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I closed my eyes and tried to focus on the pain rather than on him… because when I focused on him, I hated myself a little bit more.

"Questions—" he choked out. "I know you have questions… so ask."

"Can't…" I shook my head. His voice was so pretty, so deep. What would it feel like to be with him? Just once. He'd make the pain go away; he'd make everything better. If I could just touch him more, taste him. My body strained toward his. "I can't stop thinking about you."

"Flattered," he said dryly. "Try."

"But—"

"Favorite color."

"What?" My eyes jerked open. "Did you just ask me my favorite color?"

He smirked. "Tell me it's green."

I rolled my eyes, some of the need dying a bit at his arrogance. "White."

His nostrils flared. "Cassius would be pleased."

"Not because of Cassius," I said in a soft voice. "Because white's like a blank slate. It means starting over."

"You wish…" He swallowed, his head tilting to the side, pieces of dark hair falling across his sculpted face. "…to start over?"

"I wish I would have run…" My body trembled as more heat invaded my stomach. "…when they called my number."

His smile made my stomach clench. "You can't run from destiny."

"I could have tried."

"You would have failed," he said in an amused tone. "And you would have most likely died at Cassius's hand for trying."

"Why did he mark me? How did he mark me?"

Ethan sighed. "His touch… if he touches any part of you, it marks you. He has to will it to happen, so it's a switch he can turn on and off. All of the Dark Ones can. He touched your shoulder, infused your body. It never takes much from a Dark One. They're… powerful."

I nodded my head, remembering the sting of cold that hit me when Cassius had touched my shoulder. "And the only way to take the marking away?"

"Is to cover it up." Ethan clenched his teeth. "Or in this case… infuse you with my essence."

"Your essence is strong enough to do that?" My teeth clenched together in pain. The heat from my stomach had traveled to my mouth. I eyed the water greedily.

Ethan lifted it to my lips. "Only if I'm without a mate…"

I sipped the liquid and took a breath. "You had a mate."

"Had," Ethan repeated.

I didn't push him; if there was one thing I'd learned, it was that when his eyes glowed, it wasn't because he was in a particularly happy mood. Water dripped from my chin; he caught it with his fingertip and brought it to his lips.

"You taste…" He closed his eyes. "…heavenly."

"Did you bite me?" I blurted.

He dropped his finger from his mouth and smirked. "You'd know if I bit you."

"So what did you do?"

"Shared my blood with you… the old fashioned way. With a knife."


Tags: Rachel Van Dyken The Dark Ones Saga Paranormal