Ardent by Jan Irving

Ardent by Jan Irving

Author:Jan Irving [Irving, Jan]
Language: nld
Format: epub
Tags: erotic MM, Romance MM
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00


CHAPTER SIXTEEN

´)ÁRZHUV"µ-DLPH·VKDQGVKRRNDVKHUHDFKHGRXWWRWRXFK

WKHEORVVRPV$QRWKHUZDYHRI KHDWRI RYHUSRZHULQJRGRUKLW

KLPOLNHZDONLQJLQWRDKRWKRXVHÁRULVW

$UGHQ,WZDV$UGHQ·VKRPH$UGHQ·VVFHQWPL[HGZLWKWKH

RYHUSRZHULQJDURPDIURPWKHEORRPV

-DLPHZDQWHGWRFXUOXSLQDEDOOLQ$UGHQ·VDUPV+HFRXOG

make the noise stop. He could soothe the pain throbbing through

Jaime’s temples.

´&DUHIXOµ$UGHQVQDWFKHGWKHYDVHEHIRUHLWIHOO´5RVHV/DO

VXJJHVWHG«µ +H VKUXJJHG ORRNLQJ VOLJKWO\ LOO DW HDVH ´$QG ,

ZDQW\RXWRVHHWKDWQRPDWWHUKRZGLIIHUHQWZHDUH,WKLQNLW

FDQZRUNEHWZHHQXVµ

´8KKXKµ-DLPHWXUQHGDZD\IURPWKHRIIHULQJRQ$UGHQ·V

GHVNKLVJD]HGULIWLQJIURPRQHREMHFWWRDQRWKHU+HFRXOGKHDU

KLVRZQKHDUWSRXQGLQJLQKLVHDUVVRORXGKHZDQWHGWRFRYHU

them.

´$UH \RX DOO ULJKW" <RX·UH ÁXVKHGµ $UGHQ ZDV VXGGHQO\

standing in front of him, studying him thoroughly.

-DLPH VKRRN KLV KHDG IHHOLQJ OLNH LW ZDV JRLQJ WR H[SORGH

´,·PÀQH-XVWKDGDZZHLUGGD\µ+HORRNHGGRZQDWKLVSDOPV

DQG VDZWKH\ZHUHVZROOHQ DQG D SLQN FRORUWKHZD\WKH\JRW

ZKHQKHKDGDIHYHU

´'LG\RXHQMR\WKHÀHOGWULS"µ

6XOOHQ´,WZDVDOOULJKWµ

´7KDW ZHUHZROI GLGQ·W JLYH \RX WURXEOH DJDLQ"µ $UGHQ

demanded, hand collaring Jaime’s neck in a familiar gesture.

-DLPH MHUNHG DZD\ +H FRXOG IHHO WKH FDOOXVHV RQ $UGHQ·V

ÀQJHUWLSVUDVSLQJDJDLQVWKLVVNLQ+HFRXOGIHHOWKHSRVVHVVLRQ

LQWKHWRXFK´1R$QG,FDQKDQGOHKLPDQ\ZD\µ

$UGHQIURZQHG´,I \RXVD\VR,ZDVZRUULHG«µ

124 Jan Irving

´:KDW,GRQ·WVRXQGOLNH\RXUOLWWOHWR\DQGLW·VXSVHWWLQJWR

\RX"µ -DLPH PRFNHG ´, WKRXJKW \RX ZDQWHG WR PDNH LW ZRUN

EHWZHHQXV,VQ·WWKDWZK\WKHIXFNLQJURVHV"µ

´-DLPH"µ$UGHQEUHDWKHG+XUWLQKLVH\HV Hurt. And suddenly

-DLPHZDQWHGWRKXUWKLPDJDLQ+HVTXHH]HGKLVH\HVVKXW1R

1RKHGLGQ·WZDQWWKDW Arden, please«

´,WKLQNPD\EH«\RXVKRXOGOHDYHPHDORQHIRUDZKLOH,·P

QRWJRRGFRPSDQ\UULJKWQRZµ-DLPHIDFHZDVVOLFNZLWKVZHDW

+LV ZKROH ERG\ IHOW OLNH D IXUQDFH SXPSLQJ KDUG VR KRW VR

KRW«DQG$UGHQ/RQJKDLUVZHSWEDFNIURPKLVIDFHEHDXWLIXO

silk charcoal clothing, immaculately groomed and cool. He

ZDQWHGWRVPHOOWDVWH« take.

