Dalakis Passion 3 - Stefan's Salvation (25 page)

Sunlight is lost to you forever and you are now a creature of the night."
"You converted me?" Her voice shook as badly as her hand as she brought it up to
wipe her sweat-covered face.
"I saved you," he corrected.
She was going to be ill any minute. She desperately wanted to concentrate on what
he was saying, but the sickness welling up in her was making that virtually impossible.
She was fascinated by what he'd done and had so many questions, but they would have
to wait.
She rolled over onto her side and tried to throw back the covers. Stefan stalked to
the bed and placed his hand on her shoulder, pushing her back down. "What are you
doing? You need to stay in bed."
"Sick," she managed to whisper. She saw his eyes widen in understanding and he
plucked her out of the bed and carried her down the hall. The movement made the
churning in her stomach even worse. "Hurry," she moaned.
She all but jumped out of his arms as he carried her into the bathroom and made it
to the toilet just as she got violently ill. She would have been embarrassed to tears, but
she was just too darn sick to care. The floor felt icy beneath her, chilling her skin as she
knelt, leaning against the cool porcelain between waves of sickness. Stefan sat behind
her, his strong arms locked around her, supporting her when she needed it and
comforting her the rest of the time.
He left her long enough to dampen a cloth in tepid water and he used it to wipe her
face. Time lost all meaning as Laurel Rose was sick for hour upon hour. It was if her
body was ridding itself of everything. And it was. She realized that Stefan was
murmuring in her ear, telling her that her body was purging itself of human waste. Her
body was changing, becoming stronger.
Finally, it seemed, she was finished. She desperately wanted to go back to bed, but
she didn't have the strength to move. As if he knew exactly what she needed, Stefan sat
her on the small bathroom countertop and helped her brush her teeth and rinse her
mouth. Then he ran some warm water over the washcloth and wiped it over her face
and shoulders.
Her muddled mind cleared long enough for her to realize she was naked. It was
funny that that fact hadn't occurred to her before now. But there was nothing sensual in
his actions. Every movement was filled with purpose. Finishing quickly, he scooped her
into his arms and carried her back to the bedroom, tucking her into her bed.
"Sleep. We'll talk more when you wake tomorrow evening." Stefan stood and she
was very afraid he was going to leave.
"Stay." She held out her hand to him. He stared at it for so long that she dropped it
and turned her head away. The man had held her for hours while she'd been sick.
Perhaps he didn't want to stay with her any longer. Burying her face in the pillow, she
waited to hear his receding footsteps.
Instead, he swore sharply. She heard the shuffling of clothing being removed, then
the mattress sank next to her and she rolled up against his massive body. His hands
were firm but incredibly gentle as he gathered her into his arms and settled her head on
his chest. With the strong beat of his heart lulling her, she drifted off to sleep.
The sun had sunk moments before and Stefan knew that Laurel Rose was awake.
They'd slept the day away, locked in each other's arms. Cristofor had checked on them
just before he'd left at dawn, making sure the drapes were closed tight. He'd even gone
so far as to add some extra blankets to the window. His brother had assured him that
they would all be back later in the evening to check on Laurel Rose.
Stefan knew that they were all still worried about him. The expressions on his
brother's faces when their wives had shown up last night had been priceless. Both men
had glowered and the looks on their faces would have made the bravest of men quiver
in fear, but not so their wives.
Both Johanna and Delight had just scowled right back at them. Johanna had tapped
her foot again the floor, crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at her very large
husband. "You really didn't think you could keep us away, did you?" she asked. Stefan
had almost laughed at his poor brothers as they struggled with their desire to keep their
wives safe and their pleasure over their wives' wish to be there with them.
But Stefan understood his brothers all too well now. He had a woman of his own
and nothing was more important than her safety and happiness. Both couples were still
learning to strike a balance between the men's instinct to protect and the women's need
to be independent. Stefan just hoped that he and Laurel Rose would have years to argue
about such things. His brothers were very lucky men. And he was putting off the
inevitable.
