The butler sniffed his indifference and turned his attention to Leo. “Leave your bags here, Master. I will take them up to your rooms.”
“Put them all in my bedroom, Fritz. Sam will be staying with me.”
“Of course, Master.” He looked at Matt. “Do I prepare a room for you, as well, Mr Walker?”
Matt shook his head. “No, buddy. I’ll be heading home soon.”
The butler snorted, his face twisting with disgust. “As you wish.” He turned to Leo and bowed with formal grace before he left.
Leo shot Matt a look that was half amused, half annoyed. “You have to stop calling him buddy. You know that gets under his skin.”
Matt shrugged, winking at Sam. “I like getting under his skin. Fritz needs to lighten up, Leo. That man could freeze a volcano.”
Sam laughed. “He seemed nice enough. I actually thought it was quite traditional for the butler calling his boss master.”
Matt’s expression turned serious. “Don’t get me wrong, Sam. I like the guy. He’s actually a formidable member in Leo’s family. And loyal. He would stand in front of a silver bullet to save any one of us.”
“I didn’t sense a lycan in him,” Sam said.
“Fritz is human,” Leo replied. He placed his hand on the small of Sam’s back. “Come. We will all have a drink in the drawing room before we retire.”
Leo’s drawing room was nothing short of splendid as Sam took in the exquisite furniture, the art draping the walls, the exotic carpeting. Leo went straight for the bar to the far right of the room.
“Whisky on ice, Matt?”
“Thanks.”
“Sam? A white wine?”
“No, I think I’ll have a whiskey, as well,” she said, realising she was probably going to need it. At every step of the way, she was discovering more and more astonishing things about Leo and she was having a hard time keeping up with them.
Leo raised a brow at her choice of drink. “As you wish,” he said after a short pause.
Sam took a seat on the couch as Matt lowered himself on the chair across from her. Leo returned with a tray and placed it on the coffee table between them and sat next to Sam. She felt immediately at ease with his body next to hers.
“They’re outside,” Matt said, taking a swig of his drink.
“I know. They have been following us since the airport,” Leo responded smoothly, slowly raising his glass to his mouth.
Sam’s hand froze as she reached for her glass. “Do you two mean Garos’s men?”
“Yes,” Leo said.
“Shouldn’t we call for help?”
“No,” Leo said calmly.
Sam didn’t know if he was the bravest man in the world or the stupidest. “How…how many are out there?”
“I sense seven,” Matt said.
“Seven!”
“Calm yourself, Sam. There is nothing to be frightened of.”
“How can you say that?
“Sam, there are seven lycans out there. I sense no humans or vampires. A lycan cannot kill one of its kind, remember? And Garos does not like to use quicksilver. His motto has always been, take no prisoners. If he wanted to attack us tonight, he would have sent his humans and vampires to do the job. No, tonight he is scouting us.”
A twinge of annoyance ran up her back and she gave Leo a sharp look. “That was information that could have proved useful to me. I’ve been scared to death.” She stared at both men and her annoyance mounted. “There is, however, seven of them and only two of you, well, three if you count me, but I doubt I’m ready for battle at this stage in my new life.”
“Those seven lycans are no match for Leo and myself, and they all know it,” Matt said.
“So why are they scouting us?” She asked Leo. Worry settled over her as she dropped her gaze to his hands. They were clenched into two fists on his lap.
The look he gave her alarmed her. “Sam, they came for you. Our mole informed us that Garos has taken an interest in you.”
Sam tossed a startled glance at Matt. His expression was just as serious as Leo’s. “Leo, what do you mean by interest?”
“I am afraid he will try to get to me through you. Apparently he has discovered I have found my one. Our mole informed us that Catherine has been keeping tabs on me through her crystal ball.”
Sam brought her hands up to her face. “Oh my God, I am really starting to hate this woman,” she mumbled.
