Siren Song (41 page)

“
Alexandra!” Duncan’s voice broke through her raging thoughts, making her walk faster. Damn it, why did she insist on wearing shoes that made running all but impossible? On today of all days, why did she insist on making escape so difficult? And how the hell did he follow her so quickly? Obviously he must have exited the house on the ground floor, after seeing which way she fled.

“
Stupid,” Lexi chided herself, quickening her pace, practically feeling Duncan right on top of her. His hand wrapped around her upper arm and the spark of electricity nearly burned her. With a cry of alarm, she came to a stop. If he didn’t let her go she was liable to claw his eyeballs out for engaging himself to Ashley. And then kissing him until he was all better. Of course, she wasn’t sure how she would replace his eyes. And where the hell did this violent streak come from? It was not natural. In a low growl, she breathed, “Let go, Duncan.”

“
Where the hell have you been?” he asked in a quietly furious voice. He didn’t pull her to him, but he didn’t let go, either. “I have been looking everywhere for you and no one would betray your hideout.”

“
I wasn’t hiding, Duncan,” she bit out. “I kissed you goodbye; I was simply… resting.”

“
About that kiss,” he growled and her knees went week. “It doesn’t work on a wolf.”

She swallowed against the lump in her throat, “And I suppose Ashley is your mate?”

“
I tell you that I’m a wolf and you’re worried that Ashley is my mate?” he chuckled and she wanted to scream. Softly, his breath moving seductively over her ear, he whispered, "Turn around and look at me, Lexi.”

Slowly, she turned around and drank in the sight of Duncan. Up close, she could see the slight darkening under his beautiful silver eyes, the relief in those eyes. Joy mixed with confusion as she looked at him, seeing the hunger in his gaze, the wildness. She had seen the wildness before, when she had woken up with a wolf in her bed. She should have figured it out; of course he was a wolf. Of course he was. Her brows knit together as she continued to drink in the sight of him. “Do you turn into a wolf only when the moon is full?”

"When I was a teenager I could change whenever I pleased but then I shut the wolf out and could only change when the moon was full. I still had to change when the moon was full." The corners of his mouth drew up into a wide smile at the question. “Now that the wolf and I have bonded I can turn into a wolf any time I want. But Lexi….”

His eyes became tormented as he looked at her and his mouth tightened into a firm line, “I gave you up because I couldn’t bear the thought of hurting you, destroying you, and I know at some point I would have lost control and bit you.”

“
Duncan,” she tried to interrupt but he put a finger over her mouth so he could finish.

Swallowing, he vowed, “I swear on my life that I will keep you safe; if I have to chain myself up to keep the wolf from biting you I will live in chains.”

“
Duncan,” the word was muffled since his hand was still over her mouth.

His expression became fierce as he glared past her, “Before I bonded with him, the wolf acted on his own volition and claimed you as his mate. I want you to know that if you don’t wish to be mated to a wolf, to me, I will let you go.”

“
But how can the wolf be mated to me if you’re engaged to Ashley?”

The smile he gave her was dazzling, “I’m not engaged to Ashley.”

He stepped closer to her and she could feel the heat from his body washing over hers. As he moved closer, dangerously closer, as his breath fanned out over her face, filling her lungs with his scent, she whispered, “But I saw the ring.”

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a blue velvet box. With one hand, he popped it open, revealing a three-carat solitaire diamond set in a simple, platinum band. Somehow, his hand that was restraining her was around her waist and he was holding her, and she reveled in it. His voice was low, seductive, as he asked, “This ring?”

Without taking it, she focused on his molten silver eyes and not the lips she wanted to kiss. “I don’t understand; I saw the ring on Ashley’s finger.”

“
Did it never occur to you that she was engaged to someone else?” he asked with a half-smile, tightening his hold on her, wrapping his other arm around her, the box still in his hand.

“
Well, no,” she admitted, pressing her palms against his chest and feeling the steady rhythm of his heart. He was looking at her as if he was a dying man and she was his Heaven; the way she felt about him. “I can’t imagine anyone choosing someone else over you.”

“
She’s not engaged to me,” he smiled, rubbing his free hand up and down her back, and she was grateful to be in his arms once again. “Do you really think I’d ask you to marry me if I was already engaged?”

Her breath caught in her throat as the significance of the diamond in his hand began to sink in. “You’re truly asking me to marry you? But, why?”

“
Don’t you know?” he murmured, bending his head and placing a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth.

“
No?” But she did know, it was all there in his stormy eyes, in his desperate hold.

“
I love you,” he said hoarsely, sincerely and everything within Lexi ground to a halt. She had to remind herself to breath. “I love you, Lexi. From the first moment I saw you I’ve loved you. You make me want to howl at the moon and run naked in the streets, and not while I’m a wolf,” he teased, smiling down at her. Getting down on his knees, he looked up at her, “Marry me.”

Unable to have her warrior lowering himself to anyone, Lexi fell to her knees as well. Reaching up and cupping his beloved face in her hands, she had to know, “Are you only asking me because your wolf claimed me?”

“
No; the wolf made me see what was right in front of my face; I love you,” he assured her huskily, claiming her mouth with his in a searing kiss. Holding her in place with one hand, he told her without words how much he wanted her, letting his tongue caress her lips until she opened for him. Realizing he was a hair’s breadth away from losing complete control, he pulled back. Both were breathing heavily as he drew her attention back to the ring. “Marry me, Lexi; Tell me you’ll marry me.”

She hesitated, catching her lower lip between her teeth as she looked up at him through lowered lashes, her eyes sparkling mischievously. “There’s something I should tell you first.”

