dozen or so who died after I fell in love with them, I gave up trying and stick to other vampires.”
“That’s probably wise.”
He nods and leans his head back.
“Because Michel and I can’t compel you, it’s like we’re forced to see you as a person instead of as just a tool. We have to reason with you, argue with you, talk to you. You’re complicated. Anyway, I thought you were ready because your body was but your mind is so damn rebellious. I can access your body but I couldn't tell if I'd done too much or too little for your mind, so if I did too much, I apologize. I was doing it because I thought you needed it. That you were really turned on by the idea and that it would help bring us together because, well," he says and trails his fingers down my neck and over his bite mark on my throat. "Michel's gone and I'm all you've got. I hate that I can't read you whenever I need to. Michel warned me."
I shake my head. “You two actually talked about this?”
"Of course. He wanted you protected, cared for.”
" I don't know if I need the whole dominance and submission thing," I say finally.
"You could probably get by without it,” he says, “but it could be mind-blowing for you. If so, I'm game. Nothing better than getting into someone's mind and using that to give them what they need. Anyway," he says, taking my chin in his hand so I have to look in his eyes. "We have to get on the same page and quick. Partners?" he says, and tilts his head to the side. "Work together?"
I nod and feel my breath hitch for that’s what I suggested to Michel and what he rejected. These two are so different…
"On one condition," I say, wondering how to phrase my proposal. "My condition is that you have to help me find a way to kill Soren and bring Michel back. I can't have him do this, Julien. It's not fair."
He tightens his arms around me.
"You're so good, Eve," he says, his voice soft. "But killing Soren? That's a huge thing. Do you think for a moment that if there was a way, I wouldn't have already done it? You're not strong enough. I don't know if anyone's strong enough. He's probably four thousand years old and something else entirely. You think vampires are hard to kill? Ancients are motherfuckers. I don't know if one's ever died."
"He was created," I say. "He can be destroyed. We just have to find a way."
He shakes his head.
"I won't risk your life. Michel's tolerating his servitude to Soren because he wants you to be safe. And you just can’t stop from trying to put yourself in danger." He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, smiling softly as he does. He runs the back of his fingers against my cheek and he's so much like Michel with those black-lashed blue eyes and black hair that before I know it's happening, he pulls me down to him and we kiss, the kiss starting off soft, chaste, then deepening, his lips parting mine, his tongue finding mine.
My body responds to him in an instant, but I push him away.
“Stop,” I say. “I don’t want you, Julien. I can’t give up on Michel. You said partners. We can be partners. Nothing more.”
He shakes his head and exhales. Then he gets up, lifting me up with him and I slide down his body. He pushes me away.
“Fine,” he says, adjusting himself, not meeting my eyes. “Purely professional from here on in.” He turns away and leaves me standing alone.
CHAPTER 8
“Absence diminishes mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and fans fires.”
Rochefoucauld
the next afternoon, Vasily comes out of his office and calls me to the door, holds out my coat.
"We're going out. Boss wants you to meet someone."
"Who?"
"Someone from South Carolina ."
I take my coat and put on my shoes. South Carolina – it must be the person he had been 'interviewing' when the whole business with Kate happened. Despite myself, I'm curious about who it could be. One of the staff working for
“That’s probably wise.”
He nods and leans his head back.
“Because Michel and I can’t compel you, it’s like we’re forced to see you as a person instead of as just a tool. We have to reason with you, argue with you, talk to you. You’re complicated. Anyway, I thought you were ready because your body was but your mind is so damn rebellious. I can access your body but I couldn't tell if I'd done too much or too little for your mind, so if I did too much, I apologize. I was doing it because I thought you needed it. That you were really turned on by the idea and that it would help bring us together because, well," he says and trails his fingers down my neck and over his bite mark on my throat. "Michel's gone and I'm all you've got. I hate that I can't read you whenever I need to. Michel warned me."
I shake my head. “You two actually talked about this?”
"Of course. He wanted you protected, cared for.”
" I don't know if I need the whole dominance and submission thing," I say finally.
"You could probably get by without it,” he says, “but it could be mind-blowing for you. If so, I'm game. Nothing better than getting into someone's mind and using that to give them what they need. Anyway," he says, taking my chin in his hand so I have to look in his eyes. "We have to get on the same page and quick. Partners?" he says, and tilts his head to the side. "Work together?"
I nod and feel my breath hitch for that’s what I suggested to Michel and what he rejected. These two are so different…
"On one condition," I say, wondering how to phrase my proposal. "My condition is that you have to help me find a way to kill Soren and bring Michel back. I can't have him do this, Julien. It's not fair."
He tightens his arms around me.
"You're so good, Eve," he says, his voice soft. "But killing Soren? That's a huge thing. Do you think for a moment that if there was a way, I wouldn't have already done it? You're not strong enough. I don't know if anyone's strong enough. He's probably four thousand years old and something else entirely. You think vampires are hard to kill? Ancients are motherfuckers. I don't know if one's ever died."
"He was created," I say. "He can be destroyed. We just have to find a way."
He shakes his head.
"I won't risk your life. Michel's tolerating his servitude to Soren because he wants you to be safe. And you just can’t stop from trying to put yourself in danger." He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear, smiling softly as he does. He runs the back of his fingers against my cheek and he's so much like Michel with those black-lashed blue eyes and black hair that before I know it's happening, he pulls me down to him and we kiss, the kiss starting off soft, chaste, then deepening, his lips parting mine, his tongue finding mine.
My body responds to him in an instant, but I push him away.
“Stop,” I say. “I don’t want you, Julien. I can’t give up on Michel. You said partners. We can be partners. Nothing more.”
He shakes his head and exhales. Then he gets up, lifting me up with him and I slide down his body. He pushes me away.
“Fine,” he says, adjusting himself, not meeting my eyes. “Purely professional from here on in.” He turns away and leaves me standing alone.
CHAPTER 8
“Absence diminishes mediocre passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and fans fires.”
Rochefoucauld
the next afternoon, Vasily comes out of his office and calls me to the door, holds out my coat.
"We're going out. Boss wants you to meet someone."
"Who?"
"Someone from South Carolina ."
I take my coat and put on my shoes. South Carolina – it must be the person he had been 'interviewing' when the whole business with Kate happened. Despite myself, I'm curious about who it could be. One of the staff working for
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