Eternal Temptation by T. A. Grey Read Free Book Online

moment longer. A cold fist gripped his heart. She was in trouble. He was sure of it. He hesitated at the thought of sending her away; he might be sending her into danger. A big part of him was not willing to do that—ever.
    He heard her shuffling inside the cabin, then her soft steps coming to the door. Picking up the axe, he resumed chopping. The wind blew gently and he caught her scent as she came up to him.
    He told himself not to look at her, but of course that was the first thing he did. Big mistake. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes glossy and sexy as hell. At least she was wearing clothes.
    “When do you want to leave? I’ll take you wherever you want. You got family to go to?”
    Her smile didn’t reassure him. “I don’t want to leave yet. If it’s all right with you, I thought I might stay awhile.” He slammed the axe down harder than necessary and the wood flew several feet away. She smirked at him. She had no idea what she was messing with.
    “Well this is my place, my woods, my cabin. I say when you go, not you.” A flicker of panic formed in her eyes but was gone fast. Damn if she wasn’t hiding something.
    “Did you hear me in there, lykaen?” He lost his grip on his axe and it went sliding dully to the floor with a thump. He sent her a withering glare, the kind that has sent lesser beings scurrying. She smiled big and bounced on her feet. Damn vixen witch...
    “So you did hear me? Oh, good. I wouldn’t want you to miss out on that. Not when I got to participate in your fun earlier.”
    He stumbled a step as he reached for the axe, thinking that she knew he’d jacked off outside the cabin. He gauged her expression but nah, she didn’t know. It was cool outside yet he was sweating like he was sitting in a sauna.
    “So is this all you do out here,” she said nodding towards the pile of stacked wood on the side of the cabin.
    “No, it’s not all I do.” She gave him a look that said she didn’t believe him.
    “Then what do you do, lykaen.”
    He ground his teeth together. “My name is Darien, and what I do is none of your business.” He picked up the logs he’d chopped and started stacking them on the pile he already built against the cabin. “Why don’t you tell me who messed up your face?” He didn’t like the way she stiffened or the way she turned away from him. The vampire was hiding something bad—it was obvious.
      “Well if it’s none of my business then I don’t see why my problems are any of yours.” She sighed heavily like the weight of the world was on her small shoulders. “I’ll tell you what, Darien. I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”
    It was hard to keep going through the movements and not show a reaction. He weighed his options. Did he really want to know her issues badly enough to spill his own? He didn’t answer for a while, and for once, she stayed quiet and let him think. When he finished, the logs were stacked neatly against the cabin. He turned to her.
    She was pretty. Real pretty. Dammit. One thing was certain though, he and his beast were both in agreement on that. “Fine. I agree.”
    He obviously surprised her because her mouth opened and closed several times. A worried, panicked expression filled her eyes.
    “Relax, Cassie. You’re safe here.” Damn, he had never been great man, but he certainly had never made a woman look so scared before. She looked like she was about to bolt or break down and cry. He wasn’t sure which he preferred.
    “I’m fine. I just don’t want to talk about this right now. Later, okay?” She spun around and went back into the cabin.
    Darien barely restrained himself from hitting something. What the hell was that? He wanted to shout his frustration to the whole damn forest.
    Fine, she can stay, but not for long. Tomorrow was the worst day of the year for him. The anniversary of the one day he’d never be able to forget.

Chapter 5
     
    Cassie nibbled on her lip and debated leaving. He wouldn’t find her