Red Blood (Series of Blood Book 2), Emma Hamm [little red riding hood ebook free .TXT] 📗

seen that and sent her packing the instant her shadow darkened his door.

But the past could not be changed, nor would she have wished it to. Without her experiences in the Black Market, Lyra would not have become the strong woman she was today. She likely would have been a spoiled rich brat still hating the creature inside of her.

At least she still had that going for her. Of course, none of this meant that it wasn’t still infinitely difficult to remember those black thoughts.

His knuckle curved underneath her chin. She could see nothing but darkness, and yet he was still vividly bright in her mind’s eyes. They had only met a few times. There was no logical reason why she knew what expression was on his face. But she knew.

Wolfgang’s brows would be drawn down in disapproval. Not of her, he would never disapprove of her, but of the words she had said. His lips would disappear almost entirely as he ground them together. Pale cheekbones would blush red as unknown gears turned in his head.

Cold from his hand sunk into her skin and reminded her how truly distorted this man was. No one would ever claim he was handsome. They wouldn’t claim he was even average.

He was ugly. He looked like he had just been put to rest in a coffin. He was startling, uncomfortable, uncanny, all the words that would describe someone who should likely wander the streets only at night.

And because he heard the discomfort in her voice, he tucked only a finger under her chin and banished her nightmares. Lyra sighed in pure bliss. The man was a shield between her and the rest of the world.

“Are you ready for your surprise?” he asked her.

“Is it dinner?”

“How did you guess?”

His hand slid down her neck, trailed down her arm, and tucked itself into the crook of her elbow. With the barest pressure, he guided her from their room and into the unknown.

Being blind was not something she particularly enjoyed. Sirens liked to look out into the world and see the pretty things. Mostly herself. She disliked feeling clumsy.

The third time she tripped, she paused the both of them. Frustration made her foolish. She reached for the blindfold while angrily snapping, “This is ridiculous. I’m taking this off.”

Her hand was snatched out of the air by his. Thin fingers curled around the back of her hand and tapped against her palm. “Why?”

“Because I can’t see!”

“Why is that frustrating to you?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?” She huffed out a breath. “I can’t see where I’m walking. I feel like a Giant tromping through a town. And you’re likely guiding me to my death, let’s be honest.”

Wolfgang’s chuckle made a shiver dance down her spine. He could raise the dead with just his voice sometimes. “Do you really think I’m leading you towards your grave?”

The blindfold was still on her face. He couldn’t see the glare she speared towards him, but she hoped that he could feel it. “We’re always in a grave.”

“Metaphorically, my dear. Surely you don’t think for even a moment I would dare deprive the earth of your presence?”

“I think you’d do that.”

A finger danced over the blindfold. He traced the hollows of her eyes through the soft fabric and down the slope of her delicate nose. “I may deprive the world of you, but I would always keep you for myself.”

She would never understand his fascination with her. He was intense in moments like this. Not the kind of intense her customers used to be. Wolfgang was in a league entirely of his own.

He made her body heat with pink blushes and confusing thoughts. He made her mind dance towards long nights tangled in sand and wine. He made her taste cherries.

“Cherries?” Wolfgang asked.

Apparently, she had been speaking out loud. She was grateful he couldn’t see the peaks of blush staining her cheeks. “Why do you taste of cherries?”

He cleared his throat. “I wasn’t aware you had tasted me.”

Awkward. Silence.

This time, it was Lyra who cleared her throat. “I mean, your magic. When I was drowning, you blew air into my lungs, and all I could taste was cherries.”

“Ah.” He didn’t seem to know what to say. He stuttered for a few moments before managing to cough out. “Everyone’s magic is different.”

She was going to have to save this conversation herself then. The nervous energy coming off of him was enough to make her skin crawl. “Where are we going?”

“I had hoped you would entertain the idea of dinner with me.”

“You had to blindfold me to do that?”

“Really, Lyra. Is it truly so bad to not be able to see?”

She grit her teeth. “I’m not complaining just because I like to complain.”

His hand trailed down the curve of her spine. The slow slide of a single finger was felt all the more strongly because she couldn’t see him at all. “The other senses you have at your disposal are just as strong as sight. Use them. And discover the world anew.”

Her lips parted to exhale a slow controlled breath. “I don’t know how.”

“Learn.”

She wanted to respond with a smart ass remark about him being a horrible teacher. But she understood that he was trying to tell her something. Lyra didn’t rightly understand what the point was, but there was something he wasn’t saying.

Curious now, she realized they were moving once more. She hadn’t even noticed the gentle push he had given her. She mulled over her thoughts until he placed a hand against her sternum and pushed her backwards.

Her arms pinwheeled. This was it. She really had underestimated him. He was going to kill her after all.

But it was not a lake or some magical brew she was pushed towards. A chair was beneath her. The breath whooshed out of her lungs as she none too gently slumped onto the hard wood.

“Really Wolfgang?” Lyra sputtered. “Was that necessary?”

“You haven’t learned how to trust me.”

“Have you earned that trust yet? I’m sorry, maybe you had another