Entangled

by Olivia Stocum

  He loosened the ribbon on her nightgown, smoothed the backs of his fingers over the swell of one breast, slid his hand under the fabric and took her into the palm of his hand.

  He’d found what he’d really needed. That chance to come home. To be himself as he once had been, even if it was just for a few moments with her before having to return to the reality of his life.

  He took her nightgown in both hands, rucking up the fabric. She lifted her arms as he pulled it off. His breath caught when he saw her bared to him, white marble in the night.

  Alessandro told her how perfect she was, taking in the texture of her skin, feeling free to touch her now that he knew his hands were warm as a man’s should be. He realized he was still speaking in ancient Egyptian. She didn’t seem to care. Kendra smiled up at him like she understood every word.

  “It’s my turn,” she breathed, voice husky. Reaching out, she ran her fingers down his chest. She glanced at him as if asking if it was okay to continue.

  “You don’t have to ask permission,” he said.

  She caught her lower lip between her teeth as she touched him experimentally, hands brushing, feather soft. He reached for her, catching her shoulder, unwilling to pull her against him just yet, wanting her to satisfy her curiosity.

  “You’re so human,” she said, watching her hands on him, as if to see if he felt like she expected him to. “I wondered, but I guess I should have known better by now.”

  “I’m warm,” he said, hissing, not on purpose but because of her hands on him. “In a few days I won’t be.”

  “And then it’ll be time to do this all over again.”

  She let go and he took her against him finally, softness forming into his harder body. He ran his hands down her back, over the swell of her hips. “We can do this whenever you want.”

  She might not want him when he was cold. How could she want a dead body in her bed? He lifted her up by her waist, hair curtaining around the both of them. “If you want me, I’m yours.”

  “If? You’re kidding, right?” Her heart was racing. “Don’t play tonight,” she said, looking him in the eye. “Just have me. There’s time for that later.”

  He eased her onto the mattress. No virgin, she didn’t hesitate. Alessandro listened to the blood rushing fast through Kendra’s heart as he took her.

  And knew then—more than ever—that he would die without her.

  No. He was going to die with her.

  ***

  Kendra Basra realized, at ten o’clock in the morning, that she was still diurnal. It was white outside. A fresh, pristine white from the night before. The sun was reflecting off millions of snowflakes with a brilliance to rival even the diamonds in her ring. With Alessandro in the room with her she didn’t dare draw back the shade for a closer look. She eased herself quietly away from the window.

  Smiling, Kendra got herself a bottle of water left for her by the overly zealous staff and sat in a chair near the bed watching him sleep. She was in her nightgown. It didn’t seem as trite as she’d thought the night before. She enjoyed the feel of the gauzy fabric on her skin, the black ribbon dangling untied.

  Alessandro didn’t need to rest, so she figured he slept mostly to avoid the sun and to waste away the monotony of the day. He slept deeply now on his back, naked with just a sheet pulled up to his waist. It was doing a beautifully lousy job of hiding the shape of him underneath—no doubt the way he’d wanted to be with her since their first day together.

  How anyone could have known they were soulfully in love with another as quickly as he had was beyond her. She still felt out of step.

  Kendra drank some of her water before setting it aside. She could smell breakfast cooking downstairs. Maybe she could slip away without him knowing. It was daylight, so she would be fine. Dressing carefully, she left Alessandro.

  She should have known she wouldn’t be the only one with the idea. Nick was sitting alone at a table for two when she walked in. He looked up, saw her, then scanned her over from head to toe as if expecting to see signs that she was no longer human. As if she would be out during the day if she wasn’t.

  She forced herself to move forward.

  “Vesper sleeping?” she asked, standing purposefully in a shaft of sunlight from a window so he could see her in it.

  He seemed satisfied that she hadn’t crossed-over-to-the-other-side and visibly relaxed. “Yeah, she stayed up all night while I got to doze.”

  Kendra sat across from him. “No problems then?”

  “They haven’t found you yet. Better leave at sunset just to be safe.”

  She nodded. “We’re driving to Paris tonight.”

  “We’ll be behind you.”

  “I haven’t seen Vesper as a human. Danielle said she’s good for you.” Kendra already missed the familial relationship she used to have with Nick. Being with Alessandro was changing everything about her life.

  “It’s like all that stuff with Danielle was leading me to Vesper all along.”

  His teal eyes, his face, even the sound of his voice, reminded her so much of Jason that her heart gave a squeeze. No, she hadn’t stopped loving her first husband, but he was gone like the scar on her knee, and he was never coming back. All she had now were memories.

  A waitress came by and took their orders. Kendra hadn’t looked at the menu yet. She found the biggest breakfast plate she could and ordered it.

  Nick looked at her funny.

  “I’m hungry,” she said, shrugging.

  Blood loss, followed by a husband who wakes you up twice asking ravenously if you’d be willing to have him again had left her ready to eat the table legs.

  She pulled her hair over to cover her neck, knowing that she hadn’t peeled off the scabs yet. In fact, she hadn’t even looked in a mirror. She probably should have.

  “You okay?” Nick asked quietly.

