Love's Eternal Embrace by Karen Michelle Nutt Read Free Book Online

evil
doer.”
    Liam forced himself to sit up. He leaned
against the tree for support, clutching his side as pain ripped
through his body, reminding him of the hole in his side. Blood
seeped between his fingers to pool beside him, painting the ground
with red. He only had a few minutes before he lost consciousness
then his brother would not have a prayer. He would die this day,
too. “He did not mean to cause injury. He is young and still needs
to learn. You must show him you mean no harm to humans. It is the
only way to end this.” He coughed up blood and wiped it away from
his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt. “I beg of you, Glamis.”
    She screeched her frustration at being denied
her kill. She threw Diarmuid away from her. His body slammed
against the tree with a thud.
    Liam sighed in relief when a few moments
later, Diarmuid rose to his knees, drawing in a ragged breath.
    Glamis knelt beside Liam, her hand on his.
Tears fell down her cheeks like beads of glistening light. “I have
not cried for centuries and I do not like how it makes me feel.” It
was all there in her eyes, beautiful, pain-stricken eyes. She was
born a Dearg-due . Her kind felt passion and pain ten times
over what a human felt in that regard. Grief would be no different.
He touched his fingertip to the corner of her eye, brushing away
the tears. “Do not mourn me.”
    “You spoke the truth,” Diarmuid stood before
them, but far enough away so not to seem a threat. “You truly love
my brother.” He spoke to Glamis, witnessing the truth for
himself.
    She didn’t answer him. There was no need.
    “Change me,” Liam gripped her arm.
    Her gaze riveted to his, stunned at his
request. “You could…” She let her words trail away.
    “Die,” he finished for her with a chuckle.
“Love, I am already dead.”
    She glanced to Diarmuid, waiting for him to
give the approval.
    Diarmuid glanced at his brother then Glamis.
His jaw tightened as he clenched his jaw, struggling with what he
was taught, and what was right. Good and evil had been drummed into
his head, but Liam remembered Diarmuid as a child when he
questioned and did not follow blindly. His brother came here to
slay a demon, but the demon didn’t look or act like the evil he
expected. Finally, he gave a curt nod. “Do it,” he said.
    She tilted her head to the side as her gaze
leveled on Diarmuid. “If I change him and it works, he will be like
me.”
    His nostrils flared as he drew in a ragged
breath. “God gave us the power of choice and my brother has made
his.” He turned to leave, to walk out of the forest and not know
his brother’s fate, but at the last moment, he turned and spoke
again. “I have witnessed evil and you, my lady, are not it.”
    She nodded her thanks of his acceptance.
    Then Diarmuid disappeared, the foliage and
trees hiding his departure.
    Glamis’ gaze touched Liam. Her long fingers
caressed his face as she leaned down to kiss his lips. “I love
you,” she told him before she drove her fangs into his neck.
    Liam tried to hold on, but he felt so tired
and cold. His heart stuttered, thudding slower against his chest.
Death hovered near, waiting to grab hold and take him away.

Chapter Twelve
     
    Twilight proved the best part of the day,
where the colors of the morning still lingered in the sky, but the
sun’s rays could not cause harm. Glamis stood at the open door. Her
mahogany hair billowed behind her as the breeze lifted the strands
off her shoulder. Her fine threads molded to her figure like a
lover’s caress. “I long for you, Liam. I long for your kiss,” she
said to the wind and closed her eyes.
    “I long for those things from you as well, my
love.”
    Her lips curved, making her features more
beautiful than anything he’d ever seen. “Liam, you have
awakened.”
    He lived the life as a Dearg-due for
years now, but years were nothing when the race lived centuries. He
strode toward her, wrapping his arms around her. She leaned against
him. As