Линси Сэндс - Meant to Be Immortal [calibre]

Frustration and anger churning within him, he scowled at the girl. “My uncle never should have told you that I would marry you without first speaking to me.”

She didn’t look any happier or more understanding after his comment. He straightened with determination. “It simply would not do. I am an earl now, while you are a simple village basta—” Hugh paused abruptly as he realized how he was insulting her, but it was too late. She’d already blanched and turned to flee. Hugh stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“ ’Twas not well done of me. I apologize, but I’ll not marry you. We simply would not suit. I will see to your future though. A dower and a match. I—”

“That will not be necessary. You need not trouble yourself so. I need nothing from you, my lord. Nothing at all.” She turned to race out of the woods.

Hugh stood gaping after her. The girl’s lack of gratitude took him aback. True, he was not marrying her himself, but it was no small thing he offered by promising a dower and a match. Yet she’d refused outright and there had been a hint of fire in that proud refusal. It seemed the cuddly kitten had claws, after all. Though she hadn’t said a single hurtful thing, Hugh still felt he bore the sting of those claws on his conscience, if nowhere else. He simply could not allow her to refuse his aid. Her pride would have to be set aside. A woman without protection was terribly vulnerable and though he refused to marry her, he felt he owed it to his uncle to at least see that no harm befell her.

Hugh took a step forward, intending to follow her and pursue the matter, only to halt abruptly as the door to the cottage flew open and the hag appeared. She allowed the girl to rush past her, then took up a position in the center of the door frame, arms folded, body stiff, and glaring eyes fixed on Hugh. He had the distinct impression that she was ripping him to shreds in her mind. Then she jerked her head up in a dismissing gesture and whirled to stomp into the cottage. She pulled the door closed with a bang.

About the Author

LYNSAY SANDSis the nationally bestselling author of the Argeneau/Rogue Hunter vampire series, as well as numerous historicals and anthologies. She’s been writing since grade school and considers herself incredibly lucky to be able to make a career out of it. Her hope is that readers can get away from their everyday stress through her stories, and if there are occasional uncontrollable fits of laughter, that’s just a big bonus.

Discover great authors, exclusive offers, and more at hc.com.

By Lynsay Sands

Meant to Be Immortal

Immortal Angel

Immortal Born

The Trouble With Vampires

Vampires Like It Hot

Twice Bitten

Immortally Yours

Immortal Unchained

Immortal Nights

Runaway Vampire

About a Vampire

The Immortal Who Loved Me

Vampire Most Wanted

One Lucky Vampire

Immortal Ever After

The Lady Is a Vamp

Under a Vampire Moon

The Reluctant Vampire

Hungry For You

Born to Bite

The Renegade Hunter

The Immortal Hunter

The Rogue Hunter

Vampire, Interrupted

Vampires Are Forever

The Accidental Vampire

Bite Me if You Can

A Bite to Remember

Tall, Dark & Hungry

Single White Vampire

Love Bites

A Quick Bite

Highland Treasure

Love is Blind

Hunting for a Highlander

My Favorite Things

A Lady in Disguise

The Wrong Highlander

The Highlander’s Promise

Surrender to the Highlander

Falling for the Highlander

The Highlander Takes a Bride

To Marry a Scottish Laird

An English Bride in Scotland

The Husband Hunt

The Heiress

The Countess

The Hellion and the Highlander

Taming the Highland Bride

Devil of the Highlands

The Loving Daylights

Copyright

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Excerpt from What She Wants copyright © 2002 by Lynsay Sands.

meant to be immortal. Copyright © 2021 by Lynsay Sands. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins Publishers. For information, address HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.

Digital Edition MAY 2021 ISBN: 978-0-06-295632-3

Print Edition ISBN: 978-0-06-295639-2

Cover design by Nadine Badalaty

Cover art by Tony Mauro

Cover images © Dmitry Ersler | Dreamstime.com (shower); © Ricardo Reitmeyer | Dreamstime.com (moon) ; © Linda Bucklin | Dreamstime.com (bats); © Dio5050 | Dreamstime.com (water)

Avon, Avon & logo, and Avon Books & logo are registered trademarks of HarperCollins Publishers in the United States of America and other countries.

HarperCollins is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Publishers in the United States of America and other countries.

first edition

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