  She wondered how many times she would have to hear that question. “Yes, I’m fine.”

  “If he hurts you...”

  “He doesn’t hurt me.”

  Nick reached out, flipping her hair back. Kendra checked her throat to feel the scabs still there. He gently moved her hand away. She knew how it must have seemed, and how bad it looked with the dried blood still there.

  “Last night?” he asked hoarsely.

  “It’s not what you think.”

  “It was your wedding night.”

  Exactly, she wanted to say. Unfortunately, she winced instead, painfully aware of how it appeared to someone on the outside.

  “He drank your blood on your wedding night? No wonder you’re so hungry. Should you be out of bed?”

  “Do I look sick?” Neither of them wanted to cause a scene by drawing attention to themselves, so they kept their voices down.

  He sat back. “No. You look great.”

  “I am great. It’s not what you think.”

  Her phone chimed and she checked it, glad for the distraction.

  It was Alessandro. He’d woken up and had found her gone.

  Where are you?

  Downstairs, she texted. I’m really hungry.

  You’re upset.

  He’d sensed her, and that was what had probably woken him in the first place. I ran into Nick.

  Have your breakfast upstairs.

  I’m fine. I’ll be back soon.

  I’m coming.

  No, you’re not. I’m not leading around a blind man all day.

  There was a delay. Fine, but be fast.

  Sighing, she set her phone aside.

  Nick was waiting for her to speak.

  “He knows I’m upset.”

  He shook his head. “You’re linked to him, like a Slave.”

  “I’m not a Slave. You know that.”

  “And you don’t do his bidding?”

  She was losing her patience. “What about Vesper? Does she do yours?”

  He eyed her.

  “I’ve talked to Danielle about it, and I know Vesper wouldn’t be sleeping with y
ou if you hadn’t established yourself as her alpha. She’s a big girl, Nick. What did it take to impress her?”

  He knew she had him there. His jaw worked before he responded. “It’s not the same.”

  “No? Danielle can barely leave her chambers. You know why? Because Lothar got her pregnant with twins.”

  “No. You’re wrong. It’s completely different for us.”

  The waitress brought their food and they pretended to like each other until she left.

  “It’s not that different.” She took another look at him, finding exactly what she wanted; a scar on his arm just under his t-shirt sleeve. “She bit you.”

  “Of course she did. It’s what we do.”

  “You were raised mortal and now all of a sudden you’re one of them.”

  “It’s what I’ve always been. Jason and I were never human.”

  “I know,” she said slowly.

  Until last night she’d only ever been with Jason, so there’d been nothing to compare it with. Nick’s brother had been a small town sheriff and Nick NYPD. She was the reason why Jason hadn’t gone to New York. He felt he had a responsibility to her, so he’d worked his way up to the sheriff’s position instead of leaving his home town for something more. It wasn’t without risk, but a lot safer than Nick’s job had been.

  And as far as last night was concerned, Alessandro had been gentle, while all she’d ever known was the twin brother of this man sitting across from her who had won over the alpha female.

  She wasn’t as fragile as Nick or Alessandro thought. Not that she didn’t appreciate the tender side in a man, but she knew she could handle more.

  Kendra ran her fingers over the scars on her throat. “You have yours, and I have mine.”

  “But Vesper doesn’t drain my blood.” He’d lowered his voice.

  “Sure she doesn’t. She is a werewolf, isn’t she?”

  He narrowed his gaze in warning, but Kendra wasn’t giving in.

  “Should we make it fair? You looked at my neck, should we get a look at your shoulders? How about your back? Vesper’s used to blending in with society so I’m guessing she wouldn’t hurt you anywhere that’s too visible.”

  “That’s different.”

  “How?”

  “I have accelerated healing. Nothing she does to me is permanent.”

  “So do I.”

  He straightened. “That’s not normal. He’s changed things about you.”

  She couldn’t deny that, so she didn’t even try.

  Nick lowered his voice. “I’ve been bitten by a vampire before. I know what it’s like. They drug you, and you don’t even care what they do.

  She didn’t have anything to say to that either, because it was true, but Alessandro had sworn he’d not purposefully done anything to her. Purposefully being the key word.

  “It’s not like that with us,” she said quietly.

  “Try me.”

  Even though he was fighting with her, she was still hungry. Kendra made him wait until she’d eaten a few bites of her pancakes. Nick lifted his brows.

  Was she seriously having this conversation with her brother-in-law? She cleared her throat. “It’s more like... sex.”

  Silence, then, “You’ve got to be kidding me. And you married him? What, so he can do this to you for the rest of your life?”

  Her temper was beginning to flare. “Yes, as a matter of fact I did. Got a problem with that?”

  Nick stood, his chair making so much noise several people looked over. As he walked away her phone chimed.

  Please, come back. You’re driving me mad.

  I’m coming, she returned. I’m just having my food boxed.

  She snagged the waitress and got her breakfast wrapped, then went back to their room, closing the door gratefully behind her. Her eyes adjusted slowly to the darkness inside. Alessandro took her box out of her hands and set it aside. He pulled her against him. He was still naked, and for some reason that made her laugh. It occurred to her that even a three-thousand year old man might like to parade around in front of a woman when he thought he would get admired, or better yet, rewarded for it.

