He paused. Whether he was waiting for a response or just gathering his memories, she couldn't have said. To be on the safe side, she nodded.
“One day, a messenger arrived at the monastery. He was just a young lad and deathly tired, as well as hysterical. It took several tries for him to get the full story out, but when he did, it ripped my heart out.” He tapped his chest; his eyes stark with pain. “The entire village, including my family and staff, had been massacred. I immediately rode out and traveled all night, hoping and praying that somehow the boy was mistaken. When I arrived, though, there was nothing left. Nearly everything had been burned down, leaving the air smelling of sulfur and burnt flesh.”
Shayne sighed, with a sad smile on his perfect lips. “At the time, I didn’t know what the sulfur smell meant. Although I had lived and breathed Christianity, I believed demons were something that only lived in Hell. In the years that have passed, though, I’ve learned my lesson well.” He let out a short, bitter laugh. “Only too well.”
“What happened then?” Anna asked, gently. Even after all those years, the memories still tore him up. She could understand his grief and pain. Both of them had lost their families because of demons.
“Naturally, I was declared heir of the land and the remains, but I had no desire to stay. Something died inside of me that day, and I was half insane with grief and rage. Nobody could tell me who had done that to my family, so there was no outlet for the blood lust that raged inside of me. In the end, I provided for the lad who had lost his own family, and then I left the area for good. The years passed as I wandered from one place to the next, drinking and whoring my time away. One night, once again my life was changed, only this time it would be forever.”
He tilted the glass of wine he placed at his lips and completely finished it. “In 1470, I found myself in London. As usual, I was as drunk as could be, with no consideration for my future. I’d found a place to drink and a pretty maid to tup, and I was satisfied with that. A group of sailors came across me as I made my way back to the room I had rented. Their intentions were to shanghai me, and they very nearly had me. There were five of them and one of me, and I found myself on the losing end pretty quickly. Just when I believed it was over, a man walked out of the shadows of the night. He saved my life, in more ways than one. Onafiel gave me the choice to continue on the way I was or to become immortal and fight evil for an eternity. He was the one to finally explain what had happened to my family. Once he did, there was really no choice. I wanted them vindicated, and becoming an endurer was the only way I could do it. I owe a lot to Onafiel. Because of him, I finally had answers, and I was eventually able to find the closure I needed. The rest, as they say, is history.”
“Who is Onafiel?” she cautiously asked Shayne. She'd learned there were things he would tell and things he wouldn't. She didn't want to push him, not when he wasn't willing to be pushed.
He shook his head, a small smile playing about his lips. “Another time, pet.”
“Well, thank you for sharing that with me. I know it had to be difficult.” She wondered what it would take for her to find the closure he so clearly had. There in that moment, she still felt pretty raw.
He grimaced and changed the subject. “I feel like I've let you down, Anna. I should have taken better care of you. I’m an endurer. That’s what I do. I’ve never failed so miserably before. I’m genuinely sorry about the concussion.”
“It’s not your fault,” she corrected him. “I appreciate what you’ve done for me.” She couldn’t stop the blush that ran across her cheeks. She thought back to their last night in Alaska. Some people would say she’d already shown her appreciation.
“Listen, Anna. I just want to say I’m sorry about the other night at the hotel.”
Anna felt her face paling. Shayne glanced at her, muttered a curse, and quickly corrected himself. “I’m not sorry that it happened, just sorry about how it ended. I wanted more, much more.”
His voice changed, becoming more seductive. “You’re in my blood and in my head, and I can’t get you out of either one. I want to feel your body pressed against mine and hear you moaning my name as I claim you.”
Shayne stood up and gently pulled her to him. With a finger beneath her chin, he tilted her head and then took control of her lips. Her knees almost buckled as he masterfully kissed her, igniting a fire deep inside her body.
Her hands slid up his broad chest, feeling the heat of his body through his shirt. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling his mouth closer to hers. His body was hard and powerful, making her feel completely feminine and desirable, as only he could.
Shayne wrapped his arms around her and lifted her, aligning her mouth with his. She couldn’t have stopped kissing him if her life depended on it. With a growl, he carried her over to
