slipped.
When they finally broke apart, Mara looked languid and pliable. “Now where?” she asked, looking like a woman ready for love.
Lucien gritted his fangs. She wasn’t going to like this, but he had little choice. “And now, you sleep.”
He passed a hand over her face, catching her as she slumped into unconsciousness.
Chapter 9
The paved driveway resembled a small road as it wended through field and forest. Acres of pines and oaks and gently rolling hills surrounded the red-brick house. The leaden sky was sullen and the remoteness made city-born-and-bred Mara queasy. It was a perfect home for a vampire who wanted to hide himself away.
Too far away for her.
Near the house was a detached garage, big enough to house a yacht. Mara studied the angles, seeing possibilities. Seeing a place to evade Lucien while she planned her escape. She guarded this thought, knowing he could read her mind.
“It’s private,” Lucien told her. “In case you were wondering.”
“Your little bordello where you seduce all your lovers?”
His dark gaze was steady. “It’s Petra’s sanctuary. And she and I have the only key, in case you thought of the garage as a place to evade me.”
Her mouth opened and closed like a fish. So much for shielding her thoughts. Lucien gently tipped her chin up, amusement on his face. “Inside,” he told her, opening the door. “Hurry, night is falling.”
His home was quiet, filled with luxurious furnishing and antiques. While dinner was being prepared, she paced the guest bedroom. But the canopied bed and the elegant furniture didn’t impress.
Letting her leave would deeply impress her.
Ever since waking up to find herself inside a stretch limo, she’d tried to quell her emotions..
Sex with this vampire had left her feeling vulnerable. Mating with him again would siphon out more of her strength. It was too dangerous. Lucien with his dark eyes and wicked hands, could turn her into a shadow of herself.
Making her vulnerable for future attacks.
It meant she had to resist the feral attraction her demon felt for Lucien, and fight her angel’s longing to bond with him.
The closet contained stylish clothing all in her size, but for a baggy sweatshirt and sweatpants with a UM logo. Lucien had been prepared for her. Mara dressed in the fleece, scraped back her hair into a careless ponytail and looked at her face in the dresser mirror.
If the cultured vampire got turned on by fleece, she was in trouble. Sporting a smirk, she bounced downstairs.
Mara went into the lavish living room. Sprawled on the leather couch, Lucien studied flames crackling in the fireplace. A glass of red liquid dangled from his lean fingers.
Breath fled her as she realized he wore only a pair of cranberry silk pajama bottoms. Firelight gleamed off his hard chest.
Lucien looked up with a slow, sexy smile.
Ignoring him was going to take a hell of a lot of restraint.
“Good evening, Mara. Please sit.”
When she went to the chair, he arched a lean brow. “On the sofa. I won’t bite.”
Gathering her resolve, she curled up onto the leather. Then he added, “Yet.”
Mara tucked her legs beneath her. “Be careful who you bite, Lucien. I have my father’s blood in me and I’m certain it tastes like molten fire. Or bad wine.”
“Taste is always an individual decision. But speaking of wine, will you share a glass with me?” He took a sip. “It’s quite exquisite. Like you, rich and rare.”
Heat pooled between her legs. Stop it .
“Got any beer? Domestic? Cheap beer?”
There. Her plebian taste should turn him off.
His smile widened. Lucien waved a hand, and the mini-fridge behind the wood bar opened. A brown bottle floated into her hands.
“Petra enjoys this. She prefers it warm, but I keep a few bottles chilled, just in case she changes her mind.”
Damn. Mara opened the bottle with her teeth, took a long slug and belched. Lucien regarded her over his glass.
“If you’re trying to
When they finally broke apart, Mara looked languid and pliable. “Now where?” she asked, looking like a woman ready for love.
Lucien gritted his fangs. She wasn’t going to like this, but he had little choice. “And now, you sleep.”
He passed a hand over her face, catching her as she slumped into unconsciousness.
Chapter 9
The paved driveway resembled a small road as it wended through field and forest. Acres of pines and oaks and gently rolling hills surrounded the red-brick house. The leaden sky was sullen and the remoteness made city-born-and-bred Mara queasy. It was a perfect home for a vampire who wanted to hide himself away.
Too far away for her.
Near the house was a detached garage, big enough to house a yacht. Mara studied the angles, seeing possibilities. Seeing a place to evade Lucien while she planned her escape. She guarded this thought, knowing he could read her mind.
“It’s private,” Lucien told her. “In case you were wondering.”
“Your little bordello where you seduce all your lovers?”
His dark gaze was steady. “It’s Petra’s sanctuary. And she and I have the only key, in case you thought of the garage as a place to evade me.”
Her mouth opened and closed like a fish. So much for shielding her thoughts. Lucien gently tipped her chin up, amusement on his face. “Inside,” he told her, opening the door. “Hurry, night is falling.”
His home was quiet, filled with luxurious furnishing and antiques. While dinner was being prepared, she paced the guest bedroom. But the canopied bed and the elegant furniture didn’t impress.
Letting her leave would deeply impress her.
Ever since waking up to find herself inside a stretch limo, she’d tried to quell her emotions..
Sex with this vampire had left her feeling vulnerable. Mating with him again would siphon out more of her strength. It was too dangerous. Lucien with his dark eyes and wicked hands, could turn her into a shadow of herself.
Making her vulnerable for future attacks.
It meant she had to resist the feral attraction her demon felt for Lucien, and fight her angel’s longing to bond with him.
The closet contained stylish clothing all in her size, but for a baggy sweatshirt and sweatpants with a UM logo. Lucien had been prepared for her. Mara dressed in the fleece, scraped back her hair into a careless ponytail and looked at her face in the dresser mirror.
If the cultured vampire got turned on by fleece, she was in trouble. Sporting a smirk, she bounced downstairs.
Mara went into the lavish living room. Sprawled on the leather couch, Lucien studied flames crackling in the fireplace. A glass of red liquid dangled from his lean fingers.
Breath fled her as she realized he wore only a pair of cranberry silk pajama bottoms. Firelight gleamed off his hard chest.
Lucien looked up with a slow, sexy smile.
Ignoring him was going to take a hell of a lot of restraint.
“Good evening, Mara. Please sit.”
When she went to the chair, he arched a lean brow. “On the sofa. I won’t bite.”
Gathering her resolve, she curled up onto the leather. Then he added, “Yet.”
Mara tucked her legs beneath her. “Be careful who you bite, Lucien. I have my father’s blood in me and I’m certain it tastes like molten fire. Or bad wine.”
“Taste is always an individual decision. But speaking of wine, will you share a glass with me?” He took a sip. “It’s quite exquisite. Like you, rich and rare.”
Heat pooled between her legs. Stop it .
“Got any beer? Domestic? Cheap beer?”
There. Her plebian taste should turn him off.
His smile widened. Lucien waved a hand, and the mini-fridge behind the wood bar opened. A brown bottle floated into her hands.
“Petra enjoys this. She prefers it warm, but I keep a few bottles chilled, just in case she changes her mind.”
Damn. Mara opened the bottle with her teeth, took a long slug and belched. Lucien regarded her over his glass.
“If you’re trying to
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