as immune to my charm as I am to your witchcraft.” He laughed, the sound deep and rumbling. “I cannot bewitch you, so anything you feel toward me is purely your own desire.”
Well, he certainly wasn’t lacking in the vanity department. “What do you mean?”
He shrugged. “I cannot use my vampire powers of persuasion on you, Love, so whatever you’re feeling is genuine.”
“How do you know I’m feeling anything toward you?” I asked, my tone biting.
He leaned closer to me, and I held my ground, not wanting him to think I couldn’t. He came inches from my throat and inhaled deeply. It took all my gumption to sit there and allow him to do so. “I can smell the desire coming off you, my pet, it is the headiest of all perfumes.” He inhaled again as if to prove his point.
I pulled away from him. “Unless you would rather grace someone else with your less-than-thrilling company, lay off.”
“No need to grow angry, Love.”
“I’m not angry,” I said, and the lie sounded stupid to my own ears. The vampire just smiled. “So, my powers won’t work on any otherwordly creatures?” I asked, ignoring him and the fact that he was right, I was lusting after him.
He shook his head, a deep chuckle resonating through him. “You are quite a new witch. All of this should have been explained to you. No, your powers will work on others, just not on vampires. We are immune to one another.”
I nodded and decided to pay attention to my first mental note, that being trying to find out why Count Dracula had such an interest in me. First things first, find out his real name. “Your name can’t really be Count?” I said, hoping he wouldn’t riddle with me on that front.
He cocked an elusive brow. “It is not every day I am able to act the part of Count Dracula. What do you think of the costume?”
“I think it’s pretty good but not very original.”
He pressed his pale hand to his heart, feigning heartache, and I had to give it to him, he’d make a good actor. For all I knew, maybe he’d been one. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re avoiding the question,” I continued.
“Excuse my poor manners, Poppet, Sinjin Sinclair at your service,” he said with an orchestrated bow.
SIX
My heart fell to the floor. I’d thought there was something familiar about his face. This was the man Rand had warned me about! I didn’t know what to do, so I smiled meekly. “Pleased to meet you.”
He cocked an elegant brow. “Ah, do not look so disappointed. I suppose my reputation precedes me.” He grinned with fangs again.
I was quick to respond, trying to conceal my disquietude. “So it would seem.”
“Is the motto of this country not innocent until proven guilty?”
I had to give it to him, he was quick witted and…well, sexy as a son of a bitch. This Sinjin character didn’t at all seem the dangerous vampire Rand had warned of.
Speak of the devil, no sooner had the thought crossed my mind than I spotted Rand across the ballroom. He was dressed as a pirate—patch over one eye, red and white striped and ripped pants, short beard, the complet package.
Our eyes met and surprise registered in his before he plowed through the room, looking like every woman’s fantasy come to life. Sinjin, apparently noticing my attention was no longer his captive, turned to face Rand. I didn’t miss the sigh that escaped his lips or the sag of his shoulders.
“Sod it, here comes the hero,” he muttered, sounding like a child who’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
With each step Rand took, the thumping in my chest increased. When he stopped in front of me, I had to catch my breath. He was taller and broader than I remembered.
God, I was a lovesick dumbass.
Ignoring Sinjin, he clasped onto my arm and yanked me to my feet. “Jolie, what the bloody hell are you doing here?” He pulled the patch away, so he could glare at me with both eyes.
“Hello Randall, how are you?” Sinjin asked with
Well, he certainly wasn’t lacking in the vanity department. “What do you mean?”
He shrugged. “I cannot use my vampire powers of persuasion on you, Love, so whatever you’re feeling is genuine.”
“How do you know I’m feeling anything toward you?” I asked, my tone biting.
He leaned closer to me, and I held my ground, not wanting him to think I couldn’t. He came inches from my throat and inhaled deeply. It took all my gumption to sit there and allow him to do so. “I can smell the desire coming off you, my pet, it is the headiest of all perfumes.” He inhaled again as if to prove his point.
I pulled away from him. “Unless you would rather grace someone else with your less-than-thrilling company, lay off.”
“No need to grow angry, Love.”
“I’m not angry,” I said, and the lie sounded stupid to my own ears. The vampire just smiled. “So, my powers won’t work on any otherwordly creatures?” I asked, ignoring him and the fact that he was right, I was lusting after him.
He shook his head, a deep chuckle resonating through him. “You are quite a new witch. All of this should have been explained to you. No, your powers will work on others, just not on vampires. We are immune to one another.”
I nodded and decided to pay attention to my first mental note, that being trying to find out why Count Dracula had such an interest in me. First things first, find out his real name. “Your name can’t really be Count?” I said, hoping he wouldn’t riddle with me on that front.
He cocked an elusive brow. “It is not every day I am able to act the part of Count Dracula. What do you think of the costume?”
“I think it’s pretty good but not very original.”
He pressed his pale hand to his heart, feigning heartache, and I had to give it to him, he’d make a good actor. For all I knew, maybe he’d been one. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’re avoiding the question,” I continued.
“Excuse my poor manners, Poppet, Sinjin Sinclair at your service,” he said with an orchestrated bow.
SIX
My heart fell to the floor. I’d thought there was something familiar about his face. This was the man Rand had warned me about! I didn’t know what to do, so I smiled meekly. “Pleased to meet you.”
He cocked an elegant brow. “Ah, do not look so disappointed. I suppose my reputation precedes me.” He grinned with fangs again.
I was quick to respond, trying to conceal my disquietude. “So it would seem.”
“Is the motto of this country not innocent until proven guilty?”
I had to give it to him, he was quick witted and…well, sexy as a son of a bitch. This Sinjin character didn’t at all seem the dangerous vampire Rand had warned of.
Speak of the devil, no sooner had the thought crossed my mind than I spotted Rand across the ballroom. He was dressed as a pirate—patch over one eye, red and white striped and ripped pants, short beard, the complet package.
Our eyes met and surprise registered in his before he plowed through the room, looking like every woman’s fantasy come to life. Sinjin, apparently noticing my attention was no longer his captive, turned to face Rand. I didn’t miss the sigh that escaped his lips or the sag of his shoulders.
“Sod it, here comes the hero,” he muttered, sounding like a child who’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar.
With each step Rand took, the thumping in my chest increased. When he stopped in front of me, I had to catch my breath. He was taller and broader than I remembered.
God, I was a lovesick dumbass.
Ignoring Sinjin, he clasped onto my arm and yanked me to my feet. “Jolie, what the bloody hell are you doing here?” He pulled the patch away, so he could glare at me with both eyes.
“Hello Randall, how are you?” Sinjin asked with
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