Never Been Bit by Lydia Dare Read Free Book Online Page B

Sorcha,” he growled, even though he didn’t want to. It wasn’t her fault that he’d been attacked by an enraged vampyre. It wasn’t her fault that his only choice had been to die or become the same sort of monster who had stolen his life. It wasn’t her fault that he couldn’t be little Rose Westfield’s godfather. “Ben should have known better than to ask.”
    She leaned against him and slid her hand around his arm. Her warmth and apple blossom scent enveloped him.
    “I am sorry, Alec.”
    He nodded because there was nothing left to say. She was sorry. Ben was sorry. Damn it, even Alec was sorry.
    But sorry couldn’t fix all that had gone wrong in Alec’s life. It wouldn’t make Cait love him. It wouldn’t make him human again. It was just a sorry excuse for a word.
    Alec focused on the castle, growing larger and larger each moment as they neared it, and he tried to clear his mind. “The fellow in the carriage. He’ll be all right in the morning?”
    “The valerian dust will leave him with a headache, but he’ll be all right.”
    “Will he remember you coercing him into taking you to the village?”
    Sorcha shrugged. “Probably. But I think Johnny has a soft spot for me. I doona think he’ll say anythin’.”
    A soft spot. Any man with eyes would have a soft spot for Sorcha and a very hard something else. “It’s better not to take the chance. I’ll have a talk with him in the morning to ensure his silence.”
    She sucked in a breath beside him. “Are ye goin’ ta enchant him? Can I watch?”
    If he hadn’t been holding onto the reins, he’d have fallen right off the bench. He had planned to enchant the groom, to wipe his memory of the previous night. But how the devil did she know about that power?
    “No, you can’t watch!” he barked. “How do you even know of such things?”
    Completely immune to his ill humor, she smiled up at him. The stars reflected in her dark eyes, and she reminded him once more of the most innocent of creatures.
    “Blaire,” she answered cheerily. “She told Rhi and I that we were never ta look a vampyre in the eyes. That ye can control a human by enchantin’ them.”
    “Apparently Rhiannon didn’t pay any attention to that lesson,” he grumbled. And Blaire Kettering should know better than to go around talking about vampyre powers.
    Others of his kind weren’t particularly happy about their secrets getting out.
    Sorcha giggled. “Well, Rhi had ta look Lord Blodswell in the eyes. How was she ta get him ta fall in love with her otherwise?”
    How indeed? Alec shook his head. “No looking vampyres in the eyes, Sorch. Blaire was right. And no following Lycans around the countryside unless you want to get yourself mauled.”
    She laughed again. The sweet, melodic sound made him think of Scotland and of a less complicated time. “But I can look in yer eyes, Alec. I ken ye’d never hurt me.”
    No. He’d never hurt her and he’d make damnsure no other man, be he Lycan or human, did either.
    “Can I ask ye a question, Alec?”
    As though he could stop her. He sighed heavily. “What is it, lass?”
    “When was the last time ye had a bit of blood? Ye look a little pale.”
    “It’s the moonlight,” he hedged. “You look pale too.”
    “Do I?” she mused aloud. “Hmm. But ye dinna answer my question.”
    Of course she’d notice that. “About when I last had sustenance? Yesterday before I left London.”
    “Oh. I thought maybe ye’d found a maid or someone at the tavern in Folkestone.”
    She would never cease to amaze him. How the devil did she know such things? She must have read his expression because she shrugged once more.
    “Blaire says they’re the easiest targets for a vampyre.”
    “Blaire should learn to keep her mouth closed.”
    Sorcha grinned up at him. “I’ll let ye tell her that yerself. I doona need any bruises.” She snuggled closer to him on the bench. “She also says ye can go days without feedin’.”
    True. The more