[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
she let him remember, that she win his heart in return and keep him.
But she couldn t. So many times she d already said this to herself, that she just
couldn t keep him. They were so different from each other, indeed they were different
species entirely. He still regarded her as a stranger, as an odd human woman at best. A
life with him would be nearly impossible.
Thinking on the choices that faced her made her cry all the harder. Must she see her
duty as a Voyeur done, or could she follow the dictates of her heart and soul?
The choice was taken from her. And no worse outcome could she have imagined.
Where is he? The Traveler Grimm, a Shikar Traveler Caste of blackest eyes and
most dangerous past appeared at her side, his voice like midnight. I ll kill the bastard
and be done with it.
Unfortunately Alek chose that moment to return from his sojourn in the bathroom.
He froze, catching sight of the ebony-cloaked man who towered over her.
What the fuck& ?
Seeing an imminent showdown between the two men, Agate rose from the bed and
grabbed at Grimm s arm. Do not
His eyes swept down over her nude form, but she was not embarrassed nor was she
intimidated. This was her lover s life on the line she could see the truth of that in
Grimm s eyes and she would show no weakness.
Do not what? The words flowed like wine, smooth and rich. Do not protect your
honor? Do not see to it that this stupid human pays for making you weep?
He did not she protested, tugging at him when he would have flung her off.
Do not lie to me, woman. I can see he has been with you, I can smell his touch all
over you. He stole your purity, in every way, and must be punished.
Alek scowled. Now wait just a minute. She wanted it just as much as me, and she
was no spring flower, I can assure you. Now who the hell are you and what are you
doing in my room?
Agate felt his words cut her like a knife and gasped.
Grimm disentangled himself from her and approached Alek like the predator he
was. She was pure. No man s hand has touched her before yours. You take and you
take, but you see nothing of the worth of what you have stolen.
169
Sherri L. King
Grimm! There was no theft! I gave myself to him, Agate marched to his side,
deliberately avoiding Alek s gaze. Willingly. And I would do it again. He is my first
and last lover.
Grimm s anger blazed with waves of heat. You dare to claim him? A human
male?
I do, she heard Alek s teeth grit and wondered if he understood any of the byplay
between her and her Shikar protector. She glanced at him and remembered her eyes,
how strange they must seem to him, but there was only a miniscule twitch at his lips to
prove that he had even noticed them. Let it go, Grimm. Please.
Get away from him, Agate, Alek s command surprised her. Come here.
She moved to his side immediately. His hand came up to her chin, tilting her face,
his eyes studying hers. I am sorry, she said.
You have a lot to tell me, he murmured. But not yet. Later.
You ll be lucky if there is a later, pup, Grimm intoned. Tryton can deal with
you. He came forward, laid his hands on their shoulders, and the world disappeared.
170
Voyeurs: Overexposed
Chapter Six
Four days passed. Long, lonely days in which Agate was confined to her home,
ordered by Tryton The Elder himself to stay put and obey until further notice. She
didn t see or hear from Alek, but she knew he was still here. Still in her world, so far
beneath the surface of his own that no human could have ever found their way to it. She
could feel him, close by. And her heart ached from the separation.
She wondered what he felt, if he was too consumed with the uncertainty of his
surroundings and situation to think of her. Or if he thought of her with every waking
moment, as she did him.
It was no surprise to her that Grimm had known of her innocence that night in the
hotel. He seemed to know everything about everyone; it was just like him to know
something so personal and secret.
It had, at first, surprised her that he d made an issue of it. And she had tried to
divert him with the bold claim that she meant to keep Alek, to mate with him. It had
been a foolish claim and it had done nothing to save her lover. It may have, in fact,
sealed his fate.
Unmated Shikar women took lovers if they wished, it was not taboo. But she had
never done so, she d always had her toys to keep her occupied. Sensuality and self-love
were delicious pleasures to be enjoyed and explored by all. Every Shikar knew that,
man or woman. She was no virgin, but neither had she taken a lover before Alek. She
hadn t wanted to. Agate had always seen Shikar men as brooding, arrogant beasts, so
she d never felt lonely without one to call her own. Alek, a human, had been the most
perfect man she d ever encountered and she d wanted him as she d never wanted
another.
But she feared now that she might have gone too far beyond the boundaries of what
could be accepted when she had taken a human to be her first lover. She feared for Alek
and what Tryton might do to him.
The hours stretched on and she waited& longing for her love.
* * * * *
I am continually surprised by humans, Tryton told him, clapping him so soundly
on the back that it nearly sent him tumbling.
171
Sherri L. King
Alek looked about his new home with a satisfied eye. All of his things had been
fetched from his room in Paris and his apartment in New York City. His pictures, his
camera equipment, his books, everything was here in its right place.
But Agate wasn t. She was still in her rooms, where Tryton had confined her while
drilling him and testing him to see if he deserved her. A Shikar woman.
His mind still reeled from the whirlwind of events that had so drastically reshaped
his life over the past few days. He could hardly believe all that had happened. And so
quickly.
You hardly know her. Yet you re willing to give up your life above just to be with
her. Are you sure this is what you want? Tryton gave him one last choice. You could
stay here, live here and fight with us, even if you didn t want her.
Alek had made his decision. And he knew it was the only decision that had been
worth making. Four days without her had been hell, despite the hospitality Tryton and
the other Shikars had shown him. He missed her. Knowing her one night had been
enough to know that this was the right choice to make. I need her. And it was as
simple as that. Staying here, becoming a photographer for the Shikar Voyeurs, that s
just a perk. But it doesn t mean a damn thing without her.
He was incomplete without Agate. The time he d spent with her, seeing her joy of
life, holding her in his arms& had been the time of his life. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl szkicerysunki.xlx.pl
she let him remember, that she win his heart in return and keep him.
