Guardian's Hope by Jacqueline Rhoades

Author:Jacqueline Rhoades
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: vampires, paranormal, love story, supernatural, witches, vampire romance, pnr, roamance
Publisher: Jacqueline Rhoades

Chapter 23

Her father raised his hands and addressed the room. “Let us all give thanks for the bounteous repast we are about to receive.”

Some diners stared. Some bowed their heads.

Hope began to shake and Nico snarled.

“Most heavenly Father…” the preacher intoned and began a grace that was both lengthy and loud.

A light tremor shook their table. The silverware began to tremble and the water sloshed in the glasses. The candle wobbled in its crystal globe until the melted wax extinguished the flame.

Nico reached across and gripped Hope’s shoulder as unobtrusively as he could. He wanted her attention and none from the other diners. He whispered her name and when he got no response, he said it again. He dug his fingers into her shoulder and called her as loud as he dared.

“Hope. Don’t let him do this to you. You need to get control of it. Open your mind to me,” he commanded. He saw her eyes flicker behind her lids. “Look at me, precious, only me. See me. Concentrate on my mind and nothing else. You’re stronger, now. You know you are. And like you said, I’ve got you’re back.”

He felt the slight tingle in his head that said she was with him. He thought about how she explained what she saw. I want you to love me, my precious. I need you to love me as no one ever has. Please. He repeated it over and over in his mind praying that she would see him and believe.

The veil of shadow began to lift. Her dress once more showed off her luscious curves. Her face and lips took back their color. Her hair brightened, the red highlighted by candleflame.

The silverware stopped trembling and the water settled in the glasses. The hand that had been clutching the shawl moved to the hand gripping her shoulder. She wound her fingers through his and let out a long, slow, breath. At last, she opened her eyes.

“He can’t hurt you anymore,” Nico’s voice was filled with both love and anger. “I won’t let him. You’re mine, do you hear me? You’re mine and what is mine I defend. Don’t let him do this to you, precious. Don’t give him that power. Fight back.” He brought her hand from her shoulder to his lips.

Hope closed her eyes again, this time on a sigh of relief. Her reaction to her father was a habit that needed to be broken. She was no longer friendless or defenseless. The members of the House of Guardians were more of a family to her than he had ever been. Nico loved her, cherished her for who she was, not for who he thought she ought to be.

The preacher was winding down. “We ask you for the strength to drive away the temptations of the flesh and the courage to seek out those who have fallen from the path to cleanse them of their unholy afflictions. In Your Name we pray. Amen.”

Parsons’ eyes slid around the room gauging the crowd’s reaction.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.