OnsetofDanger Read Online Free Page A

Everyone knew his face and the story
of his conception. Lady Mara had been raped by a Levari and Desmond resulted
from the brutality.
    It was extremely rare for a child to be born to parents from
different strains. When Lady Mara realized she was one of the few, everyone
encouraged her to end the pregnancy. But Mara was horrified by the idea of
ending the life of an innocent babe. It was not the child’s fault that his
father was a monster.
    Then Desmond was born with his father’s dark eyes and pale
hair, so he became a continual reminder of the horror Mara had endured. Even
more surprising, he’d inherited both Strigo and Levari symbionts, something the
experts hadn’t believed possible.
    The cruelty that followed was too abhorrent to comprehend.
High King Alta insisted on “cleansing” Desmond of his Strigo symbionts. It was
unthinkable that a rapist’s son might maintain any claim to the throne, so Alta
ordered continual blood transfusions and targeted viral injections until
Desmond’s Strigo symbionts were purged or at least neutralized.
    The excruciating treatments began when Desmond was three and
continued into adulthood. In the end the doctors hadn’t been able to rid his
body of all traces of Strigo strain, but they had successfully created a sort
of hibernation.
    Twenty-three years of incarceration and degradation left
Desmond physically ravaged and nearly insane. But he’d survived. He joined the
military, determined to rebuild his strength and hone his skills to lethal
efficiency. Year after year his bitterness grew, along with his determination
to have revenge. He became a member of the Felean Marton ,the
most elite fighting force on Strigoia Prime. He’d been consumed by hatred and
resentment, until he met Caresse.
    Caresse changed Desmond, allowed him to channel his burning
resentment into protective passion. She loved him unconditionally and soothed
his ravaged soul with her body and her gentleness. They were two lost souls who
finally found a home, yet their home didn’t want them.
    Though Caresse was blissful with Desmond, she was miserable
on Strigoia Prime. Everywhere they turned there were reminders of the people
who had hurt them and the horrors they’d endured. They couldn’t escape their
past unless they escaped the planet, so Desmond set out to do just that. He
swallowed his pride and accepted Prince Alexi’s offer to transport him and
Caresse to Earth. Alexi, the only member of the royal family who had ever shown
Desmond anything resembling kindness, made them promise to disappear, have no
contact with the other hosts and find an isolated haven where they could live
out their lives in peace.
    They’d had every intention of keeping that promise until the
spaceship neared its destination. Somehow the Levari Brethren networked their
collective power and took control of the Levari hosts on the ship. They used
Desmond, Caresse and three others like puppets. They’d been aware but
completely under the control of the Levari Brethren.
    Alexi and his crew hadn’t given up without a fight and a
devastating crash resulted. The collision nearly claimed both Desmond and
Caresse. They had been so weak from loss of blood they’d lost contact with the
Levari Brethren. Unfortunately the freedom had been temporary. As soon as they
fed and regained their strength, the Brethren sank their metaphysical talons
into the couple again.
    “Do you want this or not?” The guard’s harsh tone snapped
Caresse out of the past.
    “Of course I want this.”
    “Then get a move on.” He gave her a little shove.
    The safe house was one of many scattered in the mountains of
Montana. Completely surrounded by trees, the small log cabin appeared isolated
yet charming. Fragrant smoke curled into the brisk afternoon air, channeled
through a stone chimney, and a dilapidated rocking chair sat at one end of the
railed front porch.
    She followed her escort onto the porch. He nodded to the
host standing guard beside the