"How do you feel?" He kept his voice level, burying all emotion.
She shifted in his arms and her nose rubbed the hair on his chest. She'd thrown one
of her legs over his thighs while they'd slept and she shifted it ever so slightly, moving
it closer to his groin. His cock swelled and hardened immediately and he silently cursed
his unruly body. Now was not the time or the place for this, but he had little control
around this woman.
He took a deep breath and realized his mistake immediately as he breathed in her
sweet scent. She squirmed, trying to get comfortable, and he could feel the soft mound
of her breast pushing against his side, the hardened tip poking into him. He wanted to
roll her onto her back, mount her and fuck her slow and soft, then hard and fast,
making her come over and over until she screamed out his name.
Stefan shuddered and clamped his hand over her thigh to keep her leg still. Now
that they were both awake, it was time to talk. He savored the feeling of her body
snuggled close to his, filing away every single detail so that he could take it out and
relive it in the dark nights to come if this was the last moment they shared together.
Tightening his arm around her, he held her close to his beating heart. He was loath to
release her, but he was a Dalakis and a Dalakis did not shirk his duty.
He longed to kiss her, to taste her lips one more time. Instead, he gently lifted her
head off his chest and rolled out of bed in one quick motion. It was easier this way. He
heard the shuffling of covers behind him, sensed her confusion, but he ignored it as he
hauled on his jeans and boots. Snagging his shirt off the trunk at the foot of the bed, he
shrugged it on but didn't bother to button it as he turned toward her.
Laurel Rose sat against the headboard with her knees drawn up to her chest and
her arms wrapped around her legs. Her face was still pale, but she looked much better
than she had the night before. That relieved Stefan. The conversion had been hard on
her. The knot in his gut loosened slightly as he realized that she was on the road to
recovery.
Her fingers clenched the covers tight. "I'm feeling much better." A slight blush
tinged her cheeks as she looked away. "I'm sorry that you had to see me like that."
Stefan raked his hands through his hair as he stared at her incredulously. She was
embarrassed because she'd been sick in front of him. Why wasn't she yelling at him,
demanding explanations? He'd expected her anger and confusion, not embarrassment.
Two strides brought him back to her side and he sat down on the bed next to her.
Cupping her beloved face in his hands, he tipped it up so that she was forced to look at
him. "You have nothing to apologize for. It is my fault that you were ill." His thumbs
brushed her cheeks, and he marveled as always at the softness of her skin. "What do
you remember?"
Laurel Rose shrugged and tried to pull away, but he held her tight, not allowing her
to turn from him. "I remember everything. Or at least, I think I do." Her brows
furrowed and he smoothed out the lines with his thumb. "I remember the kidnapping
and what came after. I remember knowing I was dying and that you brought me back
to life." She paused and took a deep breath. "I'm like you now, aren't I? I have a vague
memory of you telling me that. I was so sick it was hard to concentrate on anything."
"Yes." Stefan would not flinch from the truth. She was his true mate, his woman,
his only love and he would not lie to her to make his life easier or to soothe his own
conscience. "I converted you without your permission. You were dying and I made the
choice for you."
Her hands came up to cover his where they cupped her cheeks. Stefan closed his
eyes against the pain that her simple action caused him. Her goodness shamed him.
Here he was telling her that he'd taken the choice of her life away from her and she was
comforting him. Her touch was unbearable, reminding him of the monster he truly was
to sentence a beautiful soul like hers to the darkness, to tether her life to his for all
eternity.
Stefan pulled away from her and her hands fell back against the mattress. Drawing
a deep breath, he closed his mind to everything but his duty. She was his now and he
would protect her, even from himself if necessary. She needed time and space to think
and to decide how she wanted her life to proceed from this moment forward. He'd
taken one choice from her, and now it was her turn to decide both their fates.
