Eternal Embrace Read Online Free Page A

evil. He’d guard her, protect her and if she’d have him, he’d damn well claim her in every possible way a man could claim a woman.
    “And they poisoned me? It’s going to kill me?”
    “No, shit, no, darlin’,” he assured her.
    Sweat beaded on her forehead, scaring him bad enough that he reached over and gently wiped it off, then pressed her bright silky hair back. She leaned into him.
    “Then what is wrong? Take me to a hospital, Jax, I need a doctor, I think.”
    Her voice had gone so low he had to strain to hear her, and he was a vampire. He shook his head. He couldn’t take her to a hospital. In response, her eyes rounded out. He hugged her closer, trying to forestall another passionate outburst.
    “I can’t take you to a hospital. Joey, they can’t help you, but I can. I can help you, okay? I can make this pain go away.”
    Slowly he eased her back down and held her hand, dreading to see her face when he finally told her everything.
    “Jaxon, please, you don’t understand, this is bad, very, very bad,” she cried, hunching over and gripping his hand tightly in her own.
    “I do understand, Joey, and I’m sorry, darlin’,” he murmured, soothing her with a hand on her back, rubbing the painful spasm away as best he could. She breathed easier after a moment more and turned her head to watch him.
    “You have to trust me now, Joey.”
    “I do, Jax, I do, but a hospital—”
    “Can’t help you. I can. I’m a vampire. The men that had you were also vampires. They nearly drained you and when I killed them, I brought you here, trying to save you from becoming like me—a vampire. But you’re changing, your body is dying, preparing for a new life.”
    He stopped and stared down at her face. She gaped at him like he’d told her something she couldn’t get her head wrapped around. No shit, Sherlock, she can’t.
    Sweat beaded on her pale brow again. No doubt the pain was growing unbearable, but she didn’t make a sound. He’d never felt what she experienced, never known the pain of the gift taking over your life and remaking you. He’d been born a vampire hundreds of years before, in the midst of a battlefield, and lost his mother before she’d even finished giving him life.
    “Jaxon,” she whispered his name and grimaced, “are you insane?”
    He couldn’t stop the quick grin at her serious expression, but assured her quickly, “No, darlin’, but—”
    “Stop,” she whispered, lifting a hand to cover his mouth and tried to weakly struggle from his arms. “Clearly you’re insane. You never called me anything like darling before. Maybe you hit your head and you’re sick.”
    He kissed her palm and took her hand off his lips. He’d never dared call her any of the endearments rising in his brain. He’d wanted to, hell had he wanted to—and more—but he’d tamped it down, forced himself to calm his desires so he didn’t harm her. He hadn’t harmed her, but someone else had, hadn’t they?
    “You’re going to suffer, and I want to put you out, make you sleep through it, that’s all.”
    “Before I turn vampire.”
    He tipped her chin with knuckles, grinning at her worried little frown. “Yes, before you turn.”
    She peered at him, clearly still following her own logic. “You’re nuts. I knew it.” She fell back on the bed with her hands by her head. “I give up. That’s it—I mean, life, can you fuck me over some more, please?”
    He cracked a laugh. She had such spunk. He’d not known that about her. She’d been so sweet and warm, so easy to talk to, so damn irresistible to him, but he’d not known she had such spirit. Until he’d dragged her out of the club. Then she’d tossed him with her fiery temper. He’d wanted to bend her over the cab and possess her for every male to see who she belonged to.
    “Joey, this is serious, remember? You can kick my ass later, hell, I deserve it, but right now, darlin’, you gotta let me put you under.”
    She examined his face