“
I don’t care what it is, Lexi,” he growled, framing her face in his hands and staring deeply into her eyes, showing her the wolf; showing her his soul. “I cannot exist without you.”

“
The wolf already bit me,” she said. Her hand automatically went to the long faded bite, a slight smile playing at her lips at the memory. She always smiled at the memory of that night. “I thought it was you – I mean, it
was
you – but it was the wolf and….”

He closed his eyes and after a moment he whispered roughly, “I remember. He had kept that memory back but I remember. Oh, God, that was… that had been incredible.” Swallowing thickly, his eyes opened and she was drowning in silver fire as his mouth crashed down over hers and he consumed her whole.

"Duncan," she gasped, reluctantly pulling her mouth away from his. "Does this mean I can turn into a wolf, too?"

Breathing heavily, nearly panting, his eyes glowed as he slowly nodded, "You are a wolf, Lexi; in time, you'll be able to shift but it takes practice."

"How?" her eyes sparkled with excitement and anticipation.

"You just... imagine it," he said, trying to explain something that was impossible to describe. "And simply let it happen."

Closing her eyes, she started to shimmer, feeling the cells in her body begin to boil, her skin begin to tighten. Duncan's hand was on her arm and when she opened her eyes, he had an amused smile, "Not here, my love. but I think you'll manage."

She beamed at him and he couldn't resist snatching her back into his arms and kissing her madly. The little Siren was going to be a glorious wolf. And she was his. “Marry me,” he beseeched ardently against her lips. “Goddamnit, Lexi; Marry me.”

“
Yes,” she rasped, trying to catch her breath as Duncan possessed her completely. “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.”

As he continued to kiss her, he somehow managed to pull the ring out of the box and slip it onto her left ring finger; it fit perfectly. Tossing the box over his shoulder, he wrapped his arms around her and plundered her mouth once more. “God, Lexi, I love you.”

“
I love you,” she breathed as his lips claimed her once again. Without any thought beyond the feel of being in his arms once more, she fell back against the ground, taking him with her, connected by their mouths. Duncan’s body moved over hers as his hand slid to her waist, as her hands slipped beneath his jacket. As he trailed kissed along her jaw, her throat, as tears of joy shined in her eyes, she whispered, “I love you, I love you, I love you.”

“
Alexandra!” her mother’s shocked voice interrupted their reunion. “What on earth are you doing? Duncan Tremain? What have you done to my daughter?”

Duncan lifted his head, still a bit foggy from kissing Lexi, and he looked at the woman standing over them, at her equally astonished husband; at three gorgeous Sirens and their equally handsome spouses, the three Rudnar sons and their partners; at various children; at his oldest brother Philip, at Philip’s wife Stacey; at Ashley and Dima and Cole. With a low growl, he stood up and helped Lexi to her feet, keeping a tight hold around her waist. Glaring at his brother, he asked evenly, “Was it necessary to invite the whole party to our engagement?”

“
You’re… engaged?” Charisma asked, her expression bewildered as she looked at her youngest daughter. “Is he The One?”

Lexi closed her eyes and nodded, “I thought I was being selfless and I kissed him good-bye.”

Her mom and sisters all gasped but Duncan’s tightened his hold on her shoulders, pulling her closer to his hard body until his scent, the wild woods smell stronger now that he had fully bonded with his wolf washed over her. “But I love her and it didn’t work.”

Penelope squealed, stepping forward and embracing her sister, “I am so happy for you! I knew you were destined for great happiness, Lexi; I simply knew it!! When are you getting married? What about kids? Are you planning on starting a family right away or….”

“
Penny, dear,” her husband said, gently wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her away from the newly engaged couple. “Let’s give them some space to breathe.”

Lexi smiled and then her gaze landed on Ashley and Dima and her smile widened. Without a word, the pair stepped forward and while Ashley and Lexi hugged, Dima and Duncan shook hands. Then Dima turned to Lexi with a sheepish smile and took her into his arms. Softly, he murmured, “So, I guess this means you’ll be an Alpha female.”

Astonished, Lexi drew her head back and looked at her best friend, truly looked at him; he was a wolf, “What?”

“
About that,” Duncan said uncomfortably, wrapping his arm around Lexi and pulling her back to his side. The possessive, dominant streak was oddly arousing. “I’m the Alpha of the pack that manages
The Black Wolf;
I hope that won’t be a problem.”

She chuckled and shook her head, too overwhelmed to speak;
The Black Wolf
, it made so much sense. As everyone continued to talk animatedly around her, Lexi exchanged a troubled look with Thea, who looked miserable and resigned. As Thea glanced at her husband, Lexi knew that Thea wasn’t going to let him go. Shaking her head in sorrow for her sister, for Richard, she knew there was nothing she could do but hope; Thea would have to make that choice.

Finally, her gaze went to Cole, whose highlights were now lime green. He wore a powder blue tuxedo and he was so comfortable in his skin that he made the look work. His eyes sparkled as he stepped forward and took her into his arms. “I love you, Lexi. I wish you all of the happiness in the world, my sweet.”

“
Thank you,” she choked out, tears welling in her eyes. “I wish the same for you.”

Stepping back, she took Duncan’s hand in her own and smiled at him, her eyes teary with an onslaught of emotion, “Are you sure you still want to marry me?”

“
You’re the love of my life, Lexi Darling-Alexandra Rudnar,” Duncan said, his voice warm with love and affection. “My life will be a barren wasteland without you in it; you damn well better believe I want to marry you.”

She smiled at the unmistakable shimmer of love in his eyes. Duncan Tremain was going to be her husband. A huge bubble of joy exploded in her body and she laughed, wrapping her arms around him and hugging him with all of the love in her heart and soul. “I love you, Duncan.”