Without breaking eye contact, his hand found her cheek. His cool fingers danced down the curve of her neck, making her body shiver.
Then he touched her breasts.
William’s movements were unhurried, a contrast to the hunger in his eyes.
He continued to stare as his hand cupped her full breast, his thumb passing over her nipple, feather light. He repeated the motion several times before moving to the other breast.
Raven sighed as he teased, her excitement heightened by the way his eyes remained fixed on hers. He watched her, reading her, anticipating every reaction.
Her skin bloomed with heat, despite the coolness of his touch.
His palm slid down her curves from breasts to hips, smoothing over her abdomen and drifting down, down to the apex of her thighs.
William shifted his weight, withdrawing his hips so he could kneel between her legs. But still, his glittering eyes remained focused on hers.
He placed his hands on her thighs and pressed, separating her legs. His hand slipped to where she desired him most, his touch prompting her to slide closer to him.
He traced, he tempted, he teased.
Raven closed her eyes as his fingertips skated between her legs. With a growl, he cupped the back of her head.
“Look at me,” he commanded.
She opened her eyes, but before she could speak, he claimed her mouth.
William’s kiss was firm. It made promises and exacted them in return. All the while, his fingers danced between her legs.
Raven panted.
He gazed down into her eyes as he maintained his pace, his touch slow and even.
Raven gasped as she felt the orgasm build and finally seize her.
William continued his ministrations until Raven jerked backward.
“Too sensitive,” she murmured.
He kissed her, his tongue sliding against hers as he shifted atop her once again.
He pulled her knees so they pressed into his sides. The tip of him brushed against her entrance.
Raven gripped his shoulders as he filled her.
Once he was seated inside her, William refrained from moving. Instead, he caressed her face and traced the fullness of her lips, made damp by his mouth.
An exhale escaped him, the gentle waft of breath against Raven’s skin a studied contrast to his glittery, impatient eyes.
She lifted her hips, and he initiated a slow, deep rhythm.
Raven moved with him, clinging to his shoulders as his powerful thrusts pushed her toward the headboard.
She kissed him, their tongues matching the movements of their lower bodies.
William trailed down to her breasts, grazing a nipple with his teeth before pulling it into his cool mouth. He began a strong, sucking motion, alternating with gentle licks that had Raven teetering on the edge between pleasure and pain.
Her fingers slid down his spine and along the firm curves of his backside. She clutched him, urging him into her again and again.
William would not speed. His pace was sure but slow, and breathtakingly deep.
“I want to drink you.” His expression grew dangerous.
She managed a nod as he surged forward and withdrew, again and again.
He shifted the angle, and Raven groaned, scratching at his lower back.
“It seems I’ve taken a tiger to bed.” He grinned wickedly.
Raven scratched harder, trying to force him to increase his pace. Her nails barely made an impression on his pale, impervious skin.
“Why hurry?” He gripped the hip above her uninjured leg, adjusting the angle so he could enter her more deeply. “We have hours to enjoy one another.”
She moaned at the suggestion. Surely she would explode into flames before a few more minutes elapsed.
He kissed her nose. “Relax.”
His mouth tasted her breasts. “Savor the sensations.”
“I need to come.” She arched her back and lifted her breasts.
“You deserve more.” He nipped across her chest. Then, with his mouth fastened on a nipple, he increased his pace.
Raven gripped his backside, pulling him into her.
He lifted his mouth to her neck, his tongue tasting the skin. He rolled the flesh in his mouth before using the edge of his teeth.
Raven murmured something that collapsed into a moan as William began to suck her neck.
Two more thrusts and she was climaxing, holding her breath as she gave herself over to pleasure.
William growled and bit her neck, his teeth penetrating her artery. He drew blood into his mouth in pace with her heartbeat, his lips fastened to her neck. All the while, he continued thrusting, as her body seized and contracted around him.
A third orgasm chased the second, and Raven drew an uneven breath as her body remained tightened.
William swallowed and lessened the suction at her neck, waiting for her to relax in the wane of her climax. When she began to soften, he withdrew his teeth.
She inhaled, arms flopping to the mattress.
The tip of his tongue made lazy circles against her wound. He fluttered his lips up and down her neck, as if he couldn’t bear to part from it.
“You didn’t,” she whispered, feeling lightheaded from the sudden blood loss.
“Not yet.” He slid down her body, making sure his chin scratched a line between her breasts and down to her belly button.
He pulled her legs open, his mouth hovering above the place where she still trembled. “I am in a mood to savor.”
He lowered his lips to the tender flesh.
Chapter Thirty
“IT ISN’T YOUR CASE.”
The voice of Batelli’s superior rang in his ears as he hurried across the Piazza della Signoria.
“Forget about the club.”
It was easy enough to discover the true owner of Teatro, the club he’d been forbidden to search. A Swiss corporation owned it. And although he couldn’t find out very much about the corporation, he took the fact that it was Swiss to be confirmation Teatro was somehow connected to William York.
