Page 25 of Into the Dawn
When the darkness tried to drag her under, she fought to stay awake. She had a million questions she wanted to ask him. Or better yet, she needed a peek inside his head to figure out what the hell was going on. Before she could freak out more, he let out a rumbling purr that instantly soothed her.
“You did not attack me. You just had an urge to complete the blood bond. Rest now, mate. We will have time for all your questions later,”Ronan promised.
No choice but to comply, she started to succumb to sleep again. Right before she did, the realization struck that he hadn’t spoken out loud. Somehow, he had spoken to her directly in her mind. That was going to either make things a whole lot easier or way more complicated.
Either way, she would have to deal with the fallout the next time she woke.
Chapter Eight
Kylie jolted awakeas the faint hum of the air conditioner suddenly sounded like the roar of a jet engine landing in her bedroom. With her enhanced hearing, the barrage of noise was so loud that her head began to pound and throb with pain, making it difficult to think.
Thrown into sensory overload, her entire body felt oversensitive. The cold air blowing on her exposed flesh felt as biting as an Arctic wind. And the soft cotton material of her blankets and sheets that usually felt like silk against her delicate skin now felt as rough a sandpaper.
Although her eyes were closed, the light behind her eyelids seemed as bright as the sun. She was aware that it was merely the light coming from the bedside lamp, yet her closed eyes still burned from its intensity. Before she could turn her head away, the light suddenly disappeared and the bedroom went blessedly dark.
“The light is off,” Ronan said softly. “Tell me what else you need, mate.”
What she really needed was to figure out what the hell was going on before her head exploded.
“Our blood bond seems to have enhanced all of your senses. I tried to adjust it for you, but you seem to be blocking me. You must gain control over your senses and bring them back to a normal level.”
Damn it, she forgot that he could read her mind now. She tried to do what he suggested, but it was difficult trying to control everything at once. Especially since she could barely focus past the pain in her head. Trying to remember how she had lowered the volume earlier, she imagined a panel of dials. She tried to envision that each dial controlled one of her senses, andshe adjusted them accordingly to bring them all back to normal levels.
Once the cacophony of noise and the onslaught on her other senses ceased, she breathed out a sigh of relief. When she tried to open her eyes, she was surprised when she was able to so with very little effort. Even in the dark, she was able to see her bedroom clearly. Night had fallen, and she was lying on the bed next to Ronan, who was sitting with his back propped against the headboard.
She tried to tilt her head back to get a better look at him and felt a slight cramp in her neck. As if sensing her discomfort, Ronan immediately shifted to lay down next to her. He gently pulled her against his side so she was partially draped across his bare chest and stroked his hand over her hair.
Despite feeling like she’d gotten to know him pretty well over the past few days, it was different being with him when she was awake. She felt a little awkward being so close to him and had to remind herself that there was no need. He was her mate, and he’d already seen her at her worst.
At least, now her appearance had improved, and she had on a green silk nightgown rather than the layers of clothing she usually had to wear. She loved wearing pretty nightwear even though she slept alone.
“Not anymore,” he pointed out.
That reminder made her flush with heat. The only thing he was wearing was a pair of gray sweatpants that had to be more comfortable than the leather pants he’d been forced to live in over the past few days. While she had ample clothes available in her closets, nothing would have fit him.
She’d known he was physically fit but wasn’t prepared to see the sheer perfection of his bare chest and abs with her own eyes. He really looked like he’d been sculpted by the gods themselves.When she finally worked up the courage to glance up at him, she blinked in surprise.
“Oh, wow. Your eyes are glowing. And you really have fangs! I thought I had imagined that part.”
His eyes widened. “You can see them? But the God of the Sun hid them from view.”
“Maybe our new bond allows me to see them?”
He considered that for a moment, then nodded. “That would make sense.”
Without thinking, she used her fingertip to trace the pattern of the tattoo inked onto his chest. The tattoo was made of a dark shimmery metallic ink that looked like it was moving on his skin up close. She thought the marks were beautiful and appreciated them even more knowing they represented his lost brother and former mate.
Ronan sucked in a deep breath. “You know of Eron and Imra?”
She poked him, and teased, “I know all your secrets, mate.” Her voice sounded husky from disuse over the past few days. “I wasn’t conscious all the time, but I heard a lot of the stories you and Dominic have been telling me.” She paused before confessing, “I’ve been drifting in and out of your heads since I took the first sip of tonic.”
“That is…unexpected, though I guess we should have realized. The God of the Sun asked us to add a few drops of our blood to the tonic, but I never thought that would be enough to initiate a blood bond with you. Forgive us, mate. We wanted to tell you everything once you woke—”
She cut him off by pressing a finger to his lips. “Don’t worry about any of that. I apologize for invading your heads without permission. But honestly, I have no clue how I did it in the first place.”
He pulled her hand down, then pressed a chaste kiss on her inner wrist.
“You have nothing to apologize for. You are our mate, and we have nothing to hide from you.” He pressed her hand against his chest. “You should rest a little more. There is only a little of the tonic left, so you should be able to finish it tonight.”
