Free The Corollaria by Courtney Lyn Batten Page B

after she had been attacked, all he could think about was her well-being. Nothing else registered. The need to touch her was overwhelming. Consuming.
    Emily didn’t know how to tell him everything that she was thinking. She could barely form a coherent thought with him so close to her.  Luke continued to coo softly, his deep husky voice made warmth blossom in her chest.
    Luke slid his hand down to her neck. His fingers traced the not fully healed scars left from Samuel.
    Luke pulled back and frowned. She raised her hand and covered his, taking in a deep shaky breath.
    “I just don’ t understand what’s going on,” she whispered. Over Luke’s shoulder she saw Curtis and Carson and Jenny standing a few feet away. Emily and Luke’s proximity, the intimacy of their moment, registered, and she blushed furiously, looking down at her feet.
    “We have to go to the Hidden City and meet with the Faerie Queen. We need her help to protect you,” Luke told her. He pulled his hands away and roughly ran one through his hair.
    “You’re my wolf,” she whisp ered, still looking at her feet. There was no way she could look at him when she said that.
    Luke swallowed thickly, and then curled his finger unde r her chin, raising her eyes up to meet his. All the air was suddenly sucked out of their little bubble. The traffic noise faded to a low hum in the background and a soft breeze tickled her face.
    Luke felt her words more than heard them.  It was inexplicable. A surge of emotions rose so quickly to the surface.  He didn’t want to fight them. He just wanted her.
    “Yes. I am.”
    Luke leaned forward.  H is lips touched hers, a soft warm caress.  Everything inside Emily felt undone.  Her eyes fluttered close and she leaned against him. Luke pressed his mouth more firmly to hers, and lost himself in the moment as their lips continued to just delicately brush against each other.
    Carson cleared his throat. Emily’s already flushed cheeks burn with what she was sure was a deep rich scarlet.  Luke pulled away with, Emily noted, a faint rosiness to his cheeks too. His eyes locked with hers for a moment, and there was no mistaking the want that smoldered there.
    Curtis felt awkward and alone. And, he realized with some surprise, somewhat relieved. He knew, no matter how he felt about Emily, that she belonged with Luke. The vampire he had become, that wanted another taste of her blood and what Samuel had promised him, struggled with the lingering humanity in Curtis that simply wanted her to be okay.
    When Luke turned around, he noticed this resignation in Curtis and felt a stab of guilt. He also noticed the barely restrained annoyance in Jenny’s face, and the urgency in Carson’s eyes.
    Luke smiled to himself and, this time, grabbed Emily’s hand.

Chapter 8
     
     
    A heavy darkness had descended on the park as the group walked into a thick copse of trees. Emily felt something peculiar tickle her skin, and she squeezed Luke’s fingers in response. He turned his head and smiled, and for a moment it was so real and genuine and just so Luke that her heart soared in response.
    But, as she glanced over at Curtis, she couldn’t help but feel guilty. She’d basically chosen Luke. And kissed him right in front of Curtis.  She’d never wanted to hurt Curtis. She sighed.  She wasn’t even sure how to make this situation right.
    Luke couldn’t help but feel a small pebble of guilt in his chest at the calmness, the rightness, of having Emily’s hand in his gave him. 
    Her wolf .
    Exactly how much of what he felt for Emily was the wolf's doing, and how much of this was his own heart?
    Luke didn't know for sure. But what he did know was that Emily deserved a hell of a lot more than a guy who was only half there. She deserved something real and genuine. She deserved... a guy who looked at her the way she looked at him. And with that realization the smile fell right off his face.
    Emily frowned, her footing slipped and she