Darkling Read Online Free Page A

She was
curled on one side. One slender forearm hung over the side of the sofa, her
knuckles almost brushing the floor.
    She drew a snorting, hitching breath and released it in a
wheezing gasp.
    A rumble of laughter threatened to burst out of his chest.
He pressed a fist to his lips to suppress it. His goddess was snoring.
    Quickly his struggle to keep from laughing gave way to a
battle over his emotions. A deep need to protect her overwhelmed him. Maybe the
intimacy of watching her sleep hour after hour or her guile-free gaze fed his
need to shelter her.
    It’s probably the tender point of her chin driving these
passions in you, Niles. Get hold of yourself.
    Still, he couldn’t tear his gaze away. With each snoring
breath, the soft upper bow of her lip fluttered in and out. Her lashes were
long and curling and lay against her smooth cheeks. He longed to stroke them
with a fingertip to discover if they were as unbelievably soft as they
appeared.
    His cock throbbed heavily in the confines of his pants.
Yeah, this idea was turning out worse than he imagined. His regular caseload
was stressful, but throw in a hot illegal sprawled on his sofa for two days
plus the fact that his morals didn’t allow him to hook up with just anyone, and
he hadn’t had sex in close to a year, and he was ready to hit something.
Literally.
    In a few hours, he hoped to have made some decisions in
regards to her welfare. He needed to sneak away to the gym to get a few rounds
in with his opponent Darien. He was expected in the ring at seven o’clock for a
big fight, but if Vega didn’t wake up, he couldn’t exactly leave her here
alone. She might be frightened.
    He flexed his fingers into fists and then released them. If you miss that fight, you’ll manage. You’ll do what’s best.
    He went back to the kitchen and retrieved his iced tea, then
returned to take up the chair across from Vega. The old cushions sank beneath
his weight. As his head filled with her natural perfume, he relaxed back with a
sigh.
    He’d drawn the curtains to keep the room cool. A single
piercing sliver of light escaped the thick cloth and fell across the arm of the
sofa. It didn’t touch the sleeping woman, yet she seemed to glow. For long
minutes he watched the odd golden lights play over her skin, thinking it one of
the most beautiful tricks of the eye he’d ever experienced.
    Quiet snores became lulling music and pretty soon his body
tuned into it. The knot between his shoulder blades loosened and some of the
constant ache behind his eyes ebbed away. He removed his glasses and rested
them on his knee.
    Man, you’ve got it bad.
    As he watched the rise and fall of her chest beneath the
thin gown she wore, he knew beyond a doubt something wasn’t right with her.
After more than a decade of working with the needy, he’d developed a sixth
sense. And it told him Vega harbored a deeper secret.
    Determination filled him. When she awakened, he was going to
ask her some very hard questions. If he was to help her, she’d need to confide
in him. By nightfall, he would have those answers.
    * * * * *
    Vega awakened to find Niles kneeling beside her, stroking
her hair. A crinkle of concern was carved between his dark brows as he studied
her. She licked her lips and his gaze flashed to her mouth.
    “You all right, sweetheart? You were crying out in your
sleep.”
    Her throat was as dry as moon dust. She nodded.
    Seeming to understand her needs, he reached for a pitcher of
water and a glass on the end table. She scooted into a sitting position and
propped herself on the sofa cushions. Her limbs felt heavy and hot. Stealing a
glance at the window, she realized it was still day. While the curtains were
drawn, beads of light speckled the hardwood floor.
    Thank goodness. I must be gaining a tolerance to the sun.
    The crisp sound of the liquid tipping into the glass made
her mouth water. “Thank you.”
    He watched her drink, his gaze solemn. “I’m worried about
you, Vega. Can I