Dark Desire. Christine Feehan. Dark Series – book 2

Get away! The words were so sharp and clear, Shea scrambled away, lost her footing, and fell across a fallen log. Jacques was furious, and his rage was a hideous thing. He dropped like a silent phantom out of the sky to reach her before Rand could. His fingers closed around her arm, possessive and unyielding. As he helped her to her feet, he thrust her body behind his and faced her father.

“What are doing, Rand?” he snapped. His voice was low and ominous.

Rand smiled gently, calmly. “And do you now kill me, too? You are a bloodthirsty one, are you not? You claim I am her father, yet you are eager to slay me.” He looked directly into Shea’s eyes. “Does this make sense?” His voice was low and sad. “That he might want to destroy your father?”

“You are deliberately trying to confuse her.” Jacques’ face, worn and lined, was hardened with anger. Shea found herself studying its every beloved detail. All at once she didn’t think Rand quite so handsome. There seemed something sinister about his perfect good looks and his thin-lipped smile. Rand seemed without emotion, almost lifeless, his sorrow unreal, while Jacques’ powerful form was trembling with volcanic emotion. His mind was a red haze of swirling anger and fear that he might lose her, that he had inadvertently placed her in danger. The rage was toward Rand that he would betray his own daughter.

Rand sighed softly and shook his head. “How easily you allow yourself to be tricked by this dark vampire. Your own neck holds the answers you seek. The wounds there are torn and ragged. Who but a vampire feeds so carelessly? Does a loving lifemate abuse his woman in this manner? When he killed this morning, using your innocence and your very mind and soul to aid him, was he not feeling joy? When you begged him to stop, did he not continue? And when he came to you with blood on his hands, could you not see the dark desire and hunger in his mind, in his eyes, in his body? Could you not see the dark compulsion of the kill? Vampires are very clever, my dear, and you have fallen under his spell.”

Jacques regarded the older man with black, empty eyes. “Do you challenge me?”

Shea gasped. Jacques and her father? She pressed both hands to her head. She couldn’t stand this confrontation, being fought over like some dog’s bone. She didn’t even know what was true and what wasn’t anymore.

Yes, you do, little red hair. He is attempting to bewitch you. He thought me occupied with Byron. He thought he could lure you from the safety of our people. He will not accept a fair challenge. Jacques attempted to reassure her. She was fighting to stay calm, but Shea had suffered far too much trauma in the last few days. Jacques was certain Rand had not only planned for that but also counted on it to sway her.

Rand’s smile was calm. “I would not wish to cause Maggie any further grief. But be warned, dark one, you would be hunted and destroyed if Mikhail were not your brother. You have deceived and hurt this woman I love, and I will not allow you to get away with it. But I would not be the cause of her further distress.”

Jacques bared his fangs. “I was certain you would say something of that nature. You prefer to do your dirty work through trickery.”

Rand raised an eyebrow. “Listen to him, my dear. Next he will be accusing me of associating with the human murderers. Are you going to say I tried to kill Byron? What about Noelle? Perhaps I was responsible for what happened to you and my own son, too. You are the vampire, Jacques, and you are powerful enough to deceive one such as Gregori. I would be a fool to fight you when you are holding Maggie hostage.”

Shea clutched at the back of Jacques’ shirt. “Rand, you’re wrong about him. I look like Maggie, but I’m your daughter. And I would know if he was truly a vampire.”

Rand looked at her with sad eyes. “How many times have you asked yourself what he is? Did you not feel his joy in the kill? He wanted it, welcomed it, and he fed voraciously. You cannot deny this is so. Who better than Jacques to set this entire thing up? Noelle was his sister, and he adored her. He led the others away from you and from his brother’s woman. He killed the humans because they could identify him.” He bowed his head tiredly. “I cannot convince you, I know this, but in time you will see that I am right. Tell me, Maggie, did you not see me differently when he arrived? Perhaps more like a villain? I wonder who projected that image to you? I doubt that I would have done so myself.”