But she couldn t. So many times she d already said this to herself, that she just
couldn t keep him. They were so different from each other, indeed they were different
species entirely. He still regarded her as a stranger, as an odd human woman at best. A
life with him would be nearly impossible.
Thinking on the choices that faced her made her cry all the harder. Must she see her
duty as a Voyeur done, or could she follow the dictates of her heart and soul?
The choice was taken from her. And no worse outcome could she have imagined.
Where is he? The Traveler Grimm, a Shikar Traveler Caste of blackest eyes and
most dangerous past appeared at her side, his voice like midnight. I ll kill the bastard
and be done with it.
Unfortunately Alek chose that moment to return from his sojourn in the bathroom.
He froze, catching sight of the ebony-cloaked man who towered over her.
What the fuck& ?
Seeing an imminent showdown between the two men, Agate rose from the bed and
grabbed at Grimm s arm. Do not
His eyes swept down over her nude form, but she was not embarrassed nor was she
intimidated. This was her lover s life on the line she could see the truth of that in
Grimm s eyes and she would show no weakness.
Do not what? The words flowed like wine, smooth and rich. Do not protect your
honor? Do not see to it that this stupid human pays for making you weep?
He did not she protested, tugging at him when he would have flung her off.
Do not lie to me, woman. I can see he has been with you, I can smell his touch all
over you. He stole your purity, in every way, and must be punished.
Alek scowled. Now wait just a minute. She wanted it just as much as me, and she
was no spring flower, I can assure you. Now who the hell are you and what are you
doing in my room?
Agate felt his words cut her like a knife and gasped.
Grimm disentangled himself from her and approached Alek like the predator he
was. She was pure. No man s hand has touched her before yours. You take and you
take, but you see nothing of the worth of what you have stolen.
169
Sherri L. King
Grimm! There was no theft! I gave myself to him, Agate marched to his side,
deliberately avoiding Alek s gaze. Willingly. And I would do it again. He is my first
and last lover.
Grimm s anger blazed with waves of heat. You dare to claim him? A human
male?
I do, she heard Alek s teeth grit and wondered if he understood any of the byplay
between her and her Shikar protector. She glanced at him and remembered her eyes,
how strange they must seem to him, but there was only a miniscule twitch at his lips to
prove that he had even noticed them. Let it go, Grimm. Please.
Get away from him, Agate, Alek s command surprised her. Come here.
She moved to his side immediately. His hand came up to her chin, tilting her face,
his eyes studying hers. I am sorry, she said.
You have a lot to tell me, he murmured. But not yet. Later.
You ll be lucky if there is a later, pup, Grimm intoned. Tryton can deal with
you. He came forward, laid his hands on their shoulders, and the world disappeared.
170
Voyeurs: Overexposed
Chapter Six
Four days passed. Long, lonely days in which Agate was confined to her home,
ordered by Tryton The Elder himself to stay put and obey until further notice. She
didn t see or hear from Alek, but she knew he was still here. Still in her world, so far
beneath the surface of his own that no human could have ever found their way to it. She
could feel him, close by. And her heart ached from the separation.
She wondered what he felt, if he was too consumed with the uncertainty of his
surroundings and situation to think of her. Or if he thought of her with every waking
moment, as she did him.
It was no surprise to her that Grimm had known of her innocence that night in the
hotel. He seemed to know everything about everyone; it was just like him to know
something so personal and secret.
It had, at first, surprised her that he d made an issue of it. And she had tried to
divert him with the bold claim that she meant to keep Alek, to mate with him. It had
been a foolish claim and it had done nothing to save her lover. It may have, in fact,
sealed his fate.
Unmated Shikar women took lovers if they wished, it was not taboo. But she had
never done so, she d always had her toys to keep her occupied. Sensuality and self-love
were delicious pleasures to be enjoyed and explored by all. Every Shikar knew that,
man or woman. She was no virgin, but neither had she taken a lover before Alek. She
hadn t wanted to. Agate had always seen Shikar men as brooding, arrogant beasts, so
she d never felt lonely without one to call her own. Alek, a human, had been the most
perfect man she d ever encountered and she d wanted him as she d never wanted
another.
But she feared now that she might have gone too far beyond the boundaries of what
could be accepted when she had taken a human to be her first lover. She feared for Alek
and what Tryton might do to him.
The hours stretched on and she waited& longing for her love.
* * * * *
I am continually surprised by humans, Tryton told him, clapping him so soundly
on the back that it nearly sent him tumbling.
171
Sherri L. King
Alek looked about his new home with a satisfied eye. All of his things had been
fetched from his room in Paris and his apartment in New York City. His pictures, his
camera equipment, his books, everything was here in its right place.
But Agate wasn t. She was still in her rooms, where Tryton had confined her while
drilling him and testing him to see if he deserved her. A Shikar woman.
His mind still reeled from the whirlwind of events that had so drastically reshaped
his life over the past few days. He could hardly believe all that had happened. And so
quickly.
You hardly know her. Yet you re willing to give up your life above just to be with
her. Are you sure this is what you want? Tryton gave him one last choice. You could
stay here, live here and fight with us, even if you didn t want her.
Alek had made his decision. And he knew it was the only decision that had been
worth making. Four days without her had been hell, despite the hospitality Tryton and
the other Shikars had shown him. He missed her. Knowing her one night had been
enough to know that this was the right choice to make. I need her. And it was as
simple as that. Staying here, becoming a photographer for the Shikar Voyeurs, that s
just a perk. But it doesn t mean a damn thing without her.
He was incomplete without Agate. The time he d spent with her, seeing her joy of
life, holding her in his arms& had been the time of his life. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]