+HZDQWHGWRWHDUWKDWEHDXWLIXOFORWKLQJRIIVKRYH$UGHQ·V

face in the dirt, bruise him.

2K*RGQRKHGLGQ·W-DLPH·VEHOO\WZLVWHGVLFN

Arden took Jaime’s arm. “You are burning up. You need to lie

GRZQVZHHWKHDUWµ

-DLPH IRXJKW WKH LPSXOVH WR FODZ D PDUN LQWR $UGHQ·V SDOH

skin, felt the strength pouring through himself, like the heat, like

WKHFUD]\SRXQGLQJQHHG

He yanked Arden close and nipped him hard, on the skin

EHWZHHQKLVMDZDQGQHFN$UGHQ·VVWDUWOHGDQGKXVN\VRXQGRI

pain aroused Jaime.

´, GRQ·W ZDQW WR KXUW \RXµ $UGHQ JURZOHG VKRYLQJ -DLPH

back.

Jaime laughed.

$UGHQ·VH\HVQDUURZHGDVKHIHOWWKHSRZHUIXODQGGDQJHURXV

FKDQJHLQKLVER\OLNHDFXUUHQWRI ZLOGHOHFWULFLW\OLYLQJXQGHU

KLVVNLQ´6RPHWKLQJ·V inside \RX-DLPHµ+HIHOWWKHWLHVWKDWKHOG

GRZQKLVGDUNVLGHXQUDYHOLQJDYRLFHZKLVSHULQJWKDWLI -DLPH

ZDVQ·WJRLQJWRJLYHKLPZKDWKHZDQWHGKHPLJKWDVZHOO take it.

