Page 14 of Fighting for Her Heart
“Talk?” Ryker winks. “Is that what we’re calling it now?”
Blushing, Ember shakes her head at the pirate. “I’m serious, Ryker. Axe and I have something important to tell you. Maybe Mom and Zuben can discuss this experiment idea while the three of us chat.”
“Okay, little dove,” Ryker says, his voice full of gravel. “I’ll grant you two a short parlay before we fuck.”
Evanora turns sharply away, clearly embarrassed by the mention of sexual activities. I do not want to leave the witch out here alone; it seems not only rude, but potentially dangerous, given I do not yet understand all her motives. This will give me an opportunity to find out more. Regardless of all that, if there is a chance of love making, it is best if I steer clear.
“I will remain outside with Evanora so that we might discuss the parameters of the proposed experimentation.”
“You sure?” Ember asks softly.
I nod, and then watch as the other three enter the house, Ember holding onto Ryker like she doesn’t plan to ever let him go again.
Seeing her expression when she looks up at Ryker, an unexpected longing stabs inside me.
When Ember introduced Axe and me to her mother, she claimed that shelovedme. Was that just something she said to help Evanora trust and accept me?
I hope that is the case, because Ember’s love is something I do not deserve and cannot return. The last thing I want to do is hurt her—emotionally. I have already hurt her physically, and must continue to keep my distance to avoid doing that ever again.
And as much as I would like to experience walking in sunlight, I cannot ever risk taking her vein. As the one to design and conduct the experiments, I should remain the objective observer and not a participant. It is for the best.
“You really haven’t fed from my daughter yet? Evanora’s voice draws my attention away from my thoughts.
“No, madam—I mean, Evanora. Except for the feeding required for her transition. No, I have not.”
She beams a warm smile toward me. Ember’s mother is physically attractive—objectively—and while I have never considered myself adept at estimating ages she appears very young given how long ago she found Ember. I wonder if her youthful beauty is an illusion she has created using magic.
“You should be the one to feed from her first.” Evanora’s eyes narrow. “Unless the leather-clad one already has his fangs in her throat.” Staring toward the house, she frowns, clearly liking Ryker even less than I do.
She strides toward the porch, and I follow alongside her. We sit on the wooden steps and she turns to lean back against the spindles supporting the railing. Although she does not seem to mean any harm, I remain aware that the spindles could quickly be turned into stakes. Is that why she led me here?
“I must refrain from taking Ember’s vein,” I tell her without explanation. “And Ryker, the leather-clad one as you called him. He is the one of us who should drink from her tonight.”
She shakes her head.
“While I understand that you do notlikehim—”
“It’s not about whether or not Ilikehim,” Nora interjects. “Shouldn’t you go first, if you’re the one who really hasn’t fed from her yet? That would give us a baseline, right?” Smiling, she shakes her head. “Butyou’rethe scientist.”
Flattered, I consider her suggestion—it does have some logic—and I try to calm my cock, immediately hard at the thought of plunging my fangs into Ember.
“I must remain an objective observer,” I tell her.
“I could fill that role.” Nora smiles.
My cock throbs and my anxiety rises. “My feeding from the Illuminant is not a good idea,” I tell Nora. “Trust me on this.” I cannot think of another explanation I am willing to share.
She frowns. “Then…then how about the big one?”
I shake my head. “With Axel, there are other variables to consider.”
“Such as?” Evanora tips her head to the side.
Perhaps she does not yet know that Axe is a grizzly bear shifter. Something in her expression indicates that she suspectssomethingis different about Axel and she wants me to confirm it, but it is not my information to disclose, and I would prefer to keep the information flow between her and I as one directional as possible at the moment.
“Axel spent virtually all his vampiric life isolated in that dungeon,” I tell her. “In many ways he is as much a baby vampire as Ember. Therefore, the effects on him might not be typical of a more mature vampire. Ryker is the one to provide the best baseline for our experiments.”
Nodding and shrugging, Evanora accepts my explanation, and I’m glad.
