Hood's Obsession Read Online Free PDF

it twice before she trusted herself to speak. “Are you sure?”
    Violet’s smile was soft and reassuring and it brought a pang of warmth to Lilith’s chest.
    She’d memorized her mother’s face in infancy—from the freckles that dotted the bridge of her nose, to the rosebud lips, and the intelligent blue eyes. She’d thought her mother so pretty and wise and perfect. And looking at her now, the passage of time hadn’t changed a thing, had only caused her natural beauty to shine deeper and more maturely.
    “Aye, my dear.” Violet patted her cheek almost tenderly.
    She wiped a tear that spilled out of the corner of her mother’s eye with the palm of her hand.
    “Well, then.” Violet waved her off, giving a sheepish grin. “Be on your way. Once outside of our glen, use your magic, darling. And I’m not speaking of the charm.” She held up a finger. “Your magic.”
    “I know, Mother.” Lilith snorted. “What little magic I have.”
    “Take care of your appearance. There will be many eyes watching you, so never give away your hand until you must. You and Giles both. Now off with you.”
    She patted Lilith’s bottom as if to shoo her out. Lilith turned at the top of the stairs to wave one final goodbye, but her mother was already gone and there was no one else around. Not her father or even her brothers. She was alone.
    She squelched the momentary flash of sadness. Because it wasn’t that they didn’t care; the fact that they did not come to see her off meant they believed Lilith would someday return to them. It was a sign of respect.
    Nodding, she walked out into the early morning sunlight. Giles was already up and leaning upon a large, gnarled tree trunk. Dressed in clothing similar yet subtly different. Still wearing jeans and a form-fitting shirt that molded to the contours of his lean, yet muscular frame. But instead of it being black on black, he now wore more of a dove-gray color that popped against the obsidian of his skin.
    Blood-red colored eyes jerked in her direction the second she stepped into sunlight. Standing at attention, she was aware of the subtle shift of his muscular chest and the way he stalked toward her like a graceful jungle predator.
    She swallowed hard, gripping the basket tighter in her hands as her stomach squeezed in on itself almost painfully, rioting with tendrils of desire and lust at the mere sight of him.
    This heat was going to make the trip a living hell; she could only hope it would clear out soon. Thankfully he didn’t seem fazed at all by the heightened scent of mating pheromones she was casting out.
    Clearing her throat, she affected a nonchalant stance. “Well, knight, and so the journey of a thousand miles begins—”
    “With a single step.” He grinned and his entire visage transformed from something coldly beautiful to something wicked and decadent.
    God goddess , her eyes almost bugged from her head. Last night the man had been brooding, thoughtful, contemplative, with barely a smile to be had.
    “You’re a sexy bastard when you wish to be, knight. Anyone ever tell you that?” She hadn’t meant to say it—the words just sort of plopped out of her mouth. Her eyes widened at her brashness, but rather than feeling mortified by her slip of the tongue she felt oddly empowered when he winked back at her.
    “Gods, this should be fun. Come on, then.” He grabbed for the basket, which she gratefully relinquished to his care, remembering the words her mother had given her last night.
    Be willing to be weak…
    “How many hours do we have until we reach our stop for the evening?” he asked a moment later as they began their trek through the multicolored glen of a forest dotted with fall-colored leaves.
    “Several. There is a safe house where we can rest for the night, but we won’t reach it for at least five hours at a good pace and seven if we dawdle.” She hopped lithely upon a mossy boulder in her way. “With a thirty minute break for lunch, we should