Page 33 of Marked By Moonlight

Gordon beamed. “So, you’ll do it?”

I thought it over a few seconds more, then nodded. An overnight trip to London was just what I needed after the week I’d had.

“I would love to.”

Chapter Eight

MARIUS

My heart hammered as I stood in the shadows at the top of the metro stairs, watching the platform on the opposite side of the tracks. A glance at my watch said nine twenty-five. I’d warned Mina not to come early, but that was like telling Henrik not to drink blood. It went against her nature.

She must have sensed the gravity of the situation, though, because so far, she’d actually done as instructed. Or, crap. Had she decided not to come at all?

She’ll come,my dragon side assured me.

I half hoped she wouldn’t, because this was all about parting ways.

A wisp of smoke escaped my nostrils as my dragon rumbled,Never.

A fiftysomething lady wrinkled her nose as she passed me, muttering something about no smoking on the platforms, even up here on the elevated tracks.

Not smoking, lady,my dragon growled inside.Just pining for my mate.

I’d spent weeks denying that obvious fact, then made the mistake of embracing it for a while. Eventually, reality had come along and smacked me in the head, forcing me to Plan C. I could love my mate as much as I wanted, but for her own safety, I had to stay away. Far away. Forever.

More rumbling, more wisps of smoke, more dirty looks from the lady. Luckily, the train came along and took her on her way. It chugged out of the station at nine twenty-seven, its lights blending with those of nighttime Paris. A beautiful autumn night with mostly clear skies, as a glance through the antique glass awnings revealed. Then I looked back across the tracks and—

My breath caught, and my dragon roared in glee.Mate!

Mina paused at the top of the stairs opposite me, looked both ways along the platform, and checked her watch. Then she fiddled with the zip on her jacket and checked her watch again. She checked the display over the platform too, which helped make her look like just another young, single Parisian late for a date rather than a woman involved in anything sketchy.

Then she whirled and looked right at me from across the tracks.

She senses us,my dragon rumbled proudly.

I’d hoped a few days apart would weaken the bond that had developed between us, but it seemed to have had the opposite effect.

I took a deep breath, reminding myself that danger lurked.

Walk to the far end of the platform, then walk back.I threw my voice into her mind and tilted my head right.

Mind-speaking with Mina was hit or miss, because we weren’t actually mated—

Yet,my dragon growled.

—and she tended to block me out when she was mad. But she usually got the gist of my message, if not the details.

She blinked, then looked down the length of the platform and back to me.

Exactly,I said.Walk down to the end, then back so I can see if you’re being followed.

But Mina was Mina, so following orders was a problem.

She threw up her hands, signaling,Why the hell should I walk around at a time like this?

I nearly put my face in my hands. So much for not being noticed by anyone following her.

Just walk to the end and back. Please,I shouted into her mind.