Hot for the Holidays Read Online Free Page B

mind.
    “Have it all figured out, don’t you?” she whispered as she stared back at him. “Whether I want this or not, it’s going to happen?”
    He breathed in slowly, deeply. “You’re my mate, Jessica. We both know what that means. I’ve tried to stay away from you. I’ve tried to wait until the time was right to court you, to give you a chance to accept what it means.”
    “Time?” She gave a hard, bitter laugh. “I was jailed, Hawke. You didn’t even visit. I’ve rarely seen you since my release. Perhaps you need to figure out exactly what it means to court a woman before you decide to do it.”
    His jaw tightened, the muscle bunching almost violently as she watched him clench his teeth.
    “I would have given us more time.” He seemed to push the words past his throat. “Before I began to court you, I wanted to ensure your protection, your safety. And your freedom.” He bit the last word out almost angrily. “I wanted you to choose me. I didn’t want to force the heat.”
    “And that’s changed. Why?” She almost softened at the words, at the need she could see in his eyes and the fact that, unlike the circumstances of other mates, hers had tried to give her a choice, a chance to turn her back on it if it wasn’t what she wanted.
    “Because I can’t find the man that’s been shadowing you since your release,” he revealed.
    Jessica froze at the statement.
    “What do you mean, shadowing me? How can anyone but a Breed shadow me, Hawke? Especially here in Haven?”
    He glanced away for a long second, his lips tightening, before turning his gaze back to her. “Certain factions of the pure blood societies have found a drug that can disguise individual scent for a short period of time. Since your release, we’ve seen signs of a stalker. We can scent his weapons, the fact that he’s male, and his intent to kill. He’s managing to slip inside Haven and get past our security using this drug. And he’s after you.”
    Fear knotted in her stomach. Turning away from him, she pushed her fingers through her unbound hair before pacing to the window and staring out into the snow that seemed to fall harder now, faster.
    “To kill me,” she stated softly. “Because I was able to save the mates that they would have killed during that attack.”
    The attack for which she had given vital information that aided in it’s coordination.
    “That’s what we’ve learned,” he said softly. “Your father had given the orders before his death that once you were released, you were to be killed.”
    “I betrayed him.” She smiled bitterly as she turned back to him. “Father never looked kindly on someone who turned his back on what he wanted.”
    “There are still several key members who weren’t identified before your release. Most of the members of that group were at the party where the Breeds were attacked, but certain players weren’t there. We’ve been trying to learn their identities, but so far we haven’t managed to do so.”
    Jessica nodded slowly. The Breeds had brought pictures to her just before her release, asking her to identify men that she knew her father associated with. She had been asked to name anyone who hadn’t been in those pictures. The Breeds had been thorough. She recognized all of her father’s friends in those pictures, as well as a few that she hadn’t known.
    “What does all this have to do with mating heat?” She glanced at the bottles of pills again.
    “You’re my mate.” His voice was suddenly guttural, a primal growl that had every nerve ending in her body suddenly violently sensitive and aware of the man standing in front of her. “I’ve waited fifteen months, Jessica. I wanted to court you. I wanted this to be your choice, to be what you needed, not just what I ached for. But the danger is escalating now, and I refuse to take chances with your life.” His fists clenched at his sides as his eyes seemed to glow with hunger. “I won’t let you die. I won’t