from
shore. The abomination leered back in defiance while salt spray obscured its
form with every wave that washed over.
“Do you see it?”
“Barely.”
Just as Drake
spoke, the figure appeared at the juncture where the rocks joined the sand,
closing the distance between it and its prey by half.
“Yes!” Apparently
startled, he staggered back.
Evana didn’t
indicate she noticed as she was already prepared with both swords activated.
She held a hilt in her right hand while she held the other in her left, keeping
it at dagger length. Not daring to take her gaze off her enemy, she sent a
silent command to Nemesis. Then she shouted to Drake, “Forgive me, my love!”
“What—” His
question was left unfinished.
“So, pilot. You’ve
made