Marker of Hope Read Free Page A

“think again.”
    “You and I— we —made a pact. A deal is a
deal.”
    “Yeah, well, I changed my mind.”
    “You should’ve given it more thought before
you agreed to my terms.” He ran a finger along my arm, and I
stepped away from him.
    “I have thought it over. The deal’s
off,” I told him. “I might still be human, but you had nothing to
do with it.”
    Eros sniggered. “I wish it were so
simple.”
    “Meaning?”
    “Meaning it doesn’t matter if either one of
us want to break the deal. You have to follow through unless… You
wouldn’t want to lose what you most love, would you?”
    “What ? You jerk. You planned this so
well. I can’t believe you would use your power to—”
    “I didn’t. The accord you made with me binds
you. It’s not something I can revoke. It must be followed through
until the end, otherwise…”
    “I lose what I most love,” I said. Eros
nodded once. “Which is what?”
    “Not what, but who.” He jerked his chin in
the direction of the front door. “Her memories will be taken. She
won’t remember you.” He paused. “She’ll lose her mind.”
    “But… Shouldn’t I be the one punished for
breach of contract?”
    “You don’t think it punishment enough?”
    “I do. I just… I don’t understand what my
mother has to do with it. It’s not fair.”
    “These agreements never are.” He reached for
my face. “I’m sorry.”
    “You’re sorry.” I pushed him away. “You’re sorry ? Well, that sure makes it all better.” I frowned. “Why
didn’t you tell me about the clauses in this stupid agreement to
begin with?”
    “I wasn’t thinking. I…” Eros rubbed the back
of his neck. “I forgot the clause existed.”
    How convenient.
    I glared at him. I didn’t know if I wanted to
bash his head in or smack it for being such a dimwit. “How does one
forget, Eros?” I growled. “How could you not remember what was at
stake?” I waited for a response. “ Answer me .”
    He pushed me against the wall, my arms pinned
against his chest, his hands on either side of my face. I could
feel the beating of our hearts synced to the same rhythm—hard and
manic.
    “Because it’s what you do to me. Especially
when your temper takes over.” One of his thumbs stroked my jaw. “I
can’t reason when I’m around you.” He leaned in, his gray eyes
looking straight into me. “Why did you run from me?” He glanced at
my lips. “I’ve missed you, my sweet.”
    And all of sudden, there it was. The
electricity between us that made my blood boil and pump through my
cells like molten lava, claiming my better judgment. My eyes
closed. I felt his lips press against mine. I gripped his shirt
with one hand and moved the other up over his chest and to his
shoulder. Then, stopping for a moment at the pulse on his neck, I
reached for his head and sifted my fingers through his blond, silky
hair. I pulled him harder against me. I was shaking, invigorated by
the taste of his lips. I heard a groan escape his throat. He tried
to pry my hands off his head, but I fought to keep his lips pressed
against mine. They were sweeter and more sating than I remembered.
I was swimming in a sea of succulence I didn’t know existed. I
wanted more, so much more, of this.
    Suddenly, I felt a savage yank on the hair on
my nape. The pain made me whimper. I withdrew my grip on Eros.
Clutching my face with one hand, he pushed my head against the
wall, his face centimeters from mine.
    “I don’t mind you being rough with me.” He
panted. “As a matter of fact, I rather enjoy it. But using me to
snack on is off limits. I’m not a steakhouse. Do you
understand?”
    “Huh?” I was confused.
    “You bit me.” He stepped back and wiped his
bottom lip with the back of a fisted hand. “Several times.” He
showed me the blood smeared on his knuckles.
    I studied the bright red teeth marks and open
slits on his swollen lip. I’d let myself slip. I’d bitten him,
tasted his blood. And I liked