Her head reeled. She removed her hands from her face, ignoring Leo’s rigid expression and grabbed her drink. She took a deep swig and immediately started choking and coughing as the liquid burned her throat. She placed her glass down with a thud on the coffee table. “I needed that,” she said, wiping her teary eyes. “So, what now? Do we just wait them out?
Matt glanced at his watch. “Knowing Garos, he will make his move tomorrow night, but we still need to wait for our mole to confirm this before we take the necessary action.”
“Agreed,” Leo said, giving Sam an uncompromising look. “That is why tomorrow, I will bring you to one of our safe houses where you will remain there until I come and collect you. I will not argue about this, Sam. You will remain safe until all the danger is cleared.”
She looked from Leo to Matt and back to Leo again, fear welling in her throat. “You’ll both be killed!”
“Garos has not won a battle, yet,” Leo said. He gave Matt a sharp look. “They left.”
Sam took another swig of her drink and welcomed the burn followed by the spurts of coughs and gasps. She placed the glass down gently on the table this time and looked at Leo.
“What if something happens to you?” She asked.
Their gazes met and held and for a moment she forgot Matt was in the room. “I will return for you at the safe house,” Leo said.
A part of her believed him and another part of her was afraid. “What…what if you don’t?”
Leo’s face darkened with a look that made her breath catch. “I will.”
Matt cleared his throat. “Guys, you’re both still on Greece’s time and you must be suffering jet lag, so I’ll be heading home. I’ll see you at two o’clock tomorrow, Leo.”
Leo nodded, his gaze still locked with Sam’s, as Matt left.
Sam shivered as a tiny thrill of excitement ran up her back. The intensity of Leo’s gaze almost frightened her. She parted her lips in surprise, inhaling softly, as his dark eyes shifted briefly to amber. Sam knew Leo was aroused, her wolf dancing around his scent.
Leo rose abruptly and took her hand. Sam swallowed as he bent and picked her up in his arms, carrying her from the room. He marched up a dark wood, glossy stairwell to a corridor. Sam was breathless by the time he set her down in front of a door.
He opened the door and led her inside, shutting the door behind them. Sam didn’t have time to look around and take in his massive bedroom because in one stride he stood before her, his hands cupping her face as he lowered his head and kissed her.
She moaned, parting her lips as he explored her mouth with his tongue.
His hands slid in between them, his movements rough and hurried, as he pulled his T-shirt from his jeans. He dragged his mouth from hers and slid his T-shirt over his head, tossing it on the floor beside him. Sam stared at his powerfully built chest and in a matter of moments, he removed all his clothes, his expression taut, as he reached for her dress. She raised her arms and he slid her dress over her head. He clasped his big hands on her waist and dragged her toward him. She practically swooned at the warm, sensual pleasure of her skin touching his. His erection dug into her belly and her legs felt weak.
Leo kissed her again, running his hands up and down her back, stopping on her bra to unclasp it. With an almost inhuman grunt, he removed her bra and slid his hands in the waist band of her underwear. Sam drew in a shaky breath as he knelt down and slid her underwear to her ankles. She stepped out of them and he clasped her hips, dragging her womanhood closer to him.
Her legs were going to give way.
And then his mouth was on her folds and his tongue was wreaking havoc to all her senses. Sam grabbed his hair and held on for dear life as his tongue licked and lathed her core while his finger slid in and out of her sheath.
Her legs convulsed and she slowly sunk to the floor. The thick carpet was soft on her back and Leo spread her legs with his hands as he buried his face in between her legs and continued his passionate, hot exploration. Sam couldn’t take anymore of this. She grabbed his hair, she grabbed his shoulders, but he didn’t budge as his tongue and finger continued to punish her with exquisite torture.
When she thought she could no longer breathe, a powerful, wild orgasm flooded her system and she threw back her head, screaming out in frenzied passion, her body quivering and shuddering its release.
She lay back, her eyes closed. Leo withdrew his mouth and growled with pleasure and he mounted himself between her legs. His steely erection filled her one fluid move and she gripped his shoulders, their gazes locked in a hot haze of passion and lust.
