Redemption: My Vampire Lover Part #2 (A Dark Realm Novella Series) Read Online Free PDF Page B

understood his concerns only too
well. He didn’t know it, but we were on the same side. He’s one
of us, I told the Wolf. My heart exploded a second time. Each
time he addressed me by my name, it collapsed my very soul. This
vampire who I had known for as many hours as I could count on one
hand spoke to me as an equal. Me, the kidnapped princess. Me, the
assassin seeking revenge. I wasn’t as innocent as I wanted Raphael
to believe. And he wasn’t as haughty as I wanted to presume him to
be. I was a princess of a realm that held few joys for me since
losing my brother and aunt. A realm that was in trouble because of
my father’s grief. His heart was growing darker by the day, and I
knew I had to stop him. It was true, what my aunt had said to me
the last days of her life. He’d follow my mother to a very dark
place if someone did not stop them. And that would mean war. My
world wasn’t so different from this vampire’s. Perhaps the Moon
Goddess did have a plan for me after all, as my aunt had said.
    Deciding to make a bold statement and seek
his affection, I pushed my body into his. At first, our clasped
hands rested just above my breasts, but I found my way into the
side of his neck, letting my head rest there. Raphael was several
inches taller than me at my stature of 5’ 7”. Then just as quickly
as he had gathered my hands in his earlier, he wrapped his arms
about mine. His moves were faster than my vision could understand.
I relied on feeling his touch instead. His embrace felt too
right to be wrong , I told myself.
    When he finally spoke, Raphael’s voice was
only a whisper, but crisp and clear. “If I can do this, if I can
get you out of here, I’ll have saved at least one person. I
couldn’t save the others, but maybe you, Caroline, you will be my
redemption.”
    My entire body went rigid in his arms. “What
do you mean?”
    “This is part of the demons’ game. It’s the
hunt that entices them. When Asmodeus brings an unsuspecting person
here, he sets a new path for them across this wasteland. If they
fail to make it to the river, they die. We have to get to the river
before they find us.”
    “How do you know he’s after us?” I asked as I
looked into his dark eyes, wanting to meet this Asmodeus and
introduce him to the Wolf straight away.
    “Trust me. I know. In his mind, the Season of
the Games has already begun. And if he has realized you aren’t in
my rooms which I suspect he has…” His voice trailed off as he
looked out across the dark horizon. A great struggled raged in his
soul. For a long time, he remained silent.
    Then finally, he embraced me again. “Not this
time. He won’t succeed this time.”
    The moment I felt his hand on the back of my
neck, I moaned quietly. The emotions in me rose to the surface. I
couldn’t control it. And I couldn’t deny it. I had found love in
the most unlikely place, at the most unlikely time. I remained
frozen in this vampire’s grasp. If my freedom was at the hands of
this vampire, so be it. If it meant losing my heart to him in the
process, so be it. I wanted to spend eternities being in this man’s
arms. Forever. My mission? It could go to Hell.
    Caroline, think with your head not your
slit. This vampire is the enemy too. We must destroy them all.
    For the first time in my life, I ignored the
Wolf.
    “I’m sorry about before. I didn’t realize my
words would hurt you, Raphael. Please forgive me.” I swallowed down
the Wolf’s words as I recognized the fact that my priorities were
quickly changing.
    You must avenge your loved ones’ deaths.
    Raphael’s arms tightened closer around
me.
    “If you can help me escape, I’ll be in your
debt,” I stated as I returned his embrace, resuming my part.
    Pulling away from me as he gazed into my
eyes, he tucked a portion of my long blonde bangs under my cap
again. He searched my face for answers. A million problems seemed
to be knotted up behind his eyes. His brows drew together in an
agonized