Page 73 of The Mating Fire
“Even if I were to break the curse,” he snorted. “I am not the man for you. It would never work out between us.”
Her mouth opened and closed. “I thought last night meant something. I told you I love you.”
His gaze ignited with some unknown emotion, almost as if he felt the same about her. Harper felt a flicker of hope. Then his expression tightened. He put his boots on the desk, and gave a lazy stretch.
“The sex was incredible, my dear. I will not deny that. But do not fool yourself. It was only sex. Nothing more.”
“I’m not asking you to marry me, for crying out loud.” She drew in a calming breath. “I want to work with you in curing this curse, Jared. There has to be a way. And your incubus demonyou keep saying is so evil, I refuse to believe it. In fact, I know otherwise. I have proof.”
Looking alarmed, he sat up. “What are you talking about?”
“I took your invitation to read everything in your library. Lots of interesting books.” Harper began thumbing through the thick book she’d placed on his desk. “Including this one.”
He didn’t look at the title. “And?”
“Jared, you’re not an incubus demon. In fact, you’re not a demon at all. You may try to scare off mortals with that seduction line, pretend you’re bad, but your bloodline says otherwise.”
His expression tightened. “You’ve been snooping through my family history book. That’s private.”
“I picked it up by accident. It was among the other paranormal books. I wanted to learn about my own heritage and the background of other paranormal beings. I’m new to this, Jared. I need knowledge.”
“Knowledge of me?” He sounded bitter. “Why not ask, Harper. I’m here. An open book.”
Ignoring his sarcasm, she combed through the heavy leather-bound volume. More than a mere genealogy listing, each record listed personalities and places.
“Here.” Harper opened to his mother’s page. “Fiona O’Dare, a Fiery, gentle of heart and spirit, who fell in love and mated with Jasper Griffin, a fierce incubus who loved her in return. Died giving birth to her only son, Jared Griffin, born December 20, 1790, in London, England…”
“Stop it.” Jared took his feet off the desk. “Stop reading. You’re boring me with what I already know. One Jared Griffin, raised by his father, rather, who attempted to raise him, until the lad was five and then abandoned him because Jasper was heartbroken over the loss of his only love. His soulmate.
“Jared Griffin, left on the steps of an orphanage for abandoned Others and raised with the Fae. Kicked out of the orphanage at the age of 16 for seducing a fair young Fae. Seems my father’s incubus blood runs strong in my veins, dear Harper.”
She set the book down. “Your family history is fascinating. You do come from a line of incubus demons, but the bloodline thinned after your father was born. Your father was birthed by a Fiery, a fire Fae, and sired by an incubus. Your own mother was a Fiery. Do you know what this means?”
Leaning back in his chair, he steepled his fingers. “I’m good at lighting fires for toasting marshmallows?”
Frustrated, she pushed the book toward him. “I’m serious, Jared.”
“So am I. Perhaps I should rent myself out as a fire starter for campgrounds on soggy nights?”
“You have the powers no incubus has, Jared. You can not only teleport at will, but transport others, like me. You can heal wounds.”
He picked up a pencil and began twirling it between his fingers. “I have many more magick tricks.”
“You’re no more a true demon than I am. You’re a Fierigan, a combination of an incubus seducer and a Fae who can throw fire at will. You’re not a demon. You’re not hovering on the edge of darkness. Demons don’t heal others, Jared. They don’t have compassion. They don’t love.”
The pencil snapped in his fingers. “Watch yourself, Harper. You’re getting all maudlin on me. You think you know me simply because you saw my beastly side? You know nothing about me.”
Holding her ground, despite his rising voice, she locked her calm gaze with his infuriated one. “I know you, Jared. You got hurt, badly, long ago. A woman hurt you to the point where you withdrew all your goodness and focused on the dark within you. There’s always been a battle between the light and thedark inside you, and you started letting the dark win. Seducing the women, not caring what happened to them afterward. All because something terrible happened to you and it was easier and safer to keep a distance and not care.”
As he started to stand, she pointed to herself. “I know this because I was the same way before I realized my own heritage. Hiding behind my studies and science so I wouldn’t have to get involved with guys. So I wouldn’t have to form relationships and end up in a miserable marriage like my parents. Science was secure. But life isn’t like that. At some point you have to take a risk and gamble.”
“Oh, I’ve gambled. Too many times.”
How could she get through to him when he kept being sardonic? “When you took me to the bar yesterday, that was a risk and we both enjoyed it. So take another risk, Jared. Let’s go out. Get out of this dark, dreary place, go dining, dancing. We can return to the castle long before midnight.”
His dark gaze flashed anger. “My curfew, you mean. My time when the hour strikes midnight and I turn not into a pumpkin, but a beast every woman shudders to behold.”
“You can still have fun in life and be out in public. Jared, there’s a whole world out there and I bet any amount of money you’re needed. If there is evil out there to fight, then instead of locking yourself up here, help fight it!
