Darcy Branwyn

Tangled Moon:

…“I don’t dare leave you out here alone.”

She looked around the quiet parking lot. “But there’s no one here, and we’ve driven for two hours.”

“I can’t take that chance.”

“No way you’re going to lose your bargaining chip, huh?” She unbuckled her seatbelt and got out, the pavement freezing against her bare feet. She rubbed her arms.

He grabbed a bag out of the back then came around the car so quickly she hardly saw him. Next thing she knew he’d swept her into his arms.

“Not this again. Put me down.” She pressed against his chest, remembering how she’d gotten into those arms the first time, feeling absurd now that she was there again. She looked at his face, too close to hers. Dangerously close, honey eyes studied her as if he really could read her mind.

“What?” she said, realizing she was panting, wishing she could stop.

“Nothing.” His expression, usually so easy to read, closed itself to her. “Sleep,” he said, trying to use mind control.

She yawned then forced herself back out of it. “No.”

She watched his jaw work in frustration.

“Must be tough not getting your way all the time,” she said.

“You need to pretend to have been sleeping in the car, or this will get uncomfortable for you when the innkeeper asks questions.”

“Front desk,” she corrected.

“What?”

“Not innkeeper.”

“Can you?” he asked, now softly. “Can you pretend?”

“Pretend what?” But she knew exactly what he was talking about. And it was making her feel transparent. Which was making her angry. “I thought you couldn’t read my mind.”

“I do not have to for this. I can see you, hear you, and I can smell you.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Your pheromones.”

“Mine? But you’re the one with the raging hormones.”

She earned herself another sidelong glance from him for that.

He sighed. “I can help you if you would only let yourself go. I can make you sleep, just for a few minutes.”

“No.”

 “Then use your self-control. Since it’s so strong, then you can do this. Close your eyes and still your breathing. This will look more natural to the mortals if you pretend to be asleep.”

“Fine. I’m sleeping.” She leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. Then she forced herself to relax, or at least to go limp. It wasn’t perfect but as long as no one looked too closely they would be okay. 

“Cover your neck with your hair.”

She draped her hair over his fang marks then made her muscles go lax, knowing how she must have looked, her limp in the monster’s arms, his marks now hidden on her throat, and her blonde hair flowing across her shoulder. She wanted to laugh. What she did however, was play her part…