vampire hunter?"
"You'll notice he wasn't doing much warning." Adrian smiled. "But he and I have always shared a mutual respect. I learned not to underestimate his intelligence and bravery, and I do think if Mannfried hadn't gotten a hold of him, I could have shown him the pleasures in my lifestyle."
Katerina shuddered at the anticipatory gleam in his eyes. "But what brought him here? I mean, he's an American."
"He was a foreign exchange student, put up by Sophie and her grandfather. He seems determined to help carry on Mannfried's teachings."
"What do you mean?"
"Joshua was fascinated not only with vampire hunting, but vampires, as well. He still shows considerable promise. Now it appears he's looking for a way to make a name for himself. If he could take out Niccolo, then he might think he could destroy me. Therefore, saving your helpless life from my evil plans."
He grinned and winked, and she couldn't help but smile, relief making her knees weak. He was safe now.
"But I'm here of my own free will."
He stroked her cheek. "Yes. You are." He pressed his mouth against hers, parting her lips and sweeping inside to steal her senses. She longed for the warmth and comfort of his embrace. Pressing against him, the fear and worry of before faded. His kiss ignited a need which threatened to flare out of control. But when he eased her to the bed, sanity broke through the clouds. She struggled back up. What had moments ago been comfort now seemed a threat. And as much as she yearned for the heat and passion he offered, she was not ready to be that intimate with him.
"No. Adrian, I thought we agreed…"
He pressed against her, pinning her to the mattress. A moment of fear caused a lump in her throat and she swallowed.
"Did we? You seemed quite eager a few moments ago."
And he kissed her again, leaving her breathless when he drew away. How could she refuse him? But she had to. If she gave herself to him, she would be lost forever.
"No, I…we…I mean…"
He silenced her with his mouth, letting his kisses trail once again along her throat. She tried to remain withdrawn, but his tongue teased, then soothed her, and soon she was lost in the fog of longing. His cool hands slowly pushed her shirt aside, baring her breast to his hot, open mouth. She couldn't suppress a moan as he tormented her. But some niggling sense of sanity reminded her of what he was capable of, and the heat slowly cooled.
"I…I…no, we can't. I can't. You could…and…I mean, I'm sorry, I'm just not ready for this."
He sighed and stood, offering his hand to help her up. "Very well. I will not force you."
She took his hand and let him pull her to her feet. "I'm sorry, it's just not…right. Not now."
He nodded, but the warmth was gone from his eyes. He said nothing as he escorted her downstairs. As hard as she tried, she couldn't find any words to make him understand. Giving in to him was the one thing she couldn't do.
He was stiff as iron, his whole manner unyielding. How quickly he could change, and she saw the predator in him now. A lump filled her throat and she swallowed. He said nothing, yet watched her with his cold steel gaze piercing her.
To her surprise, he led her to the door. She looked at him curiously.
"I think we had better end our evening now. Some pressing matters need my attention."
"Machiavelli?"
"Among other things."
She didn't know how it happened, but the next moment she was in the limousine, racing back down the mountain. Her thoughts whirled. Something had changed and she knew it was her fault. Her stomach knotted as she replayed her rejection of his advances. She'd angered him. Would he seek retribution? She prayed not.
Chapter Five
"Machiavelli used to have a residence in Rome. Start there." Adrian handed the file to one of the two soldiers seated in his office. As soon as Kat left him, he'd
"You'll notice he wasn't doing much warning." Adrian smiled. "But he and I have always shared a mutual respect. I learned not to underestimate his intelligence and bravery, and I do think if Mannfried hadn't gotten a hold of him, I could have shown him the pleasures in my lifestyle."
Katerina shuddered at the anticipatory gleam in his eyes. "But what brought him here? I mean, he's an American."
"He was a foreign exchange student, put up by Sophie and her grandfather. He seems determined to help carry on Mannfried's teachings."
"What do you mean?"
"Joshua was fascinated not only with vampire hunting, but vampires, as well. He still shows considerable promise. Now it appears he's looking for a way to make a name for himself. If he could take out Niccolo, then he might think he could destroy me. Therefore, saving your helpless life from my evil plans."
He grinned and winked, and she couldn't help but smile, relief making her knees weak. He was safe now.
"But I'm here of my own free will."
He stroked her cheek. "Yes. You are." He pressed his mouth against hers, parting her lips and sweeping inside to steal her senses. She longed for the warmth and comfort of his embrace. Pressing against him, the fear and worry of before faded. His kiss ignited a need which threatened to flare out of control. But when he eased her to the bed, sanity broke through the clouds. She struggled back up. What had moments ago been comfort now seemed a threat. And as much as she yearned for the heat and passion he offered, she was not ready to be that intimate with him.
"No. Adrian, I thought we agreed…"
He pressed against her, pinning her to the mattress. A moment of fear caused a lump in her throat and she swallowed.
"Did we? You seemed quite eager a few moments ago."
And he kissed her again, leaving her breathless when he drew away. How could she refuse him? But she had to. If she gave herself to him, she would be lost forever.
"No, I…we…I mean…"
He silenced her with his mouth, letting his kisses trail once again along her throat. She tried to remain withdrawn, but his tongue teased, then soothed her, and soon she was lost in the fog of longing. His cool hands slowly pushed her shirt aside, baring her breast to his hot, open mouth. She couldn't suppress a moan as he tormented her. But some niggling sense of sanity reminded her of what he was capable of, and the heat slowly cooled.
"I…I…no, we can't. I can't. You could…and…I mean, I'm sorry, I'm just not ready for this."
He sighed and stood, offering his hand to help her up. "Very well. I will not force you."
She took his hand and let him pull her to her feet. "I'm sorry, it's just not…right. Not now."
He nodded, but the warmth was gone from his eyes. He said nothing as he escorted her downstairs. As hard as she tried, she couldn't find any words to make him understand. Giving in to him was the one thing she couldn't do.
He was stiff as iron, his whole manner unyielding. How quickly he could change, and she saw the predator in him now. A lump filled her throat and she swallowed. He said nothing, yet watched her with his cold steel gaze piercing her.
To her surprise, he led her to the door. She looked at him curiously.
"I think we had better end our evening now. Some pressing matters need my attention."
"Machiavelli?"
"Among other things."
She didn't know how it happened, but the next moment she was in the limousine, racing back down the mountain. Her thoughts whirled. Something had changed and she knew it was her fault. Her stomach knotted as she replayed her rejection of his advances. She'd angered him. Would he seek retribution? She prayed not.
Chapter Five
"Machiavelli used to have a residence in Rome. Start there." Adrian handed the file to one of the two soldiers seated in his office. As soon as Kat left him, he'd
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