Darling Read Online Free PDF

head.

    The vampire sighed
in defeat. “You odd little thing. If I see you in any type of
pain, any at all, I will heal it without another thought. Do you
understand?”

    “Yes, thank
you! My lord?” She glanced up at him from beneath a coquettish
fan of lashes. “Did you enjoy our first true kiss?”

    “Fishing for
compliments already?” Lord Constantine traced her flushed cheek
with the one finger. “I enjoyed it very much, my darling. Far
more than I can adequately express without making a complete fool of
myself.”

    She snuggled against
him in bliss. “I am so happy I think I will burst!”

    “Please do not
do so. I would hate to have to reassemble you. What if I put this,”
Lord Constantine tapped her nose, “here on your throat by
mistake?”

    Cassandra giggled.
“You are so amusing, my lord! I would think you would be
especially careful with my neck since one night it will be yours.”

    His mouth parted in
a devilish grin. “The future is promising of exciting things.
Alas, my attention should remain on the beautiful sight before me.”

    Aware of his neat
sidestep, Cassandra refused to allow melancholy to continue to dog
her. Even the knowledge of where Lord Constantine went when he left
her and who he spent his time with could not shake Cassandra.

    I belong to him and
he belongs to me. No one else can interfere with our bond.

    “How do I
look, my lord?”

    “Thoroughly
kissed.”

    “I feel it.”

    “Here, let me
fix your lipstick.” Lord Constantine rubbed his thumb over her
lips. “Perfect.”

    Cassandra didn’t
need a mirror to verify his proclamation. Her lord had the power to
remake anything in his kingdom—the feminine accoutrements of
beauty included. Eventually he would remake her as well. Cassandra
just needed to keep her faith in Lord Constantine.

    I am his Beloved. I
was born to be his. There can be nothing but this beautiful love
between us.

    “Are you ready
to be entertained, darling?”

    She slipped her hand
in his. “Absolutely.”

    5

    Cassandra took the
deafening cacophony in stride. Arm tucked securely in Lord
Constantine’s, she safely kept her promise to him but still
found her upper half pulling away.

    Large, gaily colored
tents lined the avenue, each promising Cassandra entertainment beyond
imagination just by virtue of existing. Barechested barkers dressed
in jeweled satin pants harked their wares, seeking to entice the
living throng of people undulating ahead of them.

    She eyed one such
gentleman as they made their way past him. Blue-skinned with a head
of gorgeous white hair, his exotic handsomeness made Cassandra wonder
what world he came from. He quickly noticed her attention and bowed
with a flourish. Extending his arm, he beckoned her to him. Cassandra
gave an apologetic shake of her head. He licked his lips, forked
tongue charming her even if she couldn’t truly hear him over
the din. The barker pulled back the tent flap and gestured again.

    I wonder what would
happen if I let go of Lord Constantine to take a peek in his tent.
Surely he wouldn’t be too upset with me. . .

    Cassandra’s
vampire chose that very moment to pat her hand. “You would not
disobey me so quickly, would you?”

    “Of course
not, my lord.” She promptly turned her attention away from the
beguiling barker and focused her gaze straight ahead. Bizarre figures
loomed high over the crowd. They reminded Cassandra of scarecrows
with their skeletal proportions. Several leaned down, unnaturally
long arms extended, and plucked an unsuspecting few out of the crowd
before tossing them into the various pavilions. Raucous laughter
echoed in the wake of shrill surprised screams.

    Cassandra squinted,
noticing the farther things were from her, the harder they were to
make out. She wondered if her eyesight was starting to fail. Taking
in the torches lining the pathway like manic fireflies and their
resulting smoke, Cassandra pounced on that being the reason she could
barely see ten