Page 6 of Awakened Light

“I mean, there’s no sense in us paying for mistakes of the past. I like you, Cat. A lot. And that’s not something I say to women often.” He chuckled. “Okay, ever. But I do. And even though you threaten to kill me every day, I know you feel the same fucking way. I can hear your heart speed up when you see me. See your eyes light up when they look into mine. You may not want to have feelings for me, but you do. So fuck this old vendetta. Just let me come back and see you again so we can see where this goes.”

I wanted to say yes. So badly. Every cell in my body begged me to agree. But even if I did, my tribe, and my mother, would never allow it.

And my duties would make any future with him impossible.

Though it pained me to utter the words, I whispered, “No. You cannot return.”

Sadness filled his eyes before they lit back up again. “If I can’t come back here, then come with me. Let me show you my world.”

My eyes widened at the suggestion... and the idea of seeing everything I’d heard of with my own eyes. A world to be explored with Thorne at my side. It was more than I could have dreamed, but before I could give him the answer we both wanted, I remembered my duty... my destiny.

My heart sank as I shook my head. “I can’t. My life is here.”

“Cat.” He leaned closer, and I felt his breath brushing against my lips. “Come with me. I don’t want to leave you.”

His cool fingers slid beneath my chin, and I didn’t resist him lifting it up, guiding my lips toward his.

I couldn’t. The pull was too strong to resist.

“Come with me,” he whispered against my lips. His warm breath was a stark contrast to the coolness of his hand holding my face.

Desire like I’d never known sent my blood whooshing through my veins. Every nerve in my body fired at once, all screaming for me to kiss him. Every inch of my skin begged for his touch.

As his lips closed in on mine, I gave up the war waging inside of me. For just one moment, I wanted to be free to choose my own path. Free to follow my heart and go where my soul pulled me.

And I knew exactly where that was...

Right into his arms.

I closed my eyes and leaned toward him, but just before I could touch his lips, the trees lining the beach rustled. Sitting up with a start, I pulled away from him and scanned the surroundings. One glance at my sand map showed the necklace moving toward us.

“My mother is coming,” I whispered and scooted back. “You need to go.”

“Catrain,” he started and moved toward me, but I scooted back even farther.

“Go.”

The trees parted, and my mother, Liùsaidh, appeared, her frail body leading a small group of my tribesmen toward us. Uradech, the largest and strongest warrior of our tribe, walked on her right, towering over her. My beautiful raven-haired younger sister, Alpia, walked on her left, clutching my mother’s elbow in her hand. I tried to keep my calm while they approached, but with each step that brought my mother closer, my heart pounded harder in my chest.

She stopped, then pointed her staff at Thorne. “You go now!”

“Mother, it’s fine. We were just talking.”

She turned her intense stare to me, and I knew she could sense the attraction between us. It was palpable even without her magic to heighten her senses, but with her powers, we may as well have been locked in a kiss when she found us.

“Come, Catrain. Now,” she demanded, tapping her staff into the sand at her side.

Thorne rose to his feet, and Uradech widened his stance. Even without the paint darkening his eyes, he looked positively lethal while he stared Thorne down. Long, blonde hair knotted in braids draped over his massive tattooed shoulders, and his expansive chest inflated with a low growl as his gaze burned through the vampire.

Thorne lifted his hands and smiled. “Now, now. I know I’ve overstayed my welcome, but I really appreciate you letting me stay and learn about your incredible culture. It’s not often one gets to spend time on a magical island. But you don’t need to worry. I’m actually heading out tonight,” Thorne said, keeping his friendly tone.

“Go. Now.” My mother narrowed her gaze and pointed across the lake.

“Liùsaidh, thank you so much for letting me stay. You’ve raised an incredible daughter. It was an honor getting to know her.”

His compliment only caused my mother’s eyes to narrow further. “I will not tell you again,” she said. “This may not kill your kind, but I can make you wish you were dead.”

Electricity crackled in her palms, and I knew she’d unleash hell on him if he didn’t leave. Hosting a vampire, her greatest enemy, for several days had been difficult for her, but seeing him with her daughter, her heir, was more than she could handle.