urge to close the distance, to fit herself against it more closely even than when he’d lain on her and drunk her blood.
Oh shit, if he bites me now…
His head lifted a little, his gaze now on her lips. There was heat in his pale eyes, a silver spark of vitality she’d never seen in human eyes. It enhanced his beauty way beyond what was bearable. She drew in a shuddering breath, and he gave the faintest smile, as if he felt it on the finger that now glided along her lips, tracing the outline of her mouth.
The caress was gentle, the touch of a butterfly wing, and yet it sprinkled shards of pleasure through every nerve. Her breasts ached to press themselves against his chest. The hot dampness between her legs paralyzed her. At the corner of her mouth, his finger paused and bore down ever so slightly. And yet that lightest of pressure made her gasp, parting her lips, and his dying smile sprang back to life.
He lowered his head until his mouth hovered above hers. Barely a hairsbreadth separated their lips. Her heart seemed to have stopped beating, waiting for that tiny distance to close, waiting for her to close it.
What would it be like to feel the vampire’s kiss? To feel his cold, curiously sensual mouth on hers? Her whole being ached for it with a force that shattered her. Just a kiss, just one…
Which would put her in his power forever.
As his other hand touched her nape, she stepped back out of his reach.
He was a vampire. A very old and powerful one who could move with speeds she could only imagine. He could snatch her back in less than a heartbeat, long before she could reach her stake.
And why the hell would I do that? whispered a furious, frustrated voice inside her, because now it was too late; now she’d never know his kiss.
And she’d live.
“Stick to looking,” she said harshly.
His eyelids came down like hoods, masking the wild, exciting heat in his reflective eyes. Mihaela, still aching with lust and raging disappointment, tried to concentrate on the relief. And yet she could still imagine his touch on her lips.
Furious with herself, because again she was losing sight of her primary purpose, she snapped, “How do you plan to find Robbie?”
He shrugged infinitesimally. “I’ve already sent word to Saloman and so to the vampires across Europe to look out for him and Gavril.”
She stared. “Is that meant to make me feel better?” she demanded.
“It makes me feel better.”
“So you can just wait, cowering back here?” She sounded like some awful, nagging wife, and even as she hurled the words at him, she knew it, knew she was being totally unreasonable. She just couldn’t stop herself lashing out at him.
“I told you. I’m going to find him.”
She waved one sarcastic hand to indicate the island. “This isn’t exactly on the direct route from Edinburgh to mainland Europe.”
“There are things I need. And you need to sleep before we travel.”
“I’m not traveling with you!”
His upper lip quirked. “I don’t require you to share my coffin. But please yourself.” He turned away, walking toward the painted, iron-hinged door. “You can sleep in here.”
“If you think I’m sleeping in your presence—!”
She didn’t see him move, but without warning, he was right beside her again, as close as before, and this time, he had her face between his large, cool hands.
“Flattered as I am by the courage you attribute to me and the terror I so clearly inspire, we both know you’re perfectly safe here. Stop being so angry. We’ll find Robbie and Gavril.”
Speechless, she could only stare at him, aware of the treacherous tide of desire rolling back through her. To feel those hands on her body… But already he’d left her, striding toward the door once more.
He was right. She was exhausted, and lashing out at Maximilian achieved nothing. Not even the assuagement of her own guilt. Dazed, she put one foot in front of the other and followed him.
“Why do you have
Oh shit, if he bites me now…
His head lifted a little, his gaze now on her lips. There was heat in his pale eyes, a silver spark of vitality she’d never seen in human eyes. It enhanced his beauty way beyond what was bearable. She drew in a shuddering breath, and he gave the faintest smile, as if he felt it on the finger that now glided along her lips, tracing the outline of her mouth.
The caress was gentle, the touch of a butterfly wing, and yet it sprinkled shards of pleasure through every nerve. Her breasts ached to press themselves against his chest. The hot dampness between her legs paralyzed her. At the corner of her mouth, his finger paused and bore down ever so slightly. And yet that lightest of pressure made her gasp, parting her lips, and his dying smile sprang back to life.
He lowered his head until his mouth hovered above hers. Barely a hairsbreadth separated their lips. Her heart seemed to have stopped beating, waiting for that tiny distance to close, waiting for her to close it.
What would it be like to feel the vampire’s kiss? To feel his cold, curiously sensual mouth on hers? Her whole being ached for it with a force that shattered her. Just a kiss, just one…
Which would put her in his power forever.
As his other hand touched her nape, she stepped back out of his reach.
He was a vampire. A very old and powerful one who could move with speeds she could only imagine. He could snatch her back in less than a heartbeat, long before she could reach her stake.
And why the hell would I do that? whispered a furious, frustrated voice inside her, because now it was too late; now she’d never know his kiss.
And she’d live.
“Stick to looking,” she said harshly.
His eyelids came down like hoods, masking the wild, exciting heat in his reflective eyes. Mihaela, still aching with lust and raging disappointment, tried to concentrate on the relief. And yet she could still imagine his touch on her lips.
Furious with herself, because again she was losing sight of her primary purpose, she snapped, “How do you plan to find Robbie?”
He shrugged infinitesimally. “I’ve already sent word to Saloman and so to the vampires across Europe to look out for him and Gavril.”
She stared. “Is that meant to make me feel better?” she demanded.
“It makes me feel better.”
“So you can just wait, cowering back here?” She sounded like some awful, nagging wife, and even as she hurled the words at him, she knew it, knew she was being totally unreasonable. She just couldn’t stop herself lashing out at him.
“I told you. I’m going to find him.”
She waved one sarcastic hand to indicate the island. “This isn’t exactly on the direct route from Edinburgh to mainland Europe.”
“There are things I need. And you need to sleep before we travel.”
“I’m not traveling with you!”
His upper lip quirked. “I don’t require you to share my coffin. But please yourself.” He turned away, walking toward the painted, iron-hinged door. “You can sleep in here.”
“If you think I’m sleeping in your presence—!”
She didn’t see him move, but without warning, he was right beside her again, as close as before, and this time, he had her face between his large, cool hands.
“Flattered as I am by the courage you attribute to me and the terror I so clearly inspire, we both know you’re perfectly safe here. Stop being so angry. We’ll find Robbie and Gavril.”
Speechless, she could only stare at him, aware of the treacherous tide of desire rolling back through her. To feel those hands on her body… But already he’d left her, striding toward the door once more.
He was right. She was exhausted, and lashing out at Maximilian achieved nothing. Not even the assuagement of her own guilt. Dazed, she put one foot in front of the other and followed him.
“Why do you have
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