Page 53 of Roman

For the first time in a millennium, he could feel his eyes burning.Not glowing but blazing with red hellfire, his fangs forming in his mouth, not caring that none of his fellow fallen had ever seen them before.

Must protect her.

“You will not hurt her!”he growled, stalking toward Cassandra, her eyes starting to glow with magic.

“I don’t want to hurt her, Roman.”

Armaros stepped in front of her, blocking the witch from his view, the angel’s eyes swirling with their purple magic.“Roman, brother, you must calm yourself.”

But Roman ignored him.The angry beast inside of him was raising its head and taking over.Must protect her.He stalked closer to them.Pure, unhinged fury burned through his body.He would slice Armaros in half and then rip the witch’s head off.

“Armaros, he won’t listen to you.She is his soul mate,” Cassandra’s voice drifted from behind the tattooed warrior.

The dark angel’s eyes widened in shock.“Don’t make me do this, Roman,” Armaros pleaded, lifting his hands, his eyes glowing wildly, balls of violet magic forming in his hands.

Roman roared, opening his mouth and revealing his long fangs.He took two strides, readying to leap at the angel and tear him apart.Then Charlotte’s beautiful face was unexpectedly in front of him.

“Roman.”Her voice stopped him as he looked into her eyes.The color of a stormy sky.The sight of those mesmerizing gray eyes gripped his very soul, guiding him back from the edge.“Roman, please, you’re scaring me,” Charlotte told him, her eyes wide as she took in his appearance.

You’re scaring me.Her words sliced through him.

His overwhelming desire to protect her, to keep her safe, made Roman still and bring himself back under control.He could feel his fangs retracting, the fire in his eyes disappearing as a wave of anguish overwhelmed him.He never wanted to be the cause of her fear.

“Charlotte, I’m sorry,” he murmured to her, slowly remembering everyone in the room.

The angels had all risen from their seats and backed up toward the window, eyeing him wearily.He gazed back over Charlotte’s shoulder to see Armaros still standing rigid, prepared to fight to protect the priestess.The magic still glowed from his eyes, swirling in his hands.

“Armaros, I don’t know what came over me… I’m sorry, I?—”

The dark warrior slowly lowered his arms, the violet light fading from his eyes and hands.Cassandra slowly stepped out from behind him, hands raised as if he were a wild animal, her green eyes back to normal.

“You good, Roman?”she asked him, glancing around the room.

“Priestess, my apologies,” he whispered.

What the fuck?He almost started a war with the witches, and the worst part was, without a doubt, he intended to kill one of his closest friends.

“It’s okay, Roman.I hold no ill will.Now that it’s clear she is your soul mate, we can all be more careful as to how we treat Charlotte.To not anger you, or should I say, what is inside of you?”Cassandra said to him.

“What does she mean inside of you?”Charlotte asked, slowly backing away from him.

“Yes, brother, do tell.What exactly does she speak of?We all know you crawled out of Hell altered.But is there something more you’ve kept from us all these years?”It was his brother, Maalik, walking over to him now, his calm demeanor replaced with a look of rage.

Roman could not bear the look of fear on Charlotte’s face.He couldn’t deny it any longer.He cared for her, and if what Cassandra said was true, that she was his soul mate, he wouldn’t be able to live without her.

Maalik’s angry stare reminded him of how he was about to betray his brother.Not just Maalik, but all his fellow warriors.Since their time in the heavens, they had followed him without question, with unwavering loyalty, and for what?They were about to find out he’d been lying, that he’d kept this dark secret for centuries from them.They would hate him.The realization caused him pain.They were his family, the last people in the world he would want to hurt, but he had no choice now.Now was the time to tell them all.

He glanced at Charlotte.She will run from me,think me a monster,his mind whispered to him.He raised his head, looking around the room at everyone who had fought and been by his side for longer than he could remember, and took a deep breath.You can do this, Roman.

19

Charlotte’s mind was racing.So much had happened in the last few hours, she could barely take it all in.Roman had made love to her, and the memories replayed nonstop.Each scorching image of his hard naked body, the sound of his groans, and the feeling of their bodies entangled left her wanting.She craved his touch like she was an addict and Roman her drug.

He’d made her feel things she never could have dreamed of.She knew it was crazy.She’d only known him for a few days, but Charlotte was falling in love with him.Since she was first taken, Roman saved her and protected her.He’d been patient with her even after she’d run from him, getting herself kidnapped for a second time.Then, last night when he finally kissed her, it had been heaven.

She swore she could still feel the fire his touch had left on her body.He’d awoken all her senses, making her feel pleasure like she’d never experienced before in her life.Roman had been gentle with her after the shock of her virginity had worn off.Then he had claimed her body and soul like a wild man, and she’d loved every minute of it.

Her mind constantly whispered,I want moreevery time she looked at the blond-haired, blue-eyed angel.

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