Page 2 of The Mating Fire
“I cannot. My parents… they need this union. They need the money. Chet took us into his house when my parents were evicted. We have nowhere else to go.”
It hurt to think of her life without Jared. He meant everything to her. Jared was the missing half of her heart.
“Bella, flee with me. You are meant to be mine.”
“How I wish that were true,” she whispered.
“Then marry this imbecile. And be with me at night.”
Jared’s eyes filled with passion. “I can save you from his cold indifference.” The incubus stroked his warm hand across the naked skin of her collarbone, evoking a shiver.
“Is it possible?”
“I shall make it that you only remember my caress, my touch, my body penetrating yours. When he takes you into his bed, I will invade your mind, your thoughts, and I will be the one making love to you.”
Her hand cupped his face, felt the crisp hairs of his short beard. Incubus or not, her soul melded to him, as if they had been intended for each other.
Jared picked up her hand and kissed it.
As her eyes closed, she heard another voice, filled with rage and hatred.
“So it is true. You do have a lover. I heard you whispering to him last night when I came to your door to say good night. You bitch. You betrayed me.”
.Chet drew out a pistol and aimed at Jared. “Die you bastard.”
Panic gripped her. Not Jared, not her true soulmate, her love.
“No,” she cried out, flinging herself in front of the incubus, praying her weak pyrokinetic magick could melt the bullet.
“Bella,” Jared screamed, but it was too late.
The bullet slammed into her chest, tearing tender flesh Jared had stroked with such gentleness. Crimson spread upon the violet-sprigged gown. Her powers failed.
There was no pain, dear goddess, only a growing chill.
Numbness.
She collapsed to the ground.
Dimly she saw Chet run away. Jared knelt beside her.
“Why? Why did you sacrifice yourself for me? I am powerful, bullets cannot harm me…”
Tears formed in his dark eyes, eyes that had held her gaze with such soulfulness. "No, no, Bella," he pleaded, his voice breaking. "Stay with me. Please, don't leave me."
Isabella's breaths became shallow, and her gaze locked onto Jared’s tear-filled eyes. With a trembling hand, she touched his cheek, whispering, "I love you, Jared. Always."
Jared cradled her tenderly, brushing hair away from her pale face. “Stay with me, Bella.”
“I’m sorry.” Even now she felt herself slipping away.
He pressed his lips to her cold cheek. “I love you. Never forget it. My soul shall wait for you through the ages. Our love is bound by eternity. Never will I declare my love for another but you.”
The dream faded. Harper woke up, shivering. It was merely a recurring dream, one that began two months ago. Probably resulting from the Jane Austen film fest she attended with her bestie, Charlotte.
Yet it seemed so real.
Did such a love exist? Did such a man exist, with powers enough to make you shiver and yearn?
