Taken by a Vampire (Vampire Queen) - By Joey W. Hill Page 0,228

it looks like. How you love. Fierce, deep and quiet, like a predator. That key . . . everything else opened up, a book flipping backward through all the pages we’ve written, and I put it together.”

He dropped to his heels then, comfortable in the pose as he braced his elbows on his knees and templed his fingers. “That night on the battlefield. You drove the looters off of me, took me to safety. Through the pain of the marking, because ye had to do it all at once, you kept gripping my hand. I broke several of your bones, but you never let go. When I had fever after, ye brushed the hair from my forehead, gentle as Ceana might have done.”

“Niall . . .”

“I’m going to finish it, so best not try and stop me.”

Evan pressed his lips together. “Already acting like a vampire.”

“No. Just myself. I expect you’ll take your pound of flesh for it, but that’s something I’ve learned to anticipate.”

“You keep on that road, I won’t let you finish.”

“Aye, ye will. Because I need to say it.” Niall held his gaze. “Over the years, you’ve had your pleasure of me, taken my pain as part of it.” His lip curled. “That’s your way. I’ve seen you . . . watch me, study me, as if ye were trying to figure something out. I finally understand, Evan. I had to step out of what I am and into what you are, but then it all made sense.”

Rising, he came to Evan, dropped to one knee in front of the bench where he sat. Though his palms burned with the desire to take, to touch, Evan forced himself to remain still, curious as to where his servant was going with it. Reaching out, Niall touched his face, startling him with the gentle possessiveness and authority in the touch.

“It’s not about wanting someone to love you the way you love them. It’s about knowing in your soul when they’re loving ye with all their ability to love and more, pushing themselves further than they thought they could go, whatever shape or form that is, and realizing what a gift that is. Though it’s a guid long life, it’s never long enough for any of us to refuse love when offered. Sic as ye gie, sic wull ye get.”

You’ll get out of life as much as you put in. Evan was at a loss for words, such that those brown eyes were suddenly dancing, the hard mouth easing. “Not much ye can say, is it? I’m still your servant. If ye tell me you’d be happy to die for me, all that means is you’d be happy to murder me.”

“Ass.” Evan shoved at his shoulder. Niall fended him off, though he caught Evan’s forearm and held on to it, large fingers curling into Evan’s flesh. They stayed that way a moment, Evan staring at the point of contact, feeling every inch of pressure tingling through his nerves. Niall hadn’t put on a shirt, so his hand was on that first dragon, fingertips on the third mark. The chai symbol, the sign of life.

“Set me as a seal upon thy heart . . . for love is as strong as death; jealousy is as cruel as the grave: the coals of it are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.”

He lifted his gaze to Niall’s face, and the power of the man’s glance burned like that flame. “King Solomon.”

“I ken my Bible,” Niall said, a mild reproof.

“Yes. I’ve loved you, no matter all of it,” Evan said quietly. “Uthe wanted to know if immortality could steal inspiration. It didn’t. But to lose both of you, to lose the stubborn, rockheaded Scot who’s been my constant companion, my friend, my servant, for three hundred years, and to lose the woman who brought the wall down between us, at the same time? My art wouldn’t survive that, Niall. I’m not supposed to influence your decision, but I will tell you the truth. Your loss will do what nothing else can. It will take away my desire to live.”

Niall swallowed hard, his hand coming up to clasp Evan’s wrist. “I gave ye a hard time about forcing Alanna outside her comfort zone. Making her become more than she was, despite the short time she had left. I was wrong about that. But it did make me wonder. I know why you’re with me now. But why, all those years ago, did