Read NocC 026 - Lauren Hawkeye - The Darkling's Desire - Harlequin 2012-11 for Free Online Page A

instincts screaming at her to get
to the fallen blade. As an Amazon she was never helpless, but she did not want
to face the deadly woman before her empty-handed.
    “Thanks to that soulless vermin, Natalia died giving birth to
this Halfling. Surely you have noticed that she is more than human. Her
heartbeat, so slow. Her strength, more than a human possesses. I need
Anastasia’s full powers to be awakened, and you are going to do it for me.” And
there was yet another blow.
    She was what? What on earth was a Halfling? She had never heard
of it before, she was certain. Even as her memory flipped rapidly through the
pages of her ancient history texts, the ones she had been made to memorize as a
part of her training, the word somehow made sense, a title to put on the
definition of herself that she had held throughout her life.
    Hadn’t she always been a little bit stronger, a little bit
faster? Enough that she hadn’t always paid attention to her training when she
was supposed to?
    As she saw the deadly intent in Petra’s eyes, she saw now that
having breezed through those years, having not learned all that she could, was
maybe not a good thing.
    The light shining in her mentor’s gray eyes was crazed, and
Anastasia felt something sick snake through her gut.
    Why had Petra waited for so long? Why hadn’t she done as she
wished with Anastasia over the long years in which they had trained
together?
    It had to have something to do with Jasper.
    “Why…what do you want, Petra?” Even as Anastasia spoke, she
knew. Petra wanted Anastasia, who apparently had inherited some kind of powers
from her Darkling father.
    One Halfling would be no use for anything except maybe as a
super-Amazon, to conduct the Carpathians’ missions better and faster.
    Many Halflings, however…well, that would be something else
entirely. How could more Halflings be made?
    “What do you need more Halflings for, Petra?” Beside her Jasper
stood, tense but outwardly calm. She felt better, having him at her side, even
though her hands were fisted so tightly that her veins swelled out of her
skin.
    She felt…she didn’t know what, exactly, she felt for him. But
it was strong, and it was true. She knew, somehow, that she trusted him, cared
for him, more than anything or anyone else in her life.
    Still, the nerves were there. She was a warrior, she reminded
herself. She would be fine, even without him.
    But having him there was infinitely better.
    “The Carpathian Amazons are a proud race. We are ancient, noble
women. We should rule the supernatural world.” Petra lifted her chin as she
spoke, her eyes glinting feverishly. “Instead, what do we do? We serve the very
beasts that killed my sister. The beasts that kill so many humans, even Amazons,
their sworn allies, if the hunger strikes.”
    Anastasia swallowed, hard, and opened her mouth to speak, but
Petra continued with barely a pause.
    “Natalia was more than an Amazon—she had a sixth sense. Some
things from the future were shown to her. She knew that her daughter would one
day meet the Darkling who could awaken her full powers—the only vampire who
could. That vampire would be a soldier, and her daughter—my niece—would throw
her life away for love of this creature.” Petra bit her lip, and Anastasia saw
tears that glittered like ice in the other woman’s eyes. “I knew then that I had
to change part of that prophecy. I needed your powers to do it. But an Amazon of
my blood will never love a Darkling. No, my blood will help me rid the world of
them instead.”
    Anastasia choked on the words that leapt into her throat, a
jumble of everything that she wanted to say. Petra’s words had so many thoughts
racing through her mind—questions about her mother, understanding of the
strength of her feelings for Jasper, sickness at her aunt’s betrayal. Before
Jasper or Petra could speak again, the thoughts bubbled over, her voice dripping
from her lips like acid.
    “Our purpose is ancient