Page 73 of Dark Embrace

Brie felt her brows soar. “Does this mean you’re immortal?”

“I have no idea,” Allie said happily. Then she sobered, and her dark gaze was scrutinizing. “You look really good, actually. You seem to be in one piece, and you finally ditched those horrible eyeglasses. The pince-nez is sort of cute.”

Brie hesitated, thinking about everything that had happened in the past few days. If she looked okay, it was a miracle—or was it?

“Has Aidan hurt you?” Allie demanded, unsmiling. “Because you don’t look hurt or feel hurt, not at all, but you are distressed.”

“No,” Brie said, shaking her head emphatically. “He would never hurt me. His bark is really loud, but he has no bite.”

“Really?” Allie’s eyes were wide.

“And he can deny it, but we’re friends.” Brie smiled grimly at her.

Allie stared. “Brie, he has no friends.”

“He has me. He needs me. Allie, he is in so much pain.”

Brie knew she was giving her feelings away and she blushed. But surely Allie would be supportive of her. They’d always been supportive of each other. Allie seized her hand.

“It’s really easy to fall for these hunks,” she said softly. “And Aidan is one of the most beautiful men on this planet. He has tons of experience, too. He was the most eligible bachelor of medieval times. I mean, he outdid all the modern playboys I ever knew combined before he fell. Now, of course, he uses enchantment, not seduction. Has he enchanted you?”

“No. Allie, he isn’t evil.”

Allie’s gaze was searching. “Everyone says he takes power pretty much all the time.”

“He leaves his lovers alive.”

“Good. I was hoping so.”

Brie clasped her hands. “I need you on our side,” she whispered. “Desperately.”

“You’ve fallen in love with him.” It wasn’t quite an accusation.

Brie closed her eyes and nodded. “I didn’t mean to. But that day you brought him to Tabby and Sam’s loft, I sort of had an instant crush. And since I came back here, it’s sort of escalated.”

Allie stared. “Are you sleeping with him?”

Brie flushed. “Not exactly.”

“What does that mean?”

Brie became uncomfortable. “I’m okay. I can handle this.”

“You have no experience with men! You are grist for his mill. The one thing I do know is he uses women all the time. I will kill him if he hurts you. You shouldn’t sleep with him.”

Brie thought of how wild Allie had been in New York and she started to smile. Allie instantly knew, appearing sheepish. “My sex drive has always been out of control. You’re not like that.”

If only she knew, Brie thought. “He hasn’t used me…he respects me.”

Allie choked. “Brie, I beg your pardon?”

“So much has happened,” Brie told her. “Since he rescued me from the gang in New York and brought me back here, we have been through hell. He was so angry at first, so dark, so frightening…but he isn’t frightening now. Allie, I almost died yesterday. He healed me.” Allie cried out in surprise. “I believe in him! He has protected me time and again, instead of hurting me. I am going to redeem him.”

Allie took her hand, and they both sat down. “You and Aidan,” she said. “I would never have thought, not in a million years. I would have paired him with Sam.”

“He’s not my soul mate,” Brie said quickly. “He’s just my friend.”

“Aidan hasn’t protected Innocence since his child was murdered,” Allie said. “But he healed you? Are you sure it wasn’t a god?”