Smoldering Hunger Read Online Free PDF Page A

beaten.
    Darius could hear Sophie speaking softly to the woman, telling her that she would heal, but if she didn’t take action against her husband that she might not be so fortunate next time.
    He fought against his instinct to remain near Sophie. It was no accident that Ulrik entered the hospital or walked to Sophie’s floor. Ulrik did nothing without a reason.
    There was a slim chance that it was purely coincidence that Ulrik had gone to Sophie’s floor, but Darius knew that thought was rubbish. But how did Ulrik know of Sophie?
    Unless he’d seen Darius with her that night in the streets. Darius had been so wrapped up in the woman in his arms that he hadn’t paid attention to anything else. It had shocked him how easily she’d managed to make the world fall away.
    Darius took one more look at Sophie standing straight as an arrow with her long, thick red hair piled once more behind her head. He wanted to yank her hair down and shove her against the wall to take her once more.
    He hadn’t imagined the passion that blazed within her, and he wanted to prove it to her.
    “Another time,” he murmured to himself.
    Even as he wondered why after swearing to stay away from her.
    Darius lost Ulrik in the throng of people entering and exiting the hospital. By the time he found Ulrik a few moments later, Ulrik was flirting with a pretty brunette.
    Still reeling from Sophie’s reaction to him, Darius walked to a bench and sat, waiting on Ulrik. He was able to keep an eye on Ulrik as well as get a clear view of the hospital entrance.
    Darius wasn’t surprised when Ulrik ended his conversation with the nurse and came to sit beside him. Neither said a word as Ulrik cracked another pistachio and popped the green nut into his mouth.
    “I figured you’d remain behind and talk to her.”
    Darius clenched his teeth. Shite. Just as he’d feared, Ulrik was there for Sophie. He and Thorn had taken great pains to make sure Sophie was never seen helping them heal Lexi. That meant Ulrik discovered Sophie from Darius’s carelessness.
    Fuck. He’d really buggered things this time.
    “What do you want with her?” Darius asked.
    Ulrik tossed aside more empty shells and shrugged. “She’s attractive. If you like redheads. I’ve always found them to be extremely enthusiastic in bed.”
    Darius didn’t respond. There was nothing he could say that would help Sophie’s case, especially when he wanted to tell Ulrik to kiss off.
    Ulrik cut him a look, a sly smile upon his lips. “I didna think you’d be so careless as to get tangled with another female, Darius. Not after your … past.”
    Darius took a deep breath and slowly released it, attempting to keep his anger under control. He’d woken from his long sleep as angry as when he sought out his cave. Consequently, it didn’t take much to set him off.
    It took an incredible amount of effort for him to keep his mouth shut and his hands to himself when all he wanted to do was shift into dragon form and go for Ulrik’s jugular.
    Instead, he took a page out of Constantine’s book. He pushed all the rage and all his emotions aside until there was nothing. Only then was Darius able to respond. “I’m no’ anything with the doctor.”
    “Always the same response given. I was hoping you might be more creative.”
    “How do you know I have no’ already contacted Con?”
    Ulrik turned his head and shot Darius a smile. “Because of the doctor. You want to know what I’m about before you inform Con I’m here.”
    That had been Ulrik’s gift before he went rogue and was exiled from Dreagan. He had always been able to figure people out, no matter what they hid.
    “Con knows you’re here.”
    Ulrik laughed and reached into the bag for another handful of pistachios. “If he did, he’d be here. Oh, wait. He can no’ get here fast enough since he has to drive .”
    Darius wanted to wipe the smirk from Ulrik’s face. The crowd of people around them kept him where he was. The