Leo didn’t withdraw. He kept his penis deep in her sheath, his expression darker than she’d ever seen it.
“I am afraid I cannot hold off, my love,” he said hoarsely.
Sam cupped his face with her hands. “Leo, you can let go.”
He nodded knowingly and slowly withdrew, his face grimacing. He plunged forward in one hard, deep thrust and stiffened violently. Sam felt a familiar pulse between her legs build and she was startled to realise she was going to—
Her second release took her by surprise as she gasped and ground her mound over his loins, her body splintering.
Leo collapsed over her and rolled to his side, taking her with him.
They lay on the carpet for a few minutes before either one of them could speak.
Leo slid a hand over her hips. “I will never tire of making love to you.”
She smiled. “I hope not. We have forever in front of us.”
“Yes. We have forever, Sam.”
Twenty minutes later, after a quick shower together, they were lying in his bed and he gathered her in his arms.
“Goodnight, my love.”
“’Night, Leo,” she said sleepily.
He kissed her tenderly on her forehead and she drifted off.
****
Garos drummed his fingers on his desk, staring at the clock on the wall above Catherine’s head.
“Where the hell are they?”
“With James leading the mission, they should be arriving shortly with all the information you require,” Catherine remarked dryly.
Garos slammed his fist on his desk. “I told you that’s enough! If you cannot hold your tongue, leave before my men get here. Go polish your crystal ball or something.”
Catherine shrugged, crossing her legs delicately as the door to Garos’s office flew open. She raised her brow and gave him a knowing look. Garos ignored her as he stared at his seven men piling into his office.
The splash of music disappeared as James shut the door behind them.
“We have confirmed she is at his house,” James said without preamble.
Relief replaced his irritation with Catherine. “Good. I’m sure that bastard won’t let her out of his sight, which is precisely what I’m hoping for. We go along with the plan and attack. With his one present, Leo will be distracted and Patrice can take him out.”
James nodded. “When do we attack?”
“Tomorrow night. I am growing weary of hunting this man down. The sooner I take over New York, the sooner we infiltrate the other surrounding cities and move south until we hit Europe.”
James grimaced. “William is as big a contender with his European market as Leo is with New York.”
Garos clenched his jaw. “I will worry about William when I get there.”
“Of course.”
“Call in Patrice. It’s not sunrise for another four hours. He can make it here and back to his damn coffin in plenty of time. I need to talk to him.”
“I’ll get on it right away,” James said.
“And assemble my strongest men. I want nothing to go wrong this time. Nothing!” Garos swung a dark gaze around his office. “Everyone get the hell out of here.”
Within moments, his office cleared and he leaned back in his seat, releasing a pent up breath.
“Tired?’ Catherine asked.
He snapped his gaze to her. “Take heed, Catherine. Your confidence is misplaced. I can have you replaced with any one of the other girls.”
She laughed without humour. “You already do. Or do you think I am a fool when one of your young nubiles spends hours in here with you?”
“What do you expect from me? Marriage? Monogamy?” He curled his mouth with derision. “I expect to rule the world and you think I will settle for one woman? Get out. I want to be alone.”
He watched her rise gracefully, her expression stony, and walk to the door. He had to hand it to her, though. She was one tough witch. His men cowered in fear when he laid down the gauntlet, but Catherine…Catherine was a fighter, a woman who showed no fear.
It was shame he would have to kill her soon.
For now, there was one person he wanted dead. Leonidis Stefanos. And with his one directly in the line of fire, Garos was certain Leo would stand between a silver bullet and her.
He glanced at the clock again. Where was that damn vampire, Patrice?
Chapter Eight
Sam didn’t know what to expect when Leo drove her to the safe house after lunch the next day, but she certainly wasn’t expecting to stop off for some ice cream. He led her into an ice cream parlour and Sam gave him a questioning look, but Leo wasn’t paying attention to her. He was staring at the young girl wearing a pink and white striped outfit behind the counter.
