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.His mate was being evil once again.Rhys s anger escalated to a new height as he disseminated,reappearing in a small dwelling that was bathed in darkness.He wasThe Dark Side of Love 59shocked at how small the place was.Humans lived in these smallboxes? He brushed the thought aside as he searched the tiny dwelling,finding his mate laid out on the floor in a room that held a bed and asmall table.Nathaniel s eyes were closed, his breathing shallow, andhis heart rate was slower than a human s should be.Rhys knelt beside his mate, sniffing at his skin, his lip curlingback at the offensive odor.Nathaniel s blood smelled noxious.Rhyswas so hungry that he considered finding another human to drinkfrom, but having Nathaniel so close was fogging his mind.Until heate, he wouldn t be able to think clearly.He had gone too longwithout feeding properly because of his sleep.If Rhys didn t getenough sustenance into his body, he would think like an animal, beingdriven by instincts alone.Everything had changed, from what Christian had relayed, andRhys knew that finding a donor wasn t going to be as easy as the daysof old.Humans no longer knew that vampires existed.It was onlyspeculated now.Rhys knew this from Nathaniel s blood memories.Humans portrayed vampires in a romantic light in things called films,and even in books.What fools.Vampires were lethal creatures that used humans to sate theirthirst and do their bidding.There was nothing romantic about thatconcept.Rhys understood humans two thousand years ago.He wasn tso sure he would understand them now.Rhys lifted Nathaniel s head, bending over to sniff at his nose andlips.He could smell where the drugs entered his mate s body.Whatever Nathaniel used, he had inhaled it through his nose.Rhys felt disgusted as he laid his mate s head back onto the floor.He looked around, using Nathaniel s memories through his blood hehad ingested to find what humans referred to as paraphernalia.Rhys sfingers traced over the items on the floor, lying so close to his mate,letting Rhys know exactly what Nathaniel had done.60 Lynn Hagen Why? Rhys asked through gritted teeth. Why have you givenin to the dark side of this? Why have you tainted not only your body,but your blood?Nathaniel s eyelids fluttered.Rhys could see the brown irises asNathaniel slowly opened his eyes.His pupils were restricted, almostnonexistent.Rhys curled his hands into fists, stopping the urge to slayhis mate.Evil was evil, no matter what form it appeared in.But Nathanielwas his mate.The two emotions warred inside of him as Rhys movedfurther away from Nathaniel, backing into the wall and then sitting ashe stared at what Nathaniel had done to himself.Rhys had never stopped to consider a life when he had killedbefore.The only thing that had mattered to him was that the personwas wicked.What else was there to consider?Evil people had to be stopped.But he couldn t slaughterNathaniel, no matter what he believed in.Self-preservation was astrong mechanism that all living organisms held, and the bondpreternatural creatures felt when they have found their mate was justas strong.No, Rhys could not kill Nathaniel, but he could make surethis never happened again.Rhys picked Nathaniel up from the floor, taking his mate into theroom with running water.He turned the knobs in the stall and steppedunder the spray.Nathaniel groaned, but didn t open his eyes.Rhys ranhis hand over Nathaniel s hair, letting the water soak his mate s skin. Wake, Nathaniel.Nathaniel groaned and opened his eyes, staring up at Rhys withthose brown beauties. I m sorry, his mate whispered as he began toshiver.Rhys wasn t sure if it was the cold sting of the spray, or thedrugs his mate had taken into his body. Why? He had to know the answer.Nathaniel curled into a ball in Rhys s arms, shivering. I couldn tsay no.I couldn t resist.You re right.I m evil.The Dark Side of Love 61 No, Rhys said as he sat down inside the stall, letting the spraywash over both of them as he cradled Nathaniel in his arms.Nathanielbegan to softly cry as he shook.Rhys rocked his mate, wishingNathaniel was stronger, but not faulting him for his weakness. I willbe strong for the both of us. Why do you want me, Rhys? Nathaniel asked as he glanced upat Rhys. Look at me.How could you want someone like me? I mbroken, pitiful.Why would somebody as strong as you want someonelike me?Rhys stared into Nathaniel s eyes, seeing a future he hoped hecould have.Nathaniel was fragile, delicate, but strong, far strongerthan even he could imagine.Why couldn t the man see how strong hetruly was? Nathaniel could beat this evil drug.He kissed the side of his mate s face and then laid his chin onNathaniel s head.Rhys rocked Nathaniel as his mate cried.He feltpowerless to help the man.After Nathaniel s tears had dwindled down, Rhys rose from thestall and stepped out.He carried Nathaniel back into his bedroom andlaid him on his bed. I want you because you may not be perfect, butyou are mine.Nathaniel turned his head away, but not before Rhys saw theshame in Nathaniel s eyes.He sat on the floor by the closet oncemore, wondering again what to do with his mate.Nathaniel didn twant this sickness, but Rhys was clueless on how to save the man hewas growing to love.And he was growing to love Nathaniel in such a short period oftime.Rhys wasn t sure if it was because he never had anyone to callhis own, or if it was the helplessness he saw in his mate.Whatever thereason, he knew he couldn t abandon Nathaniel.He would help hismate get through this and make sure it never happened again.Nathaniel had so much potential that it hurt Rhys s heart to seehim like this.The man was so much more than he was giving himselfcredit for.62 Lynn Hagen You would spare him? Ceri s voice whispered to Rhys beforehis brother appeared in the doorway. He reeks of immoral decay, andyou sit on your ass and wonder what to do? He is my mate, Ceri, Rhys whispered as he looked up at histwin, seeing the judgment and punishment already forming in Ceri scold blue eyes. I cannot slay him. His voice was unsteady, wobblyeven.Rhys cursed himself for his weakness, but he just couldn t killhis mate.He could not raise his hand to Nathaniel. Then I shall render judgment upon him, Ceri said as he grabbedNathaniel from the bed, his calm exterior cracking around the edgesto show Rhys why they were hunted once upon a time.Humans mayhave done their bidding thousands of years ago, but there were alsohumans who feared them so much that they killed a vampire on sight.Looking at Ceri now, with Nathaniel in his grasp, reminded Rhys whothey truly were.Rhys rolled from the floor, standing in front of his twin as hereached for Nathaniel. You swore to me that you wouldn t hurt him. I did, Ceri admitted. But he has infected himself once more,Rhys.He has to be stopped.He has to be punished. Ceri s voice wasstone solid as he bit into Nathaniel s neck before throwing him acrossthe room.Rhys heard a snap and feared that his twin had killed hismate.Rhys backhanded Ceri so hard that his twin slammed into thewall, leaving behind a large hole as Ceri fell to Nathaniel s bed. You would harm me for that human? Ceri asked as he wiped theblood from his lips. You would defend one who has proven himselfevil? I would defend my mate, Rhys answered as he knelt next toNathaniel. I would kill you, Ceri, to keep Nathaniel from harm.Rhys bent, lapping at the blood seeping from the neck wound.Theblood was bitter on his tongue from the drugs, but it was still food.Rhys battled a war in his body not to drink from Nathaniel [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]