When it came to the elusive Mr. York, all investigative roads led to Switzerland—all except for Raven Wood, who had mysteriously disappeared from Florence after a dead body turned up in her building.
The police investigating the murder had given the corpse to the FBI because the victim was American. The FBI had transferred it to Rome for an autopsy. They’d promised to share their findings with the Florentine police.
Batelli had read the police file, invoking a favor from a friend who had access to the documents. Raven Wood was a person of interest in the death, but so was her sister, who had also gone missing.
It seemed the murder investigation, like that of the robbery of the Uffizi, had stalled.
Batelli had forensic evidence, but he’d kept its existence out of the newspapers. He had a piece of parchment that presumably bore the handwriting of one of the thieves. The forensics team from Interpol had identified the writer as male, but they were puzzled by his style of handwriting. He used a very old, very out-of-date hand—one more in keeping with medieval manuscripts than contemporary European modes of writing. The letters seemed to have been penned with a quill.
The parchment, like the financial trail that led from a mysterious donation to the Uffizi back to a numbered Swiss bank account, was a piece of a much larger puzzle. Teatro was another piece.
For this reason, Batelli was eager to investigate the club. He’d learned of its existence from an anonymous source, but his supervisor had ordered him to abandon the investigation and he’d flatly refused to allow him to search the premises.
Batelli lit a cigarette as he stood several feet away from the Loggia dei Lanzi.
He knew better than to challenge his superiors. He was already a joke around the world—the de
tective who had no leads and no prospects relating to the greatest art heist in Uffizi history. It was a matter of pride as well as justice that he continue the investigation, even though his superiors had already assigned him to another case.
He’d made copies of his file on the robbery, including the information on the parchment and the Swiss bank account. He’d transcribed his rough, handwritten notes, including his remarks on Raven Wood and William York, and her sister’s murdered fiancé. Although it was completely against protocol, he’d made arrangements to have the file delivered to a reporter at La Nazione, the local newspaper, should something malicious befall him.
Batelli was no fool. Although Agent Savola’s death had been attributed to Russian organized crime, Batelli’s gut told him the death was linked to the robbery. It was only right that he take precautions.
But he would not abandon the case.
He had allies helping him look for Raven Wood and her sister, while he resolved to find a way inside Teatro.
A short look around, he told himself.
That’s all he needed.
Chapter Thirty-One
RAVEN DUG HER CANE into the gravel, making a haphazard pattern. She was in William’s garden, braving the August sun near an enormous and elaborate fountain that featured the god Neptune.
The garden was neatly arranged with flowers, hedges, and orange trees. Large terracotta pots held various plants, while roses bloomed in between the hedges.
The fountain was located at the end of a terraced walkway that lay between two large flower beds like the center aisle of a church. The air was perfumed with citrus and roses.
Two sketches lay abandoned near Raven’s feet. She’d taken charcoal to paper and sketched William’s face, dearer to her than her own. When she’d finished and the Muse had still hovered over her, she’d drawn Borek.
She did not draw her sister.
If she closed her eyes, she could conjure up happy days, when her father was alive and they were living in Portsmouth. She remembered his laughter, his calloused hand holding hers, the deep timbre of his voice.
“Daddy,” she whispered, the tears threatening.
How disappointed he would be with her. How she’d failed him in looking after Cara.
The merest sigh of a breeze touched her face, drawing a long strand of dark hair across her eyes. A single word echoed in her heart, spoken in her father’s deep voice, No.
You can’t do everything. You can’t be perfect. You just have to be yourself, and be the best self you can be.
Such was the simple wisdom of her father, or what she could remember of it.
The breeze sighed again, and Raven was seized with the impression her father would have understood.
Father Kavanaugh, for all his blind faith, would not hurt Cara. He’d read scripture to comfort her in her grief. He’d pray for her and send her home with Dan’s body. If he were willing to risk his life and the ire of the Roman in order to save Raven herself, he would ensure the Curia didn’t mistreat Cara.
Raven believed this. But a week had passed with no news from Father Kavanaugh or Cara. Raven had called, texted, and sent an email. There had been no response.
Raven blinked up at the sun, realizing she should have worn sunglasses or a hat. She felt as if she’d been living in a cave, as if she hadn’t seen the sun in months, rather than days. She wanted the warmth to bake into her pale skin and into her heart. But it was beginning to get too hot.
William had promised he would find out what was happening with Cara, but in the days that followed their return to Florence, he’d had very little to report. Last night he’d learned the Curia had manufactured a story about Dan and Cara being the victims of a mugging. They’d both suffered head injuries, which was why, they’d said, Cara had no memory of the assault.
Raven hoped that in time Cara would find healing, although she realized Dan’s loss would form a scar that would never disappear.
