Forever (Book #3 in the Fateful Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

really didn’t want him to go back to that, probably just as badly as she didn’t want it for herself.
    Her head tipped to the side as she considered his expression. Gentle waves of brown hair swung down over her arm. One hand left his nape when she swept it through her tresses, dragging the strands out of her face. Her hand returned to his neck, her fingers found his hair, and suspicious eyes locked with his. “But don’t you miss it? The power, the immortality, the—“
    “Do you miss it?” Ethan countered his eyebrow lifting.
    “No.” He noticed the lack of hesitation in that response as well as the sharp conviction in her tone.
    Ethan could admit that there were times like tonight that he missed the strength the curse gave him. But as he really measured the consequences of that choice, he realized he didn’t miss it enough to sacrifice his renewed chance at parenthood, even with the threats looming over them. It’s why he consumed the curing candy Lilith had given them as fast as he did. The idea of holding an infant that he helped to create appealed to him more than anything. He’d been imagining what their child would look like and couldn’t seem to stop himself from fantasizing about it frequently. Would the child have his mouth? Would he or she have her thick dark lashes? Would the little plump-cheeked sprite be blessed with his blue eyes and her rich brown hair? Would his child have soft curls just like Danielle did?
    Impatience was rolling off Danielle in nearly tangible waves. He sighed with the knowledge that if he didn’t answer her earlier question, she’d just ask it again. “We discussed this before too. I didn’t like having to hunt for my dinner and take a life each night.  The evilness of that curse still haunts my dreams because I lived it for so long.”
    “But you were so eager to go back to it.”
    “Only so I could keep you safe. So I could help keep our baby safe.” His guts clenched as those words passed his lips. Her eyes blinked rapidly and she looked away from him momentarily, her eyebrows were drawn low over her dark eyes and a little line had appeared between them. Why had he thoughtlessly brought up the baby? Ethan mused with a good dose of self-disparagement. From the pout now dragging the corners of her lips down, he knew she was likely on the verge of tears now that he’d reminded her of their loss. Hoping to soothe her, Ethan added, “Please understand this, Danielle. I took the candy first only partly because I knew you’d follow my lead but, more importantly, I want to be a father a million times more than an immortal. If we’re just talking about immortality, then yes, I suppose it would be a tempting lifestyle. But it’s not. At all. For me it will always be a curse and not the gift the others see it as.”
    “Then what are we going to do?” she asked in a trembling voice, absently trailing a finger over his naked chest.
    Ethan shivered involuntarily and his breath hitched.
    They couldn’t live like this any longer, he decided. Their home had been breached. Their limited privacy would be further restricted. And no weapons could protect them against magic. Unless ... his breath hitched again ... unless they used magic to fight magic....
    “What are you thinking about?” she asked, apparently measuring the look on his face correctly.
    This time he decided to tell her rather than tease her by testing her patience. “We need the aid of the fairies.”
    Her eyes rounding with unmasked excitement at seeing those little creatures again, she asked, “Could they help us?”
    Nodding, he said, “They have a great deal of natural magic.”
    “Like that juice they fed me?”
    “Exactly like that.”
    Ethan returned the smile beaming up at him, and then moved to kiss her. The eyes looking into his slid closed in anticipation. Exhaling, he let his breath touch her first and watched as she drew it in like a luscious treat. As his mouth connected with hers, he