Dark Illusion by Christine Feehan Read Free Book Online Page A

adapt very easily, and I’ll be paying close attention to your care.”
    Her scowl matched his. “I don’t need anyone looking after me. Not now. Not ever . You might be the greatest thing in the entire universe when it comes to sex, but it ends there. Right there. You want sex, I’m your girl. Anything else, don’t even think about it.”
    He studied her furious little face. She truly was beautiful. Silly, perhaps, but beautiful. He liked her fury. He liked her passion. But she didn’t make any sense.
    “You clearly know about Carpathians, Julija. You know what a lifemate is. You knew you were mine, that was why you didn’t speak. I must see to your comfort and care. It is my duty and would be impossible not to carry it out.” He waved his hand and she was fully clothed.
    Her outfit was lined with fleece and the material was extremely soft. Breathable. High quality. She couldn’t help but appreciate that he gave her the best. Still, what mattered to him was the reason he’d come after her. She wasn’t losing sight of that for a minute.
    “Where is the book you took from the prince?”
    She narrowed her gaze, glaring at him. “ I took? I didn’t take the stupid book. I was on my way to warn the prince that the book was being targeted. I don’t want anything at all to do with that horrid book. I was doing the right thing and now I’m in this really big mess. It doesn’t pay to do the right thing, let me tell you that right now.”
    “Really big mess?” he echoed. What did she know that he didn’t?
    “You. You’re the really big mess. I took a huge risk coming here after that idiot Carpathian who stole the book. I thought he was protecting it, but instead of returning it to the prince, he took off with it.”
    Isai sat back. She was staring at him and her eyes kept dropping to his lap.
    “Do you think you could put some clothes on?” She had a wicked bite in her voice.
    “I could if you asked nicer than that.”
    She rolled her eyes. He could see their life together wasn’t going to go smoothly.
    “Would you please put on some clothes? It’s distracting when I’m trying to talk to you about this and it’s a serious matter.”
    He supposed that was as good as it was going to get. She still had the tone. Worse, sarcasm was now a major part of it, but she at least used her manners. It meant she had some. He waved a hand to clothe himself. He could regulate his body temperature, so he hadn’t even realized he wasn’t dressed.
    “Tell me what happened.” She could in no way fault his tone. He kept his voice pleasant and calm. Not in the least accusing.
    “Do you have to make everything an order?”
    So much for keeping calm. He felt a muscle jerk in his jaw. She was going to give him eye ticks fairly soon. “Tell me now .”
    “Ask nicely.”
    He was on her in half a second, pulling her across his lap and smacking her hard over and over. He knew she wasn’t feeling it with the thick trousers he’d given her so, using mind commands, he removed them. There was satisfaction in seeing his handprint on her bare skin. She screamed when he connected. He wasn’t being gentle. His hands were large, and she was extremely petite. His palm took up one cheek easily. He reddened them both and only stopped when she was crying. He put her from him, back onto the rug, clothing her as he did so.
    “That’s twice, you bastard,” she hissed. “I’m not without my own power. Don’t you dare do that to me again.”
    “Then don’t talk to your lifemate that way.”
    “Screw you and the lifemate crap. I knew you’d be like this. Why do you think I didn’t want anything at all to do with the Carpathian people? I would never have gone near any of you. Not even Elisabeta, and she needed me.”
    He remained silent, watching her carefully. She was mage, and atsome point she would try to retaliate. Tears streamed down her face, but she was as defiant as ever.
    “Men don’t punish their wives anymore. That