“Here is a lark, blessing my garden.”
She turned and found William a short distance away, standing under a trellis covered in vines, shaded from the sun.
She smiled. “I wasn’t expecting you until after sunset.”
“The city is quiet, and my brethren are resting.” He gazed at her solemnly. “I have news of your sister.”
Raven felt her heart skip a beat. “Where is she?”
“On her way to America. Your priest was ordered to accompany her and the corpse. He’s also spreading the fairy tale about what happened.”
“Is she all right?”
William pressed his lips together. “She is grieving. But I was told by one of our sources that she is healthy.”
“Will she talk to me?”
“I believe so, but you should give her a few more days. Wait until she’s settled in America and we’re able to determine the Curia’s influence on her.”
Raven turned her head. “I don’t want to wait.”
“I understand, but so long as your priest is with her, any information you give to her will be given to him.”
Raven changed the subject. “When are we leaving for the Accademia?”
“I’m afraid our plans must be postponed. I must meet with the Consilium tonight.”
Raven used her cane to dig in the gravel, trying to hide her disappointment.
“I am sorry.” He sounded contrite.
“It’s all right. As long as you come back.”
“Why so downcast?”
She made an exasperated noise. “I can’t speak to my sister. I can’t leave the villa. What can I do?”
William moved to the very edge of the shade. “There’s been too much unrest, too many whispers. By now I’m sure it’s clear you are my greatest weakness.”
Raven regarded him, a centuries-old vampyre with untold powers and the wisdom of ages. “No one who looked at you would ever think you weak.”
“No one who looked at me when you were absent, perhaps. But we are attached, you and I. It must be plain to those around us, despite how hard I’ve tried to hide it.”
Raven dug in the gravel again.
“I have made an error,” William said at length.
Now Raven looked at him. “What do you mean?”
“You are unhappy.”
“I’m not used to staying in one spot all the time. I like to go out.”
William passed a hand over his mouth. “A lark who is caged is never as beautiful as a lark who is free. I said that to you once. Now I’ve caged you.”
“There must be some way for me to leave the villa and still be safe. You’re the Prince of a secure kingdom. You have the support of the Roman.”
He lowered his voice. “I have many fears as well.”
Raven lifted her hands in exasperation. “Share them. Let’s be afraid together. But don’t shut me out, and please, please don’t keep me in a cage.”
William looked around quickly before venturing into the sun.
His movement was so quick, Raven gasped when she saw him standing beside her.
Tenderly, he touched her cheek. “My greatest fear is that I can’t protect you.”
She grabbed his wrist. “I’m afraid I’ll lose you. Or the Curia will come and take you away.”
“I am fighting so that won’t happen.”
“Then let me fight at your side, William, not inside your villa. When I told you I was afraid of being destroyed by love, you told me my fears were shared. Your fears are shared, too. I’m terrified of losing you or having someone take away my memories of you.” A cry of anguish escaped from her chest. “I love you, knowing it may destroy me. Love me as I am—disabled, mortal, and breakable—for as long as you can.”
“I do,” he whispered. “I will.”
“Then take me with you.”
William’s expression grew conflict
ed.
She frowned. “I don’t mean to Consilium meetings. I don’t ever want to go to one of those again. But I’d like to go to the Opificio. The Pitti Palace. I used to volunteer at the orphanage. Can I do that again?”
William looked at her gravely. “Is it important to you?”
“Very much. I like working with children. I have to do something useful for society and not just sit around being waited on all the time.”
“You can contribute to society by being who you are.”
“That isn’t enough.”
“I disagree. But you also contribute by preserving great works of art.”
Frustrated, she shook her head.
“If you wish to volunteer, I’ll assign someone to go with you,” William offered. “We lost the other security guards.”
Raven remembered Maximilian attacking Marco and Luka. They’d died trying to protect her. “Thank you.”
“Tonight, when I meet with the Consilium, will you stay here?”
“Of course.” She gathered up her art supplies. “I know the sun is making you uncomfortable. Let’s stand in the shade.”
William took her by the elbow and helped her to her feet. He escorted her back to the trellis.
He took the supplies from her hand, along with her cane, and put them on a nearby table. He gathered her hands in his and placed them over his heart.
Raven was distracted momentarily by the strange silence underneath her palms. And then, his heart thumped.
“I—” William frowned. “I have thought many times of the price I would pay for love. But I should have been thinking of the price you’d have to pay.”
“I knew when I lost my father my life would never be sweetness and light,” Raven said. “Mostly, I’m sad for my sister. Having to stay here by myself for hours on end makes it worse because I can’t stop worrying about everything.”
William’s eyebrows drew together. “I should have realized. I am sorry. I should have dealt with Maximilian when I had the chance.”
“No one knows the future. I certainly don’t blame you for what he did to Dan.”
William wrapped himself around her.
The Roman Page 12
