Chapter 16
Curledup against Dagan’s warm body, his even breathing and heartbeat soothing sounds, Shae stared drowsily through the night-dark windows, her heart expanding with happiness. Dagan was finallyhers.
A light flickered past the window like a… A falling star? She wondered as sleephovered…
The smell of wood and ash crowded her nose. Shae frowned, looking around the room—a workshop of sorts. Shelves lined the walls, but the tall, dark-haired man standing near the window caught her attention. Lines of strain etched the corners of his hard mouth. Those yellow eyes she adored, burned with such harsh intensity, her stomach knotted inworry.
“Dagan?” she whispered.He didn’t appear to hearher.
Another figure wandered into her line of view, a tall, striking woman with honey-gold skin and a thick swathe of cinnamon-hued hair. She circled the worktable and picked up a half-finished, ten-inch, woodenwolf.
“I don’t understand how you can stand drinking from these stinky creatures.” With a little moue of disgust, she tossed the wolf aside and selected a gouge, stroking the edge of theblade.
“Oh, would you look at that? I nicked my finger.” She dropped the tool onto the table as blood pooled on her fingertip and dripped to thefloor.
Dagan stiffened. His fangs lengthened, piercing into the flesh of his lower lip. A nerve pulsed furiously on his jaw. “Kaerys…”
She looked up, her gaze cool. “I’m not in the mood. Go find a mortal female to feedyou.”
He squeezed his eyelids tight and choked back an agonized groan. “Youwin.”
A gleam of excitement lit her face as she leaned against the table. “You know whatIwant. Give meall, Dagan. And you can take whatever youneed.”
A growl emitted from him. The woman laughed as he slammed her against the worktable, his fangs sinking into her neck. He gulped on her blood like a starving, wildanimal…
Nooo! Shae bolted upright, breaking through the lethargy trapping her, anguish ripping her chest open. She grabbed her head, trying to shut off the images pinging inside herskull.
“Shae?” Dagan jackknifed up at her side, the covers bunching around his lean hips. “What’swrong?”
Inhaling harshly, her emotions running too high, she pressed her cheek against his cool chest instead, trying to will away thepain.
“It’s okay.” He tenderly stroked her hair back from her heated face. “I will find the one who killed your sire, Ipromise.”
She held him tightly. How could that horrible woman have done that to him? Despite Dagan’s cold appearance and solitary preference, one she now understood, he had a heart thatcared.
A shuddering breath escaped her. Why couldn’therblood sustain him, why couldn’tshebe what he needed? Then she could spare him the humiliation he’d endured at the hands of that connivinggoddess.
He lay down again, pulled her close, his arm wrapping around her. “Everything will beokay.”
Will it? She needed a damn miracle. But she was running short ofthose.
* * *
Late-morning sunlight streamedinto the room. Shae awoke alone in bed. She groaned and rolled over, wishing she could pretend that the horrible dream hadn’t happened, but the heaviness inside her saidotherwise.
With a sigh, she climbed out of bed, and after a quick shower, she changed and took the excavated steps to the upper level, needing to see Dagan—see that he wasokay.
As soon as she opened the first door in the dim corridor, the smell of wood, sawdust, and a hint of cherry tobacco teased her nose. But he wasn’tthere.
A sense of déjà vu settled over her as she stepped inside hisworkspace.
Shelves lined one wall with completed animal sculptures of various sizes. Larger ones were pushed in the corner. Reverently, she ran her finger over a pouncing cheetah. The brilliant craftsmanship of each creature stunned her. Several pieces of furniture made of different woods were stacked near thewall.
Now she understood the mismatched furniture in thekitchen.
A familiar scarred worktable in the center held a few unfinished works. She picked up a half-finished gazelle from the table and traced the fluid lines of the carved figurine. Frowning, she put it down on the wooden surface then yanked back her hand as the truth hit her like a punch in herchest.
Oh, God!Bile rushed to her throat. Her stomach heaved. This was the table from hernightmare—