1R+HZDQWHGWREHJHQWOHZLWK-DLPH+H·GKHOGRQIRUVR

ORQJZDLWLQJIRUKLP

ARDENT 125

´,IHHOJRRGµ-DLPHFLUFOHG$UGHQKLVQRUPDOO\YHOYHWVRIW

EURZQH\HVKDUGKLVÀQJHUVÁH[LQJ

´3RVVHVVLRQ 6RPHWKLQJ LQVLGH \RX EHWZHHQ \RX DQG PHµ

$UGHQUHFRJQL]HG´&KULVW(OL]DEHWKµ

-DLPH DWWDFNHG DQG RQO\ $UGHQ·V H[SHULHQFHG VHQVHV VDYHG

KLP+HGLYHGDQGDYRLGHGWKHER\ZKRIHOOEXWVSUDQJWRKLV

IHHWZLWKDQLQKXPDQHODVWLFLW\

6XGGHQO\WKH)UHQFKGRRUVWRWKHJDUGHQH[SORGHGDQGVRPH

\RXQJSHRSOHDOO-DLPH·VDJHZHUHLQWKHURRPZLWK-DLPHDQG

$UGHQ$VWKH\ORRNHGWR-DLPH$UGHQUHDOL]HGVRPHKRZWKH\

ZHUHSDFN³DWWUDFWHGWR-DLPH·VHVVHQFHVXPPRQHGE\WKHULVH

RI DQHZDOSKDLQVLGHKLP

/RRNLQJLQFUHDVLQJO\FRQÀGHQWQRZ-DLPHVWUROOHGRYHUWRWKH

ÀUH ´+RZ LQFRQVLGHUDWH RI PH $UGHQµ KH PRFNHG ´/HW PH

LQWURGXFH \RX WKHVH DUH 0RQGR·V IULHQGV &LQG\ DQG %HWKDQ\

.\OHDQG:DOWHUµ-DLPHORRNHGDW$UGHQXQGHUKLVEURZV´7KH\

EHORQJWRPHQRZ7KH\GRZKDW,VD\µ

´-DLPHµ $UGHQ UDVSHG ´<RX KDYH QR LGHD ZKDW \RX·UH

FKDQQHOLQJ:KDW·VLQVLGH\RX"µ

-DLPHVPLOHG´,GRQ·WFDUHµ+HOLIWHGDORJIURPWKHKHDUWK

VWLOOVL]]OLQJDWRQHHQG´$OOWKHVWRULHV,·YHHYHUUHDGVD\WKDWÀUH

LVYHU\YHU\EDGIRUYDPSLUHVµ+LVYRLFHORZHUHG´6R\RXEHWWHU

GRZKDW,ZDQW$UGHQµ

$UGHQ GLGQ·W ZDLW IRU -DLPH·V QH[W PRYH VLQFH KH NQHZ KH

didn’t have the endurance for a protracted battle. He had to

GLVDEOH-DLPHQRZDQGFKDLQKLPXQWLOKHFRXOGÀQGRXWZKDW

KDGKDSSHQHGWRKLPDQGUHYHUVHLW,I KHWRRNKLPGRZQWKH

UHVWRI KLVZDWFKLQJSDFNPLJKWKHVLWDWHORQJHQRXJKIRU$UGHQ

WRÀJXUHRXWDZD\WRGHDOZLWKWKHP

A glimpse of their shining eyes told him he could be their

DOSKDLI KHFRXOGWDNHRXW-DLPHÀUVW7KH\ZHUHZDLWLQJQRZWR

VHHZKRZRXOGZLQ,WZDVWKHZD\RI ZHUHZROYHV

Arden barreled into Jaime and they fought over the burning

EUDQG$UGHQZDVVWURQJHUODUJHUEXWZKHQ-DLPHPDGHDVRXQG

RI SDLQ $UGHQ LPPHGLDWHO\ OHW XS KRUULÀHG KH PLJKW KDYH

126 Jan Irving

damaged his gentle human.

Jaime shoved the log against Arden’s face.

Arden screamed.

+H WKUHZ -DLPH DFURVV WKH URRP VPDVKLQJ D 6WLFNOH\ WDEOH

DQGWDNLQJRXWD7LIIDQ\VWDLQHGJODVVODPS%XWHYHQDV-DLPHOD\

in the shards of colorful glass and pale oak, he blinked and his

eyes seemed to clear for a moment, catching Arden’s. Pleading.

$UGHQKDGWKHXSSHUKDQGQRZEXWVHHLQJWKHEHZLOGHUPHQW

in Jaime’s eyes, he couldn’t—

´-DLPH"µKHEUHDWKHGVWD\LQJKLVKDQG

Jaime snagged the burning log and struck Arden’s legs,

EULQJLQJKLPGRZQ³

´7KLV LVQ·W \RXµ $UGHQ ZKLVSHUHG FODZLQJ GHVSHUDWHO\ IRU

-DLPH·VOHJ+HZDVVWLOOVWURQJHQRXJKWREUHDNKLVERQHVVQDS

his neck, but he couldn’t hurt him, hurt his boy.

He loved him.