Sam glanced around the parlour, taking in the empty seats, the black and white tiled floor, the glass cabinets displaying cakes and decorative muffins.
The girl looked up at Leo and nodded knowingly. Sam watched her reach beneath her counter. She must have done something because the entire wall on the left slid open.
“Thank you, Alissa,” Leo said as he took Sam’s hand.
Dazed, she followed him to the opening and walked through the entryway. Sam heard the wall close behind them.
It took her a few seconds to adjust to the dim lighting.
“Be careful. There is a stairwell going down a couple of feet in front of us,” he said.
They made their way slowly around a bend and Sam widened her eyes. The candelabras lining the walls along the narrow stairwell was what had given off the dim lighting. Leo glanced back at her, his face grim.
“Come on. Viktor is expecting us. He manages this safe house.”
She must have followed him a few flights down before they reached a massive door made out of a metal. She wasn’t even sure it was a metal. Leo reached for the lit panel on the side and keyed in a string of numbers. The door immediately swung open.
Sam heard voices, a lot of voices, and soft music in the air. She stepped inside and peered around Leo’s large frame. The room was vast and she ran her gaze over every corner, taking in the couches, the bars, the dining areas. There was even a small dance area where a few couple moved slowly to the soft music.
What was this place? It looked like a recreation center with different settings on each corner.
Leo led her into the room, stopping next to a couch where a couple talked in hushed, low voices. She looked up and saw a tall, bald man, wearing a black suit and burgundy tie, approach them.
“Ah, Leo, I see you have brought your one.” The man smiled at Sam and extended his hand. “It is a big pleasure to meet you, Samantha.”
“Please, call me Sam.”
“My name is Viktor. I run this place. Welcome to our sanctuary.”
Sam looked around. “It’s…it’s lovely. I didn’t expect
this for a safe house.”
“Ah, you were expecting something nocturnal and seedy, no doubt. It is a shame how us night creatures are preconceived as monsters. We are all creatures of the night here, but we do enjoy our luxuries.” He spread a hand around him and encompassed the room. “I call it a sanctuary because this is where we come when we want to feel secure and safe and just want to enjoy ourselves. The walls are made of lead so no outsider can sense our presence here. We have sanctuaries like this in most major cities all over the world. You should see the one in Amsterdam. Now that one is positively sinful,” he said, winking at her. “The…er…more eclectic crowd of nocturnal beings frequent it.”
“I see,” Sam said, her fears evaporating. Even under these strange circumstances, there was something oddly comforting about this man that immediately put her at ease.
“Viktor, take care of her for me. I will return at sun up,” Leo said.
“Of course, old friend. Your one is safe with me.”
Leo took Sam by the shoulders and turned her gently to face him. He gave her a long, deep look, his expression concerned. “You will be safe here.” He gave her a swift, hard kiss and withdrew.
“Guard her with your life, Viktor,” he growled, before he turned and left.
****
Sam grew more and more worried as the minutes stretched into hours. Viktor was the perfect host, offering her a delicious dinner and introducing her to a few patrons she entertained with Tarot readings.
At least she was killing time with something she enjoyed doing, she thought. She lay down three more cards, her thoughts on Leo, as the young couple in front of her smiled expectantly.
An eerie, unsettling feeling ran up her spine as she stared at the death card. Sam knew Death could sometimes mean an ending, but in this case it did not. It meant what it said. Death. Her worry rose to panic and she gave the couple a startled look. The card wasn’t meant for them. It was meant for Leo.
Thankfully, the couple didn’t see the card and she quickly ran her hands over her spread on the table and bunched them into a neat pile in the palm of her hand.
“I’m…I’m sorry. Can we continue this later? I…I just developed this headache and I would like to splash some cold water on my face.”
Tall Dark Handsome Lycan, Book 2 Page 8
