The Assassin's Destiny (Isle of Dreams) Read Online Free PDF Page A

it away
just to be with me.’
    ‘I would you know.’  she
suddenly turned to face him over the wooden partition between the stalls. 
‘I’d give it all up, right here and now, if it meant I could be with you.’
    He leaned over and kissed her
gently, ‘Then it’s fortunate that I have considerably more restraint than
you.’ 
    ‘Unfortunate more like.’
 Mistral muttered and finished buckling the leather straps on Cirrus’ rug.
    Fabian laughed, ‘Come on, let’s
get something to eat,’ he turned and walked to the doorway of the stables,
waiting for her as she gave Cirrus a final pat and walked over to take his
outstretched hand.
    ‘Then there’s something I have to
tell in a bit,’ Mistral sighed while they walked across the snow-covered
courtyard towards the steps leading up to the front door.
    Fabian nodded but didn’t comment
and they walked up the steps together in silence.
    ‘You know,’ he murmured while he
unlocked the door to the house and opened it wide, ‘I don’t think I’ve ever
traditionally carried you over the threshold of our home have I?’
    Mistral laughed as Fabian swept
her up and carried her into the house.  Kicking the door shut behind him
he walked over to place her down on the sofa.  Mistral sank back against
the cushions and gazed happily out of the long glass-fronted doors leading onto
the balcony.  She never tired of the stunning view of thickly wooded
slopes rising steeply to meet the sweeping grandeur of the snow-capped Western
Range, their distant peaks lost in wreaths of heavy white cloud.
    ‘I’ll make us something to eat,’ she
offered, leaping lightly from the sofa and heading to the small kitchen at the
back of the room while Fabian lit the iron stove.
    ‘There’s some cold meat in the
larder,’ Fabian called, feeding logs into the brightly burning flames.
    Mistral moved around the kitchen,
the simple domestic task of preparing a meal for them filling her with a
happiness that obliterated her earlier misery.  She watched Fabian stoke
the fire then set the poker down and move across the room to the dresser. 
He moved like a hunting panther, lean and dark.  There was grace in his
motion yet something powerful and inherently dangerous too.  Mistral
almost wished the shiver she felt was one of fear, but it was quite the
opposite and a year was fast becoming a life sentence. 
    She returned to the sofa bearing
two plates of cold meat and bread, placing them on the low table as Fabian
carried over a flagon of wine and two cups from dresser.
    ‘Now,’ said Fabian, dropping down
onto the sofa and stretching out his long legs.  ‘Why don’t you come and
sit with me and tell me what it is that’s bothering you.’ 
    He opened his arms and smiled at
her, inviting her to join him.  Mistral didn’t need asking twice, sliding
happily into his arms and curling up against him with a sigh of
satisfaction.  She didn’t speak immediately but listened instead to the
peaceful sound of the crackling fire and the steady rhythm of Fabian’s
heartbeats, prolonging the moment of happiness before she had to ruin it all
with the confession she knew she had to make.
    ‘Promise you won’t be angry with
me,’ she began, glancing quickly up to see his velvet eyes gazing patiently
back.
    ‘I can’t promise not to be
perpetually astounded by your wilful and impetuous nature however I will try to
restrain my anger,’ he confirmed with a smile.
    Mistral drew in a deep breath,
‘Well, the twins were going on and on about Malachi having vampire blood and
Phantom asked me to read Malachi’s aura –’ she hesitated and looked up quickly
but was reassured to see that he merely looked amused by the news that she had
been prying on the hidden emotions of a member of the Magnate … or trying to
pry.
    ‘What did you see?’ he
prompted. 
    ‘Nothing,’ she frowned.  ‘I
tried twice and both times I just saw the vague outline of his aura and then it
vanished.  I thought