Once Forbidden by Hope Welsh Read Free Book Online Page B

huskily. “But now isn’t the time.”
    Sarah
shivered. She touched his cheek. “I’m—not sure I want to make love.”
    His
smile was sad. “No, I don’t imagine you do. Tell me about the attack, Sarah. Who
hurt you?”
    Sarah
sat up and leaned back against the headboard. “I don’t know who it was. He just
said it was a warning for you.”
    “For
me particularly?” he asked quickly.
    Sarah
nodded. “He said ‘Tell Devlin, if you see him that is, that vampires are not to
mix with humans.’”
    “Sarah,
did you tell anyone about me?” he demanded. “How did anyone even know I’d been
with you?”
    “I
don’t know,” she admitted. “I’m sorry, that was all he said before he stabbed
me.”
    Devlin
shook his head. “That makes no sense, Sarah. How would the Hunters know about
you? Are you a Hunter?”
    She
shook her head. “Of course not!  I don’t even know what exactly a Hunter is!”
    “They
kill our kind. Then how could he possibly have known about us? About me? I
don’t exactly make a habit of consorting with humans, you know.”
    Sarah
clenched her fists. “I said I don’t know.”
    “And
I’m not buying it!” he snapped. “No one knew about us—except us!”
     

 
    Chapter Nine
     

     
    Sarah
felt an unaccustomed surge of rage. She pounded on him with her fists. “I said
I don’t know!  Who would I tell?” she shrieked. “Who would have believed me?”
    Devlin
sighed. She was right. He’d barely left her alone since he’d gone to her. Had it
really only been the night before? Devlin grabbed her pounding fists and kissed
each one. “I am sorry, love. I almost lost you,” he said, mildly amused at the
fire shooting from her eyes. This was the first time he’d seen her angry, and
damned if it didn’t turn him on. Her blue eyes were narrowed and she was
glaring at him.
    But
it was the pain that caused all thoughts of amusement to fade. “Forgive me,
Sarah. I have to figure this out—or I can’t protect you,” he explained. Sarah
had finally stopped struggling and trying to pummel him, so he released her
hands after kissing them again. “There is much I need to teach you, love.”
    Sarah
was still glaring. “But you believe me?”
    “I
believe you.”
    She
nodded once jerkily. “So, what now, Devlin? What happens with me?”
    Devlin
stood and moved away from her. He had to; otherwise, he’d not get more
accomplished other than making love to her. “I need to teach you how to protect
yourself, Sarah. You’re obviously a target—I’m sorry for that. I still don’t
know how the Hunters found out about you.” He sighed and ran his hand through
his dark hair. “But I promise you, I will find them. I will find the man
responsible for hurting you.”
    “So,
how long will it be until I’m safe on my own?”
    His
head snapped up. “On your own?”
    “Of
course. I have some semblance of a life to get back to, Devlin. I have a
business to run. Bills to pay—the normal things,” she explained patiently. “Once
the danger has passed, of course.”
    So
she wasn’t going to forgive him for changing her. Once she was safe, she was
going to leave him. He felt a wave of pain that nearly staggered him. No! He wasn’t going to let her go that easily. “It will take a while,” he said
carefully, watching her. “I won’t leave you alone until I’m sure you’re safe
and that you know all you need to know.”
    Sarah
stood and walked over to him. She put her hand on his chest. “I do understand,
Devlin. I might have done the same thing in the same circumstances,” she said
quietly. “I just need time to figure out how to deal with this. With what I am.
Then, I promise, I’ll be out of your life.”
    Perhaps
when hell froze over, he thought grimly. “I came to you, remember? Who says
I want you out of my life, Sarah? Did I even once suggest such a thing to you? I
can understand if you do not wish to be with me after what I did—but do not
fool yourself into believing