Standing, he stared down at the woman gazing up at him from beneath the mound
of blankets. She was so much smaller than him and incredibly delicate compared to his
massive size and strength. Yet she had never once flinched from him or backed down in
an argument. She possessed a core of steel, a strength of will that constantly amazed
him.
"You will find that your psychic powers and your physical senses have increased.
The only reason you have not been bombarded with the sights and sounds is because
you possess a natural barrier already, one that you've built over the years to protect
yourself. If you practice strengthening it daily, you will be fine. Your sight, your
hearing and your physical strength have all increased. You will be faster and stronger
than you can even imagine." He paused, but she said nothing.
He began to pace the room. He paused in front of her dresser and absently picked
up her hairbrush and traced his fingers over the bristles. His cock flexed and strained
against the front of his jeans as sweet memories bombarded him. Swearing under his
breath, he tossed it down and swung back toward her.
"No one will bother you again. The threat to you and your land is gone." Crossing
his arms over his chest, he glared at her, daring her to argue with him. "I have money.
You will never want for anything." It was his right to take care of her.
"I don't need your money." Her voice was tight with anger as she glared at him, her
dark blue eyes blazing.
He growled, furious at himself for broaching the subject so crudely and at her for
her refusal to allow him to provide for her. "I will teach you the extent of your new
powers, teach you how to survive."
"Don't put yourself out. I can take care of myself." She turned away from him,
pulling the covers closer around her body and staring at the wall.
The pain in his chest was almost overwhelming. It seemed that she didn't need him
for anything. Didn't want him for anything. He had to get out before he made a fool of
himself and fell to his knees, begging her to let him stay in her life.
He strode toward the door. "If you need anything. Anything at all." His voice
threatened to break and he swallowed back the rising emotion. The further away he got
from Laurel Rose, the harder it became for him to breathe. Pausing in the doorway, he
leaned against the frame for support, but he didn't look back. "All you have to do is
think of me and I will be there for you."
Not waiting for an answer, he pounded down the stairs and burst out into the
night. Ripping the clothing from his body, he shifted as he leapt from the back steps. By
the time he landed, the man was gone, replaced by a large, shaggy wolf who tipped
back his head and released his sorrowful cry into the night. And then he ran. Racing
through the woods, he sought some relief from the pain that burned in his soul.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Laurel Rose stared at the wall, unable to believe what she was hearing. Stefan stood
there, his expression unreadable and his eyes colder than she'd ever seen them. He was
blocking his thoughts from her, making it impossible for her to pick up even the
slightest inkling of what he was truly feeling. Shivering, she wrapped the blankets
tighter around her body. He was offering her money. Money! She didn't need money.
She needed him to wrap his arms around her and tell her that he cared for her, that they
would be together forever. Instead, he was offering to teach her how to survive.
She heard herself replying to him. "Don't put yourself out. I can take care of
myself."
She felt cold inside. Cold and dead. She almost wished he'd let her die. But that
wasn't what had happened and Laurel Rose knew she would do what she'd always
done.
She would survive.
His parting words washed over her. Laurel Rose bit her lip to keep from begging
him not to leave. She felt as if her soul was shriveling up inside her. She only prayed
that he left before she broke down totally. Swallowing back her tears, she said nothing,
hoping he'd make a clean break of it and leave quickly.
She would let Stefan go without a scene, without any drama. He'd already given
her so much in their short time together. He'd taught her that she was beautiful and had
shown her that lovemaking could be breathtaking and special between two people who
cared for each other. She didn't doubt that he felt some affection for her. His every
action had shown her that and she trusted her own instincts.
Yes, he'd talked of her being his only love and of her being the only woman for
him, but that was far different than expecting to spend eternity with someone. The man
had come to her rescue and saved her life. She would not ask him for more. If he
wanted to leave, all she could do was make it easy for him to do so.
The pounding of his footsteps were still echoing in the house when the back door
slammed open and he was gone. She could feel the emptiness, the void that now existed
in her home and in her life.
Curling into a tight ball of misery, Laurel Rose finally let loose her tears. Burying