Blood Curse by Sharon Page Read Free Book Online

say,
Jade answered in his head.
But the bats stay—they will not hurt her, but they will prevent you from double-crossing me.
    Raven spat at the grass. There were dozens of bats. He could try to fight them, but he would lose. Then Frederica would be hurt.
    He had no choice. To protect his sister, he had to do as Jade asked.
    He had to seduce his captive.
     
    It had been a long time since he had touched anyone without the intent to kill.
    Arms folded over his chest, Raven leaned against the door frame and watched Lady Ophelia rattle the glass doors that led to the terrace. Ornate metalwork crossed each door, acting as bars. They covered all the windows and doors in the house, making an effective prison.
    “Worked your way through the rest of the house, did you?” he asked.
    A sharp gasp escaped her. She whirled around. Moonlight poured in, touching her pale oval face with a silver-white light. “How long have you been standing there, watching me?”
    She amazed him. Most women would be swooning and weeping at being held prisoner. But fury radiated from Lady Ophelia.
    “Not long,” he said.
    Even when she was angry, her voice was husky and beautiful.
    “I take it you’ve kept many prisoners here,” she said. Again, when she should show fear, she snapped at him. Her large indigo-blue eyes burned with condemnation.
    “No, my dear. You are the first.”
    “Then why is your house like a prison?”
    “Look at it from the outside, Lady Ophelia.”
    “What on earth do you mean?”
    “From the outside it’s not a prison. It’s a fortress. I am tempted to let you leave this house, just so you can learn what awaits you out there. You will come scurrying back.”
    “I would not.”
    Ravenhunt grasped her chin, forcing her blazing gaze to meet his frustrated one. “There are men out there waiting for the chance to drag you into a laboratory, strap you down, and cut you open to examine you. You wouldn’t survive it, and your death would be slow, lingering, painful.”
    Smoke rose from his fingers, from the contact of his skin with hers.
    “Don’t touch me,” she cried, shoving his hand away.
    Her chest rose on fast breaths. Her face was white. So many emotions were written on her face he could not read them all. But one stood out—pain. He saw deep pain in her eyes. He knew what raw pain looked like. He’d seen it in his own eyes after the first time he’d killed. He’d seen it in the eyes of men on the battlefield. He’d seen it in Frederica’s eyes, after she’d been told of his “death.”
    “You never touch anyone, do you?” he asked softly.
    “Of course not.
I can’t
.”
    “No kisses?”
    “N—no.” She hesitated. She winced. So there was a tale there. She had kissed, so what had happened? The mortal must have died.
    “No embraces. No holding hands. No dances?”
    She wrapped her arms around her chest. “I cannot touch anyone at all. Even gloves don’t help if the touch is prolonged, like a dance.”
    “Do you like to dance?”
    Wistfulness replaced pain. “Yes.”
    Raven stroked his chin. “There is something I want to do. It will hurt eventually, but not for a while.”
    Before Ophelia could move away, he came to her, pulled her into his embrace. His head bent to hers, and as she reeled back, realizing what he meant to do, his mouth touched hers. Softly. Then he pressed more. His mouth opened, coaxing hers to open, too.
    His tongue touched hers.
    He was kissing her. An intimate, passionate kiss.
    Her lips sizzled. A burning sensation washed over them. Smoke rose between her and Ravenhunt.
    She fought to push him away. Her lips did not hurt, yet there was no question her kiss was burning him. Hurting him.
    But he was not going to let the kiss end.

4
Rescued
    R avenhunt drew back from her sizzling lips. “Stop worrying and enjoy the kiss,” he urged. “I’m not going to die.”
    “I wish you w—” Ophelia began, but his mouth covered hers again, capturing her words, as he drew her