  “What’s so funny?” he said. “You shouldn’t have left. You could have ordered food.”

  His accent was soothing. She pressed her cheek against his warm chest. “I know I could have. I like your outfit. That’s why I’m laughing.”

  He eased back, looking her over. “It’s never easy.”

  She nodded. “He thinks your killing me and I’m too high on your venom to notice.”

  “I could though. It’s hard to blame him for thinking it. I don’t like him upsetting you. You shouldn’t talk to him when I’m not around.”

  Was he being controlling? Arrogant? Over protective?

  It didn’t matter. She appreciated it anyway. She’d felt his turmoil before he’d come to her last night, had a guess about why it had been like that for him. He feared the strength of his connection to her. Feared losing her. Age old pain had risen up to choke him. She had her fears, and he had his.

  “You’re right,” she said, giving him a humoring smile. “I really shouldn’t upset myself. I wish there was some way to have it all. My family, my friends, and you at the same time.”

  “The downside of mating with a vampire,” he said quietly.

  He took her hand and led her to a table to eat. She looked at the fireplace, cold because he couldn’t be near fire. When she shivered he handed her the shirt he’d worn yesterday, done so quickly she hadn’t seen him move.

  Kendra pulled it on, comforted by his scent now enveloping her.

  “You made me really hungry,” she said.

  He sat across from her, smiling. “I enjoyed it, habibti.”

  “So did I,” she whispered.

  “I especially like the sounds you make.”

  She almost choked on a mouthful of egg. “Thanks.”

  “Your throat must be sore by now.”

  She cleared it. “Just a little.”

  “I mean everything,” he said, his face sobering. “It has been a long time since I’ve held a woman in my arms who loved me.”

  She blinked back the tears stinging her eyes. “Well, no worrying about that anymore.”

  “Not anymore.” His voice drove a chill up her spine.

  “Alessandro?”

  “You are my soul.”

  He was scaring her. “Hey, don’t go doing anything foolish.”

  He sighed.

  “Even old men have lapses in judgment.”

  “Old man? Was I an old man last night?”

  “No. You were a cautious man.”

  He shook his head. He didn’t like what she was saying. “Do you know how easy it would be for me to break you?”

  “Yes, but I’m not that fragile.” She didn’t think it would be polite to mention Jason so she didn’t.

  Alessandro was distancing himself. She could feel him pulling away. Good job, Kendra.

  “Nick got to me,” she said. “He thinks you’ll kill me, when you’re entirely different. You’d be proud of me. I used adult words with him and everything.”

  His lips tipped into a small smile. “You do have a hard time with that, but I like the way you blush when you try to explain yourself.”

  “Maybe I should grow up, huh?”

  “Oh, you seem pretty grown up to me,” he said. His smile widened, fangs showing.

  Her chin lifted in invitation before she could stop herself. No, none of that. Not until tomorrow night, she told herself.

  “Maybe I have a lack of self-control,” she managed. Kendra kept eating to distract herself.

  He laughed. “Mrs. Basra, yes your lack of self-control alarms me.”

  “Wow, I really am confusing, aren’t I?”

  “I like it.”

  “Somebody better.” She frowned. “We’re married and I’m still being stupid. I think you make me that way, just by looking at you.” She drank her orange juice. “I understand why you w
aited so long in your human life to be betrothed.”

  “And why is that?”

  She could only see him from the waist up, but that was enough to make it hard to think straight. “Well, look at you. Even without the whole vampire thing, I bet women loved you.”

  “Love is a strong word reserved for only a few.”

  She should have seen that one coming. “Sorry.”

  “Even women use for pleasure.”

  “Yeah, I know they do.”

  “It’s different with you. I worship you, habibti.”

  It was part of his curse, to seek out his goddess and adore her. So little did Nick understand.

  “Even if you’d no idea what you were doing,” he continued, “it would be better than any trained concubine.”

  Well then... All the fuss people made about technique, and what really mattered was the person beneath the accoutrements. She set her fork down. “Warning, I’m going to come over there and attack you now.”

  He stood even as she did, lifted her up by the waist. She buried her hands in his hair.

  “If you’ve had enough to eat,” he said, “I’m taking you back to bed, and then we should both sleep.”

  “That sounds perfect to me.”

  He set her down next to their bed. She pulled off her borrowed shirt and was about to take off the rest of her clothes too but he stopped her. Pulling her shirt off, he set it aside.

  “Oh, you’re going to be really slow aren’t you?”

  He drew her against his skin. “Yes.”

  She was already dying. She wiggled a bit against him in hopes of getting her way but he wouldn’t be persuaded. “We can be slow next week,” she said, “or next month even. Next year would be good.”

  “No.” He lifted her chin and kissed her throat. Her breath shuddered, her knees buckling when he pressed his lips to the fang marks. Holding her steady on her feet, Alessandro looked at her curiously.

  “You are a responsive woman.”

  “Huh?”

  He worked off her bra. “I’ve never seen a woman react to me quite like you.”