´2K,WKLQNZH·YHHVWDEOLVKHGWKLVLVWKHQHZPH7KHEHWWHU

me. No more lame little Jaime. No more getting beat up and

QHHGLQJWREHIXFNLQJUHVFXHGµ-DLPH·VSRVVHVVLYHÀQJHUVWDQJOHG

LQ$UGHQ·VKDLU´1RZZKHUHGR\RXNHHSWKHFKDLQVKPPPP"µ

§ § § §

(OL]DEHWKZLSHGKHUH\HVDVVKHKHDGHGIRU-DLPH·VQHZKRPH

ZLWK$UGHQ

6KH ZDV VWLOO KXUWLQJ IURP WKH ZD\ -DLPH KDG XQH[SHFWHGO\

VQXEEHG KHU RQ WKH EXV +H·G FRQYLQFHG KHU DQG 0RQGR WR

WDNHWKDWFODVVZLWKKLPLQVFXOSWXUHDQGHYHQWKRXJKVKHZDVQ·W

very good, she’d loved it as an elective because Jaime made it so

PXFKIXQ%XWWRGD\«+DGKHEHKDYHGWKDWZD\EHFDXVHKHZDV

XSVHWZLWKKHUIRUKRZVKHFRXOGQ·WMXVWJRDORQJZLWKKLVQHZ

relationship?

6KHVKRRNKHUKHDG2QHWKLQJZDVVXUHWKHVSHOOFRXOGQ·W

KDYHZRUNHG+HUVKRXOGHUVVOXPSHGVLQFHVKH·GIDLOHG-DLPH³

IDLOHG WR IUHH KLP IURP $UGHQ )URP WKH ÀUVW WLPH VKH·G VHHQ

ARDENT 127

the vampire, covered in the blood of someone from her coven

LQWKHZRRGVVKH·GNQRZQKHZDVHYLOMXVWOLNHWKHUHVW+H·G

WULHG WR WHOO KHU KH·G MXVW EHHQ H[DPLQLQJ WKH ERG\ WR LGHQWLI\

WKHNLOOHUEXWVKH·GVHHQWKHEORRGOXVWVKLQLQJLQKLVH\HV6KH·G

DOPRVWVXFFHHGHGLQEXUQLQJKLPDOLYHEXWKHUSRZHUZDVVWLOO

QHZXQWULHG

6KH VLJKHG WKLQNLQJ WKDW WKH RQO\ WKLQJ VKH PLJKW KDYH

PDQDJHGWRGD\ZDVPDNLQJ0RQGRVLFN+H·GMXVWDERXWSDVVHG

out at the nature reserve and had needed a ride home from one

of his groupies.

6WLOO WKDW GLGQ·W H[SODLQ ZKDW KDG KDSSHQHG WR KHU -DLPH

0RQGR ZDV VR ODLG EDFN EXW -DLPH VHHPHG QRWKLQJ OLNH KLP

,QVWHDGKHZDV«PHDQ

3UREDEO\ WKLV ZDV VRPHWKLQJ WR GR ZLWK $UGHQ +H ZDV

REYLRXVO\LQÁXHQFLQJ-DLPH(OL]DEHWKFRQVROHGKHUVHOIWKDWHYHQ

LIKHUVSHOOKDGÁRSSHGDWOHDVWVKHZDVWU\LQJWRKHOSKHUIULHQG

Running footsteps.

6KH JOLPSVHG ORQJ KDLU VPLOHV EDUH IHHW DQG UHFRJQL]HG D

ZHUHZROI SDFN

(OL]DEHWKGXJRXWVRPHSRZHUIXOGHPRQ·VEDQHVKHFDUULHG

WRZDUGRII DWWDFNVEXWWKH\RXQJPHQDQGZRPHQUDQSDVWKHU

DVLI VKHZDVQ·WWKHUH

6KHWRRNDGHHSEUHDWKVWUHQJWKHQLQJKHUUHVROYH6KHZRXOG

WDONWR-DLPH3XVKSDVWWKLVGDUNVLGHRI KLPWKDWZDVQRGRXEW

brought out by Arden.

§ § § §

$UGHQVWUXJJOHGPXVFOHVFRUGHGKHOGGRZQRQKLVVWRPDFK

E\WKHHQWLUHSDFNOLNHMDFNDOVZLWKDOLRQ

Jaime suddenly fell back on his hands



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.