The Fallen 03 - Warrior by Kristina Douglas Read Free Book Online Page B

middle of a Terry Gilliam movie. Much as I loved Time Bandits , I certainly didn’t want to live in that world.
    “And you chose the Source? I thought you kept telling me I was your bonded mate.”
    He turned to look at me, and there was no emotion on his face. It was as if I didn’t exist. “I have no intention of touching you. We aren’t even bonded by the rites of the Fallen. This is a legal union, sealed by blood. It didn’t have to be your blood.”
    So much for Irish princesses or faux Botticellis, I thought, irrationally annoyed. I didn’t want him touching me, did I? I certainly didn’t want him coming anywhere near my veins. “Good thing,” I said. “I’d put up a hell of a fight.”
    He was unimpressed. Good. I preferred having some tricks up my sleeve. I intended to get out of here the first chance I got, and I would need the element of surprise. Michael was far too observant.
    I looked around. He’d dragged me into a small, utilitarian apartment with a comfortable-looking sofa, french doors overlooking the beckoning ocean, and an alcove off to the right with a smallish bed init. I sighed in relief. Clearly not the bed to consummate a marriage. No television or computer, however. That was no problem. I’d had enough television and movies to last several lifetimes. They had taught me everything I knew. It was time to learn from the real world—as soon as I could get away from these people and start to live.
    “What is this place?”
    He’d been prowling the room, roaming into a kitchenette, peering into the refrigerator, opening the french doors. The warm sea breeze blew over me, and I closed my eyes for a moment, taking it in. “Your home,” he said.
    “Who else lives here?”
    “Only you and I live in this place.” It seemed as if he didn’t even want to clump us together in words. “This building is the training center. The rest of the Fallen and their mates live in the main house.”
    Not good. No allies to come to my rescue if need be. I looked around me, uneasy. “We live here?”
    “ You live here. My quarters are in another section of the building.”
    “Oh,” I said brightly. Things were looking up. I was alone in this part of the building with doors to the outside, to the hypnotizing ocean, and I suspected my new husband or mate or whatever was going to keep his distance. Getting out should be a piece of cake. “Well, if that’s all, you can go.”
    His head jerked up and he surveyed me for a long moment. Were he anyone else, I might have seen theglimmer of a smile. “Yes, Your Majesty. If you want something to eat, check the refrigerator. Allie will come by later and explain how things work around here.”
    Allie, who’d held out her wrist and let him drink from it. I thought I hid my reflexive shudder, but his smile was unmistakable now, cynical, as he saw my reaction. “Why don’t you take a nap? When you wake up, maybe you’ll find this is only a dream.”
    “Is it?”
    “No. But you can always hope.”
    I watched the door close behind him and felt some of the tension drain from my body. I wasn’t sure what made me edgier—his hostility or his unearthly beauty.
    I never would have thought beauty would be such a bothersome attribute in a husband, but it wasn’t a comfortable thing. The sheer perfection of his skin, the intensity of his dark eyes, the grace of his lithe body, even the rope of tattoos that slithered around him, made me edgy. Johann had been a handsome young man—a youthful infatuation. Yet his impressive good looks had never disturbed me the way Michael’s did. His high cheekbones, the sweep of his tawny lashes over those distant eyes, his surprisingly sensual mouth, made me feel . . . nervous. Which was silly, since he’d made it perfectly clear he wasn’t coming any closer to me than was strictly necessary. Thank God. The gods. Though apparently I was one of the gods. Thank me?
    No, that was ridiculous.
    Or was it? Like the White Queen in